15 Year Anniversary

It was a perfect day.  The sun was shining.  There was white snow all around.  I was the smiling bride and Jaron was the proud husband.  I can’t believe that was 15 years ago!  I can remember it so clearly.  I was so happy and so hopeful.  Life was going to be great with Jaron by my side.

 

Little did we know the bumps in the road ahead.  We didn’t know we would experience things like when the economy crashed in 2008-09 and Jaron’s job relocated us to Northern California and we lost our home in Arizona.  We didn’t know I would suffer 8 miscarriages.  We didn’t know Jaron would have a brain tumor.  We didn’t know the difficulties of parenting and keeping a good marriage.  All we knew that day was we were in love.  Sometimes I wish I could go back to that innocently happy day.  I keep thinking about Garth Brooks’s song The Dance. “I could have missed the pain but I’d have to miss the dance.”  There has been a lot of hard in these last 15 years but there has also been a lot of good, the part of the dance I wouldn’t have wanted to miss.  There has been a lot of joy in bringing three children into this world.  Our love for each other has grown so much.  We have laughed together, played together, built a life together.  I am so glad Jaron chose me and that I said yes.  Here’s to another great 15 years!  

My sweet mother teamed up with Jaron to help give me the best present this year.  I haven’t worn my wedding ring for over a year.  A prong was broken and it needed some work.  My mom took my ring to the jewelers and had them fix it up like new.  It is so beautiful.  I feel like a new bride wearing it.  Thanks mom!  It is such a comfort to have my ring on my finger again.

Jaron’s treatment has continued to go smoothly.  He has about three weeks left of radiation.  They told us he would start to lose his hair at this point and sure enough, it is falling out.  It might just be in this one spot.  

 Jaron went in last week to get a breathing treatment.  His chemo makes him susceptible to pneumonia.  This should help prevent him having any problems, we hope.  

While we were there for this appointment, we met with the genetics counselor.  She said that Jaron’s family is so unique that they don’t have other cases to compare them to.  They do know of a cancer causing gene but this gene usually causes different types of cancer in the family, like grandpa has prostate cancer, uncle has colon cancer, cousin has leukemia, etc.  Because Jaron’s family has one type of cancer, they aren’t sure what gene would cause that.  So they are going to test all of Jaron’s genes.  If they find something unusual, then they will test his mom to see if she has the same defective gene.  Then, when they know what they are looking for, they can test Jaron’s brothers, our kids, and our niece and nephews.  If they find members of the family who have this same gene, then they will do cancer screenings each year.  Right now, there is a low chance that they will be able to find what is causing the cancer.  But we are hopeful because genetic testing is advancing so much that in the coming years, they should be able to learn something.

Thankfully, we have been able to enjoy the Christmas season.  My mom did the 12 days of Christmas for our family and my sibling’s families.  We had so much fun opening each envelope to see what each day brought.  We went to see the lights, watched Christmas movies, read Christmas books, bought presents, etc.  My favorite day was the day we were asked to serve each other.  Jaron played chess with Clark.  Clark helped Jaron with the animals.  Vienna played candy land with Bethany and Bethany massaged my feet.  We loved each day’s task and felt like it ushered in a good spirit for Christmas day.  Thanks mom! 

                                                    

We have been blessed with so many gifts and so much service this holiday season.  It has brought much joy into our lives.  We have continued to receive generous donations, which we are so grateful for.  Our family was also blessed to receive presents that made this Christmas one of the best!  We will always remember the kindness shown to us this season.  Thank you.  

One gift was a hand painted portrait of Jaron with his dad and brother on a fishing trip they took right before Jaron’s surgery.  They were treated to an awesome day of fishing by a dear family friend.  Near the end of the day, Jaron made a miraculous catch of a large fish.  This friend took this picture and had it made into a portrait.  What a touching gift.  

 Christmas eve is one of my favorite days.  I love the excitement in the air.  This year was extra special because Christmas eve was on a Sunday.  I loved going to church and hearing the beautiful Christmas songs.  It really brought in a feeling of worshipping the Christ child and not just looking forward to Santa.  Here is my little sugar plum fairy.  She did a great job singing with the primary children.  She loves to sing.  

 As the day neared bedtime, I have to say, my children felt like they should be on the naughty list.  There was a lot of fighting and demanding.  The kids were acting selfish and not very grateful.  

  

 Though they went to bed with happy anticipation, I was worried about the way my children were acting.  I wanted to take back all of their presents and teach them to be happy to receive an orange!

As I prepared for Christmas morning, I devised a plan.  I wanted to teach my children that presents were a gift and that they should be grateful to receive them, not just selfishly expect them.  So I hid all of their presents in 9 different locations.  When they woke up Christmas morning, all they saw was the one gift from Santa and nothing else.  Yes, there were some disappointed feelings but then I explained what we were going to do.  I had created 9 different “tasks” that brought the Christmas spirit.  Every time they completed a task, I would give them a clue to where presents were hidden.  Once they had completed all of the tasks, then they could open their presents.  If they were grumpy and complained, I would add on a chore.  After the kids got over their shock, we began the quest for presents.  

Here are the 9 tasks they had to complete.  

1. The Christmas spirit is about service.  Make a bed that is not yours. 
2. The Christmas spirit is about helping those in need.  Watch “The Coat: A Story of Charity” on youtube and then find some warm clothes to donate. 
3. The Christmas spirit is about gratitude.  Write a thank you note to Grammy for the presents she gave you. 
4. The Christmas spirit is about remembering the night Christ was born.  Watch the Nativity on youtube. 
5. The Christmas spirit is about “singing loud for all to hear.”  Sing carols at the piano.  
6. The Christmas spirit is about speaking kindly.  Compliment each member in the family.
7. The Christmas spirit is about sitting with your loved ones and reading a Christmas book. 
8. The Christmas spirit is about having fun together.  Have an air hockey tournament. 
9. The Christmas spirit is about helping at home.  Clark - help feed the animals.  Vienna and Bethany - help shovel walks.  When done, play in the snow. 

Good news was they only once had chores added onto their task.  This scavenger hunt created such a wonderful feeling in our home.  We didn’t even get to opening presents until almost 10am.  I am not sure if it taught the children anything but it definitely made a Christmas filled with less fighting and more words of gratitude.  It is definitely a Christmas we will all remember.  

 It is always sad when Christmas comes to an end.  I love this season.  This year has been particularly filled with such kindness shown our family.  Though it is over, the memory of Christmas 2017 will forever be in my heart.  Thank you for helping my family.  I love you all so dearly. 

Joni