Eileen's Note

This past year has been simply remarkable for me!  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get to marry Jay Sappington!  He and I have been long time friends—but many years ago, not recently.  So I just never thought he was the one all this time.

But—you know—this really works!  It’s like we have been married for years.  That’s how much we fit together.  We think so much the same and like a lot of the same things and we always have.  He has always been a friend.   

Adjusting to marriage has been so much fun!  Jay is such a character, telling stories, playing piano, composing, and always laughing at things—even things that I hadn’t noticed before are funny. He is giving me back my old spontaneous self.  (After years of doing the serious work of being a therapist, and of not doing much music at all, I think I locked those spontaneous parts of me down a lot.)  Just being musical again is rich, deep, and expressive to my soul.  Music was so much a part of my old self as I strove toward being a concert artist for many years.  Somewhere along the way I lost track of that part of me.  Knowing Jay has been helping me connect with myself again.  Sometimes it makes me cry with delight.  God just knew what I needed and it catches my breath to think of how He just knew. 

  

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This past year has been a whirlwind, with constant travel, wedding planning, figuring out Jay’s medical conditions, visiting with family, reconnecting with many old friends, meeting so many new wonderful friends.  People we hadn’t heard from came out of the woodwork to help—even friends from other countries.  Wow!  

Then there was my back injury. Oh my! But watching Jay step up to the plate and manage me and the house when he had just moved in and didn’t know where anything was, all while he was looking for work now that he had moved back to Michigan—was a hoot, let me tell you!  He was so funny, but so kind and patient.

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I cannot tell you what it means to me to know all of you, everywhere.  All of you are so meaningful to my life.  And those of you in far-flung regions of the world—I miss you so much.  Every one of you, either here or overseas, has touched my heart and made my life richer, better.  What a blessing all of you are.  So many of you returned for our wedding or you wrote touching words that conveyed your heart was with us that day in June.  It was truly a reunion of hearts as we gathered together to celebrate, not only Jay’s and my wedding, but what God did among us in the past to unify us in Him.  I am humbled.  It truly was a magnificent celebration of God among us that day.  

One of God's greatest blessings is His gift of special people—the ones who touch our days with kindness, fill our hearts with gratitude, and bring His love to life.  God made someone special when He made you.  

Many of us have also lost special people over this past year.  We also remember and honor them.  

Spending time with my family this past year has been just great.  To see them all at the wedding was a special gift to me.  I even got to spend some months in Virginia, and was able to see my Mom (now 92!) almost daily.  She is such a delight!  

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We hope you had a wonderful, blessed Christmas as we did.  God sent His Son and we are forever changed!

Merry Christmas!

Love to all of you,

Eileen