Christmas 2025

Mikayla, Kasey, Doah, Chrisy, Elena, Max, Zoey, Wes, Makenna

Christmastime, 2025

 

Dear friends and family,

 

This past year was one of great change, but also normalcy. Like so many things, it just depends upon the lens one views it through.

 

Great change came in the form of another one of our children getting married. Our firstborn, Max, married Elena Meyer on Saturday, June 21^st! They were married at River Stone Manor in Schenectady, New York. The venue, as its name conjures, was spectacular and lovely; however, even the majestic Mohawk River, which flowed through the property, paled in comparison to Elena’s beauty. As evidenced by the photo on our Christmas card, our entire family was there, and it was a blast! We continue to be blessed in the daughter-in-law department! They are still living in Boston.

 

More positive change came on the education front with both of our daughters finishing up college! In June, Kasey, our youngest, earned her Bachelor of Science with a major in animal science, closing out her time at UC Davis. Especially impressive was her ability to obtain this degree in just three years! After graduation, she spent three months at home and then, in October, she and her girlfriend, Mikayla, moved to Salem, Oregon! That makes it two out-of-state kids for us now! Kasey is now working for the Salem Humane Society. We adore Mikayla and could not be prouder of Kasey!

 

Zoey just graduated from an intensive 16-month combined credential and graduate program. She earned her Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction as well has her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential! She has already passed the dreaded California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA), finished up all her student teaching, and is looking for a full-time teaching job! It has been an absolute pleasure watching Zoey flourish and making healthy life choices. For now, Zoey is our last kid at home. She’s still taking good care of her dog, Harley, whom we think is a bit sad about her friend, Mocha, moving to Oregon.

 

Wes and Makenna are still living close by here in Orange County, so we get to see them more often than we do the Bostonians or Oregonians! They are both working hard. Wes is always willing to help us out and save me from potential injury. He recently came over and did some work on our roof and then the four of us went out to dinner together. We always cherish our time with them. Our “boys” and their partners had some fun trips this year, but those stories are not ours to tell. I find myself wondering how long I should even try to keep reporting on our adult children.

 

As for Chrisy and I, that is where there is a bit of status quo. However, Chrisy did have another big health scare. At the end of January she went in for total knee replacement and she had a stroke while under anesthesia! As you could imagine, this led to months of uncertainty. She has had to fight to get her functions back. Thankfully, for the most part, she has. I continue to work as a teacher in the HEART class at REACH Academy in Santa Ana Unified School District. I also just celebrated my 20^th year as the junior high pastor at TerraNova Church!  Other than traveling to Albany for the wedding, we didn’t do much this year. In August we did get a chance to visit our daughter-in-love, Holly, and her husband, Jonathan, in Las Vegas. Seeing their kids, Caden and Emerson, brought us so much life. They refer to us and Grandpa Doah and Grandma Chrisy, and we feel so honored by that.

 

That’s about it for us. We hope your holiday season brings you a lot of joy.

 

Love,

Doah & Chrisy