2025 A Year to Remember - Family is Everything

 2025 ... where to begin...  Looking back I do see where the Lord was with us every step and probably ahead of us clearing the way.  

Lou waited months for his pacemaker.  He had to wear a halter monitor for a month so his insurance would see that he needed one.  The Halter monitor he needed were out of stock for two months. After those results were in and insurance approved the pacemaker it was another month for surgery to install it on February 12, 2025.  We both thought it would be an instant fix for his low stamina and that his years and years of A-fib issues would be resolved. Boy, were we dreaming.  "Live and Learn" as my mom said... it was May before the medication adjustments finally stopped the A-fib.  in October the pacemaker was adjusted to a higher setting and that gave Lou a little more stamina.  I finally felt Lou could leave the apartment by himself to take short walks outside alone. He still needed to stop and rest but he was feeling a lot better.  He carries a cane with him because I ask him to use it when he leaves the apartment without me. My hip became a problem again in August and limited my walking. He's able to drive but I'm in the passenger seat whenever we go anywhere.  We do not venture anywhere outside of town. Our outings are strictly doctor and chiropractor appointments now. 

My son, Jeremy, and his wife, Sarah are very busy with Roman and River, school and work.  Lots of growing goin on.  River is enjoying being taller than Roman but I think that will change in the next two years.  I remember when Jeremy hit his growth spurt at about this age so I think I know what's coming.

October 2025 - the spooky photo was taken at Glenlore in Commerce Township about two hours east of Grand Rapids, Michigan. It's an electronic trail walk. The green hue gives a spooky look.  Roman was trying to look "in character".  Maybe it was a Harry Potter inspired pose.  Both were tryng to look Adam's family spooky... no smiles for this one.  Roman is 11 and getting harder to get a smile coaxed for photo's but River is always quick to strike a pose and give a smile at 9.   They both do well in school, read well above average, enjoy martial arts and recently both earned their green sashes.

Movie night is a family event.  They are wearing their "How to Train Your Dragon" hoodies. When River leans forward she looks like Cthulhu.   For trick or treating Roman was a crazy scientist. He wore a lab coat with that mad scientist hat.

Video games are still at the top of "must have's".  This year Switch 2 was released so figuring out what to get them was a no brainer.

Cheerleading ...  A new activity for River this year. She is a strong base for the squad. 

Sarah is helping her learn lifts and back flips.  I'm not sure how much longer Sarah will be lifting.

Lou's three children, Terry, Pam and Beverlee will all be retired in the next year or two.  Pam is already retired and Terry and Beverlee are not far from that goal.  Terry is in the process of selling his business. Cherie still works with the seniors in her community but from an office in her home.  That little fluff ball, Ava, turned three this year and is about as pampered as a pooch can be.

Pam's son, Brian, married Chrissy in June 2024 and their little girl, Elise was born May 2025. Pam is very happy to finally be a grandmother.

Beverlee and Jeff's three children, Jennifer, Patrick and Brittney have given them 8 grand children that range in age from 18 (in college) down to 3. 

Beverlee and Jeff Millard

Jennifer, Patrick and Brittany

Jennifer and Garrett Gray

Soren, Jaxson, Talitha

Patrick and Kimberly Millard

Rhett, Charlie

Brittany Millard

Connor, Colton, Jeffery

Beverlee made a beautiful quilt for her dad's 85th birthday!

Catching up with my North Dakota family ... my brother, Emery Beck, passed away Sept 26, 2023. His four boys are Dennis, Jerome, David and Marvin. All are doing very well !

Dennis and Jane Beck Family

Devin, Dylan and Lauren

Jerome and Jodi Beck Family

Jordan and Jenna

David and Dana Beck Family

Alyssa, Mikayla and Miranda

Marvin and Kerry Beck Family

Maari, Meric, Breckin and Maya

Diane is really enjoying being a Great Grandmother!

My sister, Carol, was the only sister that has a daughter, Roberta. (Joy has a son and Vina had two sons.) I don't have a daughter of my own but Roberta and I are pretty darn close.  We both like sending crazy goofy gifts to each other. She also bakes and sends Christmas cookies to us.  She's a GEM!

Jerome and Roberta Kottsick Family

Dylan, Mariah and Estella

My sister, Carol (Beck)Wolf, passed away September 29, 2025,  surrounded by loving family.

She spent many years in pain and wheelchair bound but never lost her sense of humor or independent spirit.

In many ways this was a long time coming but she beat the odds so many times that now this seems a little unbelievable. Carol was in a car accident in the spring of 1982. She was airlifted to a Bismarck hospital in such bad shape that no one recognized her. She was in a coma for a month and had a stroke while she was in a coma. The doctor's said she would never walk again. (Well, don't tell Carol she isn't going to do something because that will just light a fire under her.) She walked with cane. In a year or two she was driving again. She started a small printing business before 1992 for business cards and letterhead but that was about the same time that personal computers became common and so did the ability to print their own. Back pain was constant. Surgery had only made it worse. She was fiercely independent, used a walker and had her own apartment until covid shut down in home health care in 2020. By 2021 she was in a nursing home and wheelchair bound. She loved playing bingo. Easily could beat most at scrabble and I think one of the last things she asked for was to bring her a diet Mountain Dew. (I don't remember the last time she drank water.) She loved her grandchildren and always had a smile on her face if they were in the room. She was loved and she will be remembered and missed.

My mom passed away Sept 7th

My half brother, Albert Ohlhauser, passed Sept 15th

My brother, Emery, passed Sept 26th

and now Carol...  Sept 29th

Carol Wolf

March 30, 1949 — September 29, 2025

Carol B.(Beck) Wolf, age 76 passed peacefully with her family by her side on the morning of Monday, September 29th at CHI Saint Alexius Hospital.

She was born March 30, 1949 to Albert and Helena (Schneider) Beck in Bismarck, ND. Carol grew up on the family farm, known as the Two Hearts Ranch just north west of Linton, ND. Carol graduated from Linton High school in 1967. Carol then proceeded to graduate from a cosmetology school shortly after.

On May 25, 1968 Carol married former husband Robert F Wolf, with whom she had three children: Roxanne, Russell, and Roberta. Carol had the knack of being the jack of all trades from being a hairdresser, to a dump truck driver, to security guard, taxi driver, a small printing business owner, and a cleaner. Her most important job and especially favorite job was being a caregiver to her five grandchildren whom she loved with all of her heart.

Carol was known by many of her family, friends and caregivers in the nursing home to be the one to crack many jokes and light up the room. Many may have been corny but they made everybody laugh. Carol always had a positive attitude that may have been stubborn at times, but she still had a fighting heart and strong will even until her last moments with her family. Carol had a fierce love for bingo. Tuesdays were off limits even if a bath was to be needed, a mean game of bingo was to be had first. She was an amazing crafter, from making homemade Barbie and doll clothes and other fashion pieces, to her intricate embroidery and doily work. Carol made dozens of handmade embroidered towels to which she gave to family and friends as thoughtful gifts. Carol loved to listen to music and always had some sort of music playing in the background of every call she made to family and friends. She had a love for cookies from her piggy jar, butterscotch and root beer candies, and especially a love so deep for her diet Mountain Dew, it was her last request before passing. Most importantly, her favorite love of all were her grandchildren, she always had a big smile on her face when they walked into her room. Carol was their teacher and mentor while they grew up. She was the one to form the foundations of life for them before they attended school or when they were on summer breaks and taught them many important life lessons from their abc’s, 123’s, to tea time etiquette, and how to call in the gophers with some wild grass. Carol will be deeply missed by all, but the memories made will never be forgotten.

Carol is survived by her two children, Russell and spouse Lynel Wolf and Roberta (Wolf) and spouse Jerome Kottsick; her five grandchildren, Dylan, Mariah, and Estella Kottsick and Matthew And Malia Wolf; her four siblings, Joseph Ohlhauser, Helen (Beck) Roehrich, Christian Beck, and Kathryn (Beck) Aschenbrenner; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Carol is preceded in death by her parents, Albert Beck and Helena ( Schneider) Kruschwitz; siblings, Albert Ohlhauser, Emery Beck, and Alvina (Beck) Ohlhauser; and her daughter, Roxanne Wolf.

 

This was the Christmas that almost wasn’t…   Sounds like it should be a movie or a book and there’s probably a movie or a book out there by that name but my attitude this year wasn’t from them.  It was from life.  I let this year’s stuff get to me. I don’t need to list them.  We’ve all got our list of stuff that can get to us.

I usually have my door decorated with a Christmas theme the day after Thanksgiving.  Well, that didn’t happen.  I put it off.  Figured I’d get to it around December 1^st.   That came and went, too.  I was having a really hard time finding a glimmer of Christmas glowing inside me.  I reached back into my memories and searched for something to cheer me up but every scene I brought to mind was reminding me of those that were now gone or very far away.  Another week went by and still I had not decorated a single thing and then something changed.

I’m not sure exactly when or what it was that turned me around.  A Christmas card was clipped to our door from someone here in the building.  Then a few cards arrived in the mail. (Hey, I’m still worth a stamp!!)  Someone tapped me on the shoulder after one of the concerts downstairs and thanked me for taking pictures and sharing them online. Christmas sweaters started showing up on people and I noticed how special the downstairs was decorated.  I decided I didn’t have to go all out to decorate our apartment door.  “I’ll just put a few things on it but I’ll keep it simple”, I told myself.  Lou told me he thought it looked pretty.  Next thing I know he was playing Christmas music on his computer. We have lots of music stored in his computer but the Christmas music file is by far the largest of all of them. He hadn’t played any of it this year until now. My down turned attitude was beginning to turn around just a little.

Today was the Christmas program and Christmas party downstairs.  I had not planned to dress up at all or wear anything special so I hadn’t put anything together ahead of time but I woke up wanting to put something together.  I grabbed the felt wreath I had put on our door a few days ago and put it around the top of Lou’s hat. I knew it would fit because I had decorated his hat with that last year. I had found that felt wreath on the free shelf downstairs in the activity room closet.

I had forgotten that I had a black wool felt hat but when I grabbed his, I found mine.   I needed to cheer it up a little, too.  A strap of brass bells, a few pieces of Christmas candy left over from last year, two bows from the presents left at our door this morning, and the magnet “Wise Men Still Seek Him” that also had just arrived in a card that was clipped to our door this morning, all were put around the top of my hat with tape, elastic, staples and string.  Something that wasn’t planned at all just came together from things that I had forgotten I even had or had just appeared at my doorstep this morning… as if planned. (I think there’s no  if about it.  It’s not by chance all those things were here this morning because when Faith leads and willing hands and feet follow, it’s more than chance.) God had a plan.  Because of all of that, there’s a renewed spark of Christmas in me.  It almost wasn’t this year but it sure is glowing brightly now as I type this.

 I wasn’t planning to do a letter this year… but I want to tell you how much you mean to us and how glad we are that we get to be together in our little corner of the world.  I don’t think it’s by chance that we’re ALL here.

Merry CHRISTmas and a Blessed New Year  May 2026 be the BEST EVER!!

Hugs, (His Utmost Gift is Salvation)

 

I let Lou open his present Christmas Eve...

(His very own Mistletoe on a crystal bell.)

It was almost worn out by Christmas Day !!

 And that brings 2025 to a close.  I'm not sure if I can continue to post updates and photos on this blog after this because my windows 7 almost croaked uploading and updating this blog.  I had to do most of it on my cell phone because it's where most of the photo's are stored these days.  So I hope you enjoyed reading through this year's summary because it really was very time consuming and tested my memory on how to edit and upload from my cell phone, then download and post to the blog from my computer.