Merry Christmas from the Meschkats!

Another year has flown by in a blur of basketballs, ballet shoes, chickens, piano practice (some more enthusiastically tolerated than others), and the occasional vacation. We are so grateful for this season and for all of you who make our lives richer simply by being part of it.

Piper is officially 13 now! She keeps busy playing basketball for her school and continues to bravely tolerate piano lessons. Piper still loves to read and has developed quite the green thumb. Her bedroom window now hosts five avocado tree babies and counting—we’re only a few decades away from homemade guacamole.

Aurelia is about to turn 11 and keeps pace with Piper on the basketball court as well. This year she added dance to her packed schedule and instantly fell in love. Our car is now permanently filled with bags and shoes for jazz, tap, ballet, hip hop, and pre-pointe. Her first recital is this month, and we couldn’t be more excited!

Fenya, now 3½, is certain she should be in charge. Despite her strong leadership skills, she still melts our hearts with how sweetly she cuddles the chickens. She loves her pre-school and also started ballet and tap this year. Her very first recital will be in the spring, and we expect it will be equal parts adorable and expressive.

Speaking of chickens… we added nine hens to our family this year! We are fully expecting them to start laying next month, but the girls love them unconditionally even if they turn out to be freeloaders.

DJ continues his long-standing career as an engineer at Cemco, where he’s been since 2009, while also staying busy with other businesses he helped start in the construction industry. When he’s not working, you can usually find him at the airport, where he has a hangar and a few planes. When she’s not in the chicken coop styling her feathered friends, Claire keeps the girls moving all over Graham to their many activities. She also continues working on her STEM curriculum business, Vivify, now in its 12th year!

We have truly had a blessed year, and we give all the glory to God for His grace, provision, and kindness toward our family. Looking ahead, we’re excited to stay involved in our church and are already dreaming about visiting more national parks together in 2026—adventures, hikes, and probably more chickens along the way.

Thank you for being part of our story. We wish you a Christmas filled with peace, joy, and laughter. God Bless!

~ the meschkats