Season of Change

With this school year wrapping up, it seems like my little familia is having a lot of stuff going on. There have been changes, endings and new things are coming very quickly.

First, one of our longtime friends Daniel, passed away a week ago. His brother David let us know last Sunday that Daniel had become very sick, very quickly and was not doing well. We made the two hour drive to the hospital they were at. We were able to say our last goodbye to our friend. It broke my heart to see our friend lying in that hospital bed. Daniel was always the most animated person. If something inappropriate was ever said in the conversation, he was probably the one saying it. I sure will miss his punk ass.

Vince

On our way back from seeing Daniel, Vince pointed out that all his friends he would go out to watch the game with were gone, and it’s true. When we first moved here, we had a bunch of people we’d hang out with. Slowly, everyone started moving on. I went through the cycle of losing friends that were supposed to stay forever, a long time ago. I’ve been on my own for years. But I guess this is a first for Vince.

Not only is my husband coming to the reality of losing friends , he’s got all sorts of changes coming to his life. At work, people who have been around for a long time are leaving. So things will be shifting. Changes like that are always scary.

Then, Vince’s bowling team he’s been with for a few years is disbanding. Luckily, he has a new team to join with people he knows. But our bowling trips will definitely be different.

Aria

My Little Precious. She’s been so brave this school year. Things did not start well for her. What I thought was going to be a great teacher, turned out to be terrible.

In kindergarten, Aria was pegged as a gifted & talented student. We filled out all sorts of paperwork, met with the district’s G&T director, and joined the G&T parent support group. This year, the year it was supposed to really count, it all went away. At the beginning of the year my child developed test anxiety. We met with her teacher to discuss what we needed to do for our child to help. And it just seemed like this teacher didn’t care. For that reason, Aria will be switching schools.

We found a school that seems more geared toward Aria’s strengths and the things she’s interested in. Aria has big dreams for things she wants. And of course the dreams and goals will probably change as she grows. We’re here to support her in every way we can. She’s really excited for the next school year!

Another big change for Miss Aria will be basketball. This past year, she has found such a love for the game. She’s always excited to get to practice. I’ve loved seeing her growth in this sport! The confidence she’s gained is amazing. She’s become closer to her teammates than with her friends at school.

For a moment we thought she’d be losing her team because Aria is one of the older players. In third grade they level up. Thankfully, her coach has decided to level up and she’s keeping as many of her players as possible.

With leveling up, Aria will have to play with more structure, a higher goal, and bigger ball. She’s already been working on it. She asks us to take her to practice whenever we can. I love her dedication!

Me

I’ve been doing really good for myself lately. Work is going great! I’ve gotten some wonderful opportunities. The people and environment are just what I needed in my life. Wouldn’t mind some more money, but then again, with the way the nation is going, we all could use a little more money.

I’m thinking of closing down my photography business for good. Honestly, COVID shutting me down may have been a good thing. I miss the money that came from it. I don’t miss the constant pressure of finding new clients and the long hours of work it came with. The pressure of always having to level up with clients, expectations, equipment, knowledge, and skills was exhausting. I was working to please everyone else. I wasn’t working for the art anymore. I’ve done a few shoots here and there this year, but it’s not been anything I really wanted to do. I’ve been trying to force myself back into it, but I’ve found myself wanting to do other things. I’ve been peeking into learning so many other things. Maybe photography has run its course in my life for now.

I was not able to make it to Daniel’s funeral this past Friday. I was sad to not be there to support his family, but it was Aria’s last day of school and the last PTA event I’d be helping out at. When Aria started kinder, it was during the pandemic, so there was no PTA at her school. Then, when she got to first grade, the school restarted the PTA. I’ve participated in as much as I could to help out. With Aria going to a new school, I had to say goodbye to the fellow PTA moms I’ve been working with the past two years. I’m really hoping I have the opportunity to get involved again at her new school. I can’t imagine not being a part of my child’s education like that.

So yeah, things are coming in fast and furious. Things we thought we wanted are now different. Places and people are changing. I’m thankful for the opportunities coming our way. Most of all, I’m thankful to have my perfect husband and baby girl to do life with.

We’re all growing.