We closed out 2025 seemingly at the speed of base jumping after returning to Virginia from our 16-day ministry tour in Hawaii on Nov. 20. We actually arrived only 5 hours before our eldest daughter Kari and family arrived from Oakland, CA, for what has now become an annual Thanksgiving family reunion. We were so thankful for no delays and trouble free travel home!!
Another great week was had together as we celebrated the delights of intergenerational gathering. Many things we did all together, like eating, playing games, taking walks, working on jigsaw puzzles, going to church, and lots of talking and laughter. Other things we did by dividing and conquering, like rock climbing in a gym, jumping in a trampoline park, playing basketball, baking, and shopping. Many sweet memories were made and we were all left longing that we lived close enough to get together much more often.
Auntie Lisa and the grandkids had a great time at a local rock climbing gym, spearheaded by Brandon, who is passionate about this sport he discovered only a few months ago. Everyone loved it.
Lots of great meals together and time around the table provided many moments of connecting.
The girls didn’t miss walking daily and were at times joined by others.
The dads took Ana and Rachel to see “Wicked 2,” continuing a tradition begun last year with “Wicked 1."
The family football game was held on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, on a beautiful fall day. The “Kids” somehow beat the “Adults,” but not until after a key adult was slightly injured and placed on IR. Fun was (mostly) had by all.
Thanksgiving dinner was a feast given 5 stars, featuring Derek’s brined turkey and several favorite side dishes. We were delighted to be joined by my sister Francene and her husband, Thom, who drove up from southern Virginia for the occasion.
Our crowd grew larger around dessert when my brother Frank, his wife Beth, and their niece Jordyn joined us. It was great to be together.
All too quickly we sent the Garcias back to Oakland (on Friday, the 28th), and Lisa (on the 29th), but we were left with hearts full of joy and thanksgiving.
We had a FULL day of counseling on Monday, Dec. 1, and on Wednesday the 3rd, we flew to Boston for our Engagement Matters weekend.
This photo was taken in Nashua while walking with a dear friend.
Our days in New England were packed to the brim as we met up with as many friends as we possibly could, had dental appointments, and led a full Engagement Matters weekend. We were thrilled to have 11 couples for the weekend and were most encouraged by their responses to the value of the weekend.
One attendee wrote: “Brought many avoided topics to attention and gave us great tools on how to reconcile and plan for the future."
Another wrote: “The weekend affected our relationship super positively. Brought good conversation and a lot of confirmation about our future.”
And another: “It has given us a lot of Biblically-grounded wisdom to discuss and reflect on our relationship. The weekend was a treasure trove of wisdom, experience, and practical teaching. Loved hearing about real live examples of how these concepts play out in relationships. The stories were incredibly helpful.”
We are so thankful for the great team we serve with and for the Ides who generously host the weekend.
Most of the team who served throughout the weekend.
The attendees and serving team.
The Ides’ home provides such comfortable space for the weekend’s large group meetings as well as many rooms for individual work.
A true highlight of the 5 days spent in our old stomping grounds was discovering the geocache that Richard Hendricks and Guy and Barbara Steele developed in honor of my 70th birthday. Planted in the conservation land behind our old house, “Virginia’s Footprints” is a nod to the thousands of steps and hours I walked over our 29 years in “our” woods with many different people. I was so touched by this gesture of honor and loved discovering it on a frigid winter day with Richard. If you’re a geocacher, check it out in the Elmbrook Conservation land in Bedford.
The geocache in my honor was found.
Back to NoVA on the night of Dec. 7 and suddenly, the time between then and Christmas seemed very short, especially given all that was on my “to do” list.
So we rolled up our sleeves and got to it.
Making the annual family pajama pants topped the list and was especially challenging this year since JoAnn’s Fabrics closed their doors almost a year ago. I have bought all my flannel at JoAnn’s for decades, taking advantage of their great Black Friday specials. I’m sure there are a few other seamstresses who lament their closing and are trusting someone will pick up the dropped baton. But for now…
One of my strengths (finding deals and capitalizing on them) is at times a double weakness (having an overabundance of certain things) but in this case, my double weakness was a strength. I had purchased two extra bolts of red and black Buffalo checked flannel several years ago, and between that and scraps of previous projects AND the fact that Paul, Lisa, and I all had our jammies from the year (2019) when I last used that fabric…I was able to successfully make all we needed. Woohoo!!
I’m already wondering what we’ll do next year.
It was like doing a puzzle to use large scraps to make this year’s jammies!
Between counseling, sending packages, baking up a storm, making batches of jam, and eventually getting the tree up, we did have many pauses during which we thoroughly embraced some great activities. The first was doing the “Zoo Lights” at the National Zoo with Rachel on a very cold night in December (the 9th to be exact.). We had a great time seeing the beautiful displays of lighted animals, sipping hot chocolate, and seeing the small mammals and snakes. What a sweet memory was made!
Rachel, Paul, and I loved visiting the Zoo Lights at the National Zoo.
We took our neighbors, Brand and Katherine, to the Christmas musical production at Immanuel Bible Church and enjoyed a very professional, uplifting concert.
We (my sister Laura and I) celebrated the 30th anniversary of “Golden Nails” with our dear friend Moonie.
We enjoyed a delightful evening with Guy and Michelle Hocker, who we married 25 years ago! We now live in neighboring “hoods” and were so happy to reconnect with them.
Another highlight of the month was teaching a cinnamon roll baking workshop for the wives of the Washington Commanders who are part of a Bible study led by a former Patriots’ wife, Lexi Soldier. Having done this with the Patriots wives for about 20 years, Lexi thought it would be fun to do with these ladies, and I was delighted to say yes.
What fun it was to invite them in to the world of yeast baking!! Everyone seemed delighted and I’ve gotten positive reviews from Lexi.
The Commanders’ wives’ Bible study group learned how to make cinnamon rolls the 11th of December.
All smiles at the end of the workshop!!
Another highlight of the month of December was pulling off a surprise 70th birthday getaway for my very dear friend, Helen. We met Helen in 1978 when we selected her to serve on our summer camp staff and we’ve been “chosen family” ever since. Our annual December visit provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate her milestone birthday (which was Nov. 7) and thankfully, it even exceeded my expectations. I whisked her off to Colonial Williamsburg (a place dear to her, as her oldest son graduated from William and Mary), stopping in Richmond along the way to pick up Lisa who was joining the surprise. While in Richmond waiting for Lisa’s arrival, we toured the Jefferson Hotel all dressed up for Christmas. It was spectacular!!
Wearing our matching Christmas sweatshirts made by moi in 1991 . . . we received many positive comments and suggestions that I should go in to business making them.
Once in Williamsburg, we enjoyed a very special meal at the Williamsburg Inn, walked endlessly through Colonial Williamsburg, and had a wonderful time celebrating both Helen and the season.
At the Williamsburg Inn for a yummy meal.
Everything was so beautiful!!
Back home on the 21st, the final preparations for Christmas were underway. Traditions. Traditions!
For the 54th year, we made gingerbread houses.
This tradition started in my senior year of high school at TC Williams HS (“Remember the Titans”), when my dear friend Jackie told me that her German teacher was offering a lunch time lesson in making real German gingerbread houses and that “outsiders” could come. Not one to pass up a great opportunity like that, I went and learned from a German teacher this fine art. I left with the recipe and the “how to’s” and have made gingerbread houses (anywhere from 2 to 8) every year since.
Thankfully, the next two generations seemed poised to carry on the tradition. Kari makes them with her kids and Lisa the Elf is always my right hand gal since she’s the one always home for the holidays. Nathan and Rachel are faithful apprentices.
This year we made four, one for each of our families and we gifted the other two.
I love this tradition.
Seriously working on decorating their house pieces.
All decorated and ready to be assembled.
All assembled and ready to be delivered.
Cookie decorating. Puzzle making. Doll dressing. Game playing. Ornament making. Delivering goodies to neighbors. Having dinner guests. These things filled up the days until Christmas Eve, when we attended the candlelight service at The King’s Chapel. The service was again beautifully done, with traditional carols broken up by the reading of the Christmas story. It was the perfect set up for celebrating the birth of Jesus the next day.
The Johnsons, Lisa, and we attended the candlelight Christmas service at The King’s Chapel.
Christmas Day dawned bright and beautiful and Baby Jesus was placed in the up-til-now empty manger. Matching jammies. Stockings. Gifts. Games played.
“Santa” aka Papa arrived in the morning and there were no believers. But the tradition continues.
Wreath-shaped almond puff pastry for breakfast. Filet mignon a la Derek for dinner. Sister Laura and David came for dinner.
And the “Happy Birthday Jesus” party ended the day.
It was a most wonderful day.
One more year of matching jammies . . .
Amused but not convinced, Nate and Rachel “played along."
A delicious dinner prepared by “Chef” Derek was enjoyed by all.
And the “Happy birthday Jesus” party concluded the day.
That puts a bow on 2025 for us. We have been so generously blessed in every way.
We start 2026 relaxing on a ship somewhere in the Caribbean, but that’s for the next blog.
Happy New Year with love.