We’d like to begin this annual review the same way we begin our nightly bedtime tales: Once upon a time, back when tigers used to smoke, there was a chicken, named Rodrigo, who had an adventurous, clucking family...
There was Daddy Thug, Mamma Mug, Shepherd the Nugget (Nug) who is 4, Berty the Snuggler (Snug) who is 2, and Willie Bug the dog who is 6. Oh! You wouldn’t believe the adventures this family went on in 2017! It has been a year filled with family, love, good health, bucket list items, parenting struggles, and joy.
To kick off the year, Eddie took his shiney new healthcare administration degree and started a new job as Director of Patient Safety at St. Mark’s Hospital. Basically, he’s colluding with the big wigs and getting into the intricacies of hospital administration, improving systems so that patients have a safe hospital visit. Glad somebody’s doing it!
Josie remains at her Urgent Care Nurse Practitioner gig and is loving it.
In January, Josie went to Austin for a girls’ weekend and Eddie and the kids went to Houston to visit Grandma and Grandpa, Nanny, Aunt JenJen and Jason.
At the end of February, we moved to a new house- a whopping 1.5 miles north! But it came with a bigger garden, some mature fruit trees, and a huge kitchen! And a guest room, so come visit already!
In March, Josie ran a 25K on Antelope Island- a big island in the Great Salt Lake, and got 3rd in her age group! Thanks Mom and Dad for great genes and God for a healthy body!
In May, we took a big trip to Orlando, Puerto Rico and Austin/Rust Belt. In Orlando, we visited Josie’s uncle, aunt, cousins and Grandma Clemis just before she went to be with Jesus. Eddie had a work conference, Josie and Shepherd went to Disney World, and Berty and Gigi (Josie’s mom) played at the hotel pool with Uncle Dan. Then we headed to Puerto Rico with Gigi before it was devastated by Hurricane Maria. The beaches were beautiful, the fish colorful, the food meh, the kids sandy, and the parents happy to explore and adventure. Please go to @LightUpPuertoRico on Facebook to donate to help restore power there. Then Josie and the kids flew to Austin for her friend Tiffany’s wedding. Such a joy and refreshment of the soul to be with heart-friends and...Torchy’s Tacos! Eddie flew to Pittsburgh to meet his friend, Marcus and road trip to baseball games in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Chicago.
June was the first camping trip of the year. Just a little overnight at Kanarraville Falls where we checked off a bucket list hike in a slot canyon: Eddie hiked through water up to his waist, climbed up a long, narrow ladder, and shimmied up a waterfall-all with Berty in the backpack, while Shep and Josie played with the little polygamist girl at the town center playground. Then we switched and Josie ran up the “trail” and back. Seriously awesome.
July was GLACIER! We met up with Ruth at Glacier National Park for another bucketlist item. It was everything we had hoped it would be and more. The alpine lakes were brilliant. The sun was bright and melting the snowfields and glaciers right before our eyes which made the rivers rage. Our camp neighbors were super fun, and the Glacier Ruby Red (Deep Eddy Ruby Red Grapefruit vodka, lime, club soda) was refreshing. The grownup to kid ratio was permissive for us each to get up to the high places and pound out some miles on the trail.
August was filled with more travel: Eddie was in Nashville for a conference. Josie and the kids were in Indy swimming at the pool “with the cousins” and having a sweet memorial for Grandma. Then we had a week at home before going to Missouri for Eddie’s grandmother’s funeral. It was sweet to lay her body to rest with the ones that have gone before her and to send her spirit to be with Jesus.
In September, we visited yet another National Park on our bucket list- Great Basin. We didn’t freeze our hineys off! This park is on the border of Nevada and Utah-famous for being in the middle of nowhere so that stars shine the brightest. “Half the park is after dark.” Alpine lakes, 5,000 year old pine trees, and a huge cave to explore. Check!
Then Josie weaned Berty and went to Thailand to help facilitate a women’s retreat through the mission’s organization of our church. It was awesome fulfilling a part of my prophetic destiny of medical missions where I got to offer medical consultations and pray for women serving all over Asia. Eddie survived with the kids until Gigi came as reinforcement. Somewhere in there (late nights!) we harvested all the produce from the garden and canned a ton of tomato sauce and applesauce and bottled some hard apple cider.
In October, we introduced Gigi to the red rocks of Capitol Reef National Park. We celebrated our 7th anniversary in Huntsville. Then Aunt Val and Uncle Boppo came and we went down to Red and Bryce Canyon for more Utah red rocks-checking items off their bucketlist.
In November, we went down to Moab to Arches National Park and to run a half marathon trail race among the red rocks. We just can’t get enough of those Utah red rock canyons! #LoveWhereYouLive. The Race was gorgeous and so hard. Probably would have been better had we trained, but who’s got time for that?!
In December, we thought we would slow down and fatten up for hibernation, but low and behold, December was busy. Christmas in Salt Lake is pretty magical and it was fun to share it with Gigi. Our kids have come into the perfect age for gift giving and unwrapping presents and treasure hunts that end up sliding through a foot of fresh, unexpected snow off the deck. The Advent of Jesus’s birth and coming was full of excitement and fully celebrated. And a bit of a hard hangover for that week after Christmas.
As we reflect over the year, we are most thankful for God’s grace, a healthy marriage, our family and friends and your love and prayers, the Love and Logic class that has given us some strategies to parent our kids better, free plane tickets for the Snug under 2 years old, health, abundance in the gardens, and the ability and joy of adventure and exploration.
And that is how Rodrigo lived a clucking good life. The End.
