Dear Santa - An Open Letter to 2019

Dear Santa,

Another year has come to pass and once again I find myself penning (well, typing, actually) another message your way.  This year has been filled with various ups and downs, but I seem to be on my feet as we approach Christmas, so that is nice.  How are you doing up at the North Pole?  I'm still waiting to hear if climate change has reached your workshop yet.  I certainly hope you are staying afloat of things, both figuratively and literally.

The capitol building in Austin, TX

This year has been quite the eventful year with plenty that has left us feeling both rewarded and exhausted.  Sarah and I started off the year with a short anniversary trip to Austin.  Neither of us had ever been before and we thought it was important that we experience the capitol of our beloved state firsthand.  Needless to say, the town lived up to its motto of "Keep Austin Weird."  I kept thinking to myself that someone had spilled some San Francisco on my Texas.  Either way, we had a nice weekend to ourselves away from the kids.

They truly are magical

We have discovered many things about Texas that we really enjoy and tried to fill the year with as many fun activities as we could.  Our friends were kind enough to gift us with some tickets to see the Magical Winter Lights down south of us.  It was the start to many fun adventures during the year.

Camping at Sea Rim State Park

I have tried my best to take my kids camping as often as I can.  I feel like it gives them a chance to unplug from the electronic lifestyle they've grown accustomed to and to just enjoy being kids.  Someone once said that my generation may be the last ones to go and play outside.  I fear they may be right.  Although if my kids tried playing outside in our current climate nine months out of the year they'd probably get heatstroke... 

Huh?  How did that happen?

So in February we discovered that we had an unexpected stowaway from our getaway to Austin.  Sarah and I had been debating on having a fourth child, seeing as we were already exhausted with the three we had.  However, it seems like the universe had different plans for us.  It was an unexpected, yet welcomed surprise.  When Sarah told me about it, I was just getting out of the shower.  I was so surprised that for the next half hour, I forgot to put any underwear on.

This is where the magic happens

I wanted to thank you profusely for last year's present: the 3D printer.  I have made an embarrassingly large proportion of things out of it and it never gives me any guff.  It's nice to be able to have the capacity to bring my digital creations to life and hold them in the palm of my hand. 

One of my favorite things about Houston

This year we were able to host one of my friends from my teenage years and her daughter as we explored the many things that Houston has to offer.  One of the things we did was take them to the Houston Rodeo and Livestock Show, which is the one of the largest rodeos in the world.  It's always fun for me to go and spend time with my family looking at all the exhibits and vendors there.  I think it's important to appreciate the hard-working jobs that got us to where we are today.  Being a cowboy certainly isn't something I wanted to do as a kid, but I certainly love the idea as an adult.

Bulldog bliss

I'm sort of a stingy parent when it comes to animals in the house.  Although I did have hamsters and a dog growing up, I have come to realize how convenient it is to not have pets.  Ergo, I have tolerated being a pet-sitter.  One frequent visitor we have to the house is Philly the bulldog.  To be honest, she's about as hard to sit as a potted plant, but we still love her.  

Furry friends

My kids also got the experience of caring for a pair of guinea pigs and learned just how skittish they can be.  Oddly enough, during the entire time, I was the only one that ever got bitten.

Not a pet

One of the things we did this year that has paid off is that we actually bought a membership to a museum.  The Houston Museum of Natural Science is one of my favorite places to visit in Houston.  There are so many exhibits to explore, but I have to admit that my favorite one is the gemstone exhibit.  It's so fascinating to me to see how things naturally form.  Change one chemical and, poof, you've got a completely different structure.

Probably the best student out of the three

One of the things we did in anticipation for the upcoming summer trip was to enroll the kids in swim school.  I was very impressed with what the teachers were able to do with my kids and, although not all of them can do laps, they at least know enough to be safe around water.

Hiking the river in Capitol Reef

This summer Sarah and the kids left me in Houston to go visit family out in Utah and Idaho.  There were plenty of adventures for them out there and I was able to take part with them eventually.  We hiked in Capitol Reef, explored Craters of the Moon National Monument, enjoyed a day at Lagoon, had a family reunion, and enjoyed some quiet time at Fish Lake.  With a pregnant mother, we probably did way more than we should have, but at this point, I hope to give them as many positive memories of childhood as I can.

They were crack shots

I've been trying to make sure my kids were exposed to the same sort of rugged activities I was as a kid, in part because I don't want them to be afraid of the world.  This summer I started them off on learning about firearms and firearm safety.  With all the unfortunate tragedies in this country over the past year, I wanted them to learn firsthand how to respect their second amendment rights.  They were both crack shots once I got them onto a modern firearm and they had loads of fun.

This is why you break the board the first time

One of the things we've also enjoyed this year is doing taekwondo together as a family.  Our city recreation center has a deal where the entire family can train for only $25 a month.  We started the kids earlier in the year and once Leah had advanced into the beginners class I decided to join her.  I figured I could go and watch her do lessons while I sat around or else I could join in the fun and get some exercise.  I haven't regretted a moment of it and have had lots of fun getting back into martial arts.  I did karate as a child, but never got up to my black belt.  Now I'm on a track where I can do it together with my family.

It was good to see a smile

In spite of all the fun things we experienced this year, there has been some real trials.  This past summer my dad started getting unexpected back pain which progressed into him being completely incapacitated.  They eventually diagnosed him with a bacterial infection in his spine and also a misalignment of his SI joint, but they took their sweet time doing so. It was the first time in my life that I've seen my dad completely disheartened.  This year he was also going to turn 80, and we wanted to have a fun family celebration for him.  However, since Sarah was due to give birth around his birthday, we decided it would be better to have a smaller surprise celebration with him around Labor Day.  So myself and all my brothers sneakily got to Utah and surprised him as he was sitting in his recliner.  It was a tender moment to see my dad realize that he had a lot of close personal support in spite of the pain that he had been facing.  He's nowhere near fully recovered right now, but we think he's finally on a track to getting back to normal.  He lost a lot of strength during those months he was incapacitated, so now he's got the hard task of doing physical therapy to regrow some muscle.

Passing on the knowledge

This entire ordeal sort of drove home to me how important my family is.  I have plenty of friends who don't have their parents around anymore.  I feel fortunate that my parents are around still and able to do what they have been able to do.  Most importantly I am grateful that they have a chance to interact with my kids.  I hope they form some long-lasting memories of their grandparents.

Goofballs

Speaking of my kids, they both frustrate and thrill me to death.  I constantly struggle to keep up with the messes they make and also their boundless enthusiasm for life.  The oldest three thankfully are all old enough to play Minecraft together (even though Lucy has very little idea what she is doing), so they can enjoy being collectively creative.  They play together more than they play with other kids, which is quite a contrast to how I grew up.

First day jitters

It's quite rewarding to see them support and love each other.  I really have been blessed with good kids, even though they sometimes are too much for me to handle.

Little Leah Lou

My little Leah Lou isn't so little anymore.  It has been fun to see her start to grow into being a young woman.  She has a tender heart and cares for everyone in the family.  I've seen her maternal instinct kick in on more than one occasion (especially as it relates to her baby brother) and I know she is on a good path.  This year she started participating in the gifted and talented program at her school, which she was hoping for.

A happy day for all

This year Leah also made the decision to be baptized, which she has been looking forward to all year long.  It was a very happy day for us, especially since both her grandmas were able to come to witness it.  Even though we were far away from family, we were blessed to be joined on that day by countless friends that we have here in Texas.

Ground control to Major Tom...

 My oldest boy certainly keeps us on our toes.  One of the things he certainly doesn't lack is courage.  My boy isn't afraid of being social to anyone.  In fact, I think he'd be comfortable living with another family every day if you let him.  He loves people, inventing things, reading, writing, and playing Minecraft.  Although he often taxes my patience with his lack of focus, he surprises me with his creativity and drive.  He started first grade this year and has continued his participation with the gifted and talented program at school.

I think this would be more appropriately referred to as a "sleepless study"

Can you double check for me to make sure that Sean is still on the "Nice List"? The reason I ask is because he has manifested some more behavior problems both at home and at school this year.  The thing is that he doesn't fit the bill as a kid with ADHD as he can have laser focus on a task and obsession with it, almost to the extreme.  Anyway, we recently had a sleep study done, as we think he just might not be getting enough quality sleep at night.  We're still waiting to hear back from the doctor's office, but we hope we can get some help for him.  Sean is a sweet-hearted kid with a tender soul.

Probably the most photogenic of the kids

Where to begin with Lucy?  She is sweet, kind, and loving to the extreme.  This girl loves to be creative, whether is be coloring, playing with clay, painting, or building with blocks.  She was supposed to start Pre-K 3 this year, but due to a change in district policy, she wasn't able to.  That really made her discouraged, but in the meantime she has been participating in speech therapy at the elementary school and a preschool group with friends.

Merry Christmas!

Lucy just wants to be one of the big kids and is constantly trying to show how capable she is to us and her siblings.  She just wants to be involved and is learning (sometimes through struggles) that it pays to be a helper in life.

My Mal Pal

At last we come to Malcolm.  He joined our little family on October 3rd of this year and has been an exhausting blessing ever since.  I can't say much about his activities aside from the fact that he eats, sleeps, and poops.  We are getting more and more smiles from the little guy every day and I can't begin say how much of a relief it is to have such a mellow baby as our last one.  I'm excited to see how this little guy develops.

Making a person is hard work, y'all

As for Sarah, I think this picture sums up her life perfectly.  For almost the past year she's been attached in one way or another to this little guy and has managed to somehow care for the other children along the way.  She spends most of her time caring for others, whether is be volunteering at the elementary school or serving her friends.  A lot of the time I know she is exhausted at the end of the day with the prospect of another full day ahead in the morning.  She continues to amaze me at how much she cares for others and how willingly she offers up her time to help out those she cares for.

Still working at "Space Disneyland"

As for me, I'm still chugging along at life.  This year at work has been relatively successful.  I had the fortune on many occasions to show my management the full range of my capabilities.  I feel like it has lead me on a path that could lead to better employment opportunities down the road.  In the meantime, I still make fun things at NASA Johnson Space Center.  A lot of things I make get international exposure, which is nice to see.

 Maclunkey

In my spare time I've tried to keep my hobbies up.  I recently decided to start doing a simplified version of Dungeons and Dragons for my kids to help them understand about cooperative storytelling and improvisation.  So far that has been a big hit and I look forward to having many adventures for them in the future.  I still love doing virtual reality and am anticipating the day when things get so immersive that I forget where I really am.  There are too many fun things that I wish I could do.  With the new baby, however, I have a lot less time on my hands than I used to.

 Literal footage of me versus my mental health

There is one last thing I wanted to mention, Santa, that I have been reluctant to talk openly on the about in years past.  I've been open to friends in private conversations and I've discussed this openly with my church congregation.  But I think a lot of people I know would be surprised (or maybe not) to learn that I've struggled with depression for most of my life.  I really didn't recognize/acknowledge that I had it until I was about 34 years old.  Looking back I've realized that it's been with me in one form or another since I was a child.  I finally sought help for the problem when I was on the verge of a mental breakdown and I realized how badly I was hurting my wife and my kids.  After talking openly about it with family members, I was surprised to find that many other individuals in my family had the same issues.  Turns out the problem has persisted from generation to generation and I just happened to be one of the unlucky ones who got the passed the depression/anxiety genes. 

I only mention this because some of my friends that read this open letter may be thinking to themselves, "Gee this guy seems to have it all together," when in fact most days lately I'm struggling to make it through the day.  Even taking an SSRI, I have to be careful about making sure I get enough sleep, otherwise I start going downhill fast.  And with a new baby that needs to be taken care of in the middle of the night, a lot of old demons that I thought were gone have begin to show their faces again.  It's been extremely hard and there have been days where I've gotten up from the dinner table while the kids have been misbehaving and gone straight to bed.  I've been frustrated with all the weight gain I've had, especially after losing so much in years past.  However, when you feel horrible every second of the day, you do whatever (no matter how irrational) to make yourself feel "good".  And, you know what?  Chocolate and cheese make me feel "good".

Anyway, I struggle to remind myself that my body isn't acting rationally and that my thinking is being affected by my whacked out body chemistry.  It's hard to see in the moment, but I try to hold onto the times when things seem "okay".  I have plenty of friends that struggle with the same problems I do and I hope they know that they don't struggle alone.  I know what it's like to have every moment at church be mired in pain.  I know what it's like to be to so riled up from depression that you just want to cause yourself pain to relieve the pressure.  I know what it feels like to just not want to be alive (not suicidal, mind you, but just wishing life itself would end so you would be free of the pain).  Others I know and care about struggle with this to a varying degree, and I would hope that they know they aren't all by themselves.

I would just hope that those who are struggling are able to take a moment in the times when things are "okay" and realize just how strong they are.  I often have to remind myself how much I accomplished in spite of my struggles with mental illness: I was often in leadership positions in high school, I was an accomplished guitar player, I participated in international science fair, I served a mission for my church, I was at the top of my industrial design program at BYU, I obtained my masters degree, married a wonderful woman, and obtained a job where I regularly meet people who have been to outer space.  I have to remember that I've accomplished quite a bit in spite of my mental illness, and for that I am grateful.  I know for some people getting up in the morning is an accomplishment and for that I sincerely applaud you.  Just know that there's one person in Texas that is rooting for your success, no matter how big or small.

In speaking of one rooting for your success, I guess that's what we are truly celebrating this Christmas season.  In spite of all the darkness that I've waded through, I still try to cling to my relationship with Jesus Christ.  He is the one that is rooting for our personal success in our lives.  He knows the pains we experience day by day and he has the power to heal them.  He has the power to wipe away the tears that come when the burden is just too much.  When he asked us to cast our burdens at his feet, he was sincerely offering up his time and energies to let us know that we are worthwhile.  I hope that more people feel that this Christmas season and are able to keep it with them once the excitement of the holiday season passes away.

So, Santa, I seem to have gotten a bit off topic.  Usually I guess people tell you what they'd like for Christmas.  I've really been thinking about it for a while and I've realized that I just wish I had more time to enjoy the things I already have.  If you have any of that in your sack this year, I'd love to have a piece.  Time is the one thing I seem to have a deficit on.  Just know that I appreciate all the goodwill that you have been spreading over the centuries.  I'm sure if people thought more like you did, it would truly feel like Christmas every day.

Sincerely,

-Brad Reynolds

P.S. We're watching Philly for Christmas this year, so please watch out for her slobber when you come down the chimney.

P.P.S. I'd also love a trip to Disneyworld for my family, but it can wait until next year.

P.P.P.S. Still waiting on that Jaeger Fighting Robot if you have room in your sleigh this year.

An Open Letter to Santa - 2018

Dear Santa,

I hope you've had a wonderful year in 2018, full of peace and joy.  I apologize for only corresponding with you once a year, but honestly, things get to convoluted the rest of the year that I tend to forget.  I'd be a bad pen pal.

In spite of all the insanity that has been going on in the rest of the world, I think we have fared nicely here in Houston.  This year we tried to focus more on doing "stuff" rather than getting "things."  I'm realizing more and more that my kids are growing up more quickly than I'd like.  Their clothes seem to get smaller and some of their toys get played with less and less.  I've decided that the only things they're going to keep a hold of is the memories I give them, so I've been trying to give them positive experiences that they will take with them the rest of their lives.

My snow angels

Our year started off with a bang... or more rather, a lack of solar radiation.  Due to the the hurricane that came through our area, the jet streams got all messed up and it snowed for the first time since we've lived here.  I say "snow" is a loose sense because it really just wound up being frozen humidity.  Still, to my kids it was snow.

They might be awesome

Sarah and I were able to have a wonderful anniversary, albeit a few weeks late.  I had noticed that my favorite band, They Might Be Giants, was coming into town.  We had a wonderful night together where we drove to Houston Heights and ate some gourmet tacos and dreamed about living in the cozy neighborhoods there.  The concert was awesome, as expected, and I was able to introduce my bride to the main staple of my musical consumption.  All in all, it will be a night to be remembered.

I might become a cowboy

One of my favorite annual traditions here in Houston is to go to the Rodeo and Livestock Show that they hold downtown.  It's one of the few times during the year when I really question when I can justify eating a gigantic piece of meat followed by as many deep-fried desserts as possible... Actually, I probably can't justify that, but either way it's a fun experience.  This year I was planning on going with Sarah and Leah, but Sarah wound up getting sick.  So it turned into a full-day Daddy-Daughter date and a memorable adventure.  Leah was a trooper and had a lot of fun, although she was exhausted by the end.  Her favorite thing about the entire experience was going on the roller coaster at the fair (which admittedly gave me whiplash and motion sickness).

Silly Philly 

During various times of the year we've taken to borrowing a bulldog for extended periods of time.  Philly has become our quasi-adopted pet and we've loved every minute of it.  She may be slobbery, chunky, and lazy, but she's such a gentle animal that tolerates all the love we give her.  We're grateful for the chance to get to watch her on the occasions that we do and it's always a pleasure when she comes to visit.  I suppose it's like her doggy vacation, because now she knows all the right spots in our house to rest and relax.

Waking from sleep

This year I caught the camping bug.  I had taken Leah camping on my own last year, but we had just stayed in a shelter at a local state park.  This year I started to invest in more tents and equipment so I could go enjoy the outdoors.  I was able to go on the annual Fathers and Sons campout this year with Sean, which was fun.  The following month, I decided we'd take the entire family up to Huntsville state park, which turned out to be a beautiful little trip.  Granted, there are lots of complications to taking little ones camping, but it's all worth it when they yell out exuberantly "This is the BEST TRIP EVER!"

Testing out our dragon breath 

However, our results with camping in Texas have been mixed.  I made the mistake of taking the family camping to Galveston at the beginning of June.  It was hot and humid, and I don't think any of us had a good night's sleep. By 8AM the next morning, Sarah and I looked at each other and said, "Let's pack up."  By 8:30, we were ready to head home.

Another time we booked a camping spot at Brazos Bend State Park (one of my favorite places to go) and it rained the entire time.  I stood outside of the tent in the rain cooking our dinner while the rest of the family tried to stay dry.  There was a brief moment where the rain let up for a few hours so we could get some marshmallow roasting in.  Rain spattered the tent all night long and made it difficult to sleep.  In addition, the moisture in the air collected all over the inside of the tent, leaving puddles underneath all our gear.  In spite of all of this, the kids still exclaimed, "This is the BEST CAMPING TRIP EVER!"  You have to know it's worth it if they can still say that.

Reliving history

This summer Sarah bravely took the kids to Utah and Idaho on her own for six weeks while I stayed in Texas and worked.  She was able to spend lots of time with family and help her parents get settled into their new home in Idaho.  It was a hard absence (although, admittedly, the house stayed very clean and I played a lot of computer games), but eventually I was able to go out and join them in Utah.  One of the many things we did during my time was take the kids to Lagoon.  I went there every year growing up for my dad's company party.  It was fun to have my kids relive some of the experiences I had on some of the rides (not a lot has changed there since the 1960s).  Leah surprised me with her daredevil spirit, wanting to go on Colossus, the original double loop roller coaster.  We will likely go again next summer as well.

A joyous reunion

One of the other nice things that happened during my visit to Utah was that Sarah surprised me with a birthday party with many of my friends that I grew up with.  (I suspected something was up that day, but played along because I love surprises.)  It was especially poignant because I discovered that one of my dear friends had gone through some almost fatal health issues over the past few years.  It was wonderful to reconnect and see these people face to face instead of on Facebook.

 "Reentry"

 During this past year I've been rediscovering a lot of passions that have had to be on hold while I've had small kids.  One of the endeavors I began was designing my own line of 3D printed jewelry.  So far, I have had very few customers, but I really enjoy the process.  I've also gotten more into virtual reality, photography, and 3D printing at home in an attempt to complete the nerd trifecta.

My girlie

Leah continues to pave the way for the rest of her siblings, finally starting first grade.  She loves to create artwork and is quite an avid reader.  I frequently find a few chapter books hidden under her pillow so she can read a bit before bed.  She is our peace-maker in the house and consistently wants everyone to get along.

"The Boy"

Sean still marches to the beat of his own drum, which I suppose is a good thing.  There are many times when his antics drive us up the wall, but I am amazed at his capacity to love and engage others.  Everyone is a potential friend to my boy.  He has many qualities in him that will make him a fantastic leader some day.  He is running at 110% from the moment he wakes up in the morning and is always questioning the status quo, looking for a new, inventive way to do things.  We were informed by his school this year that they would be testing him for the gifted and talented program.  He (along with Leah) just began taking taekwondo lessons at the local civic center with the ambitions of some day obtaining his black belt.

Our Lucy Goose

Lucy has had to adjust to being the youngest at home this year.  She's taken to it quite well, having her mother's attention most of the day.  She continually amazes us at what she picks up from watching her two older siblings.  She has an adorable personality that mixes sweet and sassy, but is always ready for a snuggle.  She is practically ready for school since she spends a lot of time there volunteering with her mom quite a bit. In the meantime, we're enjoying her cute dances, kisses, and artwork.

Nice haircut!

This year Sarah took a step back from her book selling business in order to volunteer on the school's PTA board.  She is the VP of membership, a role which she has been inadvertently training for her entire life.  She has taken to volunteering a lot at the school, which has allowed her to be more involved in the lives of our kids while relieving some of the overworked teachers there.  This past year she whacked off her long locks in favor of a more manageable hairstyle.  (Admittedly, I like her hair any way she wears it!)  We still are struggling with getting some better results in regards to her health, but we have enjoyed many wonderful outings together.

Kids, amiright?

As for me, I'm still doing the same thing as always: being a NASA nerd.  It's still quite a thrill sometimes to be a part of history.  For example, the other day I had Tom Stafford, Gemini and Apollo program astronaut, randomly walk into my office.  Granted, he was really looking for a cup of coffee, but I was happy to oblige him.  As I said before, I've been rediscovering a lot of personal passions and am always looking for a way to do what I love and get paid for it. I miss being close to my extended family and a number of my dear friends, but I've realized that where we are right now has rewarded us with many opportunities for our personal and familial growth.  

So, Santa, I've been asking you for years now for a Jaeger fighting robot just in case any kaiju start coming out of the ocean, but I get the feeling you either A) don't have one, B) don't think I need one, or C) don't think I need one YET.  I'm going to hope for C.  Truth be told, we don't have a lot in our family that we need in terms of material objects.  All our needs are met; we enjoy a nice roof over our heads and food in our bellies.

I can't really ask you for much for myself, but maybe there's something you can do for the world at large.  I'm sure you've noticed that things keep getting crazy down here.  So many people are addicted to anger, almost looking for the next thing to be outraged over.  In a society where we have people who are literally paid to play video games, I find it hard to swallow that we still can find things to be mad at.  I know we all have differences in appearance, religion, or economic status, but the one thing that I think we should all have is a sense of decency toward other human beings.  It hurts my heart to see such anger being hurled in all directions.  I've met many people whom I may disagree with in terms of their policies, but I can't deny that they truly want what is best for others.  I just wish that everyone would be able to hold a level of decency towards each other.  It's okay to disagree with another individual, but it's also okay to talk to them in order to understand their viewpoint, even if in the end you still don't agree.  That seems to be what is missing from the world.  I don't know if you've got anything in that bag that would work, but if I had one Christmas wish, it would be that.  I am told that rapidly blinking advertisements on the side of a web page have massively successful results, so maybe send out the message that way.  If that doesn't work, I'd settle for a solution using psychotropic medications... but it's your call.

All I know is that I witnessed something that I can only call miraculous happen during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey here in Houston.  During the chaos so many people went out of their way to make sure everyone was safe.  During the cleanup it didn't matter if you were a Jew, Muslim, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Buddhist, or Mormon (excuse me, member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).  If you needed help, it was there.  When I was mucking out houses, random people would stop by and ask if we needed water or food.  Massive donations poured in from all over the community.  You see, Harvey didn't discriminate; he hit people both rich and poor.  Once you stripped away all the material goods, people were all that was left.  They realized what valued: life.  I am continually grateful for the sense of decency that was awarded to so many people in need during that time.  I just wish that kind of decency would be felt the entire year round.

So Santa, pack up your sleigh and get ready for a busy night.  I hope the weather treats you well.  I look forward to your visits every year, especially so now that I have little children.  The magic and wonder that is in their eyes on Christmas morning is truly a gift in and of itself.

Sincerely,

-Brad Reynolds

P.S. Okay, so if I can't have the Jaeger fighting robot, can you at least get me a hover tank?  I want something I can combat the Houston traffic with.

An Open Letter To Santa - 2017

Dear Santa,

Where do I begin?  I guess I could just start off with the normal formalities like I always do...  How are you?  How is the missus?  Do you have a good break over the spring or did you have to start early this year?  I hope all is well up north, because I'm sure you've heard about all the crazy things going on down here below the Arctic Circle.

I feel like Billy Joel needs to come out with a sequel to one of his hit songs and title it, "We Didn't Start the Inferno", but have the lyrics reference everything that has happened in 2017.  Between Twitter wars, fake news, famine, folly, foibles, forest fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, harassment, scandals, and ongoing war... well, we haven't seemed to feel the adage of "Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men."  In spite of all of that, however, I am sure you know that we're all doing much better here at the Reynolds home.  Here is a bit of what has happened over the past year:

Our new sactional

We've been loving our new townhome over the past year.  It's amazing what a change of venue will do for your sanity.  I wish everyone could have their own piece of quiet to call home.  It's perfectly situated where I have a 5 minute commute to work, 2 minute drive to the grocery store, 10 minutes from church, and 5 minutes from the interstate.  In addition, the kids can ride the bus to school, which is awesome because we don't have to drive them there every day.  We've slowly been trying to make this place our own, which is nice to finally be able to do.

One of the houses I cleaned out

I'm sure you're meteorological elves have been monitoring the situation here over the past year, and let me tell you... it was a doozy.  We have been fairly fortunate living near the Gulf of Mexico that we haven't seen any hurricanes... until this year.  Well, by the time Harvey got to us, it was a tropical storm, but it was still pretty devastating, to say the least.  It's been estimated that 9 trillion gallons of water was dumped on the greater Houston area.  And let me tell you, we felt it.  It was very disconcerting for the most part, mainly because it was almost a week of incessant rain.  However, our little home fared very well with no significant damage.  (All that was happened to us was a wet spot on the ceiling of our bedroom and having one of the flood lights on the garage stop working.)   We were fortunate enough to be able to take in some friends from church whose apartment was evacuated due to the ground level being covered by 3 feet of water.

I can tell you that, in spite of all this, I was proud of the response of my fellow Houstonians.  Whereas the situation could have devolved into something akin to the movie "Water World", instead I saw an entire city of millions band together to help out everyone that needed it.  It was truly amazing to see the efforts that were put forward to try and get everyone back to normal.  I spent a few weekends mucking out houses, which was hard, dirty, and sometimes depressing work.  We're going to be having a much more comfortable Christmas than some people this year.  However, I am grateful that we've been able to help out where we can.

One year older and one less tooth

Well, let my tell you about what has been going on with the family.  Our oldest, Leah, started Kindergarten this year.  I never thought that day would come, but it finally has.  And, boy, has she taken to all her subjects in school.  Thanks to the loving influence of her Mother's book obsession, Leah has accelerated in her ability to read and write.  She keeps surprising us every day with the new things she has learned or observed.  She still loves to draw and do all sorts of crafty things.  On top of all that, she has a big heart and is often the most helpful around the house.  All in all, she's our tender-hearted caring girl.

Seriously, anything he can climb on...

Next we have Sean... We refer to him as our monkey, and for good reason.  If he's not climbing on the furniture, he's climbing all over you.  He has an endless supply of energy and often wears us out every day.  It's like he's on full throttle from the time he wakes up until the time he goes to sleep.  There is no down time with him, just like a lot of other little boys, I'm sure.  He's a real goofball and always wants to have fun... which can be a bit of a problem when it comes time to do work.  He's in his second year of pre-school at the local elementary school and has been doing well.  He mainly loves to just be friends with everyone he meets.  He still loves all things trains, boats, LEGOs and computers.

Lucy and Philly, one of the dogs we occasionally borrow

Our youngest, Lucy, is a silly little cutie pie.  Her nickname is "Goose", mainly because we liked calling her "Lucy Goose" when she was younger.  (It's also so I can say to her "Talk to me, Goose" and feel like Maverick from Top Gun.)  She is an observant little girl that has picked up really quickly on all the things that her older siblings do.  One of the most surprising things that I've been adapting to is her ability to clearly communicate what she wants.  The first two kids had a bit of a problem with that, but not Lucy.  She knows what she wants and will clearly let you know if you don't have it correct.  That being said, she's a funny mix of personality between her brother and sister, which can either drive us crazy or melt our hearts.

Time out at Fish Lake

Sarah has taken a little time off this year from selling books in order to focus on the needs of the kids, which they appreciate.  She has helped out quite a bit at their school and is the official "Critter Getter" for the Pre-K classes (she gets to transport animals from one of the other middle schools in the area back to the elementary school so the kids can enjoy that animal for the week).  In addition to all of this, she is always one of the first to volunteer to help those in need.  Her kind and thoughtful heart is something that I have always admired about her.

Me and the James Webb Space Telescope

As for me, I'm still getting deep into nerd-dom both at home and at work.  The work with NASA goes in waves where one day I can be struggling for breath and the next I am really reaching to find productive work.  Thankfully, we have been recognized for our work both from our customers and from our company management, and we feel that we have a good place here on the teams we are working with.  I still have to pinch myself some days and realize that I work at a pretty cool place.  (The other day I got to see the James Webb Space Telescope... the one that is going to replace the Hubble... And I work down the hall from Joe Engle, who is a very nice man and refuses to retire from NASA).  Additionally, I've been getting into virtual reality development, which unlocks a lot of potential for me.  It's really fun to imagine, design, and build a world... and then step into that world.  We've hosted a few VR parties at our house and pretty much everyone I've introduced to VR has had a lot of fun with it.

Gonna need a new wardrobe

This year brought some changes for me, health-wise, where I started a nutritional plan along with Sarah and subsequently lost 90 pounds.  (The stress of the hurricane helped me gain some back, but I'll lose it again... starting in January).  I purposely didn't post any pictures of myself on social media the entire time, mainly because I wanted to surprise my extended family when I saw them at a family reunion this summer.  I had to get an entire new wardrobe, but it was worth it.

In truth, Santa, I have no outstanding needs that I wanted to request of you.  I mean, sure, everyone would like more money and time, but I really have everything I need.  All I would be asking of you are a few superfluous wants.  I guess, after cleaning out the muddy, moldy, stained memories of people's lives from the aftermath of a tropical storm, my attitude on what was necessary changed a bit.  Some people I got to help out lost all their worldly possessions. But thankfully, none of them lost their lives.  I've been very blessed and I recognize that.  I have a good family that loves me, a number of great friends, and the ability to provide for our basic needs.  I couldn't really ask for more this year.

Anyway, feel free to stop by our house anyway this year.  I know the kids are really looking forward to your visit.  I'm still trying to teach them about how it is better to give than receive at Christmas, but they're still little.  Maybe one of these years they'll get it.

Thanks again for all the good you do, Santa.  I hope people can look at you and be inspired to take a little time to be selfless in their lives.

Sincerely,

Brad Reynolds

P.S. Seriously, though, I've been asking you for years for that Jaeger fighting robot?  You going to bring that or what?