Ageing Journal By Allison Driedger
Mr. Weibe English 40s
The first part of my life:
I was born October 12th, 1994 to Ang and Jack Driedger I started school at the age of 4 in September of 1999 I graduated from grade 8 in June of 2008
September came and with it, high-school and MCI Grade 9 was a huge change, switching schools for the first time, and having a cafeteria
John 3:16 For God so loved the world New friends, New that he gave his one and teachers, New classes only Son, that whoever (in their separate believes in him shall not rooms) perish but have eternal life.
Tue sda ys w I grew closer in my ith “Yo Mo u ca rrie n’t s relationship with mat : ubs eria titu l th God through grade 9 or te ings for gen for and 10 and decided ten t love l e nes der s or nes to be baptised in sen s for or f se o o ra f co June of grade 11 ship m rad .” (p e.125 )
In 2010, my parents took my brothers and I on a family vacation to Disney World in Florida. We missed a bunch of school, but it didn’t matter. We were going to have fun! We met up with some of my cousins there and had an extended family dinner on our vacation – a little Mennonite, but that’s how we roll!
I was baptised on June 12, 2011 at the end of my grade 11 year in M.C.I.
Matthew 28:19 ―Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit‖
1 Corinthians 13:4&5 ―Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not selfseeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.‖ rn o b hr— e F to mes 3 a 9 J 19 , 1 hr Kyle r e e F b na em a i v D o N nd a s e Jam
I met my future husband at the beginning of my last year of high-school… and I knew right away that I would marry him!
I got my first real job in May of 2012 working at Blue Sky Opportunities in Altona. I loved working there with intellectually challenged individuals. It felt really good to know I was contributing to the community. In the summer of that same year I purchased my very first car! Kyle worked at camp from May until the end of the summer and then taught piano lessons as a side job while he worked otherwise.
Ecclesiastes 10:19 ―A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything‖ Not exactly the motto I set for after I graduated, but hey! You have to start somewhere! I graduated from M.C.I. in 2012, ready to start a life where I wasn’t in school every day!
After gr aduatio n, Linds to beco ay and me room I decide mates! togethe d We only r for a s lived hort tim great w e, but it hile it la was sted!
February 6, 2013—October 27, 2013
Kyle proposed to me on March 17, 2013. Everyone was so happy for us. It was the best day of my life so far!
Acts 6:4 ―This proposal pleased the whole group‖
We got mar Octo ried ber on 27, 2 was 013. 19 a nd K wou I ld b y e 20 le few in a day s!
e: i r r o M s h y t i a w lw s a y e a v d o s L e s. Tu n i w ) e 0 v 4 o r o ―L .‖ (p. r e h t s o n h wi c a e e ) v 3 o 6 L 1 ― . p ( .‖ e i d
We went to a wonderful, relaxing hotel for our honeymoon for a week of togetherness!
October 27 - November 5
e: i r r o M th i t w n “I’v s a y t a r d o e le s p e m u n arn i r a T t a b s e o out l ed o m t e thi s m i t e a sm e f "Th , i r s e l r t v e i n uch age i lo d. Y t g u n y i . ou ou You th ve o i f a g ind e re, get o t m o p w w o c e o ut w rso ho it h t e t l n he ho o is, a a t c o d c the om nd an ) 2 r mo how .5 d p o ( dat n’t.” you in." eo ( p.1 49 )
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December 4, 2013 After living in an apartment for a little while since getting married, we decided it was time for the next big step… home ownership! Kyle had been composing music for some time and was self-producing. His music was genius and he made a good living on it. We bought our first home and it felt wonderful to have gone through such a large accomplishment together. Now that we owned our own home, we had to work on filling it...
Genesis 18:19 ―For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just…‖
Genesis 9:7 ―As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.‖ Tuesdays with Morrie: “There is no experience like having children… If you want the experience of having complete responsibility for another human being, and to learn to love and bond in the deepest way, then you should have children.” (p.93)
We were scared out of our minds, but so excited to bring home the new additions to our growing family!!
Tuesdays with Morrie:
It was the most incredible feeling, bringing home our first baby. We were so scared but extremely excited.
We knew we would love this little boy for the rest of our lives.
Whitney wa s married i n 2015 and Lindsa y was marr ied in 2016!! I wa s a bridesm aid at both of the ir wedding s.
“Laughter is sunshine, it chases winter from the human face” - Morrie 17… 0 2 f o l i r n Ap i d e i r r a m se e h t f o Josh was e l thre l a o t b o dI t Jac n h a g e u l o y r K b We sh’s, o J r o the f t o t u b n , o i s t i g add w e weddin n a r ng fo i r a p e r p were family!!
We were scared for our first, but we did not expect to face the huge challenge of raising twins‌ It was a challenge we were willing to conquer!
Nick decided to have a destination wedding in Texas in March of 2019, so we decided to make it a short family vacation and take a road trip with Jacob and the twins!! It was a great week despite the fact that another family member was on the way...
―This is part of what a family is about, not just love. It’s knowing that your family will be there watching out for you. Nothing else will give you that. Not money. Not fame. Not work.‖ - Morrie
We brought Jacob and the twins to the hospital to see their new baby sister. As Kyle and I looked at our four beautiful children, we decided that she would be our last. Especially since Jacob would be starting school in a few months...
Riley wa nted to w ear the sam e shirt a s his older bro ther on Jacob’s first day of school i n Septem ber of 2019 bec ause he didn’t want Jac ob to go . We reassure d Riley t hat his brother w ould be back home be fore he k new it! ere w a l l e b a r A Riley and fin d y l l a n i f o t d so excite like e b d l u o w t out what i ace l p e m a s e to go to th ay!! d y r e v e d i Jacob d their d e d n e t t a s The twin ool in h c s f o y a d first 22. 0 2 f o r e b m Septe
2023 was full of changes. Jacob and the twins were in school, leaving me at home with Alexa. My brother Sam got married and Josh and Nick’s families were growing, giving Jacob and the twins some cousins to play with. Mine and Kyle’s parents were growing closer to their retirement days with all of their children married and out of the house. They also became the kinds of grandparents that spoiled their grandkids. And the children loved it!
The kids had been asking for a dog for a long time. We had some cats for them to play with, but they really wanted a dog. So after doing some research on what kind of dog would be good with kids, we decided to get a French bulldog, Boston terrier cross. 2023 was the best Christmas the kids ever had with Nallah as a surprise family gift! She was truly a wonderful inside family dog!
The kids were growing up faster than we anticipated. Alexa was starting kindergarten, the twins were going into grade two and Jacob was on his way to grade five. Our lives were getting busier with Jacob in soccer, Riley in baseball, Arabella in gymnastics and Alexa in ballet. I hadn’t had a job since Jacob was born and it didn’t look like I would be getting a new one any time soon, but that was completely fine with me. There was nothing I loved more than being a mother! (Even if it meant my children had a more active social life than I did)
With our lives getting busier with sports and school, we decided that our whole family needed a vacation. So we started saving and planning in 2025 for a vacation the whole family would love‌ Disney World!! We saved and were finally able to take a much needed trip to Florida in 2027! We rented a house with a pool and a Jacuzzi close to Disney World and spent two amazing weeks visiting theme parks and relaxing together!
The next few years went by very quickly. Jacob, Arabella, Riley and Alexa went through elementary school, junior high and high-school. Kyle and I helped them decide on universities and calmed their nerves as they prepared for classes and parttime jobs. We cried as each one left for their next years after high-school and grew excited as they met new people and formed relationships with that special someone. As the years went on, we had wonderful Christmases, Easters and family times. My brothers and Kyle’s sister and brother had kids with their spouses and we all had wonderful times together during summers and holidays. Life was quickly passing but it was a wonderful life...
“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” - Morrie I had been working as a bank teller for many years already (ever since Alexa was 10). I had lived my life with no regrets. Kyle and I always strived to teach our children to love and live life to the fullest. Life is short and will pass you by if you let it. We always made sure to cherish every moment and show our children love even when it wasn’t the easiest thing to do. Kyle and I always made sure our children knew how important God is in our lives and that with him, anything is possible. Follow the path God has for you and your life will prosper.
The kids were rapidly growing up, graduating from college, working on their careers and growing more meaningful relationships with their partners. Kyle and I continued to work and although we were sad to see our children growing up so fast, we were proud of the wonderful young people they were becoming. We looked forward to them getting married, having children and loving life as much as Kyle and I had so far. We had been blessed to see our children choose the path of God and get baptised as teenagers. Although only one of our children chose to go to college, all of them went into rewarding careers that made them very happy. Kyle and I had always stressed that it was better to do something that made you happy and made you want to go to work every day than to have a career that made you unhappy. Because of this mind-set, our children found success in areas they strived in and found happiness in. They carried this ethic not only into their careers, but also into their personal lives...
Alexa was always unique, a funloving girl with a big heart and big dreams. She became a successful artist, illustrating children’s books and doing her own art on the side. Her art sold for high prices and she loved what she did. The first boyfriend Alexa ever had in highschool (Darren Luther), proposed to her in the spring of 2037 and they were married 4 short months later.
lege l o c m o r f g n ti After gradua e and n i c i d e m n i with a PhD ctor o d a s a b o j beginning a ), h s o J e l c n u (just like his ady to e r s a w e h t l Jacob fe to d e s o p o r p e H get married. theart e e w s e g e l l his co ed 10 i r r a m y e h t (Marie), and utiful a e b a h t i w r months late ing. spring wedd
Arabella always knew she had a good voice. What she didn’t know was that she had a great voice. She met her husband (Troy O’Reilly), on a road trip with her high-school band and was married 9 months later. She was also discovered on that road trip and became the music industry’s find of the decade.
Riley had always been a goof. He posed like a model for pictures so he could laugh un-controllably at himself later. None of us were surprised when he became a well -known and loved stand-up comedian with a live show on comedy central. He met his wife (Olivia) on one of his tours and married her 3 years later.
Alexa, Jacob and the twins were now married and well into their careers. Kyle and I worked and our days were much like the days before our children were born… we felt a little bit lonely even though the kids came to visit quite often. Kyle and I were overjoyed when we found out Arabella was pregnant! It wasn’t long after, that our other children began growing their families as well! Our small family was rapidly expanding to a large, fun, happy family. “If you hold back on the emotions – if you don’t allow yourself to go all the way through them –you can never get to being detached, you’re too busy being afraid. You’re afraid of the pain, you’re afraid of the grief. You’re afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails. But by throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them fully and completely.” - Morrie
Parker was born on June 13, 2043. He was our first grandchild, so of course we spoiled him!! That is, until we had more little munchkins to expand our hearts to!
Preston was born on November 6, 2045. He already had an older brother and an older cousin (Henry) and we had a feeling those boys would be trouble makers! Angelica was named after her great grandma, my mom. She was born January 10, 2050 and truly looked like a little angel! My mom was thrilled when she got to hold her name-sake!
Henry was born February 18, 2044. He was our second grandchild and we were still new at the whole grandparent thing, but we were so excited to have babies in the family again, we soon caught on!
Savannah was born January 31, 2047. She was our first grand-daughter, and we spoiled her like crazy! (As we did with all of our little sweetie-pies)
Jaela and Shayne were born May 3 and May 4 of 2049 (respectively). Seeing as they are identical twins, you’d think they’d have the same birthday, but they were born so late at night and it took so long, that Jaela was born May 3 at 11:30pm, while Shayne was born May 4 at 3:57am.
Jaela
Shayne
This was such a stressful time for Alexa, she and Darren decided that the twins would be their only children.
Asher was born July 7, 2046. He was Riley’s oldest and you could tell from the beginning this would be a family of goofballs! Gavin was born April 12, 2048. As we had predicted, him and his brother mixed with their older cousins were quite a handful, but also gave us hours of endless entertainment! Porter was born December 19, 2051. He was so adorable with his chubby cheeks and his silly grin! He could always make you smile! Nicole was our last grandchild. She was born October 17, 2054. She was a blessing to Olivia who had always wanted a girl, even though she loved all her boys very much. And of course the rest of the family was so excited to have another girl!
“Death ends a life, not a relationship” - Morrie “The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live” - Morrie The whole family was devastated at the deaths of mine and Kyle’s parents. His dad died in 2055 at the age of 89, my dad died in 2057 at the age of 90. Kyle’s mother passed away in 2060 at the age of 92 and my mother passed away in 2062 at the age of 92. It was hard to say goodbye to our loved ones, but we knew they were in a better place.
Kyle and I were beyond happy with our lives. We never could have imagined it to be better! As the years went on, we bonded with our grandchildren, visited with our children and their spouses, and had coffee with our ageing siblings. We were all getting older and we knew it was time to retire...
“There are a few rules I know to be true about love and marriage: If you don’t respect the other person, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don’t know how to compromise, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you can’t talk openly about what goes on between you, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. And if you don’t have a common set of values in life, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. Your values must be alike.” - Morrie I had been very lucky in my life to have found a man with the same values as I. A man to truly share everything in my life with. We respected and loved each other even in tough times. We learned to compromise and talk openly about what was wrong or what was bothering us and found a way to resolve our issues. We fully retired finally together in 2064 at the ages of 70 and 71, but we loved music, so we decided to continue to create music together well into our 80s even when we moved out of our house and into an ’old folks’ home (as the grandkids put it). Our children and grandchildren continued to visit us and fill our lives with joy and laughter.
Tuesdays with Morrie: “As you grow old, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you’d always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Ageing is not just decay, you know. It’s growth. It’s more than the negative that you’re going to die, it’s also the positive that you understand you’re going to die, and that you live a better life because of it.” (p.118)
n i h c u ym r e v l l i t g, We’re s n o r t s g n i o g d st, e l love an l u f e th o t e f i l living 90 f o s e g ea h t t a even . 1 9 d n a