You actually looked us up! We are honored! Welcome to our once-a-year blog, the place where we review our year in bullet points for those who are interested. If you're not really that interested, you can just look at the pictures. (Or click out altogether and get on with life. There are plenty of other things to do. We get that.) So, here's 2023 at a glance.
January:
--Berit got engaged to Jamin Swift.
--Our Great Room was completed.
--We laid new flooring in most of the downstairs.
--There was basketball.
February:
--Jonathan turned 60, and we celebrated all month.
--Britton and Cassie announced that baby #3 was on the way.
--There was more basketball.
March:
--Bronwyn got confirmed.
--Lawrence Moses Haagenson (grandbaby #15) was born to Analaya and Tim.
--We attended the National Homeschool Basketball Championships in Springfield, MO, and watched Anders play his last games with the Monroe County Warriors.
--Jonathan traveled to Uganda for Hope Centers for Children of Africa.
--Zofeyah arrived home from her year of Bible school in Germany and resumed working as a CNA in Labor and Delivery at Tomah Healthcare.
--We celebrated Jonathan's mom's 80th birthday.
--Leif and Dori announced that baby #5 was on the way.
--Jonathan, Hope, and Zofie attended the D6 family ministry conference in Orlando, FL.
--Right when we were starting to think about flowers, we had a big blizzard.
--Berit had a bridal shower.
--Anders started working for a landscaping business.
--Hope celebrated the 10th anniversary of her heart attack.
May:
--Dori joined Hope in her beekeeping endeavors.
--Finn finally got a studio for his film making projects.
--Anders graduated from high school.
--We found out Britton and Cassie would be having a boy.
--Emma and Isaac announced that baby #1 was on the way.
--Jonathan built Hope a kitchen garden.
--Berit had two more bridal showers.
--We got a new batch of baby chicks, along with a few turkeys.
--Putting in the new pool liner became a family affair. (We decided next time it can be the problem of some experienced pool guy.)
--We discovered tiny grapes on our grapevine (which was thrilling because our vines never produce.)
June:
--Jonathan, Hope, Zofie, FInn, and Bronwyn joined five others from church on a mission trip to Brazil and Paraguay.
--We celebrated our 35th anniversary in Rio.
--Gretchen and Ryan announced that baby #6 was on the way.
--Leif made a major career switch and began managing at Chick-fil-A.
July:
--Jonathan, Britton, Zofie, Anders, FInn, and Bronwyn attended the FLY (Free Lutheran Youth) Convention in Estes Park, CO.
--Hope attended her 40th class reunion.
--Berit and Jamin were married.
--We hosted eight Hungarian youth who came here on a mission trip.
August:
--Jonathan was the morning Bible teacher at the ARC Family Camp. Hope spoke at the women's luncheon.
--We helped with VBS at church.
--Dori and Hope had a big honey harvest.
--We took our family vacation at Emma's in-law's cabin in northern WI.
--Anders spent several weeks in France playing basketball with News Release Basketball.
--Finn and Bronwyn started working at Chick-fil-A.
--Bugembe, a pastor and Christian artist from Uganda, visited us.
--Ryan began leading the worship team at church.
--The grapes got big.
September:
--Jonathan began his 24th year of pastoring Christ Is Lord Church.
--A bunch of us went to the Minnesota State Fair.
--We attended the Labor Day Family Retreat.
--Jonathan traveled to Minot, ND, to visit his friend Brian Rice.
--The Millpond Academy Homeschool began its 28th year. It's now down to only two students. (Finn is in 10th grade and Bronwyn in 9th.)
--Hope made grape jelly.
--Waylen Vern Unverzagt (grandbaby #16) was born to Britton and Cassie.
--We made our annual apple orchard trip.
--Finn got his drivers license.
--Hope stayed with her mom a few days to help out after her mom had an accident resulting in a broken rib.
--Jonathan surprised Hope with a pergola when she returned.
October:
--We had a visit from longtime friends, David and Sonja Fisher, from IA.
--Anders traveled to MO to visit a new friend, Miss Hannah.
--The Hovey kids spent a week with us while their parents were on a mission trip.
--Basketball started back up.
--We took a field trip to a cranberry marsh.
--The trees were breathtaking.
November:
--Delphine Zuzu Unverzagt (grandbaby #17) was born to Leif and Dori.
--Britton completed his master's degree in Health and Wellness.
--Jonathan, Hope, Emma, Finn, and Bronwyn traveled to Fort Myers, FL, where Jonathan attended the ECHO International Agriculture Conference, and the rest of us hung out at the pool and beach.
--Anders made another trip to MO to visit Hannah.
--Hannah and her parents visited here.
--Britton had a cardiac ablation in an attempt to correct his tachycardia.
--A bunch of us traveled to Minneapolis for Lawrence's baptism.
--Jonathan made his biannual trip to Uganda for Hope Centers for Children of Africa and had the opportunity to speak to a crowd of 20,000 people at an all-night worship service.
--Berit began a job as a kindergarten assistant at Coulee Christian School.
December:
--Ten of us attended the Nutcracker Ballet.
--Hope finished her coursework for her master's in Teaching English as a Second Language and looks forward to doing her internship at Sparta High School starting in January.
--Eloise Hope McPherson (grandbaby #18) was born to Emma and Isaac.
--Britton's 7th grade basketball team went undefeated.
This is truly a barebones peek into life at the Millpond. What was not mentioned were the MANY birthday parties, Sabbath Dinners, visits from cousins and friends, weekly homeschool co-op, pool parties, adventures with our vehicles that are on "hospice," etc. There is truly never a dull moment here. And if you enjoy children, this is the place to be. (On the other hand, if you prefer solitude, it is not.) We love visitors, so please stop in if you are ever passing through. We make a pretty exceptional iced coffee (in the hot months, that is).
But now it's cold and dark. The trees are bare. There is no swimming. But the woodstove crackles, and we delight in hot drinks and being together. Our hearts are brimming with thankfulness. We are blessed to call you our friends, and we rejoice with you now in the celebration of our Savior's birth. Celebrate big, because there is nothing more exciting than the creator of the universe coming as a baby to give his life for YOU!
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