BE blessed in 2017

May you BE blessed.  

Every year, as I prepare each greeting card, I pray over each envelope and ask for blessings to overflow in the recipients life.  This year, I really gave the word "BE" some thought.  It is an action, like love.  Sometimes it is not easy.  I truly pray that you will BE blessed this year, no matter how easy, or how hard it comes. 

So what have the Collver’s been up to?  Our year has been FULL of adventure, challenges, and life.  Our decision to take our family photos in a team shirt has so much significance in telling our story of 2016.  We have had to pull together, review some of the plays, get our head in the game and play with literally all we have and that others graciously provided us.  We didn’t win at everything and we had a few fouls.  We had to ice our injuries and get back in the game.  We had to BE part of the team. 

Last fall, as the schedules had finally found their rhythm, we unexpectedly added two bonus children to our household.  They have shown us how blessed we really are.  The times of relaxing in a quiet room, going on an unplanned date, or retreating to the Jacuzzi are a distant memory.  We ARE excited to have them with us this Holiday season.  They recently turned 2 and 3.  What a difference this last year has been for them.  They are thriving so much.  Both of them are participating in Head Start services, which is focusing on the individual learning needs that they have.  We do not have any permanent orders as of yet, but we will make each day the best we can

Since I had accepted a full-time position just one week before one of the bonus children arrived, Dale and I decided that the best option would be for him to work from home.  With Dale’s Photography, splitting ministry time between One80 Young Adult Ministry and Middle and High School youth groups, and being on staff as the COO of The Great Hunt for God, he could bring in enough income to cover our needs.  Swapping our roles was not easy.  On top of the many hours that Dale has been working, he also takes on court dates, doctor appointments, taxiing the children from place to place, Volleyball games, driving practice and numerous visits from Head Start, DHS, and the various departments working on the children’s cases.  We just participated in a Fall Banquet that was planned to help raise money for him to make a part-time salary.  Wow, what a huge blessing of support from all who attended.  You won’t want to miss the next banquet.  You should take some time to visit the website, podcasts, and facebook page.  You will be blessed, or at least entertained.   

We’ve had several friends step up and help out over the last year, we are so very blessed by them.  Not only was it a rough transition into full-time work, but Hayley was working hard to graduate, Hannah was navigating her first year of High School and I was diagnosed with Adenomyosis in February.   After a few consultations, I decided surgery was the best option.  In April, a few days after my 39th birthday I had surgery.  IT WAS THE BEST DECISION EVER!!!  I had a few setbacks, and it took me the full 6 weeks to feel well enough to go back to work, but I have no regrets.  What a huge improvement.  I wish I had done this years ago. 
Before the bonus children were placed with us, we had made the decision to buy a car for me.  We started looking and then put things on hold when they arrived.  I continued saving as I was and we were able to get an 8 passenger vehicle in October.  We used Hayley’s car as a trade in and she is now driving the van.  It is a much safer vehicle and approved to transport the children.  It also has a working fuel gauge and speedometer.  Something we think every 19 yr old should have when driving.  One thing that I am very excited about is that I finally joined Young Living Oils.  I have used them throughout the last 15 or so years and my grandma used them all the time.  I learned so much while caring for her.  Doctors were always amazed at her cells and their ability to fight the disease, chemo, and radiation.  I decided that I wanted to carry on her legacy of good health and take advantage of all the education and resources through Young Living Oils.  I have already added 4 people to my team and we are excited to learn together.  

Let me just take a moment to brag on our One80 young adults ministry.  They run their own worship service.  They put together the event night, including the messages, music, and prayer.  They attend a separate leadership training once a week in addition to the worship service so they can learn, grow, be challenged and prepare to serve their peers.  It’s really awesome.  They don’t really need us, but we keep feeding them because they still need food.  

We had the opportunity to travel a bit over the last year.  We made a weekend trip over to Baker City to see our friends (I really wanted to say family here, because that is more accurate).  Dale went to Indiana to help with The Great Hunt for God booth at a men’s conference.  We had a weekend getaway in Sunriver for the Couples Retreat – A weekend to Remember.  What a great way to really focus on our marriage and get a tune-up.  The best adventure, though, was our trip to Hawaii.  We took Hayley as a graduation gift which we had promised her when she was a freshman.  It just so happened that it was also our 20th Wedding anniversary.  Hayley’s best friend, and our bonus daughter, Tasha, came along.  We had an amazing time.  We were very active, which was welcomed after 6 weeks of recovering from surgery.  Just a few weeks ago, we went to Redmond to take photos for an Alpaca show.  As I write this, we are packing for a week vacation to a lake house to try to unwind and focus on our family.  No Internet or cable TV.  We definitely plan to take a few trips this next year.  I would love to visit Reno again.  Baker City is always on our mind.  We would love to visit Idaho, we have 3 couples that we would love to connect with that we love and adore.  We’d love to plan a trip to see the Stolpe family in Tennessee and our bonus family, the Mora's, in Texas.  Disneyland would be awesome, too.  My long term plan is to go to Portugal and the Azore Islands to meet distant relatives.  But for now, we are on a journey here, where adventure awaits each new day.

Hayley graduated in June with a Scholarship from Foresters.  Not even a week later, she was off participating in her second year of volunteering at Camp Tadmor for the entire summer.  She didn’t visit as often as the previous summer, but we kept in contact.  She is currently in her first term of college at Chemeketa.  She is pursuing a transfer degree for counseling.  She works at Kentucky Fried Chicken and has a few child care, house, and dog sitting jobs.  She just turned 19 a few days ago.  For now, she plans to live at home and save up for college and her own place.  

Hannah got her permit in June and just finished driving school at Chemeketa.  It was tough getting in all the driving time when she is not allowed to drive with the bonus children.  She can’t wait until May when she turns 16.  She is now a sophomore.  After begging, she was placed into the culinary arts path at the high school.  Her dreams are slowly coming to life.  She had to decide between choir and culinary.  She has her food handler’s license and cannot wait to get a job in a kitchen, anywhere.  She continues to amaze us with her passion for ministry.  She serves on Wednesday nights at Church on the Hill and served on the entertainment crew at Dunes camp in July.  

Hayden has been awesome, despite losing her title of our favorite youngest child.  More often than not, we find one or two children have crawled into bed with her in the night and have planted their heads on her pillow, elbows, and/or knees into her back and legs dangling over her.  She’s a trooper and often wakes up with the kiddos early and helps keep them entertained.  She was such a blessing this summer while dad worked from home.  Hayden gave up her soccer shoes and traded them in for knee pads.  Late August she participated in Volleyball camp and played on the A team for the 7th grade Dragon’s.  She was so excited when we slipped and called her Bobo during a game early in the season. Even grandpa jumped in and made sure she felt our support.  

Well, that’s as short as I can get updating a whole year of life and adventures of 7 people.  May you BE blessed as you write your story this year.