Happy 10, Leland!

Leland James, ten years ago you made me a mama and brought the greatest joy to my life. I am so excited to celebrate you.

The last year has been a busy one for you. When we started ski season, you set your mind on earning your black sticker so you could go on all lifts and all hills at Crystal Mountain. And, like just about everything you decide to do, you succeeded! You can now ski the black hills, but you have to do it solo, because your mama is not brave enough for that!

We did lots of hiking this year - some new trails and some favorites. We also went to Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio with Grammy Patti and enjoyed the hiking there as well.

You found this plush Jesus at a store in Hocking Hills and chose it as your souvenir.

You participated in a junior marathon this year, which means you ran/walked 26.2 miles over the course of a couple months. Dad set up a finish line in the yard for your final mile and you earned a medal.

Over the summer, you were awarded a scholarship for sailing camp, and you spent two weeks learning to sail. You took each of us out for a sail, and you're looking forward to continuing with sailing camp next summer.

We did some fishing.

We took a trip to Florida to visit Univeral Studios and Legoland. We had been planning our trip to Legoland for a couple years, and then decided to add Universal while we were there. You really enjoyed the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And at Legoland, you loved absolutely everything!

You and I went on the Velocicoaster. We were glad we did it, but both agreed we didn't need to do it again.

On our way home, we stopped in Pigeon Forge and visited the Titanic Museum.

We also visited the ocean on both the gulf and Atlantic sides.

This summer, I taught summer school for a couple weeks, and you had fun attending as well. You built this fort with some other campers and had fun on some field trips.

We spent the rest of the summer enjoying countless adventures. The beach, more hikes, hanging out with friends, visiting cousins downstate, and riding bikes. We also went to Ocqueoc Falls with Grammy Patti, Grandma Jill, Aunt Laura, and cousins.

You're in fourth grade this year. This fall, you participated in Cross Country for the third year in row. Dad and I love that you enjoy various activities and you don't really care whether you're the fastest or the best; you just do it for fun. 

This fall, our whole family got sick with Covid. It hit dad really hard, and he ended up with Covid Pneumonia. He was in the hospital for a month and he didn't make it. We had a bit of a warning that he was going to pass and I gave you kids the choice to see him if you wanted. You decided you wanted to see him to say goodbye. Your sweet, tender heart was crushed and that was hard for me to witness.

You were a big part of planning Dad's Celebration of Life. You helped choose songs, photos, and scripture for the service. It was special to me to have you involved in the process.

While Dad was in the hospital, and since his passing, we have been able to spend more time with Dad's family.

We've also been able to see Fischer and Otto a couple of times.

You recently joined the school basketball team. I know Dad is proud of you for continuing to try new things.

Garrett is still your BFF. Or, as you two say, BFFF (Best Farting Friends Forever). You two love to explore, build forts, and play video games. He started skiing last year so you're looking forward to skiing with him again this winter. You two have a plan that when you grow up, you're going to pool your money to buy a mansion and live their together with your wives. I'm interested to see how your wives feel about this. However, Lukas, Garrett's brother, thinks you guys should travel the country in RVs and I think that sounds amazing. 

This Christmas was different with Dad gone. And since we knew it was going to be different and hard, some amazing friends arranged for us to spend the weekend at the Great Wolf Lodge with all of Dad's family. We've only ever stayed there once before so it was extra exciting for us.

Yesterday, we added two sweet kittens to our family. You have been searching animal shelter websites for months looking for the perfect cat for us. We all wanted a long haired cat, and those have been hard to find. But someone we know had kittens recently and they offered for us to take one or two. Since they're just babies, we decided on two, and you kids helped choose the names: Walter and Mabel. It's safe to say we are obsessed with them and they're very healing for our hearts right now.

Your favorite books are still Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but you're branching out to other series lately, and you are still very interested in reading about the Titanic and Alcatraz. You also are currently obsessed with Nerf guns and video games. We just got a Nintendo Switch for Christmas and you're loving finally having Minecraft. You also enjoy your hover board that you got for Christmas.

The last three months have been hard, but we have leaned on each other and our faith and are making it through, moment by moment, together. I am thankful for you every single day. Your smart, sweet, funny, tender, self is such a gift to me and everyone who meets you. I am so proud of the boy you are and the young man you are becoming.

Dad and I love you so much, Leland James. Happy TEN!

Olivia is Five

Olivia, today, you are FIVE years old! I cannot believe my baby is a whole hand. At five years old, you continue to have a sweet and sour personality, although you reserve your sourness for me and the boys mostly. Around everyone else, you're happy, silly, and sometimes shy around new people.

You are in your second year of preschool this year, and it's been an interesting start to the year, with classroom switches and quarantines. But you love school and you want to go every day. This year, you seem a little less shy with your classmates. Emma is still one of your closest friends, and you also enjoy playing with Maddox, Brantley, Sophia, and a few others that I don't know their names. You actually married Brantley at school recently (TWICE, so I assume you're sure about him, ha ha). 

You love books! I read to you every day, and you always ask for more. And every night, you fall asleep while looking at books. Your current favorites are Leland's Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. You like to play games and do anything creative, like drawing, coloring, painting, and building.

We have had some great adventures over the last year, including:

some fun hikes

a trip to Hocking Hills in Ohio with Grammy

play dates with friends

a trip to Florida where we visited Universal and Legoland, and also visited the beach on both the Gulf and Pacific sides

fishing

Leland took you for a sail

visiting Ocqueoc Falls with Grammy Patti and Grandma Jill (and Aunt Laura and cousins)

And some fun stuff around the house, like crafting and baking

You wanted to be Blippi for Halloween this year and it was the cutest thing ever.

Although most of the year was filled with fun and adventure, the last couple of months have been really hard in our house. We all had Covid, and it hit Dad really hard. After a month in the hospital, he passed away. We're all trying to figure out how to go on without him, and one of the hardest things for me is that you're so young. I know that as you grow, you'll forget a lot of things, and you won't really have your own memories of him. You'll remember him, and you'll see pictures, but you won't remember events or stories unless we remind you of them. Which we will, but it's hard that you won't have them yourself. One thing that I hope you always know is that your dad loved you fiercely. You were the girl he always hoped we'd have and he thought you were so funny (you get it from him). He thought it was so neat that you like some typical "girly" things, but that you don't really care if something is traditionally for "boys." You like baby dolls and you like dinosaurs. You like glitter, but your favorite color is blue. You like to build with Legos and color and paint and bake and get messy. He was so proud of you and how crazy smart you are. If love were enough, he would still be here.

We were given a little notice that Dad's time here was coming to an end, and I gave you and your brothers the option to see him at the hospital if you wanted to. You said you wanted to. You mostly walked around the hospital room asking what things were, but you did sit on his bed for a minute and had a chance to say goodbye.

Since Dad got sick, we've seen his side of the family a lot more. Your cousins are your best friends and Uncle Jon is your very favorite human (I'm pretty sure you love him more than me most days). We're all enjoying more time with family lately.

It's a sad time in our life right now, and we're managing to find joy where and when we can. But I hope you always know how deeply loved you are. By so many people, but most of all me. Livvy Jo, I love you more than words. You're my best girl, and I'm so thankful for you.

Happy 5, my precious baby.