The Year Of 2014

This better be done quickly, before I have to change the date.  It has been a good year and we are finishing up with our celebration month as well.  We are enjoying celebrating Christ’s birth and what that means to us  Thankful that it is more than all the hoopla of buying and getting and maybe exchanging.  Celebration is a great part of life, especially in December.   Abner’s, one of our son’s, and my birthdays; then Christmas, and now capping it off -- 54 years of marriage.  We are so thankful for God’s many blessings.

The year  has gone quickly. I think the busier one is, the faster it seems to go.  On Monday we plan to leave for Florida again.  This is the 8^th year that we have gone to help at Wycliffe Associates.  We have been thankful for the ability to go there to help.  I call it being “snowbirds-with-a-purpose.”  Since last year winter had a grip on many of the northern states, we didn’t mind spending time in the south.  Several times we were able to go over to the other side of the state to spend time with John and Bonnie Nystrom, our missionaries from Arlington Countryside Church.  They were totally rehabbing a home to live in and so Abner helped in some of the needs there on several weekends.  We were able to keep busy on jobs at the center and will be looking forward to doing the same again.We will miss seeing our other missionary friends, Dave and Linda Marcy, who have moved closer to family in Arizona but still working with Wycliffe remotely.

We went to Canada twice this year; in the spring and fall.  It is always fun to be with the Bauman side of the family and other friends and relatives. In the fall there was a large Bauman cousins reunion. About 25 of the first-cousins were there with their spouses.

Rosie in the new kitcchen

During the summer we were at UP Bible Camp again.  Abner helped tearing down an old cabin to the studs.  Now it looks quite new again with knotty pine on the inside giving it a new look and smell.  I ended up in the kitchen again and enjoy working together with others to feed the hungry “hordes.”

A Re-made Cabin

When we are at home Abner spends his time doing odd jobs at church, other folks’ homes including our son’s in Chicago, as well as ours.  Some of our missionaries from church have come to stay for a while and we are thankful that we are able to share with them. Besides the house work I have done quite a bit of visiting with the older folks at the church and helping out with some special functions.

We also thank the Lord for good health.  Abner had some cloudiness removed by lazer from his one eye. The results were good and he does not have a hole in the macula again.  I had cataract surgery in the fall and that went well.  Just have to get used to not having to take out my contact lenses at night after so many years of wearing them.

Within the last week we have said goodbye again to family. All but Karen and our grandson, Karl, were here. Both of them live in California and find it a bit far to travel home this time of year.  We all enjoyed being together again and wish it could be more often. It was fun to have 5 of our 6 grandkids here. They vary in ages from 30 to almost 2!

Nola With Grandma

We do love this time of year when we hear from so many of you.  We enjoy the cards, pictures, letters; whatever you send! Thank you to all of you who have written.

Another year has passed; many things have changed, most of the news reports have not been good, and we have lost some good friends who are now with the Lord.

We wish you a Happy New Year and God’s richest blessings.

     Rosie and Abner