This year has been excellent! I could probably say a lot if I had the time but I really really don't. Today is our 2nd Annual Christmas Party (well, third, really, but we don't count the first for some reason)! And yes, I have ever so wisely chosen to attempt to write our Christmas letter on the same day as our Christmas party. Insanity? Yes. But you all knew I was a little nutty already, so no harm done!One of the most noteworthy happenings this year was the beginning of our third business! In April we got involved with an amazing company called LifeVantage. I love to see the ways in which God chooses to provide for us, and this has been huge on the provision scale. It is doing amazing things for us financially as well as physically, and I really couldn't be more excited about it! I won't go into the details of how great and fun it all is here, but call me or email me if you'd like to hear more sometime. This business has saved us financially, and Lord willing, will continue to grow. The best part is how we're able to bless others through this business! Whether we're talking physical or financial, it is helping others as much or more as it is helping us, and it has been such a neat blessing to be part of that. A lot of our family is involved too, including my parents, David's parents, and Emily and her family, as well as several friends. It's great to see everybody benefiting in their own unique ways!
David has been kept busy this year with a variety of different projects and such. He put in a paver stone patio for me outside our bedroom window in the Spring and I love it! We spend quite a bit of time out there when the weather permits. He also spent a lot of time researching and creating plans for our very own chicken tractor! The photo shows the uncompleted version; we have since added a real shingle roof, and gotten the sides primed, and will paint them in the Spring. We have 9 chickens (one rooster -- oops!) and two of the hens just started laying earlier this month! We've had 13 eggs in 12 days, so I'm very pleased with that considering it is winter time and the hens are still young. David has also been busy on and off with his consulting business; we've had a few really good and busy months this year, interspersed with spots of little to no work. Young businesses are good at teaching you to trust God more, and as I said before He always provides and has done so wonderfully for us this year, like every year before. David still spends a lot of his time keeping up with all the latest health research, and got to attend an advanced medicine seminar in Texas during one of our visits with my family, which he found very interesting! My Etsy business is continuing on, and in much the same way as David's consulting practice! I have really good months, and then months where not a single order comes in. Such is the way of things, I suppose. But overall it's still doing well and I am enjoying it for the most part, though I do look forward to being able to quit it someday! Grain-free baking is a bit of a hassle, really. ;) Otherwise I keep busy with housework, gardening in the Spring through Fall, and now caring for my birds! I also get together with a group of friends for coffee here at the house every other week, which has been very enjoyable.
Otherwise, there isn't a lot to say. It's been a pretty quiet and uneventful year, really. Thanksgiving at my parents was fun as always, but strange this year -- my younger sister and her family have moved to Switzerland temporarily, and their absence was keenly felt! But their intent is to come back to the States eventually, so we can endure. ;)
Well. I really need to go make a ton of popcorn now, so I think I'll keep it short and end here!
Merry Christmas!
