While we didn't send a letter to EVERYONE we know or have ever met this year, we sent out some. If you didn't get one but are just dying to find out what is going on with the Barry 7, please read below. And since very few people do a Christmas letter anymore, you likely have the time to get through this letter (allow yourself 20 minutes!). Enjoy and Happy Holidays from the Barrys!
Dear family and friends,
Let’s
just get this out of the way at the start….I’m the new Chevy Suburban, the
Barry family’s new car. Apparently someone or something new writes the card
every year and since this family didn’t add a child, but instead added a 23
passenger small semi trailer called “Herky the Sub”, I get the Honors this
year. But since I am mainly known for transporting youth sports teams and a
politician’s entourage, I am not sure what to say about the Barry 7. But I will
try my best….
Jackson: He was the one who approved my name,
Herky. Since I was purchased in Iowa City and the Hawkeyes are undefeated (as
of this writing), it seemed like a good fit. This guy is in Middle School this
year despite just turning 10 last Spring. But since he is basically 5 foot
tall, he blends in pretty well. He has had lots of success in middle school and
his biggest fear hasn’t happened yet: his Dad, who works at the school,
embarrassing him. A little birdie told me that “there is still time”. But he
likes being in middle school and going from class to class. He still loves
playing sports non-stop and he still loves his Hawkeyes. And to make his year
even better, his KC Royals won it all. (Even though he was asleep when it
finally happened.)
Abby:
She is the boss of the 5 kids and
usually picks the movie we watch when we travel in me. I don’t think she has
cut her hair since the last Christmas letter and not only has her hair grown,
but so has she. She still looked pretty short on her tournament softball team this
fall, but what she lacked in height, she made up in speed by being the fastest
on the team. She loves school and is having tons of success. She loves playing teacher at school and home.
She just started the final Harry Potter book after reading the last 700-page
book in just 9 days. For reference, her Father takes 4 weeks to read his Time
magazine and is about to finish the book he got for his 2014 birthday! Abby
bounces back and forth from shy to too talkative and has the affectionate name
of Tigger for a variety of reasons, one of those being her bubbly and bouncy
spirit and energy.
Quinn: Guess who has 2 thumbs and
started Kindergarten this year? Not me, I’m a miniature tank, I only have a 45
gallon gas tank and 8 wheels. But Quinn does and he started full day school
this year. As predicted, we don’t hear much about his school work, just about
his friends and who was gone from class each day. This guy LOVES people. He is
the emotional one of the bunch, but usually it is high, good emotion. His best
friend is the IPad….we think. And the various dinosaurs he raises inside that
IPad thing. Quinn did T-ball this summer and loves to play with his neighbor
friends, his other best friends. Hearing him laugh is one of my favorite
things. Now if we could just get him to comb his hair….
Sullivan:
Speaking of hair. Have you seen this guy’s hair? Where does he get it? Then you
have the blue eyes and dimples. This kid is unique. Since the parents of this
family claim that they will keep me for 20 years driving everyone around, I am
excited to see this guy grow up. His parents…they aren’t so sure. He has a
little “spirit” about him that tells me he might test them at times. I am sure
he will take me for a spin or “mudding” at some point in his teenage years. He
loves his baby sister, but she is not a big fan of his…yet. They have bonded a
lot being the only two home with our amazing Nanny (Courtney) this fall. But
his face lights up when he sees the rest of the family come home each day.
Sully dressed as Sully from Monster University this Halloween and looked even
cuter than I imagined. Quinn is the verbal funny guy, but Sully can make you
laugh with his expressions. He keeps this family busy and is excited to go to
preschool next year. So are his parents.
Baby
Claire: She wrote the letter last year which seems strange since she can hardly
talk and still poops in her pants. Yuck. It took about 2 weeks, but she
decorated the inside of me with fruit snacks, cheerios, and random McDonald’s
toys. Her current specialties include violently shaking her head “yes” and
“no”, saying “I did it!” whenever she does any everyday activity such as
feeding the cats similar to how my Grandpa fed the cows (spread food everywhere
and let the cows find it), eating or drinking things from toilets, couch
cushions, or the kitty litter, and going up and down the stairs without falling
down them (like our last 4 kids). She loves our Nanny and loves her parents so
much that she has to see them virtually every night between 2-4 a.m. at least
for a little bit. Apparently, none of the other kids loved their parents THAT
much! As friends of the Barrys said recently “Does she ever stop moving??” No,
she doesn’t. She is constant. She is like a “Roomba” with no off switch. And
instead of vacuuming up stuff like a Roomba, she just spreads mess. But it
appears everyone loves her. Probably due to her crazy cuteness!
Well,
that leaves the parents of this crew. I will be brief about the father. He is
boring (despite what he apparently posts on Facebook). The most exciting thing
about him is where he works….in a Middle School in Carlisle, where he counsels.
Not sure how he does it. I’m glad he takes the dirty van to work and not me
because I don’t want to know any of his stories. But he likes it and he likes the
change in schedule this year where he is a full-time counselor and not teaching
in the classroom. Other than that, follow him on Facebook to hear about his
adventures. As for Reagan, her life is full of changes. After 10 months of
searching, she found me, her true love. She searched the entire Midwest for a
Suburban that fit her 17 different specifications and I was it. YEAH! But upon
arrival, I learned that she got a new job. After 13 years, she will be leaving
her Mercy family and joining Unity Point in Indianola. Lots of reasons why, but
the shorter commute and no nights/no weekends/no holidays were the best. Just
typing that, I heard her husband shout for joy again. I don’t know why this is
a big deal, but it apparently is. Reagan is excited for this new job, but sad
to leave her many friends and co-workers behind. Her Mercy Family truly was her
other family and that is the toughest part about leaving. One thing I have
learned about Reagan is that she is very, very good at what she does, so Unity
Point is lucky to have her.
2015
was a pretty great year for the Barry family, but all families have their ups
and downs. As I type, there is sadness and grief in Paris where terrorists have
struck again. There are people without homes or countries, there is war, there
is hunger, there is pain and suffering. These things all exist. But there is
also love, there is hope, there is joy, and there are miracles everywhere. We
see what we focus on and even though I am a vehicle designed to not fit in
typical garages, I am smart enough to know that the Christmas season is a
reminder that “good” is everywhere, we just have to look for it and focus on
it. That is why Christ was born. The story was not about the men trying to hunt
him down to kill him, the cold and dirt of the barn, or the innkeeper who
turned a loving family away, it is about the birth of Christ and the hope and
saving grace he brought to Earth. That hope and grace is still here today….we
just need to look for it and when we find it, spread it and share it. Merry
Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our friends and family!
Merry Christmas and God Bless this Holiday season!
The Barrys (Ben, Reagan, Jackson, Abigail, Quinn,
Sullivan, Claire) and our pets. Which I just realized that last year’s card said
our dog Avus ran away. She did, but she came back one Sunday afternoon about 5
months later- crazy story!! YEAH!
RIP Bo Barry (our beloved black and white cat- age
13)
10980 Cleveland Trail, Norwalk, IA 50211,
515-480-3939 (R) or 515-306-1415 (B)
