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Instead of other families who pull out their same angel or star as the tree topper, my family (my dad) makes a tree topper that represents the big thing that our family did that year, as a kind of reflection on the kind of year we had. We’ve had toppers for our big international travel years (Germany for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Wales, Malaysia), one for the year we got Cassie, one made out of our little kid hands, and many more. This year (far right on the top) has a circle to represent each of the kids (Hannah graduating from PLU, Sophie at University of Michigan, Elijah committed to University of Montana for next year, and Noel our exchange student from Germany) and one for the parents (camping in Maui). Also new this year is the topper on the far right on the bottom. This is the topper going on the Christmas tree in my new apartment that I share with my boyfriend Braden (supposed to look like a combined H and B that doubles as a heart). It is comforting to know that as I strike out to start a life on my own for the first time, I take a piece of my family with me.

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