There is so much to say that I don't know how to say. So I am going to hold off on that till I am in a place where I can articulate our thoughts and feelings on life in this world right now and just talk about our holidays. 

Like I said last post, we, along with many others worldwide spent our Thanksgiving just us in our little home. This was originally also our plan for Christmas, and bc of that we continued, business as usual, with fun holiday activities at home [like decorating cookies, Hannukuh with Becca, sledding and snow women building, etc] . 




[Rugelach and coloring pages while we watched/listened to Becca light to Menorah.]









[sledding and building our snow women, Naomi. She is very loved![
















[We went to some really fun ice castles and we had a blast exploring, sledding and sliding and getting some time together one weekend!]

The situation changed however as some serious health concerns came up for some of our close family members. I don't know if anyone remembers, but around this same time last year [pre pandemic if you can remember those far off days...] we found out my Grandma Hanaike had cancer and her days were limited. And in that time of us trying to decide if/how to make it home in time to see her one more time, she passed on. To be clear, I am grateful that I don't necessarily feel guilty or unsettled about it- we all understand what it is to have lifes demands, like finances or time constraints still existing even when it feels they shouldn't, and I have made peace with it. But I do know that if I could do it over again and get there 2 days sooner to hold her hand or say bye, thanks for being around for my life I would. 

Almost like deja vu, that chance seemed to be happening again for us in a few different ways. As we considered this, we also considered the rarity of Lester's schedule, the presumed immunity we had having had COVID previously, [making the risk lower than it will be for possibly a while] and our finances aligning to make it a possibility. That said, when looking at the data in CA and across the US, we felt deeply concerned and conflicted about it. In the end, after much thought, discussion between us and our parents, research on the current guidelines and rules, and even some prayer, we did end up deciding to take this chance and go home for Christmas. 

So, after a day of 14 surgery's for Lester at work, and alot of prep from me and the kids at home, we packed up our van and let the kids open 2 presents from us the night before, and then left around 5:00AM Christmas Eve to make the 14 hr drive [again, to avoid the risk of planes] to CA. It was long, but I will say that I am always impressed with how our kids handle the long road trips we occasionally take, and they were champs. 








The entire visit, we stayed between our families two houses with the occasional outside, socially distanced activities. And even though there were so many friends and loved ones we wished we could have seen as well, it was a wonderful visit and we can't wait till next time when we can see them in person. Every day we were there Lester and I got to spend some quality one on one time with my Grandma [who now lives w my parents] and hear stories about her life growing up in Pocatello [where Lester is currently stationed], compare opinions on the world right now and laugh about old memories and things to come. All while our kids were having the time of their lives with my parents, Luke and Sam and their Last cousins. We got to enjoy lots of delicious food eating out and at home. We got time with my in-laws, like with my MIL teaching Isla chess, and my FIL making daily pan de sol and hot chocolate for the kiddos, and playing on the floor with them. We got to visit with my BIL's and SIL who lived there and have movie and game nights. We got to breathe in the salty beach air at least once every day, whether it was just to play in the sand and waves or walk on trails alongside cliffs or forests. We got to drive past our old haunts, and do multiple curbside pick ups of our favorite foods that are literally unheard of here in Idaho and it was good for the soul [things like Mixt, Dandelion twice bc DUH, Souvla, Mexican food, Xiao Long Bao, Artiscault, Loving Cup, Schuberts etc]. We got to be there for my sisters bday, and I got to cook Napoleta style pizzas, play cards, watch movies and talk with my brother. We got to go on night time walks to see lights in the Golden Gate Park with the Last's, bake and do crafts like gingerbread houses with my Mom and Dad, and have endless cousin time. We had dance parties with Grandpa and Avonlea, and Lester and the kids did a tandem bike ride on the Presidio. And the amount of presents that we got to unwrap, from immediate to extended family and friends, ranging from the sentimental to the material, was truly amazing. And we even got to give a few presents out ourselves, including a family coloring book with 'multicultural' crayons for our range of colors in our family haha, and rock crayons. In the end, we felt impressed to go, even despite our feeling conflicted. And the reasons that we went, some of them listed here and some of them too private and sacred to post, were clear by the end of the trip, which I am very grateful for. 

































































On our way home, we decided to alter our route and drive through Utah so we could get a quick New Year's Eve visit with our Dobbins family [who we had previously had the virus with and had immunity as well]. It was supposed to be a short trip, less then 24 hrs-and even on our way there, we were once again questioning our reasoning in making the detour. We had no other reason then we felt like we should, so we trusted our instincts again. But literally less then 2 or 3 hours after arriving and getting settled in, my sister [who at the time was 35 weeks pregnant] came out of the room to tell us her water had broken! After confirming that she was not in fact joking haha, she and her husband left for the hospital while the rest of us held it down with her 3 kids and celebrated a monumental start to a New Year drinking cider, making wishes with grapes, watching fireworks from the windows and making as much noise as we could. The next afternoon, their beautiful baby girl had arrived, and we got to spend another day or two letting our kids entertain each other while we for once got to help others and hold it down there while they remained at the hospital. Because she was so early, so many small miracles happened-for one, baby was extremely healthy and avoided a NICU stay, as did her Mom in a fairly good recovery! Also, the original people they had planned to watch their kids were out of town...and it just so happened that bc we were there, we could fill that role easily and happily, without too much inconvenience for us or them. It felt like the stars had aligned, and I am so grateful we trusted our guts and went. 




Honestly, sometimes life just doesn't make sense. More now then ever I would say. And sometimes that is in fun ways, sometimes in super rough ways. But for this trip-so many things that shouldn't have made sense did in the end, and I am so so grateful that we went. Now that we are back, we are trying to get our baby to stay in for at least a few weeks more, and then get ready for her debut! The kids are keeping up with their school studies, and Lester is working hard at the hospital, and in between we are playing with presents, cooking & baking and just trying our best to live in this place that feels so foreign haha,. Its been a hard year of lots of important growth, for most I think. But we are excited for this new one and the blessings it already has, and will bring. Hope everyone else holidays, be they quiet and small, or large and loud, were filled with beauty, hope, love and joy. And if not, that they will have all those things coming their way now with this fresh start. Love to you all. 










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