I might liken my feelings about 2017 to the experience of riding a unicycle on a tight rope, while reminding myself "don't look down" every....single ....day. And I mean that for all the complicated feelings that experience might evoke....thrill, adventure, nervousness, uncertainty, shock, stress, hope, fear! Am I the only one who feels this way? Please tell me I'm not!
My "mantra" for life has always been simplicity, balance and careful discernment. But 2017 has definitely presented our family with a growth spurt and with that, has come some growing pains and adjustments. There have been ample lessons in discovering potential as well as limitations, as perhaps every year should. Yet the Lord has always been faithful, in the hills and the valleys, and I'm so grateful to have a moment to reflect on what this year of life has given to our family.
Updates from the Land of Motekai
I need to begin with my best blessing of all. That cute guy I spied playing violin at our college parish and I celebrated 14 years of marriage this year! With the help of 3 loving grandparents, we were able to take off for a few days to Austin for our anniversary to enjoy all things wonderfully and randomly us! We have lunch together almost every day and I hope that never changes! ;)
Bronius is still working as a software developer for Praxent remotely, and we feel blessed to be part that company's community! Bronius has really enjoyed performing with the Brazos Community Orchestra which has just begun in our area. He never runs out of patience and goodness and we are blessed to call him ours!
I had the great blessing of returning (11 years later) to a place near and dear to my heart, the very place that brought me to College Station 15 years ago, to work at St. Mary's Catholic Center again for 6 months this year as a grant writer. I am so grateful for the time I spent there (again!). But it became apparent that my Mom plate was a little too full and I was starting to lose my balance. It's always a sad day to leave St. Mary's, as I've had to do it twice now! I thank God for the continuing gifts He has provided me with through the community there!
I have enjoyed being a fitness instructor for 2.5 years and additionally I am now a trainer at a company called Super Slow Zone, where I work with clients to help them improve bone density with strength-building exercises. I am also participating in the CSISD leadership program and serving on the PTO of Milo and Jonas' elementary school. I enjoy every chance I have to come in to help with field trips, concerts and events at both their elementary school and Dominic's middle school! I'd say my primary job is a chauffeur however....since the car seems to be the place I spend the most of my waking hours...including grabbing groceries from HEB's stellar curbside staff who I'm seriously considering inviting to Christmas dinner! Finding time for myself this year has been the greatest challenge of all. I very much miss writing, but finding the time has been impossible! I look forward to the next season of life that can afford me my most favorite outlet again. I also hope to have more chances to attend my book club and Blessed is She gatherings in 2018 as they stir my mind and heart in the most important ways!
Speaking of a middle schooler....we have one now. Where's the panic button? Dominic is 12.5 years old, in 7th grade and is still up with the sun every morning, though I'm told this will taper off soon as we venture into the teen years ;) He had the privilege this year of being 1st chair violin for his school orchestra's Fall concert, and he is still studying piano and violin. He is enjoying his GT STEM class at school, and is currently participating in a robotics competition. He is a voracious reader, loves making movies and utilizing special effects, and his origami skills are wowing people from coast to coast. His love language is making a cup of cocoa for you, he loves to cook when he has the time! He is in the process of devising his own immunotherapy to overcome his allergy to our cats, whom he loves with his whole heart. Even with those teen years creeping up, he is kind 90% of the time to his brothers and often makes them breakfast when Mommy and Daddy are dragging their feet in the morning! We are enjoying his intelligence, his choice of conversation topics and the fact that half the time, we can ask him before we go to google with a question. ;) It has been an adjustment this year to not be teaching Faith Formation at church for the first time in about 15 years! We decided to "homeschool" our faith formation for Milo and Jonas this year since Dominic is involved in Youth Group on Sunday evenings. While we look forward to going back next year, we have really enjoyed the connections we are making with our children as we have more time to dive in to teaching them one-on-one. Dominic has vastly enjoyed a vibrant experience of youth group at church this year and we hope and pray we will see him continue to love and own his faith in 2018!
Milo is in the 4th grade and is coming into his own as far as personality goes. He is witty, has admirable vocabulary and is a very quick problem solver. He participated in a UIL oral story telling group at school and we were so impressed to see how he grew in his expressive speaking and presentation abilities! He is still studying piano, drawing fierce dragons and playing basketball. He is very proud of his newly acquired archery skills this year through 4-H! He is also training to be an altar server with his older brother at church this year, and it has been beautiful to see him seek that ministry out on his own! Milo has great work ethic. He is always the first to jump to do something when I ask, and his time management skills are off the chain! He has my weird ability of keeping track of time without ever needing a watch. His smile lights up the room and his loyal heart is a gift to his family and friends. I'm glad to share the middle child bond with my Milo-in-the-middle. We hope 2018 will bring him more opportunities to shine!
Jonas just turned 7! He is in first grade and his second year of Dual Language education. Learning Spanish has not always been his favorite challenge and there have been several days that this supremely verbal child told me he was NOT happy with our decision to put him in the program. Yet we have seen many great developments because of it, and he has bonded to his a number of his classmates. He is a super social guy, and he enjoys having a community to belong to. We hope it will continue to be a good fit for him! He is studying piano and taking drama classes (I know it may come as a shock). This guy is a one-man-show, kind of like his father. He is extroverted and always has a sunny disposition. He talks to me all....the....time. The hardest part of him starting school was getting used to how quiet the house became! I miss hearing all his thoughts! He loves to pose riddles to me that completely scramble my brain, which is easier to do each day that goes by! I love it when I catch him singing to a Christmas song and dancing in the living room when he thinks no one sees him. He loves to make people happy. For many reasons he is my "rose in winter," partly since he was my only winter baby, but also because he has such an inclination to being joyful, even when life is tough. We hope for even more joy for our Jonas in 2018!
In other note-worthy and happy news, we had one nephew leave for college this year, and a brand new nephew born! We have two family weddings coming up this Spring to look forward to as well! God is good!
This coming January, Bronius and I will be giving a talk at the upcoming RED-C Catholic Radio family retreat and we need many prayers to speak the words the Holy Spirit wishes for us to share! We hope to see many of you there!
Thank you to each and every one of you for the roles which you play in our lives! Our wishes for you, dear family and friends, in this season of Hope, Joy, Love and Peace,
is that you can entrust all of your days to the One who cradles each moment of our future in the palm of His hands. He loves us all so much more than we can ever understand!
Thank you for your love and your prayers for us!
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year, and please send us your updates, too!
All our love! The Motekaitis family
