Waiting...

 I'm sitting at my desk at home watching the wind and rain. We are waiting for Ian to pass through. He will likely just be a tropical storm by the time he gets here, but campus is closed, the kids have remote learning, and all of our plans for this evening are cancelled.

Last night, Issa and I brought in the porch décor. I did all the laundry. We are stocked with just in case food and ingredients for cozy warm meals. That level of preparation will likely mean we see nothing.

While my heart breaks to see the destruction in Florida and we are holding our breath for South Carolina, I'm not minding a cozy day at home with my people. 

That View

I don't love teaching evening classes. I do my best thinking in the morning, and by 8pm I'm pretty much toast. However:

 It's not a bad view from the office.

A Different Kind of Tired

 Yesterday I got to spend a whole day in a school coaching. I spent the vast majority of my day in kindergarten. I got to work with teachers and kids all day. It was lovely.

And I'm a whole different kind of tired. I doubled my daily steps. It's a whole different kind of thinking and decision making. I crashed hard last night.

I'm also reenergized more than I have been in a long time. I love being in schools, and it gives me energy and perspective. And I get to go back on Friday!

I Made It

Last week will go down as one of the most insane in my recent work life. We had our accreditation Monday through Wednesday and then I co-chaired a state conference Wednesday through Friday. I was leaving the house by 7am and getting home between 8 and 9--not having eaten dinner yet. I was back on campus Saturday for a recruitment event. 

It all went well, but it was a lot. I'm exhausted, and I needed yesterday. Mom, Issa and I went to the first ballet of the season:

 It was such a fun afternoon of dance, and we met the boys for dinner afterwards. We ended the evening and Mom's hanging some paintings for her, and then I came home and collapsed.

Thankfully, this is an easier week. I get to be in schools for two whole days, which always fills my tank, and I don't have any more major events for the foreseeable future!

The Kindness of Strangers

 To say this is a crazy week is an understatement. We have our on-campus national accreditation visit for our education program yesterday through Wednesday and I am co-chairing a state conference Wednesday-Friday. Everything is going very well, but it's a lot!

Yesterday, I had to pick my accreditation team up from the airport. As we were leaving, my driver's side window wouldn't go down, so I had to open the door to insert the paid parking ticket so we could leave. What I didn't realize at the time is that my wallet fell out of the door pocket when I did that.

When we got to their hotel, I realized what had happened. I called airport security and left a message, and then called Brad. He was incredibly kind considering he has told me a million times not to put my wallet there. We made a plan to start calling and cancelling everything.

No sooner had we hung up than Issa called me. The car behind me had seen what happened, picked up my wallet, and DROVE IT TO MY HOUSE! I like to think I am very kind; I would have returned the wallet to security. I can't imagine taking the time to drive it to the owner. I am so incredibly grateful, and it was a wonderful reminder of all the good that is still in the world.

Good Snuggles

We had a lovely weekend. Issa had a lot of dance. Brad went on a hike. I went to see Frozen with my mom and sister. Evan played a new game I will never understand. We pulled out the fall decorations and caught up on yardwork. The highlight, though, was the snuggles:

I love when the temperatures start to cool down and we make more time for movie snuggles as a family--all piled on the couch. Even the cats got the message this weekend:

Now if the temperatures would just drop a few more degrees....
 

Back to Normal!

 We have finally kicked covid to the curb!

Issa can unmask again, and she made it through a full night of dance for the first time last night. Although she was asymptomatic, she realized her body was still fighting the virus. She was getting tired pretty easily, so she is glad to be over that hurdle!

I deep cleaned the last bathroom this morning! Issa and I had been sharing ours to contain any germs, and now that she is through her window we are all moving back to our normal bathrooms and routines.

I'm still trying to get my voice fully back, but I am very, very happy to be closing this chapter!

The Mask in the Room

 You may have noticed Issa was wearing a mask in some of her birthday pictures. After avoiding it for over two years, Issa and I managed to get Covid last week. The Saturday we went to AR Workshop for her birthday, I woke up with a bit of a scratchy throat, which I blamed on allergies. By the time we got home, I was tired and took a nap. Brad woke me up for dinner, but I went back to sleep. When I woke up on Sunday, I felt like I had been hit by a truck and tested positive. I isolated in our room and bathroom, and Brad brought trays of food to the door. I had a really sore throat (which led to a bit of a cough) and was exhausted, but thankfully that was the extent of it.

Tuesday morning, I got an isolation buddy:

Issa had zero symptoms, but she tested positive. It was much more fun to have a buddy. She was able to keep up with her school work, and we did a lot of binge watching. She also cleaned out my drawers, closet, and jewelry box! 

I could go into the out Friday, so I took over some of the meal running. Issa could come out Sunday. Today is the first day I don't have to mask at home, and Issa will be all the way clear on Friday! Thankfully, both boys avoided it.

Issa and I are still recovering. My throat and voice are still not 100%, and we both get tired pretty easily. 

Covid is a funny thing. We have no idea where we picked it up. Everyone I talked to has had a slightly different experience, and we are feeling very lucky that our cases were as mild as they were. We are so ready to get back to normal!

A Very Happy Birthday!

 We had a great time celebrating Issa last night! She made this mama's heart very happy when she asked for books from Brad and I:

She gave us a whole list, and then we picked from there:

She used a gift card to add a few more to her collection last night, too! She is just like me: she loves the smell and feel of real books.

Nana and Aunt Shannon came over for dinner, and Issa was very thrilled with Aunt Shannon's gift of Doc Martins:

The rest of the outfit was part of her birthday from Nana! 

We ended the night by filling out all of her tax forms and direct deposit for her first job! I can't think of anything more grown up!

Happy Sweet Sixteen!

Our girl is officially sixteen today! We actually started celebrating last Saturday with a trip to AR Workshop--just Issa, her best friend, and I. We had a blast making larger projects:

These two are so fun:

And we were thrilled with the final result:

Yesterday, Mom, Shannon, and I took her shopping, and this morning she woke up to decorations:

She will open gifts tonight, and we will keep celebrating all week!

Happy sweet sixteen, baby girl! We love you!
 

First Days

We had a successful start to the school year yesterday!

Evan began his last year of middle school:

He really likes all of his teachers, but he is pretty sure school is overrated--mostly because of the having to wear shoes and get up early.

Issa started the high school portion of her junior year:

It was a bit anti-climactic since she's been going to her college class, but it was overall good. AP Environmental Science is not her favorite; mostly because the teacher keeps saying how hard college will be and how he is preparing them--she is sitting in a college class that says otherwise. It was hysterical.

They were both exhausted last night, but we have learned to keep this week really low key! Here's to a great rest of the year!
 

We Are Back!

Classes started on campus yesterday, and we are moving closer to pre-pandemic life! Issa came in with me last week to reset our classrooms:

 It is so lovely to be able to work in groups and not be in rows anymore! The rooms feel like real classrooms again! It's so good to hear the hum of interactive classrooms again! Campus is back alive with residential students, and all is right in Wonderland.

She Did It!

One step closer to freedom:

Issa earned her driver's permit this morning! I have never seen a kid study more for anything, and she was so nervous.

We arrived for her appointment, and I was able to check her in before I had to wait in the car. I sat on the passenger side assuming the best, and within 20 minutes she was at the window asking for my signature! The test is on the computer, and you have to get 20 out of 25 questions correct. They stopped her at 20 because she had gotten them all correct!

She drove from there to the bank to open a personal savings account. Turning out of the bank took ten years off my life, but that was her only blip and it wasn't terrible! She then drove to Nana's and the high school before driving home. She also drove to the studio for the first time this afternoon! She is so proud, and we are so proud of her!
 

Filling Our Cups

This weekend all of us got to go back to some of the things we love. Evan started doing jujitsu at the dojo, and Brad made a full return to training. Issa kicked off the dance season with her first choreo weekend, and I finally made it back to the pottery studio. I've gad to cancel the last two times because of life, and it was so good to return to pick up this piece:

 It's hand down my favorite thing I've ever made! The three pieces interlock or can be separated, and it can hold flowers or candles. 

It just felt so good to be back in the studio, and I can't wait to get back!

Gloomhaven and Sparkle Walks

Before school starts I feel the need to squeeze in extra family time. Last weekend, we finally boke our Gloomhaven:

We spent a solid hour just prepping the pieces! It is a lot like a book version of Dungeons and Dragons. We all get to play together, and the book tells us what to do. We already earned our first sticker for the board:

And we all had a blast once we figured it out:

We just cleared two rooms and have one to go in the first quest:

We've also been taking evening sparkle walks. We grad a sparkling water and go for a stroll. I love when the temperatures drop enough that we can actually walk again!

One more week and all the crazy begins!

 

A Life Well-Lived

I've been delaying this blog post--mostly because I'm still trying to find the words. Since I dropped Mom off at the airport this morning to head to Ohio again, though, it feels like it's time...

On July 27, Grandma Judy went Home to be with Grandaddy. On July 1, she had turned 95. July 6 she began to become ill, and on the 25 she went into Hospice. Those details are not important, though. What is so vital is the way she lived:

Judy was a pillar of grace. I never saw her flustered. She had the voice of an angel and a contagious laugh. She was quick to tell you, "I'm having a wonderful time!" My kids remember her love of chicken wings and her ability to completely clean them--not one scrap of meat left behind. I remember her teaching me how to walk with grace before my first homecoming and playing soccer with us as kids. We didn't always agree politically, but she respected where I stood and never tried to change my mind. She loved us fiercely and constantly reminded us how proud Granddaddy was of us. I still hear her voice often.

She is a model of how to live and how to make a graceful exit. She is greatly missed, but we are better for having been hers.

 

A New Chapter

Issa officially started her first college class yesterday! She is doing dual enrollment this year, so while most of her day will be at the high school she is taking one class at the community college, too! I'm super thankful she gets to do it with this sweet friend:

They were terribly amused that I needed a first day of class picture. And off they went:

The class itself went well! She likes the professor, even if his course site is all kinds of messed up. She got a smidge overwhelmed when everything wouldn't work yesterday afternoon, but once she accepted it was him and not her I think we are back on track! Fingers crossed...
 

Our Castle in the Clouds

Brad and I spent last week at Smithmore Castle in Spruce Pine, NC. We had originally planned to travel to Scotland for our 20th anniversary, but with Covid and schedules it just wasn't in the cards. Instead, we settled on this castle with Scottish connections. This is the view that greeted us:

When we arrived, we took a champagne tour that ended in our room. We stayed in the Royal Tower Suite, which has a Victorian swan theme:

The chandelier had golden swans:

This big soaking tub was delightful:

And here is the room's other namesake:

We had our own balcony with this glorious view:

And the food was incredible. Our first dinner was this salad with goat cheese, candied walnuts, and lemon pearls:

Truffled chicken with saffron rice and oyster mushrooms:

And strawberry shortcake:

And we ended the first day with this gorgeous sunset from our balcony:

We had our breakfasts on this gorgeous balcony:

Things like deviled eggs:

Cottage cheese with fresh fruits and nuts:

It was all delicious, but I won't post every plate, although I have photos of every plate. Brad was thrilled by that process:

Tuesday morning we explored the castle and grounds. The entry way is quite a statement:

We walked down to the event space and found a lovely swinging bench with a view of the valley:

I loved this courtyard:

And all the gargoyles lurking about:

But mostly I loved exploring it all with this guy:

I also very much loved our charcuterie lunches:

And learning to shoot a Mongolian long bow. This is my target:

Brad looked much shooting:

Most of the week we just spent relaxing, reading, talking. Our days were planned around meals--that's it. It was exactly what we needed, and I'm looking forward to another twenty years: