Happy 12th Birthday, Leland!

 

Dear Leland,

Today you are twelve! Once, you were my teeny, tiny preemie baby, and now you stand just 3/4" shorter than me. Your twelfth year was a busy, yet wonderful, one!

You continued to improve your skills on the slopes and earned your orange sticker at Crystal Mountain, meaning you can receive some instruction on the terrain park. This year, you have been awarded a scholarship to participate in the Junior Ski Program. I'm excited to see what you think of it!

Last spring, you joined two sports that until then you had never really cared much about: soccer and baseball. You didn't love soccer, but you really enjoyed baseball. This winter, you're also playing basketball for the third year.

Over the last year, we've been on many adventures. For Spring Break, we visited Shenandoah and New River Gorge National Parks.

Over the summer, we spent a couple days on Mackinac Island for a wedding, which is always special.

We also visited the UP; you especially enjoyed checking out the Soo Locks and seeing the bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Our visit to the UP also included lots of hikes to waterfalls. You didn't love the hiking part, but you did enjoy the waterfalls.

During the Cherry Festival, you and I went to the Jordan Davis concert. It was so fun to enjoy some live music together - just you and me...and the drunk couple in front of us that kind of ruined the show for a lot of people. I'm glad we could go together.

You participated in your last VBS week as a student. Next year, you'll be a volunteer...that's crazy.

You spent a week at Lake Ann Camp for the second time. 

Just before school started, we went camping with the Grays near Ocqueoc Falls. We had a blast!

This year you're in middle school, which means waking up and leaving earlier. None of us are big fans of that, but we're making it work. 

You seem to be adjusting to middle school really well. You weren't nervous for the first day whatsoever, unlike me.

You're playing the clarinet this year. This photo was your first attempt at playing it, and we both get a good laugh at it because your mouthpiece was upside down. You've improved your skills since then, and recently played your first concert.

You are also interested in playing the guitar. Alden got one for his birthday and you've been using it with an app on the phone to learn how to play.

The one tough adjustment to middle school has been not having your BFFF, Garrett, there. The two of you talk on the phone or play video games online together quite a bit, and his mom and I try to make sure you still get face to face time. It's hard not being at school with your best friend, but you're both doing really well in your respective schools.

For Thanksgiving, we went to South Carolina and visited Dad's cousins. You really enjoyed that time with them and making another connection to Dad.

For your birthday party, you and a few buddies enjoyed a cabana and some pool time at the Delamar outdoor pool. You all had so much fun and I loved seeing you let loose (without video games) with your friends.

Leland, there are so many things to love about you. You are genuinely a good person who cares about others. You're responsible (most of the time), hard-working, and trustworthy. You're smart and respectful and overall pleasant to be around, and I'm not just saying that because I'm your mom. I hear it from your teachers and other adults who spend time with you. I'm proud of the man you're becoming, and I know Dad would be too.

Love, Mom 

Happy 11, Leland!

 Leland James, today you are 11 years old.

It's been quite a rollercoaster year. We've had some amazing highs and some tough lows, but overall, I think it's been a good year. Some highlights were the trips we took. We spent spring break in Cuyahoga Valley National Park with Uncle Jon, Aunt Danielle, and cousins, and it was so fun spending that time with them.

At the beginning of the summer, we went on a road trip to Texas. On our way there and back, we made some fun stops in St. Louis, Hot Springs, and Indianapolis. You especially loved going in the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. 

But Texas was for sure the highlight. You really enjoyed meeting the Kiblers, swimming in their pool every single day, seeing SpaceX rockets, and catching lizards. 

Later in the summer, you went to Lake Ann Camp for a week. We missed you like crazy, but you had an absolute blast and you can't wait to go again next year. I am so glad you could have this experience.

We took our first camping trip near Ocqueoc Falls and had an absolute blast. And I took you kids to your first concert - Chris Janson. We had so much fun, even though he didn't sing our very favorite song (Keys to the Country).

Your cousins came and spent a week with us in July, which was awesome. We went to VBS, the drive in, tie-dyed t-shirts, went to the beach, and so much more. 

Over Labor Day Weekend, the whole Nowak crew stayed at Jon and Danielle's. It was so much fun, and just what we needed before heading back to school.

In October, we went to Disney World and your life was made when you met a Storm Trooper and did all the Star Wars things.

Some other notable things from this year are your interest in basketball...

I chaperoned your class field trip to Mackinac Island. You loved visiting the Fort and seeing the demonstrations.

I started looking for a new house, and wound up buying property to build a house. We can't wait to live on this little lake and do all the swimming, kayaking, and fishing we want.

Currently, you are into Star Wars, Pokemon, Legos, video games, reading (mostly graphic novels these days), and trying to think of new ways to spend my money. Garrett is still your BFF, and you have so many other close friendships with some really wonderful kids. It makes my heart so happy to see the great people you surround yourself with. You tell me that you don't have a girlfriend, and also that you won't tell me when you do because you think I'll make it weird. I have no idea what you're talking about. :)

Next week, we start basketball and skiing. You have your own skis this year and you can't wait to tear up those black diamond hills that I won't even consider trying myself. And now that several of your friends have joined the school ski program, it will be even more fun. 

At school, you are super responsible (maybe a little too anxious at times?) about completing your school work. At home, you help when asked, usually without complaint. You're a good friend and a respectful student. You have some serious sass with me, but I think between grief and general pre-teen crankiness, that's to be expected. You really are a great kid, and we'll get through all of hard stuff together. I love you so much. Being your mom is the greatest gift and the absolute best thing I will ever do. Happy Birthday, my sweet big kid.

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!