"The best way to predict the future it to create it." - Peter Drucker
January. The first month of the new year. All things new. Winter rolls on, with the promise of spring far out on the horizon. The season of endurance, newness, and dreaming. As we started this new year, we were in the middle of many things, and simultaneously on the cusp of SO MANY new things that 2023 promised to share with us. The best way for me to keep these memories close to my heart is to share them with you. This season of parenting is new, different, and fleeting - just like all the others. The oldest 2 daughters are about the graduate college this spring. The oldest son is weeks from turning 16. The youngest son is a tween on the verge of middle school. All of these NEW things. And new lessons to be learned along the way The future is coming in strong!
Emma is back in Ark City finishing out her Non-Destructing Weld Testing Associates Degree at Cowley College. She just moved into an adorable, brand new duplex with 3 roommates - one of which is her long-time boyfriend, Austin. Lara is headed back to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater for her final semester in the Spear School of Business Management program, and her FINAL semester living in the Alpha Delta Pi sorority house (nicknamed the "ADPalace" because of its grandeur). Jake is 1/2 way through his sophomore year at Edmond North and 1/2 through his basketball season. Finn is thriving in 5th grade at Heritage Elementary - where he gets to have lunch every day with Mr. Britt! ;)
January days were filled with school vacation days, basketball, school activities, trips to Stillwater, chiropractor visits, haircuts, and birthdays! Finn had 2 weeks of safety patrol duty in there as well. Dad worked his Kid Korral/Chaos Coordinator job at Heritage; mom commuted to Stillwater and OSU a few days a week and worked from home the rest. Here are some highlights:
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After 3 long weeks in the hospital, we got to bring Grandpa home!
 | Before they had to headed back to school, Jake and Finn
got to visit with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Jake! |
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| Britt and I celebrated our 17th Wedding Anniversary! |
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| Lara's LAST first day of school! |
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| SHOCKINGLY, this was the least complicated car issue of the month! |
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| FAM! Jake is measuring in at 6'8" at this point... |
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Baby Brother Basketball Buddies!
 | | There was a snow event |
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| Jake had to enroll for his JUNIOR year |
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The team has Sophomore Shout Outs and
Jake got extra love form his big sis! |
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| There was a party to be planned! |
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| The party was a trip. Such fun dudes. |
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Quick trip to Kansas with Lara to see Emma...
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| ... and Austin ... |
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| ... to score this WHIP for Lara |
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| This guy turned 16 and measures in at 6' 9.5" tall |
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| Passed his driver's test (in Stillwater) |
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| Got his license (in Perkins) |
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| There was JV basketball (#33) |
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| And Varsity basketball (#42 - and bench cheering!) |
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And he got to make this car his own -
even if we have to share it for a bit |
And, to keep myself accountable, I will post the books I read each month as well. I am in a neighborhood book club for Hidden Oaks of Guthrie, but I like to read all the books, and many at the same time, so I will indicate which one was for the book club and then the others I decided to tackle as well!
"All Your Perfects" by Colleen Hoover
"Someone Else's Honeymoon" by Phoebe MacLeod
"12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos" by Jordon B. Peterson (Book Club Choice)
"Ugly Love" by Colleen Hoover
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