As 2022 is coming to a close, i sit here looking back and what 2022 was like.

January 2022: Started off with me being at John Wood 16 years, and then it turned and got really cold the rest of the month. had a couple of snow days in there.

February 2022: Kate and i went to Columbia for one night to a very nice hotel in downtown to celebrate Valentine’s Day. A week later on my birthday we went down to STL to spend the night as the next day i took her to the airport so she could go to Dallas for a work trip. My birthday was a very nice day with awesome weather, but a few days before it was nasty cold\ice. I also learned during that time to become a travel agent for her as DFW was shutdown the day she was suppose to return. I cancelled and rebooked hotels, and helped her get home.

It was also on this work trip for Kate that and the rest of the HR Covid Team for getting Support Team of the Year!!So proud of you sweetheart. I know the last 24 months have been a lot for you personally, professionally, as well as us as a couple because of Covid.

March 2022: The beginning of March brought news to the JWCC Community that our president will be retiring at the end of the calendar year. The president was in their current position the last eight years. I also started to volunteer for our church’s production team with assisting with running ProPresenter and running camera.

April 2022: Took Kate to a local college to see a production of Little Women. Finally, Easter at our own church!

May 2022: Kate and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary on May 4th. Once again, it spent it in Carbondale, IL at a cabin that we have been to before. However this time, there was another cabin that was more secluded that we booked. It was very nice and quiet (and more in the woods). It was on this trip that i had Captain D’s for the very first time. (This coming after two failed attempts to find lunch and Kate saying “you never had Capatin D’S?” We bookend our trip for a night in STL. A few days after our trip, a new Ryobi 40v lawn mower showed up And after using it all season, it was a good move and a good purchase. Also in May we sold items at the annual JWCC Community Yard Sale. Afterwards, we went to Panda Express, and that was the first time I had Chinese food. (Mom you will be proud!) We switched from city-owned garbage pickup to Republic Services.

June 2022: Parents were in the area camping for the weekend, so Dad and brother came over to asssit with a couple of projects (and i ended up getting my yard mowed because my brother wanted to check out the new mower). My grandpa turned 95! Still will not stop moving around…

July 2022: Went to my first baseball game since Pandemic (Springfield Cardinals). Went to Dallas with Kate on her work trip (Which ended up to to be her final work trip with the company). On this trip was another first for me: eating Chipotle Mexican Grill. Good stuff, similar to Qdoba but different. It was also vey hot that week. Flew back into STL and spend the night, because that next day was Kate’s wonderful birthday where we did whatever she wanted. A few days later found out it flooded in STL and shut down of the interstates we drove on.

August 2022: Men’s grill night at Madison Park. It was also during this month that both kate and i got free soap for a year (one soap bar\month). Don’t ask!! 😉 😉 It was also during August the I was part of the search committee for our next president. The entire process was interesting.

September 2022: After 16 /2 yrs Kate moved on to a new adventure, in a completely new industry, in a different position, and is going back to an office setting every day (instead of being a remote worker, which she did before it was cool)! She is a Retention Specialist and working with First Generation students

Interviews for the next president took place. We interviewed 8, and recommended 3 to the board. Interviews took almost three days.

October 2022: Went to Columbia to meet up with Kate’s parents and i can tell you i saw too many variations of pumpkins . It was also in October that Culver Stockton had their home coming weekend, and since Kate works there, she thought it good to go to see some of her students.

November 2022: Celebrated our 10th Engagement proposal anniversary. It this point, it still does not get old when not only to you have pictures to celebrate it, but also on video! It was also during the month that i helped a friend out with his leadership conference and did another thing for the first time: made coffee. I have never drank coffee before or made coffee. But the responses i got back were like i have done this for years but it also helped that the directions were amazing (thanks to the First Impressions Team at Madison Park who came up with those). Came home from the conference with Patrick Lencioni’s new book: the 6 types of working genius. Finally ended up with thanksgiving with Family.

December 2022: Saw the Piano Guys in STL. Took the 6 types of working Genius assessment.** Spent time with family at Christmas, and ended up having Covid again (after thinking i actually had strep). Which means we will no be going on NYE to dinner or celebrate with friends.

Looking forward to 2023 to see what it has to offer!

Seth

** = my working genius are ET
my working competency are WD
my working frustrations are IG