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!!!

Day 3,890

LOL – another graduation week of chaos fueled blog post as I’m exhausted and ready to crash! This is definitely endemic of this type of family fueled chaos event, a sprint towards a goal. For sure, so many moving parts, but so much fun and so rewarding at the same time. I’m reminded that there will also likely be emotions to work through once the craziness is past.

Today was another day focused on prepping for Gavin’s graduation with a side of time with family from out of town. I also had an arts and crafts project, making the card box for Gavin’s graduation party as well as wrapping up the photo boards. So many photos, so many memories!

The time today flew by at breakneck pace, but it was truly full of so many wonderful moments! Great conversation, wonderful time spent with family, many memories of the past.

A nonstop day, but one that I would do over and over again as it totally filled my heart!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,889

Big day for Gavin today!!!

Very proud of all he’s accomplished and the wonderful human he keeps growing into!

Sharing in this special moment for him with so many family members was all the more excellent!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,888

This view during my morning run…

Knocking out a four mile run at a pace I haven’t run in many years felt amazing this morning! If I can keep improving my fitness as I get older I’ll be doing well and a ton of hiking!

Getting in a couple of hours long road trip with Dominic to watch Gavin’s track meet was a wonderful way to get some much appreciated one on one time with Dominic while also enjoying one of the last high school sporting events we have left on our calendar. Crazy to see how quickly it’s all wrapping up, yet rewarding to see how our relationship with Dominic has only grown and improved as he’s grown older.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,887

Slightly different directions today, still a triad of gratitude, but a little more scatter shot.

My alarm went off a little before 2am to watch The Boys with my boys when the series finale dropped for streaming. Yes, it was a ridiculous thing to do, but 100% something we will all remember forever. A moment of memory magic etched into our minds. I went right back to sleep afterwards, and it was worth every missed wink of sleep, no question!

Work today was largely focused on thought and larger projects. The previous days were people focused as tomorrow will be as well, the time focused on thought was exactly what my brain needed in order to be at max effectiveness tomorrow.

This quote from The Book of Joy…. so true.

“And, in a kind of paradoxical way,” the Archbishop continued, “it is how we face all of the things that seem to be negative in our lives that determines the kind of person we become. If we regard all of this as frustrating, we’re going to come out squeezed and tight and just angry and wishing to smash everything.”

Archbishop Tutu, The Book of Joy

Thanks!!!