Happy New Year!

The past year has been an eventful one!  As I reflect back over the past twelve months, I can't help but be overwhelmed with gratitude.  We have been so blessed, not only throughout 2013, but throughout my entire life! God is so good, and I am so thankful for the abundance of His love, mercy, grace, and for His unchanging, unending faithfulness!  As long as I have breath, I will praise Him!  ♫♪ ♪♫
It's risky to "list" the blessing of 2013, for I know I can't list them all.  However, these are some of the ones from right off the top of my head.

• Our first ever cruise!  We visited Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Cozumel and spent almost a week aboard the Navigator of the Seas!  Loved every minute!
• Kathy B. Schulte....after a long and courageous battle with cancer, she went to be with Jesus on April 13.  We miss her, but rejoice knowing that she knew Jesus as her Lord and Savior.  Her pain and suffering here is over.  Through it all she continued to say, " God has been good to me.  If he heals me, or if he calls me home, either way...He's good" .  
• Dennis started treating an infection in March that caused him to be hospitalized several times during the year.  He was on antibiotics most of the year, and in the end, it turned out that the infection was in the bone, and the recommended treatment was amputation.  He had his left leg amputated below the knee on November 21.  Literally hundreds of people have been, and are praying for Dennis' complete recovery.  He's progressing extremely well, and throughout the whole process we've had peace, and assurance that God is taking care of him.  We've not really had any anxiety, fear or discouragement.  Everything has gone well, for which we are so thankful!
• We had a great family/friend vacation at the Lake of the Ozarks!  What a fun week!
• We were "introduced" to Cowboy Action Shooting, and are gearing up to participate in some shooting events.  At this time, I'm trying to come up with my "costume", as all SASS Cowboy shooters must be attired in appropriate period clothing.  I have some ideas, and plan to attempt to make my own outfit.
• Our dear friend, Frances Pickering, went to be with the Lord this past year also.  Dennis met Frances back in the late 60's when she so generously extended hospitality to him while he was a patient of the VA hospital in Denver.  We kept in touch with Frances throughout the years, visiting several times, and writing back and forth frequently.  She was a very special person, and we miss her ...and the newsy and cheerful letters she would send.  But, we know she was ready to go.  We were blessed to have known her.  
• The first ever Aquanaut reunion!  What a fun time with friends we'd not seen in many years!  

 This year, I have a little golden box, and lots of blank cards.  We're going to have a "Blessing Box".  We'll write a little note when something happens, and then (provided we're still able) next New Year's Day morning, Dennis and I will read all the cards we've put in the box.  I think it will be fun!
I know there are many more wonderful things I could list, but time has slipped away, and I have to get ready to go meet Travis!
So, Happy New Year to all (all three) of my readers!