Kiwis and Fairy Bread

25 December 2025

Many times this month have I sat down to write a post in honor of the one year anniversary of our New Zealand trip. But life has gotten in the way. It does that when one is not on vacation.

Mike and I think often of our trip. We’ll say on this day we were in Hobbiton, or Tongiriro, or Able Tasman National Park or Milford Sound. A photo will come up on our screen saver. We will marvel that we were actually there.

I think often of Juan and Marianne (who I owe a long over due email), little Mawaba (and wonder if she received my package before she and family set off in their big pink bus on their annual holiday trip), Chelsea and Rhys (how was your wedding?!), the hikers on the Alpine crossing, the nice young people who shared their lavender chocolate with us: so many great people, the best of friends for a short time.

A few weeks ago we had a visit from Dan and Maia, friends we met on The Hooker Valley Track! They are back in New Jersey after an 18 month trip around the world. They even stayed the night. Again, we talked until midnight. Again, we wished we could have lingered longer over breakfast, but again, life was in the way, Still it was surreal and extraordinarily wonderful to spend time with them in our own living room.

This week we received an email from Linda and Roger Claxton, who we spent Christmas with in Akaroa. They are doing well in their home in County Offaly Ireland, but miss daughter Shannon and her partner Sean, who have gotten visas to stay in NZ for another 5 years.

Today, beside me on a side table stand the tiny Christmas trees that decorated the table of the friendly meal we shared together with The Claxton family. I hear myself singing Silent Night, as I did at the holiday park with the twinkling lights of Akaroa shining just below. I think of the amazing sunset of pink rays that cheered me that evening when I was homesick for my children, for the cold, the darkness, the snow. I had very mixed feelings that night, as I dreamed of a white Christmas.

Well this year, I got it all. Mike and I are at home. Our children are here, and their dear little cat. We are feasting on Pic’s Peanut Butter, Whitaker’s Chocolate, homemade Rocky Road, and some back bacon. I spent the week directing a nativity play, decorating my house and my church, baking too many cookies, wrapping gifts, watching Christmas movies, and walking in the snow. Yes! We actually have about 3 inches of snow on the ground.

Again I am crying in gratitude for it all. The adventures of last year, the love of the present, the hope of our future together. What a wonderful life we live.

All is calm. All is bright. Merry Christmas.