This week nearly did me in. Just comparing today to last Monday; my head was spinning. My turn to drive middle school carpool so off I went. Then flag raising, then HIIT class with a quick run in WD before tennis clinic. Grateful for the cool afternoon to keep my groceries cold in the trunk! I brought a welcome basket to the Danes hotel room then to Steph's for Jess' Birthday party. That evening we welcomed the Danes to Jacksonville with a steak dinner at my parent's. Phil grilled then we raced to dance for a pick up. Friends helped with swim practice and baseball. I then popped in book club for the end of the conversation of Hello Beautiful (I read it so long ago, I needed a refresher). I just had to brag about my new friend, Judy! Tuesday I went to SAC then DCCPTA, a dermatologist check up and then to take the Danes on a boat ride to lunch. Unfortunately, Aunt Hanne decided to try to be a mermaid and FELL INTO THE RIVER hitting her head and breaking her arm. Thankfully the tide was high and we were able to get her on the low dock but I ended up calling 911 because we couldn't move her after that. A team of 7 EMTs used a sling to get her into a gurney and then via ambulance to the hospital. After an MRI, xrays and 6 hour visit she was released. No fancy lunch. Preban and Dad came with us to Voss' baseball game. Of course the concession stand was closed so no dinner- slushies on the way home. Voss got a great, timely hit and ended up getting home. It was a great game with a narrow win! Phil and I snuck in a late night dinner date and it was so perfect. Metallica, good wine a delicious pizza at Moon River. Yes, please. This little nugget was key to getting through the week. Wednesday was our 20th wedding anniversary! This is what I wrote on social media to celebrate:
"I really wanted to post a picture of Hottie Phil and I on a Greek isle celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. But, we are not in Greece today. We are squished in this season of life where getting away for a dinner for two is going to be complicated enough. (I still have my fingers crossed for Greece this year, though.)
My love language is acts of service. These days, helping me by driving one of my children in one leg of their various rotations makes my heart happy. So this is the photo of realistic LOVE today.
How do you stay married to someone for 20 years when the newness wares off and you’ve heard all the jokes, you discover they don’t like to do your favorite thing (travel), you are members of opposite political parties, you score the same “authoritative extrovert” on personality tests and life gets hard? My guess is it’s a combination of luck, forgiveness, faith and the group of supporters cheering us on. I’m thankful for the friends and family modeling healthy relationships and offers to support us doing this whole parenting thing. Yes, the help driving kids but also walking with us out of those hard days. The tools we’ve learned in MOPS and Engaged Encounter have been daily mantras we recite about “turning on the crockpot” and being “life giving”. It’s no fairy tale but I am still living the dream. Cheers to twenty, Hottie Phil!"
We made it two decades! I did a HIIT class then checked in on the Danes again. They were understandably slow moving after the previous day. I brought the kids over to visit and said our good-byes to half of them. Hanne and Henrik ended up upgrading their flight (to accommodate for the broken arm) and extended their stay. So we said Farevel to Kirsten and Preban. Phil and I snuck out for a happy hour date night at OrSay before a late night dance pick up. Thursday, I took Ellie to school early, while my saint of a neighbor took Marly to Campaigners and then picked up my parents to drive to Gainesville to see a neurologist associated with UF Health. Our Jax neurologist wanted a second opinion on the type of dementia dad has. Turns out after a fairly short assessment, she agrees with the primary progressive aphasia. It presents as Alzheimer's due to his lack of language skills. She's on mom's side for pro home so I am trying to wrap my head around that piece. We listened to Madonna's book, got dad's prescription, swung by McDonalds then I headed to high school to pick up a minivan of 9th graders. We did that #pickone social media challenge for her Birthday party. She chose Dreamette then swimming at TCC. I dropped a minivan load off at TCC then took Abby to dance, picked up Marly from swim and Voss to baseball. I picked up the swimmers to get ready for the next choice, fancy dinner at TCC. They were so excited to get dolled up! I picked up a carpool of dancers, Marly and Voss thankfully got a ride home from the ball park then I did dinner and bed for them. I picked up the 9th graders and took them to Walmart for dollar candy (dollar store was closed) then home for the candy and a movie. I put ear plugs in and went to sleep! For Good Friday, Abby help me set out the stations of the cross on our street. Ellie did a great job cleaning up from the party! The Fredlands came over with a cross to carry for the stations. My saintly neighbor took all my kids out to lunch for their Birthdays. I walked down to visit my parents and the Danes. We had the 3rd grade parent night out and no one showed! Well, after an hour another couple joined us and then a third. We ended up on another late night at Lillians not meeting any new 3rd grade parents like I had hoped. On Holy Saturday, Phil took Ellie to dance. I took the younger three to the Losco Park egg hunt. My college roomie met up with us and we had a catch up sesh during the hunt. They were kicking off their spring break from VA! We dropped Marly at Sophie's manicure Birthday party then met Phil and Ellie for a Firehouse lunch. We said another farvel to the second round of Danes, Henrik and Hanne before their drive to Orlando to catch an upgraded flight back to Denmark. I picked up Marly then got Ellie ready for a quinceañera. Phil and I took she and Charlotte out to the beach for the party then we had a date night while out there. Neptune Beach has so many fun places that we never go to. We began at Sliders for oysters and cocktails then walked on the beach before going to Meza Luna then capped it off at Pete's Bar. It was a fun night but ran later than I would have liked. The Easter Bunny had to get to work! Easter Sunday came bright and early. The kids were excited with the loot and did a hunt in the front yard. We all served at mass then helped with the egg hunt and brunch at church. We went to the Freemans for a linner, dyed eggs and Jess set up another fun egg hunt. I took my parents on a sunset boat ride (after a not so pleasant beginning getting the boat started). But, it ended well. Here are the pics of the week.
"I really wanted to post a picture of Hottie Phil and I on a Greek isle celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. But, we are not in Greece today. We are squished in this season of life where getting away for a dinner for two is going to be complicated enough. (I still have my fingers crossed for Greece this year, though.)
My love language is acts of service. These days, helping me by driving one of my children in one leg of their various rotations makes my heart happy. So this is the photo of realistic LOVE today.
How do you stay married to someone for 20 years when the newness wares off and you’ve heard all the jokes, you discover they don’t like to do your favorite thing (travel), you are members of opposite political parties, you score the same “authoritative extrovert” on personality tests and life gets hard? My guess is it’s a combination of luck, forgiveness, faith and the group of supporters cheering us on. I’m thankful for the friends and family modeling healthy relationships and offers to support us doing this whole parenting thing. Yes, the help driving kids but also walking with us out of those hard days. The tools we’ve learned in MOPS and Engaged Encounter have been daily mantras we recite about “turning on the crockpot” and being “life giving”. It’s no fairy tale but I am still living the dream. Cheers to twenty, Hottie Phil!"
We made it two decades! I did a HIIT class then checked in on the Danes again. They were understandably slow moving after the previous day. I brought the kids over to visit and said our good-byes to half of them. Hanne and Henrik ended up upgrading their flight (to accommodate for the broken arm) and extended their stay. So we said Farevel to Kirsten and Preban. Phil and I snuck out for a happy hour date night at OrSay before a late night dance pick up. Thursday, I took Ellie to school early, while my saint of a neighbor took Marly to Campaigners and then picked up my parents to drive to Gainesville to see a neurologist associated with UF Health. Our Jax neurologist wanted a second opinion on the type of dementia dad has. Turns out after a fairly short assessment, she agrees with the primary progressive aphasia. It presents as Alzheimer's due to his lack of language skills. She's on mom's side for pro home so I am trying to wrap my head around that piece. We listened to Madonna's book, got dad's prescription, swung by McDonalds then I headed to high school to pick up a minivan of 9th graders. We did that #pickone social media challenge for her Birthday party. She chose Dreamette then swimming at TCC. I dropped a minivan load off at TCC then took Abby to dance, picked up Marly from swim and Voss to baseball. I picked up the swimmers to get ready for the next choice, fancy dinner at TCC. They were so excited to get dolled up! I picked up a carpool of dancers, Marly and Voss thankfully got a ride home from the ball park then I did dinner and bed for them. I picked up the 9th graders and took them to Walmart for dollar candy (dollar store was closed) then home for the candy and a movie. I put ear plugs in and went to sleep! For Good Friday, Abby help me set out the stations of the cross on our street. Ellie did a great job cleaning up from the party! The Fredlands came over with a cross to carry for the stations. My saintly neighbor took all my kids out to lunch for their Birthdays. I walked down to visit my parents and the Danes. We had the 3rd grade parent night out and no one showed! Well, after an hour another couple joined us and then a third. We ended up on another late night at Lillians not meeting any new 3rd grade parents like I had hoped. On Holy Saturday, Phil took Ellie to dance. I took the younger three to the Losco Park egg hunt. My college roomie met up with us and we had a catch up sesh during the hunt. They were kicking off their spring break from VA! We dropped Marly at Sophie's manicure Birthday party then met Phil and Ellie for a Firehouse lunch. We said another farvel to the second round of Danes, Henrik and Hanne before their drive to Orlando to catch an upgraded flight back to Denmark. I picked up Marly then got Ellie ready for a quinceañera. Phil and I took she and Charlotte out to the beach for the party then we had a date night while out there. Neptune Beach has so many fun places that we never go to. We began at Sliders for oysters and cocktails then walked on the beach before going to Meza Luna then capped it off at Pete's Bar. It was a fun night but ran later than I would have liked. The Easter Bunny had to get to work! Easter Sunday came bright and early. The kids were excited with the loot and did a hunt in the front yard. We all served at mass then helped with the egg hunt and brunch at church. We went to the Freemans for a linner, dyed eggs and Jess set up another fun egg hunt. I took my parents on a sunset boat ride (after a not so pleasant beginning getting the boat started). But, it ended well. Here are the pics of the week.
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