2) The most common thing people say to us/her about graduating early is “don’t you want/don’t you want her to go another year to have the “high school” experience? Well for 12 years, Reese has had wonderful life experiences. She’s a remarkable human being. Most of her education experience has been a hyper-focus on academics because hashtag gotta get into a good college to get the good career. And not really focused at all on following her own interests and passions because navigating a mainstream education system with dyslexic brain in a meant most of her hours were spent in survival mode and just sacrificing “free time” to do all typical things, and not having much “free” time left for self guided learning and discovery. She made a discovery that she can finish the system early and presented her plan to us. Reese is brilliant. We support her decision. Annnd she’s in high school, so we would call that “a high school experience.” Her third year of high school will include some intense academic instruction to forge her path as a future educator. It’s the first time she really feels like sone of her classes are focused on interests and not just requirements. I think she’s going to love it! And I think she will also be happy to have the “extra” year after high school to more slowly enter the world of adulting and spread out her college load and kindly reward her hardworking brain with more play time. I’m happy for her for persistence and commitment and also for perusing avenues that will allow more of this balance in her future.
3) every now and then I just have to look. Just in case.
4) Brodeo 2021
The annual Willardson Fishing Trip
FOMO doesn’t hold a flame to accurately describe how envious I was that Aaron got a 4-5 day weekend. Things were rough around here and I spend a lot of time perfecting my safety holds and praying for another hour of loving patience to hold us over. One if the children did NOT handle Daddy being gone well at all and therapists and the school also took a few hits and holds as well. Good times. Not really. It’s was absolutely terrible and I’m still in recovery mode. I didn’t use to be this way. Mothering children with special needs is Olympic level.
But I digress…aaron caught fish after fish via fly rod on the green river in Dutch John, Utah. Story after story, visits with the menfolk, college roomies Kurt and Dave, and a Willy cousin gathering at Tom and Valle’s. The whole trip sounds like it was so good and he kindly did not text me any photos of in n out to make me even more jealous. These trips are gold for these guys. We daydream of them traveling here someday, but logistics make more sense for Aaron to go there and then for the group to travel together to their fishing excursion. 30 years of fishing trips strong and I know that Aaron will continue these meaningful experiences with our children and generations to come.
5) Operation farmland search is an ever ongoing thing. We explore several properties every week, and This week, we thought me might have found “the one” and spent a day considering logistics for our children, praying, and discussing listing price of our own place with a broker. The house was on the market for 24 hours and received multiple offers. Being that our adoption is in a current stalemate/nightmare holding period where anything we do is perceived as “instability” by the department of human services, a season that has lasted years, but become particularly intense since May of 2020, we feel like we cannot list our own hone until we have an accepted offer in somewhere else, and that somewhere else must be move in ready to pass all the regulations for foster and adoptive homes. We have a completed home study and don’t really want to go through the process of redoing that, since there is now a department motive to not approve us this time, being that they are currently at odds with us in a court of appeals. So the search continues, but we are on a short leash for what actions we can actually take and that feels suffocating at best. Wanting acres for children to play and care for animals and discover nature shouldn’t feel criminalizing. But here we are in the choke hold, running out of air. Ooh I am feisty tonight, aren’t I? Will probably edit later.
6) a visit from Jen Butler West! I met Jen at Camp Ritchie when I was around 15 years old. We became friends and enjoyed stake activities, dances, YW camp, her SBHS prom and group dates together through high school. We were roommates in BYU off campus housing as freshmen at UVU together. Aaron and I went to a ball game with her and (now husband) Jared on their first date! Her family is in Arkansas this week for her son’s taekwondo camp and they came over Saturday. We picked up right where we left off and laughed for hours and hours. The kids played cards and had a nerf gun war, and we made calzones. I think I haven’t actually seen her in 14 years, but it was as if no time had passed at all. 25 years of friendship.
I love her.
7) our neighbors Patti and Lucian moved this weekend. They moved in during covid and decided after a year that the housing market is just too hot to not take advantage of selling and finding land up in Missouri, so that’s what they did. We did one last dinner with Lucians magical meatballs to bid farewell. Lucian adored Corbin and Soren and played kickball and basketball with them often. He is 72 and shows no mercy and still destroys them every time! Corbin has been doing weekly yard work for Lucian all summer, not because Lucian needs the work (the guy had endless energy) but because he loves to mentor our hardworking boys and give them opportunities to sweat and earn some cash. Corbin will miss shoveling rocks and mowing. Lucian taught Corbin how to sharpen his mower blade among many other yard maintenance tips. Patti and Lucian also loved Quincy and often shared their love for astrology with her, reading her charts. They know we aren’t into the zodiac or energy healing but they love sharing what they believe and we always had great conversations about religion. They even let me call the missionaries over to help out with some service. They are big country western dancers and we have plans to go with them to Mustangs Alley in Neosho on a double date sometime. Knowing they were without a fridge the last 3 days before the move, I sent over yummy homemade lunches for them. The kids had fun helping me cook and pack up the basket and delivering. We will miss these neighbors on our street and their loving friendship toward our family.
8) Kasey had an hour date with two of the triple threat to help me decrease the traumatic behavior one of the twins was having this week. It was such a gift! That little break was so good for everyone. They had a blast washing Jimmie’s car and I helped my kids settle into activities and then finding myself non stretched beyond capacity, took advantage of the moment, popped in some ear buds and got on my treadmill. It’s too dang hot to run outside without feeling like death. The treadmill wasn’t pretty but it was a cathartic slow 5 miles. I’m trying so hard to find the balance between giving my body rest during a flare and commitment to regular movement to prevent the flares. It was hard but good. I am trying to train for the go to Bentonville half marathon. It’s in the fall this year and I am slow and not conditioned to run, let alone distances abd feel behind/not prepared, but I’m giving myself grace and going for it anyway. I’ll train what I can and see where it goes. Every time I get out for a run I congratulate myself for just going and cheer to myself “ I’m doing this right now. Yay!”
9) Corbin’s Deacon’s quorum held a free service carwash last week for youth night. My van got a little scrub and it was great! Thanks boys! Good work!
10) the triple threat began private swimming lessons with Donna at the Metfield pool. She is a gift from heaven. The kids love her. Sloane is getting so close to being water safe and it brings me great relief to know I will have only 2 non swimmers. Go Sloane Go!
The twins are improving, too. A won’t put his face in the water but he participates in the lessons, and E is going to be right behind Sloane soon! She doesn’t like to be without a floatie and gets very nervous/afraid, but she actually does a really great job without one and I think that if fear were no factor, she would be a swimmer in no time. 
11) we were going to go out for ice cream one afternoon but opted to DIY banana splits instead. The kids chose some interesting flavor combos!
12) the tomato hornworms are out of control this year! Soren abd I have picked of dozens of them. We feed them to the hens—a choice treat! These little green monsters are ruthless!
So much more to post but I live life like it’s lightening round so that’s what I’ve got time for tonight while I finally had a moment to sit down alone and catch up. (Wait, what? It’s 2am?! Sheesh. I’m going to bed.)
