This year, I received no less than three of those "catching you up on our lives" letters from friends. Each came with a 5x7 photo or photo arrangement of their family, which usually included their animals as well. I love it. I couldn't for the life of me try to sum up all that has happened to me in a year through the medium of a single-paged letter. Nope. I have a blog! I use this forum to keep you and everyone else updated on what is actually going on in my life, in Laura's life, and in the lives of those around us.
I'd love to be able to add my other kids into the blogs; to tell you what all is happening in their lives, but I'm not necessarily privy to it - and if I were, they may or may not wish that their intimate or private lives be shared. Laura's cautiously aware that I share her finer details, but I do hold back things that could or would embarrass her too badly. (I promise) I will continue to share the most important or most impactful things that happen to us throughout the year, month, week, day, whenever I sit down to carve out a tale or two.
Today, it's Christmas! Christmas 2025: the hottest Christmas Oklahoma has ever experienced. We'll reach a whopping 79 degrees (F) today, which will blast our record of 76 degrees. I'm not a fan. Hawaiian Christmases or Floridian Christmases are not the way to go for the Sooner State. Nope, I'm not into Northern snow either, but a good stiff breeze and some lower temps would be relished! I could wear my ugly sweater and feel as if I made the right fashion choice to impress the dogs. I'm in a set of jammies that, yes, do have Christmas dogs on them, but they are not the same. It was my hope to wear a searingly ugly waffle sweatshirt with little guitars floating around all decked out in Christmas tree lights and doing their thing -- not happening.
I didn't buy presents this year for anyone other than my mom and Reuben's younger babies. I would love to have sent money to everyone else, but having to save for the purchase of the house and everything that goes with it, there just isn't a lot of extra cash to go around. I did buy Laura's horse a blanket, I will admit that, but it's because I don't have a good shelter for it, and I can't be that person who doesn't care for their animals. I mean, we do have the shelter, but it's so dilapidated, and if she did go into it, I fear she could be injured. Laura may have found a way to shore it up for the winter. It will come down in the spring for sure.
I can't start from January and go through the year to tell you all the highlights because I seriously don't remember them. The best way I can remember times of the year is separated by the dates I wrote the books. Let's see, I was writing "Stratford" in January, then on to "Dion" in March, "Cask" by June, and finished up "Amicus Curiae" in September. I didn't write another one, but I wanted to. I did put out "Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book 4" in May, I think, but that was only a two-week project; one I will repeat this coming May for Book 5.
We moved to our little house in OKC the year before, having lived in our apartment for more than 9 years. Crazy when you think about it. This year, in November, we moved to our new house, and it's the first time since 2011 that I've had an overhead heater in the bathroom! That's an odd thing to bring up, but it's true. We also have a washer and dryer in the garage, which makes us giddy -- we're simple people. We have a larger living room now, which will accommodate Laura's exercise pole soon. Most families don't add that to their update letters!
I'm still very much working for the same company I have been with for about 20 months. I have made Employee of the Month twice, and it would thrill me to make Employee of the Year. I'm told I'm in the running! Big time smile, right there. To be working alongside the wonderful friends and people that I am working with can't be measured - it's a true joy, and I am so very grateful. I earn well, I work hard, and it's just such an awesome feeling to wake up and not dread going to work.
Speaking of work - I work remotely, and have for over two years. I won't go back into an office. I just can't. I don't have any clothes now that could be considered office-worthy. I don't wear shoes 98% of the time, and don't ever want to. I do put them on to walk the pasture or go to the store. I have gained weight this past year, and that stops now. I'll keep you posted on that as well. I wasn't able to work out for over a year with chronic pain in my hip that has mostly subsided. I guess I can tell you about it; it happened this year.
I moved in July 2024 and hurt myself, but didn't realize it for a month or two. I was limping and unable to move for quite a long time, other than just moving from one room to the other, without being in terrible pain from the injury. The doctors said to rest and stay off of it - right, it's a hip! Well, I gave up drinking coffee (caffeine) and began drinking mushroom coffee for a while, and get this, my hip pain subsided to the point that I can walk, exercise, and drive longer than a few minutes. It really did change my life and lifestyle. I went through four or five brands of mushroom coffee and have settled on Yege. It has the same exact combination as Ryze, but at less than 1/2 the cost.
What else? Well, the house. We began looking in June, thinking we wanted to live in El Reno, but believed it would take a year to bring my credit up to the point that it needed to be. I hadn't been on my job long enough, and with working remotely, though not self-employed, I had to be on the job for two years (I thought), so I figured March 2026 would be the start date -- I was gleefully wrong! I found a great lender who is working with me, and he's convinced his people to let me be in the house for six months while we save for the down payment. I am going through FHA, so there are rules, but we're under contract now. We are technically leasing, but they can't pull out of the deal -- and I won't!
It was much more expensive than I expected, but God has provided. He always does. It meant I couldn't play around with my extra money, and I couldn't give it away as much as I did, but I'm OK with that as well. I can give it to myself, my daughter, and our dreams. Laura doesn't want to move out on her own, and to be honest with you, I love her company. She's a great roommate, a good friend, and a great daughter. Again, God has been so very gracious to us both in that way. She's finally out of her slump, the one she fell into years ago when she had to give up her horse. She's "back in the saddle" proveriably, and soon will be physically.
When Laura rescued Lady Sif, her Arabian-Morgan cross mare, she began to heal. To see her transformation has been glorious, and it's been daily, right before my eyes. I am very blessed for this, and I know she is. She's incorporating and starting a rescue of her own. We are now the Double-S Equine Ranch and will be up and running in 2026. She'll work it, and she has a regular job as well. She's working, she's happy, she's smiling, and get this -- she's driving again. That hasn't happened in years! The best things come to those who wait upon their Lord -- I am convinced.
With that, I'll bid you farewell, as the days have passed when I took a break from writing. I am to start the new book today - just the notes, but I'm starting! The new book is titled "Cumberland" and is a scary sort of sad and ugly look into the life of a victim of violence; her survival, her struggle, and the choices she's had to live with are the crux of the storyline. It's not an easy book, and it won't be easy to write or read, but it's on my heart, and I'm writing it. I can't fully relate to it, but I know others can or may. It's a diversion from the Nick Posh novels - and I think I'll be satisfied with it when I finish.
Merry Christmas!! Happy Birthday, Jesus, and may your 2026 be fun, festive, lively, and full of joy! I hope ours is as well. Stay safe and know you are prayed over.
Photo credit: Koenig's Eye View
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