Year in Review 2015

Our family has had a lot of change in 2015. Ecclesiastes 3:1 comes to mind “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven”. Sometimes we welcome the change. Like our move to Queen Creek. We actually moved at the end of 2014, but this has been all the ‘firsts’ in a new house. We love it!

Sometimes the change is a mix of emotions. Like Geoff losing his 12 year old job at iCrossing yet quickly finding a new digital marketing role and being reunited with some former colleagues at Ethology.

Then there are changes that are not so welcome. I hesitate to call them ‘bad’ because God ordained them so they can’t be ‘bad’. They can feel bad, but if we trust that God is for us, it can’t be bad.

The big change that was not so welcome for us was sending our little foster boy back home not just once, but twice. It is also the end of our foster journey and so we end the year with a question mark. What does God have in store for our family now?

Well, I can’t answer that question, but I can bring you up to speed on what the kids have been up to this year.

• Sean - Started the year as a junior going to school and working at Tastebuds Frozen Yogurt. He then spent his whole summer in Hong Kong with Darcy’s brother and his family at Crossroads - /www.crossroads.org.hk learning and serving. He came home to his senior year of high school and has since started working at Oregano's Pizza Bistro.
• Jakob - Started the year as a sophomore and doing improv at school. We went to church summer camp and to CO with us as a family over the summer and came back to school for his junior year. He has since turned 16, received his driving permit, and obtained a job at Harkins. He has also competed in a Theatre Festival in Utah, performed in a play entitled 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, and taken that play to State where they were chosen to compete at Nationals in June of next year.
• 
  Kyra - Started the year in seventh grade at a school that is very academic driven and while she was not a fan of all the homework, she ended very well! She was also baptized by her dad on Easter Sunday. Her summer consisted of several days in San Diego with her Aunt Jessica, several days at Summer Church Camp, and two weeks in CO with the family. She returned to start her eighth grade year and continues to do well in school and spends time with friends whenever she gets a chance.
• 
  Ryan - Started the year in 5th grade and also being at the same school as Kyra, he ended the year very well despite the higher standards. His summer consisted of several days in San Diego with his Aunt Jessica learning to surf, and two weeks in CO with the family. He return to school in the sixth grade and is doing very well. He is now old enough to be in Youth Group at church and also spent some time playing soccer again which he really enjoyed.

Geoff and I decided early in the year that we were remiss in educating our children about the state they were all born in so we put into action a plan to visit places around our state. We visited Flagstaff which included two trips; Sunset crater and Wupatki National Monument, and the Grand Canyon. We plan to visit other parts of the state next year as well.

Grand Canyon

Sunset Crater

We look to the end of this year of big changes knowing that next year will be more of the same. We are in a season of big changes and we are thankful we have a God who has gone before us and knows our weakness and gives us grace in it.

Merry Christmas to all!

The Wilcoxson Family

Celebrating 20 years

Family Game Night