Thanksgiving in Reno

The foothills behind our house have become familiar this year. We have walked them in every season, watching the trails change from summer dust to autumn color to the bare clarity of November. This morning, three weeks before we leave for Texas (DFW), they look the same as always. It is we who are different.

Thanksgiving arrives after a week of stillness. The long drive along California's central coast gave way to days with friends, shared meals, and the steady work of preparing for departure. It has been a welcome pause, and a needed one.

Reno taught us to live attentively. We learned to notice how late afternoon light settles over these mountains, to follow familiar paths through changing weather, and to understand how connection to place forms through habit and care. The lessons came quietly, through repetition rather than revelation.

This year we are grateful for the gifts that have shaped this season of preparation. For our family and our marriage, for the health God has given us, and for the grace that steadies our daily life. For our Living Stones church community, who welcomed us with warmth and sincerity. For the chance to serve on the Connections Team and to find joy in small acts. For our Community Groups, where friendship has grown through shared meals and Bible study. For friends who opened their homes to us for Thanksgiving celebrations. For the miles and mountains that shaped this year, from Nevada’s high desert to the long coastal stretches of California and the red rock canyons farther east. And for the privilege of preparing for the next chapter abroad, one we have dreamed about over many years.

We are grateful for every reader who chooses to spend part of this holiday with us. Thank you for following along as we explore with wonder in some great place.

A short reflection on the early December transition as we accelerate the practical work of leaving Nevada. Boxes, donations, and the ongoing work of deciding what travels with us to Texas and beyond. The week ahead carries a sense that one chapter is closing while the next is beginning.

Until next week,
S&S

Some Great Place
Living local in a global world