A Christmas Card from Martha, Dusty, Kaely & Greg with updates and highlights from 2025!

Martha’s Madness

Martha continues to work at Audio-Reader, a non-profit service organization helping the blind and print-disabled access printed materials in an audio format. The office is located on the University of Kansas campus, but Martha is often driving across Kansas and Missouri. On the long drives, Martha now enjoys listening to audio books. It’s a great way to make the drive fly by, but she’s almost ran out of gas by being too interested in the book she’s reading. Some of the highlights from this year’s reading include Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale, I’m Starting to Worry About this Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin, the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells, and the MaddAddam series by Margaret Atwood.

For Martha’s own writing, she completed a sci/fi/solarpunk manuscript called Countdown to Mayhem last year (seeking literary agent/publisher) and plans to pick up with The Adventures of Marcy and Sara with book four next year. She is also slowly working on audio versions of her previous novels.

With both children now adults, Martha plans to stay busy with work, volunteering with the Lions Club, walking Freya, playing video games, reading, writing, and maybe taking some fun art and exercise classes.

Daring Dusty

Dusty had been working as the Maintenance Manager at the Lawrence Community Shelter since December 2024. While it comes with its challenges, he enjoys helping at-risk community members and making daily living a little brighter for those most down on their luck.

After a scary respiratory illness leading to hospitalization in September 2025, Dusty is recovered and looking forward to jumping back into action in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) where he enjoys heavy combat and is learning fencing skills. He crafts leather goods and period-accurate wares in his free time along with playing Valheim, listening to dark metal, and watching off-grid lifestyle videos.

Kinetic Kaely

Kaely hardly has time to stop moving! Her year has been filled to the brim finishing her Associates of Pre-Nursing over the summer and beginning the next step, the Associates of Nursing, in September! In addition to her hectic course load, Kaely works part-time at the Tacoma Community College as a Student Advisor. This year, she was elected to serve as TCC’s Student Ambassador to Washington State’s Student Advisory Council where she advocates for lower tuition and increased support for community and technical college students.

In mid-November 2025, Kaely was involved in a horrible car accident. A hydroplaning vehicle crossed the highway right in front of her, forcing her car to tbone crash into it on a cold rainy day in the west Washington mountains. Thanks to the kindness of strangers, Kaely, her friend Torie, and the driver of the other car were well cared for while they awaited emergency services. Kaely’s car “Betsy” really saved the day by taking the brunt of the force and protecting the very precious passengers!

Mostly recovered now, Kaely is back in school, taking it easier than normal as she catches up in classes. When she isn’t busy with work and school, Kaely fills her time with adventure! She traveled to Miami during floods last winter, journeyed across Washington and Oregon with friends and family, and is always on the look out for new places to see.

Graduating Greg

Greg finished junior year of high school this spring while part of the controls team with the local First Robotics League, Team STEAM. He has also regularly controlled the lights during school plays. Over the summer, he enjoyed our family trip to the West Coast particularly hanging out in Seattle, seeing tons of wildlife and scenery, and visiting friends and family along the way.

Greg has kicked his post-graduation plans into high gear! Halfway through the fall semester of his senior year at Lawrence High School, Greg decided he wanted to move on to the next phase in his life sooner than later. Now GRADUATING at semester, Greg is in the midst of final exams and counting down the final days of classes.

Looking ahead, Greg plans to get a job this spring and save up to get his own place next summer. His future goals include attending a plumbing apprenticeship, continuing to upgrade his computer, and slowly getting a driver’s license and car.

Graduation Gifts and Monetary Merriment

Family and friends interested in sending graduation gifts or holiday cheer to Kaely and Greg in the form of monetary merriment, use the QR codes below. Generosity at any level will be greatly appreciated!! Graduating, moving, and nursing school are expensive endeavors. For mailed gifts, send to the return address on the card or contact Martha (503)-691-5754 for addresses.

More pictures from the year ❤

Whatever you celebrate this holiday season – Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, The Winter Solstice, Kwanza or simply time away from work and with friends and family – we wish you joy, safe travels, and the warmth of kindred spirits!

Love,
Martha, Dusty, Kaely & Greg 🙂