Oh, What A Year

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Here we are, standing at the start of another new year. Like many others, we stayed up to midnight (EST) to ring in the new year with all the gusto, excitement, and zeal as the NYC revelers in Time Square. Well, kinda.

Yes, we stayed up, but it was a subdued scene at the Higham House. We celebrated with noise makers and poppers, appetizers, and Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider. Not quite Times Square, but there was gusto, excitement, and zeal, mostly because we were plenty ready to say farewell to 2022.

2022 was a hard year, and as I sat down to think through this post, I thought about recapping the year, highlighting the ups and downs of the past 12 months. But as I remembered the major storylines that made the year so challenging, the less I wanted to write about them. And for you, our faithful readers who have followed along with our year, there's no need to recount the journey we traveled together. No, it's time to move on, and that what we want to do.

2022 was a year of trials and tribulations. We navigated cancer, loss, pestilence, a broken air conditioner (house and vehicle), multiple car repairs, and sickness. But we also saw our family grow through a marriage. We connected and reconnected with family and friends we had not seen in a long time. We laughed and cried, then cried and laughed some more. And through all of it, we were able to step back, see God's faithfulness, and give thanks.

​And while we expect the impact of 2022 to still have its effect on us in the new year, we are looking to 2023 as a way to say goodbye to what was and hello to what's to come! Because we believe what's to come is going to be pretty awesome!

Not being a family big on resolutions, we sat down and asked our kids, what should be our family goals for 2023? What are the things that we want to accomplish, achieve, experience, or participate in. We try to do this each year as a way to look forward to the coming year and the adventure, moments, and memories we would like to make. By involving the kids, we see two benefits; 1. it gives them a chance to share their ideas, and 2. allows us to listen to their hearts.

Their number one hope for the new year was that we spend more time doing the things that we like doing as a family. Over the last couple of years the family has taken up interests in things like fishing, hiking, kayaking, camping, exploring, visiting new places, and simply enjoying the outdoors. As our family grows and spreads out, we want to set aside time to travel and visit.  And where our schedules and commitments have left us saying 'No' to some of the previous years requests, we want the freedom to be able to 'Yes' to opportunities that will allow us to explore and create memories together.

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2023 is going to bring with it a number of big changes to the family, the first of which will be a granddaughter, due any day. Our #2 son and his wife are expecting a little girl, growing our family by one more. We are so excited for this new little life, and can't wait to welcome her into our family.

There will also be significant changes in the coming weeks. These changes will no doubt, alter much of our lives, our community, and our future. It's a scary and exciting journey that we are about to venture out on, filled with bitter-sweet moments to come. And we promise to share all the details in their proper time.

2022. It was a tough year. And while we are grateful to God for all that He did and all that we learned, witnessed, and grew through, we are ready to turn the page. It's the end of one chapter, and the start of another.

​2023. It's here, and we're going to step into this new chapter with all the enthusiasm and hopefulness we can muster. Because God is good. He is faithful, and we know we can trust Him!

We hope you will join us on this adventure. We are truly excited, and can't wait to see all that God has planned for the Higham House! And of course, we look forward to sharing this adventure with you!

Come on 2023, let's do this!

- the higham family

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Christmas in the Higham House!

Watch our annual Christmas Eve and Christmas Day vlog posts!