Mom: 18 year anniversary

August 3, 2014

Dear Mom,

It’s crazy to think that it has now been 18 years that I have not been able to see your smiling face. I have been writing these yearly letters for 8 years now. Each year, there are so many more new things to tell you. I know that you are very involved in my daily life and are watching above. But, I still like to write these to help me feel closer to you. It helps me to keep your spirit alive and keep you close to my heart.

The past year has been a whirlwind. Last summer I started my job as a Personal Trainer. It has been an amazing year working with clients one-on-one to help achieve their fitness goals. I get a ton of gratification helping to educate people on their bodies and how to be healthier. I am hoping that if I just inspire at least one person to be healthier (and hopefully prolong their quality of life), then I am doing my job right. I think that you are one of the big reasons why Fitness has become such a big passion for me. I want to be the healthiest version of me. I want to help others be the healthiest versions of themselves. I want myself and others to be around for their families, and know they tried everything they could do avoid certain controllable diseases. Of course there are other diseases that are uncontrollable, but if we are our healthiest versions of ourselves then it’s in God’s hands and not our own. When cancer took you, I was mad at cancer! I knew you did everything you could to be around for your family. Plus, with your love of running I too inherited that love for putting on my shoes and hitting the pavement. I have learned it's a healthy outlet for myself and  time to just breathe, think and clear my mind.

Just recently I also decided to start a sales job that I can do from home. The sales thing is a bit scary for me but because you were such a great sales person, I think I was able to jump in right away (you always made it seem easy). From you, I learned that it’s mostly about relationships, trust and credibility. I have learned so much from you in my short 21 years it’s crazy. I can’t imagine how much more I would have learned in my adult years, but I am blessed to have had you as an amazing mother and role model for the 21 years – not everyone gets that.

My kids are growing by leaps and bounds and are so much fun. I have learned from you to enjoy time with them and not let everyday tasks always get in the way. I dedicate one day a week to taking them somewhere fun where we can build memories and I can see big smiles on their faces. Joe and I try to create lots of family memories too- taking day trips or venturing somewhere new. I look back on our excursions so fondly and want that for my family too. On days when it’s hard to be a Mom of two young boys, I wonder how you did it with four. When I lose my patience, I think about how patient you were with us and how you never yelled. You always trusted me, and if I didn't do anything to lose that trust you gave me the space and independence to grow. I hope to raise my boys the same way. I never rebelled or pushed the limits because I didn't want to lose that trust. What an amazing mother you were and are!

As I get closer to the next decade in age, ha, I appreciate even more the confidence and independence that you taught me as a young girl. I am not scared of getting older, I am embracing it. I am doing what I can to be my best at the age that I am. Even though I am raising boys, I still hope to take your lead and show them confidence and independence will help them in their future (more than they may think). Because of the confidence and independence you taught me, I look at all the things I was able to do as a young adult in the 20s: be on my own for 10 years, travel alone, meet so many new and amazing people, to then in my 30s raise a family, work a few different jobs, and mostly just be confident with who I am and what I stand for. I can’t thank you enough for paving the path for who I am today. There’s no way I would be close to the same person without having you as a role model. I am blessed at the life I have been given- I have had hard times, but so many good times that if I didn’t have the confidence or independence I would not have done the things that I did. I had to go through some lows to get to the highs. Thanks for also showing me unconditional love and teaching me to always go after my goals. You set your goals high and went after them. I hope to continue to do the same and help my boys also follow those footsteps. You showed me to believe in who I am and to not let anything ever stop my dreams or aspirations.

It is scary to think that in a few years I will have been missing you the same amount of years that you were in my life. I hope you know how much I continue to miss you and cherish you. I know you are close by- every cardinal or butterfly that I see- I know it’s you dropping in to say hi. When the boys do something that reminds me of you I laugh. Braden this past year said “That’s Nana Judy” out of the blue when we were in a parking lot and I did a double take. My jaw dropped open. He has never met you, but he claimed you just walked by our car. Wow! I know you like to “pop” in and out. I ask that you keep doing that so I know you are OK and that you are here with us. Oh how I wish I could have one of your big hugs, but I know you are wrapping your arms around us all daily. 

Love,

Your Pina Colada

Braden John: 4 years + 10 months

Braden is less than two months from turning FIVE. With his late September birthday, he missed the Kindergarten cut off and will go next year instead. So, one more year of preschool for Braden. He will attend three days a week starting this Fall which will be a good challenge for him.

Speaking of challenge, Braden is a guy who loves a challenge. He likes things that make him think. He loves games, seek and find books, yo-yo's (trying to figure out how to do it), Rubix Cubes and the list goes on. Braden also loves sports. He played Soccer and T-ball this year. He said he just wants to do T-ball going forward (and swimming lessons) so we will see, minds get changed a lot around our house.  He didn't like soccer as much because he doesn't like to play defense he told me. After watching him at T-ball this summer, I'd have to say he gets the "hard-worker" and "hustler" award. He is very serious when it's T-ball time. He runs over for a drink between innings and runs right back to his spot in the field or bench. He is very focused. I can assume his Dad was just like this in sports at a young age. It will be really fun to watch Braden over the years. I would guess that baseball is in his future, but again we will see.

Braden is a sweet and caring boy. If Liam wants a certain thing and they are fighting over it, he is the first one to give in saying "fine you can have it" when Liam cries. He loves being around people, Braden is never one to play by himself. He always asks if there is a friend around to play with. If he sees kids outside he jumps right in and plays with them. Braden is shy, he won't go up to new people or he sometimes is hesitant to make eye contact with a new person. He takes some warming up, again like his Dad.

It's so fun to watch Braden grow and get more mature, more social, more into sports and it's fun to have conversations with him. He is already stumping me at age almost 5! I am in big trouble.....he will keep me on my toes.

Liam Jude: 2 years + 11 months

It has been a very long time since I have done a monthly update on the boys. So, here's Mr. Liam Stiam's update!

Liam is ALMOST three. This is crazy. We were at the Wash. Co. Fair this weekend and memories came fleeing back of three years ago when I was just about due with Liam and I thought I was going into labor there. It was hot, and I was having some pains. I had to sit down. Well, a couple of weeks later I did go into labor, so Liam will be THREE shortly. Crazy.

What is Liam up to these days? He is hilarious. He is always RUNNING and fast I may say for being a small person. He loves memories- he is always saying, "remember when we had Momma and Liam day and we went to the park and then got a donut." He is always copying his big Brother. Liam loves dogs, jumping, playing in the water, making us laugh and being silly.

Liam has a ton of energy. He is still our emotional man in the sense that he can be happy and laughing one minute, and crying the next minute because something doesn't go his way. He is our thrill-seeker, no fear guy. He is a joy to have in our family and Joe and I constantly are looking at eachother for the funny things Liam says and does.

Anniversary 6.0

Still a bit behind in blogging. :) Trying to pick up the pace a little here, but social media makes it a bit difficult as I feel like I am repeating myself with some pictures or posts. Oh well, blogging gives the more in-depth details for family or friends who live far away who want to keep up with us.

Back in May, we had our 6-year anniversary. It's our tradition to head up to GrandView Lodge for a weekend of fun. We now include the boys in this tradition as they love going there and talk all year long about it. Their favorites are the waterslide, the game room, the candy store and sleeping together in the same bed (this was a first-- and there definitely was not much sleeping thanks to Liam the chatterbug!) :)

We usually get a special Spring rate which includes a cabin by the lake and all your food/drinks for the weekend. It's an awesome family weekend to look forward to each year. The boys are to the age where they remember every little detail about it and get extremely excited- from the "are we there yet"( in the car) to the "can we go to the waterslide again?" (at 7am of course). It is a tradition I hope we continue to keep.

Here are some pictures of our fun weekend. Of course we never took a family picture, but I think you can tell the boys had just a wee-bit of fun (and so did we, just seeing their excitement makes the weekend even better!)