Christmas Cards in Shafferland

Christmas is officially less than a week away now, so I thought I would use this day to share our Christmas card and letter with you! Stamps are a bigger bill than they used to be, so I can't send out unlimited tangible cards, but I hope you'll feel no less loved and celebrated by receiving your card here in this space!

Merry Christmas from Shafferland!

2019 was quite a year in Shafferland. To play on the theme of our card, you might say that a latte happened and we donut have time to tell it all. But if we turned the story of our year into a donut and coffee shop menu, it would look a little something like this: 

Plain: Some moments may not have been majorly new and eventful, but they filled our year and brought us delight just the same. *We enjoyed visits from the two dogs we dog-sit for upon occasion: Phoebe the miniature Goldendoodle and Deuce the Blue Heeler. (Braeya still hates them both. Hospitality is not her gift.) *In 2018, we read through the whole Bible in a year, and this year we slowed it waaaaaaaaaay down and intensely studied the four Gospels. We both learned so much and enjoyed having such a specific focus on our learning! * Bekah took three rounds of senior pictures and two rounds of family pictures this year. She also had the chance to photograph a few events and enjoyed that, too!


Twist: The year brought us a few difficult twists, and most of you probably know the biggest one of all. *Our lives from January 2^nd through March 4^th, when Ryan’s mom went through her final hospitalization and subsequent hospice care, were filled with all kinds of twists. We did our best to be intentional and create memories to hold while we still had time with her, and we have no regrets. We said our final earthly goodbye to Nita on the evening of March 5^th. We both sat beside her as she went home to Jesus, and we have been grateful for God’s care of us since then.


Sprinkles: Even though our year had its share of hurt, it also had its share of joy and celebration. *Ryan found his way into a new decade this year when he joined the forty club! His dream celebration was a Caribbean Cruise, so we visited three new-to-us ports: Aruba, Curacao, and the Dominican Republic. Despite some ultra rocky seas at the start of the trip, we had a great week away celebrating his big four-oh! *We just celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary! Seven is a significant number in the Bible, and this has been a significant year in our lives – in the best and hardest ways. *And while we’re still in the single digits, Bekah’s parents celebrated sixty-five years of marriage, so the family came together in Shipshewana this summer for a weekend celebration of that milestone! 


Turnover: We enjoyed some new experiences this year! *We got to meet our favorite Bible study author, Erica Wiggenhorn, when she came to Michigan for a book signing! *We went to our first air show this year – at Grissom Air Reserve. It was fascinating to us! *We went to our first Purdue football game together – as guests of some friends – and though the game itself didn’t go well, we had a blast people-watching! *Bekah experienced a new kind of writing this year, writing for a jewelry website. She had fun learning a different kind of craft. *We filmed a promo video for the small group ministry at our church, and that was so much fun! *We also participated in a skit at church one Sunday. Ryan excelled in that adventure. Bekah learned it is not her first (or fifteenth) talent. *This may never happen again, so we should mention it: we both had storms named after us this year. In February, Winter Storm Ryan descended over the western part of the US, and this fall, Tropical Storm Rebekah arrived in the Caribbean. Typecasting? That’s for you to decide.


Fritter: Travel fun isn’t really frittering away your time, is it? Regardless, we found time for a few trips this year! *We marked four more counties off our list in our quest to visit all 92 in the state of Indiana. Kosciusko, DeKalb, Hamilton, and Owen counties gave us to four more delicious coffee shops and adventures unique to each county! *We also enjoyed an overnight trip to St. Joseph Michigan, which included a hike at Warren Dunes State Park and some time at Silver Beach. *Just last month, we took a super fast weekend trip to Atlanta, Georgia, to meet our friends’ sweet new baby and be present at her baby shower!


Latte: We didn’t just play all year. We did a latte work, too! *We spent a few weeks helping Ryan’s dad and step-mom fix up their house to sell. Bekah painted and Ryan did a little bit of everything! *We did several projects at our own house this year, trying to make some of our outdoor spaces more usable. We love all the changes and appreciate our cozy little home. *And speaking of work, Ryan still works as a PTA in the outpatient department at the specialty hospital, and he still loves what he does and the people he works with each day! *Bekah was invited to share at churches and retreats nine times this year, and Ryan traveled with her for almost all of them! 


Espresso: Sometimes you need extra energy to do what God calls you to do, right? *We are still leading a small group through our church. This year it’s more like a medium-sized group, but we love every one of our people and are so glad to get to learn with them! *Bekah joined a newly formed women’s ministry team early in the year and then was asked to assume the leadership of the group during the summer. She loves the opportunity and the people on the team. *Together, we’re overseeing the small group ministry at our church, in addition to leading a group of our own. We have a lot of work to do on this particular ministry, but we’re excited about it! *We both served as narrators in our church’s patriotic and Christmas programs this year, which gave us a welcomed opportunity to serve together. 


Blended: Amid everything else this year, we did blend in some of our favorite traditions: *Ryan and his friend Shawn went on a ski trip back in February, and Bekah hung out in the lodge all day with youth groups galore. *We still celebrate our monthiversary on the second day of every month. We are up to 84 months now! *We made two trips to the county fair this year and made sure to get all our favorite not-so-heart-healthy foods! *We enjoyed game night with our friends from high school – and we still haven’t learned how to win. We have mastered being gracious losers.


            So now you’re caught up on our 2019! We are grateful for every part of it. We felt the unmistakable presence of the Lord during the hardest days and are so thankful for the prayers and the tangible outpouring of support from friends and family that sustained us. We continue to commit to being a team in marriage and life and do not take for granted the moments we’re given. Each one is a gift that we treasure. 


            We’re looking forward to this Christmas and to the year ahead – with whatever God allows us to enjoy in its days! Merry Christmas to all of you! Thanks for being part of the sprinkles added to our days!