I'm thankful to live in a place where I can walk almost every day. The climate is dry, so moisture is rarely a challenge. Even when it is hot, the humidity tends to be low enough that sweating is rarely a big factor for me. The landscape is flat and the roads around town are generally wide and straight, so even walking at a brisk pace isn't overly strenuous. The IAFR office is almost exactly a mile away from home, a perfect distance for sneaking a healthy walk into the schedule without killing too much time. Fifteen to twenty minutes is all I need for the one-way trip.
I'm thankful for our house in Fort Morgan. It seems like we fill it to the brim, but it feels more and more like home all the time. The kids are building a lot of memories in it. We've made some minor changes, incorporating some style preferences. And this year we were able to install an egress window in the basement that makes the basement bedroom safer.
I'm thankful for Christian community and the encouraging connections it provides us. We have quickly managed to feel at least somewhat connected in Fort Morgan, largely because of the Christian community. Meanwhile, we also feel wonderfully connected to friends and specific church communities around the U.S. and in other countries, which has given us a lot of support during the transitions of the past couple years. We even received some special surprises from them in 2024.
I'm thankful for the hike I was able to do with Jerod in June. Though I've done quite a few hikes over the years, this one now tops my list of favorite hikes ever done. I loved the early morning ambience, the incredible trail with spring flowers and waterflow, the moose sightings, and peaceful seclusion at the end. More than those things, I loved enjoying it with Jerod, the epitome of what I imagine for great father/son moments.
I'm thankful for my car, which got me safely to Winnipeg and back last month. I still miss my pickup which got smashed last year, but my little green Subaru has been a good replacement.
I'm thankful for the chance to be at a family wedding in Oregon this year. It was in a beautiful setting, and I got to see a lot of family members I don't often see, including one sister and her two amazing daughters who live in Nevada (pictured).
As lame as it sounds, I'm thankful for my laptop. So much of my life revolves around my laptop, whether I (and my eyes) like it or not. I'm on it from early morning until evening. It is where I go for news, a lot of my work, entertainment, learning, and contact with people all over the place. I don't like doing much on my phone. It's all about the laptop.
I'm thankful for our 2024 family vacation. We got to explore some of the beautiful places within a few hours from home. We climbed, hiked, and played our hearts out. What a blessing.
I'm thankful English is my first language. This doesn't make me more special than someone else, for sure, but it sure is handy. As I'm often meeting with people to work on development of their English skills, I so often cringe at the inconsistencies and the things that just can't be explained. I start to wonder if I would EVER be able to learn English as an adult. I'm glad that learning is mostly behind me.
I'm thankful for the unique opportunity to work full-time with people who at various points in time were forcibly displaced. It's a important area of ministry, and there is nothing I would rather do.
I have a lot to be thankful for!
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