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Holiday Letter 2025

Happy Holidays and Season Greetings everyone!

I started this letter at the beginning of December and am still finishing it the last day of the year. It’s been a busy month and a busy year.

I decided to start a side job narrating and editing books sold on Audible. I have been working with a small, independent publisher and narrate non-fiction.

We were able to get confirmation earlier this year that Vanessa has Angelman Syndrome. The confirmation does not change anything, only gives us an accurate diagnosis. Vanessa is still volunteering at a local museum one hour per week.

Logan continues through his second year at Community Based Services, the transition school Logan attends after graduating high school. Washington State changed the law a bit and he can stay through 22 years old. The old law was through age 21 years old. He is doing well and so far, has been willing to get up and go to school.

In February, my older brothers and I learned our eldest brother, Abel, had passed away. We agreed to cremate him and spread his ashes.

We took a trip to Hawai’i for my family reunion, and to inter my aunt (whom I shared a birthday) to the Buddhist temple. We stayed at the Hale Koa (thanks Rob!). We went to the beach; went to a luau (thanks Kyle and Tonya!); visited the USS Missouri and USS Arizona Memorials (thanks for the transport for both Tanya!). Jean and brothers visited family friends (thanks for the transport Tim!); and got together for a family dinner (thanks Uncle Roy!)

Some of y’all were wondering about the flooding. Yes, there was A LOT of rain from what our weather predictors call “The Pineapple Express”, where warm air pushes from Hawai’i to a north-easterly direction into the Pacific Northwest. 

Here is a map of the region I live. I live on a hill in Burien, and my work is also on a hill in Auburn. In between is a valley where the Green River meanders. The circled area is where there was flooding. There was another flood just south of Auburn caused by the White River. The flooding by the Green River caused a shutdown of SR167, a major north-south highway that we use to drive to work. Luckily, we didn’t have to go to work as our college decided to close the college for two days.

Lastly, Chris’ middle brother, Jeremy spent the New Year in the hospital with pneumonia. On that note, please listen to your body when it tells you something is not right.

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year,

The Carlsons