The year didn’t go well. It started off with a hospital visit, and operation, which should have lasted 1-5 days, and 22 days later I was finally home. It took me until September to start feeling better and I am still not physically back to where I was before going in. I like hospitals, I don’t like pain. Maarten says that I think I’m in a hotel when I’m there! Most nurses were great, and what little food I could keep in was ok too. I lost 9 kilos and that was the up-side of it all! April 11th we celebrated Maarten’s 44th birthday and 2 days later his mother passed away at the age of 83. It was rather sudden and unexpected. At the same time, we had visitors from North America, Esther Unruh and her daughter Bev. We did our best to entertain them in spite of all that was happening.
Esther & Bev at Madurodam Because of their visit I got to see a little more of Holland. We went to Corrie Ten Boom’s house in Haarlem, and St. John’s church in Gouda, it is the longest church in Holland.
St. John's ChurchIn May I attended a conference called, “The Journey to Wholeness in Christ.” It really was an amazing conference. If I shared all that I learned during these 14 sessions, it would take more than this Christmas letter to tell all. One meaningful impression I was left with is how important it is to have the example of a man in your life that will humble himself and sit at the feet of Jesus. My dad wouldn’t do this, thankfully my husband does.
Signa and I (She was one of the speakers!)In June I celebrated my birthday, and don’t enjoy getting older with the aches and pains attached. This summer they diagnosed me with osteo-arthritis, and during the warm summer months I am fine, pain free… but when the cold months arrive, my joints are in pain, and I live in pain. I wonder why Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks…” I’m not thankful for pain! Also in January the Ophthalmologist diagnosed me with pathological myopathy it is some kind of degenerative thing with the retina… JOY JOY JOY and Paul wrote, “Count it all Joy…” (James 1:2) I’m wondering how much does one have to go through to make one’s character more like Him?
We babysat Snuffy & Cavie for friends during their vacation!This summer, Maarten asked me where I would like to go for our vacation. I told him, I want to see some of Europe, and not go to Canada. Well, we went to Canada and boy am I glad we did.
The Old Quebec Funicular is a funicular railway in the Old part of Quebec City. It links the Upper Town to the Lower Town and it was built in 1879. 
We had a lovely time in Quebec surprisingly, I learned a little history.
We were in Quebec City, Montreal and Ottawa. We got to visit the Parliament buildings and that was a nice thing to do with Maarten. We went up in the Peace Tower and except for the man operating the elevator and the security guard we were the only two up in the tower because I was using a wheelchair. Fun eh? We visited the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, QC, that is where I read my new favourite joke! What do you call a vegetarian Indian? Give up? A lousy hunter!!! 
We traveled by Via Rail, and found out there is quite a difference in service from Quebec to Saskatchewan. (In Quebec they have first class cars with Wi-Fi!) Via Rail did an excellent job taking care of us.
We were thankful for the many friends and family we could visit, one lady in particular. Auntie Marnie, Dr. Penner’s wife, was a woman who we loved and loved us! We visited her and had no idea that it would be the last time here on earth that we would get to hug her. Auntie Marnie went to glory on October 22, we miss her but are thankful for the time we had with her.
This is one of my favourite pictures of Dr.& Mrs. Penner taken on our visit in 2008.October 12th I had a visit from an old friend, we’ve known each other for years. Before my wedding, she had moved to the USA and so we hadn’t seen each other in a very long time. She was visiting Europe and decided to come and see us for a week. The weather wasn’t the nicest, but we had a great time. It was her first time on a bike in years – she did a great job! I hope we can visit her in Texas someday…
Elle & I at Kinderdijk.About three weeks ago, I had a unique experience. On a Monday evening, just before going out with Maarten my pin broke on my left leg. The following morning I went to Livit Orthopedic and they gave me a new pin. Two days later I was getting out of my wheelchair to go to the little girls room and there went another pin! Thursday I was at Livit Orthopedic 2 times... I went in the morning and they gave me a new pin, so my leg was attached again, and I came home, and within 30 seconds that pin broke... and I had to go back to Livit, and they not only changed the pin this time, but the way it attaches... so hopefully no more broken legs.... but I don’t like the way it attaches now, it takes much longer to get it on in the morning and requires almost perfect placement, and I am not so good with that.
The day my first pin broke, Maarten and I were going through something difficult with his work, and God did amazing things for Maarten. I learned something though, the grace my husband showed towards a certain man at his work and praying for that man, put me to shame. I wanted to box that guy’s ears in… Maarten held no ill-will towards him, but prayed for him. Amazing…
In July Maarten visited the love of his life, the ship, the Essayons. He usually goes to Oregon to work on board for a week or so. He was there again the first week in November, and I was in Holland holding down the fort! He loves travelling there, working on site with the men, and he always comes home encouraged! They call him the Ship Doctor! (He’s so good at it!)
He has changed positions at work and is now the Lead Technical Engineer for PLC/SCADA he will be doing a lot less travelling, although they have been trying to send him to Hamburg for the last couple of weeks, but so far he hasn’t gone.I’m not so busy anymore, although I am still teaching English 3 times a week, I have tried to exercise three times a week, and sometimes I am successful and other times not. I visit our old neighbours once a week – she is 88 and he is 85. I help give him his lunch so his wife can have her meal warm, and not cold. I’ve been working on a book about my plane crash and life, kind of a complicated undertaking; I hope that God will be honoured by it when it is finished.
Well, I need to leave some room for Maarten to spout off…
