December so far, (or, "Good lord how is it only 10 days til Christmas...)

We launched into December on November 25th, with our newly-traditional visit to Manner's Tree Farm. A lovely day to cut down a tree...

Then just for a minute it was summer again the next day.  When you have a 56 degree day at the end of November, you kayak.  For a brief moment I considered keeping Betty out in the hopes of a December trip, but decided to retire her for the season with honors. 

A balmy night for Winterfest.

Also teenagers just don't get as excited about festivals as they used to.

But they are stuck with me and I will keep trying!

The fireworks were amazing, at least.

A lovely, normal Sunday before holiday concert madness begins. First Sunday of Advent, with amazing music by these Heights High grads...

... and a birthday party for Kirk!  

A chance for the girls to ride at the indoor barn...

...and for Jack to golf at Proximity (it turns out I like golf lounges a lot more than I ever thought I would!)

A busy week of rehearsals and work and madly creating our annual photo book (will I EVER learn to start this thing earlier??)...

My birthday fell on a Wednesday and I go to celebrate by going to my boy's first swim meet of the regular season.  It was a great birthday treat, actually, watching this kid win all of his races and get two PR's, chatting with my parent friends, and even meeting a girl whose friend described her as "Jack's boo-thang" (!). 

We had late dinner and cake and my loves gave me sweet and thoughtful gifts, including matching jammy pants from that boy of mine.  Here's hoping the rest of 46 is as good as that first night...

(also when did my kid start looking like a 20 year old??)

In lieu of a party, I treated myself to a girl's weekend in Columbus with a couple of my new Chorus friends. This idea was hatched in September as a trip to Vegas for Claudia's 50th... and turned into just COlumbus and just for my 46th... but it was still grand.  I just love these people, and it was so fun to absolutely get away from responsibility for like 36 hours. 

We checked out "Otherworld" and it was a hoot.  Will definitely be bringing the fam back for this. 

Then we watched musicals and drank wine for quite a long time... and slept in and had brunch and even shopped at IKEA.  Happy momma right here. 

Home again home again....My sweet hubby put up our Christmas lights while I was away and it was so lovely to have them greet me ...

I got a swim meet for my birthday... Nat got patrol hut cleaning day at Alpine Valley!  It was actually a fun way to spend a morning- got to see lots of our OEC class friends.. and the first vestiges of snow!

We also celebrated with special day brunch and freezing at the lake before this wonderful man closed his birthday by working the ticket sales table at my West Shore concert...

And then- it was go time for COC!  Three nights of rehearsals, followed by 4 days of concerts....

It's a good thing I like these people and this place, because this is where I live now..

(and sometimes here, late at night... no presents wrapped yet but we're getting there...)

Time for baby girl's first middle school meet!  A huge invitational at Lakewood high... where this kid got 10th place overall for her 50 backstroke, after not being in the water for 2 weeks (thanks illness followed by period...)

A farewell run for my friend Charly, who is off to California.  The thing that has really dropped off during this crazy fall is regular running.  Without Charly at the helm of this group I will probably be even less motivated to get up on Sunday mornings... but I will try!  Vowing in the new year to be more consciously active.  If I'm going to keep up this frenetic pace of life I need to keep myself in good working order...

Monday... a night off from choir for me, yet somehow it was still 8pm before all 4 of us were in the same room together. First time that'd happened in over a week, though, so we took advantage of it and decorated the tree. 

Ivy's first concert with her tuba! (chornicled more fully in the "these kids" post below...)

And here we are back to the weekend... 4 more concerts to sing, cards to get out, cookies to frost, a party to host, a full day meet for a boy of Saturday...  This December is something else.  Going to try my best to go easy on myself and soak up what I can of these ten days til Christmas....

 

These kids

We are flying through December in a blur of concerts and shopping and buying houses and making photo books and caring for all the things... But right now, in this moment, 11 days til Christmas, I'm going to take a pause in all of it and just talk about these kids for a minute. 

I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been a bit... busy this fall.  I've been reveling a bit in all the "me time," I think.  The freedom to go out, to pile on volunteer activities, safe in the knowledge that these kids are getting to be pretty self sufficient.  Most of the time these days, in fact, they not only don't need me around but also don't really *want me around.  Given their druthers, they want to be in their rooms or with their friends- which is spot on for their developmental stage after all.  And so off I went, immersing myself in new hobbies, new friendships, hustling here and there, passing my kids like ships in the night. I've had a lot of fun... and I've also missed these babies.

I've been struggling recently with how very, irrevocably grown up my little ones have become.  How a decade is gone in a blink.  How I miss their tiny hands and toddler-soft hair.  How I miss the way they needed me so deeply-- even as I live a life based on their independence.  I think I've been so caught up in missing the children they used to be- that I've forgotten to appreciate the young adults they are becoming. 

Tonight was a good night to remember. 

A night off from rehearsals- or any other committments-- meant I got to stay home and act like a mom for a minute.  I made cookie dough and cooked dinner and walked the dog and tidied. Then Ivy and I headed to Roxboro for her winter band concert, where I embarassed her terribly in the parking lot by rigging up Christmas lights inside my car and then had the dubious honor of chaperoning the 7th grade band for 45 minutes before they went on stage (let's just say that I realized I've not missed the special joy of attempting to corral large groups of adolescents)... and the actual honor of driving her home after, all chatty about the missing row of seats and challenges of sharing a music stand.  And a private concert at home in the living room and a conversation about music theory and just... time together.  And now we're back chilling in front of a Christmas movie with cats on our laps and even though she glares at me a lot and doesn't like for me to hug her or speak to her in front of her friends... I LIKE this kid.

And then I got to pick up the tall boy from his swim meet.  In which he won all of his races and PR'd in the 100 Free and wanted to chat away on the way home, all giddy with excitment from the night and looking ahead to the Viking Invitational on Saturday, planning out his practice time between now and then.  As I type he's pattering away with Nat about times and tech suits and the best way to deal with sore muscles, and he just finished his APUSH homework and he's getting college mail from the likes of Georgetown thanks to a 1260 on his PSAT and I LIKE this kid too. 

So proud of these babies of mine.  These young people they are becoming.  So grateful for these years stored up in my heart. 

Gratitude Abounds

 Ah yes.  The mad rush to finish documenting one month before the advent of the next. 

Coincidentally here I am writing about Thanksgiving (and the previous two weeks) on the third day of Advent.  We are hurtling headlong into the holidays and I barely have time to breathe much less type much less pause and reflect on just how incredibly grateful I am for every busy, breathless moment of this life. 

I am carving some time right now, the day before my birthday and two days before the wonderful sparkling madness of December, staying late at work to pick up the dog from the groomer before running off to WSC rehearsal... appreciating the quiet here in my classroom in this moment of pause.

Here- A summary of November 11- 24th, in photo-moments of things I am thankful for. 

Ivy discovered my Encyclopedia of the Horse book that has been in her room since she was 2.  Watching her pore over the breeds brought back memories of my endless hours perusing that book, and my "fantasy ranch" horse collection, and galloping around my neighborhood.... 

Game nights with friends.  Our casual Friday hangouts with our favorites are fewer and farther between these days, so we treasure them all the more.  Here is Naomi kicking our patooties at Set. I love watching my friend's children grow up brilliant and amzing like their mama. 

Cats.  They are a pain, these creatures, and make more messes than I'd like to deal with.  But they are so cute and funny and noodly and purry and our lives would be poorer without them.  Even if they do lay on my music immediately when I try to practice. 

Fun with Ski Patrol. ACTUAL fun now that the anxiety of the course and the testing are over.  We did a Lift Evacuation training and aside from being cold and muddy it was really great.  Got to use a giant slingshot, and belay people, and make silly jokes about tying people up and keeping burritos in our pockets, and go out for beers with our friends after.  This whole crazy thing might work out after all.

Broadway series!  I'm so glad I decided to splurge on season tickets all those years ago... I'm addicted now!  I am grateful I get to treat myself to one of my loves in life- and share the love with my family and friends.  This month was Cats and my new friend Holly kept me company when my family was busy / not interested in watching people dance around in cat leotards. No loge box upgrades yet this year but the season is just getting going. 

Speaking of new friends-  so grateful for my crew of Chorus besties.  We are regulars now at Bar Louie on Monday nights and we have a blast every time.  Here we are celebrating Claudia's birthday with free "starburst" shots from the manager, because they love us.  Monday is apparently the new Friday?

I've been feeling a lot of love for my little church recently.  Had the wonderful opportunity to sing with a trio for the congregation a few weeks ago, and my mom and Kirk were able to be there to hear me.  There's not a more supportive group of people to nervously sing on a microphone for.  And it's such a gift to work with Amanda Powell.  I miss our tiny choir singing every week, though I honestly don't have the capacity to do that right now anyways.  But I'd sing with Pam and Elise again anytime!

And... more singing!  Another one of my new activities that has become increasingly enjoyable over time.  I'm finally feeling at home in the COC, like I might be competent enough to belong.  Having friends sure helps!  And I've been on a mission to be more social with new people recently, which has been easier and more fun than I expected.   November 17-19 we finally performed the Adams El Nino.  Our mutual struggle to master this peice of music really served to bond us as a chorus, I think.  And most of us eventually came around to at least respecting the work, if not enjoying it.  John Adams himself was a delight, sprightly and positive and extremely complimentary of our accurate singing. It was a joy to sing for him.  And a joy to watch our beloved director's face light up in the company of and compliments from one of her idols. 

As if concert week was not busy enough, Nat also traveled to Denver for the NASSAR conference.  And on top of that, my mom had a fall on Thursday the 17th that resulted in a fractured hip and surgery the next day.  My time as a single parent/ singer also included a lot of time at University Hospital and a lot of anxiety.  Happily the surgery was smooth and recovery is proceeding within expectations.  Mom is out of the hospital and doing a rehab stay at The Gardens, where Kirk can walk over and visit her daily. It was a scary and sad week but we are learning that with a dementia diagnosis one should never expect things to stay the same.  I am hoping that she will recover enough mobility to get back to attending church and concerts, soon.

Oh!  And we had our first big snowfall of the year the night of the 19th!  And my long awaited day off from constant rehearsing and performing got to include a LOT of shoveling.  But also a lot of beauty. 

Here's Ivy with the first snowman of the season, who was constructed at Coventry park and transported to our yard in our neighbor's car.  My children were the most neglected things during that crazy weekend, but luckily friends and neighbors came through to give Ivy girl some fun.  And Jack kept busy with practice and Apush homework and a birthday party. And my chorus friends kept me company and distracted me from worry (Ivy is likely to remember when she stayed up too late with us, watching Veronica Mars while we drank all sorts of wine after the Friday concert...) and it really is a blessing to not have to go through this life alone.  That weekend was a whole lot- yet somehow my memories are not of stress and overwhelm, but of laughter and support and care.  Love my village...

Finally got my Thanksgiving decorations up on Sunday the 20th, so that they could enjoy a whole 5 days in the light...  I am grateful for candlelight and centerpieces and a family that indulges my festooning of the house for every holiday...

Ad then it was Thanksgiving week!

Grateful for the opportunity to go on a field trip with the second graders.  Such sweet beings of light.  And so fun to be with them outside of academic pressure for a minute, to just play and enjoy them.  A great way to end a 2 day week of teaching.  Which I was also very grateful for.  Especially coming on the heels of that previous weekend. 

First swim meet of the season!  I am so grateful for our swim team.  Such a supportive group of kids and coaches. This was our annual "Black and Gold" meet, which included the middle school team and the Tigersharks littles ones, and even some of our Heights High alumni, all swimming against one another.  Jack hit several new PR's and pretty much dominated his events, and Ivy did a great job and even survived swimming against her brother in the "siblings" heat of the 50 free. 

So very grateful for Wednesday off.  I love Wednesdays off. They are like bonus time.  Used this one well, with brunch and a walk by the river and visiting mom and frosting cookies while drinking wine with friends on Zoom.   

There's a lot to be grateful for wrapped up in that sentence, isn't there?

Off to Strasburg!

Here are my kids where they spent the first half of the holiday.  But you know what?  I'm grateful for their antisocial hiding because they were together, and not even fighting.  Solidarity through adversity. 

Also grateful to get to know Aunt Pat's boyfriend- and see just how happy he makes her.  

And grateful for our friendly little spaniel who charmed the whole crowd all day. 

I'm always so grateful to get to return to Grandma Gertie's house for Thanksgiving.  One glance at it's unchanged facade and I am 8 years old again, racing excitedly towards the magical toy closet.  The oak tree in the front yard is bigger and the kitchen is no longer it's green-enamel self, but the feel of the house, the pink and black bathroom, the breezeway...  all still there and a gift to my soul.

Grateful for my cousin Doug and his spark and his stories of adventures with my dad.  And grateful for my second cousins and their youth and beauty and energy, and how I get to share the joy and potential of one's twenties,  through them.... the babies, the house buying, the new relationships, the adventures.  

Grateful too for a husband who takes great photos- and a family who puts up with my intense desire for lots of photos. 

Grateful to be the shortest person in my family.  I love these tall humans and I am so glad my kids got the genetic mix that will allow them to reach items in high places all by themselves.  Sometimes I look at these giant people, in all of their robust beauty and personality, and I just cannot comprehend how they came from me.  I am astounded by them-- and so thankful for the opportunity to create and nurture and watch them with awe. 

Life is so beautiful, isn't it?  Gratitude abounds.