End of a Decade!

Honest to goodness, I only just made the connection that this New Year's marks the end of a decade, not just a year.  If I had realized sooner, it probably would have led to more self-enforced self reflection over all that has occurred the past 10 years.  However, since there is just no time for that, it forces me to really think about the milestones. But, gracious, there were so many!!  I don't know how we're going to top this decade in terms of all the many blessings, changes, additions, and adventure.

2010 - We celebrated our first full year of marriage, living in our little condo in Buckhead and working, working, working all the time (both for Deloitte at this time).  And we traveled. A LOT. Some for fun, but mostly for work.  Over the course of 2010, I visited 8 different countries (Germany, Ireland, Scotland, England, Japan, Spain, Brazil, and Canada), and we saw friends all over the country. And finally took our "real" honeymoon!  That was also the year I started this blog, which has been a most precious life journal for our family (and the only way we remember half the stuff we do and experience). 

2011 - Still traveled a ton (including a fun trip to Hawaii and England, then lots of work travel to Brazil, Mexico, France and Canada).  Bought my first new car (a hybrid), and then we bought our first house together (!!!) At the end of the year I made the decision to leave Deloitte and join Pfizer, for what would be a wonderful career journey.  James also started his Executive MBA program.  

2012 - The first big change and addition that rocked our world...ENDA!!!!  I mean, how can you even top that in terms of big events for the year.  She changed our little family (and life) for the better.  Even if she is a whole bunch of work and drama (still to this day). 

2013 -  And then there was our first baby, who joined us after a lot of waiting.  James Benjamin entered the world in September of that year, making us parents and making us a family of three. 

2014 - GovStrive was born! James left Deloitte to start his own small business, charting a brand new course for himself, our family, and so many others. We did not realize then how much this decision would change our lives.  While James worked furiously at this new venture, we worked furiously at learning how to parent an ever growing child.

2015 - And then came along Maryn!  This fiesta little red head is definitely the milestone of that year. Our family also added a new sister-in-law, Nicole!  We also made some other big life changes, too, like selling one house on Peachtree Hills Ave to moving down the street to another house on Peachtree Hills Ave.  I said "ugh, moving is such a pain, let's not again anytime soon", but then....

2016 - Big transition for our family!  We moved from the middle of the biggest city in the State to small-town Middle Georgia.  Looking back, it's one of those decisions where we completely see God's hand in guiding, directing, opening doors, and arranging introductions.  We still traveled a lot (Thailand, France for me, lots of fun family trips, too), and added a new sister-in-law (Shawntel) and niece (Addison)!

2017 - SURPRISE. Biggest surprise ever, Wesley joined our family!!!  And he rounded out our family of five in the most perfect way possible.  Definitely the highlight of the year, and completed the most important, beautiful part of this decade (building our family).  Workwise James kept building GovStrive and I (along with a fantastic team from around the world) implemented a new global system at Pfizer, which is one of those milestone career moments. 

2018 - Nothing too monumental in terms of changes for our family, although I look back on that year as the year of family trips. We hit up Tybee, St. Simons (for the first time), and Florida, then also spent extended trips in Texas (first a week in Waco and then a week in Houston). Three kids, and we finally found our travel groove where we could take all three and enjoy!  Oh, and we threw a massive birthday party - one for the record books!

2019 - Another little Sasser boy joined the family when our nephew, Christoper, was born. And then, I made a major career move. James has built GovStrive from a small business to a small company, and I made the decision to leave Pfizer after many great years to join GovStrive full-time.  Transitions are never easy, but it feels good to be a part of something so meaningful for our family and our community.  James and team moved the HQs to a beautiful building in downtown, we continued to build our friendships and relationships here, celebrated nearly every St. Patrick's Day event (for the first time ever)...so I would call the last year of the decade the "Year of Dublin" for the Sassers. It's a great way to close it out, as I feel it's the most exciting way to usher in the 20s.  I'm so looking forward to what this next decade will bring for us!

My 2019 Reading List

This year I read 31 books, surpassing my initial goal of 25 books. I feel a good mix of topics, for the first time more non-fiction than fiction.   A little more self-discovery/business than normal, which reflects the major event for me this year (career change) and just an attempt to figure out how to balance and find success in life as a working wife and mother of three rapidly growing little kids (fyi, I still have not figured it out!!)  Fortunately I always had a spiritual or religious study open throughout the year to ground me and remind me that I don't need to have all the answers, but rather faith and the dependency on the One who does.  :)

Business

• * Dare to Lead, by Brene Brown
• * Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise, by Horst Schulze
• The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders, by Michael D Watkins

Fiction

• * Rules of Civility, by Amor Towles
• * A Place for Us, by Fatima Farheen Mirza
• Circe, by Madeline Miller
• The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd
• * The Great Believers, by Rebecca Makkai
• * Transatlantic, by Colum McCann
• The House at the Edge of Night, by Catherine Banner
• * Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens
• The Swans of Fifth Avenue, by Melanie Benjamin
• ^ What We Lose, by Zinzi Clemmons
• Peony in Love, by Lisa See
• The Secret Life of Violet Grant, by Beatriz Williams
• * Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri

Religious

• It's Not Supposed to Be This Way, by Lysa Terkeurst
• The Women of Easter, by Liz Curtis Higgs
• Praying the Promises: Anchor Your Life to Unshakable Hope, by Max Lucado
• * Simon Peter: Flawed but Faithful Disciple, by Adam Hamilton
• Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times, by Adam Hamilton
• The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected by Nik Ripken
• * Entrusted - a Study of Second Timothy, by Beth Moore
• Because of Bethlehem: Every Day a Christmas, Every Heart a Manger, by Max Lucado

Self-Awareness/Reflection

• Health at Every Size, by Linda Bacon
• * The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self Discovery, by Ian Morgan Cron
• I Said This, You Heard That, by Kathleen Edelman

Non-Fiction, Quasi-Autobiographical

• The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien
• ^ Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World, by Bill Clinton
• * Tell me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say, by Kelly Corrigan
• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah

My favorites are * starred (which is difficult, I really liked all the books...but two...explanations below, those books are marked with an ^.)  Please note: I select books to read based off of what friends and/or Reese tell me is good, what our Bible Study and Sunday School prays about and selects, what the librarian happens to put out on the main table in the front, or what discount finds I see in the paperback section of Ollie's.  Real methodical approach here, folks.  Sometimes I'll attempt an enlightened read based off the Economist's annual lists or a podcast I heard (e.g. Excellence Wins).  Or, one book will lead to wanting more of the same topic (like multiples books looking at immigrant America life), or a TV series will lead to a book (e.g. The Things They Carried after finishing Ken Burns series on Vietnam).  Last year after I wrote my 2018 blog everyone told me to add Circe to this year's list (and I did!)

Also, I am not a crier, especially not with books. But three tear jerkers for me: A Place for Us, The Great Believers, and Tell Me More.  I actually went back and reread several chapters in Tell Me More because I just didn't want it to end.  I won't promise the same, but they were beautifully written and poignant for me (even when hard to read.)

(^ I really hate to not like a book, especially when I appreciate how difficult it must be to write one.  What We Lose I just didn't quite "get".  Beautiful prose, read like a memoir but supposedly fiction, and then just ended abruptly...and I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, so I just couldn't recommend it.  And then Bill Clinton's book, have mercy, should have been an article but instead he made it a 200 page book. And then name dropped on every page throughout.  Now, I like the Clintons, and found their other books interesting to read.  Why I didn't just put it on the DNF shelf and be done with it is beyond me - especially since I picked it up for $2.99!!)  

And that's a reading wrap for 2019!  Any books I really need to read in 2020?

(Goodreads thinks I read 32 because it's counting a study guide to one of the books I read. But, technically, I am saying 31!)

Thank you, Santa!

Well, it's a wonder that Santa even came to see us, since 2 out of the 3 want nothing to do with him.  I talked about our wonderful trip to see him here, and then of course all the fantastic things he brought to us here.  But, let's capture the pictures with the big guy - some for the record books.

I mean, what a beautiful setting. The children may not appreciate the artistic nature of this Santa backdrop, but Mama sure does!!

JB spent a lot of time talking to Santa. They had a ball. Santa appreciated that he needed to bring a couple of front teeth for JB this year!

And then our baby boy. Just not a Santa fan, taking after his sister (who we did not require to sit with Santa, per our agreement going in.)

I snagged a screenshot of the proofs. I had a lot of good screaming ones of Wesley to pick from!

We love you Santa.  Maybe next year you'll get more smiles!!

A Very Special Christmas 2019

We lacked 6 days this Christmas season, which meant it came up quick. And now it's over.  I think we're all a little blue!

But it was a beautiful season this year.  So much going on, so many activities, but also lots of fun as a family.  Our Christmas Eve and Christmas morning just included our little family of five, with lots of tender moments (and presents...so many presents!!!)

Christmas Eve we headed to church for candlelight service, reminding ourselves why we celebrate and where our hope and peace this holiday season comes from.  The children looked so sweet in their matching plaid...which I have no proof of because no one would sit for a picture. :) We went to the Nash's annual Christmas Eve event where we saw friends, ate a quick bite, then left with a delicious Boston Butt (which they smoke for each of their friends and family).

The children did oblige me for a few pictures in our Christmas PJs before bed (although Wesley wasn't about to give up that Paci for the pic!)

JB wrote a letter to Snowflake, and then we left cookies out for Santa.  Everyone (including Wesley) took a long time to say goodbye to Snowflake, knowing it would be a year before we see him again.  (They are still sad and talking about him!)

The next morning....whoa...Santa was good to us.  Snowflake texted me a picture!

Maryn only wanted a Barbie Dream Camper, and her lip immediately quivered when she came out and saw her pile.  Fortunately JB ran over and read here the note (which said "look outside") and then the hunt began!  She noticed it right away outside the front door, and all was right with the world again.

JB got his Nintendo Switch, plus a "real shovel for the farm".  Wesley loaded up on everything tractors and trucks.

Wesley also got a lot of help opening his packages...which I don't think he appreciated...

From his Daddy: a real BB gun!  JB cannot wait to go target hunting with it!

And then Daddy can't wait to go hog hunting with his new thermal scope. :)

But the sweetest gifts of all this year: JB had been making and wrapping gifts all season for us, putting them under the tree.  We didn't know what they were, but when we opened it we found all sorts of notes and pictures from him, telling us how much he loves us and how we're "his favorite".  I mean....cue the tears....they will be framed and put up in my office until the end of time.

Another funny story:  JB had also told us all week that he had an announcement to make on Christmas morning. He'd say "now, don't forget, I have my announcement" (but would give us no clue as to the topic!) Then, late in the morning on Christmas, I reminded him of the announcement. He sheepishly admitted that he was going to announce that we - the parents - could open presents first on Christmas morning....but that he totally forgot and tore into the presents anyway.  HAHAHA, what a sweet boy and who can blame him - presents are too wonderful to wait!

We had a smallish crowd this year (and I forgot a picture, grrr):  Ms Therlon, Gia, and then Donna and Ashley.  But we had a lot of good food!

Gia came midday with lots of presents. Everyone knew exactly what to do!  We also FaceTimed with our Texas family while we opened their presents.  These children were spoiled with lots of love and thoughtful gifts.  

We had such a wonderful day - just the perfect Christmas!  We're so thankful for all our many blessings, including the most special one that came to earth over 2000 years ago, Who fills our hearts with love, hope and peace this and every day.

Merry Christmas!

Atlanta Christmas 2019

We celebrated Christmas (amidst a terrible winter storm!) with our Atlanta family this past weekend. The sister (James' mom and aunt) cooked a fantastic meal, and all the cousins - big and small - enjoyed the time together.

The house felt so nice and cozy, with lots of running, playing and laughing. (And barking from poor Nugget who remained kenneled for the festivities.)

I think we had as many desserts as we had side dishes!  But yet no one complained. :)

After the eating the children finally, finally got to open presents - our first Christmas presents of the year!  Everyone loved what they got - from matching PJs (for the girl cousins), to tractors, to truck books, jump ropes, and legos. Lots of lots of legos!

After the kiddos (and a couple adults) opened some packages, it was time for the White Elephant game.  This crowd loooooooves the White Elephant game, and this year JB joined in the fun!  He was happy with his first pick (a UGA blanket), holding it tight to prevent a steal, but in the end he stole a massive flashlight during the "lightening round" from his Daddy.  We all wound up with things we enjoy (and James even got to take-home the Bulldog blanket!)

What a merry way to kick off our Christmas festivities.  We love this family and the time we get to spend all together!