2023 Keeley Family Newsletter
๐ตThe wheels on the bus went round and round this year. Round and round, round and round. The Keeleys on the bus went up and down. All through the year. ๐ต
๐ตThe accountant on the bus will tell you that for every tax problem there is a solution that is straightforward, uncomplicated, and wrong. ๐ต
Sam received his Bachelors in Accounting from USU, secured a job and will begin his Master's degree after tax season. He's still the king of board games.
๐ตAnden i bussen sagde kvak kvak kvak.๐ต
Kate (15) decided to learn Danish. She's been studying it daily for over two years with an app on her phone. She also did robotics, weight lifting, baseball (first girl to pitch for her school!), and started driving.
Katie's always been a bit of an odd duck in the very best way; she once even wrote a personal manifesto poem around a silly duck hat she wears. Basically, she's a smart STEM girl with her own quirky style; take her or leave her.
We decided to take her: to Denmark. We (7 of us) had a glorious trip; visited old churches, Tivoli park, viking museums, the beach, LegoLand, and the Lego House. There we bought Katie a Lego House Exclusive model DUCK signed by its creator. How cool is that!?!
๐ตThe Ladies on the bus go wah, wah, wah. Nah. ํ๊ตญ ๋ฐฐ์ฐ๋ค์ด ๋๋ฌด ์น์ํ๋ค! ๐ต
In yet another chapter of "You Can't Make This $#:! Up," Becky was diagnosed with breast cancer. She mostly recovered in time for the court date from the auto crash, which was completely exhausting. November brought her first run-in with COVID. She's very resilient.
She also watched about a zillion Korean shows with the ladies in her club, had monthly culinary adventures with our niece Mari, and wrote her weekly newsletter. She can't keep a secret to save her life, and the kids have been merciless when Becky revealed a plot ending and ruined a surprise. It's been fun to have her here for many reasons, but one of the best is that we have seen family whom we normally wouldn't.
๐ต The naturalist on the buszzzzzz…๐ต
Liz has also shown a lot of resilience this year. She possibly found THE migraine medicine and was feeling so much better until she also got stupid COVID…
Liz has an actual greenhouse in her room for her pet plants, and she spent her waking daylight hour(s) outside in the garden this year with her herbs. Becky’s cat Shiloh has decided that fresh
catnip is the BEST! Liz's still the animal whisperer and has taught Rocco to "Trick or Treat." She's an excellent groomer when she feels good enough to do it. There's a neighbor dog that can't walk past our cul-de-sac without dragging our good friend Lynne to our door to see if Liz is available for a visit.
๐ตThe senior on the bus goes in and out.๐ต
It was so fun to spend time with Patty (17) in Denmark! We've rarely seen her otherwise, as she's been with friends, played soccer, basketball or track. She (sometimes with June) watched every episode of Bluey this year! Patty will attend UVU and has been preparing to go to the temple and serve a mission after graduation this spring.
๐ต The doer on the bus went swish, swish, swish! ๐ต
Once again Sarah had an amazing year with her art, music, game design, animation, writing, math mentoring, sewing, wisdom, grace, and humor. She’s attending UVU and hoping to do an internship next fall. She spent a lot of time, thought and money on her first tattoo, and used the event as an excuse for a nice mother-daughter get-away. It’s beautiful, just like she is.
๐ตThe Mommies on the bus go, "sh, sh, sh!"๐ต
is June's (1 ½) favorite part of the song that's been on repeat since about February. When I asked Alexa how many times it has played that specific song this year there was a pause, crackle, and then the little cylinder exploded.
Junie loves ducks, meow-meows, baking, eating, playing in water, being outside, the moon, riding in laundry baskets, and playing "open it" with Christmas presents (a game Grandma taught her.) She's considerably cuter and smarter than any other child, probably. The night she was dancing and singing, ๐ต"Grandma, grandma, grandpa, grandpa" ๐ตon our bed during a slumber party misnamed, we changed our will and deeded everything over to her.
๐ตใในใฎ่ป่ผชใฏใใใใๅใ๐ต
Andrew and Rashi are great parents and are excelling in everything else they do.
They enjoyed a trip to Japan last fall, leaving Junie with her Abuelita and then us, which was very wise. They're welcome to travel anytime, as long as Mayli and Dailen are willing to take the night shift. (They usually do.)
๐ต The wheels on the mower go round and round ๐ต
Mayli and Dailen Ferguson have been spinning their wheels at school (UVU) and work. Dailen's lawn care business has been very successful, and Mayli’s just started an online business selling care packages. She's been working full-time as a nanny and provides a lot of respite care for Becky. They're longing to adopt a baby; either privately or through foster care. Please spread the word.
๐ตThe quality of mercy on the bus is not strained๐ต
Anna's (13) middle school group and the school both won first place at the Shakespeare festival in Park City. She's got great friends, a shiny new mouth full of money (braces), and is Junie's favorite toy.
๐ต There's no sleeping grandpa on this bus ๐ต
Paul's not even on the bus – he continued to work from home, but rode his bike into the office a couple of times a week. He's still programming for Find a Grave at Ancestry.com when he's not building batting cages at the HS, helping the robotics team, or cheering at one of Patty's games. He's been teaching a lively class of five year-olds at church.
Paul and a friend went on a week-long hike last summer, and they're looking forward to an 80 mile jaunt through the mountains in 2024. It sounds like my version of hell…I'm
๐ต The grandma on the bus! ๐ต
It's my (Jeri) favorite thing to be. Oh, the joy!
I'm so happy that everyone has been safe, well, and nearby. It hasn't always been this way, and there are no guarantees, so this window of time is a gift. I’ve been using this relatively crisis-free chapter to do some trauma healing. My goal is to improve my health, see the humor in life, and start writing again. Every day I've experienced God's love and grace, and for that I'm so very grateful. I witness that He loves us and we are His children. We can depend on Him.
We're thinking about you as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and blast this crazy-bus careening into 2024.
๐ตAll through the town ๐ต
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Keeleys and Fergusons
