Easter 2026

Dear Family and Friends!

I may actually get this letter written EARLY this year. I’ll be gone over Easter which prompts me to get moving! Will see how it goes.

Are y’all feeling like it’s August already? After having one of the most lovely ABQ Autumns ever this past year, it seems we mostly skipped Winter and are maybe also skipping Spring. - Hopefully not, but the temps have been HOT. No moisture either which makes Summer look not too appealing. It’s all speculation right now, but I’m hearing about the hot and dry from so many folks. Gosh! Send the rain to dry places, LORD!

Lots of travel happened since Easter 2025 starting last June with a “sisters trip” to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I’d been there once before but in no way remembered the extravagant beauty and grandeur of the prairies, the waters, the Tetons! Jill, Jamie and I did lots of exploring, self pampering, and delicious eating. I’d go back in a minute should the opportunity arise again. (A phrase my dad and mom used to say often, “you ripped your gizz,” meaning you did something Above and Beyond, is totally applicable to Creator God where Jackson Hole is concerned. YOU ripped Your gizz, God! Bravo!)

Greg’s mom, Gloria, moved on to Heaven in July, so we were in Cartersville, GA for a few days gathering with family and celebrating her life. It was a sweet time, as so many memorials are. We always say we wish the occasion could be different, but nevertheless, being together in these tender days is significant.

September had me Tennessee bound to spend several days with Levi in Nashville. He’s lived there a couple years now and it was high-time I got to his town and did the Nash scene! (Again, another place I’d visited before but not long enough to really get the feel of the land.) - We had so much fun. Since I’ve never been one drawn to touristy places, we spent most of our days traipsing through beautiful parks and trails. LOTS of walking! Levi did treat me to some amazingly yummy meals at fav restaurants he’s discovered, and we did get to the Broadway strip one night - 1,001 girls in cowboy boots, or so Levi says! (Something like that!)

In October, Greg and I made a four day, quick trip to Breckenridge, CO to visit his very old and dear friends, Jim and Joy.  The timing was perfect to catch the Aspen changing color, causing SO MUCH yellow, and orange, and red EVERYwhere you looked. Those CO Rockies are just gorgeous!

Early December we were on a reward trip to Costa Rica for a week! Greg met a quota at his job and we had a surprise get-away; I say surprise cause we had maybe a three week heads-up. If we wanted to go, say so NOW! Well, of course, we couldn’t pass up the gift. What fun this adventure was, complete with a 15 hour driving tour where we saw so much of the country’s interior. Beautiful waterfalls, lots of wildlife - YES, SLOTHS!, cacao fields, volcanoes.- We need to go back and do the coasts next time. Just couldn’t get it all in Round One.

Which brings me to Christmas (and now the reason why I’ll be gone over Easter.)

My kids: Chad, Bree, Arlo, Scout, Colt, and Bram MOVED to Tennessee. Arrrgghhh! - We had a sweet little Christmas celebration together in ABQ, and then they all left on the 26th. Greg and I drove their second vehicle out on the 27th and helped them move into their temporary house in Columbia - one hour south of Nashville. (I never in 100 years would have thought BOTH my kids would end up in TN. The thought is about as farfetched as the Macallisters landing in New Mexico back in the day. Geez!) - Chad and Bree bought a beautiful five acre piece of property on Old Zion Road and the plan is to build a home and all the country “fixins!” - A barn, a second home for Ama & Ampa! (That’s Greg and me!) Animals, gardens, etc, etc, are on the list and it’ll be a Grand Adventure, for sure!

One more recent trip to report. Greg and I just got back from a week in California: a few days in Palm Springs at my nephew’s wedding, and a few days in San Diego with Greg’s girls, their spouses, and his grandkids. It was a packed itinerary and some pretty HOT weather there too. So good to spend time with our CA family as it doesn’t happen often enough anymore.

So. Back to NOW. I’m headed to TN next week to just BE there. I’ve missed the sweet faces, voices, snuggles, and fun of being regularly with the gkids. I’ve missed the big kids, too, and we have some fun hangs on the calendar. - This trip will be too short, I can feel it already, BUT… I’m going to retire after school is out this year and I expect life will start looking very different come June 1. - No definite plans yet, but I’ll be scheming. And praying …

And now that I’ve jotted down all the happenings of this past year, I’m filled afresh with THANKFULNESS. SO grateful that I’ve experienced an abundance of opportunity, AND ability. I know I’ve been GIVEN much.  - There have been challenges here and there; there always are, right? But God has been Faithful. I’ve had some health issues lacking a clear diagnosis. Thinking it’s Vagus Nerve related with vertigo, headaches, and typical symptoms of this loooong brain-to-bowels neural transmitter. Very inconsistent and often perplexing, but even so, !’m still going! Going, going, going!

I’m turning 67 next week. Mmmmm. I was reading a book the other day and 60 year olds were the story’s “elders.” OMGosh! That’s likely what we all thought at 18, and 23, and even 30, but WOW! I think I’m still young, or at least young-ish, but when your body starts giving you problems - irritating even if not fully debilitating - you start to think a little differently; do the important things; let go of stuff that doesn’t matter. Priorities and perspectives change and I believe it’s ALL good. I believe it’s the wisdom factor that forms with literally years of  living, and spiritually in “the fear of the Lord.” (Proverbs 9:10) To me, the two go hand in hand producing the BEST life. Revere Him, Honor Him and His Word, Follow Him, and know Peace and Joy and Abundant Life. It’s an incredible deal! :-)

Maybe since I started early, I’m feeling like I could go on and on. HA! Bad idea. - I’ll end, instead, with this rejoicing from Psalm 65: 5-8,

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

I know it doesn’t always FEEL like it, friends. Our lives, our families, our nation, and world can feel endlessly chaotic at times. TODAY even. Yet our Faithful Father sees all and His ways are for us - the creation He redeemed on the Cross. My prayer this Easter is that all would encounter Him. He’s not far off. He’s Immanuel yesterday, today, and forever.

Thank You for Your beautiful sacrifice, Jesus. Thank You for raising to New Life that we, too, might LIVE!

Love to All, Jody

P.S. Hooray! The temps have cooled as of today - Palm Sunday. Hosanna!

Easter 2025

Dear Family and Friends,

Well. Here we are. A quarter of a century in. I know I’m sounding old, but I just can’t reconcile how 25 years have passed (let alone 66). I KNOW we were just ushering in 2000 and grappling with how to navigate Y2K! HA!

I was flipping through my calendar since last year’s letter, and though I know life was full, there aren’t many big events to report. Well. Wait a minute: Bram Finney, Chad and Bree’s 4th child and my 4th grandchild was born May 16th. THAT’s pretty significant! He’s a sweet boy and it’s fun to be watching him and #3, Colt, starting to connect. The two big kids, Arlo (6) and Scout (4) are such buddies - Team One! Glad Team Two is gelling now also! - So if nothing else happened since last year, the arrival of BF is BIG and wonderful!

Oh but wait again! Greg’s oldest daughter, Laina, got married early September and we were in San Francisco for the wedding. A Big Deal! All Greg’s daughters are now married, so in several ways, the family grows. More males added!

We had quite a few visitors come see us in ABQ over the year - which is kind of unusual. Nice though! Greg’s brother, Bradley, and his wife, Marvae were here in July; cousins Jerry and Jim in October; Santa Barbara friends Glenn and Candy in October; Ventura friends Bob and Cindy in March; special friend from CA Ranch Days, Maggie over the Christmas holidays; and BEST: LEVI sprinkled in here and there. (Since he’s living in Tennessee now, he falls in the “visitor” category.)

Sticking to Levi momentarily, it was so great to have him surprise Bree for Bram’s birth. He was around helping and enjoying the fun for a week or so. He reappeared for family Thanksgiving in November and then was just here for another several days for Bree’s and my Birthdays. Took us to a great winery for celebrating and I ALWAYS treasure our threesome when it works out. GOSH, I LOVE my kids!

Levi did a big “Correspondence” 10 year Anniversary Tour September through December of last year. His conclusion: glad he did it, but too old to do it again! I guess life on the road takes more out of you at 35 than 25! - He’s surprisingly really liking TN life. Took him awhile to adjust, but I think he’ll stay put awhile there now. We’ll see.

And now Chad and Bree are contemplating a move to TN. It’s an early pursuit, but Oh My! - I’ll leave it there for now. - Meanwhile, they are busy parents doing life well with four little munchkins. Chad is still creating beautiful Southwest jewelry; Bree is still managing the administration of the hair salon she co-owns with her friend, AND homeschooling Arlo, AND doing all the MOM routine. Proud of her! - Next year she’ll homeschool Arlo and Scout, both, - etc, etc! (Did I mention the chickens?!)

Just before Thanksgiving, Greg and I took the Barela Fam to Durango to enjoy a few days of pre-Christmas fun. Such a pretty place. We hit perfect weather, did some greatoutdoor wandering, and ultimately hit the trip’s highlight - a ride on the Polar Express! So glad we made this memory together; hopefully the grandkids will actually remember it, but the adults will regardless.

Another trip we all made just recently was to Arizona where we stayed with Mark’s brothers and sisters-in-law. It’s so great that this special relationship with thE has remained over the years. I know it isn’t the norm necessarily and I’m grateful. The kids love Uncle Doug and Aunt Pat and look forward to seeing them whenever we can connect. And it’s important. Although they’re too young to know their Macallister story as yet (although a question or two has popped up now), someday they’ll want to know their Grandpa Mark more fully. Ahhhh; it’s tough to think about. - But, Praise Jesus; He’ll direct the way/conversation when the time comes.

(I’m seeing while typing that my 24-25 year produced plenty to report! HA! Never mind my opener! My sisters would agree that it was a Mom Sally deal: “I’ve been so busy, but can’t remember doing what!!” HA!)

A life glitch surfaced this year for me: I’ve been experiencing a health issue which began with Vertigo late October. Many ups and downs with varying symptoms and degrees of them. I’m still in the throes of figuring out how to resolve this “spoiler” as it’s pretty unnerving at times, and certainly distracting. Hopefully by Easter 2026 I’ll be back on a healthier track and will let you know. Prayers appreciated.

Though Greg’s job has kept him hopping, we’ve managed to enjoy a somewhat desirable routine which includes our Church participation, a monthly Dinner Party with four other treasured couples, and various other activities which pop up. I’m on Grandma Duty every Thursday - which is great - and Team One is playing TBall right now, so “Ama & Ampa” are at a the ball park once a week also! - I’m down to working two days a week at Hope school where I’ve been since 2015, and am looking to maybe be done at the end of the year when I’ll start taking my Social Security. Whaaaat??

So. As usual, I like to add something in my letters that I’ve been pondering recently. Greg and I are reading through the book of John and supplementing with a pretty in- depth commentary by Leon Morris. Per the context of John 8 (Jesus saying He’s the light of the world), a great note follows: “The Pharisees’ reaction to Jesus’ claim to be light is at base the answer men always make when they do not wish to be convinced: ‘I do not see it that way. The evidence is not sufficient to establish the claim.’ But light establishes its claim. It does so, not by arguments, but by shining. Light must always be accepted for itself, and that notwithstanding the objections of the blind.” WOW! I love this!

This Easter may you KNOW - “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” John 1:4 - Hallelujah LORD; Thank You for shining!

Blessings to ALL.

Jody

Ten Years

Ten years ago today we celebrated Mark and said goodbye publicly to Husband, Father, Son, Brother, and many other titles Mark wore amongst family, friends, and co-laborers. My kids posted a couple beautiful tributes on January 7th, - the day ascribed to his death. I waited til now, because this 2011 date seemed to seal a long, long season and, in some ways, is more prominent now in my memory than the earlier January date. ~ We miss Mark. We’ve come a long ways. We’re still processing, or maybe re-processing. On the 7th, Levi, Bree, and I visited a local winery and sat outdoors to “check in” and reminisce. “You guys okay?” “How does your heart feel today?” “Anything churning? Unfinished?” – We actually had a wonderful, healing time together. We laughed and cried and told lots of stories, - the beautiful, the goofy, the maddening, the sad. Ultimately – the thankful.

This picture is one that so captures Mark. He loved the ocean, but even more, he loved the great expanse and the horizon. He was always looking OUT: where can I go? what can I do? where can I help? I do believe that’s how most would remember him. ~ I’m thinking of him today. And though I haven’t posted in awhile and I’m just popping in for a moment, I wanted to honor Mark and thank many of YOU who were part of his journey. Some of you still reach out to me every January and I appreciate it.

My mom recently had a dream of Mark coming to visit his kids. She said he looked happier and healthier than she had EVER seen him. And he rode in on his skateboard. 😊 Hallelujah!