2025 Annual Update

It is that time of year where we reflect and look back.  It also means it is time for me to update you all on how the family is doing.  

2025 has been a year full of travel and family, and some major shifts in our lives.  This year, let's start with Jacob!

Jacob graduated from high school this year!  He made the most of his Senior year, running at State for both Cross Country and Track.  He was also salutatorian and spoke at graduation.  As if that weren't enough he joined us on trips to Hong Kong and Italy (his senior trip).  He also went with a group of youth to Thailand.  He definitely has the travel bug our family seems to be infected with.  He also enjoyed several backpacking trips with friends, including a week hiking at the Grand Canyon.  He has endless energy and so much diligence and discipline.

Jacob is now attending BYU in Provo, Utah and has just received his mission call.  He will be starting his training for the Cambodia Phnom Phen East mission in May.  We are so proud of this kid and excited to watch his future unfold.

Ben continues to serve as a missionary in Mozambique.  For the last several months he has been serving as the Financial Secretary for the mission.  He has enjoyed serving in the office and in his area.  He is continually amazed at the optimism and faith of the people in Mozambique.  So many of them face bleak circumstances yet remain happy.  And they have such willing hearts and desires to make a commitment to the Lord.  He directed a choir this Christmas season that had a few performances throughout the city he is serving in.  We look forward to his return home in May.

Lizzy and Andrew have been working hard this year.  They are both finishing up their bachelor's degrees at BYU in Provo, Utah.  They also lived in Dallas, Texas this summer while Andrew worked as an intern for Amazon.  Lizzy became certified as an EMT this year, a job she loves!  She also worked as TA for a Physiology class.  She also spent many hours applying for PA schools.  Happily, she was accepted into Butler University's PA program and will start in May just a few weeks after BYU graduation.  She also trained for and ran her first marathon this year! These two not only work hard, but play hard too.  Greg and I were able to join them on a trip to El Salvador to visit Lizzy's mission.  That was such a fun and special trip.  Then Lizzy joined us and Jacob in Italy.  It has been a busy year!

Anna and Justin have had a wonderful year.  Justin graduated with his Bachelor's in Finance from BYU.  After a grueling job search he was hired at L3Harris in Salt Lake City.  We are so happy to have them relatively close to us.  Anna made some big changes in her life this year.  She quit her job as a Behavioral Tech for Austic kids and now paints and works on their art business full time.   For those who don't remember, Anna and Justin make digital art of the Savior.  Anna is beginning to do some handpainted pieces as well.  They have had a lot of success, in part because of their partnership with Havenlight art.  They were able to meet many of their customers at BYU women's conference, and at signings in various Costco stores throughout Utah.   It is so heartwarming to hear the stories from people about how their art has touched people's lives and helped them feel closer to the Savior.  In addition to work and art they spend a lot of time loving on their cat, Leia and hiking in the mountains.  

Adam and Camryn have also had a red letter year.  They started the year off with Greg, Tammy and Jacob in Hong Kong.  Hong Kong knows how to celebrate New Year's! Adam loved sharing this amazing city with his family and enjoyed the memories of people and places of his mission.  Adam finished his Master's in Data Science last December and started a job with Michelin in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  He and Cam had to live apart for a few months while Cam was finishing up her Master's in Social Work at IU in Bloomington, IN.  They were so happy to be back together full time at the end of April when she finished. Yay Cam!  Camryn couldn't leave Bloomington without leaving a lasting impression so during her last crazy semester of grad school she took on the massive task of directing a large choir and orchestra in singing Rob Gardner's "Lamb of God".  It was quite the undertaking!  Adam was also involved and traveled back many weekends to sing the part of Thomas.  I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Indiana to see them perform.  Cam is now working as a therapist in Fort Wayne.  She has also gotten involved in performing in their new community.  She even convinced Adam to be a part of a show this Christmas.  Adam also sings with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.  They bring joy to all who watch them share their musical talents.

Tammy has been feeling a little lost now that all the kids are out of the house.  She has filled her time with a lot of house projects, especially painting.  She was also the choir director at church the first half of the year and now works with the young children at church.  She and Greg have been enjoying having more time together.  She also was able to go on a girls trip with some friends from her college days to the Oregon Coast.  It was so fun to reminisce and learn what everyone is up to their own lives.She and also enjoyed a reunion with her siblings and dad and their families in Wyoming this summer.  Jacob and Greg and Anna and Justin were able to come too.  She has been able to chip away at her goal to see all the National Parks, seeing three new ones this year.  She mostly loves any time she can be with family and friends.

Greg continues to muddle through the hormone treatment for his prostate cancer.  He has not enjoyed how tired it makes him feel.  Or the brain fog that has descended upon him.  But he is grateful that it is keeping the cancer at bay.  By the end of 2026 he should be feeling more like himself, and will hopefully be cancer free.   Greg spent a lot of time this year preparing for his mom's 80th birthday celebration, which we held at our home.  It was such a special and fun time visiting with family and honoring his wonderful mom.  Greg also had some amazing opportunities at work this year.  He presented his project for the CEO and for the board of directors. He too, though, relishes the time with family more than anything.  

We ended the year by all going on a cruise together (except for Ben of course).  We invited my sister along too.  We enjoyed most of the cruise but it was a bit tainted when we were rear ended by a car in Mexico.  Fortunately we were still able to get back on the boat.  We all have whiplash, and maybe a few of us have concussions, but we're grateful there were not more serious injuries. It was a not-so-fun thing to have happen on vacation. 

In spite of kind of a weird end to the year, we feel so blessed to be alive, to lead amazing lives filled with people we love.  Most of all we are grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and Savior who love us and lead us, who help us through the difficulties of life, and rejoice with us as we rejoice.  Our life is fuller, richer and lighter because we know Them.

(Don't worry.  This is one of Anna and Justin's pieces)

Merry Christmas 2024

 Merry Christmas friends!  We love and miss you all. Phew!  What a year  2024 has been for the Finch Family.  It has been a year of the highest highs and the lowest lows.

Greg is sick and tired of feeling sick and tired! Late last year, he learned he has prostate cancer. From surgery to radiation therapy, hormone therapy, a whole slew of new meds, and living away from home for a couple of months for treatment, he's ready for 2024 to be done! For all the bad this year, there was much good: Going to the Big 12 bball championship in KC with Adam, going to March Madness a week later with Jacob (so much basketball!), seeing his two daughters both happily married, sending Ben off on his mission, and squeezing in a half marathon in July! As far as the cancer goes, he's done all he can for now and we wait and hope for a better 2025!

 

Tammy has enjoyed spending time with the people she loves most.  She has spent a lot of time fussing over Greg this year.  She got to experience the eclipse with Adam and Camryn and Greg in Indiana.  She and her sister enjoyed getting away to Florida to swim with the manatees and play at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It was a much needed respite and she felt like a kid again.  She lazed on the beach in California when visiting her brother. She enjoyed helping the girls with their wedding plans, a short trip with Ben before his mission and a beautiful adventure to Glacier with Lizzy and Andrew.  She is tired, but so grateful her life is filled with so much love.

Adam and Camryn have been working hard and going to school at Indiana University.  Adam will graduate with his master’s in data science at the end of December.   Camryn finishes up her master’s in social work in the spring.  Adam’s hard work has paid off and he will be starting a full time job in January, working as a Data Scientist for Michelin in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  They enjoyed hosting Greg and Tammy in the spring as they all witnessed the solar eclipse.  They continue to love to sing together and are looking forward to a trip to Hong Kong with Greg, Tammy, and Jacob over Christmas break.  

Anna married Justin Culebro in May and they are living in Orem, Utah.  We are so happy to welcome Justin to the family.  He and Anna are a great fit for each other and their wedding day was so joyful!  Anna graduated last December with her degree in Anthropology.  She is now working full time as a behavioral therapist helping kids with autism.  She continues to work on an anthropological film she created with some fellow students during her undergrad.  It will hopefully be ready for release soon.  Justin is finishing up his degree in finance and will graduate next spring.  He and Anna have created a wonderful business called Messiah AI.  They use AI and other digital tools to create artwork of the Savior.  You can find some of their work on the Havenlight site and the rest in their Etsy shop.  You should check it out.  

Lizzy was married this year too!  She married Andrew Hansen in August.  They are both going to school at BYU.  Lizzy is majoring in Exercise Science and she is busy cramming in all the classes she can so she can apply to PA school next year.  She has also been taking an EMT course and will be a certified EMT soon.  Andrew is in the very busy mechanical engineering program at BYU.  He has a side business he is working on too.  He designed a new type of pond filter and is trying to get it into the hands of the right people.  He is excited for an internship he will be doing this next summer in Dallas, Texas.  Lizzy and Andrew loved their honeymoon to Mexico, and they are both enjoying married life! And we are enjoying seeing how happy Lizzy is with Andrew!

Ben finished his first year at BYU and is now serving a mission for our church. After spending 5 months as a missionary in Orlando, he received his visa to go to his original assignment in Mozambique. It has been quite an adjustment and he has experienced some crazy things in the time he has been there.  They speak Portuguese and some local dialects there and he is still working to understand and speak better.  He has been pickpocketed, tear gassed, and visited the police station more than once.  He is coming to love the people and recognizes that they are a people full of faith.  He is busy teaching people all day long about Jesus Christ.  He is learning a lot about faith and a lot about himself.

Jacob is a senior in high school.  Our last little baby bird will be leaving the nest next year.  He stays busy with cross country and track.  This year he ran varsity and even got to run at state.  His team placed third!  In the off season he enjoys cross country skiing and has even learned to downhill ski and enjoys that as well.  He is also busy earning money working at Little Caesars pizza.  He is looking to the future as he has been applying to several different colleges.   His big adventure for the year was hiking the Inca trail in Peru with a bunch of other teenagers.  He loved it! Jacob is a joy to have at home and we are trying to soak up every minute of it.

This year has been so very hard and so very wonderful.  Through it all we have been sustained by our faith in our Savior.  He gives us strength when we are weak.  He gives us hope and peace.  We feel His love as we mourn together and rejoice together as a family.  He is an anchor to our souls and the light that shines in the darkness.  We are grateful to honor Him and rejoice in His life this Christmas season.