Dylan and Zach once told me, “Dad, whenever you try to be sarcastic, you just end up being mean.”
Okay, so sarcasm is out.
Members of our supper club have also informed me that my love of puns is not always appreciated.
So - no puns. Got it. (The struggle to not make some quip about a Santa clause that gives me the privilege of wrapping this up at this present moment is, frankly, a losing battle.)
And, Cheryl explains that the only reason students in my classes laugh at my jokes is because I am grading them.
Presumably, none of you are getting assessed on how well you are reading this missive. Thus, you are probably not as receptive an audience for my very, very funny jokes.
Cheryl and I both tried to make this a “normal” (read - very hilarious, incredibly creative, and always unique missive written by one of our sons) holiday letter, but evidently that gene skipped our generation.
As a result, you’ve just got sincere old me to get this letter started.
Tobin: We are moved beyond words on how our family has expanded this year to include two beautiful, wicked smart, loving, and gracious daughters-in-law. The love they show our sons - and us - continues to leave us in awe (love you both beyond words Mimi and Sarah).
The gift of getting to see so many of you at the weddings that officially expanded our family by two (and beyond - we have felt so welcomed by Mimi’s and Sarah’s families as well) is also nothing but a treasure.
Otherwise, we have been grateful to celebrate my parents’ 60th anniversary from afar (Happy Anniversary John and Vel!), mark Cheryl’s and my 37th anniversary, and move through the 16th year of my work at the University of Montana (where I’m currently serving as History Chair and African-American Studies director and writing a biography on activist and historian Vincent Harding in addition to teaching). Early this year I stepped down from serving as executive director of Widerstand Consulting, a move that has felt right and good - especially as I’ve witnessed the new director Jill Hurst-Wahl fill that role so very capably.
As always, if you’re ever in the Missoula area, let us know. We’d love to see you.
Cheryl: Hello everyone! It has been quite the year. Because our children decided to get married 3 months apart, I decided to take what I referred to as a “Wedding
Sabbatical,” leaving my hospice work for a time of travel, celebration, and just chilling out. It was great, and I highly recommend sabbaticals for everyone. Just this week, I started gainful employment again and am learning to be a home dialysis nurse. So far, it seems like it could be a good fit. Besides the weddings, highlights of our travel included eating lobster in Maine, visiting Acadia National Park, and traveling and camping across Canada with Tobin - even the long boring parts!
We also have a new member of our household. Sunny the orange cat joined us last spring when his person passed away. He upset the balance of power for sure, but we love him none the less.
Here is hoping that whatever holiday is being celebrated can be full of love and peace.
Dylan/Sarah: Hey everybody reading this! I’m sure you’re bored already with all the sincerity so I’ve compiled some options for what form this newsletter could have taken: A fake wedding toast, a D&D game, a journal from a sailor lost at sea, Moby Dick but all the characters are named after members of the extended Miller Shearer family. So many options. So, if you’re bored, pick one of those options and imagine what that would be like.
For Sarah and I, this was the year of weddings. Including our own and Zach and Mimi’s, which have already been mentioned more than enough, Sarah and I attended five other weddings of friends and family, each full of joy, love, and beauty. It was truly tremendous to celebrate everyone’s love this year. Sarah was in two of the weddings, and I was in two and it was such an honor to be a part of them! In between all the weddings, Sarah and I were able to enjoy our honeymoon in Antigua, travel to Edisto Island in South Carolina, and visit friends and family across the United States.
We continue to enjoy hanging out with our lovable dog Mars, trying new restaurants in Chicago, and visiting Cleveland whenever possible. Sarah’s sister also welcomed a new baby Sylvie into the family, so I am now an uncle twice over! I, Dylan, am finishing up my dissertation, and hope to defend it in the new year. Sarah continues to work in tech sales and be an amazing programmatic specialist.
Wouldn’t have that been more exciting if it was written from the perspective of a crazed ship captain attempting to hunt down a giant whale?
Zach: Folks, what a year 2023 was. It was so jam packed with life that my brain is having difficulty processing all the memories. So bear with me here.
The big highlight of the year was when I got married to Mimi, the love of my life, on a perfect day in July. Mimi and I started dating on February 18, 2018 and each day since then I’ve fallen more in love with her, so getting married to her was the easiest and best decision of my life. My brain has no problem processing that part.
Other highlights of my year include:
I started a new job in January at an affordable housing development corp. It’s been good, exciting, and one learning experience after another.
Before 2023, I had one brother and that was it (Dylan is extremely cool but is also just the one guy). Now in December, three weddings later, I have one brother, two brothers-in-law, and three sisters-in-law. I’m extremely sibling-rich now and couldn’t be happier to be related to Dylan, Sarah, Yaakov, Sofia, Merav, and Jake! Love y’all!
I bought an ebike and am now an Ebike Guy™. Over 1600 miles ridden this year and hoping to get those numbers up in 2024. Talk to me if you’re interested in buying an ebike.
Mimi and I both expanded and deepened the community of friends and family we have here in Chicago which, after some tough Covid/grad school years, was truly a blessing.
I’m not an amazing cook but I’m gonna brag a bit and say I mastered a few dishes this year. If you want a mean panang curry, gnocchi pesto, or homemade pizza, hit me up, we’d love to have you over for dinner sometime.
I understand that some of you may read this extremely earnest update and tell me that I am dangerously close to turning into my father. To that, I say, whatever, I’m over 30 now, who cares.
Mimi: After years of helping write Zach’s section, it is so exciting to get my own! Now I just have to figure out what to write…
2023 was a high-milestone year for me, as I finished grad school, planned a wedding, got married (have you heard?), and managed to read a whopping 27 books all within the last 12 months. You can follow me on Goodreads, but be warned that I am a tough reviewer.
This year has filled me with nothing but love and adoration for my husband Zach, who encouraged me to take on a new role at work, and wholeheartedly supported me through two years of grad school while still working, even though it meant he cooked every meal and washed every dish for two years.
With no more homework to do, and no more wedding events to plan, I was able to spend a ton of time in the back half of this year in my favorite place: outdoors. This summer featured a weekend backpacking in southern Illinois, a week canoeing in the Boundary Waters, and many mornings, afternoons, and evenings out on my paddleboard. Zach and I also finished strong in the 2023 Des Plaines River Kayak Minithon, and hope to beat our time next year.
I’m so grateful for my entire network of family and friends who were with us, or with us in spirit, at our wedding this summer. I also got to dance and celebrate at 6 other weddings this year, including my brother’s and my brother-in-law’s (you might have heard about this one too). I am so grateful for every band and DJ at all of these weddings for playing Shake It Off. On that note, I must also mention the biggest highlight of my year: seeing Taylor Swift. She was incredible.
While this year has been a tough one, it has been filled with so much love and so many accomplishments. I’m looking forward to another year spending tons of time with both our families and all of our friends, celebrating all of the simchas to come.
So, there you have it. This year’s Miller Shearer family letter. Straight, no chaser.
May the best of the season be with you and yours as we seek peace with justice in this troubled world.
