2025: A Year in Review

It's October 15. 

I want to re-ignite the blog so I can document our kitchen remodel.  

I knew I never published our Christmas letter from 2025.  I've thought it about it a million times in 2026.  And now.  Now it feels weird to not have it posted.  That's what my blog is for - right?  For me?  For me to look back on a million years from now and remember.  The good.  The bad.  The bright. The dark.  December of 2025 was so dark I didn't know how to see light. And since then, we've hard dark, dark days.  And blinding bright days.  Because that's life.  So....I'm going to hit publish.  So I can use the blog to document our big adventure of the kitchen remodel.  Because that's exciting.  And I'll publish a 2026 Christmas letter....And we'll keep moving forward.  Because life is crazy. And life is sweet.   

Christmas felt really weird this year.  

I had a really hard time writing our annual Christmas letter.  But now, on January 4th, with still all the uncertainty in the world, I know I will regret looking back years from now, and not having this annual recap.  

OLIVER WALTER BACH - 11 Years Old

You see.  I feel like this is the year I realized I no longer have 'little children'.  There is nothing 'little' about 11 years old.  Or 5th grade.  And there certainly is nothing 'little' about his shoes, his clothes, or his appetite.  We did cave earlier this year and purchased Oliver a phone - and now he has the ability to ride his bike across the neighborhood to a friend's house, over to the school playground, or over to the neighborhood park.  What we tried to pass off as the 'house phone' quickly became his.  Oh, to be the second child!  Oliver is still busy with swim and soccer in the spring and the fall.  His soccer skills improve greatly during the season and he's sllllllllowly, learning to take it a bit more seriously.   Oliver started playing Cello in the Orchestra this year and while he's enjoying learning how to read music and play an instrument, he has assured us that Orchestra is a one year thing and he'll be retiring at the end of the year! Oliver spent his first week at overnight camp this summer and can't wait to go back next summer!  Oliver still prefers for us to sleep with the hallway light on (and about 13 different night lights), he still hates anything that could become a thunderstorm, but has informed us that he 'knows the truth about the tooth fairy.  Oliver still has BIG emotions and is learning how to use them appropriately - with things such as empathy, compassion, humor. 

ELEANOR FRANCES TERRONES-BACH - 17 Years Old

OK, if 11 is old, then 17 is REALLY old.   It's impossible for me to wrap my head around the fact that I have a 17 year old and even more impossible for me to reconcile that she will be 18 next year - and a senior!  But, focusing on THIS year.  Eleanor finished up her Sophomore Year and the next week left on a school trip to Mexico for 2 weeks.  I was NOT well - but she had an absolute amazing time and it's safe to say the experience only igniting her love for travel and experiencing new things.  Eleanor continues to work as a Lifeguard at our local gym and her first aid training has come in handy several times for her accident prone mom!  Eleanor is an amazing student- she's rediscovering her love for English, but also loves math - because 'it just makes sense'.  Although, she's still not sure what she wants to major in or where she wants to go to college....we keep assuring her it will all come together.  Eleanor had an amazing year with high school swim.  She continues to improve as a free style sprinter with a 50 free and a 100 free being her two main events.  For the first time this year she hinted that maaaaaaaybe she would consider swimming in college.  Eleanor continues to play saxophone in band, is a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and just about every club there is, including student council.  We consider ourselves lucky when we actually get to see her!

ELIVER 

Siblings will be siblings and they play their roles well.  They know just how to push each other's buttons, but I've seen them rise to the occasion and do just about anything for each other.  Eleanor is learning how to have a little more patience with her brother.  I LOVE listening to them talk and giggle.

DEBBIE DA DOG - 7 Years Old

The more things change, the more they stay the same with this one. Debbie is still our cuddle love bug.  She still barks at EVERYTHING - and actually will bark at nothing sometimes.  She has affectionately acquired the name 'grumples' too as she'll have a low growl every time another dog walks down our street.  She knows if she gets up and barks she'll get yelled at, so she just grumples.  We love when she curls up in her little ball and lets out a big sigh...life is tough, Debbie.  Life is tough. 

DANA LYNN BACH - still a spring chicken

I'm STILL AT ANGELUS - I am NOT looking for a new job.  It's a very delightful position to be in!  Work keeps me challenged and busy and that's all I want!  Fall is busy for Eleanor and busy for me as I help out on the swim booster club and volunteering with band.  I still try to log as many miles as I can in my running shoes and, in case you didn't hear, I ran another Ultra Ragnar this year.  The heat darn near killed us, but we persisted and it continues to be my favorite weekend of the year.  I'm signed up for 2 1/2 marathons in 2026 and still toss around the idea of a full in my head. Maybe 2027?

ANDREW JAMES BACH - a little older then a spring chicken

For the guy that keeps us all sane and inline, he sure keeps us on our toes.  Andy successfully completed his Stem Cell Transplant in March of this year and honestly made it look easy.  You guys.  This guy never complains.  I can't brag enough about how he has handled his diagnosis and treatment with grace and positivity and determination.  He keeps ME positive.  We are so incredibly proud of how well he is doing.  OK, so maybe his numbers aren't exactly where we want them to be right now.  OK, so maybe his doctors are a little puzzled about why one number is doing one thing and another number is doing another thing.  We take tests, we wait for results, but we stay incredibly positive and hopeful.  As if fighting cancer isn't enough, Andy continues to volunteer as our swim club treasurer AND helped coach Oliver's soccer team this year (he just can't avoid the soccer field!).  Post transplant Andy was very excited to get back to running up to 5 miles again (if there is something every runner loves, it's being able to complain about running again!) and was very excited to get back to mowing the lawn!  We are very fortunate that Andy continues to work from home as this also enabled to him to be able to work through his entire transplant recovery.  We continue to pray, every day, that Andy's numbers right themselves and in 2026 we continue to enjoy the benefits from the SCT and MM remission.  

DABACHERY - 12 Years Old

Listen.  Andy and I can make driving to a hospital every single day for 4 weeks fun and enjoyable.  Spending every minute with him during his transplant was an honor.  It was exhausting.  But we were together.  Which is always my favorite place to be!  As we navigate the life of MM, the life of an 11 year old and 17 year old, and just general aging, our shenanigans look a little different, but are epic and memorable all the same.  We are looking forward to a few more adventures in 2026, but only those of a positive nature - RIGHT ANDY??!

THE TERRONES-BACH FAMILY

2025 has further demonstrated to me that our family is unstoppable.  We've seen some of the darkest times.  We pulled our children aside and told them we were canceling our spring break trip and instead we all had to quarantine because dad's immune system would be nothing.  We shared with our children that we lost a beloved family member, my Uncle Art.  And we saw our kids rally together.  To feel sadness.  To mourn.  To be angry. But to be resilient.  We played games together when we couldn't go anywhere else.  And we held each other as we cried.  And we planned new trips!  We experienced the beauty of South Dakota and laughed until we cried.  We played 'Farmville' on our phones while making playlists for the ride.  We rescheduled the Spring Break trip to Christmas Break and experienced our Nation's Capital dressed in its Christmas Best.  We cheered for each other during sporting events.  We provided grace while studying for big tests and writing essays we never thought would be finished.  We encouraged each other to try new things.  

And there.  That's us.  See, Dana.  That wasn't so hard.  A year in review as we stare ahead a new year.  A blank year.  Ready for us to write new chapters.  We are cautious entering this new year.  Be kind to us 2026.  We are hoping for a healthy and happy year - for us - and for all of you.  We would not have made it through 2025 without you.  Maybe you were in person with us, creating new memories.  Or maybe you were with us in spirit and prayer.  Whatever that looked like, thank you for being a part of our year.  We look forward to more memories together in 2025.  

Happy Belated Holidays and a very happy New Year!