Well here we are, the last 3 1/2 hours of 2013 and as I do every year I am looking back upon the year looing at where I've come from and how it has set up where I'm heading.
This has been a year of change in the Holloway household as our youngest graduated from high school and is now attending Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mi. He is doing well and enjoying the experience and challenge of college and already has been stretched intellectually. He has really grown and matured into a young man in the short time he has been gone. He is making strong wise decisions and taking responsibility for his actions both good and bad and I couldn't be prouder of him. This summer I again competed in Scottish Highland Games and had a pretty good year, I set some new PR's in several events and became more consistent in my performance.
Earlier this year my wife had a quilt published in a national quilting magazine and then had a different quilt that was a semi-finalist in a major quilt show in Grand Rapids Mi. It has been fun to watch her develop her skill in quilting and to watch her gain confidence in her abilities as she goes. In December she had the opportunity to go to Chicago and tape a show with Mary Fons and it was pretty neat to watch her tape the show and just chat with Mary who is one of her quilting "heros".
This year I stepped down as an elder of the church we attend, there was no specific season other than the fact that it was just time. I have been in leadership at this church for something like 12 years and I was ready to relinquish that responsibility and look for that next thing that the Lord would have me do. Unbeknownst to me our pastor announced that he was looking to move on at the same meeting. I think the timing of us both announcing our intentions was Gods plan and the church will benefit from this in a way that only God knows.
The BIG NEWS this year however is our daughter Elizabeth and her husband brought into this world our first grand-children. Daughters Eleanor and Amelia were born September 17 in Virginia Beach Va they are beautiful and most importantly healthy. It is still sometimes hard to wrap my mind around the fact that my baby girl now has baby girls of her own. It has been a bit of a trial for Beth and Brad to get the routine down but they are getting a handle on it and they are doing a great job and are going to be great parents. I remember how hard it was with just one new-born in the house now double it WOW.
What lies ahead? Well first up is our 28th anniversary, I can't believe that it's been 28 years that I've had the love of my life walking beside me. Vicki has been my rock through thick and thin and I look forward to the next 28 years with great excitement. In May the Highland Games season starts up with several games planned again this year with all efforts aimed at the Masters World Championships in Inverness Scotland in September. Vicki and I are both looking forward to this trip of a lifetime with much anticipation. For me its the opportunity to throw in the land of my ancestors and to visit the site of the Battle of Culloden in which my ancestor Donald Livingston played a prominent role and do all this with the most important person in my world with me.
Let me wrap this up by wishing you all a very happy, and blessed NEW YEAR. Everyone of you mean so much to me and I don't do a good enough job of letting you know.
Be Blessed,
Jay
