12 years later...

The shape of the leaves are the same, but that is about it.

I'm not sure it's possible to even recap 12 years. Our home (and the larger world) feels entirely different. The brief version is: 3 high school and 1 college graduation, a proposal and soon to be son-in-law, a number of bucketlist trips, but only after we survived a global pandemic, and currently a free-fall into fascism. 

All the update opportunities I have missed make me sad, but I am so thankful these early posts still exist. They took place in the years that were such a blur, so I am happy to have them. 

To my children, these sporadic posts are directly from my heart to you. Being your mom has been my greatest honor of my life. 

Thankful Tree 2013

From Thankful Tree 2012 to Thankful Tree 2013 
Yes, you read that right...
I just realized, it has been an entire year, to the day, that I last blogged.  Something about this time of year, and putting together the thankful tree, makes me want to document our year of blessings.

It has been a year full of blessings...  I won't attempt to go in chronological order, but here are a few...

Delaney's 1st Holy Communion, an amazing trip to Gulf Shores Alabama with the Hennings, a generous family trip from Grandma and Papa to Disneyland, Eric's 40th birthday, and our 16th anniversary.  Macie transitioning to junior high with ease, discovering medications and strategies that help Laney and good grades for everyone. 

I have also been blessed this year with a job I love.  Working with kids who bless my life daily. 

Of course every year also has challenges,... like a bad fall down the stairs and a beloved grandparent passing.  However, now I am able to see the blessings that surrounded even those events.  After beginning to doubt I would fully recover, my injuries (broken foot & severe ankle sprain) are finally healing.  And rather than being far away from everyone, I was surround by family when word came that Grandpa had gone to join Grandma.

 

Thankful Tree 2012

On November 1st each year, we put together one of my favorite traditions, our thankful tree.  I think we started it when Macie was about 3 and the kids really enjoy it. 

This morning as I passed by it a couple things dawned on me... First, given that I have been REALLY lazy on updating my blog, posting photos of some leaves might be a good (easy/quick) overview to our year.  And second, I did a really poor job ironing the tablecloth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Kickoff: The Hennings Visit Normal

Early June started with a visit from our best friends, The Hennings. They were kind enough, and presumably bored enough, that they made the entire trip from Virginia to No-where, Illinois. We had lots of laughs, LOTS of drinks, good food, visit to a dairy farm, golfing for the guys/pool time for the moms, the required smores fire, tons of icecream, an adults only dinner date and a daytrip to Chicago.  We feel so blessed to have them in our lives, regardless of the miles between us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their visit was a great start to summer.  The next couple weeks in June were spent mostly at State Farm pool, PONY baseball games for G, playing with our friends in the neighborhood, and preparing for our most anticipated trip to Washington/Oregon.

Train trip to Chicago

In looking back I realize that I never posted about our fun daytrip during Spring Break.  We didn't do much that week, so requested that we take at least one day and do something fun with the kids.  We woke the kids up super early and surprised them with a train trip to Chicago.  It was a fun, LONG day!  I was really impressed with how much walking the kids did, (and Macie with a sprained ankle). 

 

We didn't go with any plans, so when we arrived at the train station we grabbed a cab and had them take us to Shedd Aquarium.  When we arrived we realized the line was too long, and decided we would come back later.  So we started walking along the lake.  We walked, and walked, and walked.  We ended 2 miles later at Navy Pier, with a promised ride on the ferris wheel and a well deserved lunch for the "starrrrrrrvvvvvvving" children.

 

 

 

 

After lunch we started walking again.  This time back towards Millinium Park and the Bean.  Of course the kids took the opportunity (like everyone else) to lay on the filthy ground, underneath the germ covered bean.  I kept a save distance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soon after The Bean the whining started.  So we slowly made our way back to Shedd, stopping for breaks along the way.  Once there we had a half hour wait in line and the kids were more than happy to find a bench.

 

 

 

 

The aquarium was beautiful, however we probably all would have enjoyed it more if we had done it earlier in the day.  When we were there they had an amazing Jellyfish Exhibit.  The exhibits were lit with rotating colors, maybe blacklights,...Whatever it was, coupled with my own exhaustion, it was mesmerizing. 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a great day!.  However, we learned a couple things...

 

#1.  Kids, at least ours, are capable of walking long distances when bribed with ferris wheel rides

#2.  People will lay on the ground of Chicago, under one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country, and think nothing of it.  GROSS!

#3.  Kids find things to complain about, even in the midst of  new, exciting adventures

#4.  It doesn't matter if you are in a car, plane or train, kids always ask "how long 'til we get there" a million times...UNLESS, you totally wear them out for the ride home