JustDad.Blog

Copying from Facebook…Mostly for context and anyone who reads without having access to my Facebook

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2022: IN REVIEW

I have a tendency of writing our “Christmas Card” on here and not sending it out until December 31. This was quite accidental the first time I did it (2017: The year Jordan and I got married)

I see no reason to change my particular habit… especially since the time leading up to Christmas is full of planning and wrapping and historically focused on our small children.This year was no exception.

“Last Christmas” we found out we were going to have a baby. Our third, now Lizzie. Lizzie just turned 4 months old and is thriving. Though,she has spent more than half of her little life with some form of cold or respiratory illness… she is perhaps the happiest baby I have ever met…. Asher, her older brother, is her only true competition, which is appropriate since his name means Happy!

Asher is an absolute delight and gift. True to the meaning of his name (Asher Jon means Happy Gift). He is very kind to his younger sister. In the last year he has learned how to walk and to talk. In deference to his older sister… he chooses his words wisely and is very selective with them.)

Speaking of her, Hadassah is growing to be the most precocious and intelligent young lady. She loves her brother and sister. She loves people in general … and can often be found bossing them around… this works well up to a certain age… (we found her directing a whole brood at a local Passover Seder, including kids twice her age). This doesn’t work so well with her mom.

Jordan Enciso-Merrill has had quite the roller coaster of a year. I am VERY proud of her for the steps of faith she has taken. In June, she quit her full time job and started picking up contract work. Since that time she has also launched two seperate small businesses out of our home. In Late July, she went into preterm labor… labor that lasted on and off through Lizzie’s birth in late August. Mother and daughter are fantastic and absolutely adore each other.

This year has been a year of many blessings and some trials too. In August, I received a promotion at work (which came with my second raise of the year, Thank you God!) Right in the nick of time to get a pay increase for parental leave.

This Spring we met “our boys” Bono and Sebastian. These are our Standard Poodle Puppies… long prayed for and delightful.

Appa and Rusty…. Have… sort of… accepted them into the tribe…

Needless to say we have a routy household.

2022 has been a year of following God into both blessings and challenges. Sometimes it has been the blessings that brought the challenges…. for example: our blessed dogs… ate our blessed Chickens…. Which is why they don’t make a huge appearance here. We are still in a degree of mourning.

2022 has been a year of recovering good habits, as well as the beginning of some new ones.

God has been overwhelmingly good to us… and has walked us through more challenges than I can count.

2023 is shaping up to be one of new opportunities, both in life and in ministry… (more details to come), a trip to San Francisco for Jordan and I, and God willing paying off some debt so we can dedicate more of our time and resources to His Kingdom.

Love you all and Happy New Year!

Addendum

I feel like I should mention that the year was a big year for several VERY close family members.

My mom got married to her love Walt!
My brother in law Blake got married to his love Hannah!
My mother in law Janet continues to support us through intermittent child care and she is is herself preparing for new ministry oppurtunities
My father in law Jon is doing really well and we talk at least once a week.
My sister in law Katie is back from China right now and we are excited to have her.
My brother David and family moved to Michigan.
My brother Zach is still loving his band
Jaclyn is a research assistant
Caipan got a new awesome dog…..

My cousin got engaged!
My bio dad got a new job….. and and and…

And my therapist STILL needs a chart to understand my family