Sylvia saw her good friend, Linda, from her first years of teaching in Anoka.
We also visited a couple of favorite places from 40 years before including our first house. 
RV attended the Synod's Leadership Convocation and then RV/SV helped with the church garage sale. That evening Russell and Sylvia attended the Billy Joel concert
The next week, RV/SV journeyed to Minnesota where Russell attended the Intentional Interim Ministry training at Luther Seminary. At chapel, we heard the former bishop of the Holy Land preach.
Sylvia saw her good friend, Linda, from her first years of teaching in Anoka. We also visited a couple of favorite places from 40 years before including our first house.
We returned just in time for Sylvia's brother Robert's birthday celebration. 
Shockingly, we missed the Texas State Fair for the first time in years.
However, the end of the month German language Reformation service continued to happen at First United. We even hosted as our preacher a Methodist pastor starting a German-language congregation in Dallas.
Additional trips for speaking during November included Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Baltimore.
Russell led the Lutheran campus ministry trivia night fundraiser yet again.
Emily came for a visit and a <>Stranger Things Con, then Russell flew to Salt Lake City to visit with his brother while Clay underwent treatment there at Huntsman Hospital.
Even for Vardells, the next trip gets complicated. After Sunday night Thanksgiving Dinner Church worship, on Monday morning Alex, Sylvia, Russell, and Ingrid flew to KS for Thanksgiving with Emily and Brenda and her sister, Iveth. 
Then on Friday, Ingrid returned to Dallas, while five of us flew to Spokane! From there we drove to western Montana (Flathead Lake / Kalispell area) for a Vardell gathering for one of Russell's niece's wedding. Go to December for details!
On the way, we stopped in Wallace, Idaho to observe the declared "center of the universe," though Russell knows who is the center of his universe. 
A wonderful family gathering and beautiful wedding followed with Russell presiding. 
We pray for a wonderful life for Kat and Gage.
SV/RV attended the Star Wars premiere on the 19th. Hard to believe we saw our first Star Wars movie in 1977! 
Once again, SV planned her special birthday with the children gathering from Kansas and San Antonio
Sylvia has squeeked by with 100 movies (by seeing three on New Yea's Eve) -- thanks to the Variety Club Movie Pass promotion. This year we particularly liked Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Parasite, Harriet, Jo Jo Rabbit, Pain and Glory, Judy, The Farewell, Yesterday, Captain Marvel, and 1917.