Dear Family and Friends,
Sometimes when I was home with the kids and the arsenic hours (4 pm – 7 pm) would hit, I would grit my teeth and say, “It’s almost bed time. Patience. You will get through this.” Those were challenging times. And tedious. And sometimes I still miss it. Not the arsenic hours, because those still happen, but the simplicity of the needs and wants and the to-do list. As the kids get older, it gets easier and harder at the same time. Back then, the days were sometimes long, but time was short. Even now with a teenager and two pre-teens, this rings true.
Gabe - 13
When he comes to breakfast each day, I swear he’s grown. One day everything was fine. The next day, he’s my height and says “good morning” in this deep voice. Holy Cow, literally overnight, my son is growing into a young man! G is in 7th grade and I see him pass me in the hallways at the middle school, where he looks at me out of the corner of his eye or sometimes asks me for food. He is a good friend to others and loves to read. Last winter he played basketball, coached by his dad, went to track and field camp, and played football this past fall. He is patient with his sometimes intense athletics minded parents. Gabe also takes piano lessons, is a percussionist in the band, is a talented artist, and earned a first place in the MN DNR Duck Stamp contest. Gabe got his first deer, a really cool buck, on our land this fall while hunting with Matt.
Ben - 11
Benjamin will always be an “I love you/I don’t love you” kind of kid. He has a deep ability to care for others, while still daily annoying his sister and challenging. He is creative in a messy, dragon, 3D sort of way. He has a way with pop up books, stop motion videos, and enjoys drawing mutants to add to his collection. Ben loves “playing guys” and setting up elaborate scenes for weeks at a time. He enjoyed playing Champion Basketball last winter, but says baseball is his favorite sport, although this summer we had to have the conversation about NOT waving to us from the field. He loves to read character guides and recently started reading the Harry Potter series. Ben takes piano lessons and started percussion this year. He is at the middle school this year, so I get to see him every day. He is NOT embarrassed to hug me in front of his friends. Yet.
Lyndee – almost 10
We understand more and more what it will be like with a pre-teen to teen girl in the house. We think there’s trouble to come. She is fierce and intense and a perfectionist. Lyndee was very upset to receive an S+ in PE last year, as she knows she “should have had and O!” She loves her daddy and her brothers and still always wants to be with me. Lyndee loves to read and play stuffed animals and write songs for her and Ben’s stuffed animal band called “Animal Jam.” Lyndee will be playing 4th grade traveling BB coached by Mom this January and February, and was again forced to do track and field camp this summer. She got 3rd place in the MN DNR Duck Stamp contest this spring.
Matt
In his third year teaching at Century High School, Matt has been challenged as he and his colleagues revamped the entire HS PE curriculum to ensure students are geared for more career and college. His favorite class is called “Individual Movement.” He has learned yoga, Pilates, and other ways to inspire his students. I am so proud of the work that he does and the great role model he is to the young adults with whom he interacts. As a Pine Island Track and Field coach for 20 years, Matt led a team of athletes last spring to 4th place in the State True Team Meet, and 2nd place in the MSHSL State Meet in June. One relay team and two individuals earned state championships and several school records were set. In addition to coaching, he loves the woods and hunting. He still liked his shot gun season this year, but was unable to bow hunt due to his torn bicep from track practice this past spring. He joked that he “gave his left arm” for his team.
Amy
Just like last year, my house is messy and sometimes we eat cereal for dinner. I remind myself when I am emptying the dishwasher (which apparently has a force field around it that only I can penetrate) or folding laundry that I am grateful that it is ME that can do this for my family. Like last year, love and not perfection drives what I do. I am often late (okay, almost always), and always busy. I choose it. Busy is not a distraction from my life, it is just simply the way we live our life. I am grateful for my kids and their conversations, imagination, and humor. I am grateful that my husband of almost 21 years is patient with me and supportive of the things I am passionate about. I am grateful that my job teaching 6th graders fulfills me, challenges me, and gives me purpose. I love going to work every day where I get to teach with my friends! I coached Cross Country this fall for the 9th year and enjoyed each minute. And, I assisted Matt with the track and field team and cried when the season was over. Our passions sometimes take over our lives and our hearts and I hope that our children see that passion and are inspired by it someday.
Family
In April, My mom, Lyndee, and I flew to New York for Heidi’s Inauguration as President of the College at Brockport. What a thrill to witness that accomplishment surrounded by my whole extended family including aunts and uncles from both sides! We hosted almost all of Matt’s family at our house at the end of July when Chris, Bree, and Kids, Matt’s parents, Grandma Lois, and Courtney, Scott, and their 6 little ones descended on Mount Northrop. The morning they left, my sister Jill, and her family came to visit! Laughter and tears abounded througout both visits. Our summer concluded when we adventured out to CA for and spent 10 glorious days with Seth, Kaela, Ainsley and Cadence. Our kids experienced San Francisco, Muir Woods, whale watching in Monterey, Yosemite, Sequoia National Park, Fresno, the Pacific Coast Highway, and the Redwood National Forest. And what did they like best? Hanging out at Seth and Kaela’s house with their cousins. Sigh…..
Pets
Here’s the rundown–Dash - Great Pyrenees/Golden doodle - 5 years old STILL with a wanderlust and a short attention span. He’s sweet and always hungry. Tucker – Golden Retriever - 4 years old with a devious streak. He loves to play ball, but will never give it up, so it’s pretty much one throw and done. Mia-Ben’s tortoise is alive and well. Wrigley – yellow lab – age unknown. He is still a lovely boy with a habit of barking at any noise outside and whining when we are in his spot on the couch. He searches at the end of the night to find the most comfortable bed. Maybe we should call him Goldilab instead. And, even though I said I would never get a cat, Toonces has wandered into our lives. May he continue to be the best garage mouser and mole catcher ever.
Peace to you. May your homes and lives be messy. May we worry less about being perfect and instead be real and present in our own lives.
Love,
Matt & Amy
Gabe, Ben, and Lyndee
Dash, Tucker, Wrigley, Mia, and Toonces
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