Day 3,900

Growth:

Whenever you get that feeling like there’s lightning in a bottle – the type that others could likely use too – trust your gut and go with it. Having the entire team read Essentialism could not have been more well timed!

Appreciation:

There are moments in our lives when we are able to pause, see a snapshot of ourselves from decades ago in someone else, and immediately have the perspective needed to see the growth we’ve had in those many years.

As each day goes by the growth can be almost impossible to gauge, but when viewed from across decades in a moment it is truly impactful.

Here’s to the reflection of my old self I saw today through the eyes of me of today.

Presence:

Yes, virtual meetings are helpful, convenient, and so easy to pull off, BUT they are never the same as being together in real life. Lots of extra driving for me today, but the moments of very focused presence were well worth the miles!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,899

Nothing quite like being wise/old enough to realize when it’s time to get som extra sleep to get recharged! Today is definitely one of those days for me!

I’m getting to bed a little later than I planned, but that was due in large part to taking additional time to work on a side project I’m pretty excited about! More details to follow, but it’s been fun working on something that has been putting me quickly and regularly into a flow state.

Off to bed, time to recharge, there’s so much more to work on tomorrow!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,898

We often don’t realize and appreciate the rhythms we live our lives by until they are upended for a period of time. In those moments in which muscle memory no longer works we’re left scratching our heads wondering how to get back on track and how we fell off track in the first place.

In a similar fashion to my recent blog posts the concept of normal for us has been very much upended due to a variety of reasons. As we get into little patterns of normalcy we are quickly swept up in the completely unexpected or very abnormal nature of life surrounding us.

Today was a great time with family, so positive in so many ways, yet I feel exhausted due to the seemingly constant state of running we’ve been in. I need to take some time to breathe, to catch my breath, and get back up to speed.

A wonderful day to be sure, one which reminded me of the power of keeping a rhythm.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,897

There was no alarm set for this morning. There was no grand plan or timeline. There was nothing to prepare for the day. There was nothing on the agenda besides some hiking and heading to see Ken and Mary. Total calm, all day long, and it was amazing!!!

Becky and I were talking about how the trip we took to Arizona to see The Wave felt like it was last year, even though it was less than four months ago. So much life since then! The calm of today was a wonderful counterbalance to the nonstop we’ve lived recently.

Also, in a similar vein, while at Ken and Mary’s I stood outside less than two feet away from the hummingbird feeders and stood still while holding my camera out to record the buzzing birds. So much fun to watch, so chill! One almost landed on my phone while another was only a few inches from my arm. Gotta love close encounters with nature like that!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,896

• Waking up in the campervan.
• A quick run in a state park to stay the morning.
• Working remotely and getting done what’s been piling up.
• The moment an idea takes hold, one that could make a large positive impact.
• Celebrating Mom’s retirement
• Enjoying Gavin’s final high school pole vaulting performance, seeing him smile as he ties his personal best of 12’.

• Spending time with my brother and my nephew at the track meet, lots of joking, running, and playing.
• Having an entire day with Becky, sharing the chaos together, considering the next stage for us.
• Talking with Becky’s parents as they enjoy Gavin’s track meet.
• Watching Gavin rip off an excellent lead 100 in the 4×100 relay.
• Going to bed in the campervan.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,895

When I have to open up a panel and see something like this:

…I’m immediately grateful for Dad. Throughout my life he continued to teach me so much about mechanical, electrical, and plumbing repair. As Dad built our houses he wasn’t shy about making sure I understood what he was doing and why.

What I’ve learned since is that Dad didn’t always have the answers to whatever he was fixing, often it may have been his first time attempting something. Dad had a superpower that he had taught himself – a trust in his ability to learn something new, to figure something out, and to know when to ask who for help. That powerful combo is how he was able to take on so many different types of projects.

Dad taught me – without teaching me – how to get at the root issue or purpose, how to consider similar situations / systems, how to be fearless in trying new things, and how to ask for help when he got stuck.

As I faced this labyrinth of plumbing stuffed into a tiny little space I remembered to take a deep breath, get my eyes on the issue, and walk through the potential issues and fixes. Sure enough, I had it fixed quickly.

Thanks Dad!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,894

In what is supposed to be a holiday shortened week I am certain I have figured out a way to pack in well over a week’s worth of life. This has been a transition from graduation festivities right into what is lining up to be a triple Blursday. Yesterday was the combo of a chaotic and jam packed workday with a chaser of Gavin’s last Regional track meet. Today was an even more ludicrous work day with even more twists and turns with Gavin’s last track banquet and packing as a dessert. Tomorrow is an out the door by 5am and off to the races until I get home about 5:30pm in order to quickly eat and then make a three hour drive up to our campsite. Friday is also loaded up to potentially be a quad as I work in the morning and then hit a retirement party and haul my butt to Gavin’s last Sectional track meet (fingers crossed it’s not his last track meet – I’d like to sneak in one more).

Hmm… I’m somehow even more exhausted after typing all of it out!

All that said, I don’t think there could be any more appropriate end to Gavin’s last bit of time at Logan High School. For the past decade and a half or so this has been the pace of our life! Why not put a bow on it in the same fashion in which we’ve lived it for so long!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,893

Woo hoo – at least one more high school sporting event to go! Gavin qualified for Sectionals in Pole Vault while his 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams also both qualified. I was pretty nervous, so much fun watching him nail his jumps to punch his ticket!

Several other moments of learning and growth today from a work perspective. No need to elaborate, just a gentle reminder for myself to see clearly, to ask questions with the intent of learning, and remembering how important it is to lean into what we are truly encoded to do.

One last bonus – re-reading The Book of Joy has been amazing! This read has me viewing from a slightly different perspective and remembering to give myself a little grace.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,892

What a wild couple of weeks it has been!!!

Gavin’s graduation and party combined with the end of year school events and the last few track meets have been quite the crazy busy experience!!! Well worth every moment, no question, but it was certainly a lot of a lot.

This afternoon it took a little bit to settle in, but I was able to totally chill and decompress by picking up the graphic novel edition of on of my all time favorite books, American Gods. The hours melted away as I devoured the book, losing myself with the layers and layers of the masterful storytelling.

Taking this time to relax and head off to bed soon were exactly what I needed to help reset my brain.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,891

Gavin’s graduation party this evening was a total blast!!! Nonstop streams of friends and family joining us to celebrate Gavin’s completion of high school, it was almost dizzying trying to keep up with so many people in a short period of time. In so many ways it reminded me of our wedding reception in which we wish that we could slow down time and get to spend more time with each individual person in personal conversation. We had so many laughs, shared all the positive emotions, and enjoyed spending time with each other.

To everyone who helped make today such an awesomely memorable day for Gavin ad our family – thank you!!!

Huge bonus kudos to several people who totally overachieved and helped us out with preparation, set up, and clean up today! Phil and Nikki were amazing, helping out as we got things set up in the morning, cutting up veggies, moving stuff into the community center, and Nikki kept all the food filled up and ready throughout the party. Dominic’s buddy Rennick was also a huge help throughout, he was hustling his butt off in tear down and clean up and did an incredible packing job.

Today was so positively impacted by so many people in so many ways – thank you to each of you!!!

Thanks!!!