Northrop News 2019 *
*I realize it is 2020. But, I am optimistic that next December I will actually write a 2020 letter and send it off before 2021. There’s a good reason I’m late. Read through to the end if you care. :)
Dear Family and Friends,
Trace Adkins sings, “You're gonna miss this, You're gonna want this back, You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast, These are some good times, So take a good look around, You may not know it now, But you're gonna miss this!” When our kids were little, it was always noisy in our house, our van, everywhere. And now? Not so much. I mean, our kids are still here. But sometimes, they’re here, without being HERE. I realize that the time I have them in my physical reach is quite literally slipping through my fingers. Before, I just needed to get through each day until bedtime when I would find joy in the peace and quiet. Now, they don’t need me to tuck them in anymore. No stories need to be read or continued from the night before. They sleep with their bedroom doors closed and I don’t often peek in to see their chests rise and fall. I still relish the quiet and the chance to breathe and think and just be. But more and more in that in between space, I feel it. I feel the loss of what is to come when it will be quiet ALL the time. So, for now, we plan to encourage the noise and the busy and the chaos.
Gabe
Sixteen. Oof. We have a driver and a young man who’s thinking about the direction his life will move. Gabe is a great student. He doesn’t need our help or direction with his homework, and we have no worries about deadlines or due dates. He’s independent and yet, sometimes shows us the mushy prefrontal cortex by asking us things like, “Where is the cottage cheese?” when it’s in a giant case in Costco directly in front of him. He earned an academic letter last year and an athletic letter in track and field, where he high jumped for the varsity. He was confirmed in April and we enjoyed a celebration with family. He also built his own computer after learning what he needed to know from YouTube and with the financial backing of his Uncle Seth. Gabe played football last fall and is in the middle of basketball season, where he’s playing with the Junior Varsity. He is my Target shopping buddy and still enjoys hanging out with me and running errands. Gabe sings in the choir and plays percussion with the band. He is thinking about computer science in college and exploring options about where that might lead him in the future.
Ben
Ben is such a loving boy, who sometimes needs redirection from his momma when his passion comes out at me after I say, “Let’s gooooo, get out of BED!” He LOVES all his grandparents and smothers them with love and kisses when he gets to see them. Ben has some great friends and concentrates in school on trying to be a good friend and a good teammate to others. After first quarter in 7th grade, he has taken full responsibility for his grades and his learning and warns us in advance if we are going to see something that is not up to our expectations. Ben had a supporting role in “Willy Wonka” this summer and simply shined on stage. He is fun to watch in concerts - both choir and band. You never know what you might witness from him. As my mom said, “Is he supposed to be doing that acting during the concerts?!” Ben also played football this fall, is currently in BB, and is looking forward to track and field this spring, where last year he LOVED his experience as a thrower. He knows everything you can know about Marvel and Star Wars and animals. We wonder how he stores all that information!
Lyndee
Oh, my heart. She’s almost 13. Soon, I will be shortest in my family. I look at her and wonder how I was so awkward at her age, and she’s just NOT. She checks her grades (to excess) and is deep into perfectionism. I’m sure I modeled that for her often, but hope that she will find meaning in her life in other ways as well. Like Ben, Lyndee also acted in the Willy Wonka play last summer and sang in the ACDA Honor Choir last spring. She amazes us with her beautiful voice and her talent at the trumpet. Lyndee loves to read books over and over and is our most serious animal lover. She still is considering what life would be like as a vet, but wonders how she’ll handle her cat allergy. Lyndee loved volleyball this fall and is enjoying BB this winter. She’s playing with the 8th grade team as a 7th grader and is also looking forward to being a JH track and field athlete this spring. (“Mom, I am NOT running the 400.”)
Matt
Last year, I’d see him the hallways at our school and think, “Wait, why are you here?” and then my brain would catch up to realize we both worked at the same school. :) He resigned his position from Rochester this summer to truly begin his journey at Pine Island. It was scary to leave behind all the earned sick leave and seniority for sure. In the end, he decided it wasn’t about that, but about career fulfillment and family, which many times is one and the same. I admire his intensity as an educator. He demands a lot from his students both physically and from their character. Matt had a track and field season that was amazing last year. His team won the True Team Section, Conference, Sub-Section, and Section. Many of those titles had not been won since the 1980s. To top it off, he deservedly won the Section Coach of the Year honor. I am so proud of all of the time, effort, and energy he puts into coaching. In addition to coaching track and field, he also assisted in the football program this fall.
Amy
Coaching, teaching, and family are my themes as always. I am ridiculously grateful for our kids. Even though I’m all up in their business, they still love me and think (some of) my jokes are laughable. I get courtesy chuckles and more than a few exasperated sighs of “Oh Momma.” They try to keep me in the loop about trends and help me figure out what’s cool and what went out a long time ago. Last spring, I took on a new role in the track and field program as the Head Girl’s Track and Field coach. It was challenging and rewarding and I can’t wait for the upcoming season. In Cross Country, I was fortunate to have two athletes who qualified for the state meet in November. Running with the team (well, behind the team) gives me a chance to work out and connect with athletes while coaching. The Hot Cider Hustle was my 6th half marathon, so CC really helped me in my training for that. I continue to teach MN History to 6th graders. Every single day I think I about how lucky I am to be doing a job that I love. My whole heart lives in that school building with my husband, my kids, my friends, my students, and my athletes all in one place. How lucky can one girl get? Now, if only I could bring my dog to school, life would really be perfect!
Family
Last Christmas, we traveled to San Francisco to spend a week with Seth, Michaela, and the girls. We packed tons of activities into seven days, including the kids’ favorite - skiing in Tahoe. We also squeezed in two vacations with friends over the summer. In July, we drove to Chicago and spent four days with our friends the Winters exploring the city, going to a Cubs game, swimming in Lake Michigan, and eating deep dish pizza! In August, we drove to Colorado with our other longtime friends, the Koppelmans. We hiked Garden of the Gods, went white water rafting on the Arkansas River in the Royal Gorge, made it to Pikes Peak, did an unintentional seven mile hike in Winter Park, and mostly just hung out and enjoyed our time together. Finally, the reason this letter is late. On December 21st, Seth and Kaela provided the opportunity for our family and Matt’s parents to accompany them to Costa Rica. Two weeks in an amazing country with great food, Seth’s cooking, adventures galore, and excellent company was the trip of a lifetime. Each one of us had a favorite activity, but the top rated for us were the 1. Chocolate and Coffee Tour, 2. Finding a sloth in our very own backyard, and 3. Ziplining for three of us and parasailing with Grandma for Ben and Gabe. Most of all, time with family is precious so just occupying the same spaces was entertaining and good for the soul. We hope to travel and visit even more family in the months to come.
Pets
Here’s the 2019 rundown–Dash - 8 years old and has run away 4 times this year, loves us, but wants more adventure than we can offer. Tucker - 7 years old, loves Lyndee the best, though eating cat litter is a close second. Mia-The tortoise who is STILL at camp with the Kohners. Let’s be honest, she likes it better there anyway. Wrigley – age unknown, hates storms and absent owners, often shows his displeasure by destroying small areas of carpet. Cats #3 and #4, Lucy and Pepper - disappeared, probably joined the neighbors’ cat commune for a more exciting life. Cat #5, Sunny - loves Gabe the best and hasn’t been outside at all. We can’t expose her to the outside world due to our fear that she will end up like cats 1-4. And, we think she’s pretty cute and want to keep her around.
Since this letter greets you after the 2019 holiday season, we hope you were able to find pockets of time where you could enjoy being present with family and friends. And, when you are in that in between space, take a good look around and remember to value present over perfect.
Love, Matt & Amy
Gabe, Ben, Lyndee, Dash, Tucker, Wrigley, and Sunny
