Happy New Year to all of our local and distant family and friends! Seeking a much needed change as this year comes to a conclusion I have decided to skip the annual Christmas cards & blog post and instead send New Year's greetings. It was time to change it up. After all, "the measure of intelligence is the ability to change" (Albert Einstein)
The year 2022 saw lots of changes, challenges and choices for our little family of four. Please join me as I take you through a pictorial journey of our last 365 days.
In February James and I were happy to attend our church's annual "Sweetheart Dinner" which is an excuse to get all gussied up and enjoy a special night out. Here we are in full "gussie" mode.
In early spring, Alex chose to continue to play collegiate rugby as he finished up his BS degree at the University of Missouri, Science and Technology. Mom and I caught a quick pic while enjoying one of Alex's rugby games. How funny it was when we showed up wearing the same BWMT sweatshirts!
Adam chose to participate in varsity tennis as he finished up his senior year of high school.
James and I once again chose to freeze while supporting Adam on the court.
We also chose to host the varsity players once again at the lake during early tournament time.
Adam and his doubles partner were often challenged last season but still managed to take home some medals
Other spring activities included us choosing to spend spring break in Florida with my parents. Adam chose to bring his friend Henry along so that he was not stranded in boredom with the parents and grandparents. We had fun playing "Top Golf",
celebrating March birthdays,
playing mini golf at our favorite annual course,
and we chose to end that trip with a few days at Disney.
Alex chose to spend his last spring break in Florida with his grandparents as well.
He chose to be a good sport and pose for some touristy grandparent-requested photos.
Also in the spring James chose to take Adam to a concert in Vegas with his cousin and they managed to do some kayaking while there.
In late Spring James experienced some start up challenges but still chose to renovate a building and open a climate controlled storage unit business. "Blue Herron Storage" was then born and yes, we all have shirts and even a website. He has now added this to his HHE LLC business portfolio.
Also in late spring we chose that in lieu of senior photos for Adam (he has plenty from his model work) we decided to get some much needed family photos.
As his senior year of high school was coming to a close Adam and his girlfriend Olivia chose to attend prom in their fancy black and white attire.
As the end of the 2022 school year, James celebrated over 25 years with the school district and I completed my 30th year at Truman.
Also occurring at the end of the school year, our "baby" turned 18.
As a family we were challenged to attend and celebrate both Alex's college graduation and Adam's high school graduation that were only ONE day apart in two separate towns.
So much cake and so little time.
Here we are hanging in the bleachers awaiting Alex's graduation procession.
Proud parents.
Alex made the S&T Insta page with his signature move.
I may or may not have begged him to include me on his graduation cap. Thanks go to his girlfriend Kelsey for making my wish come true-----Pac-Man style!
When you raise a red-head you stop to pose for a pic with St. Patrick.
Just as we were wrapping up Alex's celebration it was time to rush back to the 'Ville to celebrate with Adam. Here we are at baccalaureate mass.
Post graduation party was held at Newman with his friends from Mary Immaculate.
Another graduation, another bleacher picture.
Proud parents (again)
In early summer Molly and I chose to celebrate our June birthdays together in Illinois.
Soon after graduation Alex loaded up his belongings to head North and begin his adult life. This was a huge change for us.
Picture of Alex on his first day at work orientation.
As Alex was settling into his new life James was thrilled when his long-awaited new wave runners (finally) arrived at the lake.
No summer would be complete without college freshman orientation........this time with Adam.
At mid-late summer we were so blessed to be able to go on a Viking cruise with my dad, Ginny, sister Molly and husband Kevin to celebrate dad and Ginny's 75th birthday (from the year before which was postponed due to Covid). The cruise started in Athens, Greece and ended in Venice, Italy.
All set to board wearing our Viking stickers on the bus.
Arrived on board!
My poor husband is always challenged to serve as my pack mule for every sight-seeing adventure.
Windy at the Acropolis!
James and Kevin in many photos together.
We chose to always end our day at the infinity pool with cocktails.
Santorini!
Cheers to making life-long memories!
My view from the hot tub.........only James.
Standing at the starting line of the first Olympic games!
When in Greece, be sure to stop at a local cafe and have some authentic gyros and beer!
We tried to take a group photo every evening.
The tunnel to Olympic Stadium
So many sight-seeing excursions!
Always chose to make time for a quick drink following our walking tours!
Hanging at the "lounge" on board.
In the explorer's lounge.......exploring!
My view many days as I follow my marital pack mule husband.
So BLUE!
Pinky swear in the pool to pledge returning as a group to the land of endless blue water!
And just when I thought I was safe..........................COVID hit me toward the end of the cruise.
James and I were super challenged to quarantine for 4 days in a state room on board. This is us pretending its all good after James tests positive as well.
Because we were not permitted to enter Italy we stayed on the boat and returned to Croatia where James did not "choose" to enter a locked clinic but was challenged to do so just the same as he was still testing positive.
He was even escorted in!
His post-war era locked "clinic" room.
After being sent to a hotel across Dubrovnik from James for 48 hours it was FINALLY time to try and escape back to the states. Would they finally let us out?? Talk about a challenge!
Such a welcome sight!!
As we were across the country seeing the world, Adam chose to spend some time in Detroit with his uncles, cousins and brother!
Thank heaven for mom and Bob for making sure Adam got back to the 'Ville in time to get ready for college. It was a super huge challenge for us to not be with him during this important time!! Literally, the only thing that could have kept me from moving him in to college would be to be quarantined in Croatia!
FINALLY made it back and got to visit Adam at his dorm.
James met the start of the fall semester wearing the same tie he has worn every year since he began teaching. Here he is in his last "first day of school" picture.
Adam's first day of college picture!
Labor day weekend we chose to spend time at the lake with family and Adam and gf Olivia.
Being empty nesters we enjoyed some time out with friends in early fall.
I chose to have foot surgery in September which challenged me to walk for over 2 months.
James appearing in his last homecoming parade as football coach.
In October we spent a weekend in Warrensburg with Adam for their family visit event.
Before leaving, we took a tour of Whiteman Air Force base where nephew Luke is stationed.
Also in October James and I celebrated our 25 year wedding anniversary. We took a quick cruise on the new Disney Wish to the Bahamas and Castaway Cay.
After 25 years James has earned a fancy barber shop spa day while on board.
Later in the fall Alex chose to participate in a Spartan race challenge with his Hendler cousins in Michigan.
Alex also spent time exploring nature in Michigan with his girlfriend Kelsey when she could visit.
On Halloween Adam and Olivia chose to dress up as anime characters,
while Alex and gf Kelsey went as Hercules and company.
We chose to enjoy time with friends at the annual lifeline banquet.
I chose to spend tons of my favorite kind of time perfecting the "perfect" fire in our fireplace.
In November I attended the ASHA convention in NOLA and chose to serve as topic co-chair for supervision and precepting.
I flew from New Orleans to Orlando where I met James and some friends of ours to spend another 4 days at Disney. It was fun to finally go with a little girl!
We choose to never grow up and still ride everything.
One of the perks of being empty nesters is that you can wait in the Star Wars bar for the young ones and their parents to get off a long-waited-for ride!
I chose to finally attend Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party while there. I can check that off the bucket list!
We flew from Orlando to Illinois where we met the boys and chose to spend the Thanksgiving holiday.
There always seems to be a dog-pile on James.
We chose to continue our annual Thanksgiving "ta-da" pic tradition.
Christmas was quite different for us this year as we chose to spend it in Illinois following some surgery that my mother had. We were grateful that my sister was able to host this year and we missed dad and Ginny who were in Florida checking out the hurricane damage.
James is challenged to keep up with great nephew Brixton Bradley.
As I reflect back on the year I cannot help but note all of the changes that have happened for us. Alex is working full time for Alberici which is a STL based engineering company. His first assignment has him living in a high-rise in downtown Detroit and managing the building of Chrysler's new battery plant in Windsor Ontario. He spends all of his free time at the gym, at any number of local sporting events, participating in local sight seeing. hanging out with the Michigan Hendlers and flying back and forth to see his gf Kelsey who is studying engineering at the Colorado School of Mines.
Adam has just completed his first semester at the University of Central Missouri where he is studying cybersecurity. He enjoys his free-time at the gym and specifically enjoys rock-climbing. He also spends time occasionally returning home to visit his gf Olivia who is studying Biology at Truman. We are so proud of him as he made the dean's list during his first semester.
One thing that has not changed is that we still have two dogs (Honey) below who perpetually carries a toy in her mouth to self-soothe since the boys left,
and very senior citizen Patty who spend all of her time like this.
And so here we are at the conclusion of 2022 with all of its changes, challenges and choices. The year 2023 will be very interesting as James will retire from teaching in May and I will need to decide if I want to do the same. There is lots to think about as we analyze our new "empty-nest" normal and we come to better understand that anything can happen in an ever changing world.
Cheers from us to you during this New Year's Eve. We'll see you in 2023 somewhere down the road.
And remember,
Life is like a camera:
Focus on what is important
Capture the good times
Develop from the negatives
and if things don't work out
Take another shot! ( from a sign @Adams&Co)
