The Annual Farmer Chronicle
Greetings!
As we look back on 2025, our hearts feel full. It was a year that came with its share of challenges, but also one rich with joy, growth, and moments we’ll always cherish.
While we had hoped to travel to India this year, circumstances beyond our control meant we stayed in the U.S. Instead of letting that feel like a loss, we chose to make the most of the time. It gave us the opportunity to slow down, settle into our routines, focus on our work, and invest more deeply in family life—spending time together and exploring the beautiful places around us here in the United States.
Professionally, both Sibyl and I are doing well and continue to enjoy what we do and the people we work with. Sibyl received a well-deserved recognition for her hard work this year, and I was grateful to have my contract renewed for another year in November—something I do not take lightly.
The kids are thriving too. Elsa is now in second grade and continues to perform excellently across her subjects. Eva, thanks in large part to her daycare, is becoming increasingly independent and an excellent communicator. Elsa played soccer in both the spring and fall seasons and made great progress. Although she decided to step away from piano, we’re proud of her for recognizing her limits and making that choice thoughtfully. Both girls continue their swimming lessons, and as parents, we do our best to support them as they explore different interests and activities.
One fun highlight from the year was adding a second car to our family—a forest-green Subaru Outback Wilderness. It was a thoughtful 41st-birthday gift from Sibyl and has been the perfect companion for the outdoor adventures I’ve been enjoying. In 2025, I spent a lot of time stand-up paddleboarding across Maryland’s rivers and lakes, camping, hiking, and sharing those experiences on the Outdoorsy Indians YouTube channel. Outside of my work at the NIH, the Great American Outdoors continues to be my happy place.
We feel incredibly fortunate to live somewhere that allows us easy access to both mountains and the ocean—reminders, again and again, of how much there is to be grateful for.
Below are some of the places we visited and activities we did as a family this year.
We Attended our First American Wedding
We love attending weddings, and this being our first American wedding made it especially memorable - we absolutely loved it.
Sight and Sound Theater in Pennsylvania
We took a trip to Pennsylvania to see our first Sight & Sound Theater production, Noah. It was the first time Elsa and Eva experienced a live theater performance, and it turned out to be a wonderful experience for all of us. The following day, we rode a steam engine train at the Strasburg Rail Road, which became another memorable highlight of the trip.
Annual Daddy Daughter Camping Trip with Friends
Spring camping has quietly become a cherished tradition for us over the past three years. Elsa and I spent a weekend outdoors with our friends. This year, we camped at the Tuckahoe State Park in eastern Maryland, and we’re especially excited that next year Eva will be old enough to join us too.
Second Trip to Hershey Park
This was our second year visiting Hersheypark, this time as a day trip with our family friends. We continue to love the park—especially the water park and the lazy river—even though most of the rides are still a bit too adventurous for the kids.
Failed Summer Vacation at the Rehoboth Beach
You may think we had everything together throughout the year, but that wasn’t the case. We had our share of challenges.
We had planned our main summer vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The weather was perfect, the drive to the hotel was smooth, and everything seemed to be falling into place. But on the very day we arrived, Eva developed a high fever.
We took her to urgent care, where she was diagnosed with a strep infection. Later that night, when we couldn’t get her fever under control, we ended up in the emergency room. After two days of multiple clinic and hospital visits, we made the difficult decision to cut our vacation short and head home early.
Thankfully, Rehoboth Beach is only about two and a half hours away. As soon as her fever was finally under control, we packed up and drove straight home.
Annual Trip to the Sandy Point Beach
Visiting Sandy Point Beach on either Memorial Day or Labor Day has become another family tradition for us. Last year we went on Memorial Day, and this year we returned on Labor Day. It’s one of Maryland’s local gems along the Chesapeake Bay, and we love that it’s just an hour’s drive from home.
We Visited The National Air and Space Museum (Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center)
One of the advantages of living in the DMV area is easy access to the Smithsonian museums, and the National Air and Space Museum remains one of our family favorites.
Fall Trip to the Great Wolf Lodge
Visiting Great Wolf Lodge was probably our favorite activity of the year. We all had an absolute blast at the indoor water park and loved diving into the MagiQuest adventures, along with mini bowling and mini golf. We stayed for two nights and three days, and with the Ultimate Package, we had access to everything the lodge had to offer—making it a fun-filled, unforgettable family getaway.
We Celebrated Our Tenth Wedding Anniversary
In October, we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary—a milestone that felt both surreal and deeply meaningful. We marked the occasion with a Thanksgiving prayer and a small celebration alongside our close family members here in the U.S. As we looked back on the past decade, we couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude. God has blessed us abundantly, giving us not only everything we hoped for but so much more. We are also deeply thankful to our friends and family, near and far, for walking with us through every season of these ten years. Their support, love, and presence have been an anchor in our journey.
Thank You and Best Wishes
As the year comes to a close, we’re deeply grateful for the family, friends, teachers, caregivers, colleagues, and neighbors who made our lives richer and more meaningful in 2025. Thank you for being part of our journey and for the support, kindness, and joy you’ve shared with us along the way. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
I originally thought of sharing this write-up as a small newsletter with a handful of people over email, but I couldn’t quite figure out a simple way to do that without signing up for a newsletter service. Now that it has taken the shape of a blog post, I think I’ll likely continue this tradition here going forward.
For privacy, I’ve obscured the eyes in all photos of the kids, as well as of adults from whom I didn’t explicitly take permission. I’m still thoughtful—and a bit uncertain—about sharing children’s photos in a public space like this. My intention is to document memories, not to overshare, and I’ll continue to be cautious and intentional about what I post. Please let me know your thoughts and best practices.
Feel free to write to me at rohit@rohitfarmer.com