Leaving My Year of Volunteering Behind
Seeing it all written in numbers showed me how great was my contribution to the community over that course of time. In a typical year I volunteer where I can but this particular year I now look at as My Year of Volunteering.
I was able to spend so much time doing this for a few reasons; My family is getting older and I am not needed in the home as much as I use to be.
I only work part time as a substitute teacher.
My husband supports me in what I choose to do in life.
2022 has begun. What do I want my life to be like this year?
I have decided to cut back on the volunteering. My goal is to become comfortable being employed...making money. That by the end of the year I will be working more and be happy about it.
This far I have not wanted to work but I have outgrown my excuse to stay home. If I can be out volunteering three times a week then I can definitely have a real job.
I love being a stay at home mom but my availability to work outside the home while the kids are at school is clear.
2022 Plans and hopes and dreams:
The community theater puts on a theatrical performance in the Spring (when Covid doesn't cancel it). This year I am finally going to try out for the play. I want to drag my children along. I think they will be enriched by this experience. I hope they will love it and learn and grow being part of this experience. They don't think they want to do it but I think they will appreciate it in the end.
After that my husband will have surgery on his toe. He has a toe arthritis and it keeps him from even walking too much. He needs a surgery that will have a six week bed rest recovery time.
When that time comes he will have to do workouts that allow sitting in one place. We will have to eat extra healthy so he doesn't gain a lot of weight. And I will be his nurse maid.
Then in the Summer (break from work) we should be finally making it to America for a visit.
When we moved to Japan I thought I would be able to fly home to visit America every year. The price of flying home and back was great and I was not able to do it that first year. The second year we had bought tickets and wanted to make it happen. But because the Covid restrictions were so great our trip was cancelled almost last minute.
This summer will be our last summer living in Japan and my husband and I have been heartbroken (missing our families) our whole time here. So, I don't know if we can handle it if our trip gets cancelled again.
We will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary this summer. We had planned to do it in America last summer (even though we were only at 14 years married back then). We had a vow renewal ceremony planned. We had an outdoor venue booked in the Provo canyon. We had sent out invitations. But it all got postponed a year.
Finally, God willing, we will do it this year. I need to rebook the venue; although I am scared to because of the possibility of another postponement.
I will reinvite the guests. The rest of the to do list can be done short notice, when we are in America again. Renting chairs, ordering a few flower arrangements to attach to the arch, purchasing the food, borrowing tables for serving the food, finding shoes to match my beautiful dress, scheduling a hair style appointment and confirming my photographer brother can attend.
Marriage is an adventure. According to my husband; nothing is an adventure unless things go wrong. And in marriage...things go wrong! Unplanned events occur. Trial arise. That is when you have to hold on to each other and find the strength to overcome.
My own marriage faced it's biggest trial yet less than two years ago. With heartbreak, struggle and healing we recovered. Now we have a greater desire to marry each other all over again.
We are still in love, we still choose each other above all and we will be one for the rest of eternity.
We have recommitted in our hearts. We have vowed again to continue loving each other and we want to celebrate our successes and happiness with our loves ones.
Also, my daughter joins the church in America this summer. She is old enough to make the decision and be baptized by immersion. This is a huge milestone in our culture and family. A happy occasion when family joins together to celebrate.
She will be cleansed of any sin and be given the gift of the holy ghost. To have the companionship of the holy spirit to always be with her to guide her and comfort her in life.
This year could be an exciting one filled with over due joys. But... life is an adventure and you just never know what to expect.
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