Happy Holidays 2025From McAlister and Jocelyn |
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This year has been momentous for us on so many levels. We are so grateful for all we have, especially you, our family and friends.
April brought an unexpected end to Jocelyn's work contract at Alaska, just 4 weeks before the wedding. She didn't mind too much -- that gave her time to sew her dress and take care of the last-minute details for the wedding, including the flowers and wedding cake.
June through October were a blur of job applications, an average of 20 per week. Tech companies have been laying people off left and right both in the Seattle area and across the USA. Despite submitting over 450 applications, Jocelyn has been unable to find comparable work to replace her prior income. She filed for Social Security which helps, but ran through all her unemployment benefits mid-October. It was time to consider our options. After a serious discussion, we've become more determined than ever to stay right where we are. Jocelyn has returned to entrepreneurship (something she's secretly wanted to do for a while), and is pursuing several avenues where she can use her decades of tech experience outside W2 employment, including teaching Agile Methodology certification classes and corporate consulting. McAlister has launched a site on Patreon.com where he shares his advanced glass-making skills along with humor and photos of his processes. We don't know what the future holds, but we know what we want it to be, and we will pursue it with both prayers and action. We're grateful for the work ethic instilled in us by our parents, and we think they'd be pleased with our resilience, determination, and love for each other. We love you all, McAlister and Jocelyn Merchant |
| (2025) We are still at: 13211 SE 49th Street, Bellevue WA 98006-2059. Drop us a line! |
At the beginning of 2025, Jocelyn was still working at Alaska Airlines. Having been a million-mile flier on another airline, Jocelyn found it fascinating to work in the software back-end of the airline business. January's highlight was a visit from Meridith for McAlister's 82nd birthday. She was able to spend a week with us. Meridith continues to serve as an administrator in the counseling organization at UC Santa Barbara.
Plans and activities for our May 3rd wedding started to heat up in February and March as Jocelyn nailed down the details of the ceremony and reception. Melody, Jocelyn's sister, had already agreed to be her Maid of Honor. McAlister asked his brother Leigh, who lives in North Carolina, to be Best Man. Jocelyn found the ideal fabric and lace, and began working on the computerized pattern for her wedding dress. She also assembled the table decorations and a memento that guests could take with them. Our printed invitations hit the mail March 15th, and guests could RSVP online.
The weekend of April 24-27th (yes, one week before the wedding!) was a huge adventure for us as McAlister participated in the "Gathering of the Guilds" in Portland, Oregon. It's an annual art fair featuring artists of all kinds, including sculptors, painters, jewelers, ceramicists, and more. We shared a booth with another artist, and showed off McAlister's wide variety of glasswork. One of his sculptures was featured in the Pacific Northwest Sculptors' gallery there. We had pretty good foot traffic and learned a lot about what to bring with us next year. McAlister is in the front row in the yellow hat.
Our wedding day finally arrived May 3rd, and we were so blessed to have family and friends with us. Our beloved Rev. Beverly Moore-Tasy (whom you've seen in previous Holiday Letters) officiated at Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church where she is rector. We had about 50 people in attendance, with many more virtual attendees from across the USA. Saint Margaret's