Mather Blather: September/October 2024

The 1st term of the school year is officially done. Paul finished his first season running x-country. After Paul had to deal with a broken foot for most of the summer, we especially enjoyed watching him run races with his friends and see him find his stride again. He enjoyed being with his friends, and continuing to improve his 3K PR throughout the season. We'll see if he'll do it again next year. Paul really loved his first season on the local mountain biking team racing against other 7th graders and traveling around the state on weekends. He is an easy yes for doing it again next year. No question, Lily will be back for her 3rd season of high school volleyball next year. She continues to love the sport and it shows with how much time she puts into it and the goals she sets for herself. We are super proud of the team making it to playoffs, Lily making 1st Team All Conference, and recognized as co-MVP of her team. Nate and I stay focused on cheering her on, supporting Lily's goals, and gently reminding her to stop and enjoy the ride and the friendships thanks to her passion for the sport a bit more. I'd like to say Elise is on the hunt for her next sport but table tennis is the only sport to make a fall showing a bit more in Elise's life. She decided to quit karate for good. She continues to do Girl Scouts, piano, and German which is fantastic. She just needs to move her body more and we haven't found a new activity yet.

Oma and Opa are back as of a couple weeks ago. They are finding their routine again and we appreciate their culinary spoils. We are all glad they are back and feeling good overall. Our lives are at very different speeds but the check-ins we have throughout the day to share the going-ons of our lives are our micro-connections that we all look forward to.

I wouldn't say our work is thriving for either of us these days. Nate's company has had to go through multiple rounds of layoffs and reorganizations. Nate's job is currently safe and he works so hard to bring the morale up for his team and get good work done every day. My company is private but also working to find its footing in the same industry.

It was the first Halloween that we didn't have our kids all together at any point for a costume pic. Paul fulfilled his childhood dream of being a hot dog and Elise loved donning her own face paint creation to turn into the Joker. Lily was planning on being the sun but ended up chilling with friends instead.

The morning after Halloween felt like a noticeable shift to what takes up headspace - the pending election, so many November birthdays, and Holiday prep. It's a tense time for our country with election day right around the corner. No question I am anxious and nervous what the results will be and how the country will react. I will do my part by voting and keeping calm-a-la.

Elise at Fall Girl Scout Camp