Since my last post, here’s what has happened…

• The US Supreme Court said that the proponents of California’s Proposition 8 did not have standing to contest the overturning of the law by US Federal judge Vaughn Walker. Once the law was overturned, same-sex marriages could resume in California. SCOTUS also overturned parts of the Defense of Marriage Act, which allows federal benefits and recognition on same-sex marriages that are legal in the states where they are performed.
• On August 11, 2013, we renewed our vows in the courtyard of our church (Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento) so that we could get a legal California marriage license and finally be able to call ourselves legally married.
• In September 2014, we sold our lake house in Kentucky to dear friends Kyle and Becky. We loved the place, but having a vacation home 2000 miles away wasn’t very practical. We are grateful that it has stayed with family. A month later we bought a fantastic home in Clearlake Park, California, which is just 2 hours away. The new house has great views of the lake and surrounding mountains, and it has been a successful vacation rental home for us. This is our view:
• In February 2014, we took a trip to Costa Rica with Mom & Dad Wylie. Beautiful sights, and we did our first zip line. I enjoyed it much more than I expected.
• On April 5, 2014, we said goodbye to our beloved Samantha. She was 15½ years old. We still go through periods of sadness thinking of her.
• On May 2, 2014, I (Steve W) was riding my bicycle to work and was hit from behind by a car. I ended up with a broken pelvis on the left side, plus a dislocated shoulder (torn rotator cuff), broken thumb, and broken wrist with torn ligament on my right arm. I was hospitalized for 9 days and had 3 surgeries to repair the damage. I was grateful that there wasn’t more extensive injuries, and of course, that I survived the accident. I have been on disability since the accident.
• To add insult to the injuries (so to speak), my job at BareBones WorkWear was eliminated shortly after I was released from the hospital. I wouldn’t have had a job to go back to, even if I had been able to work.
• I was in a wheelchair for the first 12 weeks after the accident, and had a cast or splint on my right arm for a total of 14 weeks. Physical therapy continues, and my recover is around 80%.
• October 2014 – we unexpectedly adopted another dog when Stella Stevens joined our pack. She belonged to our neighbors next door, but even with 10 people in their house (6 of them children and young people), they couldn’t be bothered to walk her or play with her or even take her to the vet. The poor thing was left in the backyard to bark at anyone and everyone that walked by. When we mentioned that the barking was a little bothersome, Kathy mentioned that they were planning on getting rid of the dog before winter, because they didn’t want to leave her outside in the cold. Steve G mentioned that we would give her a good home, if they went forward with that plan. We got her the next day. She’s a 5-pound chihuahua that now has updated vaccinations and has been spayed. She loves to play, and tries to get Sherman to chase her any time she can. We’re still working on potty training (another thing she didn’t learn when she lived next door).
• The above photo was taken as part of our new church membership directory. Of course, Sherman also had his picture taken and would be upset not to be included in this post.

It has been quite a year. We have much to be thankful for, but we also hope that 2015 has more joy and less sorrow.

Peace to you and yours this holiday season!