2023, But catching up on Holiday 2022

 This year one of my 23 for 2023 (a habit I've gotten from author, podcaster, and blogger Gretchen Rubin) is to blog monthly. My hope in doing this is I will not be as annoyed every time I have to blog (Blogging out 6 months at one time is a lot :)) and that I'll be able to get a little more detailed. I have been blogging since I graduated college. I LOVE my blog. It's an amazing way to look back at periods in time and remember. I know it's not going to be published, and maybe I'm the only one that read its, but I'm hopeful that as long as Google doesn't disappear (which we never know) when I'm 90 I'll be looking back at these blogs fondly and remembering things in a way you can only remember when you journal or take note of what is happening. 

So HOLIDAYS starting in September (because Benny's birthday of course!) September-two kids in school, TWO school aged kids. It really feels like such a different stage of parenting when a kid is in school. Benny is LOVING Deerwood, he loves being with his brother, they play with each other and each other's friends at recess and after school care, and I love how much they all get along (their obsession with sports helps with that. Gordie is also thriving at his daycare that we started last year. We LOVE the flexibility and longer hours, especially since Mark has taken on the interim role of Assistant Principal in addition to his normal administrative role as K-12 Learning and Technology Specialist. Between that and sports, and fall traditions: apple picking, zoo, campfires, STITCHES and bike rides; we've been busy!

Cut to truly maybe the most gorgeous, mild, enjoyable October ever. The leaves genuinely lasted ALL month. AND we even got to experience peak twice, once in the cities and once at the cabin. I like to think it was Paul's little way of reminding us he is still with us, to find beauty in all that is nature. We of course completed all the summer sports, enjoyed ALL the Halloween things, went for lots of walks, had Run for Deerwood, and got away to the cabin. 

November continued the boys enjoyment of school, and a trip to NC to visit friends, WFU and family! The boys were SO excited to see cousins, and a WFU football game. We were all disappointed when Benny started the trip with the flu :(. Luckily, no one else got sick (until we got home!) It was so great seeing my aunt and cousins, college friends, my parents and WARM weather. Once we were home the flu bounced from family member to family member, only sparing Mark. And snow was everywhere. While we spent most of the month sick, we finally felt good enough to enjoy a quiet Thanksgiving with the Aronsons and decorate for the holidays.  

Which brings us to December. I was so grateful for the many people who let me know they were thinking of me this month. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had moments of sadness every day. At the same time, I was able to find joy in the season and often felt the dichotomy of guilt mixed with happiness. When you lose someone you don’t want to enjoy life because you want to honor the sadness you feel and the love you had for the person, but at the same time, they would want us to be happy. The loss of someone so close helps me to appreciate my day-to-day, realizing I'm not promised any day So because of this December and holiday break were ok, dare I say sometimes even good. SAD yes, but having a distraction of Mark’s family and Holiday traditions gave me many moments of happiness and celebration (mixed with that stinky guilt).