Christmas 2024
We are grateful for another good year. We live in a multigenerational household with our youngest daughter, Emily, and Dave’s parents, Jerry and Rita. We are glad our family can be together and enjoy sharing meals and holidays.
Julie continues to work in the capacity of a rural carrier at the local post office. She has found it rewarding to serve her community and get to know her neighbors. This is the busy season for the delivery folks and many people find it convenient to order online.
Julie reached a milestone birthday this past November, turning 60. She was diagnosed with breast cancer early in 2024 and had surgery and completed radiation treatment in April 2024. The doctors have given her good reports post-treatment. In February 2025, she will have a return visit with her oncologist and is hopeful for another good report.
Dave is a psychologist at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He works in the primary care department with the physicians and nurses. When a primary care team believes a patient may benefit from mental health treatment, Dave provides care the same day. For many patients, brief therapy will meet the need. For patients with more complex needs, Dave will connect them with the mental health department.
Dave has been much healthier this year than the past few years. He started bicycling this summer. The climate in NC is mild and bicycling is a fun hobby.
Amanda and Will have been married for 3 years. They live about 20 minutes away from us. Will has recently sold his business. He continues to provide consultation for the new owner. Amanda is an attorney and works remotely for a law firm that is based in New York. Amanda had a work conference in Italy this year. She and her husband were able to spend some vacation time there after the conference and had a great time.
Emily is single and lives with us. She currently works for Goodwill Industries. She is considering career options. She applied for a job at a nuclear power plant and was hired, but is still waiting for HR to finish the hiring process. It is a secure facility and has a very complex hiring process. If that job does not work out, she is considering a career in aviation fabrication.
Dave’s parents, Jerry and Rita, visit Matt and Katherine (Dave’s brother and sister-in-law) in Montana a few times per year. They also visit family in Michigan, but don’t travel often. Dave’s dad stays busy with home renovation projects and his mom enjoys staying in touch with loved ones and visiting them when she can. They both enjoy playing with their 3 Great Pyranees dogs.
