Dear friends and family,,

Once again - a greeting from us in the Algulin family with a review of  2023 – a year filled with joy, family time, and unforgettable moments on our journey through life. Time flies when you're having fun, and now as the year is coming to a close, we want to share this year's highlights and memories.

Winter Joy and Family Adventures

The year, oddly enough, started with Ingrid in the USA again (visiting her host family in Wisconsin) but also with momentous news: Axel was admitted to RIG in Falköping to continue his journey in volleyball. From playing locally in division 1 to now taking the step to one of the country's best training environments. It was fun for him and therefore for us, even if it also created a big movement of different emotions in the family when we realized that nothing would ever be the same again. Ingrid came home safely from the USA (after a dramatic return trip) and continued her path towards graduation in spring - but the fact that Axel would move to another place showed that we were entering a new phase and stage in life. Cajsa could barely contain her laughter, but the direction for the year was set.

The few weekends we did not spend in gymnasiums we made trips to enjoy the joys of winter. The cold months offered wonderful family adventures in Romme and Trysil, where we enjoyed the snow and skiing - but also the company of cheerful friends. Lots of board games and laughter have given us many beautiful moments and togetherness. The snow is a place for lounging in soft clothes and a relaxed feeling.

Cajsa and Ingrid also had a fantastic year in volleyball. Under Sara's leadership, their team made great strides and played numerous tournaments and matches with fantastic success and much joy. We are proud of how they and their teammates have developed - a small embryo to the next generation of Linköping volleyball players. Sara and Cajsa even took a summer vacation week in a hall in Skåne. Much joy and learning about how to build a team and teach volleyball has been invested - but above all a lot of meaningful leisure!!! Probably an element of "the meaning of life".

"Spring and Summer Adventures

Ingrid's Graduation and Summer Celebrations

One of the summer's, but also the year's, greatest moments was undoubtedly Ingrid's graduation. If you've never been in Linköping for a graduation, then you've really missed out on something. Proud of all the youth! The ball at Saab Arena is an event of a rarely seen kind. Supreme formation dance with thousands of spectators over three days. Finally, a graduation reception and a day filled with joy and celebration. We are infinitely proud of the performance Ingrid has made!

A Summer in the Spirit of Bullerby (ideal picture of swedish life - Astrid Lindgren reference) - the summer became something new and very special. All of Jakob's siblings now have their own house in Sånnaboda, and our summers are beginning to resemble the scenarios in Bullerby more and more, with lots of games, laughter, and socializing. Between all the visits to the volleyball beaches, we have had wonderful moments of togetherness and joy that the whole family could enjoy. This summer, despite a hectic schedule, we managed to create time to accompany our children on a beach volleyball tour around Sweden. It was an exciting change from our usual summer tradition of just enjoying the tranquility. Between tournaments, we undertook a project to build an additional new deck for our summer cottage, which became both a fun and rewarding family activity, or for Jakob at least.

Autumn – A Time for New Adventures

Autumn brought significant changes to our family life. Ingrid started working part-time at a preschool, and Axel moved to Falköping to continue his volleyball endeavors. A big surprise was our trip to Rovaniemi in northern Finland. A 1350 km one-way car journey turned into a fantastic experience as we joined our first supporter trip and met Santa Claus and the Arctic Circle – a trip we will all remember. It was great to watch the youth national teams - a wonderful atmosphere among supporters and to check out our incredibly talented youth - the future stars in one of the world's biggest sports - yes, it's even bigger than floorball (Swedish people tend to think floorball is a big sport - we always win world championships almost without any competition - few other nations play)

In the professional context, Jakob has had a busy year at the e-Health Agency, with challenging and important government assignments that have required both time and reflection. A significant expansion of operations and new working methods. Not least travels between Stockholm and Kalmar - it's a good thing that Linköping is right in the middle. Meanwhile, Sara's work in developing Swedish schools has continued, and her efforts are important and valuable for the development of Sweden's future. But here too, Sweden is a long country, and obviously, school development is not something that can be done remotely - everything from north to south must be visited and evaluated. A big thank you for the help we get when we are out and about!

Concluding Thoughts and Hopes for the Future

As we now look back on 2023, we do so with a feeling of gratitude and anticipation. It has been a year where every member of our family has grown, evolved, and learned new things. We are so thankful for all the support and the valuable moments we have shared with you.

We hope for many more memorable moments together in 2024 and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Warm hugs,

The Algulin Family