Count it All Joy! – 2023 Christmas Card
It can be hard sometimes, but there’s always something to be thankful for. It doesn’t mean there’s not difficult things, but the bad things don’t cancel out the good. So despite the tough moments, I’m thankful for another year!
We kicked off the new year with church friends, along with my (Katherine’s) family enjoying fellowship, games, and movies.
March brought our engagement! I had no idea it was coming! We got engaged at Como park and quickly started planning there after. Nicholas proposed at the sunken garden at Como Conservatory.
Nicholas and I enjoyed performing together in the choir at Easter along with my day playing in the brass ensemble, we enjoyed time with both Gladers and Koelz that afternoon too.
In May, not only did I get to ride my Grandpa Parkin’s bike, Nicholas and I also had our engagement party, we had a number of wedding party and family members over.
In June we enjoyed quite a bit of time with our church young adults group. Whether playing volleyball going to the beach or hanging around after church. Not to mention a great spring hanger dance with a bunch of church friends, and my folks.
On July 6th my nephew arrived. It was such a joy to meet him at the hospital the day he was born, and I’ve gotten to see him regularly 🙂
Later that month we celebrated, my Grandma Parkin’s 90th birthday as a family. We got the whole Parkin side together for a delicious lunch. It was so great to celebrate with the family.
Nicholas and I enjoyed a trip to William O’Brien State Park to go canoing where my parents took my sister and I for a number of times of years in July.
Nick and I hosted a dinner party for a a small group of friends (and family) at my home that month, it was a great time to enjoy a meal together.
August brought my Bachelorette party in Stillwater – what a fun time with dear friends it was!
August brought my Grandpa Parkin’s 90th birthday, my mom grabbed pizza for Grandma, Grandpa, her, my Dad, and Nick and I to enjoy for lunch as his memory care home, I enjoyed sharing some old family photos with him before we left.
Nicholas also became an uncle to his sister’s twins in August, two wonderful baby boys!
September started off with a very fun with a trip to the Minnesota State fair and my first Grandstand show seeing the Jonas Brothers(!) with my friend April from church. We enjoyed walking all over the fair grabbing some favorite foods, catching other live music and enjoying the parade.
The rest of September was interesting, to say the least though, as Nicholas ended up going to the hospital on the 9th due to a rising fever, there’s more to it then than that but it gets complicated admittedly, praise the Lord was out of the hospital well be before the end of the month, though it’s been a journey for him to get back to full health none the less.
Though, on my Dad’s birthday, I was able to join him for a day trip down to Lake Pepin on a motorcycle ride to catch up with the Christian Motorcyclists group (CMA). My longest ride yet!
Nicholas and I enjoyed a low key trip to Bethel Homecoming in late September, we enjoyed walking around Scandia Chapel for the first time, and purusing the Bethel archives at the old seminary building we even found a photo of my Grandpa Glader in one of the old yearbooks from when he was coach of the track team. (He’s the one on the left in the image) We enjoyed walking through campus as well as enjoying the Young Alumni tailgate where Nicholas enjoyed running into some of his former floormates from his time living at NelsonHall – I also heard from President Ross about Commuters winning the homecoming competition (Go Commuters!), he and I also chatted about my Grandpa Glader as Grandpa was his coach back in the day!
We enjoyed a trip to the orchard in early October with church friends and the next day we shot our engagement photos!
I got the chance to have my Grandma Parkin over to my home for the first time in October as well. It was great to have her over for a yummy brunch.
We also took Glader family pictures in October at Bethel.
Ken and Barbie (can you spot us? 🙂 ) joined Late Night Swing Dancing.
November became a very bittersweet month. I loved seeing so many friends and family that month but on Thanksgiving Eve I got the heartbreaking call that my Grandpa Glader had passed away that afternoon, I ran over with Nicholas to my Grandma and Grandpa’s apartment to see family, to be there for each. I’m just so thankful for his faith in Christ and that I’ll see him again, as my aunt said, he’ll “walk” in to our wedding instead I guess <3
We enjoyed friendsgiving with Nicholas’ friend group from college and otherwise, and one with our GracePoint young adults group.
I was so thankful to also celebrate thanksgiving with not only Nicholas and I’s close family for brunch but with my extended Glader family for dinner that day.
Nicholas and I spent black Friday taking a hike at Interstate Park, something my Grandpa Glader would’ve been excited to do back in the day.
I also had a wonderful birthday, going out for coffee, lunch with Nicholas, and then spending time with friends that evening.
The next Thursday I was also thankful to see more extended family at my grandpa’s funeral and burial. Thanks to all who came.
In December, I enjoyed the Women’s gala at church with great friends 🙂
As I started with, I’m still trying to be thankful always, I’m not perfect at it, but I still know the value and importance of it. And as my Grandpa Glader quoted from the Bible: “Count it all joy!”
Merry Christmas and love, from Katherine (& Nicholas)
