It is the last evening of 2014 and I cannot help but think about what a fun year it has been. It has been a lot of work but fun all the same. My family and I had oh so many adventures, changes, challenges and touching moments. Every year I make a “yearbook” on Shutterfly where I put together all of our pictures in order from Dec. of the previous year through this November. That immediately made me reflect. It was impossible not to go down memory lane….
This year I could not help but see that we were changing as a family. Becoming more independent individually and all of us working toward our own personal goals. Gone were the toddler and baby years. Where playdates are arranged and controlled. How about the biggest lesson back then was riding a bike, crossing a street or NOT sticking their brown blankey in an electrical socket. Those days were long gone. Now the lessons are how to drive a car, handle friendships, or to deal with real life challenges. The moral, character and ethical questions are being tested in their everyday decisions. I watched them make the best decisions available when they were given two not so great choices. (They chose the right one.) This year they learned about themselves as people. Who are they? What type of people of they want to be? Those are the lessons where the stakes are higher but so are the rewards. Watching them both grow personally was huge for 2014!
One of my favorite parts of the year was all of the adventures. In June we flew to the NE so Jackson could attend football camps at Harvard, Dartmouth and Brown. We drove over 1700 miles and stayed in 6 different hotels. We were all vagabonds. One of the highlights was being lost in Vermont (btw-that is a beautiful place to be lost and the people were oh so kind!), eating lobster rolls in Newport and spending all of that quality family time in the car. Great times introducing the kids to 80’s rock and Hair Bands!
Then in July, we set sail for the Bahamas. Jack took Jackson and made it a guy trip with Mitch. Their stories are legendary! Then Caytie and I plus our good friends joined them in Nassau for the trip back! It was epic! Pictures are great memories but if only I could have had it all on video…we would have made for a very funny reality show. Title: Okies at Sea. That pretty much sums it up! The secret to a great trip is having low expectations, a sense of adventure and traveling with friends who are the same! This group was super at making something fun out of nothing. We became amateur conch fisherman (harvesting them was hilarious), took beach showers at Chubb Cay using a hose and hotel shampoos, then played a card games that still make me giggle! I am forever blessed to have found such incredible friends! God is good.
One of my favorite parts of being a parent is sharing the cool side of Jack and I. We took the kids to Lollapalooza while in Chicago. It is a 3 days rock and roll festival. You see it all there. And I mean it ALL. Jack and I felt like that now that they are teens they needed to see that A) you can have fun with out being drunk or high and B) bad choices lead to bad things happening. Well, they saw all of that at Lollapalooza. But they also saw some incredible musicians: Eminem, Iggy Azaela, Arctic Monkeys, and Lourdes. The best part is that they saw it with parents who love that music too! This Mama is not too old to sing along to Eminem. It was a super day and really one of my favorites!
Then in September, Caytie and I flew to Tampa to surprise my Grandparents as they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. It was so special. Grandma has been fighting cancer for the last 3 years and recently she had been given the news that there would be no more chemo. She prayed to make it to “this very special date.” She made it! The best surprise was seeing her face as each of her family members popped in to a supposed small dinner my Aunts were throwing for them. Three generations under one roof to see loving tribute and rededication of their vows. Grandma and Grandaddy encouraged all of us to never go to bed angry and to work through it. Do not give up. Pretty good advice…
We ended this year with a huge win for the Heritage Hall football team. As you know, I am a huge fan of my children’s sports. This particular HH team from the beginning of the year was led by an incredible group of Senior young men. They have character, high moral compass and compassion for all of the players on the team. These guys stood up and made sure they were unified as one. Sounds simple but many times attitude makes all the difference. Congratulations to a team that worked together and proved that there is such a thing as Team Over Talent!
Overall, 2014 was a dandy! I loved reconnecting with family, getting to enjoy some down time with my family and friends but most of all I am thankful of the blessing God gave me this year. I would like to personally wish everyone a blessed and peaceful 2015! Here is to making more memories!