Since
the beginning of our original quarantine, people have talked about what a rotten
year 2020 has been. The majority of my
being wants desperately to agree. So
many things happened that were life-altering in terrible ways for me. However, the eternal optimist, who clings to
my faith, screams out to remember that God walked every step with me, even when
I yelled at him a number of times the past thirty plus days. Okay, I yelled some at other points in the
year too. Still, I want to remember the
good things. Yes, there was good in the
year.
First,
the bad stuff is the obvious: politics, masks, mental illness, death, and
writing burnout. Need I say more? Nope.
Even
with all that happened, I accomplished a ton.
In the writing arena, I published three novels and read 38 books. Sure, I burned out and failed miserably at a
writing class, but I attempted the challenges.
That alone is a win. I also
watched 54 movies, crocheted two blankets, finished 11 quilting projects, and
quilted two full blankets. Also,
something that I am excited for next spring is that we finally had people put
in a beautiful garden retaining wall, a gorgeous back deck, and a rockin fire
pit. I enjoyed all of this in 2020 and
will continue to enjoy all of it during the warm months of 2021!
For
all the ugliness, God blessed me the entire year of 2020. He helped guide my surgeon’s hands during my
hip replacement. Sure recuperating
during a pandemic was interesting, but He also gave me strength to help my
sister clean out my mom’s house three months after the surgery. I ache, just thinking about all of that
lifting and cleaning. Ugh!
With
the house and funeral of my mom, we were blessed with our Nixon cousins
rallying around us to help with food for the funeral reception at the house,
lifting, getting rid of furniture, and loving us. I get misty eyed thinking of all of
them. I thought cleaning and selling the
house would take all summer. God helped
us wrap up everything but the paperwork in a month. He is so good!!!
Even
with the world closed for a good nine months, we were able to run away a few
times. For Clay’s birthday, we spent the
day at the Headwater’s of the Missouri having a picnic and hiking on my two
month old new hip. The blue sky and warm
sun lightened my heart. In August, we
took a road trip through Wyoming and South Dakota. We made new memories and remembered the last
trip so many years ago. We went back to
Wyoming two months later to celebrate Carissa entering the family. Oh what a blessing she is.
The
end of the year found us facing more loss, my sweet son. Yes, I went down the rabbit hole of despair a
couple of times; hating everything I looked at or thought about, including God. Being the best of father’s, God helped me
claw my way out of the anguish both times and has brought a small amount of
peace back to me. How did I know He was
helping? I have never had so many cards
sent to us or flowers filling the house.
We have been sent prayers and love from family and friends from all over
the United States: old school friends, military family, and our faith family. During my last dark day, God sent a host of
young adults to cheer me up. I am most
blessed by the people in my life. I know
through all of them, He will continue to heal me as time moves ever forward.
I
don’t want to leave out two other blessings.
After seventeen years, our dear sweet Tracer Cat had to be put down at
the beginning of November. I was amazed
how much I missed her. So, Madelle and I
found a new kitten. Little Runa has been
a blessing. She cuddles with me and
makes me laugh. Also, Madelle is
finished with school. Since second
grade, she has hated the institution because of one bad experience after
another. I don’t know what the future
holds for her or us, but this is a blessing and victory.
I
have found it a bit entertaining seeing how people are approaching 2021. Some people are filled with hope for a new
beginning, to shed away all the ugliness of 2020. Others figure more of the ugliness will spill
over. I can’t change the mask/Covid
issues that are hurting all of us. I can’t
stop the political environment. I do
think the negativity from these areas will continue. I had planned to take Madelle on a graduation
trip to Ireland. We may end up renting a
cabin at Seeley Lake instead. Time will
tell.
What
I know is that I create my own atmosphere: positive or negative. For the year 2021, I will continue to rely on
my faith. I am making loose plans that I
can control. I am putting the world at arm’s
length. I will be creative in the areas
of quilting, crocheting, painting, and gardening. I will do a little baking of bread and scones
and other fun things I have wanted to try to bake for years. I will write when I feel the need. I want to heal from all the challenges I did in
the past couple of years. Finally, I
will heal my heart by just being, enjoying everyday tasks, like doing dishes,
spending time with loved ones, pulling weeds.
I hope to travel, but we will see the world, country, state stages this
spring. Really, I will have joy for the
coming year because I choose joy.
I
pray all people choose joy.
Madelle's Graduation Blanket 
Jerry's Christmas Quilt with a Patriotic Theme 
Runa, our new little blessing.
