Bolander Family

Happy New Year!!! A little Late for Merry Christmas this year but our prayers are that Christmas was filled with joy and many happy memories. This year for our family has been a giant roller coaster of joy, tears, trials, blessings and many memories. But if life were easy it wouldn’t be hard (so I hear). One thing we have learned is that in order to appreciate sweet we need to know bitter. Another thing is that having a strong testimony of Christ and his role in all our lives gets us through the hardest of times and makes the sweetest days even sweeter.
We brought in the new year healthy and happy! We had a great visit from Papa and Gamber in Jan and we felt so blessed to have been able to be with them and spend those precious moments with them - Papa passed the next weekend. That took us on our first road trip to Nebraska. We once again were strengthened in our knowledge and peace that the gospel brings to families at these times. It was bitter sweet to be there and see family we hadn’t seen in many years, the strength that Papa exemplified all his days shown bright in the faces of the ones he left behind.
In March we celebrated Terrie’s Mother’s birthday at our home. We have been so blessed to be stationed here in Texas where we can be close to family that we have been so far away from as well. Once again the event brought untold joy and happiness in the gathering of so many friends and family. In April Mama passed away suddenly and once again our testimonies gave us strength to endure, to know that families can be together forever, to feel our burdens lightened & to have the opportunity to share our feelings with others not of our faith. What a wonderful thing to lift others at such times…to know that things are not as dark as they may sometimes seem, to feel God’s arms encircling us with love and strength.
In May we had the opportunity to sell our home in Boise (finally - it had been over a year). We made a road trip the first week in June to Id finalize the sale of our home. We were able to stop and visit with the Greats & with our family in eastern Id. With that trip came an added blessing of being able to take part in the marriage sealing of our dear friends Mikey and Becca in the Temple. What a blessing for us to be reminded of the wonderful promises of marriage and family. I think that it reinforced our marriage and strengthened it too. We were able to visit with friends and family that we miss so dearly.
Bruce (Cory’s dad) was married to Judy in Las Vegas in June as well so we were able to go from Boise to NV and be there with them in this most wonderful time in their lives. Another wonderful example of the strength in family, the beauty & blessings of the Temples, and how nothing in life is a coincidence - we were blessed that all these events fell into place perfectly and that we were able to be a part of them all.
We made a trip back to Idaho to visit Lois the Great for Thanksgiving. She was diagnosed with pancreas cancer and we were very blessed to be there and visit with her and our family once again. There is so much to say about being around family, they strengthen, heal, and lift one’s soul…grandma passed away a week after we saw her. The blessing of family is so great, we pray you all feel, see, & enjoy it.
We moved to base the week we came home July 4th weekend. Our little home has proven to be a great blessing. We are close to Cory’s work and the fear of him traveling so far every day is no longer there. We get to have him home everyday for lunch, and the two hour daily commute is down to ten minutes a day!!! Can you say YAHOO! We have a park across the street and the children play outside safely and happily. Vigo learned to ride his bike with no training wheels this fall and now is just flying nonstop! He loves to learn and is always asking tons of math, spelling, and just plain inquisitive questions. I would really like to get into his head and be awed by what goes on inside there. Alia is so grown up and her official name was Pink for about two months. She loves being a girl and is very good at it. She stands her ground, is very vocal and communicates like a miniature grownup. This year in school has proven to be fabulous for all the children they all are excelling, Drake is coming home with all A’s, Maya was nominated for GT and Addison was chosen as one of two 5th graders in her school for a city choir. They have all had so many great experiences…They all went to see the Nutcracker play and the Lazer light show and have had various other wonderful field trips that have really helped them enjoy learning and being a part of this new school. We have done so much: tennis, camping, “vacations“, “deer hunting”. Who knew that so many wonderful things would come from some of the harder trials we’ve seen in a long time. Things happen, we sometimes don’t find out why ‘till later, and sometimes never… but we know God loves his children… At this very special time of year may the joy and peace that only Christ can bring fill your hearts and homes. May you feel God’s love for you. May you feel our love for you. Merry Christmas! With love, The Bolander Fam. : Cory, Terrie, Addison, Maya, Drake, Vigo, & Alia