To the Graduating Class of 2021

     What an exciting and daunting time in your life. No more high school but now you are venturing into adulthood and going off to college or joining the workforce. Though it is an exciting time for you, also know that this is a difficult time for your parents/guardians. We are not okay! Our emotions are probably just as all over the place as yours are! We are excited for you, but also want to stop time and to stop you from growing up and moving out.

We have had the last 18 years to help you navigate through life’s challenges. We have been there when you have been sad and just needed a hug, we were a sounding board when you had questions about school or friends or life. We were just a step away and now we are facing the challenge of you being out of our reach and possibly thousands of miles away. Though we have done a rather good job of preparing you for the “real” world there are still so many life lessons to learn, and we worry that we haven’t taught you the most important ones!

As much as you may roll your eyes at us when we say we understand, we really do. Maybe not quite on the same level because we were fortunate to NOT have social media back in the day, but we understand what you are going through. We had those tough decisions to make, we dealt with friends that quit talking to us, we dealt with heartbreak and difficult jobs or classes. So even though you do need to learn from your own experience, just know that we do have some knowledge and just take what advice we may give you and file it away for future use.

No matter if you are the first, second, or last child in your family to graduate, your parents are all still dealing with crazy emotions. We are dealing with what new our “normal” will be. We are trying to determine how we can care for you from afar, because just an FYI, we never stop wanting to protect you and watch over you.

So, enjoy this exciting time, but give us parents a break. Let us take one more picture of you in your cap and gown, let us invite friends and family over to celebrate you and your accomplishments, let us pull out pictures from kindergarten all the way to senior year and share with everyone – more than likely via a photo collage or slideshow (with inspiration music of course!)

Not only have you accomplished so much in the last 13 years of school, but you have handled the last year and a half dealing with the unknown of remote learning and a pandemic! You are rock stars! Congratulations Class of 2021!

I'm Back!!!!!!!!!!

 Did you miss me?? I know you did!

You have missed my witty, yet insightful, posts. Your life has not been complete without my little ray of humor. I know, I know and I am so sorry! But I am back and better than ever! 

Actually I have been dealing with COVID and quarantine just like everyone else. It's not easy. Most days I am like "I got this! I've been social distancing for YEARS!" But then I have to second guess everything I do. Should I have friends over? If I do, which friends, because I can have no more than 5! I have items I need but should I just order them online or go to the store? And if I go to the store, will I have to wait in line before they will allow me in, and do I want to bother with that? 

This past year has been crazy. People are crazy. I'd like to chalk that up to Covid and being quarantined and just dealing with this crazy pandemic that we aren't used to, but I am thinking people were always crazy and us being stuck at home with excessive time on the internet, has made people crazier. 

Let's talk opinions. Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. Do I want to see yours? Probably not. Do I want to hear all about it? Again, not really. Do you have one? Yes, and let's just leave it at that! Now if you want to have a civilized conversation, supported by facts and stats, about your asshole, we can do that, but again...there are a lot of other things I'd rather talk about! 

Okay...social media. It is really the root of all evil. No seriously....I have a love-hate relationship with it. I love that I can be connected with friends and family that may not live close. I love catching up with old friends from high school, or getting to know people better through their posts and pictures. But on the flip side....it gives everyone a platform to speak their thoughts and to hide behind the computer screen while doing it. It gives them the courage to say things they may not normally say to someone face to face. The best part...you can go back and delete what you said, or not allow other people to comment. How many times do we wish we could do that in real life? 

I am all for having in depth conversations on worldly events and such, but what I am not for is bashing others or ridiculing them because they have different opinions than mine. I mean...I have some pretty good thoughts and opinions so I don't quite understand why you may disagree with me, but if you do that is okay. I am disappointed in the hateful words I have seen people post, or the people that will voice their opinion, but then get after me when I may voice mine. 

As young children we learn early on that we should treat others the way we'd want to be treated, and that we are all different and that is okay. Yet somewhere along the way we forget this. So maybe we should take a queue from the kiddos of the world, I mean they are going to be running our country some day right? :) Be kind to your neighbors, realize we are all different and have different thoughts and beliefs, and know that what you see on the surface may not fully show what someone is actually going through. 

Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020!

Hmm, just realized it's been over a year since I wrote anything on my blog. I also didn't sent out a yearly Christmas newsletter like I have done in the past. So I thought I would recap 2019 here on my blog instead. I mean who actually sends letters via snail mail anymore right??

So let's rewind back to January 2019. I turned 29...yet again! Let's see...that makes 14 times now? And we can't forget Snowmaggedon in February. We had at least one week where we were basically stuck at home. Good thing we have the option of working remotely, but we did start to get cabin fever. And poor Shelby had to make up a bunch of snow days.

For spring break in April we went to New York. He had gone to Germany the week before that for work so Shelby & I met with him there. Of course the day before we left I came down with a cold and then the fam caught it once we were in New York, but we made it through and got to see the typical New York sites - Bronx Zoo, Central Park, 9/11 Memorial, Lady Liberty, Time Square. I did enjoy the city and it is cool to see the buildings and places you usually only see on TV or hear about in person.

As you all know from Facebook posts and previous Christmas letters, my job at Philips came to end this year. They transitioned our jobs to Nashville. Our last day was supposed to be June 28th but then they moved it up to May 3rd. This meant I spent the summer lounging in our pool, getting tan and searching for jobs. I also spent that time getting together with other coworkers that were also affected by the transition (and were in the unemployment line with me).

But alas, all good times must come to an end. I interviewed at a company called Spacelabs. I was lucky and the hiring director had actually previously worked at Philips and knew my director there! I started work there September 2nd. The people are great, and the work is very similar to what I have done previously at Philips and Honeywell so it's been a pretty easy transition.

When I was offered the job I had made a joke to Chad that we could now afford a truck payment so he could get a new car. Well...he took me seriously and after selling his truck and the Studebaker and paying off his motorcycle, he was able to get a new truck! Of course he likes to show off and will constantly start it before leaving the house. Let's just say...that has gotten a bit old...

Chad continues to go on trips for work - France in January (left on my birthday!) Germany in April for a trade show, another trade show in September and Shelby & I joined him for the weekend in Santa Monica. We saw a few Hollywood sites, walked the pier and enjoyed sunny weather. He then went to Santiago Chile for a customer meeting. Luckily this was before the issues down there. Then in November he went to Hamburg for a customer meeting & Isle of Wight was for a visit with coworkers.

Shelby started her Junior year in high school. She still goes to Cedarcrest High School, but only for one class. Then she does running start at the CWU campus in Sammamish. She loves it and is doing well with the classes.

Besides enjoying my summer off (I even got a tan!!) I have just been crafting away, and trying to get together with friends and family as much as I can.

We did something a little different this Christmas. We went to Hawaii! This is the first time we haven't spent the holidays with our families. We went with Shelby's best friend Heidi and her parents. The girls loved it because they got to vacation together! It is so nice to wear shorts and short sleeves in December! Shelby & Chad got sick at the end but luckily we were able to travel home without any issues.

Not sure what 2020 will bring us. So far Chad already has a trip to China booked. At least he isn't leaving on my birthday this year!

Wishing everyone a Happy 2020!!