Mount Waddington! Camp is set up. The drilling has begun! So thankful that Julia has Wi-Fi and can regularly check in and send amazing pictures--the mountain, the ice cores, the sunset, and a sample lunch sandwich (hummus, pickles, cheese, pepperoni, mustard, and honey!). Oh boy. Praying for her continued safety and health. I was concerned about the weather--but she said it is warm enough to go barefoot (see picture)! Grateful she has the opportunity to do what she loves.
We enjoyed an extended time with Julia and Benjamin. It was also sweet to visit with Mariam on her way back to Plymouth. Then Julia jetted off to Seattle, and they drove into British Columbia, Canada. As of today, they are waiting for better weather (traveling via helicopter) to make camp up on Mount Waddington. She'll be there for at least three weeks to drill for ice cores. Exciting! She brought a portable watercolor set (I think inspired by her Uncle Chad) with her when/if they have downtime.
Steven and I celebrated 22 years of marriage on June 15. I'm so thankful to have such a solid rock by my side.
I visited the site of Chad's accident, and the memorial from his condo building is still there. :( The stained glass window that Jackie had made for Chad was hanging in his window. I'm so happy we can return that to Dave and Jackie Raszeja.
Congratulations to Julia, who has completed all of her coursework, aced both the written and oral examinations, and is officially a PhD candidate! This means that she will now be solely focused on fieldwork and her dissertation. Amid difficult times for the family, we are proud of Julia for being able to get it done and to do so well.
On May 18, 2023, the day before Chad's 50th birthday, he was struck and killed by a construction truck while walking to work. We are still grappling with the shock and huge loss to our family. Chad will be deeply missed... especially his wit, infectious laugh, and big heart.
The service was held on June 3; it was beautiful. The funeral home was beyond capacity as friends, family, and co-workers traveled from near and far to show up for Chad. It was so good to meet these people that respected and loved him so dearly. The aftermath and logistics of this sudden tragedy will be dealt with over the next several months, but Chad will be forever missed.
