{"id":31801,"date":"2021-12-17T04:34:53","date_gmt":"2021-12-17T10:34:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/?page_id=31801"},"modified":"2022-12-07T12:21:49","modified_gmt":"2022-12-07T18:21:49","slug":"christmas-2021","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/about-us\/our-christmas-letters\/christmas-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2021 Flanders Family Christmas Letter"},"content":{"rendered":"

What follows is another yearly installment in our family’s complete history told via the 2021 Flanders Family Christmas Update. To see a full listing, see Our Christmas Letters<\/a>. For tips on writing your own family history in this fashion, follow this link<\/a>. In the meantime, enjoy!<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

The Flanders Family Update: 2021<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

December 2020 Happenings<\/h3>\n

Can you believe how fast this year flew by? It seems like only yesterday our family was strolling along the Riverwalk in San Antonio gawking at all the twinkling lights and blooming poinsettias, and now it\u2019s nearly time to head that way again, as has become a favorite holiday tradition. <\/p>\n

\"December<\/p>\n

\"2020<\/p>\n

\"River<\/p>\n

During last year\u2019s trip we completed copious crafts (which kept kids happy while awaiting restaurant orders), scrutinized scads of Christmas lights (in San Antonio and surrounding cities), and spent a fun-filled evening at Fiesta Texas (via deeply discounted tickets<\/a> Jennifer found online). <\/p>\n

\"Pedernales<\/p>\n

\"High<\/p>\n

\"Holiday<\/p>\n

Samuel and Bekah Joy were unable to join us for any of our 2020 Christmas celebrations but had a great excuse for missing: Bekah delivered our thirteenth grandchild on December 16, a beautiful baby girl named Evelyn Joy.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

January 2021 Happenings<\/h3>\n

January brought enough snow for our kids to build a ginormous igloo. It was sufficiently spacious to fit a dozen people inside and was furnished with an outhouse that sported some scandalously realistic mud-pie poop in the snow-white toilet. Oh, the attention to detail! <\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Big-Igloo.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>
\n <\/strong><\/p>\n

This massive edifice remained standing, smack in the middle of TJC\u2019s soccer field, long after the rest of the snow had melted. One of our sons spotted a gaggle of groundskeepers still scratching their heads in its mammoth shadow several days later. <\/p>\n

Isaac was hired to help with science labs at TJC this year, but had to be granted a double exemption to do so, as he was only 17 and hadn\u2019t yet taken one of the classes he was asked to tutor.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

Doug celebrated National Spaghetti Day by giving a pasta-cooking lesson to the grandkids this month. <\/p>\n

\"Cooking<\/p>\n

We have an endless supply of enthusiastic kitchen helpers anytime they come to visit. They also pitch in when Jennifer makes freezer meals. Not surprisingly, they\u2019re as gung-ho about eating the food as they are preparing it!<\/p>\n

\"Kitchen<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

February 2021 Happenings<\/h3>\n

Daniel, Gabbers, and Abby joined the track team in February, so we spent the next three months chauffeuring them back and forth to out-of-town meets and practices four times a week. It was exhausting! <\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

A recent growth spurt gave Gabriel a gangling stride, but by the end of the season he learned to compensate for the added inches. At 6-ft 3, he passed Dad and several older brothers this year.<\/p>\n

\"Relay\"<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

Another winter storm, popularly dubbed Snowmageddon, gave us a brief respite from track. Unfortunately, after dumping twelve inches of cold, white powder on our city, it gave us a respite from reliable electricity and potable water, too. Even the hospital was on boil-water orders and had to melt ice to flush commodes.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"February <\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Abby<\/p>\n

The snow was too dry for building igloos but made for some super sledding, albeit short-lived. With the blackout, we had no easy way to dry wet coats, caps, and mittens, so the kids were obliged to stay in. Baby, it was cold outside!<\/em> <\/p>\n

\"February<\/p>\n

It would have been cold inside, too, were it not for the warmth our gas-powered range and fireplace provided in the form of hot soups and open flames. <\/p>\n

To pass the time, Dad read aloud by flashlight while Jennifer sorted family photos. The kids had been giving her grief because, apparently, she and Doug \u201cboth had the same haircut\u201d when they were little. <\/p>\n

\"Haircuts\"<\/p>\n

Their raucous laughter motivated Mom to update the scrapbooks, so our grandkids can someday poke fun at how peculiar their parents looked and dressed growing up, too. By the time the lights came back on she\u2019d finished 68 new pages. <\/p>\n

A couple of recent pics she\u2019ll be sure to include? The impressive fortresses our kids built with Lincoln Logs on Presidents\u2019 Day…<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

\"More<\/p>\n

… and the cute costumes they wore for Favorite Book Character Day at co-op this month (Abby won first place for her adorable rendition of Little Red Riding Hood).<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

March 2021 Happenings<\/h3>\n

March marked the end of both an era and a marriage.\ud83d\ude22 Although Jon and Matti signed a mediated settlement back in November, between holiday hours, snowstorms, and global plandemics, the divorce wasn\u2019t finalized until St. Patrick\u2019s Day, nearly two years after Matti left. <\/p>\n

We wish her well and pray she\u2019ll find the peace and contentment that have eluded her for so long. Thankfully, Jon got primary custody of all seven children, so they won\u2019t bear the brunt of their mother\u2019s unhappiness should she never find what she\u2019s looking for. <\/p>\n

\"Jon<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Game<\/p>\n

While their parents were at the courthouse, the grands ate green cuisine at Grandma\u2019s for our annual Leprechaun lunch. This year\u2019s menu included Brussels sprouts, Bartlet pears, green beans, spinach quiche, broccoli slaw, split pea soup, white grapes, kiwi, and Andy\u2019s mints.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Green<\/p>\n

\"March<\/p>\n

\"Eating<\/p>\n

We also enjoyed several fair-weather picnics in a greenbelt near our house. After loading a little wagon with snacks, lawn chairs, books, and bath towels, we\u2019d pull it down, down, down to the edge of a babbling brook for long, lazy afternoons spent reading and relaxing in the meadow or scampering in the spring-fed stream.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Gabriel<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Crochet<\/p>\n

April 2021 Happenings<\/h3>\n

April took us to Branson for a week with Doug\u2019s parents and Jennifer\u2019s mom. <\/p>\n

\"April<\/p>\n

\"April<\/p>\n

\"April<\/p>\n

Sadly, Doug spent much of that time on his cellphone. As president of his anesthesia group, he felt obliged to ferret out solutions for February\u2019s snow-vid fallout that would prove satisfactory to everyone involved. <\/p>\n

But the rest of us relished our time together: We meandered through memorial museums…<\/p>\n

\"Memorial<\/p>\n

\"Veterans<\/p>\n

…savored some sumptuous meals, saw several spectacular shows, shopped at an assortment of antique, thrift, craft, and specialty stores and celebrated three birthdays, starting with Abigail\u2019s eleventh. <\/p>\n

She requested we eat at Denny\u2019s on her special day but was overruled by someone who obviously doesn\u2019t understand how birthday dinners are supposed to work. So we ate Famous Dave\u2019s barbecue instead. Silver lining: That restaurant provided free party hats with their paper pig-faced menus printed on adjustable bands. Instant merriment! <\/p>\n

\"Abby<\/p>\n

\"Birthday<\/p>\n

We waited for the following day to dine at Denny\u2019s (despite Abby\u2019s gracious insistence that \u201cthis is Mom\u2019s birthday\u2014she should pick!\u201d). Not only is our youngest daughter thoughtful, she is hyper-observant (making it nearly impossible to surprise her) and has a phenomenal memory, too. <\/p>\n

\"Abigail\"<\/p>\n

Mom read George Orwell\u2019s Animal Farm aloud to the children this spring, and the next time we visited Jennifer\u2019s mom in Mesquite, Abigail took Nana\u2019s barnyard set, arranged the animals in a scene from the book, called them all by name, and reviewed the ever-evolving rules the pigs painted on the side of the barn: \u201cFour legs good, two legs baaaaad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Abby<\/p>\n

Rachel finished her first semester of nursing school and had a (virtual) white coat ceremony this month. Those of us who were out of town cheered her on over Zoom, but her older siblings were on hand to help her celebrate in person.<\/p>\n

\"April<\/p>\n

\"April<\/p>\n

\"Three<\/p>\n

When Rachel isn\u2019t studying, you can find her flexing her dry sense of humor, cooking (she learned to make homemade tamales and macarons this year\u2014two time-consuming but tasty treats)…<\/p>\n

\"Rachel<\/p>\n

\"Rachel<\/p>\n

\"Tamale<\/p>\n

\"Tamales\"<\/p>\n

\"Macarons\"<\/p>\n

…doing artwork (she earned a tri-color for one of her watercolors at the fair this fall), or attending Bible study (she served on the leadership team at Boathouse this summer). <\/p>\n

May 2021 Happenings<\/h3>\n

Isaac graduated high school in May (meaning Mom is now 75% finished with homeschooling). <\/p>\n

\"May<\/p>\n

After spending spring break on a mission trip in Dallas, he took a job at Chick-fil-A (everybody\u2019s favorite), walked a couple of friends through the tedious process of creating Mandalorian costumes from scratch (his helmets keep getting better and better), and transferred to UT Tyler, where he continues to chip away at his pre-dental requirements. <\/p>\n

\"Isaac<\/p>\n

Samuel and Bekah drove up from Houston to attend Isaac\u2019s commencement exercises, and David and Bonnie flew in from Hawaii. <\/p>\n

\"Paddleboat\"<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Mom<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Paddle<\/p>\n

\"Paddle<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Benjamin-on-Paddleboard.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>
\n <\/strong><\/p>\n

That means everyone was here for family photos except Jon\u2019s kids, who were spending Mother\u2019s Day weekend with Matti. <\/p>\n

\"Flanders<\/p>\n

\"May<\/p>\n

Also joining us for lunch on Mother’s Day: Larry and Judy Pilgrim and Dale and Wendy Beckham. Professor Pilgrim taught biology to all nine of our older children (most of whom had Mrs. Beckham for lab). But he retired this spring, before our younger three ever had the privilege of sitting under his instruction, so we\u2019re glad they got to hear him expound on the marvels of creation around the dinner table, however briefly.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Beckhams\"<\/p>\n

We finished the month with a short trip south where we heard Dennis Prager and the Benham brothers speak at a homeschool conference in The Woodlands.<\/p>\n

\"Homeschool<\/p>\n

\"May<\/p>\n

We also visited Samuel\u2019s family in Houston, doing our best to beat his record (25 sec) on a timed obstacle course at Colonial Park.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Obstacle<\/p>\n

\"Obstacle<\/p>\n

And we still made it home in time for a piano recital on Sunday (though one of our kids was wishing we hadn\u2019t).<\/p>\n

June 2021 Happenings<\/h3>\n

We gained a new daughter-in-law and two new grandkids when Haley Latham and her children, Gavin and Kennedy, joined our family this summer. Jon started dating Haley in April, proposed in May, and married her in June. <\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"June<\/p>\n

If that seems sudden to you, join the club. Our thoughts on the timing of this marriage were akin to a friend\u2019s snarky reaction when Jon told her the news: \u201cThat\u2019s what I love about you, Jon\u2014you’re always so careful to think things through and avoid rash decisions!\u201d <\/p>\n

Hasty or not, we all love Haley and appreciate her stable, nurturing spirit and the freedom her presence in Kilgore has afforded the rest of the family. No more 2 AM drives back to Tyler for Jennifer after Jon gets home from work! <\/p>\n

\"Jon<\/p>\n

While the happy newlyweds went on their honeymoon, their children accompanied Grandma and Grandpa on a quick trip to New Orleans. We hiked to Jackson Square, dined on warm beignets and cold muffulettas, rode streetcars and a steamboat…<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Streetcar\"<\/p>\n

\"NOLA<\/p>\n

… explored a nature preserve, spotted several alligators, toured a rice mill and an offshore oil rig… <\/p>\n

\"Rice<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

…and built a bunch of pillow forts back at our hotel, until a grandchild discovered a 9mm Glock hidden under a sofa cushion, and we had to call security to come retrieve it. <\/p>\n

Finding that pistol was \u201cthe scariest thing that ever happened\u201d for some of the children\u2014and \u201cthe most exciting\u201d for others. For the adults, it served as a reminder to remain vigilant. Good thing we brought Benjamin and Mikayla along to help run herd on little ones! <\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

\"June<\/p>\n

\"Mik<\/p>\n

Ben has always been a master at inventing group games and making sure everyone has fun and gets plenty of exercise, but lately Mik\u2019s become a pro at entertaining grandkids, too.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Balancing-Game.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>
\n <\/strong><\/p>\n

She often keeps her nieces and nephews while both parents are working and uses her time with them to conduct cool science experiments, do crafts, and help with homework. <\/p>\n

\"Mikayla<\/p>\n

July 2021 Happenings<\/h3>\n

Joseph regaled us with dad jokes for ten to fifteen minutes in July before we realized he was trying to tell us something. Our ecstatic Emi is expecting! Her infectious laughter was ringing off the walls by the time we finally figured out grandbaby #16 is on the way.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

Samuel and Bekah moved back to Tyler this summer, and we\u2019re thrilled to have them so close! <\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

Samuel is thriving in anesthesia. Hardly a day goes by that Doug doesn\u2019t hear from multiple colleagues about how impressed they are with \u201cthe latest model,\u201d whom they\u2019ve affectionately dubbed Flandersson<\/em> and consider an upgrade. <\/p>\n

\"Samuel's<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

Doug is happy to share the love, especially since Nathan returns the favor. Samuel jokes, \u201cI thought my son would adore me the way I adore Dad, but no, he just adores Dad, too!\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n

\"Nathan<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

Nathan isn\u2019t the only grandchild to feel that way, either. When David accidentally left his Apple watch at home one day this month, his four-year-old found it and used it to dial Doug at work: \u201cHi, Opa? This is Gwen! I miss you, so I just called to chat!\u201d <\/p>\n

Bonnie didn\u2019t discover her daughter\u2019s deed until the two had already enjoyed a nice little visit.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

Jon and Haley bought our van this month. Granted, they need it more than we do at this point, but the sell prompted an identity crisis for Jennifer, who hardly feels like herself driving an economy car. <\/p>\n

Bright side: The smaller vehicle gets better gas mileage and is easier to maneuver around tight turns in the drive-thru lane at Whataburger. <\/p>\n

After tutoring Med\/Surg all summer, Rebekah took a course in special populations this fall, which enabled her to do clinicals with Doug (a treat for both) and also prompted a lot of great conversations with professors and fellow students alike (think Socratic method: Bekah not only puts the \u201cB\u201d in boldness, she puts the \u201cB\u201d in subtle, too).<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"Bekah<\/p>\n

\"Bekah<\/p>\n

Our dear friends, the Halberstadts, invited us to co-host a Family Olympics Extravaganza with them mid-month. <\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

We staged races, relays, water-balloon tosses, cherry pit spitting, tug-of-war, watermelon eating contests, and a knock-out tournament. <\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

Competition was stiff, but Abby got first place in hula hooping, Ben won the uphill run, and Mikayla took top honors in girls pushups. <\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

\"Family<\/p>\n

We all had a fabulous time. Bonus: Our immune systems got a workout, too. I\u2019m not sure if this would rightly qualify as a super-spreader event, but several in our family did succumb to the delta variant a week later. Happily, our only symptoms were fever, sweats, and chills\u2014and after sleeping for three days straight, we felt as good as new. <\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

August 2021 Happenings<\/h3>\n

Once our quarantine was complete, we drove back up to Big Cedar to do all the stuff we missed (or the octogenarians weren\u2019t interested in doing) on our last visit: ropes courses, go-karts, a lazy river, etc. <\/p>\n

\"Lazy<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Jennifer Flanders (@flanders_family)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n