Estimated reading time: 5 minute(s)
Sometimes you get to the end of a year, and you say, “I can’t believe we’re already at the end of ______!” (Insert current year there…) I don’t feel that way this year. It’s been a good, full year. Must have been not too full? That’s nice.
I thought it would be fun to make a list. So, here you go: (Warning, this list will most likely continue to grow…)
My Top 50 (or so…) Things from 2005 (in no particular order)
- Finding out we were going to have another baby, and all is still well.
- Podcasts
- My own podcasts: basicmm radio, then Buffalo Bills Review.
- Publishing my first book, A Journey Shared
- Watching our daughter Kirsten move from infant to toddler, though she still won’t talk… 🙂
- Watching God patiently transition us through various stages of our journey with him this year
- This blog page – and all the great chances to think life through with so many of you
- Apple. What can I say? I am a huge fan. 🙂
- The Tones Family. They’re our neighbors, and great friends.
- Old friends (local): Stupins, Weigels, Velasquezes, Joneses, Schoenfelders
- New friends (local): Mahoneys, LaBarges (J/C), Shoemakers, McHenrys (the last three are new in that we never really got to hang out as much as we did in 2005)
- Doing another Growing Kids God’s Way class with those last three families, and the several times I stuck my foot in my mouth (thanks for your patience everyone…)
- Ian turned seven. Seven. We have a 7-yr-old.
- PCTC 2005. A fun weekend with friends (our band: Mike, Ben & Jesse) and we even grabbed a great recording from it!
- Basketball on Wednesday mornings with Steve
- A great return trip through Florida, visiting family and friends – even a free visit to Disney!
- Kirstie Turned One! 🙂
- A very nice wrap up to three great years with Crosswinds
- A new venture: GregsApples.com
- Discovering that there really is no science to pulling a tooth. I paid a man to use a shiny pair of pliers to yank a tooth from my head. No special technique… just lots of yanking.
- A crazy new schedule with lots more time for family, and friends. (With a big reduction in the number of meetings and gigs and other obligations.)
- Seeing God provide work for me in web and graphic design, and watching him provide for our family through that.
- Chill & Grill. 🙂
- The Apple Store at Eastview Mall. Only 20 minutes from our house. Waiting in line with 1000 other crazy Apple fans for the grand opening, getting 5 free (COOL) t-shirts!
- My Grandma’s 80th bday party, and my cousin Jimmie’s wedding – with almost all extended family present! Fun!
- Traveling to Clinton, NY in heavy snow to sing for 10 people and then nearly getting snowed in that night on our way out to the hotel. On top of that, the driver side windshield wiper FLEW OFF (and broke). Very nice. 🙂
- Getting to talk with three former Buffalo Bills (Don Beebe, Darryl Talley, and Frank Reich) in in-depth interview for the Buffalo Bills Review. That was fun.
- Going to FOUR Bills games this year!
- Having great conversations with friends about the reality of God in everyday life. Over dinners, over IM, on the phone… wherever and whenever God arranged for that to happen.
- Hearing our baby’s heart beat. Seeing our baby moving.
- An amazing weekend with my wife, whom I love, in Maine – WITHOUT KIDS – thanks to her amazing parents!
- A great rest of the week with our kids up in Maine exploring waterfalls, playing games, watching the Dukes of Hazzard and eating great food.
- Swimming in an outdoor pool in 30º weather! (It was heated… but still…) 🙂
- Dukes of Hazzard. (Deserved a second mention)
- Netflix.
- A full year of using this amazing office my Dad made happen. (I work from our attic… that one year prior was completely unfinished. He’s pretty amazing, too.)
- Being the recipient of my parents’ amazing generosity. My in-laws too.
- Catching the winning touchdown pass while falling down in the end-zone in overtime in the 8th annual Chili Bowl
- Singing a million and one Christmas songs in various coffee shops and other retail locations around Rochester, NY this December.
- Have I mentioned Jen? Another year with Jen is always a privilege. God continues to shape me through her.
- Watching Alex love football. He really, really loves it.
- Setting up a fun computer station for the boys. (and kirstie..)
- Online chats – what did we do before IM?
- Skype is pretty cool, too…
- Introducing Tara to Skype 🙂
- Janet Reiprisch
- Tuesday Night Bowling
- 1st Fridays at Reflections
- Cici’s Pizza and Skyline Chili within minutes of my parents house in Ohio
- 100,000 miles on our faithful family van
- Watching Ian learn to read, better than most 5th graders. (He just turned 7 yesterday.)
- Reading with my daughter after her bath at night
- Seeing Alex smile.
- Reading the Bible with my boys when they wake up at nine-three-oh.
- Monday Night walks to the Library.
- Making home-made pizza with the boys.
- Making Christmas cookies with the family.
- Alex asking, “Is there football on tonight?” on Tuesdays.
- “Discovering” Swift’s Landing park
- Watching Star Trek at the end of most days with Jen
- Free hot donuts at Krispy Kreme!
There’s obviously so much more. I might add a few more if I think of them. But, that’s a pretty decent list. We’re going to be traveling at the end of the year here, so this will probably be the final post for 2005. (Or, maybe not.) Hope your year was as great as mine.
By far the best thing this year though has been the amazing transformation God is working in our lives as a family, and especially in me personally to learn to trust Him more every day and to live in the reality of Him every day in every place. Deeper than I knew possible.
That has been my 2005.