September

Norton is a wrap. My final days were bittersweet as I parted ways with valued coworkers and my supportive managers. I wavered at times between anger and sadness as the days ticked by. In the end though, I was resolved. Some tears were shed as a few people expressed what I meant to them and recognized my impact. I'm grateful for the experience. 

My new job has been accurately described as "drinking from a firehose." I'm exhausted but I no longer cry on the way home from work every day, so progress has been made. Onboarding was intense and the learning curve is steep. I'm looking forward to proficiency.

After training all week at Encore and diving straight into twelve hour shifts all weekend with Norton, I was beyond ready to enjoy my Labor Day off. Kate and I spent the morning unearthing fall decor—dusty, tired, but happily tweaking our displays. Imagine my surprise when Greg casually asked if I’d be done within the hour. Confused, I asked why, only to discover we had company on the way. He had no idea if they expected food, nor had it crossed his mind that I might want to wipe down a bathroom before guests walked in. Apparently we are just getting to know each other around here.🤨

Kate jumped in to help me prepare. Fresh out of the shower, I got to greet Mike and Tracy Reyes at the door. We hadn't seen them in 22 years, a crazy realization considering how close we were back in the late '90s and early 2000s. We laughed our way down memory lane, reminiscing about our kids when they were little and our old church days together. It was a sweet afternoon and a powerful reminder of just how fast time flies.

Tracy yelled, "they had a plan!" as they walked in the door and I assured her they didn't even have a "pl" because I had no idea if I was making lunch, how long they got to visit and only found out an hour prior to their arrival they were coming. But here they are, the twins, dressed alike and convincing us this was all worked out.

Theresa provided oyster shells, paints and glue guns for "magnolia" blossoms.

Theresa had asked to bring a craft project over to do with the girls, and after checking our calendars, we landed on my dad's birthday weekend to get together. All the girls brought their significant others, turning the afternoon into a delicious feast for a full house. Austin turned out to be the real glue gun enthusiast of the group. Between all the laughter, stories, and creativity, we managed to assemble several decorations for Lauren's upcoming baby shower and new signage for Makenna's classroom. It was a beautiful day spent making memories together.

Kate and Grandma disappeared into the nail room for a bit, both loving the one-on-one time. 

Jacob was the quietest and therefore, Diesel's choice for a nap. 

Greg's buddy, Sam wrote a book and this acknowledgement was a surprise. Sometimes you get an opportunity to learn of your influence but it is almost always a shock. Whereas we hope we are making a difference for good, actual feedback isn't something most of us learn this side of heaven. This was pretty special.

I finally got to steal my favorite eight year for pumpkins and playtime. We laughed all afternoon and into the evening as his mom and Dean arrived to pick him up. He is such a ham, putting on shows, running laps and taunting Pops into wrestling matches. He is so much fun. 

He plans to let his chickens help him carve this one. 

September was a month of intensity; overheated, dry, and demanding. However, in reflection, there were sweet moments tucked into the rush. Small victories were celebrated and restorative naps were deeply appreciated. As the first glimpses of cooler temperatures and golden sunshine begin to break through, the evenings are finally welcoming me back to my porch swing. These quiet moments support a sense of hope for a gorgeous, more peaceful October ahead.

August

I started the month with a job offer. My new gig is allowing me to stay with my ICC team until closing; offering part-time training around my existing work schedule. I'm gone every day and some of those days are still 14 hours long. I am exhausted. However, working for a company that values loyalty to current management is setting a positive expectation for the future. 

Ty started his junior year August 4. He attends the local career technology school in the morning and has elected to tackle his core classes virtually in the afternoon. The compromise so far is a good fit.

Makenna started her first year in fourth grade. She is team teaching with a work bestie and loving the camaraderie.  The stories coming out of fourth grade are no less alarming than what was shared in third but the constant is Miss Baughman's love for her students. As her mom though, I would prefer to see her in a classroom with younger children where she is less likely to get hurt by a student as big as she is and prone to swinging at people when they are upset. 

First spirit day of the year. Only the universe knows what they will wear next. But the Mt. Tabor Tigers were represented well. 

Austin returned from his first day of third grade elated. He'd had the best first day ever. His teacher is sweet and he has friends at his table. It's going to be a great year. 

Que Sarah McLachlan music 

View from a helicopter 

Lauren, Dean and Austin spent the first week of August in Florida where Lauren drug them onto a helicopter. On their last vacation, she scheduled an excursion to swim with sharks. Both encounters terrified Dean. I'm guessing he will not be taking her on vacation again anytime soon. But as it turns out, they are going to be a bit too busy for vacation.....

This pose was Austin's idea 💙

Someone has decided to reveal the secret we've all been keeping. While on vacation, a baby bump popped out, expediting a joyful announcement. By the end of the year, Austin will have a little brother and the whole family is delighted. However, Austin has needed reassurance that he will not be required to drop out of school to help care for the baby. The fact this was a concern amuses us all. How sweet. He will make a great big brother. 

Evan playing along with Erin's idea but quietly contesting, "we don't eat on the floor. Why are we doing this?" 😂

Erin and Evan have been approved and have submitted their profile for potential birth parents to view. The adoption process has already been extensive but having a finalized portfolio makes it feel so real. We cannot wait to see these two as parents. Erin has lofty plans involving world travel and exposure while Evan prays he doesn't drop their child. Everyone processes fear for the unknown their own way. 🫢

This shot is an ongoing joke from when Erin and Carlyn were 13 and took pictures with spoons using Carlyn's dad's camera. Carlyn's mom and I send the girls a similar photo whenever we have the opportunity, including but not limited to,  from weddings we've attended together. Evan totally did not get it. But that's okay, he played along. 

This guy is not adjusting well to all the schedule changes. He misses his people so some previously broken behaviors have resurfaced. Suddenly he is in the trash, shredding Ty's school work and rearranging pillows throughout the house when we leave a room or step outside. No one loves this. But why does he look like a man laying claims to his girl in this picture? Frankly, it's a good thing he has redeeming quirks because no one is overly thrilled with him some moments. 

Yoga mat support group president. 

Five days into the school year, he spiked a fever. Movie theater plans for the guys were canceled and Mimi got to snuggle. Diesel did too. Having him curled on my lap while pictures were sorted was the best. I hate he was sick, but it's been a very long time since he cuddled for an afternoon. 

Erin found old slides in one of the photo boxes. It was a treasure hunt for memories and glimpses of their grandparents before they were grandparents. And in the middle of it all, the cradle my grandpa made for my babies and grandbabies. It's now in a future nursery at Erin's house. 

Grandpa Dale on the floor with Baby Makenna

Makenna and I attended visitation hours for Nanny, a beloved member of her childhood. The stories shared had us all laughing and wiping gentle tears as we recollected shenanigans and sweet moments. We returned home for a planned afternoon around photo boxes gathered from Dale and Carol's. It was an incredible day of stories, laughter and memories. 

Kristil and I exchanged multiple texts about all the pain relieving tools we were packing and named our girl's trip, Thelma and Louise: Geriatric Edition 

The original glass house in Jamestown 

The ferry we were repeatedly told we needed to experience because it was free. The amount of laughter we shared over this exclamation was not normal. But, "it is free" will forever be our tagline.

James River

Yorktown River Front 

She said we are so good at selfies, we could be influencers. 

Sunset on the free ferry across the James River 

The evening on the ferry was the only moment we weren't melting in the heat. It was beautiful. The young man between us was the entire purpose of our road trip. He'd recently moved to Williamsburg and his momma wanted to take him some furniture. He was a delight and most gracious host to our Geriatric Road Trip.

This was for Kristin who insisted upon evidence of shenanigans.

The New River Gorge Visitor Center was the perfect place to stop for a walk on our eleven hour journey across interstate 64.

A few months ago, Kristil mentioned needing to take furniture to her son in his new home in Virginia. It's a nine+ hour drive before stops and she was expressing some hesitation to the large rental vehicle and tackling it alone. I easily volunteered to join her and put in for a vacation week before thinking to ask her what part of Virginia we would be visiting. I had no idea we would be going somewhere worth visiting on its own. I loved touring Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and the Yorktown River Front. The intentionality of how well the communities were planned around historically significant landmarks was seriously impressive. I can imagine how gorgeous it will all be for the holidays. A fall drive through West Virginia would also be incredible. When I started my new job, I contemplated canceling this trip. I'm glad I didn't. The break, joy and experiences were exactly what I needed near the end of a very stressful month of balancing two jobs and getting Ty back to school. The week away was a gift, a beautiful gift. 

Since we were already channeling our inner Thelma and Louise, we crossed several state lines again and made our way to Dayton from Williamsburg to surprise Kristin at her ribbon cutting ceremony for the deli she bought this year. Keeping that secret as she called for updates to our trip was not easy. Chris had the guest room ready and Greg was able to join us Friday evening after working just across the river from Cincinnati. We all had a great evening together.

That Saturday, on our way home from Dayton, Greg and I stopped to process life in a restaurant. There has been a lot to work through so far this year. In some ways, we are pretty solid but then there are days it feels like we are standing in a canoe. I'm ready to land firmly on the dock for a bit. 

Photo credit: Ty

Me too, Oliver. Me too.