Day 3,592

Growth:

The right people bring out the best in others, which in turn brings out the best in them. Awesome to see in action!

Appreciation:

On our roadtrip to Canada Gavin found an online Catan that we can play online with Dominic when an opportunity arises. To quote Dexter, “tonight’s the night!”

Fun being able to play games from hours away and have a good time together!

Presence:

Had an excellent conversation with my brother today on the drive home. Super grateful for an engaging back and forth largely focused on catching up on what’s going on with our kids, a great time for sure!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,590

Very short one, just got home, time to crash after fifteen-ish hours in the car today (& a total of 40+ over the past four days)…

Nothing like being gone to remind you to appreciate the time you have at home, or sleeping in your own bed, or living your normal routine.

Glad for the experiences we had, grateful to be home!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,589

Growth:

When in doubt, walk. The three of us walked a couple miles from our hotel to the Harvard campus, all over campus, and then back to the hotel. We then walked to MIT, walked all over campus, took a walking tour, and walked back to the car.

Not only was the physical activity rewarding in of itself, but we also had more time together without phones or screens in front of us. So much engaging conversation!

Appreciation:

Three colleges in just over 24 hours (and seven states in one day).

Very grateful for the opportunity to experience each of these schools with Gavin as he starts to decide place he’ll choose to start the next stage of his education. So many conversations on what’s important, finances, and life. Wonderful experience!

Presence:

Gavin and I had the opportunity to have a very deep conversation about privilege, equity, and treating everyone with love. Very much unexpected, but a wonderful opportunity for us to talk and share thoughts and ideas. Great moment, lots of positive and respectful conflict – within ourselves rather than with each other.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,588

Growth:

So grateful for knowing what’s important to me and intentionally choosing an area to live that fits my passions so well! All the urban time today has reminded me how much I appreciate my green space, my woods and bluffs, and my space with less people.

Appreciation:

Seeing Gavin light up at what likely could be his future college was priceless. Crazy to see him as an adult like this, but so exciting!!! I can’t believe we’re doing college visits for him already, he’s grown up way too fast.

Presence:

LOL – nothing like driving through NYC during rush hour to focus one’s presence!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,587 – relatively short one today, long day of driving and an early start tomorrow.

Growth:

I’m planning ahead for the past couple of weeks, this week, and the next couple of weeks I’m finding the additional benefit of being able to maximize what would potentially be downtime thanks to planning my activities for the right moments. Having hours of time available today really helped me wrap up a couple of projects that I’ve had on the burner for a while.

Appreciation:

This one is relatively underrated in my opinion, but it really hits home today. I’m especially grateful for uneventful road trips – especially when driving 14+ hours in one day!

Presence:

Getting lost in an engaging audiobook while driving – always an enjoyable moment of presence!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,586

Growth:

For some reason this quote has been rolling through my head repeatedly over the past day…

Pass on what you have learned. Strength, mastery. But weakness, folly, failure also. Yes, failure most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is. Luke, we are what they grow beyond. That is the true burden of all masters.

— Master Yoda

Appreciation:

So much concentrated energy and focus in one direction over the past 56 hours, another 4-6 to go tomorrow. Then almost a full one hundred and eighty shift for another few days. Reverse, and back the other way full tilt, flip the script again and then finally getting back to normal.

A few weeks of several directions all at once, and then normalcy will return. All good, all doable, but all focused and full speed. Looking forward to getting everything back to the level, but also enjoying the white knuckle adventure in the meantime too!

Presence:

Eating lunch with one of my teams and enjoying the sounds of dialogue and laughter as they get to know each other. So many moments when I sat back and enjoyed!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,585

Growth:

Planning mixed with right people really can make all the difference! Funny how things work better when there is a well thought out plan (complete with flexibility). Similar thoughts on how well things go with the right people. Put both together at the same time – magic! The day really flew by today!

Appreciation:

Oof!!! This has been quite the full work week already, and it is only Monday! With the nonstop life-ing for the past week, current week, and upcoming week it’s been rough staying ahead on everything that needs to be done. That said, it is awesome to sprint like this for short periods of time. There’s definitely a rush to being this productive in a short period of time. Definitely not sustainable, but very rewarding in doses. Bring on the sprints!

Presence:

Getting back into the swing of waking up early to run – was definitely a little rough, but it felt awesome to get up and get moving early in the morning. Nice having that mental pick up of talking with Becky right away in the morning too!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,584

Growth:

Today was a very useful sermon sharing the importance of focusing on what truly matters rather than worldly distractions. Coming hot off the heels of my recent backpacking trip this was a wonderful reminder to be in the right place at the right time focused on the right things. I don’t remember hearing the story of Jesus talking with Mary and Martha, but I’m grateful for having heard that story now. A wonderful lesson to hold onto!

Appreciation:

Walking in the woods with Becky while we talk and enjoy each others company. Motion mixed with stillness, simplicity coupled with presence. Our shared time together was exactly what I was hoping for after being gone for a week!

Presence:

Dinner as a family, hearing about the Coldplay concert experience the boys had – fantastic!!!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,583 (& Days 3,576 through 3,582)

Growth:

One of the parts of travel I appreciate the most is the opportunity to come back home which is the same as it was, but with the knowledge that you are different than you were beforehand. So much of what was “ordinary” takes on a very different and positive hue with the impact of the newfound perspective.

Appreciation:

Over the last few years we’ve kind of accidentally started a tradition of sharing photos as a family when someone(s) get back from vacation. This morning Gavin and I fired up pics from our backpacking trip for Becky, Dominic, & Caitlyn and shared some stories of our adventure. Whether it’s from a vacation each of us were in or not it always leads to fun time together as a family as we get to experience the excitement together and start coming up with some crazy future adventures!

Presence:

Catching back up with Becky today was wonderful, always great to get back into our normal rhythm! Specifically today it was sitting on the deck eating supper together, relaxing, unwinding, and re-connecting after being away for the week.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,576

Growth:

Reminders that we are all so much more than one specific slice of our being. Gavin threw a comment out about a person in the audiobook we were listening to that caused me to pause from the simple and hard hitting honesty. 

“You know, outside of _______ (a huge flaw that was so bad in my opinion that I was really not liking the person), she sounds like a pretty awesome person.”

In an instant I realized how laser focused I was on one specific portion of her being and it was clouding my judgement beyond what it should have been.  Great reminder from Gavin to step back and take in the entire person.

Appreciation:

We’ve only been gone two days and haven’t even started our backpacking trip and I’m seeing how much of an impact this trip will likely have on me.  From beliefs to dreams to considering what’s most important I’m already seeing I needed this more than I thought.  Having all this one on one time with Gavin has made it all the better in so many ways!  Can’t wait to see where this goes!

Presence:

Those moments where music collides with reality are truly magic.  Driving across Alberta  today I saw a sign that caused me to jam on the brakes, make a quick detour, and shoot a picture of a sign.  One of my favorite bands is The Rural Alberta Advantage, one of my favorites of theirs is Vulcan, AB.  While driving in the middle of seemingly nowhere we saw a sign for Vulcan – so wild, I had no idea it was a real place!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,577

Growth:

Very grateful for so many opportunities to allow Gavin to grow and mature on this trip!  From driving the campervan to biking back to packing his own gear and so many other ways, it’s been great seeing him grow into an awesome adult!

Appreciation:

So much one on one time with Gavin as we explored a spectacular area!  The landscape is outstanding, the company even better.  Many memories created together!

Presence:

While waiting for Gavin to drive back after dropping off the campervan I sat and chilled at a picnic table.  I scanned the mountain side from my seat, busting out the binoculars for a better view.  A cow elk and her two calves proceeded to entertain me for the next half hour or so!  The cow kept eating and standing guard while the two calves bounced and played.  Such an awesome time!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,578

Growth:

How I love time without cellphone coverage!  One less potential distraction or set of distractions to cloud one’s mindset!

Appreciation:

How simple our lives could truly be if we so chose.  We really don’t need much, we seem to have so much more than we need.  Time backpacking really reminds me of this, our biggest concerns are the weather and drinking water.  Joy can be derived from the most simple of things, like walking to the creek to get water.  Time is spent actually present with each other, and time alone is spent in thought rather than in anticipation of distraction.  It is so peaceful in its simplicity.

Presence:

As Gavin and I sat on a small single log bench playing a card game huddled under a tree because it was raining we watched a big squirrel creeping closer towards us while eating leaves.  We sat mesmerized as we watched it inhale the leaves so quickly.  Talk about a combination of things outside of the norm to create an awesome moment of presence.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,579

Growth:

As Doug Tompkins used to say, “it’s not an adventure until something goes wrong.”  Nothing crazy wrong for Gavin and I, only almost nonstop rain for well over 24 hours.  Throw in a temperature of upper 30’s this morning and it was a bit chilly!  No worries, no complaints, we just packed up soaking wet, and headed out.  We joked as we walked, had a great time, and realized we were creating new memories.  

Life is easy when everything goes smoothly, the fun is in when things make life interesting. 

Appreciation:

This bonus time with Gavin has been profoundly rewarding.  Time to talk without the distraction of screens and other activities.  Playing hours and hours of cards while sitting on wooden benches laughing together.  Some semi-serious talk, but largely just enjoying each other’s company, sharing a sense of awe as we view the majesty around us.  Time the two of us will remember forever.  Priceless!

Presence:

Sitting on a mountain pass with Gavin, taking in the breathtaking view, watching clouds slowly drift and lift across the giant face of rock.  Not a care in the world, only stillness in my soul.  No clock, no phones, and no distraction, only presence.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,580

Growth:

“We’re not confined to the prisons of the civilized world…” -Gavin when I mentioned that I had to really think about what day of the week it was on the trail.

Appreciation:

What a trip this has been, and it’s not even over yet!  What stuck out to me most today wasn’t the mind blowing scenery (which there was in spades), rather it was the time spent with Gavin one on one as we talked on the trail.  Some big stuff, some little stuff, some funny stuff, some serious stuff.  That one on one time will be woven into the fabric of my being the rest of my days.

Presence:

The father son moment when we hit the top of the pass, took in all the majesty around us, and Gavin gave me a hug and thanked me for our trip.  

Thanks!!!

Day 3,581

Growth:

You win some, you lose some.  While we’d always like to have perfect vacation weather we’re still going to have some rain days.  Today we had that, but rather than being disappointed we see it as paying ahead for future better weather travel days.  Perspective is everything!

Appreciation:

Today was another wonderful day with Gavin.  Much conversation to kick off the day, then a marathon driving session while taking in an audiobook together.  A perfectly chill way to start our travel home, our transition back to reality.

Presence:

Watching the same thunderhead for literally hundreds of miles on the open plains.  Viewing the northern parts of Montana with its combinations of buttes, rock walls, and mountains.  The joy of a roadtrip through previously inexperienced areas.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,582

Just got back home from our epic backpacking trip to the Canadian Rockies with Gavin!  Cannot begin to share how thankful I am for this shared experience.  As he and I have talked about the trip it is amazing to think of how much we saw and did over the past eight days.  More pics And stories to follow for sure, but it’s time for bed.  My heart is beyond full for having the opportunity to spend so much one on one time with Gavin as he’s about to kick off his senior year of high school.

Thanks!!!