Hey all…welcome to 2023. I wonder how long it will take for us to remember to write 2023 instead of 2022? That always seems to be a challenge for me!!
Overall I think I had a pretty good year. I’m always a half-glass-full girl so take that for what it’s worth.
Personally, I started the year with a mix of happy and sick. If you were a blog reader back in January, you know that I have thyroid cancer and can no longer take radioactive iodine to treat it and that that’s the only way to treat it. I was able to get with a doctor from Mayo Clinic who has started a newer treatment and miraculously, I was able to take oral chemo and that activated the cancer cells enough so that they would accept the radioactive iodine… I was so happy for the chance to treat it, but boy was I sick.
I spent two months really miserable. My mouth and face were… terribly full of sores. It doesn’t look it but this was SO PAINFUL.
I think it was until about July that I felt most like myself and probably until September that I truly felt like myself. But, from my follow-up in July, we are hopeful.
I go back again in a few weeks for a one-year check. That will be more telling to know if the treatment worked.
So although that wasn’t fun…it was totally worth it.
Other good things that happened this year…a new baby grandson, Anders.
A new dog…Izzy. Here she is little from October 4th.
Here she is now…She’s getting big. I have to laugh. When I got here they said they didn’t think she would get to be a lot bigger. Now she’s bigger than Rosie.
I wouldn’t doubt she keeps growing as she is only about 7 months old.
She’s been a real joy for me. I just love her!!
Another great thing I’ve done is start fostering dogs. I just love doing it. That has also brought a lot of joy to my life.
I’ve gone where my heart has taken me. I’m not quilting quite as much…I’m cross-stitching a little more.
I’m learning more computer things and working on Youtube. I’ve been having lots of fun with that.
I made some great house improvements. The main floor bathroom is finished. The wood trim upstairs is finished. Both were on my to-do list.
I feel more comfortable in my skin than I ever have.
I could start a list of things that didn’t go the best last year…but as I said…I’m a glass-half-full girl. I actually talk that back. I’m a glass 3/4 full girl and I’m going to focus on the good. I hope you can find a way to focus on the good as well.
In the upcoming weeks I hope to do a recap on the cross stitch Items I finished and the quilts I finished…and I think I’ll do on the dogs I fostered too. I love putting them together and looking back. I hope you’ll enjoy coming along with me on the journey.
Here’s to 2023.
May we all take it in with a glass 3/4 full attitude!!
Good health and great happiness to you and the family in 2023
Happy New Year to you and your family, Jo. Thanks for sharing your life experiences with us and here’s to another year!
Good Morning and a Happy and Blessed New Year to you too.
I also look back and see that there were good and bad things and it’s been half and half so I’ll concentrate on the good!
Looking forward to spending another year with you!
Thank you for all you do for us!
Love and prayers
Happy New Year, Jo!
My husband died at Thanksgiving and I’m working my way through. I try to focus on the joy in each day. You have been a bright spot in my days for several years.
Rosalie…Thanks for the compliment. Mourning isn’t an easy task…I’m thinking of you.
Happy New Year to you and your family. You are so full of energy, that’s what life is all about. Hope that your upcoming doctor Appt is full of good news.
My hopes are to finish many UFOs. And of course start new ones.
Knee replacement is scheduled for January 16. And my foot surgery from October 25 is healing nicely.
Will be glad to have this behind me, although I’m not in any pain but the knee is bone on bone.
A Very Blessed Happy New Year to you and your whole family. You really have been through a lot of good things and bad. Praying all goes well with your checkup.
Wishing you and your family a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Happy New Year, Jo! You seem to have a better start to this year than last, but you are a trooper and still accomplished so much in spite of going through your health battle. Have a super 2023!
Happy New Year to you! I hope you know how much you inspire others when you share with us.
I love your attitude Jo, here’s to that 3/4 glass full attitude for 2023. Keep that smile on your page, I look forward to reading about you and your family. Oh and here’s to your good health report in a few weeks.
I love your attitude Jo, here’s to that 3/4 glass full attitude for 2023. Keep that smile on your page, I look forward to reading about you and your family. Oh and here’s to your good health report in a few weeks.
Happy New Year, Jo! You’ve had quite a year and I’m sure 2023 will be just as full of family, stitching, quilting and pups. I wish you the best in your medical journey. Cheers!!!
Happy New Year to you and your family. Always love your posts and enjoyed reading your 2022 Round Up. Another busy and difficult in parts Year with lots of sewing and videos along the way. I watched all your Alphabet videos but don’t remember the last one when you were going to put all the blocks together. Did I miss it, or is it coming this year?
Happy New Year Jo! Your resilience shines through every single day. The Living Life example your children and grandchildren see in you every single day is truly your Legacy. God Bless You each and every day. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with us, we are lucky to “know” you :-)
I’ll add my wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year with thanks for sharing your stitching-quilting-family-and Jo journey with us!
Happy New Year’s, Jo! Here’s hoping for a year full of good health, love, laughter, and happiness. Oh, and crafting!!
I lost my brother in August so the first holidays without him were hard but, like you, I try to be a glass half full person. We had a lovely Christmas with the rest of the family.
Thank you for all you do and all you share. Sending love and hugs.
Wishing you a healthy, happy New Year. Thank you for sharing so much and inspiring us all to do more for our community.
Happy new year! Praying all goes well health wise this coming year for you and your family. I enjoy your daily posts and my daughter enjoys the cross stitch ones!
Praying that you have a good outcome on your thyroid treatment, been there, done that one, take a pill a day and all is well.
Love reading your blog, we have hung wonderful cross stitch pieces my daughter stitched for me, and I make quilts, wallhangings and tableware for her.
Happy New Year to you and yours. Penny
Happy new year to you. Thank you for all the joy you bring to me each day with your posts.
Happy New Year Jo! I’ll second all the great wishes from every one else for the coming year. Praying your check up will be amazing. Also that all goes well for all your precious family during 2023. How is sweet little Gannon doing? Hope he’ll be able to eat well soon, and can get his feeding tube removed. Your water park trip looked like such joy, with wonderful photos, and memories for all involved! Looking forward to more quilts family news, and your so enjoyed blog! God bless you all!
Happy New Year from Oregon! I look forward to reading about your family adventures everyday. Thank you for sharing your journey with us all!
I pray for a great checkup and your best year yet. Thank you for being you and a positive attitude in some tough times. Remember it is OK to not be tough all the time. Lean on your followers for support in your tough times we want know and be there with you in spirit and prayers.
Jo, thank you for keeping the blog going. I look forward to each posting and the videos have been wonderful to watch. I don’t do cross stitching, but I learn as you share and feel that I could do a few stitches if needed. I appreciate that you share books that you are enjoying and how you’re coping with life’s challenges with being a widow, mourning is a personal journey. I look forward to 2023 and having your blog in my journey.
Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year, Jo!!
Happy New Year 2023. Let’s pick HOPE for a word for this year. Hope that our health and families do well, that the world comes out of this lingering COVID and there is less war. HOPE.
Jo, Happy New Year to you and your family. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family for good health this coming year. Enjoy your emails. I would like to order some of the plastic mesh zippered bags
that you use for your projects. What size do you use? I typed in mesh bags on your “search” box but came
up with pet mesh bags as I know you talked about the bags in previous emails. Thank you for everything you do.
Wishing you and your family good health, happiness, and prosperity in the new year. Thank you for your posts and sharing!