Dear family and friends,
I guess
this letter can actually be titled “Chapter 2” or the “2nd book in
the series” since last year’s letter is included in this year’s mailing too.
Honestly, that is what COVID has done, it has blurred time and jumbled it all together.
If you have made it this far, you have made it through the 2020 letter (and
made it through 2020…what a crazy year!) and are willing to read this 2nd
letter/book for some unknown reason, so I will try to make the rest short. A
bit of a “recap” if you will. Maybe next year’s “Trilogy” letter will be an
epic finish to this series and we can get back to normal. Who knows….these are
unpredictable times! But, here you go, a quick recap…
Jackson:
He’s tall. He’s a senior. He’s likely headed to University of Northern Iowa
although he hasn’t officially decided. He’s plays Varsity basketball and works
at the school in the Athletic department doing all things photo/video editing
and creating. He plans to major in that area in college. He will graduate in May….twice.
Once with his 2-year college degree and once with his HS degree. So…that seems
pretty good. Good guy. If you see him, say hi.
Abby:
She’s in high school now. She seems all grown up. She is uber creative. She is
always making something or creating something. I can’t keep up. But that is not
saying much as I’m overweight, old, and spent 20 years not stretching properly.
She’s also super smart. I’m looking for her weakness, I think it is sleep. She
doesn’t do that well. She likes to stay awake to play volleyball, softball, and
track…almost all of them year round it seems. If you see her, smile, she likes
that.
Quinn:
He’s in middle school. With me. And we have the same sense of humor. Neither of
us has been kicked out yet which is impressive. He is also super smart. And
plays basketball. And wants to be in drama club. He is always online with
friends. He loves animals. Probably too much. But they love him back. He helps
Abby with our foster kittens. If you talk to him, do not be manipulated into giving
us a cat. We don’t need more.
Sully:
He is at the Hartford school, a school for 4th and 5th
graders. Far away from us which is probably good for everyone. He has energy.
His weakness is also sleep. But not like Abby’s weakness. Even as I write, he
is playing basketball in his room. If it is a sport, he likes it. He plays
tournament basketball because one team wasn’t enough I guess. He does well in
school. And is super nice to all kids which is way more important than grades.
If you see him, don’t fall for his fakes. He still only goes to his right when
dribbling. The fake to the left is just a fake.
Claire:
She didn’t move to a new school building this year like most the others. Her
teachers like her so much, they kept her(but is in 2nd grade now).
They also fight over her. I think the winning teacher in the year-end drawing
gets Claire in class. She wakes up with a smile. Like I think the alarm
activates her smile function and it starts and goes all day. A little creepy.
Like a clown without the makeup. Yet. She plays a ton of softball and
basketball. If not doing a sport, she is busy with something. Her weakness is
swearing. We learned this when she called Daisy Duck a bad name. But to her
credit, Daisy Duck wasn’t wearing pants, so she was sort of right. So, yes,
Claire is smart too. And observant. If you see her, be nice, don’t make her
swear.
Reagan
and I: We’re tired. If you read this far, you can see why. We are with these 5
in about 29 different locations every week. And we both work long hours helping
others. But we both love our job and love working with not just people we can
help, but working alongside others who also like to help (and are fun to work
with). There is not a lot interesting about us other than what you have already
read. Reagan is sad to start seeing some of our ducklings leave our nest. I’m
soooo excited. Bottom line, we are proud of our kids and proud of the year they
have had.
Not a
lot more to say other than….thank you to all of you for being in our life. And
thank you for all each of you do to help others. And helping others does not
have to be some grand gesture or donating hundreds of dollars. It could be
texting/calling a friend or family member you haven’t checked in on in a while,
it could be smiling at a stranger, or it could be buying a breakfast sandwich
for the car behind you in line or the guy on the corner with a cardboard sign.
Because in any of these cases, the person you connected with may have needed
just that….human connection. Maybe that connection makes their day. Maybe it
saves their life. Maybe it doesn’t make a difference. But it does. It does make
a difference. So keep doing it. And again, thank you.
Although I started and finished this entire
letter in under 7 minutes, this letter got longer than I thought. Damn. And now
I’m swearing. Damn, Claire is influencing me. Not a bad thing I suppose….
Happy Holidays!
The Barrys (Ben, Reagan, Jackson, Abby, Quinn,
Sullivan, Claire, Gizmo, Mia, Lizzie, Nala and 2 freakishly old fish that
seriously won’t die. It is crazy actually. They literally can’t die)
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