In this heartfelt Christmas video, the parent addresses their four children—Gideon, Lily, Josiah, and Jonah—while recounting a ten‑month family road‑trip that visited all 50 U.S. states. The speaker shares vivid memories of Colorado’s mountains and the historic site at Kitty Hawk, using those experiences as backdrops for personal reflections. Each child receives a dedicated segment that highlights their distinctive personality traits (Gideon’s adventurous spirit, Lily’s quiet determination, Josiah’s nurturing compassion, Jonah’s loyal creativity) and offers encouragement for future growth. The centerpiece is an inspirational message drawn from the Kitty Hawk flight, urging the kids to ignore doubters, pursue impossible ideas, and change the world. The video concludes with a group hug and a poetic affirmation of dreaming and perseverance.
Chapters
Dear children, 2017 will certainly be one of the most wildest years of our lives, namely our 10-month adventure to all 50 states of America. We've had some incredible experiences. Hello, Colorado!
Oh my God!
Mountains everywhere! Is this not beautiful? Okay, come on kids, let's see the beach for the first time.
What do you think? I don't know.
You're not so sure?
Woo! Gorgeous!
Of all those experiences, if there's one that's most special between you and I, there's one spot in particular that stands out in my mind. This is a replica of what it looked like. They used a metal rail like this in the sand. It's 40 feet long. But first, I want to address each and every one of you individually. Gideon, just when we thought we had parenting figured out, we got our curveball child. Thank you for the humility. Despite your differences, you complete us. Your happy, your go-lucky, your adventurous attitude is contagious. What I've noticed most about you this year is your all-out spirit. You're either fully happy or fully upset. Thankfully, you're mostly fully happy. Please stay wild and a crazy young man. Hey, you finally having a good time, Mr. Brown?
Good.
Yeah, you got some mud. Lily, you have a quiet and determined spirit. I've noticed this big time this year. You're always doing something, mostly quietly, sometimes loudly, and most of the time it's productive. Whether you're setting up house, playing with video, sweeping the floor, and especially running, you have a grand determination I've never seen before. I predict you'll be our endurance child. Whether it's literally endurance running or maintaining a home, you will persevere without complaint. You're up, cowgirl. Can you do it without syrup? What did you think when you first saw these?
It was kind of weird.
Hey, Princess Mermaid, you get you some new glasses? I like those. Josiah, you are a steady nurturer, and there is not a fearful bone in your body. You are quick to notice a need and meet it out of pure compassion. I think it is safe to say that you are the favorite of all your siblings, meaning if you were to ask each and every one of your siblings which is their favorite, you would be it. You are Jonah's best friend, you are Lily's playmate, and you are Gideon's big buddy helper. Never have Have I seen Gideon seek comfort in someone other than your mom and I? Until I saw him seek you out the other day. You're quiet, sensitive, likable. Your brave spirit will take you wherever you want to go in life. You going fishing, buddy? Uh-huh. Josiah, what do you think when you look upon those houses?
I think it was crazy.
Do you think you could live in those houses?
Yep. Gideon, smile!
Jonah, you are loyal to the bone. I can count on you for most anything. You are the most worried of all our children, but you lovingly carry most of the weight of all the children. You are a Lego building fool. Building something incredible every chance you get. I believe that's symbolic of who you really are, a builder. Your creative, hardworking, truthful, loyal spirit will grant you the deepest and fulfilling relationships throughout your life. Children, out of all the amazing places we've been, Kitty Hawk stands out above the rest. It was a place of inspiration, inspired to live beyond our potential, to make the impossible possible. This rock marks where they actually took off. And if you look out there, you can see their first flight, second flight, third flight, and fourth flight way out there. First flight, 12 seconds, 120 feet. What do you think they did? You think they got out of the plane and just went nuts with excitement? Yeah. This was a 2-year buildup, guys, engineering this. Nobody had done this before, right? Everybody telling them they're crazy, they're spending gobs of money and time. And they came down right here for the first time. But I'm pretty sure I've given you the speech of my life the day we visited Kitty Hawk. I gave you the most important word I could ever imagine. The world, everybody's gonna tell you you can't do it. They're gonna say that's crazy. They say it's not possible. Nobody's done that before. All this stuff. You don't listen to them. You go and do your idea. No matter what it takes, you can do it. You put your mind to it, you can do it. And you'll change the world to be a better place. You believe it?
Okay.
Group hug.
Time we have can surely be right now. Oh, oh, baby. We should hold against the odds. Maybe fate will play our cards. The time is now and never cease to dream. Time, it gives you more than you can make.
