Blestnest
Collectively Individual
welcome to the 2023 digital card, photo-booth style
© blestnest. all rights reserved.
Shirley and Mark
In 2022 we continued to move forward.Mark retired from 44 years at Onsite in July, and we spent the second half of the year finishing our move to rural Alabama where we are now permanent residents. We found a wonderful church and have made good friends both at church and in our neighborhood.In so many ways this truly feels like home to us. It’s only an hour and forty-five minutes back to most of our kids in Georgia and we make the trek often to visit family and friends (we really LOVE when they come to visit us!).Mark works tirelessly on projects to restore this old house to her former self (and better), and we continue to invest in relationships, especially in our home.We resumed more intensive traveling this year and spent time in Africa, Europe, South America, Central America, Caribbean islands, US, and Canada.We are grateful for many answers to prayer, deepening relationships with God and others, and our hope in God’s promises that will come to pass.
Praying you have a blessed 2023!
Kat and Karl
Ask us to describe 2022 and we would likely respond Airplanes, Swings, Weddings, Auditions, Conferences, Hikes, Creating, and Influencing.Certainly each of those words held a year of activity within itself. But even deeper there were two that stood above. Gratitude, Together.2022 was a year of such gratefulness we could wiggle. Grateful for the mornings with a beautiful view. Grateful for the letters of rejection which refine our path.Similarly, it was a year of such togetherness. Together on-top of the mountain. Together vacuuming a flooded basement. Together at dinner, and together when separate.We hope each of you leaves this year ahead with more than you entered with. Be grateful and be together, friends - K&K
Kate and Caleb
2022 was a year of growth for our family!Caleb bought a company; Kate actually kept the house plants alive; Connor (13) can make anything he can imagine (he can imagine a lot); Finnly (11) found a best friend who shares his diehard commitment to legos; and Josie (8) is an artist and avid naturalist.Our family and friend community is vibrant and growing. The trips to the grocery store to keep these kids and their friends fed have been INFINITE.We look forward to learning how to live with insane courage and irrational generosity.
Nicole and Pepe
2022 was a huge year for the Ceballos family!After 16 years on the mission field, we made the difficult and exciting decision to close down the YWAM base we were pioneering and relocate to Douglasville, GA, close to family.
Most of our year was the process of transition and we close out the year feeling settled and ready for all the newness this 2023 will bring.
Pepe is working at Onsite as an Estimator and Nicole is launching a private spiritual direction practice.
The girls are going to a local public school and thriving in their new environment! Camila (9) has taken a fancy to art and science, and Brianna (7) has joined a running club.
We also added a member to our family. A very cute Australian labradoodle named Guapo that we love to take with us on adventures in the outdoors!
Noelle
2022 was a very full year for
Noelle Joy!
In January she was interviewed in a podcast for her PhD research on hemp.Noelle taught at the 2022 Herbal Entrepreneur Conference, worked hard in the lab on her PhD, which she hopes to complete in May 2023.Noelle is an energetic Scientist who loves sharing with others, food, and learning about reciprocity and community care.
Jenna and Chris
It was a full year for the Goss burrow!Chris transitioned to more contract work doing everything from editing commercials, constructing stage designs for churches to lighting music videos. He also continues to work as an Estimator on Onsite Woodwork.Jenna is back at Perimeter Church working part time and loving every minute. She was also able to transition to homeschooling Ronen (8) and Zelda (5) this year and they are all soaking up all the wonder of learning together. They found a homeschool community of hikers and now spend their Fridays adventuring while deepening some beautiful new friendships.They still fill their extra time with the things they love most: Sharing coffee and meals with friends and families and sneaking away for quick outdoor adventures every chance they get.
Joy and Derek
2022 was a year of change for the Wettsteins! The most exciting of which was getting pregnant with our first child, a baby boy, due in March of this year! Our lives are bursting with preparation as we await the arrival of this precious addition to our family!In April, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary, and moved from our historic home in Beloit, WI to a ranch in Rockford, IL that is just perfect for us. We’ve spent much of the year renovating the interior and exterior of our new home to fit us. Derek is getting quite the education in home renovation!Derek continues to excel in his position as a cardiac nurse and Joy is in the process of transitioning out of her 11-year role in HR and payroll at ONSITE to be a stay-at-home mom after our baby comes!
We continue to be invested in our church, mainly in the 20s ministry and through our life group, and we count ourselves blessed to have such rich Christian fellowship.We are excited to see what this new season of parenting will bring and we praise God for His continued blessing and provision in our lives!
Anna and Nathaniel
The Thorntons have closed the book on a great year!Nathaniel is thriving at ONSITE and participated in his first competitive golf events.Anna officially started her bakery, Lucky Seventh Baker, and attended her first Farmers Market season where she found a warm welcome and new friends.Nora (6) started first grade and made it out of the year with only 2 fractures! McCarthy (3) had his first stitches and a broken arm himself, but for him that means he just had a LOT of fun. Dorothy (2) is growing fast and becoming a cuddle queen and pretend master.
Evie
Eric and Evie had a big year! Eric proposed in March! He then graduated with his Masters in Clinical Mental Health in May and started working at Richmont Trauma Center.Evie and Eric bought their first house in Mableton in July and then got married in August.They have been happier than they thought possible and are very excited for what this upcoming year brings!
Elof
2022 was another big year of change for me.I started the year a little worn out but excited for what was to come. I had been making some friends in Illinois, I was taking on some more responsibility at work and i had some family living close to me. However, I felt stuck where i was and started looking for what was next for me.After thinking about it and talking with family i decided to move back to Georgia and look for new opportunities back home. Now that I’m back in Georgia I have reconnected with my old friends, spent time with my sibling that I live next to again, bought my first house, decided to work at Onsite in the warehouse/installation side and continue to grow while taking on responsibility there.Overall i feel so much more alive and excited for the future than i did a year ago today.
Mary
This year has been a challenging year for Mary. After becoming a nurse last year, she has spent this year finding where she wants to be. She tried dialysis, orthopedic medical surgery, and has settled on at a pregnancy resource center. She loves what she does and that she gets to work with people who are passionate about helping others.Mary decided to continue her education by pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. She is loving learning and the challenge of it.When she is not at work or doing school, Mary is painting, drawing, sewing, creating, connecting with others, and enjoying what life has to offer. This year she has spent time to intentionally pursuing ways to make the most of life.This year has been full of ups and downs. Mary has learned many valuable lessons that she will take with her moving forward. The quote that sums up her year is, “They thought they buried me, but they didn’t realize I was a seed”.