Tag Archives: Fr. Jeff Lewis St. Mary Spokane

Our Top 10 Favorite Fr. Jeff Lewis Moments

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Tap here to read my tribute to Fr. Jeff Lewis

How do you know if you were blessed with a one-of-a-kind priest? Aside from getting you closer to Heaven (😇), I would have to say the answer is obvious if you can easily recount 10 memorable moments from your time together.

Fr. Jeff Lewis fits that bill and then some. Because to be honest, it was almost impossible to choose just 10 moments from the past six years with Fr. Jeff. However, I did my best.

If you want my final tribute to Fr. Jeff go here, but if you just want the quick rundown of some really good times, please read on…

10. A Parting Gift – After the news of Fr. Jeff’s transfer was official, he reached out to as many parishioners as possible to schedule final get-togethers prior to his departure. Fr. Jeff paired our family’s last hurrah with our dear friends, the Perrys. During our dinner, Fr. Jeff presented each family with a piece of art. He gave us an Ascension-themed stained glass piece, noting that he thought of Sloan when deciding to pass it on to us. For him to give us a gift at all—let alone one that was filled with thought and from his own collection—was pretty special.

Fr. Jeff Lewis presents Sidney with a suncatcher depicting the Ascension during our dinner with him and the Perrys at Hops N Drops in June 2026.

9. Movie Star – Back in 2023, I was asked to create a surprise video for Sloan’s kindergarten teacher (Jordan Hoard) who was getting married. I decided to have Sloan and her classmates give advice to the then-Miss Roff on how to achieve a successful marriage. But for the video to have optimal impact and credibility, it needed star power. Fr. Jeff is always a good sport and down for anything, so he graciously agreed to appear in it.

A screenshot from the video that Fr. Jeff helped us make by appearing in it. I worked on a video that congratulated Mrs. Jordan Hoard on getting married and had her then-kindergarten class offering their marriage advice.

8. Softball Championship – Back in the summer of 2022, Fr. Jeff challenged our Young Adult group to establish a St. Mary softball program. One of our fellow charter couples of the Young Adult group, Brian and Hailey Eames, took lead. They organized a tournament with our brothers and sisters from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for that August. After a few weeks of practice, we played on the Mormon fields on a sunny Saturday morning. The tournament consisted of three LDS teams and our sole Catholic team. We easily won our first game to advance to the championship where we claimed the title with an 8-7 victory. After the game, we had a big cookout as both Catholics and Mormons came together for fellowship. Fr. Jeff’s vision would go beyond that debut weekend as St. Mary softball was “a thing” for a couple more summers.

A few photos from the day our St. Mary team won the softball championship. Sid and I got to play together on a sports team that was pretty cool. Fr. Jeff can be seen in the photo from the picnic that was held immediately after our victory.

7. House Blessings – Fr. Jeff cheerfully came to our home to bless our house on two different occasions. He first performed the rite when we moved into our rental shortly after we arrived in Spokane. He would then come again once we purchased our own home. Both evenings were lively and comforting as we would eat dinner and then Fr. Jeff would take his spray bottle filled with holy water and visit each room while also applying holy oils. We were grateful that Fr. Jeff never hesitated to do the blessings and always made them fun and educational for the kids.

Fr. Jeff Lewis with us after our first house blessing in 2021.

6. Sunrise Mass – I had the blessing of worshipping at a couple different sunrise masses that Fr. Jeff celebrated. My favorite was in June 2025 when we hiked Iller Creek in the Dishman Hills of Spokane Valley. Our group met at the trailhead at 4 a.m. and hiked to a spot that overlooked the Palouse. Fr. Jeff then said mass and timed it perfectly so that the sunrise was at its full glory during the consecration. What a moving and holy experience!

Fr. Jeff Lewis led a hike up the Iller Creek trail for a sunrise mass in June 2025.

5. Dinner With the Bishop – If you have ever tried to get on Bishop Thomas Daly’s calendar, you know how impossible it seems at times. So I don’t know how he managed it, but Fr. Jeff somehow got the Bishop to attend dinner with our Young Adult group. There was no agenda and no “ask” during the visit, Fr. Jeff just wanted us to enjoy the presence of Bishop Daly while showing the Bishop a thriving and strong community that developed during the pandemic when we were starving for Catholic fellowship.

Our Young Adult Catholic group surrounds Bishop Thomas Daly (center, with hands in pockets) in June 2022.

4. Marriage Prep Celebrations – Early on during our time at St. Mary, Fr. Jeff approached Sid and me about serving in a “mentor couple” role to engaged couples enrolled in marriage prep. We enthusiastically accepted and over the past handful of years we have worked with eight different engaged couples through a six-lesson program called “Beloved.” At the end of the sixth lesson, we would convene with the couple and Fr. Jeff at a restaurant (usually the De Leon location at Sullivan and Sprague) to debrief the engaged couple’s experience and to look forward to their wedding day. These dinners were always so positive, casual, and enjoyable. You wouldn’t believe how great Fr. Jeff does with these young couples!

Photos with us, Fr. Jeff, and some of the engaged couples we have been blessed to work with over the years.

3. WSU Football Game – One thing you should know about Fr. Jeff is that he is a huge WSU Fan—which makes sense because he earned his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the school. Back in November 2023, we tagged along with Fr. Jeff, Jeremy Cassidy, Amy Martin, and the Perrys to Pullman for a Friday night Washington State University football game. Prior to heading to the stadium, we all visited WSU’s Newman Center. Fr. Paul Heric gave us a tour and we tailgated in the parking lot. The Cougs crushed the University of Colorado that evening in Deion Sanders’ first season with the team.

Fr. Jeff Lewis and members of our Young Adult group went to a WSU football game in November 2023.

2. Presenting With Fr. Jeff at Engaged Encounter Retreats – As its chaplain, Fr. Jeff extended an offer to Sid and me to join a ministry called Engaged Encounter (totally separate from the “mentor couple” opportunity mentioned above). The main goal of the organization is to stage retreats for engaged couples getting married in the Catholic Church. During the retreats, two couples and a priest give a series of presentations throughout the weekend. Sid and I would ascend from newcomers to presenters to the leaders of the Spokane Engaged Encounter chapter. During our EE journey over the past four years, we have had the honor of teaming up with Fr. Jeff on two retreat weekends. I like to think we work together pretty well! It meant a lot that Fr. Jeff invited us into the ministry just to begin with but it has been a blessing for us to collaborate in our leadership roles together (when Fr. Jeff transfers to Walla Walla he will resign from his role as EE chaplain).

Sid and I stand with Natalie Schroeder, Joe Schroeder, and Fr. Jeff Lewis. We served as the ministry team at the May 2026 Spokane Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend that took place at the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center. We feel so blessed that Fr. Jeff invited us to join the ministry.

1. 2023 Hoopfest Weekend – Out of all the special moments with Fr. Jeff, our Hoopfest run in 2023 is at the top of my list. St. Mary sponsored our team which included fellow parishioners/Young Adult group members Amy Martin, JJ Nazzaro, and Ryan Andrade. Fr. Jeff was with us the entire weekend from the initial bus ride downtown to our finalist photos on Sunday afternoon. Despite losing our first game, we would cruise through the loser’s bracket to make the championship. Fr. Jeff led us in prayer prior to each game, cheered us on, and served us admirably in his role as team chaplain. But the best part of all was just hanging out with him throughout the course of the weekend and watching him minister to the thousands of people downtown. You would not believe all the people who called out “FATHER” to him throughout the weekend. For me, it was an experience that encompassed both friendship and evangelization—something that I will never forget.

The weekend we spent with Fr. Jeff at Hoopfest 2023 is one I will never forget. People in this photo include (from l-r) JJ Nazzaro, Amy Martin, Fr. Jeff Lewis, me, and Ryan Andrade.

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Wow. That’s a lot for under six years. I think it goes without saying that when you have so many big moments with a priest, it by default makes them your favorite priest, right? What a blessing to have Fr. Jeff Lewis become such an important influence on our family and contribute so many memories that we will forever look back fondly on.

For those Walla Walla families who are parishioners at either Assumption or St. Patrick, I hope you enjoy similar moments with Fr. Jeff. You are getting an absolute treasure. Don’t Blink.

Our Priest: Fr. Jeff Lewis

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Our Guy

Let me get right to the point: Fr. Jeff Lewis was the exact person my family needed when he entered our lives.

Fr. Jeff Lewis was the exact person my family needed in 2020.

When we met him for the first time in the St. Mary vestibule, we—and the world—were in a period of transition. It was the summer of 2020 and the Diocese of Spokane had just resumed in-person masses as the pandemic lingered. Our family had recently moved across the country and we were trying to gather our bearings. I had started a new job at Washington State University, Sidney was becoming accustomed to her role as a stay-at-home mom, Sloan was adjusting to life without her South Carolina grandparents, and Beau was a newborn.

We were also in a faith transition as well. Shortly before leaving Myrtle Beach and just days prior to the pandemic rocking our nation, Sidney had converted to Catholicism in a beautiful ceremony in which Beau was baptized as well. The momentum was on our side that February day but COVID would try to seize any spiritual gains my family had made over the coming months.

Thanks be to God, Fr. Jeff wasn’t going to let us slip through the cracks.

Meeting Fr. Jeff Lewis was an absolute blessing when we moved to Spokane. This was one of our first photos with him. It was taken at our house blessing in 2021.

The Seeds of Friendship

It didn’t take long for us to become acquainted with Fr. Jeff’s outgoing and humorous personality. The first time we met him in that vestibule, he quizzed us about what side of Pines Rd. we lived on. When we told him our house was situated on the side of the road that should have placed us in the jurisdiction of another parish, he assured us that he would take us anyway…just as long as we didn’t tell the other pastor.

When we returned the following week, Fr. Jeff remembered us. He cracked a joke about Beau being a football player due to the helmet therapy he was undergoing at the time to correct his misshapen head. Yep, we quickly learned that Fr. Jeff was a priest who wouldn’t shy away from injecting humor into a potentially delicate situation…and we loved him for it.

Those first personable and lighthearted encounters with Fr. Jeff would set the stage for a six-year friendship that would catapult us into ministry life within the Spokane Diocese, introduce us to some of the best people we have ever met, and, most importantly, energize the Catholic faith of our family.

By meeting Fr. Lewis, we would become very involved at St. Mary and the diocese at large while meeting amazing people.

An Endearing Style

Once we got past the vestibule and into the sanctuary, we quickly learned the reverent—yet welcoming—way that Fr. Jeff celebrated mass. From the way he held his hands in prayerful posture to the thorough way he cleaned the sacred vessels to the St. Michael prayer he led prior to the recessional, Fr. Jeff was always dialed in and deeply devoted to the holiness of the mass.

Fr. Jeff receives the gifts from Sloan during a St. Mary School mass. It didn’t matter if he was saying mass at the Cathedral or mass for the students, Fr. Jeff always did it reverently.

When it came to his preaching style, we always appreciated how prepared he was. He wrote his homilies and preached them from behind the lectern. Although different from the more spontaneous approach of his St. Mary predecessor, Fr. Jeff packed plenty of relatability and humor into his weekly Sunday addresses to the congregation. His self-deprecating humor combined with his signature “HA!” he would exclaim after telling a joke made him endearing to many.

Outside of mass and in the public view, he could mostly be found wearing a collar, oftentimes paired with his cassock. With his tall frame, he stuck out like a sore (or holy?) thumb. I always felt privileged and inspired to be around him during these times because people would call out “FATHER!” and flock to him. It became so plainly obvious how much priests are needed and the beacon of hope they provide—to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

It was always fun to be with Fr. Jeff in public as people would flock to him. During Hoopfest 2023 we spent the entire weekend with him, including when we rode the STA bus downtown. You wouldn’t believe all the people who approached him over those two days,

Needless to say, Fr. Jeff was the perfect example of priestly humility and approachability for our family. Totally devout yet totally an everyday guy, he was a role model in every sense of the phrase.

Fr. Jeff Lewis would become a trusted friend to Sid & me and an incredible role model to Sloan and Beau.

A Game Changer

Because of Fr. Jeff’s friendly demeanor and non-holier-than-thou attitude, people gravitated to him—including our family. Within the first couple months of us attending St. Mary, something in the bulletin caught our eye. It was an invitation to join a new young adult group. A joint venture between Fr. Jeff and his good friend and fellow Spokane Valley priest, Fr. Kevin Oiland, I signed Sid and me up that night.

Our Young Adult Catholic group proved to be invaluable to our family. It grew pretty quickly and thanks to Fr. Jeff it wasn’t long before Bishop Thomas Daly joined all of us for a special dinner.

Our first meeting took place at Arbor Crest, a Spokane-area winery with beautiful grounds and spectacular views. I might have pinched myself thinking how blessed I was to be in the presence of two priests who took a genuine interest in me as we enjoyed nature and drank wine.

That initial meeting was only the beginning. Each ensuing bi-weekly encounter proved to be richer than the previous. Fr. Jeff would divide the time between socializing, discussing a specific topic, and prayer. Other young adult couples joined and it didn’t take long before our group transformed into family.

We were one of the three original couples of the Valley Young Adult group. This is us with Fr. Jeff and Brian & Hailey Eames (not pictured: Ryan and Allyson Andrade).

This young adult group would stick together for the remainder of Fr. Jeff’s time at St. Mary. The constant throughout the entire 5.5 years? Fr. Jeff. He constantly evolved the group, tweaked the schedule as necessary, and kept showing up even when it seemed like busy lives and growing families might dissolve it.

Our Young Adult group forged unbreakable bonds thanks to Fr. Jeff. The Andrades, the other charter couple part of “the original three,” became our dear friends. They asked us to be the godparents of their son, Noble. (l-r) Ryan Andrade, Allyson Andrade, Sidney Reser, Noble Andrade, Brent Reser, and Fr. Jeff Lewis.

Building Friendship

By joining the young adult group, we made best friends with like-minded couples. If that was all that came from our decision to answer that bulletin ad, I would say we were beyond blessed. But we actually received so much more.

Members of our Young Adult/Young Family group gather around Fr. Jeff Lewis during a going-away party for him. Even up to his last week at St. Mary, he still made time for our special Young Adult/Young Family community.

The group also gave us regular access to our rather tall parish priest 😉. Because we were around and I guess seemingly normal (debatable for me, I know), Fr. Jeff gave us opportunities in St. Mary and diocesan ministries. He asked us to become a marriage prep mentor couple and he also invited us to join the Spokane Engaged Encounter ministry. He commonly gave us the opportunity to bring down the gifts at mass, sought us out for our opinions on various matters, and asked us to make certain newcomers to the parish feel welcome.

Little did we know that by accepting Fr. Jeff Lewis’ invite to join the Engaged Encounter ministry that we would be discerned as the Spokane leaders just a few years later. Some of the best times with Fr. Jeff have been presenting with him at Engaged Encounter retreats. Sid and I stand with Natalie Schroeder, Joe Schroeder while Fr. Jeff stands in the middle. We served as the ministry team at the May 2026 Spokane Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend that took place at the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center.

But for as much as we tried to answer “yes” to Fr. Jeff, he naturally did so much more for us. Aside from readily giving us the sacraments when needed, he always went above and beyond. Whether it was blessing our house (twice!), answering our text messages, unlocking parish meetings rooms for us, or appearing in videos, he always cheerfully helped us out. I don’t even know how many times I opened our mailbox to see a card from Fr. Jeff indicating an upcoming date when he would say a mass for our family. Or the special times he would invite me and other men in the parish to the rectory for cigars and discussion.

Fr. Jeff Lwwis takes a photo with our family after he blessed our house in 2023. He blessed the house we rented in 2021 as well.

We will never forget the way he treated our children. Never too busy to playfully banter with Sloan or hold out his hand for a high five from Beau, we couldn’t have asked for a better role model. When Fr. Jeff told us the Bishop was transferring him, we knew we would have to drop the news very delicately to the kids. That was a tough conversation.

Outside our family, Beau and Sloan could not have had a better person in their lives than Fr. Jeff Lewis.

The kids weren’t the only ones who took it hard. Even though I prepped Sidney for the past few years that Catholic priests don’t stay at a parish forever and that Fr. Jeff would probably leave St. Mary soon, his announcement still rattled my wife. She waited a few days before she could gather herself to tell Fr. Jeff how much she would miss him.

Sid and Fr. Jeff Lewis were tight.

It’s hard when friends leave.

A Priest on the Rise

As we became friends with Fr. Jeff on a personal level, it was gratifying to see him succeed on a professional level. St. Mary is a very large parish with very diverse parishioners. No matter what decision you make or how you celebrate mass, seemingly a segment of the congregation will take issue. Incredibly, Fr. Jeff effectively embraced an approach that attracted traditionalists to the parish while not alienating those with an affinity for Vatican II reform. He talked about this fine line often with our young adult group and was very cognizant of the ramifications of leaning too far one way—and he navigated it beautifully.

The way he lovingly and strategically ran the parish showed in the pews. Weekend mass attendance has soared and is back at pre-pandemic levels. But it just isn’t the church that is thriving. St. Mary Catholic School, which Fr. Jeff oversees, is also a beacon of health. Knowing the need for strong, Catholic-centered leadership, Fr. Jeff took what some might have perceived as a gamble and hired a teacher from a public school district to serve as principal. The hire of Stephen Hart might very well be one of the best decisions Fr. Jeff made during his tenure at St. Mary.

Stephen Hart stands by Fr. Jeff Lewis as he blesses a religious item for Beau. Hiring Stephen as principal of St. Mary Catholic School was one of the best things Fr. Jeff ever did.

With Fr. Jeff doing a stellar job with his localized parish assignment, he also garnered attention at the diocesan and even national levels as well. From a stint helping Bishop Daly with personnel assignments to appearing in Inland Catholic to making regular appearances on Tom Curran’s radio program, Fr. Jeff made himself known to the Catholic community of eastern Washington.

However, Fr. Jeff became known outside the state as well. In 2024 he gave a talk at our country’s most popular Catholic conference—SEEK. What pride many of us at St. Mary felt as our pastor spoke to an esteemed national audience about the evangelization program he introduced at our parish. His ambitious plan earned him attention from major Catholic personalities as he spent time at Edward Siri’s house and attended a private meet-and-greet with then-FOCUS CEO Curtis Martin when he visited Spokane in 2025.

Fr. Jeff Lewis speaks at SEEK in 2024.

No doubt about it, Fr. Jeff’s influence was felt far beyond the St. Mary campus over the past six years.

Fr. Jeff Lewis has lit the world on fire with his ministry (this photo was taken at a sunrise mass he took several of us on in June 2025).

Staying Humble

Although Fr. Jeff might joke about future titles (Cardinal Lewis) or assignments from Rome, don’t think for a second that his successful ministry has gone to his head. Because no matter how well-known his name becomes outside of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, he is still committed to his flock at the localized parish level.

Fr. Jeff Lewis would present at SEEK but still love to do nothing more than preside over a Mary Crowning ceremony (Sloan and Claire Hart help Fr. Jeff out).

We know this firsthand. Even though he is the pastor of a large parish and is known to the Catholic World outside the state of Washington, he has still made time for a very normal family like ours. Whether that has manifested itself in going to a football game together, coming over for dinner, or openly debating me about the merits of digital media to promote good, he has always made time for us.

Fr. Jeff Lewis and members of our Young Adult group went to a WSU football game in November 2023.

And we are hardly alone. Fr. Jeff has given this attention to countless other “very normal” St. Mary families. We often joke that he doesn’t need to cook at the rectory because he is always over at a parishioner’s house for dinner. If there is anyone who has a stereotypical idea of a priest being an aloof, egocentric hermit, they have never met Fr. Jeff.

It must also to be said that he shows up to everything. From Family Faith Nights to Knights of Columbus meetings to turkey bingo to school sporting events, Fr. Jeff prioritizes it all (now is definitely the time to enter a Padre Pio reference about bi-locating). There is no event too small or insignificant for this truly humble priest.  

Fr. Jeff plays some Bingo with us at a Knights of Columbus event. (photo courtesy of Carl Lockwood).

Legacy

Inside the St. Mary vestibule is a nursing room. The exterior wall of the nursing room displays the rich history of the parish as portraits of past St. Mary priests hang. Soon, Fr. Jeff’s picture will move from the spot designated for the current pastor to the space reserved for those whose vocations have taken them elsewhere. As the years pass and a new generation of St. Mary parishioners settle in our church, there is no doubt that their attention will settle upon the portrait of Fr. Jeff. If it isn’t me, I am sure someone else will be on-hand to educate our newcomers on the lasting impact made by the tall, bespectacled man in the photo.

This wall inside St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley) depicts the photos of all pastors of St. Mary. Fr. Jeff Lewis’ photo will glow for a long time.

Fr. Jeff will be remembered for a long and successful seven-year ministry at St. Mary. History will note that he ushered the parish through the pandemic and somehow made it even stronger in the ensuing post-virus years. While he enforced necessary safety protocols and took COVID seriously, he also didn’t allow it to cripple his vocation—he was one of the only priests within the diocese who made hospital visits during the pandemic. The way he handled such a turbulent time in our history will be commended.

Fr. Jeff Lewis led St. Mary with compassion and faith during a very uncertain time (photo courtesy of Allyson Andrade).

The way he approached envangelization will be remembered. Taking the FOCUS model and launching his 50,000-soul challenge by urging each St. Mary parishioner to reach out to two non-practicing people was bold. Speaking of FOCUS, the way he incorporated the ministry into the parish—to the point of adding two missionaries to our community—was innovative. Known for ministering on college campuses, Fr. Jeff saw that the FOCUS approach could be effective and scalable at the parish level as well.

No doubt his influence on young people will be remembered. The positive impact he had on St. Mary School can’t be overstated. He made a slam dunk principal hire with Stephen Hart and then actively partnered with him to provide a school that offered a challenging, empowering, and authentically Catholic education. Fr. Jeff had a profound impact on the youth group program as he put the right leaders in place and attended every gathering he could. The freedom he gave Marie Bricher to do “crazy things” (her words) to engage children at events such as Catholic Summer Camp and Family Faith Nights won’t be forgotten and hopefully carried on by the incoming pastor.

Fr. Jeff Lewis showed up to EVERYTHING…including any event that catered to the youth. This is a photo from a Family Faith night where he partnered with Sloan in a demonstration.

For years to come, the beautiful sanctuary we now have will also be part of Fr. Jeff’s legacy. Thanks to his leadership the worship space was completely transformed. Among other things, a new altar was brought in and a crucifix added. Additionally, although the execution phase and ribbon cutting will be past his time, Fr. Jeff will be credited with actually putting into place plans for a new parish hall and school.

The way Fr. Jeff led the charge the beautify the sanctuary space behind us in this picture will continue to be appreciated by many.

And I could go on and on. But let me summarize when it comes to Fr. Jeff’s legacy at St. Mary: he was a priest with BIG ideas who put them into practice while both shepherding and empowering his flock.

Perhaps this photo of Fr. Jeff Lewis throwing his head back and laughing is a better indicator of the legacy he will leave behind than anything I could put into words.

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Little did my family know the role that Fr. Jeff would play in our lives when we met him for that first time nearly six years ago. That initial conversation in the St. Mary vestibule would lead to our inclusion in a Catholic community that profoundly changed our lives for the better.

Sloan and Beau take a photo with Fr. Jeff Lewis after he concluded his last school mass on June 12, 2026.

It has been a blessing to not just watch Fr. Jeff thrive at his vocation but to personally benefit from it as well. His earthly legacy at St. Mary will shine brightly for years to come but eventually that light will dim as the decades go on and people forget. However, the fruit he has helped produce through the grace of God in the souls of himself and others will hopefully have eternal lasting power.

We will simply miss the times our group of friends would gather around a table with Fr. Jeff Lewis and talk about life, hot topics, and God.

Thank you, Fr. Jeff. You have been the best priest, an incredible influence on my children, and an inspiring leader. You have also been a dear friend. I look forward to following your ministry from afar as I know you will do special things in Walla Walla. My family is praying for you and we will miss you very much. Don’t Blink.

Tap here to read my family’s top 10 moments with Fr. Jeff Lewis

Easter 2026

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Alleluia! He is risen!

Thanks be to God my family got to spend another Easter together. We took this photo after beautiful Easter Sunday mass at St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley).

Yesterday we celebrated Easter Sunday and per usual it was the most glorious day of the year for our family. Because of the magnitude of the day for humanity and the personal emphasis Sid, Sloan, Sid, and I place on it, each year I write a quick post reflecting on how we celebrated it.

Sloan and Beau in their Easter Sunday best as they stand in the vestibule at St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley).

Thanks to everyone who made it special…

Our Easter Sunday started at 6 a.m. when everyone awoke. It was a dash down the stairs to see if the Easter Bunny paid a visit overnight. Much to the delight of Sloan and Beau, he did. Their baskets contained clothes, a book, and some candy.

Beau and Sloan scope out their Easter baskets. The Easter Bunny treated them well.

The focal point of the day then took place when we drove to St. Mary Catholic Church for 9 a.m. Easter Sunday mass. My brother, sister-in-law, and niece sat with us in the overflowing quarters of the sanctuary. Speaking of the overflowing quarters, during his homily, Fr. Jeff Lewis spoke about the influx of people not just parish-wide but worldwide joining the Catholic Church. He then preached about an obvious line that separates the world into a pro-Jesus side and anti-Jesus side. He told us to get on the pro-Jesus side. Our family had the honor of bringing down the gifts with our Godson.

Fr. Jeff Lewis concludes Easter Sunday mass at St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley). It was beautiful as usual and my family had the blessing of bringing up the gifts.

After mass we caught up with friends and then ventured into the St. Mary parish hall (aka the gym) for fellowship and sweet treats. After a long Lenten season, the cinnamon rolls and donut holes sure tasted good.

Beau and Sloan help themselves to some sweets after Easter Sunday mass at St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley).

Back at the house, Beau and I made a dessert dip for our family celebration later that afternoon. Sid then took over the kitchen and made a pizza dip for lunch. While the baking and eating was taking place, we watched a couple videos about Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Our family walking with swagger on Easter Sunday.

We then ventured up north to my parents’ house for our big Reser Easter celebration. My siblings and their families joined us as we all spent most of the afternoon outside as we hung out in lounge chairs, threw the football, and did chalk art.

Sloan and Beau with their cousins just loving the beautiful Eastern Sunday weather.

It was then time to eat as we sat down as a big, happy family to enjoy a ham dinner. As I always say about these meals, the conversation always ends up being better than the food even though everything on the table was incredibly delicious.

Our family sitting around the table for Easter Sunday Dinner 2026.

After Easter dinner, Glen and his wife staged their annual Easter egg hunt for the kids (you can watch the video I made here). This was the first time since my family moved to Spokane that a jacket/sweatshirt wasn’t needed for the hunt. All kids were great sports and had fun. We concluded the Reser Easter celebration with dessert and continued conversation.

Glen and Carrie pose with all the cousins after their annual Easter egg hunt.

Sidney and I returned home just the two of us. My sister took Sloan and Beau to her place to spend the night with their cousins as all the kids are now on spring break. We would close out Easter Sunday by watching some of “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Alleluia! He Is Risen! Sloan celebrates inside the St. Mary Catholic School (Spokane Valley) gym after the Easter Vigil.

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With yesterday’s celebration, we now enter Eastertide, a period of 50 glorious days to celebrate the resurrection. At the beginning of Lent, I referenced a homily from Archbishop Hicks that reflected on the hunger we feel in our hearts during lent. He mentioned that binging on jelly donuts during Fat Tuesday would do little to satisfy our appetite on Ash Wednesday. Well, the same holds true as we enter the Easter Season. Although the season of fasting has passed, the indulgent foods that will now be more accessible to us will do little to satisfy our hunger.

As Archbishop Hicks said seven weeks ago, and it still holds true today, there is only one thing that will fill our hungry souls: Jesus.

Happy Easter. Don’t Blink.

Easter 2025
Easter 2024
Easter 2023
Easter 2022
Easter 2021
Easter 2020
Easter 2019
Easter 2018

Butcher Knives

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Over the past five years, I have engaged in a recurring debate with our family priest. Yes, I admit it, I argue with our priest. But to know Fr. Jeff Lewis and the relationship we have with him would taper any astonishment you have over such a seemingly sacrilegious act on my part.

Fr. Jeff takes a photo with our family after he blessed our house. You would think since he does such nice things for us that I wouldn’t argue with him 😂.

Anyway, the debate centers on this: The merits of digital media to evangelize and promote the case for Christ and the Church.

As you can probably guess, I am a proponent of the wide-reaching positive impact that Catholic-based social media, blogs, e-newsletters, podcasts, and more can have on believers and non-believers alike. Fr. Jeff is more skeptical.

But this past weekend when Fr. Jeff wrote his weekly pastor’s column on the topic, he ended the very well-thought-out piece with an even better final notion…

The internet and other digital media are like any other tool, such as butcher knives: they sure can be helpful…and, if mis-used, very dangerous.

I thought his conciliatory statement hit the mark and provided guidance that I can totally rally behind. If you have time, you should read his entire column as he directly addresses topics such as internet traps (online gambling, porn, etc.), YouTube, and social media.

Fr. Jeff and my family playing some Bingo. We may have very well debated the merits of digital media at this table!

He also touched on one final digital media “plague” that anyone who attends any church of any belief is probably all-too-familiar with: phishing scams.

It happens all too often. People receive text messages and/or emails from their pastor asking for money or gift cards. The “Pastor Jones” impersonator says it is urgent and that he can’t speak on the phone at the moment. But if you just donate, the priest or pastor explains, you will help the poor or support an important charity.

Folks fall for this all the time. Well-meaning and elderly are especially prone to the scam. And it is rampant. Like seriously rampant.

I have attended events hosted by other Christian denomination churches and ended up on their email lists. Sure enough, I receive the same communications from those pastors warning of the scam and offering the same, “I will never text you for money…” spiel that either Fr. Jeff or our parish secretary recites every month. Seriously folks, watch out for the people who are vulnerable in your faith communities.

I do prefer the approach that my parish takes with these cases after issuing the standard few sentences about how Fr. Jeff would never do such a thing. After the copy and paste warning is out of the way that every other church uses, ours always ends with the following: Please say a Hail Mary for the conversion and repentance of those perpetrating these scams.

Yes, let’s do that. Don’t Blink.

Smarties Thursday Rundown

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Happy October and good day! I hope everyone is enjoying a pleasant beginning to the HalloweenGivingMas season. Let’s begin with tonight’s five topics.

Sloan Discusses Trend With Fr. Jeff – One thing you should know about Fr. Jeff Lewis is that he spends just as much time involved with the school side of St. Mary as he does with the church side. He visits each class once per week and discusses faith with the students. However, pop culture topics come up frequently during these conversations. This past weekend, we were spending time with Fr. Jeff when he started talking about the “6-7” trend. I had heard nothing about the meme until my priest mentioned it during our visit and noted how St. Mary children seem pretty enamored with it. Of course, Sloan got a giant kick out of it and within no time both pastor and student were saying “6-7” with hand motions and all. It was quite the sight.

Fr. Jeff Lewis and Sloan go back-and-forth about the “6-7” trend.

National Smarties Day – Today is National Smarties Day and I have one big memory of the candy. Growing up, my mom would take us grocery shopping with her every week. When it was time to pay, we would always get in the line staffed by an elderly bagger named Kermit. This kind soul would joke around with us and then always hand us a pack of Smarties. If he didn’t already have such a distinctive and fun first name, I probably would have just started calling him “Smarties.”

This Valentine treat character, which was created in February 2021 for my daughter’s pre-school Valentine’s Day party, has Smarties as arms.

Lesson on Disabilities – The book I read to Beau last night was titled “You’re So Amazing” and was about a little boy with one leg. Whenever he would do anything—even the most mundane tasks—people would gawk and say you’re so amazing. Then, if he decided to sit something out just because he didn’t want to partake, people would take immense pity on him and think his disability was limiting him. The point of the story was to normalize those who might have a disability and refrain from making a big deal out of everything they do. The story’s subtitle summarizes it perfectly: being singled out doesn’t always feel amazing.

Beau and I received an important perspective when we read “You’re So Amazing”.

Eat Mor Chikin – The Chick-fil-A cow was at last week’s high school football game between Mead and Mt. Spokane. Sloan jumped at the chance to take her photo with the mascot. After I took the photo, I mentioned to her that I had my own photograph taken with the cow approximately 11 years ago when the Chick-Fil-A restaurant opened at Coastal Carolina University. I don’t think she was that impressed.

I took a photo with the Chick-fil-A cow at the grand opening of Coastal Carolina University’s Chick-Fil-A restaurant in September 2014..

Flood Waters – This weekend is the 10th anniversary of when Myrtle Beach was flooded via the byproduct of Hurricane Joaquin. It was the most surreal scene as people were literally riding on jet skis and floating on kayaks through the neighborhood streets. Although the governor told people not to go exploring, Sid and I did the exact opposite. Hey, you make stupid decisions in your 20s, right?! This was the blog post I wrote about the crazy spectacle.

This is me in the water during the expedition that Sid and I took during a massive flood that took place in Myrtle Beach in 2015. Follow the link to my original blog to see photos of the kayaks and jet skis.

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Have a great month everyone. This is my last Thursday Rundown as a 38-year-old (😱). Don’t Blink.

Happy 13th Ordination Anniversary, Dear Friend

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It is a special day for our pastor and friend.

Today, Fr. Jeff Lewis celebrates the 13th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. On May 26, 2011, he answered God’s call and became a living sacrament of Christ when Cardinal Blaise Cupich ordained him a priest for service within the Catholic Diocese of Spokane.

Fr. Jeff celebrates 13 years of priestly ministry today. He was ordained by Cardinal Blaise Cupich on May 26, 2011.

When I wrote about Fr. Jeff’s 12th anniversary of ordination a year ago, little did I know all he would do between that time and today. It certainly has been a banner year for our family priest. Over the past 52 weeks, Fr. Jeff delivered an incredible talk at SEEK, launched a parish-wide evangelization challenge, produced major increases in average weekend mass attendance, made a grand slam principal hire that positively changed the trajectory of our school, and so much more.

Fr. Jeff receives the gifts from Sloan during a St. Mary School mass just a few weeks ago.

However, this year’s ordination blog post isn’t about delving into his many successes as pastor of St. Mary Parish. Nor is it to highlight his numerous priestly merits (I did that last year). Rather, the purpose of this year’s post is to thank him for being such a good friend.

Fr. Jeff has a close relationship with Sloan and Beau. My kids think the world of him.

In the four years that we have known Fr. Jeff, he has always nourished our family with the sacraments and sound spiritual direction. Over the course of this time we have also had the pleasure of getting to know him on a personal level. Thanks be to God, he has always been just a text message away for our family. But this past year we grew even closer and our friendship blossomed.

We are blessed to call Fr. Jeff a dear family friend. (photo courtesy of Carl Lockwood).

When I look back on the past 12 months, it seems like many of our family’s memorable events included Fr. Jeff. From spending Hoopfest weekend together to watching Cougar football in Pullman to “guy’s night” at the rectory to birthday parties to dinners, we have had the blessing of enjoying these good times alongside Fr. Jeff.

We joined Fr. Jeff Lewis and other St. Mary friends on a fun road trip to watch the Washington State University football team defeat the University of Colorado.

There is nothing like hanging out in a seemingly “non-parish” public situation with Fr. Jeff. Although we might be outside the walls of the physical St. Mary church, he is truly always on call as a disciple of Christ. This is evidenced by the many people who approach him for counsel, request a blessing, or call out “FATHER” when walking in a crowd (alright, Fr. Jeff is really tall so he does stand out).

Achieving success during Hoopfest 2023 was great but spending the weekend with Fr. Jeff in-between games was just as awesome.

What I am trying to say is that being a friend of a priest is eye-opening because you are constantly reminded of how much they are needed. Observing this firsthand via our friendship with Fr. Jeff has not only underscored the importance of priestly vocation but has left little doubt about how much our tall friend cherishes his.

Sidney sits next to Fr. Jeff during a break in action during Hoopfest 2023 (and of course Sloan had to be close by as well 😂). It was so cool to see so many approach Fr. Jeff during that weekend.

For all the great times we had with Fr. Jeff over the past year, the undisputed highlight came just last week. Sidney and I had the blessing of presenting with him at the latest Spokane Diocese Engaged Encounter retreat. Over the course of three days, we worked together to deliver five different marriage-based presentations to 14 engaged couples. I would say the chemistry between the three of us was pretty evident 😉. To minister with our friend in such an intimate and important way was pretty special.

The last night of our Engaged Encounter retreat, we had a little celebration for Fr. Jeff after all the programing was done for the day. What a blessed weekend it was!

As Fr. Jeff celebrates his anniversary today, I know there are scores of parishioners—both from St. Mary and his past parishes—who are celebrating his 13 years of priestly service too. Count us in that bunch! For our family, we are celebrating a priest who gladly eats our cooking, humorously inserts Sloan’s name into mass, and gladly accepts Beau’s hugs. We are also thanking God for a priest who genuinely cares for our salvation. Whether Fr. Jeff is saying a mass for our family, hearing our confessions, blessing our house, or doing a multitude of other things, we know his desire is that we make it to Heaven.

Fr. Jeff blessed our house in September. We know our salvation means a lot to him.

Throughout this past year, I have heard Fr. Jeff express how he is filled with joy and peace for the gift of his priesthood. As he embarks on the next 13 years of his priestly ministry (and the next 13 years after that, etc.), I hope the Holy Spirit continues to swell those blessed fruits within him. Please pray for our friend. Don’t Blink.

Easter 2024

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After a fruitful Lent that culminated in full liturgical participation in Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the sacred Easter Vigil, our family was ready for Easter Sunday 2024! What a beautiful day it was…

Sloan holds a candle during the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Catholic Church in the Spokane Valley on March 30, 2024.

The early morning started with Beau and Sloan racing downstairs to find their Easter baskets. I am pretty sure both kids ran as fast as the “other” disciple when he dashed to the tomb. Anyway, the Easter Bunny definitely visited the Reser household.

Sloan and Beau pose with their Easter baskets.

The most important part of our day took place at St. Mary Catholic Church as we attended 9 a.m. Easter Sunday mass. The four of us were joined by my brother and sister-in-law as we worshiped in a full house surrounded by our dearest friends. During a mass with enthusiastic singing and powerful optimism, Fr. Jeff Lewis delivered a homily about the 8 effects of the Resurrection.

Beau and Sloan hang in the vestibule at St. Mary Catholic Church in the Spokane Valley prior to Easter Sunday mass.

We returned home and ate some brunch and relaxed. The kids took the opportunity to take a closer look at their Easter baskets and probably eat a little more candy than they should have. Sidney and I? We continued to watch “Jonathan and Jesus,” a documentary on The Chosen star Jonathan Roumie. It is an incredibly inspirational doc and Roumie, a devout Catholic, proves again and again that there is no Jesus actor better than him. It was the perfect Easter Sunday show to watch.

Taking a moment post-church to take a photo with the kids.

The four of us then piled into the car and headed north to my parents’ house for our Easter celebration. My parents, my siblings, their spouses, and our nieces/nephew were all in a joyous mood. After we all caught up and the kids expelled some energy, we staged the annual “Aunt Carrie and Uncle Glen Easter Egg Hunt” in the front yard. So much fun!

Glen and the kids after the “Aunt Carrie and Uncle Glen Easter Egg Hunt.”

After the egg hunt concluded, it was time for the Easter meal. Now don’t be too surprised but we ate something a little exotic…it was called ham 😂. Everything tasted delicious but as always, the conversation around the table was even better than the food.

Easter meal at the Reser household.

Once dinner concluded, the kids went outside to enjoy the gorgeous weather and the adults gathered in the living room to play a rousing game of Chameleon. I honestly don’t know who had more fun—the young people or the old people.

The adults playing “Chameleon.”

We then gathered back around the dinner table for dessert. But before we dug into the pies, puddings, and cookies, we sang “Happy Birthday” to my sister who celebrated her 40th birthday earlier in the week! After we stuffed ourselves even more, we continued to talk with each other and enjoy the day. Eventually, it was time for everyone to head one. When my family returned to the house, we were all ready for the bed. The preceding Holy Week masses/activities and the busy Easter Sunday had us humbly exhausted.

Miranda prepares to blow out the candles while holding her son, John.

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Although Easter Sunday was yesterday, it is important to know that the Easter season extends for the next 50 days. And, although Lent is now over, I must revert back to Fr. Jeff’s homily from Ash Wednesday. Lent should not be viewed as a 40-day sprint to Easter Sunday whereupon we throw out all the holy practices we developed. Rather, we must treat Lent as a boot camp that whips us into shape for the long haul—well past Easter. Rejoice my friends, He is risen! Don’t Blink.

Easter 2023
Easter 2022
Easter 2021
Easter 2020
Easter 2019
Easter 2018

Presenting With My Wife At Engaged Encounter

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This past weekend, Sidney and I strengthened our marital vocation in the most blessed way. We presented at our first Engaged Encounter retreat. 🙏

Many of you know that Sid and I prepare engaged couples within our parish for marriage on an individual basis. But in June 2022, we joined another marriage-based ministry—Engaged Encounter. This is an international Catholic organization that stages weekend-long retreats for engaged couples. Our pastor, Fr. Jeff Lewis, invited us to join the Spokane Diocese chapter.

After a year of attending our Engaged Encounter monthly meetings and serving in support roles at the retreats, we timidly told our chapter’s leadership that we wanted to present at one. In June of 2023, Ric and Cindy Gaunt came to our house and planted the seeds for doing so. They ran us through what was expected, highlighted the presentations we would be responsible for, and provided us the materials to start preparing. We circled the March 1-3 retreat on our calendar!

We told our Engaged Encounter leadership that we wanted to present.

The next eight months passed quickly, with the latter half of those months heavily devoted to Engaged Encounter retreat prep. Sidney and I had to write our presentations, build slide decks, and practice! By the time this past Friday rolled around, although nervous, we were chomping at the bit to present.

The retreat took place at the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center in south Spokane. Although the quarters were a little cramped, I sure enjoyed having the time away with Sid.

Engaged Encounter retreats are presented by two couples and a priest at the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center in south Spokane. There is a senior couple and a junior couple. We served as the junior couple and were paired with an incredible senior couple with 38 years of marriage under their belts—Joe and Natalie Schroeder.

Sidney and I at our Engaged Encounter weekend retreat. After months of preparing, we got to present!

Completing our weekend team was a priest who I had looked up to for a long time. Fr. Pat Kerst, who will celebrate his 34th anniversary of ordination in May, sacrificed a busy Lenten weekend at his home parish of St. Thomas More to serve at this retreat. As a boy, I would listen to him say mass at St. Francis of Assisi in Walla Walla while I sat in the pew with my grandparents (a decade later he would preside at my grandma’s funeral). During my last couple years in Myrtle Beach I would listen to a podcast he contributed to. By the time I moved back to Spokane, he was the pastor at my parents’ home parish. Known for his personal and impactful preaching style, Sidney and I knew we would have to bring our “A” games to keep up with him.

We had 13 couples attend our retreat weekend, a healthy number for the current state of the Engaged Encounter ministry in eastern Washington. It was a lot of fun to meet these 26 soon-to-be newlyweds and learn about when and what church they were going to get married in. But after the introductions and the well-wishes concluded, reality set in: We now had to actually provide these couples with something useful.

Sidney and I were responsible for six presentations throughout the weekend. Using specific examples from our own marriage, we delivered talks on understanding oneself, communication, decision-making, unity, conflict resolution, and betrothal. The Schroeders presented on a host of other equally important marital topics while Fr. Pat provided his invaluable insight during each presentation. As a person who can get nervous enough just doing one presentation, doing a half dozen seemed pretty daunting. But with Sidney on my team and God’s abundant grace, it was much more of a blessed experience as opposed to a scary one.

Sidney presenting at the March 1-3 Engaged Encounter weekend while Fr. Pat Kerst and Joe Schroeder look on.

But the weekend wasn’t just about presentations. We watched videos, shared meals, and did activities. Confession was offered and the chapel was always open for prayer. On Saturday night, Fr. Pat offered mass. It was an intimate and beautiful way for our group to come together and celebrate the source and summit of Christian life.

It was gratifying to see the 13 engaged couples respond so well to everything we threw at them. Sidney and I really enjoyed getting to know the couples better as the weekend went on. We admired the overall humility, appreciation, and faith that was displayed. It wasn’t lost on us that they were giving up an entire weekend to sit inside the walls of a 1950s retreat house when they could be doing so many other things. Thanks be to God for their prioritization.

We had an incredible group of committed couples who brought plenty of faith and willingness to learn to the retreat.

Besides becoming acquainted with the couples preparing to be married, it was a complete pleasure to bond with the other members of our team. Collaborating with the Schroeders was extremely rewarding. They supported us immensely through our first weekend and we learned so much from the presentations they gave. The marriage that Joe and Natalie live out is one that Sid and I aspire to emulate. To share the stage with Fr. Pat was a thrill. Like I said, I have spent my whole life watching him and listening to him. But those nearly 34 years in front of congregation after congregation has surely not inflated his ego—Fr. Pat is as humble as they come! It was so special to see that up close.

This was our March 1-3, 2024 Engaged Encounter weekend team. What a pleasure it was to present with the Shroeders and Fr. Pat Kearst.

As I write this after allowing the weekend’s adrenaline to wear off and the significance to sink in, I just feel blessed for the opportunity Sidney and I were given. Thanks to Fr. Jeff for inviting us into the Engaged Encounter community, Ric and Cindy Gaunt for giving us the opportunity to present, Joe and Natalie Schroeder for teaming up with us, Fr. Pat for leading our weekend team, and everyone else in our EE chapter who so warmly welcomed us. Special thanks to my wife for being the best presenting partner ever! And, of course, praise to God for the grace to undertake such an intensive but worthwhile ministry. We can’t wait to present again. Don’t Blink.

Blue Cotton Candy Thursday Rundown

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How lucky am I? It is Thursday and that means the pleasure is mine to offer five random topics for your reading entertainment. Let’s get started…

Beautiful Anniversary – Tomorrow will mark the 4-year anniversary of when we brought Beau home from the NICU! What a joyous day it was. Thanks to all the doctors, nurses, and staff who gave our little guy the absolute best care while he was a patient at the McLeod Health NICU Unit in Florence, SC. To learn more about Beau’s birth, the challenges he faced, Sid’s emotional ride, and the role our faith played, tap here. Thanks be to God!

This was the incubator that Beau rode in to the NICU.

Daddy/Daughter Dance – This past Friday was the annual St. Mary Catholic School Daddy/Daughter Dance. I shared photos on my social media accounts and made this video of the incredible time I had with Sloan. I will have an official dance photo to share in the near future but I thought for tonight’s post I would include some photos from dinner. Is there any question about where we went? Of course it was Red Robin (for like the 97th time since 2021).

Red Robin for the win! We double-dated with Sloan’s classmate, Colie, and her dad.

Cotton Candy Mess – My wife may have threatened my sister when she saw the mess Beau made with the cotton candy portion of his Valentine’s Day gift. The threat went along the lines of, “Miranda, if you ever give my kids cotton candy again, you will die a slow and painful death.” Verdict is still out on whether she really meant it or not 😂.

Beau made a big ‘ol mess with his cotton candy.

National Wisconsin Day – I am sad (actually, I’m not) to say that I have never been to Wisconsin before. But even though I have never stepped foot inside the state, I still feel like I have a connection. This past fall I wrote about my history with the University of Wisconsin. On two different occasions, I saw the Badgers play in the NCAA Tournament. The first time was when I was working for the University of Montana and we played UW in Albuquerque. The second time was when I was working Coastal Carolina University and we played them in Omaha. Then, this past football season, WSU hosted Wisconsin in Pullman. I had the opportunity to produce a video of Badger fans trying our famous Cougar Gold cheese. So, to the whole state of Wisconsin…I salute you.

This is me at the 2012 NCAA Tournament when Montana played Wisconsin in Albuquerque.

Lenten Anecdote – After my Lenten blog posts this week (here and here), I wanted to offer one final observation. I had the pleasure of attending the school mass at St. Mary yesterday with Sloan. These services are always a treat because Fr. Jeff Lewis always preaches so genuinely to the students. During his homily he noted that sometimes we frame Lent as simply a sprint to Easter Sunday and then afterwards we go back to our old ways. He challenged us to use Lent as a “boot camp” to prepare us for Easter but to also get us in shape for life post-Easter as well. Basically, what we do during Lent should draw us closer to God on a permanent basis—not just during these 40 days.

Fr. Jeff Lewis distributes ashes to a St. Mary student (photo from 2020 and courtesy of St. Mary).

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Thank you for your interest in Don’t Blink. Wishing you a fabulous weekend with plenty of relaxation mixed in. Don’t Blink.

2023: WE HERE

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In November, Sidney and I had the opportunity to go to Pullman to watch the Washington State University football team host Coach Prime and the University of Colorado. When we walked on campus, we couldn’t help but notice the Colorado equipment truck parked near the fieldhouse. The back of the vehicle featured an image of Deion Sanders with his arms crossed in his signature shades with the phrase “WE COMING” written boldly across it.

The Cougars pummeled the Buffaloes that night. WSU was confident, prepared, and protective of their home turf. As we passed the truck on the way out of the stadium, Sidney and I couldn’t help but say “WE HERE.”

Ironically enough, even though we quipped that phrase on behalf of Cougar Nation, there might not be two better words that explain the Resers in 2023.

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The year 2023 will be remembered as the period in which we embraced our community, made a big commitment, and laid down roots. Surprisingly enough, for such a big year, things started out pretty quiet.

What a year it was for our family in 2023.

After such a tumultuous beginning to 2022, it was a smooth (and kind of boring) start to 2023. We threw my dad a retirement party in early January and then coasted through those first couple months. Probably the most exciting thing we did was upgrade from a queen bed to a king bed 😂. When spring arrived, the tempo started to pick up, beyond just my Bloomsday PR. We had our hearts set on a purchase even bigger than a new mattress. For the first time, we were seriously looking to buy a new house. So in between watching Sloan play t-ball and testing out the latest TikTok hacks, we were looking at homes. Thankfully we found something we liked.

My dad stands with the trophy that his employees presented to him at his retirement party.

Summer arrived and things heated up both figuratively and literally. While winter was laid back, summer was insanely busy. We attended multiple weddings, hosted Sidney’s parents, went on vacation, didn’t have a free weekend, and—oh yeah—closed on and moved into a new house. Autumn was also slammed. Both our children started at the same school, we traveled to Missoula for a Griz football weekend, Sloan played soccer, work was chaotic with the implosion of the PAC-12, I presented in Chicago at the AMAs, and we visited Myrtle Beach to spend Thanksgiving with Sidney’s family.

We had a ton of fun on our family vacation to Seabrook.

Of course there was much more to the year than that two paragraph rundown but I think that at least gives you an idea of the past 12 months, right?

When I truly reflect on 2023, I think of two unique themes. The first one is satisfaction. I know the popular adage is to never be satisfied, but I think we allowed ourselves in the second half of the year to be just that. With a home of our own, jobs we are fortunate to have, and both kids attending the same outstanding school, we permitted ourselves to be content. We have more goals and much to improve upon, but we took time to just be thankful.

We bought a house in 2023. During the second half of the year, we tried to be satisfied.

The second theme for us is unity. Sidney and I touch on this a lot with the engaged couples we mentor, but we specifically heeded it ourselves in 2023. The decision to purchase a home was part of other future plans that required Sid and I to be committed and united. We also had the blessing to take on some projects as a couple that required steadfast unity and teamwork. We are a force and so happy to be on the same team!

Unity was key for Sid and I in 2023.

In addition to those two unique themes of 2023, the same three values I highlight every year continued to be key for the Resers…

I start with family where it all begins with our Reser quartet. The four of us had a great collective year as we played, read, prayed, worshipped, ate, watched, and traveled together. A highlight was going on a vacation that necessitated we spend a lot of time in the car together. Driving to the other side of Washington and back gave us a lot of time to bond while the actual vacation on the beach was filled with memories. Speaking of driving, we made a road trip to Oregon for my cousin’s wedding that essentially doubled as an extended Reser family reunion. Before and after the nuptials, we stayed in a hotel where we shared a wing of rooms with my parents, my sister’s family, and my brother and his wife. When we weren’t spending time together in a random out-of-state hotel, you could usually find us all at my mom and dad’s house enjoying cookouts, celebrating holidays, and watching games. Hosting Sid’s parents in June was so nice and then flying to Myrtle Beach to spend time with Sid’s sisters and their families sure was a treat, especially after two years. Whether nuclear or extended family, we valued every moment we had together.

I thank my family for another great year.

Our journey to one day reach our heavenly home was hopefully bolstered by this past year. What a big role our faith played in 2023! Sidney and I mentored three engaged couples and continued our work with Engaged Encounter. Sidney organized a retreat for our Young Adult Catholic Group and I retained my involvement with the Knights of Columbus and our Catholic Men’s Group. We became godparents and explored a year-long theme of evangelization. I attended our diocese’s Eucharistic Revival event with Sloan and represented St. Mary at Hoopfest as our team of parishioners reached the championship game of our bracket. We had a blast at many family faith nights and enriched our prayer lives at home. I listened to the entirety of Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Catechism In A Year podcast. Through it all, St. Mary Catholic Church and School continue to be our epicenter for growing closer to God. We extend our gratitude to Fr. Jeff Lewis for his dispensing of the holy sacraments and his unwavering commitment to the St. Mary community.

Sloan and Beau stand outside St. Mary Catholic School on their first day of school on Sept. 5, 2023.

When it comes to career, Sidney definitely deserves to be mentioned first in 2023! She thrived in her first full year with Traveler’s Insurance as she continues to impress her bosses and receive high marks from her customers. She is used by the company as an example of “what to do” when it comes to training new employees. I had a very busy and somewhat tumultuous year. Our small but mighty marketing and communications team dealt with some major issues including the Idaho murder suspect, the implosion of the Pac-12, and college ranking messaging. But when I wasn’t arrow-focused on our comms efforts and was in my element doing marketing, it was another exhilarating 12 months. I ran point on our paid social media strategy for all nine installments of our #GoCougsMeans brand marketing campaign, oversaw an initiative that recognized WSU’s top senior grads, collaborated with the video team on some really cool projects, traveled to Chicago to present at a major higher ed conference, and managed to win our department’s personal trivia challenge at our holiday party this month 😂.

I presented at the American Marketing Association Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Ed in Chicago in Nov. 2023.

But as I said last year, my job is so great because I am allowed to be a father, husband, and child of God before I am a WSU employee. I love being a Coug, but there is a reason why the career portion of this blog post always comes after the family and faith portions. I am extremely thankful to my boss for always making sure that this is the case.

I feel lucky that family and faith come before work (photo courtesy of Ocean Simpson).

Time to send 2023 out with a bang as we savor these last couple days. As I wrap up this blog post, I feel extremely blessed that everyone within our extended families are healthy and that everyone who started 2023 with us will join us in 2024 as well. From just about every vantage point—whether it be from a physical, mental, faith, or foundational standpoint—I feel it is appropriate to exclaim WE HERE!! Thanks be to God for the past 365 days. Don’t Blink.