While this blog is basically defunct, it seemed like a good place to share this Christmas letter for those who would like to see the photos larger and in better quality. Someday I hope to 'catch up' here, but it isn't looking good right now! However, I am grateful for the record of our family that is contained here thus far.
Christmas Letter 2025
Happy New Year!
Well, here I am again, writing a holiday letter just under the wire… as long as after Christmas (but still before epiphany!) counts, I made it! ha! We hope that this season of celebration has brought light and love into your lives… and that the sorrows of life are woven with the joys into a beautiful tapestry. We have much to share with you since our last letter in December 2022. Again, those sorrows and joys do weave themselves into a beautiful existence that fills us and carries us forward with hope and deep gratitude.
2023 was a busy year with highlights including hosting the family reunion here that summer. We are super excited to get to do that again this June 2026. 2023 also saw two new additions to the family with the birth of Carlile Dean to Jackson and Brianna in April and the birth of Ethan Skye to Rachel and Stephen on Christmas Eve.
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| Maverick meeting his new little brother, Carlile |
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| Jackson, Brianna, Carlile, Maverick - April 2023 |
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| Rachel, Stephen and Ethan - Dec. 2023 |
Brianna moved to a new school in Fall 2023 - taking a position as the music teacher for Brashear where she teaches all the students from Pre-K through high school. To say that she loves the job would truly be an understatement. She has been given the gift of full support from the administrators to the parents & community at large, and has built a thriving music program that is serving every single child in the district. She has found her forever position and couldn’t be happier.
Marvin had one more eye surgery on Halloween 2023. We definitely noted (and appreciated) that his eye doctors had a sense of Halloween humor, which was a fun and good thing on a stressful day. (one surgeon entered the eye ward wearing googly eyes - it just went on from there.) :) Daddy was selected as the Grand Marshal of Truman State University Homecoming festivities in November 2023. This included riding in the parade and appearing at halftime on the football field. Jonathan, then a student at Truman State University himself, accompanied Daddy throughout the events. It was a grand time and we were so glad Daddy was able to participate.
Julie retired from Truman State University in May 2024 capping off a long and stellar career in education.
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| Julie's retirement - May 2024 |
It allows her much more freedom to visit those grand babies, which is a real bonus! In fact, she was able to make her first fast trip to the east coast in July 2024 for the birth of her 2nd granddaughter, Rosa Grace to James and Rojina, joining big sister Aasha Lee.
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| James and Rojina with Aasha and Rosa - Nov. 2024 |
In September 2025 Julie was again on the road when Anna and Matthew welcomed their first child, Mira Beth.
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| Matthew and Anna with Mira Beth - October 2025 |
In August 2024 Daddy and Marvin both received a ‘Thank You For Your Service’ honor at our local Arts Center, along with several other area veterans. Daddy was even presented with a quilt made by a local guild. It was a lovely event.
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Jackson, Daddy, Maverick, Julie
Brianna, Carlile, Laura, Marvin, Jonathan |
And then the hard part came… after a year of increasingly declining health, Daddy had a bad fall and after a couple days in the hospital was released to go home on Hospice. Our family was able to be with him around the clock and feel that it was a sacred time, but also the hardest thing we have ever been through. Thankfully, he had no pain although his body was shutting down. We are so thankful he was able to live his last days at home surrounded by his family just the way he wanted. I will never forget those days, and tear up just writing about them now. It is a hard thing for the body to die. But the moments of joy and closeness and blessing and sacredness will live with me, with all of us, forever. Daddy died on Marvin’s birthday, November 17, 2024. We smile knowing that he and Mama are reunited and yet, this world will never be the same for any of us.
2025 was not a year any of us were looking forward to. But there have been many blessings and joys woven with the sorrows - that tapestry continues, in spite of everything. In January, Jackson began the difficult work of clearing out Mama and Daddy’s house. He was then able to do some renovation prior to moving his family into the house in March. I cannot express the joy that it is to have them living ‘next door’. I say Jackson must have enjoyed his childhood because he has replicated it for his boys - they can walk down the gravel drive to their grandparents home, exactly the way Jackson and Jonathan were able to do. :) It is also a blessing that the house itself continues on… it is filled with laughter and love and all the sounds of family, just as Mama and Daddy would want.
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Carlile, Jackson, Brianna and Maverick upon
moving in to the house at Willis Creek Ranch |
Not long after their move to Willis Creek Ranch, Jackson and Brianna (and Maverick & Carlile) welcomed Willis Jay into the family (May 2025). Willis is named for Great Grandpa Willis J. and has his joyful personality - smiling constantly and (almost) always happy.
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| Welcome, Willis! |
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| Carlile, Brianna, Maverick, Jackson holding Willis |
Marvin and I continue to enjoy babysitting the boys while Brianna teaches school and Jackson works his horse business. Maverick is now in full time Kindergarten so we don’t see him as often (but have enjoyed some snow days!). However, Carlile and Willis fill our house with energy and sweetness several days per week. It helps to keep us young, we say!
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| Maverick - a new kindergartner |
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| Carlile driving his tractor |
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| GranGran and Willis |
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| cutie pie Carlile |
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| Willis enjoying his swing |
Jonathan graduated from Truman State University in May 2025 with a BS in Agricultural Science. He took a job at Home Depot for a few months while pursuing opportunities in law enforcement. He has accepted a job offer from our local police department and begins the Law Enforcement Training Institute in January with a late April graduation date. He will begin working within a day or two of graduation! This truly fulfills a life-long dream for Jonathan and we are so happy for him.
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| Jonathan graduation day - May 2025 |
Jackson continues with his work here at Willis Creek Ranch where he operates a horse breeding and training facility.
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| Jackson and Rusty, a new foal - April 2025 |
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| Jackson and Jo - Nov. 2025 |
He also serves as Vice-Chair of the Missouri Livestock Symposium Committee and spent a good part of 2025 working on the annual December two-day event. He and his good friends, Alan (Chair) and Caleb (Marketing Coordinator) put in a lot of time and effort to make it a success. This was especially satisfying because it was a year of great change and some uncertainty for the symposium, but because of their efforts the symposium should continue on.
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| Alan, Caleb, and Jackson at the Missouri Livestock Symposium |
Brianna and Maverick get to ride to school together every morning and he gets to go to music class with ‘Mrs. Mann’ just like all the rest of the (lucky) kids! Brianna teaches music/chorus and has built a band program during her tenure there that includes a 5th grade band, concert band, and marching band. She had a great joy when she realized she had a full bus-load of students heading to band competition in another town.
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Brianna and Maverick - 1st day of school photo
August 2025 |
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Jackson and his boys - 1st day of school
August 2025 |
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| Willis, Maverick and Carlile - August 2025 |
Marvin and I just enjoy our lives here at Willis Creek Ranch immensely. We are so grateful for the community that surrounds us and the love of friends and family. One of my greatest joys is sitting on my porch and seeing my grandsons running up the driveway waving and calling out ‘Grandma!’. Amazing! I enjoy deep friendships through various book clubs and my wine club ladies continue to be the most incredible support system through all of life’s ups and downs. This year we lost one of our beloved members/friends, Pam, and that hit all of us so very hard. One of the photos on the printed card is of a few of us wine club members at the local United Way kickoff event honoring Pam for her many years of service, just a few weeks after her passing. We realize how precious these friendships are and encourage the phrase ‘tell your friends you love them - make it weird!’.
So we want YOU to know, that we love you and think of you often! We hold you in our hearts and in our minds and are thankful for you and the ways our paths have crossed - whether it be recent or many years ago. It all comes together as part of that beautiful tapestry of love, loss, grace, joy and sorrow that is this one precious life. Amen.
We wish you Peace, Joy, and Love in the New Year!
Marvin and Laura - and family
I will lift up my eyes to the hills - from where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Psalms 121-1-2
Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill
the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God;
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7
Photos below going backward in time...
Christmas Eve 2025
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| Willis, Brianna, Marvin, Maverick, Jackson, Carlile, Laura |
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| Jackson and Brianna with Maverick, Carlile and Willis |
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| Maverick (5), Carlile (2), Willis (7 months) |
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| Jackson and Brianna and boys - November 2025 |
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Kerry's family - 2025
Hannah holding Ethan, Kerry, Candace, Susanna, Rachel, Stephen |
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| I love this photo of Willis in the pumpkin! October 2025 |
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Celebrating Jonathan's birthday - October 2025
Jackson, Willis, Brianna, Carlile, Julie
Maverick, Jonathan |
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| celebrating Jonathan |
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| Willis - October 2025 |
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| Carlile - October 2025 |
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Carlile and Maverick like to play 'Grandpa Jack'.
Here they are with a cane and the Grand Marshal plaque.
October 2025 |
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Our whole family celebrating Brianna - Sept. 2025
Jackson, Carlile, Jonathan, Laura, Marvin
Maverick, Brianna, Willis |
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Some of our wine club ladies - at United Way event -
honoring dear Pam - Sept. 2025 |
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Brianna, Willis, Maverick, Carlile, Jackson - how wonderful to
have them living right here at Willis Creek Ranch - Sept. 2025 |
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| Gathering of family and friends- September 2025 |
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Maverick welcoming us to Grandparents Day at his school -
September 2025 |
Photos from late August 2025 - photo shoot with special shirts following Willis's birth.
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| Maverick (the original), Willis (the finale), Carlile (the sequel) |
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| Carlile (the sequel) |
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| Maverick (the original) |
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| Uncle JonJon with Willis, Maverick and Carlile |
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| Mom and Dad with the boys |
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| Grandma and GranGran with the boys |
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| GranGran, Grandma, Dad, Mom, Maverick, Carlile, Willis |
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| Continuing the Mo State Fair tradition - thinking of Mama and Daddy - August 2025 |
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Julie's family - November 2024 (Daddy's funeral)
Julie, Anna holding Aasha, Rojina holding Rosa
Matthew, James |
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| group family photo at Daddy's funeral - November 2024 |
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Christmas 2023 - so grateful for this photo of 'Santa' with
Maverick, Aasha and Carlile |
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Daddy on the field at halftime at Truman - being introduced as
Grand Marshal - accompanied by Jonathan. November 2023 |
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Jonathan and Laura with Daddy at Truman homecoming event -
November 2023 |
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| family reunion - June 2023 |
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| Great Grandpa Jack - June 2023 |
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Great Grandpa with Aasha (Julie), Carlile, and Maverick
(these are the names on his shirt, too) |
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We did a family photo shoot with special t-shirts after
Carlile was born. June 2023 |
