60 Feet 6 Inches To Home

On Saturday, we finally decorated our Christmas tree after it had sat bare, other than lights, for the better part of two weeks. I could say the delay was because Owen was gone on a hunting trip, which played a role, but truthfully, it was mostly because I just didn’t want to. My mom loved Christmas, and doing it without her for the first time is hard. Add to that the complications and limitations Covid-19 has placed on our holiday celebrations; the combination has left me feeling a bit Grinchy this year. Growing up, Christmas was always a big deal. Not only the day itself but the days leading up to it as well. My mom created wonderful traditions for us, starting with how we decorated the tree. The ornaments always went on first, and then when it was all finished, we’d turn off the lights in the room and plug in the tree. That was always a magical moment for us as young girls. The days leading up to Christmas Day were filled with baking cookies, pumpkin bread, fudge, Harvey Walbanger C...

Typically, fall would be full of the familiar routine that goes along with preparing our boys for the start of school. But as we all know, not much about this year has been typical, familiar, or routine. For the first time since 2000, we will not have anyone attending school this year. This is less about the pandemic and more about the fact that they both have completed the formal education needed to pursue full-time careers, Kellan in college baseball and Owen in the fire service. Although this is a milestone that will move them closer to a life independent of us, I welcome it given the challenges this year will bring. Let me first say; this post is not about taking sides, placing blame, or defending my own opinions. It is simply about sharing a few of my observations from my unique position as a school secretary. Working in a school office has given me a front-row seat to what has taken place during the past few months, and one thing I can say for certain, it's been hard on every...

These are, by far, some of the hardest words I have ever written. Yesterday marked two months since we said our final goodbye to my Mom after a hard-fought battle with lung cancer. There is so much I could say about her and the entire experience we have all just been through. As I write this, I am fully aware that, for once, no matter how hard I try, my words may fall short. Even so, I felt it was important to document this time in my life like I have many others,  through writing.  My Mom often talked about writing a book about her life. She always felt that despite the challenges she had encountered along the way, her life had been extraordinary, and she was right. She wanted to make a more permanent record of that life, not only for herself but for all of us. I am sad she never got that accomplished. So while it won't be the book she dreamed of, I will try and tell her story in a way she would be proud of. In many ways, my Mom's life should have turned out much different. S...

It has been almost a year since I have written a blog, but now on day 50-something of a mandated quarantine,  I find myself with excess time and an abundance of thoughts, both of which have brought me back here. The past 8 months have been filled with change and adjustment for our family. We have navigated through a retirement, new jobs, college graduation, several moves, and a change in college majors. Some of these we had planned for, others caught us completely off guard. Never did I think there would be an event to exceed all of these, yet here we are. Quarantines and stay at home orders have been put in place all over the country hoping to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus. This has resulted in closed businesses and furloughed workers. Boardrooms are empty and home offices are filled with employees working remotely. Students and their teachers have left their physical classrooms for online workspaces. College dorms are vacant and campuses deserted. Events have b...

A few weeks ago our oldest son Kellan posted an essay on his Facebook page titled,  "If you give a boy a baseball" .  In it, the unknown author explains how it's not only a baseball you are giving but indeed much, much more. I've read this essay before, many years ago, but this time with his last college game approaching, the words took on a much deeper meaning. T-Ball Kellan started playing baseball at the age of five, and while he was not as athletic as his younger brother, he truly loved to play. He was also left-handed, which can be a huge advantage in baseball. By 5th grade, after trying other sports he had decided to focus solely on baseball. When he wasn't playing it, he was watching it or reading about it. Baseball is often called a thinking man's game and he is definitely a thinker. He enjoyed the strategy and science that is weaved into all aspects of the game. He set a goal to play at the college level. He had never been the best p...

Recently, since sending our youngest son to college, many conversations with friends and family have focused around the fact that my husband and I are now empty-nesters. It has been interesting for me to hear the varying opinions on this stage in life. Many of those I spoke with take a position of relief mixed with celebration. It's almost as if they are letting out a deep breath and saying "finally, now we can get on with the rest of our life!"  Others seem extremely sad and even a bit lost.  The uncertainty can be heard in their words and seen on their faces, as they seem to be saying "what will I do with the rest of my life?" My husband and I fall into the category similar to the majority, somewhere in between. Family Vacation 2006 I can relate, in part to every opinion shared by the parents I've spoken to. Most of us have spent significant portions of our lives so far raising kids and as we all know, parenting can be a grind, even in the best o...