Dear Family and Friends,
I saw a meme recently that said, "Nobody claim 2022 as 'your year'. We're all going to walk in real slow. Be good. Be quiet. Don't. Touch. Anything."
And really, I think this meme is a rehash of one that circulated a year ago leading into 2021. But it did make me laugh because it still feels painfully appropriate. We all had such high hopes heading into 2021 that we were getting the upper hand with this pandemic thing. Vaccines were on the horizon and the end seemed near. But then we were all smacked in the face with the Delta variant, and the pandemic continued on while our hopes plummeted. So much for 2021? Nah, you know I'm way more optimistic than that. True that 2021 didn't turn out exactly as planned and I'm still carrying around masks and hand sanitizer in my purse everywhere I go, along with the newest often requested requirement to attend concerts, plays, events and travel: my covid vaccine card. But our whole family is now happily vaccinated (and some of us boosted)which gives us a great deal of relief. Receiving my shot while sitting in my car at the drive-through vaccine clinic in April made me quite emotional, actually. I'd spent the previous year trying so hard to be strong emotionally. To do everything I could to keep myself, my family and those around me safe and healthy. And when it was finally my turn, I guess the combination of relief and hope and finally letting myself acknowledge how hard and stressful the months had been were shaking loose and coming out in tears. I thanked all the medical workers over and over again. I'm so grateful for science, for miracles and for the vaccine!
This past year, though not entirely back to normal (whatever normal ends up being) was still filled with a lot of really good things and some pretty big changes. First and very foremost, our family grew this year with the addition of the cutest little grandbaby you ever did see. Tanner and Rebekah announced their pregnancy around Christmas and then Rebekah spent nearly the entirety of the next nine months with pretty severe morning sickness. After 40 hours of labor, Rebekah gave birth via emergency C-section on August 10th to a 7lb, 14oz baby boy, who then got whisked off to the NICU where he spent the next 9 days overcoming some infections and intestinal troubles. It was all a bit traumatic and scary at first. But at the hospital through it all I was receiving texts from neighbors, family, and friends all expressing love and offering prayers. So many small miracles and tender mercies we experienced fill me with such gratitude and belief that those prayers were felt, heard and answered. Ryker James Braden is now a happy, healthy, dynamic, expressive little 4 month old who is an absolute ball of joy. Every emotion he's experiencing plays out on his face and his huge eyes communicate volumes. I can't wait until he can actually talk and share all the thoughts rolling around in his head. Mentally it's been very strange to think that I am old enough to be someone's grandmother, but I tell you what, it took mere seconds of holding him in my arms to realize that being Grandma Sarah is one of the best titles I will ever hold. Bryan and I cannot get enough of him, we love him so much!
Another big change for me this year...I got a job. Though I have done much in the way of community service and volunteering over the years, this is my first paid employment in 25 years. I have been hired to be a teacher assistant at Snow Horse Elementary and I love it SO much! It's interesting, because although I do feel like my years staying home to raise my children were very important and satisfying, I feel such a different sense of purpose going to work each day. I love the feeling of having a specific schedule and routine. I love feeling like I am lightening the load of the teachers I support and making a difference tot he 3rd and 4th grade kids I help teach. I love the friendships I am making with my co-workers and the connections I am creating with the kids...oh how I love those darling kids. But it's also definitely been an adjustment. None of my normal responsibilities at home disappeared once I started working of course, I just have less hours to fit them in. It's doable, but it's been a challenge at times. Still, overall it's been the most wonderful experience.
I'm not the only one with a new job this year. Jordan graduated from BYU in April with a degree in Statistics and immediately landed a job with Entrata, a property management software company, doing data analysis. Julianne graduated from UVU in August with a degree in Family Science, and (only slightly reluctantly) left her job at the MTC to be a family advocate for Early Learning Essentials, a nonprofit partnered with Headstart. Neither one of them had traditional college graduations due to pandemic restrictions, but we still dressed them up in cap and gown to take pictures on BYU and UVU campuses for the sake of posterity. Julianne is debating a return to school for a masters at some point but for now they are still happily living in Provo and enjoying the lack of college class schedules and homework.
Lilian got her first job this year, working for Lagoon at Frightmares. She was a little disgruntled to be assigned to the kids sections dressing up as characters to entertain rather than scare. Her original intention was to work in the creepy haunted houses. But overall, she enjoyed the experience connecting with the little kids, making friends with new co-workers and depositing paychecks into her bank account. And she's already extracted a promise from her Frightmares managers assuring her a place next year in the haunted houses where she can scare people to her little hearts content. Lilian leaned even more heavily into theatre and music, performing in three different musicals this year. She was cast as Sharpay in High School Musical at Shoreline Jr High and had the best time playing the snotty rich girl, even gamely getting a pie smashed in her face each night. Then literally one week after High School Musical ended, she performed Freaky Friday with CenterPoint Academy. She was in rehearsals for both shows throughout spring and it was quite the juggling act to keep track of where she needed to be on which day. She made such great friends in both casts who she still gathers with often. Lilian is currently performing Matilda, also with CenterPoint Academy....closing night is tomorrow. She gets a few weeks off and then in January it'll all begin again with two new spring shows.
Brandon is in his junior year at SUU and is still loving everything about being a Thunderbird. He decided to run for Student Body office this year, and though he claims campaigning is not something he ever wants to do again, he actually won his election and has been serving as the Vice President of Marketing. He's got a team under him and he spends and inordinate amount of time planning, advertising, executing and documenting campus activities as well as promoting and photographing campus sports and other clubs. (Apparently the football team is pretty fond of him and rewards him with lots of SWAG.) He's happy and thriving, and therefore doesn't come to visit much. I'm sure the 3.5 hour drive also has something to do with that. Luckily he calls somewhat regularly to keep us in the loop. We're looking forward to having him home for Christmas after he finishes up finals later this week.
We took a family trip to Bear Lake in June, a first for us. We rented a house with a gorgeous view of the lake and spent a few days enjoying jet-skiing around the lake, playing in the sand and enjoying each other's company. We had a glorious time, and I finally understand all the hype. It is indeed as beautiful as everyone says. Truly a little slice of heaven. We will definitely be back. Two days after returning from Bear Lake, Lilian an dI left for Girls Camp in Kamas. Have you ever heard Jim Gaffigan's comedy sketch about being a "happy camper"? If so, you understand how I feel about sleeping in tents and roughing it in general. It was with some trepidation that I volunteered myself as one of the Young Women leader chaperones for this trip. But somewhat surprisingly, I had a delightful time and would you believe I am already looking forward to going again next summer?
After nearly 2 years, I took my first post-pandemic airplane ride in September to Seattle where I boarded the NCL Encore for a cruise to Alaska with my sister Melissa. Requirements included being fully vaccinated and having two different covid tests before boarding, but once cleared we enjoyed sailing to Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan and Glacier Bay National Park. Our trip was sponsored by Hale Centre Theatre as a thank you to their big company donors. Melissa, as CFO of Young Living, was invited and she brought me as her traveling companion. She hadn't ever been on a cruise period, let alone to Alaska, so it was really fun to experience all her firsts. As you can imagine, with a big theatre-loving group, we had a great time getting to know everyone...some of whom (like our friend Dan and Marli) began to feel more like family by the end of the trip.
As the years roll by and our family gets larger and older, Bryan and I are noticing our age more and more. Let alone the whole grandparent thing, Bryan turned 50 this past week. Considering we met when he was 18 and I was 16, we've lived more of our lives together than apart. I'm thankful for the opportunity we have to grow old together. Our house seems quieter with only Lilian living at home and often away with friends or some activity. (Of course then on various weekends and holidays everyone comes back and the house is full and noisy again...we're thankful we have guest rooms for them all to stay as often as they want.) Bryan still spends Saturday and Sunday mornings at the Wasatch Shooting Range participating in target shooting competitions. He's got quite a tight knit tribe there and he loves it. I started voice lessons again after a 5 year break and it's felt so good to be singing again, especially as all my choirs, community and church alike, have been on an extended hiatus the past 2 years. After a lengthy stay on the waiting list, Bryan and I finally got tickets to the Wasatch Speaker Series this year and have enjoyed listening to speakers such as Wynton Marsalis, Anderson Cooper, Teresa May, Ken Burns, Barack Obama, Doris Kearns Goodwin, etc. Most of them we have watched on zoom, but a couple of weeks ago we were finally able to meet back at Abravanel Hall in person. It's made for some really great date nights. The Dalton Girls Book Club is still going strong. I've become obsessed with Sharon Says So on Instagram and her non-partisan government posts and zoom classes. We bought a king size bed so Oscar could sleep with us more comfortably...we are such pushovers, but the love we have for our 5.5 year old puppy only continues to grow as the year progress.
You guys! I just looked out the window and it is snowing! Do you have any idea how much this fills me with joy? Let alone the fact that we are in an "exceptional" drought and need the water desperately, I love snow generally and at Christmastime especially. What perfect weather conditions then, to end this Christmas letter. We hope you've had a good 2021 and that we can all tiptoe into an even better 2022. Also I wish you lots of snow this winter. (But that last wish is just from me...Bryan doesn't find the snow as delightful as I do. ha!)
Love,
Bryan, Sarah, Rebekah & Tanner & Ryker, Julianne & Jordan, Brandon, Lilian
