If I wait to send out letters by mail, it likely won't happen. I really would love to continue to stay connected. Judging by the number of cards I received this year, I may not be alone. So, it's an email this year with the Norton family highlights.
I hope you'll enjoy just a few basic news items straight from out of my head. :-) (Sorry it's long. I don't know how to be brief).
Dec/Jan- Our year actually started at the tail end of December when we went to the airport and picked up our foreign exchange daughter, who came from Austria and filled the first half of our year with fun, laughs, and opportunity! We loved receiving her from the plan, sharing our cultures with each other and her becoming a big part of our family. Olivia enjoyed having a sister for the last part of her senior year. We all went to Utah to share in a baby shower with Joseph and his bride. And Bret and Dawn went back to be with them as they renewed their vows in the temple. A joyful month that led to...
February- Our sweet mom and grandma came down with a light case of covid. We had no idea that by the end of March, we would lose her. She had a steep cognitive decline and spent her last couple of months away from home. It was quite an adjustment to have her right out our back door to visiting her in Mesa the few times we could get down there. She lived a life of love. We were all blessed by it and we miss her terribly. And Joseph and Sophia's twins were born! It was extremely gratifying to be able to attend their birth and help their momma with EFT during her labor. Unforgettable and joyful. We are so grateful for these beautiful girls, Shiloh and Coveney.
March- Lost our mom/grandma, but enjoyed the extended family time together. Noah got engaged to his girlfriend Lexxandria. 💗
April- We took our girls to Hawaii. I went many years ago and had looked forward to going with my dear hub. We had such a great time and Emily actually went separately with her friends, but we had a couple of planned things together. Such a beautiful time together!
May- Noah was married in Utah to his bride and we went up for that and for the blessing of the twins. It was a beautiful wedding and we loved family time together and it was wonderful to have such joyful celebrations in the year that was 2021. AND Olivia's end of everything. So strange to not only see her childhood come to a close, but to see an era in our lives do the same as she planned her exit from the nest. Proms, graduations (Valedictorian/seminary), and getting ready for college.
June- We took a much needed trip to Georgia to be with my family. We had not been there for several years and enjoyed a wonderful time at my cousin's lake house, just relaxing and being together also with my brother's family. We said goodbye to our favorite frauline, celebrated the wedding with an Arizona reception, and my brother and I went to California to move my uncle to Arizona to be near us for his health. We're grateful for a new daughter and the time we had with Maria. We hope to go to Austria one day, but are waiting for some of the restrictions to hopefully be lifted over time.
July- Mostly enjoyed a quiet month at home except for going to visit Bret's dad and his wife in Las Vegas. It was too quick of a trip.
August- Said goodbye to Olivia as her Dad drove her across the country to Southern Virginia University to major in Art and Graphic Design. She's loving VIrginia. We've never had one that far away before.
September- Said goodbye to Emily as she moved to Guam to care for three young children as a nanny. They lost their momma to breast cancer last year. She lives in short sleeves and bathing suits and is at the beach multiple times a week. The weather is near 80 degrees year round. She's even farther than Olivia. And the house is suddenly QUIET!
October brought Joseph and his family to visit. Just wonderful.
November- We drove to Virginia to take Olivia a car and attended a Virginia/Notre Dame game.
December- Our favorite season. I started a new YouTube channel for EFT. Gained our seventh grandchild. A sweet little baby girl (Lucia) born to Anica and Chris and big brother Ricky. Nothing better than a baby at Christmas time. We enjoyed the season and our family around us. 2021 had many good things.
We lost several close friends this year to the virus. It's been quite sobering for me to see multiple friends become widows, some very young. Bret serves on the high council. I teach Relief Society. Life is full and good in spite of nearby elderly relatives with addictions and health problems. It reminds us to be grateful. We hope Bret will be able to retire in the next few years. Kind of an incredible thought. Drew, Liz and their family (Charity, Liam, Luke) are doing well and everyone is healthy.
My coaching business has expanded at Rare Faith (Wonderful Free Lovely Stuff for you). This year I taught several Mindset Mastery courses, and Genius Bootcamps. I have one starting this month and next month, if you want to ask me about it. I have also been asked to coach a year long program called Achieving the Impossible with several participants and great coaches. I have fully finally embraced EFT and the gifts I have with it and have found so much joy in my growing business helping other people. Here's my new YT channel if you want to check it out.
I can hardly believe it, but with very few exceptions, I have retired from real estate. I will keep my license active because I have moved into investing, but my last listing is just about to go under contract, and I am only available for those I know and love now. The rest gets referred to my amazing wonderful partner, Jefferson! :-) We (Bret and I) now own five investment properties. Different stages and strategies. It's been pretty awesome being involved with a community that has great education and networking with people that are like minded and willing to partner and help us invest with none of our own money unless we want to. There have been ups and downs but I am excited for the sale of three of them and new opportunities to learn more and grow personally and financially. I have been fortunate to also be involved in coaching in this community. Love using all of my strengths and having opportunities to overcome my weaknesses.
Through coaching and real estate I was able to travel some this year. The world is still a beautiful and glorious place. We are thankful for the good things and we're even thankful for the occasional difficulties that we all seem to experience. May this year bring you many blessings. If ever you want to reach out, I LOVE socializing, so feel free. Bret might talk to you too. My contact info is below and we pray our greetings find you well.
Love, the Nortons
Bret, Dawn, Emily, Olivia
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