Hello from New Hampshire, my friends! We arrived in Boston two nights (mornings?) ago at around 12:30 AM, and we’re officially home for the holidays back East – in the lower 48 for Christmas for the first time in four years. We left Alaska bright (dark) and early at 7 AM Monday morning, and we made it bright (dark) and early to Boston just after midnight and made the trek up north where we’re now getting through jetlag and soaking up some quality family time together.

Home for the Holidays in New Hampshire

If you follow me on instagram, you likely know that last week was an absolute dumpster fire of a week for us. Ryan was TDY at the beginning of the week and had been for about a week prior, and pet emergencies started hitting us left, right, and center. First, our pup Danny started rapidly declining with extreme thirst, a lack of appetite, and urinary incontinence. She was hospitalized for four full days, and we got her stabilized, but she hasn’t improved to the point where we really know what to do.

Then, Jasper went in for some bloodwork and came out with a diagnosis of an inoperable liver mass completely wrapped around his liver. Coupled with end-stage diabetes, and we knew that it was time to let our sweet Jaspy go. Jasper has been with me since I lived in Utah – and for 17 years, he was my (and our) constant companion. We had to let him go this past weekend before our trip home for the holidays, and it was so, so hard.

Back in the Lower-48

You guys, it is wild being back in the lower 48. There’s snow on the ground here, but it’s nowhere like interior Alaska. We can see the road. These 30-degree days feel downright warm, and the humidity in the air is the absolute opposite of the dryness in Fairbanks. Then, there’s the daylight. The sky is clear and bright by 7:30 AM, and the sun sets past 4 PM. It’s different, and it’s so welcome, and we’re soaking it all up while we’re here.

We’re here for just under three weeks, and it’s been so nice to decompress thus far, especially after such a hard week last week. I’m working from home (in my jammies right now!) with no grand plans except a date night or two, seeing my sister, brother-in-law, and nephews, and really just enjoying a respite from the long, dark winters in Alaska.

I can’t believe we’re at the end of 2024 already, but I’ll be doing all my year-end posts soon, and wrapping up this whole year. For now though, we’re just going to soak up being home for the holidays for the first time in far too long.