2017 in Review

It was the year of the wedding. Two of them. A little over three months apart. (I learned it is much easier being the mother of the groom than the mother of the bride.) Both weddings were absolutely lovely as we welcomed two beautiful, impressive young ladies into our family. I am proud to share the title of Mrs. Unverzagt with both of them.

Here is our 2017 in review, in case you were wondering what we’ve been up to. (With bullet points, though, so as not to bore you too much.)

JANUARY--

*Berit turned 14.

*Kato (age 11), a South Korean international student, joined our family for six months.

*We endured lots of snowstorms and icy roads.

*Our old furnace quit. (And when it’s January in WI, you buy a new one immediately.)

*There was lots of basketball. Zofie, Berit, and Anders played, and Britton and Sigre coached. Jonathan continued his position of Athletic Director for the Monroe County Warriors homeschool teams. He also officiated many public school games.

*Britton got engaged to Cassie Dickow from Onalaska, WI.

*Geneva (Gretchen and Ryan’s second child) and Halden (Analaya and Tim’s first child) were baptized.

*Leif was hired by ISG Architecture Group in La Crosse and moved to Mankato for several months for training.

*Emma turned 18.

FEBRUARY--

*Granddaughter Eleri (Gretchen and Ryan’s oldest child) turned two.

*Emma started working at Oma coffee shop in West Salem.

*Jonathan gave the downstairs bathroom a new look. It started with his installing the bowl sink he bought me for Christmas. This led to painting, which led to putting up a new ceiling, which led to switching out the light fixture. I love it.

MARCH--

*The basketball teams went to the Homeschool Nationals in Springfield, MO. Finn, as the waterboy, got to go along for the first time.

*I started seeing my picture and heart story all over at the Gundersen Health System facilities--as a screen saver on the clinic computers, on the big screen in the waiting room, on the wall of an examining room--as well as on pamphlets and websites. It was then I learned that February is Heart Disease Awareness Month. (Yes, I’m perfectly fine. Thanks for wondering.)

*Gretchen and Ryan bought and moved into a darling house in Sparta, only 12 minutes away from us. Gretchen continues to work in a casual position as an OB nurse at Black River Falls Memorial Hospital. Ryan is currently between jobs.

*Sigre turned 20.

*Jonathan became a chaplain for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.

APRIL--

*Berit got confirmed.

*Anders got braces

*Emma took a 10-day sightseeing trip to Germany with her dear friend Anna and Anna’s brother Tom who acted as tour guide/protector of the girls.

*Jonathan and kids built us a new firepit in a location closer to the house. It got lots of use.

*Bronwyn played soccer on a park and rec team.

*Leif graduated from Western Technical College with a degree in Architectural Technology.

MAY--

*We got a new batch of chicks and ducklings.

*In preparation for the August wedding, we refinished the deck, painted all the sheds, and planted lots of flowers.

*Emma graduated from the Millpond Academy Homeschool.

*Britton moved out, and Berit immediately moved into his old bedroom.

*We had a side door installed on the garage side of our house.

*Sigre took a short trip to NYC with friends to see several shows on Broadway.

*Emma’s car went up in flames while sitting in our driveway. It would have been quite impressive to watch if we hadn’t been concerned about its close proximity to our porch. But the firemen put the fire out successfully, and Oldsmobile reimbursed Emma. So all is well.

JUNE--

*We picked an abundance of strawberries from our garden.

*Anders was finally able to join the youth group at church.

*Bronwyn took swimming lessons.

*I had the honor of being one of the speakers at the Women’s Missionary Fellowship Day at the AFLC Annual Conference.

*We poured a cement slab for a patio behind the garage and a sidewalk leading from it to the new side door. We drank many cups of tea while sitting on the patio and watching the kids play badminton this summer.

*Jonathan, Sigre, Emma, and I attended a performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the outdoor American Players Theater in Spring Green, WI, as a graduation gift to Emma.

JULY--

*Jonathan, Britton, Cassie, Emma, Zofie, Berit, and Anders, along with over thirty others from our church, attended the FLY (Free Lutheran Youth) Convention in Estes Park, CO.

*Kato went back home to South Korea, and the next day, Antonio, our English Immersion student from Spain, returned to spend another summer with us.

*A good portion of our family attended a Bible camp at Faith Haven near Fergus Falls, MN.

*Jonathan, Emma, Zofie, and Berit, along with 11 other kids from church, went on Faith of Fire drama team tour in IL.

AUGUST--

*Leif got engaged to Dori Norman from Bowling Green, KY.

*Sigre began working at Hancock and Robinson CPA’s in La Crosse, WI.

*We picked many buckets of blueberries in our blueberry patch.

*Jonathan built a new sandbox, the kids stained the fence, and we laid down a stepping stone path.

*Britton and Cassie got married in our yard on August 19th. They are living in Onalaska. She works at Logistics Health Incorporated, and he just finished an Educational Assistant degree.

*Granddaughter Geneva turned one.

*Our entire family attended the Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, MN (our 2016 Christmas trip).

*Antonio flew home to Spain.

SEPTEMBER--

*Bronwyn broke her elbow falling from the monkey bars at Bible camp.

*The Millpond Academy Homeschool began its 22nd year. There are only five students now. Zofie is in 10th grade, Berit is in 9th, Anders is in 7th, Finn is in 4th, and Bronwyn is in 3rd.

*The monarch butterfly we raised emerged from its chrysalis, and we set it free. This was a new experience for us.

*Finn turned 10.

*I got my first experience with jury duty. Unfortunately, I was cut earlier than I would have liked.

OCTOBER--

*Analaya and Tim moved into an apartment in St. Louis Park and began working as caretakers there. Tim also teaches fourth grade ESL at Forest and Meadow Lake Elementary Schools.

*Anders turned 13.

*Zofie turned 16.

*Grandson Halden turned 1.

NOVEMBER--

*Zofie got her driver’s license.

*Sigre moved out, and Anders immediately moved into her old bedroom.

*Britton and Cassie honeymooned in Brazil where they both took part in a wedding of friends.

*We learned of the new grandbaby due next July (to Ryan and Gretchen).

DECEMBER--

*Leif and Dori got married at Lake Barkley Resort in Cadiz, KY, on December 2. They are living in La Crosse near Leif’s work. Dori will begin working at a coffee shop in January.

*Bronwyn turned 9.

*We took part in a surprise 30th birthday party for Ryan.

*Sigre, Britton, and Tim all finished school and will walk through graduations in the spring.

Of course, a whole lot more went on than just this. There were weddings, funerals, and graduations. Many friends, relatives, and missionaries passed through our doors. Sigre continued making beautiful cakes for the family, Zofie started playing cello on the praise team, and Berit started taking flute lessons. I did a lot of ESL tutoring. There was mentoring, counseling, Bible studies, homeschool co-op, delivering meals-on-wheels, and packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Jonathan continues serving at Christ Is Lord Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI, and we love our church family dearly.

It just hit me recently that we don’t have a house full of little kids any more--⅔ of the kids still living at home are teens now. Our children are growing up. We are gaining sons and daughters through marriage. The grandkids are multiplying. Things are changing. But some things never will. Our love for each of you. Our love for the Lord. And the meaning behind the event that happened over 2000 years ago--the one we’re celebrating now. Jesus was born in order to die so that each one of us can experience true freedom, abundant joy, and peace indescribable. They are free gifts. Always have been; always will be. It is our prayer that if you haven’t yet accepted the gifts Jesus extends to you, you soon will. Make 2018 the best ever.

Blessings to all of you from all of us!