What a year it’s been…. This is always the time of year that I slow down and think about the year that’s past and the one to come. As I reflect on all that’s happened and look expectantly to the future, I wanted to say THANKS to you. For being part of our lives, whether near or far, we are truly grateful to call you friends! You all are gifts to us and we so appreciate who you are in our lives!
So it’s been more than a year, that I sold my house, packed my belongings into storage, packed my suitcase and started my year-long adventure of split time of weeks in Canada and time in PA, working and keeping up with family and friends. There are days when I feel like I’m living out of a suitcase and the amount of miles I’ve added to my car the past 2 years of back and forth from Montreal to PA, speaks volumes.
Yves and I celebrated one year of being married!! Our official wedding date is October 16th, as that’s the day we officially signed papers at the Arlington, VA courthouse and were married, by the sweetest JP, Gerald Williams. Our “religious wedding celebration, a truly magically-perfect day, with friends and family was December 15th, so I’m a lucky girl – getting 2 “anniversary’s” every year!! Marriage is both the most amazing, toughest, and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done and I am truly thankful for this man I get to call mine!
Yves and I’ve had several amazing opportunities to travel internationally this year. His job has had its significant challenges but has also afforded us the chance to spend several weeks in Paris as well as Oregon, Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver. We love traveling and getting to experience the world, so for those adventures, we are truly thankful!
I started working at LCBC Church, July 2007 and amazingly have been able to continue working on staff, even with doing split time between the US and Canada. As I shifted to a part-time role as part of the Central Next Steps team there, I also began working as a Virtual Assistant, for My Reliable Admin, supporting 5 clients and companies, spread throughout the US. I’m working full-time hours but am thrilled to be able to adjust hours to live life fully – as a wife, step-mother and to be able to spend time in both the US and Canada, and to travel the world!
We’ve enjoyed many snowy days in Montreal — as well as spending many days with Asher and Mikheala at the water park this summer. We love the days we have the kiddos and love getting to see them grow up, way too fast! It’s never quite enough time together, but the moment we share, doing art projects, coloring, make-your-own-pizza dinners, Easter cookie decorating, times at the park, bike-riding, basketball-playing, movie-watching-popcorn-eating, Christmas-tree-decorating, and just chilling out are incredibly special and we treasure them all!
2020 holds so many hopes and dreams for us. We are continuing to pray that the US government will finally grant Yves his immigration papers, so we can find a home, start a life, new job in the USA. We submitted paperwork over a year ago, and have worked through documentation, waiting, fees, waiting, resubmitting documentation, waiting, conversations with our advisors, and are just (patiently, or not) waiting for the interview with the US Consulate, which we’re waiting for notification on when that will be.
Would you continue to join us in praying that it’s scheduled soon and we hear……………………
2019 has had lots of ups and downs… and I know 2020 will too, but we look expectantly to the future. We are excited to see all that God has planned for us and believe the best is still yet to come!