I am so proud of you! Not just because you’re graduating MSOE today, but because you are a fabulous human and I am so lucky to be your mom! 🍀 💕
One of my favorite pictures of us 💕 at Uncle Kevin and Aunt Beth’s wedding
From virtual signing day to masked move-in day and so many great meets, internships and job offers …. It’s been quite a ride these last 4 years! I really come to this day with deep gratitude that you have an actual commencement ceremony after all of your HS senior 2020 cancellations. I’m grateful you get the music, accolades, handshakes, walk across the stage and applause! You deserve it!
I have everything and nothing to tell you as you go out into the world. But it really boils down to the only advice I can give you:
Be Kind,
Be Brave.
Be Curious.
And know that I love you with my whole heart now, forever and always! I’m always here and on your side.
MLHx2, House, Apartment 🏠 Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, SeniorConference champs your whole XC career College Collage
So grateful for a sunny 👨🎓 day! And no rain for pictures. Plus the northern lights were visible over Lake Michigan last night 5/10/2024.
My 5th overnight work trip …. In 26+ years was full of ART and I am here for it!
First day – travel & walk 🍦 Art everywhere! And a museum for dinner on Day 2!
Day 3
OSU Campus is closed tonight due to protests (middle east war protests) – so I can’t go visit ☹
They might call in the National Guard for Graduation! (according to the local news)
Sweet potato, Hong Kong phooey, and Nashville hot chicken tacos 🌮 Mustache Ride Margarita 🤣Last solo hotel room for a while – goodbye friendHow can you be at both of them? Got to help a new friend on the plane, hung out with the locals on public transportation 🚊 home sweet home 😴
I didn’t make it to the 📚 book loft, but I was a good employee and used resources wisely, made new connections and learned a ton!
Ended the week with live music and fun with friends!
✔️ Taylor’s album dropped, I love her press release.
Our tears become holy in the form of ink on a page. Once we have spoken our saddest story, we can be free of it. And then all that’s left behind is the tortured poetry.
✔️ Israel retaliated and bombed Iran. 💔
✔️ Bley grandma died yesterday.
✔️ Donald Trump’s jurors have been selected.
✔️ Caitlin Clark got a Nike shoe deal after she signed with the Indiana Fever
Stop for a quick walk and iced coffee in Richmond (and to take a work meeting) and found that the Richmond Cafe has a bed and breakfast above it! So cute, I want to stay there one weekend and take a yoga class next door, shop and write, eat & walk!
Stopped in Sparta for photo ops for Amanda S.
Hiked grandad bluff and had a beer with Chuck.
Checked in to the shadiest AF hotel, the front desk worker was meth’ed up and didn’t even know how to tell me to find room 137! My room smelled like smoke! And I have a view of the trailer park.
Opened my window and went to the hot tub. Grateful my skin biopsy this week was only on my ear and I could still enjoy!
Showered and headed to dinner.
Walked around the entire city of LaCrosse for an hour and no tables or it was too fancy (dress code) … ended up eating at Jimmy John’s in my hotel room!
Watched THE CHOICE on Netflix! So good 💕
Slept almost 11 hours.
Had free breakfast at the hotel with the Michigan Tech track team.
Checked out.
It started to snow! ⛄️
Grounded cafe for coffee and writing class.
Walked around LaCrosse.
Had lunch at the cowboy cafe where they had seats with saddles on it 🙂
Great parking spot for access to snacks and layers! 🥶
Say hi to Michael & Sabryn and gave treats to Holly.
It’s Valentine’s Day, Ash Wednesday, and Pitchers & Catchers report & the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade.
For as long as I can remember I have a countdown to retirement, but I don’t dream of sitting around, I have a list of possible retirement jobs and one is flower delivery person! And today that dream came true!
I just finished a 33-day journal exercise around love, it was perfect timing for my adventure!
I took a vacation day, called up my friend from grad school Eileen, gassed up my car and I was off!
Rich people are not as excited to receive flowers as I expected. And since it was a workday, most deliveries were just to a receptionist at an office building….. very anti climactic.
16 deliveries
2 returns! (This was the most surprising! But it is retail and there are a lot of emotions wrapped up in these gifts!)
I’m treating my weekends like mini-vacations in an attempt to feel more rested and rejuvenated by Monday AM.
Friday after work we drove 90 min away to see Michael run, it’s his senior year so I’m soaking up every track meet. It was so wonderful to be there and see his new PR. We got home late but I’m so glad we went. 🏃♂️
Saturday I woke up at 6am and had breakfast with Finn before he went to work. Then I journaled, meditated, did some homework for an online class I’m taking, started the dish washer and folded some laundry before I headed on my super fun adventure with Story Exploratory. I had a 6-hour writing retreat today, in person! It was so nice to be together in a physical space, meet some new wonderful people, and have time for reflection, learning and a brand new experience – reiki. We had great conversations and I had so many wonderful epiphanies and learnings. Tonight I’m in cozy pjs on the coach looking at photos and photo books while some old favorite movies are on tv in the background (Sweet Home Alabama, Forrest Gump, Shawshank Redemption, American Sniper, Barbie and Little Women).
Tomorrow I have tons of Abbott work to do, so tonight I am soaking up the art, cozy blanket and me time. 💕
The Lefty Writer 