It’s official! We have a college student in the house. Or, more precisely, out of the house. Last month we moved Sam into his dorm room, and he has successfully completed his first two weeks at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Goodbyes are never fun, and Sam endured a lot of them before he left: his dogs, his soccer buddies, his girlfriend, his sister. We cooked … Continue reading He’s Launched!
Sam has officially graduated from high school, and I could not be prouder. Or more relieved. Don’t get me wrong, there was never a doubt in my mind that he’d strut across that stage with an honor cord around his neck, as he’s one of the brightest students I know. But I also really know him. I know he loathes and ignores early morning alarm … Continue reading Sayonara to Sam’s Senior Year
This is (hopefully) the final in a trilogy of posts about the time our little boy told a giant lie: Post 1: Or Not to Bee (Grade 2) Post 2: Watching Your Child’s Dream Come True (Grade 5) Post 3: Sam’s Side of the Story (Grade 11) Last year Sam’s English teacher invited the Story Works Alaska crew into her classroom for a writing and … Continue reading Sam’s Side of the Story
My friend Nancy has a way of drawing me waaaaay out of my comfort zone. In hindsight, this has been going on for nearly two decades. Exhibit A: In our pre-kid days we spent a leisurely afternoon hiking the Winner Creek trail in Girdwood, only to cap it off by spontaneously launching ourselves off Mt. Alyeska in tandem paragliders. I wish I had better photos, … Continue reading Branching Out
Due to COVID-19, we’ve now celebrated two quaranteen birthdays. Everything was still locked down when Maggie turned 14 back in April, so she wasn’t able to celebrate with friends at all. We were still determined to get her out of the house, so Clark loaded up the ATV’s and took the kids out to Knik for the first ride of the season. Unfortunately, somewhere along … Continue reading Happy Quaranteens!
It’s hard to believe we are finishing Week 6 of pandemic restrictions in Anchorage. The orders to hunker down are working, and today we celebrate that no new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Alaska! Next week our city begins the slow process of reopening, and I pray our numbers remain under control. In the past few weeks we have established a family routine that … Continue reading Our New Normal for Now
Happy {gasp} 15th Birthday to Sam! Long gone are the days of planning themed parties around my children’s passions. Last weekend Sam invited a few friends via SnapChat, and I think the theme was “Come hang at my house and we’ll avoid my parents as much as possible.” In all seriousness, Sam and his friends are all great kids. They even let me torture them … Continue reading Fifteen: One Cool Ride
When you’re fourteen and a freshman, there is always something new in your life. For Sam, it started with his first official job as a soccer referee last summer. His love and knowledge of the sport made this a natural fit; he started with U10 games that paid $15 each. He was all smiles when his first paycheck arrived in the mail. It was $60, … Continue reading Freshman Firsts
Sam participated in the National History Day competition in his 8th grade social studies class last spring. It’s a contest where students research topics of their choice and create projects based on an annual theme. This year’s theme was “Conflict and Compromise,” and project options included documentaries, websites, papers, performances, or displays. Sam and his friend put together a documentary entitled Geneva Conventions: The Laws … Continue reading NYC & DC
I’m a blubbering mess. Today we said goodbye to our elementary school days. Bowman has been part of our commute and community for seven years now, and we will miss this exceptional school. Look how much our little lady has grown in her years from kindergarten to 6th grade: She was so giddy to start kindergarten, and now she’s skipping her way to middle school … Continue reading Final Daze
Profoundly Ordinary 