Welcome to the family

Welp, to say I’m not blogging much these days would be an understatement. But, I could not skip over a major addition to our family even though it’s been two months already.

I knew it would take us awhile to grieve Brinks, but I also was pretty sure we would get a puppy again one day. In the spring I started looking but it wasn’t until I randomly asked one of my book club members where she got her dog, that I found ours…the last one of the litter, an incredible price and perfect timing.

Sooooo we got a golden retriever puppy in August! Her name is Maggie!! We drove to the middle of nowhere North Carolina, an hour out of Charlotte, to a small farm. It seemed rather sweet and poetic that we had picked up Brinks as a puppy from a farm in Kansas. I was nervous about the five hour drive home, but she did so well- no accidents and we only stopped twice. None of us stopped exclaiming her adorableness the entire way.

She is the sweetest fluff ball. It’s been a lot of work, but thankfully we are hitting our stride and enjoying her so much. Most of her puppy teeth have fallen out, hallelujah! She loves snacking on mulch, much to Bart’s chagrin… but she’s so fun loving and snuggly (if you hold her really tight lol). Mags, Magsies, Maggie Bear, Magdalena, (she gets called Brinks a lot too- mostly by me) are a few of her nicknames.

This is the kids’ first time with a puppy, so it’s been fun to watch how they respond to her. Maya literally exclaims how cute she is twenty times a day…every time she sees her. Regan is her playmate; endlessly running and throwing a ball with her. And Josiah is tender and peaceful…they have staring contests laying on the ground together. We all love her in our own special ways- it’s so amazing.

Welcome to the family, Maggie. You are so loved.

puzzle pieces

I only discovered that I enjoy puzzling in this decade…beginning with 2020 to be exact. I recently also realized that I’m thankful I can’t endlessly puzzle. We host a weekly group for most of the year so therefore our dining room table (my fam eats nightly at the kitchen table but when there’s more people, the dining room gets used) cannot be engulfed in puzzle pieces except for holidays and summertime. But it makes it special and I craved puzzling like never before when Thanksgiving break started…it felt exciting and new, yet not even two months later, this last week, when I had to be finished I was so ready to be done puzzling. Such a metaphor for my life- too much of a good thing always messes with me. I desperately need “special” so having access all year round would ruin that for me.

I love puzzling alone and with others… when by myself, I podcast but with others, I’m okay with comfortable silence or easy conversation. I’m not sure I could or would want to do an entire puzzle alone because I relish in progress, especially if I haven’t had to do it all. I like seeing the vast empty space and then starting to fill it, but if it takes too long I get overwhelmed. Pretty much parallels my life to a tee- I love the freedom but then when I have to wait I get discouraged. I like searching the puzzle, not the picture, to find where a piece goes except in the beginning of course. When I feel stuck I force myself to zoom out to the big picture and try to make connections…you know, when those large groupings all of a sudden connect? Gosh, it’s my favorite. Just like in life- my days sometimes feel mundane but when I step back and look over a large period of time I am always amazed at what has happened, connected, ended and begun. But of course, my most favorite part of puzzling- the dopamine hit that comes from putting every single piece into place. Oh, that beautiful reward, one that I savor. Much to my families’ chagrin I literally yell “yessss, dopamine!!” after each and every placed puzzle piece.

I’ve gotten to puzzle with many people in the last few months and it’s fun to watch how they approach the same exact activity. Some thrive in the face of difficulty and others shrink away. Some people start a puzzle in different ways- with the edges or diving right in chaotically…or like to end it quickly versus savoring those last few pieces- it’s fascinating.

My dad takes one piece and looks at the box until he finds it’s place- no connecting, no rhyme or reason, just blind confidence that the piece he just put down goes exactly there…despite a blank canvas with no assurance. He beats to his own drum and always has. He would never say he hates puzzling, but he will admit he doesn’t like it- probably because there’s a lot of steps and it takes endless amounts of time and he isn’t the one doing the creating. He is one who finds a connection where there literally isn’t one, so perhaps puzzles feel too constrictive- there’s only one right way.

On the other hand, my mom believes in all of life, there is one right way so she loves puzzling. I had no idea how much until this last holiday break. I would find her in the dining room all alone, humming along so happily (she likes the dopamine too, even if she rolled her eyes when I said it). She took charge as if there was never a question on who would be the puzzle master and constantly collected my 3-5 piece side creations and placed them into the grander picture feeling so proud of her accomplishments. She was the most complimentary towards me, praising me endlessly when I gave her a few connected pieces to place…it was very gratifying for both of us to puzzle together.

Bart, who I actually never knew liked puzzling (found that out during the great shutdown of 2020) approaches a puzzle as a thing to conquer, to complete as fast as possible. It’s as though the puzzle is on his to do list and though he might enjoy it, he really just needs to finish it…half the time I tell him to slow down because his speed overwhelms me lol, and when we near the end I try and hide some of the pieces so he can’t finish on his own. He hates difficult puzzles, seemingly because they will slow him down or create stress- such as similar colorings or an entire night sky- give him all the deep contrasting colors and he sticks with a puzzle. He likes picking up and noticing the tiny nuances that make a piece different than all the rest…which is not unlike what he does in life- with people and experiences. And I find that when we puzzle together, we end up talking about topics we don’t normally make time for in our regular life.

At Christmas my sister bought a puzzle that we opened up and immediately I wanted to throw up. To her credit she didn’t know it was such small pieces and the subject did look fun… but I literally couldn’t stop staring blankly. I managed to find a few edge pieces while huffing and puffing- knowing Bart would take one look and declare it was ‘absolutely not’ for him. Yet Erica just happily got right to work color coding and making connections…not sure if she was ignoring the monster of a mountain in front of her or if it was literally no big deal. She started finding the pieces with letters like everything was going to be just fine and our puzzling would continue like usual. I do know she believes everything will be just fine and I would venture to say that is how she tackles life at times- ignoring the struggle when necessary (while still carrying on) or just pretending it’s not hard until it become true. I could stand to learn that lesson a thousand times. Spoiler alert: I never went back and as soon as she left I dumped all the pieces back into the box and directly into the garbage.

The last puzzle I finished was such a fun one. I love the ones that contain little puzzles within the puzzle- gives such a feeling of accomplishment so often along the way. But my affection started to wain and I found myself not paying attention…sometimes trying a piece multiple times before it finally fit. I wondered how often I do that in life- trying something multiple ways and failing…when if I just tried one more way, that could be the successful one. How many times do I stop just before ultimate victory? I actually don’t mind failure but I don’t enjoy failing at the same thing endlessly. Anyway…

All that to say, puzzling is life. Life is puzzling. I could keep going but my kid wants the computer so signing off.

ps. White Mountain puzzles are the best. The end.

Happy 9.

Happy Birthday my sweet baby girl…you are nine! Not even a tiny ounce of baby left in you, but still it’s how I see you. You asked for Gabby’s dollhouse about three months ago for your birthday and I kept waiting for you to change your mind, but you never did. I love that you know what you want, almost all the time. It’s a gift.

You survived another year of homeschool with your dear ol’ mother… we are finally getting the hang of it and as long as it’s interesting and novel, you’re on it. I keep a steady supply of rewards, plus take you to aquarium classes and you’re happy. You love books about facts, so I’m doing my best to keep our library stack full of animal and nature fact books. Your Owen Davey fact books are the most beloved. You decided to start a bookclub with me this year, though I do not understand what it actually entails. You still love to sleep in and say that’s the best thing about homeschooling, lol. I love the way you’re drawing more and caring about your art work. Your marker stack is growing and it’s fun to see what you create!

I love your snuggles and your wet kisses, the way you still love wearing just a blanket and underwear. You are funny without ever trying. I love how you can play with just about anything with your “super imagination” as you say…your stick friends and dirt volcanoes not to mention completely other worlds. The amount of time you spend listening to music makes me wonder what’s happening in your brain…oh if only there was a portal for me to jump inside. Every once in awhile when you think we’re not listening, you sing aloud and it’s my favorite. I’m glad you still adore the ocean even though you won’t put your head under and would live in pools if it was an acceptable lifestyle. Last Christmas in WA you discovered snow for the first time and played in it just about the same way you play at the beach. I love watching you discover new things.

Your eye for decor is amazing. You know how to put stuff together and when something doesn’t look good. You can identify a fake plant from a mile away. And while your room is still a disaster most of the time, you are showing signs of breaking out of your hoarder tendencies. Just last week you actually threw things away…albeit broken toys and old coloring pages mostly but still, that’s huge! Let’s see…if you were a food, it would be popcorn or treats or stroganoff. I love that you asked for peach cobbler for your birthday dessert, always thinking outside the box.

Your love for Jesus is so matter-of-fact. The questions you have about Holy Spirit are a testament to your faith. Your heart for others is astounding. Your care for each of us is beautiful. It’s so sweet when you get hurt and describe it as a broken heart. The smallest of wounds cuts as deep as anything- you are tender and open. While you still have your moments, you are so much pliable than the olden days. It’s been amazing to see you soften. Your love for your boys (aka: brothers) is still going strong and even after you’ve played all evening with them, you still beg to spend some time in their room after teeth brushing. You’ve never met a stranger…I think you’ve talked to more people at grocery stores in this last year than I have in a lifetime. It doesn’t matter whether I feel like talking or not, we do. I love how much you love your birthday and every single holiday for that matter.

You are truly the best time, my dearest daughter. Waking up each day with you- quite literally since you’ve grown accustomed to sleeping on our floor- is quite the adventure. Never the same day twice… just like we like it. I wouldn’t want to spend my days with anyone else.

Happy ninth!

Love, Mommy

*sorry this is a few days late 🙂

it’s Fall again

I’m trying to will myself to stay up until Bart gets home…which is a few more hours. So, I thought I’d take this little blog for a lil spin around the block and dust it off. There are so many posts rolling around in my head but nothing seems to land. It’s weird that it’s already October, yet I’m so glad. I love this time of year the very most. I’m already plotting my Christmas decor, even though don’t worry, I will not put it up yet. I was recently reading so many books and all of a sudden, like a valve shut off- I stopped. I can’t get through a book to save my life at the moment. It’s so annoying. But I recognize the cycle and will just wait it out…one day it will just click again.

Homeschooling Maya this year has been easier than it’s ever been- though I would never call it easy. We found what works for her in many ways and I’m so grateful. The boys are loving school; this year they ride the bus both ways and I don’t miss car line even one single bit. It’s a joy to cheer for them when they walk through my door in the afternoon…so much better than the hour in the car picking them up.

My parents are coming for Thanksgiving and I’m very happy about that! I knew they weren’t coming for Christmas, so I just threw a little invite out in the far fetched hopes that they would say yes- and my dream came true. Holidays with family are special. Though after our epic WA Christmas adventure, I am happy we are staying home this year.

I had a dream about Brinks last night, the first one. We were cuddling and it felt so right. I still miss her like crazy and have also felt the itch to start looking for a dog. Who knows how long it will take…but I’m hopeful and dreaming again.

Gonna wrap up the worlds most boring email blog post. Geez.

Are you still there?

Ha! I almost titled this testing, testing 1,2,3… because I’m coming to you from my new very fancy beautiful new….chromebook lol! It’s not fancy and it’s not expensive but for the first time in YEARS, I’m writing on my lap on my couch and that feels VERY exciting. I realized a few months ago that I just needed a different way to write instead of having to sit at our family mac desktop and since I wasn’t in the mood to spend $1k+, I thought I’d try a lil old chromebook. It has a touch screen. heheh… I feel so hip, even though I know even saying that ages me.

I really just wanted to write a test post- and say hi…if there’s anyone out there that even reads this thing anymore. My summer is progressing nicely, and I am thankful I still have a month left. I’ve been reading like a …really dedicated reader… and enjoying the slower pace. It’s been stormy a lot this summer, so the beach hasn’t been as frequented but I’m not worried because it’s beautiful all the way thru November. Plus I feel the stirrings of “the new year”… august/september have always been my start new habits-begin again-fresh new pencils…who am I kidding, pens- time. Perhaps it’s all the years of being a student that bled straight into being a teacher and now my kids being in school…I don’t know. I love it so much more than January. Okay, I am rambling. I don’t say I’m back, because though I plan to write a lot more I might not be writing publicly. I am feeling ready to write a book.

Who knows….

still sad

Today would have been her 13th birthday. I know that’s quite old for labradors and I’m so grateful we had so many years together…but I definitely still long for more. The weekend we said goodbye was by far the most excruciating. No one ever told me it would be that hard. It was completely different than losing my childhood dog, who passed away several years after I had moved out. We had known Brinks was going down hill, so for at least several months I had been trying to prepare myself- often crying myself to sleep imagining losing her. The actual goodbye: 1000% worse than anything I had dreamed up. I hate that she’s gone. I know it was the right time for her, but it doesn’t make it any better.

She was such a presence in our family… I realized that she had been through the last seven moves we’d done and she made each house feel like our home. And there is literally a hole left here now. I always knew where she was. For most of her life she stayed nearby but even in the last few years as she got tired and retreated to her bed, I kept track of her. The first time I realized I was looking for her and she was gone felt like a sucker punch. I sit in our dining room most mornings with my journal and bible; she would often sit right in my sightline…so she could see Bart in the living room and me as well. I have hard time sitting in that seat these days because I still look for her. I still expect to see her or hear her paws plodding along. And when I sit on the couch and see a flutter of the leaves and the light flicker outside the door, I have to stop myself from automatically getting up to let her in. She isn’t here anymore, but I still expect her to be.

It’s awful.

I miss her aggressive need for kisses; she would literally push her face into yours for a kiss. I miss her softest ears, her eternal love for treats no matter how many she’d already had. I miss seeing her sit outside in the grass and roll around in it like a puppy. I keep saving the last bite of so many meals, forgetting that she’s not right beside me- staring me down- waiting patiently for any scraps. It is still jarring to wake up in the middle of the night and see the empty space where she slept…all sprawled out and gently snoring. She often made getting out of bed or off the couch awkward because she wanted to be so near and we had to avoid stepping on her, but gosh I loved it. I love how she loved us.

I could write about my sweet dog for pages and pages but I don’t think my heart can handle it. I did want to leave a few photos to close… over the last year Maya began sneaking into our room late in the night and sleeping on our floor. We gave up fighting her on it because she said it was unfair that everyone else got to share a room. But over time, I would find Brinks forgoing her dog bed to instead sleep next to Maya…and I probably have 50+ different pictures of them together. These pictures will always invoke the sweetest memories.

Goodbye Brinksies.

Forever in our hearts, our home internet’s name, and thousands of our favorite memories…

goodbye

Anyone who knows me has witnessed this: I’m the worst at goodbyes. I literally pretend they are not happening, even to the very end. I’ve been known to be moving across the country and still tell people that I’ll see them later even if I am actually getting into my car to leave at that very moment. I just hate goodbyes; they always feel too final.

We had to say goodbye to our beloved Brinks yesterday afternoon and I haven’t stopped crying. She was a month shy of thirteen years old and definitely deteriorating so it’s not like it was shocking…I think I’ve had a total of 5 nights in the past year where I thought maybe it was the end and thought I had mourned. But this is so different. It’s so horrible. It’s so final.

Brinks joined our family in 2009, shortly after we bought our first home in Kansas City, MO. I had been begging for a dog since we got married, so when Bart finally said yes it was a Saturday morning…by Sunday afternoon we were heading to Fontana, Kansas to look at a fresh litter of yellow labs. I remember picking her because she was sleeping in the midst of all the chaos on that farm. I fell in love instantly.

I have tried to imagine what life would be like without her…almost as if I was preparing myself somehow. But the ache that I feel is much worse. Yesterday I saw the leaves rustle outside the deck door and I thought it was her ready to come inside. Ugh. I got out of bed last night and instinctively made sure I wouldn’t step on her as I walked in the dark, only to remember she is gone.

She carried such peace and safety…always near, always present. As our whole family sat together bawling yesterday with our goodbyes, I felt grateful that we got to spend so many years with our lady Brinkerton. She was kind to the very end and I truly can’t believe she’s gone.

Goodbye Brinksies.

July 26, 2009-June 10, 2022

42.

Happy Birthday to me! For some reason I love lists…and one night when I couldn’t sleep, I started one entitled 42 quirks about me- and not too shockingly, I got to forty two of them quite easily. So…here I am, telling all ya’ll about the weirdness that is me. I’m so proud. Lol.

1. I truly hate socks and honestly can’t stand shoes either. Birkenstocks for life. Thankfully I now live in the perfect climate for me to skip shoes forever.
2. I’m almost always reading at least 4-6 books at a time.
3. I love getting the mail- even tho there is rarely anything for me.
4. When I sleep at night I have two pillows under my head and one that I hug on my side…my comforter is wrapped around me and between my legs with my feet out.
5. It kills me to answer a phone call or make one.
6. I hate bright lights, overhead lights…anything glaring.
7. I carry pieces of carpet in my pocket to twist at all times. It’s all from the same triangle of carpet that I cut off in the year 2000 from my college dorm room.
8. I hate nutella and mushrooms.
9. I love packing boxes- it’s like a puzzle game every single time.
10. I’m always filling online shopping carts…I mean always- but rarely do I purchase.
11. I pee 2-4 times every night.
12. I love sleep more than almost anything- which makes the aforementioned so sad.
13. I will endlessly repeat a song if it’s my favorite.
14. I still burn cds for my car and never use blue tooth for music.
15. I rarely drink a full cup of coffee- even my boys noticed awhile back and asked why I only drink half a cup of my coffee. I think it’s usually bc it not burning hot anymore.
16. I only like to drink really really cold water.
17. My favorite word is still poopy (I think my husband thought I’d grow out of that).
18. Sometimes I fake laugh to make myself actually laugh.
19. I can’t stand anything on my wrists and now even necklaces and earrings bother me. Is this what its like to get older?
20. I write beautiful things in my head all day long. Sometimes I write them down.
21. For as long as I can remember, whenever I eat sour patch kids- I pour myself a little ramekin of water or light colored soda, drop the kids in and watch them fizz. Then I eat them. I love sour patch kids but I don’t really like the sour part.
22. I still write on my hand as though it’s a permanent post it…been doing it since 1992. At least now I don’t usually use a sharpie anymore.
23. My favorite movie genre is disaster films.
24. I love rainbows- they speak to God’s promise that He’s always with me.
25. The only podcast I listen to consistently is Armchair Expert.
26. I don’t really like listening to books on audible because I’m too picky about narrators.
27. My favorite possession is my dining room table. It is the only thing I wonder about in my moves…anything else can break and get lost as long as my beloved table remains.
28. I brush my teeth in the shower.
29. I always eat the cookie part of a twix bar first.
30. My handwriting is unique. In high school I started copying my dad’s dental assistant’s handwriting and then adapted it over the years to be my own.
31. I still love paper planners the best.
32. I love to throw things away….like, hard opposite of a hoarder.
33. Gerber daisies were my first flower obsession, then came ranunculus and now hydrangeas have taken the lead. If I could fill my yard with them I would except it’s sad that most of the year they look like a bunch of sticks.
34. I go through at least three journals a year.
35. I redecorate my house every few months, otherwise I’d get so bored in my home…which is kinda weird because I’ve never lived in a home longer than 3 years.
36. My favorite way to read the Bible is with ESV journals because reading from an entire Bible sometimes feels overwhelming.
37. I’ve never worn face makeup- foundation, concealer, powder…even on my wedding day.
38. Bribes still work on me, probably just as well as they did when I was a kid.
39. I love coloring- it’s one of the only things I’ll always say yes to when my kids ask.
40. I don’t have a single notification on my phone except texts…I can’t stand being told what to do by my phone…or by anyone else for that matter. lolz
41. I have been known to wear the same thing for days and days at a time. I also buy multiple colors of the same shirt, same pants…you name it.
42. Christmas and my birthday are tied for my favorite holiday.

happy birthday farrelly

It’s Maya’s 8th birthday…she began announcing that it was her birthday month on November 1st, so every librarian and store cashier knows- it’s her day. I’m proud to be passing down my absolute obsession for birthdays to this favorite little human of mine.

Happy Birthday dearest daughter,

You are everything I ever wanted but never knew I needed. You have softened and humbled me in such powerful ways and I’m so grateful for you. I love who you are, Maya Joy. Your quirks and mannerisms just continue to make me smile. I’m regularly in awe of you. I love watching you sleep- in fact, I probably have more pictures of you with your eyes closed than anything else, since you are not a fan of picture taking in general. I giggle when you fake smile and try to placate me with a few moments of no movements but usually you’re just a blur in photographs. I have come to appreciate that though, because it speaks to your desire for not interrupting beautiful moments. I love the way you notice things that no one else does- the way a cloud is puffy in just the perfect form or a leaf that is exactly the right amount of fall colors. Your obsession with the rain is so cute.

The way you love your brothers- your boys as you endearingly refer to them- is magical. It was so sweet to see you play so much together over this last year of homeschool and I know you miss your playmates now, as they returned to school. You love to be taken care of, but you also love being the boss and I see that dynamic play out the most in your sibling relationships. I love how you ask to spend a few minutes in their room every night before bed, and the way you lament that ‘you’re the only one who has to sleep alone’. Sorry kid- hoping to change that for ya.

You are a mystery and an open book. Sometimes in the morning you wake up ready to reach some really high language quota and won’t stop…other days you wake up in a daze- silently wandering out of your room wrapped in a blanket. Your go-to game is “Would you Rather” and I always chuckle when you offer levels- easy, medium, or really hard. Of course, there’s a million other games in your head that you can offer and as soon as someone says yes to playing…all the rules spill out like a gushing fire hydrant and even though I’ve heard many of them a hundred times, I still don’t get it. But you’re so patient to pull me and anyone else along.

Your style is evolving. I’d say biker shorts, t-shirts and dresses are your go-to’s. You hate wearing shoes and being hot, but you’re also very dramatic when you feel cold. Your favorite material is fuzzy soft and I think if you could wear that without getting hot, you’d never change. Your room is still a disaster zone 98% of the time but every time I try and thin out the belongings you offer a case for why each and every broken toy and bit of ripped paper should not leave your room. The stow away tendencies are going strong and I’m still appalled that I’m raising a hoarder…tho it does bring a smile to my face at how sentimental you are. Sometimes you’ll hand me one of your toys when you leave the room- ‘to remember you by,’ even though you’ll be back in a few minutes.

You love swimming and trampolining, swinging and biking…imagining and eating. You make us all laugh so often…sometimes on purpose but mostly accidental. Your laugh is contagious and often just the thing I need to snap me out of a funk. Your invitations to explore or play or snack or color are endless but you also know how to kick it solo. I love the way you can spend hours listening to music by yourself and even fund your habit by paying for a monthly music subscription. You are the best lip syncer I’ve ever seen and I wish you’d sing with your real voice more- it’s beautiful.

You’re beautiful. Your eyes twinkle and your smile lights up your entire face and I love the way you’ve gotten so particular about your hair. You are strong and tough, tender and gentle…truly carrying an incredibly generous heart everywhere you go. I love your offers to help but also your funny manipulative way of getting other people to do things for you. It cracks me up! You are the master wheeler and dealer, which makes me proud. You’ve especially got your daddy wrapped around your whole being- I love watching the two of you. You are such a teenager- staying up late and sleeping in til 11. Good thing we’re still doing homeschool, so you can keep that schedule alive.

I love the way you’re quick to apologize and forgive. Your heart is so soft that I cannot even use my old teacher voice with you lest you stop and wonder what’s wrong. You are the first one to offer prayers when someone is sick or hurt…and you have a heart after Jesus. Your love for home decor is still going strong and I’m here for it. Honestly Maya, I just love doing life with you each day. You are always a surprise yet you feel so comfortable. It’s the best of both worlds. I pray that your birthday is everything you hoped- you asked for a weather theme and since it’s been unicorns and rainbows for the last three years- I’m going all out.

You’re simply the best, sweet girl. Happy 8th birthday mj farrelly.

Love Mama

an ode to my parents

As I hugged my parents goodbye at the airport last week and jumped back into my car, I was hit with a wave of gratitude. I actually had been feeling it most of the time they were visiting…just so good. This trip was only planned a little over three weeks before they arrived and while I was trepidatious about their time coinciding with the beginning of this epic school year, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. I know it’s an incredible gift that my parents will fly across the country without me even asking… and the fact that they were just here in April made it even more special. I think they made the whole school transition less painful perhaps, and definitely upped the celebration factor for Regan’s tenth birthday.

I’m amazed that my mom and dad make the huge effort to come see us…and always have. We’ve lived all over the country (and they even came to see me when I lived in Panama) and no matter where we’ve been- they show up. They don’t just show up though, there’s always loads of treats and gifts and snacks…there’s always special trips to stores for toys and slushies and cake pans (that last one is for me- one of my favorite pastimes of my mom coming is when she decides I need something replaced in my kitchen and we go find it. I gotta admit, I really miss living near Williams and Sonoma hehe).

My parents are really good grandparents. They are engaging and don’t shy away from jumping into whatever my kids are doing…including literally jumping into pools. I don’t even like jumping into pools, but my 71 year old dad goes for it- and several times they were the adults in the pool while I got to enjoy staying dry. They ask questions and listen to endless ramblings…they snuggle and cuddle and hug. Often I know they sacrifice what they actually want to do for what my kids would rather choose.

It’s incredible to watch my parent’s generosity- because paying to travel to us would be more than enough- but they also love getting a hotel so we can all enjoy a pool…and then are constantly treating us to meals and treats and anything in between. I’m just in awe how spoiled we are each time we get together and though it seems too simple to say…

Thank you mom and dad. Thank you for investing in us and choosing us. Thank you for spoiling each one of us in unique ways. Thank you for saying yes no matter where we live… we are so grateful. Thank you for loving us so well. Really hoping this covid disaster goes away so we can fly your way for Christmas. xoxo