Happy New Year 2025!

Happy New Year! 

Normally I would start my annual look-back-at-the-year posts today, but I'm not going to do that for 2024. There were two major happenings in my life, one very happy and positive, and the other devastatingly negative. I just am not up to revisiting all those posts and sorting out ones to use.

The Loss of Abby - June 29, 2024

So much of the latter half of the year was centered on Abby's tragic death by a lightning strike. But I do want to share some favorite pictures of the two of us together.

Abby and me in September, 2019. This was just a few weeks after I'd had a softball sized precancerous mass removed from my pancreas. (Along with half my pancreas, my spleen, and a whole bunch of lymph nodes.) It was a very difficult surgery and knocked me flat.

Since I was not yet cleared to drive, Craig drove me out for a visit with Abby and he shot this series of photos. They are my favorite of all the pictures that I took in the twelve years she and I were together.

She was so happy to see me since I had been in the hospital for a week and then home recovering for another week before I was strong enough to spend any time with her. I was equally glad to see her so it was a very joyous reunion for us both.

At the JCs^2 wedding, Trinity surprised me with this framed picture of Abby and me from that series. She'd used a sewing technique I'd never seen before - using fine silver thread to give it a starburst effect. I cherish this gift and it is on the shelf right behind me in my office where I see it many times a day.

JC and Jayci's Marriage - August 2, 2024

These are the people I love the most. What a wonderful day that was!

Mountain Mama Jessica put together a legacy video for Craig and me after the wedding was over. I can't tell you how many times I have watched it, I love it so much.

2024 had its ups and downs for me. There was great joy but there was also deep grief and mourning. Here's hoping for a good 2025.

Happy New Year!