Natalie was a great helper with the Christmas cards this year. I got news the Christmas cards we sent out the day after Thanksgiving have made it all the way to places like Pennsylvania so I think it’s safe to post this now. If you didn’t get one, please send me your address!
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Hubby has been amazing with some of the unexpected responsibilities placed on him at work this year. I am thrilled that his employer continues to appreciate him and that Hubby made the choice to work for them straight outta college so many years ago. Hubby joined a volleyball team at work and Orange Theory fitness and is doing great. He continues to be the preferred parent for car pooling and cheering on at sporting events. Hubby is also my favorite human on the planet and considering how much I love people in general, that is saying a lot.
I chose to keep working at the middle school this school year but asked to be there only on A days so that my team could have better coverage when one of us couldn’t be there and so that I could be around for my family more and continue to volunteer at our church. I’ve already subbed for people being out of town and people being sick more than I expected, letting me know that I made the right choice. I’m also so grateful I could have days off while Danny was recovering from his concussion but more on that later.
Kate the Great had the best transition to high school we could have imagined. Volleyball helped a ton because she was already going to the high school every day for two weeks before the first day of school. She was thrilled to make the JV team as a freshman, one of only two 9th graders to do so. Kate put so much time and energy into the season and had really good experiences. She is keeping her grades up, went to her first homecoming dance with a great group of friends, and began her club volleyball season the very next week after her high school season ended. She is looking forward to traveling with her team again after having great trips to Pheonix, St. Louis, and Rocky Mount last season.
Danny was really looking forward to being in the top grade of middle school and had big plans. He was coming off an amazing spring and summer of baseball that included his team winning the title of Colorado State Champions for their age group and division. One of his baseball coaches convinced me Danny could play on his flag football team and do fall baseball at the same time and Danny was doing great for the first couple of weeks. Then he received a severe concussion at the trampoline park (we are talking ambulance ride & CT scan showing blood in the frontal lobe and everything) that destroyed his world for a while. Danny’s injury affected every aspect of his life while he struggled with not being able to participate in sports, headaches if he went to school, and eventually the mental health aspect from feeling like he lost the things most important to him for a full two months (which was also most of the middle school basketball season). It wasn’t easy for him to return to sports either but within two weeks of being able to practice again he started to feel better. He tried out for and made a competitive basketball team and is looking forward to traveling to California and Oregon with them this winter.
Michelle continues to excel in school and chose to try out for and join the competitive hip hop team at her dance studio again after taking last school year off. She enjoyed going out of town for the Monsters Convention with the team and also managed to be Alice in the Addams Family musical and Mrs. Beaver in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe play at the local theater. Michelle is also loving adding more orchestra to her middle school schedule and was part of a marvelous orchestra concert where she performed with both the 7th graders (where she is 1st chair viola) and the honors orchestra. Michelle also loves reading and is serving as her Young Women’s class president at Church.
Natalie rocked spring softball last year and had a lot of funning playing fall softball this year. She has a marvelous teacher and classmates for 4th grade and continues to work hard, be cheerful, and spend lots of time with friends. Natalie joined Michelle in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe as an elf and a member of the wicked queen’s army. It is great having her with me for Activity Days and is always a good buddy when you need one. She is most willing to cheer on her older siblings at their sporting events or musicals but also lets us know when she has had enough. Sometimes she feels like she is being left behind but we are so glad for the joy and innocence she maintains in our family. I think it is easier to keep our priorities straight with Natalie around and I am so grateful for what everyone adds to our home.
Maisie the dog is now three and a half years old and has calmed down a ton. She can even be trusted to help check on the rabbit on the front porch without a leash and run around the backyard without being on her lead. Once she was accidentally let out the garage door and went running to the neighbor’s gate but when we yelled at her to come she looked back and forth between us and the gate and chose to come inside our house instead of the usual disobedience she showed as a puppy. Thank goodness. Sometimes it is the little things in life that make you truly grateful to be alive.
We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and that good things will come to you in 2023.
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