In 2019 I didn't send Christmas cards, have lapsed in writing, and I spend too much on mindless technology. So starting today, I'm going to reflect and commit to being intentional moving forward by reflecting on the year for our little family.
Sports. . .
Growing up in a small town in the South includes sports and our year included a lot of that. Both girls play basketball and swim in the summer. Molly plays softball and Anna Cate plays volleyball. And, along with BJ and me, they became big Vanderbilt baseball fans, including a trip to Omaha to cheer them on in the college world Series.
Molly's year began with playing for the only girls team on their age group. Her Dad and my brother were the coaches, and they beat every boys team in the league. It was great fun, but peppered with an underlying tragedy; one of her team mates was diagnosed with cancer. It just feels icky to mention our good times without that struggle.
Kitty and Molly before the last game of the season -- the orange arm bands were in honor of Arica.
She swam in the summer and played on three different soft ball teams in the Spring and Fall (a local team, an all star team and a team put tother to play in a neighboring town). She tried pitching, but has seem to found her love as catcher. It fits her pesonality well and I love watching how aggressive she is.
Anna Cate started 2019 on the JV team in 7th grade and finished it out starting in 8th grade. In addition to volleyball and swim team, she enjoys being active. A big bonus to my teaching here in Centerville is I get to participate in her activities more.
Trips. . .
For spring break, the girls flew to Texas by themselves to visit BJ's brother and family, Greg and Sarah, Cilla and Graham, and then they met us at the beach for a few days this summer, and my mother also enjoyed part of that trip with us.
During the summer, I got a side job with the Department of Education in Tennessee, and during that time, BJ, Anna Cate and Molly took a memorable trip to follow the Vanderbilt baseball team to the college world series in Omaha, Nebraska. They won it all the next weekend and we got to watch it together with my parents.
Molly with her favorite player, Harrison Ray, and below with my our family's best friend Chuck Offenburger.
Watching it at home in Centerville at my parents' home even brought Anna Cate to tears we were all so happy and proud.
Molly wrote about their summer.
I miss my friends the most about life in Virginia, and none more than Norah.
It was so sweet to see Anna Cate and Leana so comfortable around each other, and still best friends.
This Fall we went to the mountains of Virginia and Tennessee to visit Virginia Tech, the Great Smokey mountains and my dear aunt and uncle.
We stayed in this yurt in Floyd, Virginia and I am in love.
And our year ended with a peaceful Christmas at home with family. As I look through our pictures, I'm reminded of a full life. I think it is safe to say we all four feel at home here in Centerville and are happy we are here.
BJ is managing his Parkinson's well and I'm proud of the ways he has interjected himself into the community. He is dad/coach/driver to many of the girls' events and is a great supporter of all our endeavors. When I moved classrooms, he helped me set it up, spending countless hours and $$ on it.
He, Becki, and my brother all turned 40 this year.
As a big gift to me in Christmas 2018, he encouraged me to take the 200 hour yoga teacher training program last winter, and my local yoga business is growing. Recently, I reflected on how yoga saved my sanity during a very hard time in our life, and it is not lost on me that I now have the privilege of sharing it with others. I am constantly reminded of the ways life provides us opportunities to learn from our hard times, grow from our mistakes and learn new perspectives...no matter how painful.
On New Year's Eve, we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary.
I love living near my brother and sister-in-law, our nieces and my parents, working and living where I grew up; most of the time, I actually feel quite lucky that I get to raise my children in a small town so close to family. Molly and Kitty are sort in the same classes and play on the same teams; BJ and Talluluah are basically best friends.
I worry about the quality of the school system and find myself scared to death for them, but I imagine I would be scared no matter where we lived. I worry about the state of our country and could drive myself crazy thinking about it too much. But this is where we live, so I do what I can with what I have and continue to just show up no matter what 2020 holds. I do hope to be writing here more.
Sports. . .
Growing up in a small town in the South includes sports and our year included a lot of that. Both girls play basketball and swim in the summer. Molly plays softball and Anna Cate plays volleyball. And, along with BJ and me, they became big Vanderbilt baseball fans, including a trip to Omaha to cheer them on in the college world Series.
Molly's year began with playing for the only girls team on their age group. Her Dad and my brother were the coaches, and they beat every boys team in the league. It was great fun, but peppered with an underlying tragedy; one of her team mates was diagnosed with cancer. It just feels icky to mention our good times without that struggle.
Kitty and Molly before the last game of the season -- the orange arm bands were in honor of Arica.
She swam in the summer and played on three different soft ball teams in the Spring and Fall (a local team, an all star team and a team put tother to play in a neighboring town). She tried pitching, but has seem to found her love as catcher. It fits her pesonality well and I love watching how aggressive she is.
Anna Cate started 2019 on the JV team in 7th grade and finished it out starting in 8th grade. In addition to volleyball and swim team, she enjoys being active. A big bonus to my teaching here in Centerville is I get to participate in her activities more.
For spring break, the girls flew to Texas by themselves to visit BJ's brother and family, Greg and Sarah, Cilla and Graham, and then they met us at the beach for a few days this summer, and my mother also enjoyed part of that trip with us.
During the summer, I got a side job with the Department of Education in Tennessee, and during that time, BJ, Anna Cate and Molly took a memorable trip to follow the Vanderbilt baseball team to the college world series in Omaha, Nebraska. They won it all the next weekend and we got to watch it together with my parents.
Molly wrote about their summer.
My summer has been wonderful and I wanted to share it with you. At the start of my summer I started my swim team season. My parents took me and my sister to see the Vandy boys baseball. They took us to the regionals and the super regionals. When they went to Omaha my dad took my sister and I to see them play game 1 and 2. For the rest of the games we watched and celebrated all the wins at home with my family ANCHOR DOWN! So later on we’ve had had some swim meets. Just a couple of weeks ago one of our closest friends came down from Richmond and they stayed for about 4 days. My sister and I had to miss championships for swim team but, it was totally worth it. Now as I am writing this as I am at the beach. Sadly but surely school will be starting soon. I hope you have had a good time reading my blog.
Written by Molly King
Those best friends who came are our dear friends Norah and Leana, who surprised the girls for Anna Cate's 13th birthday party.
This Fall we went to the mountains of Virginia and Tennessee to visit Virginia Tech, the Great Smokey mountains and my dear aunt and uncle.
We stayed in this yurt in Floyd, Virginia and I am in love.
For Thanksgiving we went to Texas to be with Sarah and Greg, Graham and Cilla.
BJ is managing his Parkinson's well and I'm proud of the ways he has interjected himself into the community. He is dad/coach/driver to many of the girls' events and is a great supporter of all our endeavors. When I moved classrooms, he helped me set it up, spending countless hours and $$ on it.
He, Becki, and my brother all turned 40 this year.
As a big gift to me in Christmas 2018, he encouraged me to take the 200 hour yoga teacher training program last winter, and my local yoga business is growing. Recently, I reflected on how yoga saved my sanity during a very hard time in our life, and it is not lost on me that I now have the privilege of sharing it with others. I am constantly reminded of the ways life provides us opportunities to learn from our hard times, grow from our mistakes and learn new perspectives...no matter how painful.
On New Year's Eve, we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary.
I worry about the quality of the school system and find myself scared to death for them, but I imagine I would be scared no matter where we lived. I worry about the state of our country and could drive myself crazy thinking about it too much. But this is where we live, so I do what I can with what I have and continue to just show up no matter what 2020 holds. I do hope to be writing here more.
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