MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR

This year has been a year of many firsts, some old things haunted us, and then we have been immensely blessed with other things! I know... I know... I am being very vague, but I will get to that. This year has been more of a blessing than a lesson plan for us at this particular Holmes house, and we are very much thankful.

Going into 2019 we were busy, maybe a little bleak, but I was looking at a long road to recovery in the year of 2019. I had a lot of recovery to overcome. I felt like I had been burned in 2018 with some business dealings, but wanted to maintain a symbiance of decorum with those that I had thought the dealings had gone south. I felt like I had put myself in situations that I wouldn't normally put myself in, in order to help others. In the long run it turned out okay - it is turning out ok!

January 7^th, I got my shoulder surgery! After waiting for 9 years from the VA to finally approve it, I got it! My friend and brother in Christ, Gabe Garver, was there with my wife when I woke up! This was awesome to be able to have my friend helping out with my wife and daughter. I do believe that I was in good hands that day because he was just there to help, and that was amazing! A measure of a true friend - is the friend that stands around and asking what he/she can do to help!

The surgery was longer than expected, my shoulder was way more injured than anyone could have prepared for because it did not show how bad it was on the MRI or the CT Scans; however, the doctor was amazing and he fixed it! I was given a recovery time of about 9-10 months for the initial recovery, and 11-18 months for a full repair, but with the information being that I may never get full range back. Well I am happy to say that at 11 months post op - I am almost at full recovery. I will not be able to practice Hapkido in the same manner as I used to be able to, but I am able to mountain bike, and I can throw a ball to my boys, at their level!

Professionally, KennyLeeHolmes.com has seen an amazing year as well. It started off slow, but then it picked up steam, with thanks to John Burk who has sent people my way that have continued to enrich my life daily.  Which eventually led the way to me being reinvigorated into FreedomSystem.org. We put on our first benefit and it was amazing!!!  We did so well, and we are well on our way to doing year 2 amazingly! I have launched several websites this year and I believe that this is just the basic trend of what I have been able to do! I would be lost without my friends that have helped me with word-of-mouth and through the sharing of my links! Finally, I have also accepted a position from a wonderful company that needed a designer!

Blue Byte Tech is a local company that has generally been noticed as primarily an IT company, but I believe that we can change that going into 2020 in making them the premier IT and Design Company for the Northern Indiana Area. I have been working with them since November, and let me tell you, it has been a wonderful expierence and am very excited to see where our expierences will go together.  Working with good people has always been what I have wanted to do. I wanted to work with a good Christian company that values family over anything else, and we are blessed that Ed and Adrianna Collins are exactly that! I appreciate what they have done for my family, and am so excited to see where we can take this partnership!

The Alpha Nerds Guild has had a great year as well! The board has lost and gained, but in the end we are right where we need to be. John and Laura Burk, Leah Burk, Micheal Webb, and myself have all been invigorated with being able to expand. We have expanded just last month into AirSoft Teams that have started in Dallas, TX and will start looking at chapters across the United States. Goals are yet to be set for times.

Grumpy Grandpas has seen some increase in shirts being processed as well, Dad and I are looking at ways that we can increase sales! Ideally, it would be awesome for my father to be able to retire from truck driving to do this full time! So if you are able to share the word! Need a shirt printed let Dad or myself now!

My children. God, please, do not let them grow any faster. I don't want to see them get older! As they get older they get mouthier! But I love them so much as you can see! The cover photo is the pictures I did for Sarah's Birthday this year! As you can see they are getting older, and more beautfiul daily! shhh... Kenny say's that he wants to be a Pastor!!!!! As a father, I want nothing more than my children to be close to God, and I want nothing more than my sons to be a Godly man. Now this is what he wants to be, and I am happy that he wants to be that, if he ends up being that I am stoked about it! Even if he isn't that mean's that he is looking into being closer to God, and that swells my heart! Bradley is getting to be such a fine young man, too, however; he will be my heart-attack. He knows how to push buttons, but I love him anyway! I imagine we can figure out a way for him to push buttons in a good way, and make it so that he is able to be a good man with that knowledge. Addison is so beautiful, her heart is always open. She loves animals, and her dolls, she loves playing with her toys and her brothers; yet, is independant enough to be herself! Overall, this year has been very kind to my childern.

Sarah, my rock, has been there for me all year (as always)! Has seen her 5 year mark at Grossnickle Eye Center, and has had some really cool things that have happened there! Sarah has also started her own Embroidery and Quilting business! She has turned her love for crafting into something that people are willing to pay her to do! I love what she does. She takes something from nothing and makes it look amazing!

Did I mention that Sarah and I celebrated 10 Years this year! Yep! That was a thing!

Well that is my "short" year-in-review! Until next time:

PEACE