2019 in Review

Dear family and friends,

Another year has come and gone, leaving us feeling blessed and grateful for the many choice moments that have impacted our lives these past twelve months. We’d like to share some of the highlights: 

We moved into our new, custom home on March 1st. Then we watched in shock and awe as our town was transformed by flood and tornado this spring. We enjoyed our season passes to Silver Dollar City in Branson and hosted a delightful young Spaniard named Gonzalo for a short week in July. Our family grew by two new members this year as we adopted a kitten named Goose and a puppy named Thor.

Justin is still rocking the dental profession and serving happily as a counselor in the bishopric. He upgraded his boat and Jeep this year, test drove a Pavati in Oregon and bought a sweet remote control car. He sold a house, paid off his dental school loan and made it to Moab and back without breaking anything. He ran the Tough Mudder and Roots & Blues 10K. He went backpacking with the young men up Taum Sauk mountain, summitting the highest peak in Missouri. He took the family skiing for spring break in Colorado; took Bobbi and the three oldest boys to Seattle to sight-see while he was in a dental CE course; surprised Bobbi with an anniversary weekend in Chicago; drove the family to Moab, Bryce Canyon, Zion’s National Park and The Grand Canyon in June; Wall Drug Store, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons in August; Des Moines, Iowa for a Twenty-One Pilots concert in October; then to San Antonio and South Padre Island, Texas for Christmas break. Justin holds the Johnson family record for consecutive 360-degree turns on the wakesurf board. (The number to beat is 4.)

2019 has been sort of a weird, redefining year for Bobbi. The first half of the year went fine, serving in the young women presidency and getting back into Crossfit, but then she turned 40 in June and quickly started falling apart. A PRP injection aggravated an existing shoulder bursa that refused to heal and left her arm pretty much out of commission for the second half of the year. Also in June, she was diagnosed with Celiac disease, ending a long and beautiful relationship with bread and other delicious baked goods. She sent a piece of her heart away when Brock left for BYU in the fall, and admitted defeat as a homeschooler by enrolling Lars in all-day pre-Kindergarten at a local Catholic school. Highlights of the year were attending BYU Women’s conference with her mom and sisters, Running the Tough Mudder and Roots and Blues 10K, and all of the previously mentioned road trips with the family.

Brock (17) took his first ride in a limo to St. Louis for a church prom. He was crowned king of the Mr. JC pageant before graduating from Jefferson City High School in the spring. He ran the Tough Mudder in May, then spent the summer working at the dental office during the week and partying at the lake on the weekends. He went backpacking at Taum Sauk, attended youth conference in Independence, Missouri and Adventure for Youth in Moab, Utah. He started attending Brigham Young University in the fall, competed in a 24-hour Questival race with friends and took fifth place in BYU’s Dancesport competition. In October, he flew to Des Moines, Iowa to attend a Twenty-One Pilots concert with the family. Brock is adjusting wonderfully well to college life, working hard and playing even harder. 

Austin (15) enjoyed an extended lake season this year, wakeboarding and surfing from spring through the end of November. He ran the Tough Mudder in May, went backpacking at Taum Sauk, attended youth conference in Independence and Adventure for Youth in Moab. He made everyone laugh on and off stage while participating in a Studio C sketch comedy camp. He is currently a sophomore at Williamsburg Academy online high school and is teaching himself to play the guitar. He enjoys spending every weekday morning attending early-morning seminary before working out with his friends at the YMCA. He has his driver’s permit and is anxious for another birthday to give him even more freedom behind the wheel. He prefers the Marvel Universe over DC and threatens to unfriend anyone who won’t agree that Twenty-One Pilots is the greatest band in history. He was cast as a lost boy in the homeschool teen club musical production of Peter Pan. 

Brandon (15) played his concertina accordion on stage as the frog footman in the JCHE teen club production of “Dorothy in Wonderland”. He also made a fabulous Rapunzel in the Studio C sketch comedy camp. Brandon bought a longboard and promptly broke his hand while riding. Because of the injury, he missed out on the Tough Mudder, but still got plenty of surf time at the lake. He also enjoyed backpacking at Taum Sauk, youth conference in Independence and Adventure for Youth in Moab. He accidentally killed a turtle with a stray arrow shot during a scout campout. He excelled in his online photography class, winning first place in a photo contest. He has his driving permit and takes turns with Austin driving to seminary every other morning. Brandon was also cast as a lost boy in the homeschool teen club musical production of Peter Pan. He tried sushi for the first time this year. It was delicious. 

2019 was Eden’s (12) first and only year as a Beehive. She had a great time at girls camp! Eden developed a passion for the stage this year, participating in several productions at Itsy Bitsy Broadway children’s theater including Studio C sketch comedy camp, Rockin’ Robin Hood, Murder at the Malt Shop and Through the Looking Glass. She also started taking dance lessons at Mid-Mo Conservatory of Dance. She loves reading and writing, playing with animals, building custom ceramic creations at the Village Art Studio and spending as much time as possible with her friends.

Kade (9) moved up to the advanced ninja warrior class this year. He played an adorable singing and dancing knight on stage in Rockin’ Robin Hood. He loves his game design club at Labspace Robotics and has built some pretty cool ceramics at the Village Art Studio. Kade spent four months in braces this year, attended his first and only session of Cub Scout day camp, won first place at the pine wood derby, bought an Xbox with his own money and learned how to wake board. 

Lars (5) participated in a theater camp over the summer and played a fierce dinosaur in “Toy Room Romp” at Itsy Bitsy Broadway. He enrolled at St Joseph Cathedral School for pre-K this fall and is slowly warming up to our puppy, overcoming his intense fear of dogs. He loves driving his remote control car, building things with legos and playing in the snow. He enjoys working in the yard with his dad and brothers. He is learning so much and is growing into a smart and happy boy! 

2019 has been good to us! We hope your year has been joyful and your holiday is happy and bright! Thank you for your friendship!

Merry Christmas!  

The Johnsons