It takes a village to travel the country (halftime)

Merry Christmas from De Pere! Tomorrow morning we’ll pack again and head “Up Nort’” like we do every December. It’s been exactly as stressful as I imagined, planning a Christmas from 100 miles away—I have barely anything wrapped (not even sure whether all our packages made it to Iron Mountain) and next to no food prepared. But everyone in the family is insisting on a small, low-key gathering and telling me not to freak out. Also, nobody is asking for a lot of gifts this year, because we cannot haul any more crap with us on our adventures. So off we go in the Camry—missing my minivan and embracing a minimalistic lifestyle.

I’ve also not taken many pictures this week, so this posting will be short and sweet. We did cram in some festive gatherings with friends and family (in garages, mostly) and took the girls through the Festival of Lights at the Green Bay Botanical Gardens. And we got to go to Mass at our church—that was a sweet homecoming. The holidays are definitely upon us, even though this is by far the most bizarre December on record.

Just needed to take a moment to express my gratitude and appreciation for all the people who’ve made our adventures possible this year. When Tony and I were planning this trip, some of the logistics (Getting mail? Paying taxes?) seemed almost insurmountable. Thankfully he has an amazing assistant, Shanna, and a fantastic team at Executive Mortgage that’s helped his business thrive in 2020. Grateful to Jeff, Aaron, accountant Melissa, Jaris, Dana, Jeremy and dozens of other coworkers, friends and business associates. Our property manager Mark, our Castle Rock neighbors, our parents and siblings, Aaron & Andrea, Craig & Amy, Amanda, Jess… so many people have stepped up and/or offered help to facilitate this adventure. So blessed—we appreciate all of you!

However you choose to celebrate this season, may the joyful hope of the birth of a Savior fill you and your loved ones with peace and warmth. God bless!