Our Christmas Letter 2016/Obligatory Check-In

It has been another long, interesting year for Andy and I.  Someday, we might actually sit down and mail out a Christmas letter, but this year, it's going out as a blog post with handy bullet points.

• We both are continuing to work for Skyward.  I have been promoted up a level at work and the two of us continue to see more responsibility added as we go.  As part of my travel, I went to Rhode Island where I happened to bump into another Skywardian on the flight.  Andy ended up playing the accordion for a group of first graders at one of his onsites, since he brings his accordion with him to practice in the hotel room.
• We enjoyed being a more active part of the political process this year, campaigning for Bernie Sanders.  Andy had the chance to meet him back in February.  This has meant digging into problems and having new conversations which have been simultaneously inspiring and depressing.
• With the switch to a ketogenic diet and subsequent improvement of energy levels, I have lost over forty pounds this year.  On the whole, feeling pretty good, if slightly sad that my favorite winter wear doesn't fit as well as it used to.
• There has been a great deal of drama at our church, to put it mildly.  I'll refer you back to May's entries if you want additional details.  As a result, I have joined the Finance Committee, taking my own suggestion in trying to be part of the solution.  We seem to be moving in the right direction as a whole. 
• Andy has been continuing his studies in both accordion and voice and made some wonderful strides forward.  We participated in Verdi's Requiem this year, too.
• We finally hit on a method of feeding Sprinkles where he seems a little less picky--it involves sticking him right next to the heat lamp to make him hungry.
• We hit our fundraising goal for Norway!  We are officially going on February 10th and will be gone about two weeks.  Sprinkles will be guarding the house.

I'm sure there are many more things that will jump out at me as soon as I hit post, but those are some of the main highlights from the Peterson Household. 

2016 had its share of surprises, both good and bad.  The choices that we've made and the chaos of the world has led to a lot of anti-2016 sentiment, but it's not bad luck--it just is.  The new year does not start us back at zero again--the same problems will be waiting for us on January 1st, even when this supposedly cursed year is gone.  If you don't like how this year turned out, make some active changes.  Be part of what makes 2017 a good year.  I'll see you on the other side.