Dear family and friends,
We hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday.
Sarah and Andy were married in April. They are living with us along with Andy’s 7-year-old daughter, Jolie, who is a granddaughter to us. So, we’re a 3-generation household! Justin too is with us. It’s been 5½ years since Josh passed, but he’s with us in spirit. Sarah is pregnant with a due date in April. Your prayers for her and the developing baby are much appreciated.
We did a fair amount of travel this year. In August to Enid to visit Marty’s sister Diane and our friends there – Court and Vivian, Lindy, Kent, Curtis and Rosa. At our age being together with old and good friends is especially precious. Sadly, our friend John Snyder passed away earlier this year.
In September for Diana’s annual family reunion in Chicago. Scott and Patty again hosted, and Patty’s parents again provided their pool. It was also good to be with Bobbe (with whom we stayed), Mike, Jake & their friend Shawn; Kaaren; John, Pam, Megan; Kayla and Riley; Jeff, Laura, Dylan & Gabby; Steve, Lizzie, Patrick & Isaac. Some nieces and nephews couldn’t make it this year.
We are blessed to be able to visit several times a year with our former foster son Abel, who is a grandson to us. We’re very thankful to Abel’s parents George and Angel for making us part of their family. Beside our trips to their home near Richmond and their visits to us, I [Diana] met them in Virginia Beach in August for a long weekend with Andy, Sarah and Jolie. (Marty stayed home with Justin).
In November we spent a week at a resort outside Gatlinburg, TN celebrating our 45th wedding anniversary, which was Oct. 13. Forty-five years ago we spent our honeymoon in a beautiful lodge on a mountainside in the Smokey’s, and decided to return to the same area. We did a car tour drive through the Smokies, heard a bluegrass band, attended a Dollywood-related song-and-dance show, and enjoyed Southern food. Diana was hoping to see a bear close by (but thankfully, in my opinion, she didn’t!).
In October at a resort outside Tulsa I [Marty] got together with friends since childhood – Brad, Pat, Jim and Joe (as we do every 2-3 years in various locations). This was a pretty remarkable experience. The five of us had very diverse views on religion and politics. Yet instead of having to avoid talking about these things, we were able to have honest and passionate – and sometimes tense — exchanges of views. As sober and consequential as the issues are, our friendship was strong enough to handle our differences with mutual respect and affection. It seems to me that we modeled something vital for our country’s healing.
Thanksgiving was again a rousing festival for us with 20 guests, including Andy’s Mom Dulce and sister Catalina, and other members of his extended family; several of Sarah’s and Andy’s friends; and our friends Esam and Ipek who traveled from Boston and Ithaca to spend the holiday here. We missed having Oguz and Bushra, who moved to London, and who recently shared with us their news of a baby girl due later this month.
I [Diana] am continuing to work full time for the Alexandria Health Department, with high-risk pregnant women and children, visiting them in their homes. Some are disabled, homeless, struggle with mental health issues, have language barriers (my Spanish gets put to good use!), are teen moms, and more. I feel very privileged to work in these relationships and to connect them to services, provide education and support and give them a friendly face as they maneuver through the health care system. They are the most courageous and generous people imaginable. I get back as much as I give!
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The year ahead brings concerns for people we love. Some members of our church, friends, and many of Diana’s patients are fearful of the Trump Administration promise/threat to deport undocumented immigrants, and some immigrants with legal status. And if President Trump and Congress end or “modify” the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), Sarah and Andy, and 45 million Americans could lose medical insurance, as nearly occurred during the first Trump Administration. Among other concerns.
We have been praying nightly for the incoming Trump Administration, that it would somehow be prevented from doing great harm and might even do some good. We hope our concerns are exaggerated, but think of the old Joni Mitchell line, “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone.”
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On a more hopeful note, and in contrast to the political situation, at Christmas we reflect on the mystery of incarnation. The incarnation shows us that God is not some distant emperor in the sky uninvolved in our lives and unmoved by our struggles. In love, God held nothing back, giving himself fully and sacrificially to be with us and for us, as one of us. The incarnation means that God is absolute, self-giving love. The Love that flung the stars into being and came among us as Jesus. The Love that is making all things new.
May we all experience something of that newness in the year ahead.
Love,
Diana, Marty & family