I really don’t like the expression, “Killing two birds with one stone”, but I somehow seem to be following it’s spirit. By that I mean, I need to be writing on this blog, but I also need to be writing my Christmas letter to family and friends. I am so far behind in the things I need to accomplish, that I am going to try to do both—here—now.

This has been such a busy year! Mostly due to the many new things I have taken on in 2014. I accomplished my goal of finishing my book, Runaways. With two weeks until the end of the year, I feel good about what I’ve done. I will spend several more weeks editing and then it’s off to the publisher. Well, that’s another thing…

I have been researching publishers, reading about marketing, editors, and all-things-related. I had wanted to be completely done with this in 2014 and ready to move ahead in January. I want to make the right decision, so I have (admittedly) been overthinking this whole thing—just a few more to contact…

I started three websites at the end of the summer: www.brendapoulos.wordpress.com; www.spiritualsnippets.com; and one I share with members of my critique group www.5scribesandtheirstories.com  All of this has been quite a big undertaking—at times even overwhelming—but also lots of fun.

We had a wonderful time visiting friends in Sequim, Washington in May before boarding our Holland American Cruise Ship for Alaska with our Arizona friends, Bob and Mary. Our favorite stop was Sitka, where we would love to spend a month fishing and relaxing in the not-too-far-distant future.

On this same trip, we also spent a long weekend with B.J. and Melissa, and our two granddaughters, Madison and Liliana in Oswego, Illinois. We went on to see our friends, the Bougie’s, at their cabin on Armstrong Creek, Wisconsin and we all piled in together and traveled to Mackinaw Island, crossing yet another item off my bucket list!! If you have never been there, you MUST put it on your bucket list to do so. It is unique, quaint, and breathtaking. Honestly, it was the highlight of our entire trip!

John and I have purchased our “retirement” home. It is in an area abundant with green belts and overlooks walking paths, not far from the lake and clubhouse. We have been remodeling it for 6 weeks, already, with the end barely coming into sight. It is the biggest job we have ever undertaken, but feel we might as well get what we want because this is our last big project before we start traveling in earnest. We are both exhausted when we drag ourselves into bed each night, but we love remaking everything “our own.” (Pictures next year, I promise).Thanks for hanging in there and reading to this point. Only a few more things to say… We’re healthy—and thankful for it. We continue to be able to do almost anything we want. We don’t, however, see near enough movies (definitely need to change this in 2015) and don’t see family as often as we’d like (another thing to remedy in the coming year).

I am still active in church, school and Hospice volunteering, and will take on the presidency of Christian Writers of the West in January. John will be busy at work and with landscaping changes we are making in both front and back yards at the “new” house.

All seven grandchildren are healthy and happy. We miss the two little ones in Illinois, Liberty gave a stellar performance in the Nutcracker last evening, Promise is doing a good job in college, Sy and Owen are enjoying sports and playing in their family-oriented neighborhood. Skylare loves cheerleading.

I appreciate your following my blog. Hope this letter allows you to get to know me a little better. I promise to get back to business as usual in my next post!

Wishing you peace and the Love of Christ in your lives in 2015.

John, Brenda, Baxter, and Brinkley (yes, our dog and cat are still getting along—amazing!)