Christmas 2011?\u00a0 Already?\u00a0 In less than 2 weeks?\u00a0 Wuh?!?!? I really can’t\u00a0believe it.\u00a0 It’s like it just sprang up out of nowhere.\u00a0 What happened to 2011?\u00a0 Where did it go?\u00a0 It’s like last year I just blinked and here we are;\u00a0another year gone by and it’s Christmas again.\u00a0 Wow.<\/p>\n
Well, I don’t know about you, but I have been rather introspective of late.\u00a0 Of course, Jo says I always am, but hey, maybe she’s right.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 Personally, I try to avoid all the societal mandates for end-of-year trappings.\u00a0 I don’t do resolutions,\u00a0take stock of what I accomplished, worry about what I didn’t accomplish, or any of that type of stuff.\u00a0 Not usually, anyway.\u00a0Maybe that makes me an underachiever?\u00a0 Hmm.\u00a0\u00a0Actually, I tend to do that stuff on a more daily basis.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless,\u00a0this year has been rather\u00a0unique for us in a number of ways and perhaps that has led to me waxing introspective in this Christmas season?<\/p>\n
In the context of milestones, without doubt, the largest was\u00a0our 20th anniversary in August.\u00a0\u00a020 years?!?! Wow!!\u00a0\u00a0To celebrate, we spent\u00a09 days in the San Juan Islands, which are off the coast of Washington State (Yeah, I know, I still need to post pics and videos online).\u00a0 It was a wonderful time.\u00a0 Temps in August were in the mid-to-upper 70s and sunny!!!\u00a0 Wow.\u00a0 Quite the change from the hot Colorado temps we left behind.<\/p>\n
During our 9 days, we actually stayed on three islands in the San Juans.\u00a0 We relaxed, we rode the ferries several times (which was a blast), we stayed in our first Bed and Breakfast, we went whale watching on\u00a0a great whale watching\u00a0charter boat and cruised along beside\u00a0groups of Orca whales, while\u00a0passing through alternating banks of fog and bright sun.\u00a0 It was a very unique experience.<\/p>\n
We ate lots (of course).\u00a0 Especially those amazing and HUGE cookies at that wonderful coffee\u00a0shop in Friday Harbor, which we frequented several times a day while on San Juan Island.\u00a0We\u00a0did a picnic\u00a0on “Fourth of July\u00a0Beach”, which was so deserted it was almost surreal.\u00a0 Just us, the\u00a0beach, serene views of islands in the distance,\u00a0soft sounds of small waves pulsing rhythmically onto\u00a0the\u00a0pebble-strewn beach, and huge sea birds passing right in front of us.\u00a0 It was truly amazing.<\/p>\n
On the night of our anniversary, I charted a private yacht that took us on a sunset dinner cruise through the islands, returning in the evening.\u00a0 They cooked prawns and crab legs, smoked salmon with crackers, and other delights, followed at the end by chocolate dipped strawberries.\u00a0 Wow, that was a night.\u00a0 The waves, the islands, the sea sounds.\u00a0 We even saw a schooner that was used in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films.\u00a0 All while the sun slowly descended over the gentle swells as we navigated the peaceful San Juans on a cool August night.\u00a0 Just awesome.<\/p>\n
The whole thing was a surprise for Jo, who only knew that we were doing “something”.\u00a0 I spent 6 obsessive months planning that trip and\u00a0the various events (as my poor co-workers will attest to), while\u00a0leaving some slack in the schedule for “downtime”.\u00a0 Actually,\u00a0I\u00a0had two other trip concepts that\u00a0preceded that one, which didn’t work out.\u00a0 However, I am glad that we “wound up” doing the San Juans, though.\u00a0 It was SO worth it.\u00a0 But,\u00a0nevertheless,\u00a0I was very glad when that trip finally arrived.\u00a0 I got to sleep again AND stop hiding things from Jo!\u00a0 Something I am not very good at.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
Another milestone was a certain birthday that Jo had.\u00a0 I won’t say which one it was, but we’ll just say\u00a0that it was one of those “special” years.\u00a0 For 10 years prior to this birthday, she had been saying that she wanted to go SKY DIVING before her [insert special year here] birthday.\u00a0 Yeah… as in\u00a0“OH-MY-GOSH she wants to jump out of an airplane?”.\u00a0 I of course spent 10 years trying to talk her out of it.\u00a0 But, sometime early this year she\u00a0whomped that big deer-eyed look on me and crooned “but I REALLY, REALLY want to do this”.\u00a0 A few\u00a0eye flashes later and I knew… she really HAD to do this.\u00a0 Go figure.\u00a0 So, since during her birthday in November it might be rather cold\u00a010,000 feet about\u00a0the Colorado plains, instead in\u00a0July I surprised her with a “happy sky diving cake” and a party at her work.\u00a0 A few weeks\u00a0later\u00a0she did it.\u00a0 Yup, she climbed in that plane and jumped right out of it,\u00a0in front of God and everybody.\u00a0 I still can’t believe she did that.\u00a0 Who is this woman that I married?!?!\u00a0 You can see\u00a0the not-so-cheap video\u00a0they did\u00a0of it on her blog post about it.\u00a0 By the way, “whomped” is an appropriate southern term that in Colorado-speak would mean… umm… well, it has no real western equivalent.\u00a0 Sorry, you’ll have to trust me that it was a really, really\u00a0compelling look.<\/p>\n
Now, here at the end of the year, we are going through another milestone, in that we are in the process of buying a house. It’s a long story, but the last few weeks of this process have been almost a blur.\u00a0 We reviewed HUNDREDS of properties online, personally\u00a0visited\u00a0dozens of those properties, which were\u00a0spread out over a 35 x 10 mile area (for accountants, that’s 350 square miles that we covered), from the mountains to the plains and whatever is in-between.\u00a0 But, finally, we are in the midst of negotiations on a house that should be finalized in a few days.\u00a0 Whew.\u00a0 Then, the real fun will start.\u00a0 Moving in January!\u00a0 Yay!\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
We did some other pretty nifty things over the last year too.\u00a0 But, now turning introspective, those events really just describe\u00a0things we “did” or are “doing”.\u00a0 And while they were and are great and highly memorable in their own right, and we are immensely grateful to God for those events, none of that\u00a0really sums up what those milestones or events\u00a0actually represent.<\/p>\n
Take our anniversary, for example.\u00a0 Assuming\u00a0you can recover from the shocking fact\u00a0that Jo could actually put up with me for 20 years, that chronological quantification\u00a0is really astounding.\u00a0 20 years.\u00a0 Think about it.\u00a0 That’s 2-oh years.\u00a0 10 times 2 years, 5 times 4 years, two decades. Ok, you get the point. But, really… How did 20 years go by?\u00a0 And what happened to those young, crazy, idealistic, hopeful and\u00a0whatever else we were, two kids and how did they become… well,\u00a0us?\u00a0 I guess that’s a bit existential, but I can’t really seem to grasp how “US THEN + 20 YEARS = US NOW”.\u00a0 That equation doesn’t begin to describe the ride of those 20\u00a0years.<\/p>\n
Were they “good” years? Most certainly.\u00a0 Were there some bad years?\u00a0 Well, not whole\u00a0years, but sure, there were hard times and bad things we went through.\u00a0 Actually, there were some VERY HARD times, in various ways.\u00a0 Regardless, God has faithfully brought us to this point, slightly scarred I guess, but we’re still here.\u00a0Although, truthfully, I could never have imagined who we would be now and how we\u00a0got here.<\/p>\n
As I look back, I can’t really quantify those years with one over-arching theme.\u00a0 Good, bad, hard, easy, fun, frustrating, exciting, painful.\u00a0 Yeah, it was all that and so much more.\u00a0 But as a whole, as I look back, the experience itself somehow blends together to become just\u00a0“Amazing”.\u00a0 Which is how I would sum it now.\u00a0 Maybe not some of it as we went through it, but those don’t seem so vivid now.\u00a0 Those parts dim into the grander background of it all and somehow all I really remember now are the\u00a0amazing parts.<\/p>\n
In that context, I would have to say that the most amazing part has been co-journeying with Jo.\u00a0 Along the way, the Jo I thought I knew has become something… well, indescribable.\u00a0 This amazing gift from God\u00a0that I partnered with just over 20 years ago “until death do us part” is so much more intricate, complex and wonderfully mysterious than I could ever have imagined.\u00a0 How can she be so strong and yet, at the same, be so weak?\u00a0 So simple and yet\u00a0still so complex?\u00a0\u00a0So easy to\u00a0understand and then so often completely unfathomable?\u00a0 We laughed, we cried, but we lived it all TOGETHER and I can’t explain what that means, really.\u00a0 She is all I could ever had wanted and SO, SO much more.\u00a0 It will surely take\u00a0a\u00a0bunch more of those 20 year periods\u00a0to\u00a0really understand her, but instead I\u00a0think I will find that it will just get more complex along the way.\u00a0 In a strange way, it’s almost disappointing that I only have one life to live with her.\u00a0 How do I make up for the stupid things I did?\u00a0\u00a0Or that I am going to do?\u00a0 How could\u00a0I do those many\u00a0stupid, selfish\u00a0things over, but better this time?\u00a0 Does it or would it matter?\u00a0 Well, somehow in God’s grace, one life will have to be enough I guess.<\/p>\n
But, having said all that about Jo and I’s relationship, this 20 year milestone\u00a0has caused me to reflect back on so many\u00a0other relationships.\u00a0 One of the hardest parts of the last 20 years has been the constant moving that Jo and I have done.\u00a0 While each move we\u00a0really intended\u00a0to be our\u00a0last,\u00a0somehow we would find ourselves moving again!\u00a0 And again.\u00a0 And again.\u00a0 Man, who’d a thought this Atlanta boy would be in Colorado!!!\u00a0 I would never, could never\u00a0have imagined such\u00a0a thing in a million years!<\/p>\n
But, while leaving all those places and people was NEVER easy, the GOOD\u00a0part of all that moving has been the opportunity to meet and have known\u00a0all the wonderful\u00a0people that God has brought into our lives.\u00a0 I guess it is an odd time to contemplate all this.\u00a0 But, if Christmas is a time of receiving gifts, I would have to say that the best gift has been the privilege of having known and shared in the lives of so many\u00a0wonderful people.\u00a0 Friends and family (both physically and spiritually).\u00a0 It is astounding really.\u00a0\u00a0We have\u00a0truly been blessed to have been encouraged by,\u00a0challenged by, forgiven by, humbled by, and changed by, all of those lives that God’s providence has brought our way.\u00a0 I really don’t know how to express my deepest appreciation for each of you. Thank you so much for being part of\u00a0who we\u00a0are and what we have become.<\/p>\n
This year and every year, may I remember that the best and real gifts to me from God are, first and foremost, Christ and all that He is, and then secondly, each one of you.\u00a0 Thanks for being a gift from God to us.<\/p>\n
God Bless you all.\u00a0 May you have a VERY Merry Christmas and may 2012 reveal God’s glories and wonders in amazing ways you could never have expected!\u00a0 All Glory to Him!<\/p>\n
Hoby and Jojo, Biscuit and Pun’kin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Christmas 2011?\u00a0 Already?\u00a0 In less than 2 weeks?\u00a0 Wuh?!?!? I really can’t\u00a0believe it.\u00a0 It’s like it just sprang up out of nowhere.\u00a0 What happened to 2011?\u00a0 Where did it go?\u00a0 It’s like last year I just blinked and here we are;\u00a0another year gone by and it’s Christmas again.\u00a0 Wow. Well, I don’t know about you, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hobysruminations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=379"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":416,"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379\/revisions\/416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hojosantics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}