Settle in and enjoy this very long, final blog post of the year!
A few nights ago, Brian and I were discussing how this year has felt much slower than normal. When thinking back on some memories, we were like "wait, was that this year?!" Building our garage, going to Costa Rica, sitting down each night to work on my painting. These things feel like so long ago, but in reality were only a few months back.
I guess, in a way, time is moving exactly as it should.
Several possible reasons come to mind to explain this slowness; this shift in the perception of time.
First, I think having our "big" vacation to Costa Rica on the front end of the year somehow made the year go by slower. My plan was to do a big trip every other year since we've been on that cadence since 2021, but now 2027 seems like a long way off!
Secondly, without really intending to, we added novelty throughout the year which shifted family routines: Brooke eating dinner with us (we moved dinner into the dining room), declaring Tuesdays as board game night (which has been one of our best decisions this year), reading Goosebumps books with Cam every night before bed (we've flown through six chapter books together since October).
Simultaneously, we had some big projects going on, such as our garage build and continuing to renovate a historic building in downtown Durham. While I was not sick nearly as often as in 2024 (praise!!!), I had a lot of health-related things to deal with, such as a surgery in July and other minor issues that just resulted in a lot of doctor's appointments. Also, a health issue in my immediate family has been the biggest shock to absorb this year, knowing the future will not look the way I thought it once would. I've found myself in all the various stages of grief.
Lastly, this was my first full year working from home. The pace is much more relaxed. My mornings are not rushed. I feel in control of my day. It very much reminds me of how college felt slow in the very best way. If you are like me, didn't those college years feel like such a huge portion of your life to have only been four years?!
OK, enough reflecting on time. I will now reflect on my biggest accomplishment for 2025 - my increased capacity and willingness to brave anything with kids, particularly a toddler. :)
I've been a pretty bold parent with Cam, but I think I've gotten even bolder this second time around. I remember taking Cam solo to Chimney Rock when he was two years old and we hiked over 4 miles. I was so proud...of myself! It's not always the pride that comes with braving the bigger things; sometimes it's as simple as going out to a restaurant, which we do often. With kids, it's less relaxing and we deal with toddler meltdowns on occasion, but we do it and I'm proud of that. I can't count the number of times I've changed a diaper on a public bathroom floor because there's been no changing table, or in the back of my truck because it's my best option.
It's not ever easier adding kids to the mix (and sometimes it's not appropriate... I don't take our kids everywhere), but I'm reminded time and time again that the daily decisions that may be unpleasant in the short-term will be worth it in the long haul.
Yesterday I was offered four tickets to a Duke basketball game today, which I initially said "YES!" but then - realizing they were in the student section where there aren't specific seats and only benches to stand on - I bowed out and let another co-worker take the tickets instead. I may be a brave parent, but navigating Duke game logistics in Section 17 with a toddler on a cold winter night seemed even a stretch for me.
About two hours after giving up the tickets, however, I started thinking more about it. I should've just taken them. It was a free Duke game; a little stress would have been worth it! We would have had fun, and well, if we didn't, you know what I always say: misery makes memories. ;-)
And now for the 2025 highlights:
In
January, we had our first snow day of the year. Cam went to an overnight camp with the church over MLK weekend and loved it! We went to
OC Aerial and this was definitely a highlight of the year for Cam. We got outside a lot, walked the dogs in the neighborhood, braved the shivering cold.
In February, we went ice skating with friends and celebrated Groundhog Day with cupcakes for the Sunday school class that I teach. We went to a Superbowl party and I had my annual girls "Camp Clerb" with my Articles Club friends on a snowy weekend - so much fun!
In
March, Cam started baseball. Work was busy, days were full. On the last day of the month, we flew to Costa Rica.
In
April, we spent the first
week in Costa Rica having an amazing family vacation in Drake Bay. We attended many birthday parties and Cam's Spring Fling at school. He got to display his class project: a scarlet macaw made from recycled materials. We
remodeled our guest bathroom and fixed a mold issue in our master bath. We went to
the Broadway Zoo with friends, and had the most amazing lunch at a Pooch's diner.
In May, we picked strawberries, went to Hillridge Farms, and ended Cam's baseball season with a Goodberry's ice cream outing. Our dog Pippa turned 11 years old and I turned 38 this month! Cam's many Lego sets began taking over our dining room.
In June, Cam finished out his 3rd grade year, which had been his best year of elementary school so far thanks to his amazing teacher. We headed straight to the Outer Banks for a memorable week of crabbing, relaxed beach days, and H2OBX water park. I ended the month volunteering at Vacation Bible School, which is always a fun but exhausting week.
I spent most of
July in Durham, while Cam attended Strouds Creek Farm camp in Hillsborough for four weeks. I enjoyed the change of scenery and got to spend a lot of time with my parents, since I worked from their house. Brian and I celebrated
16 years of dating. Cam went to Camp Kanata for a week long overnight camp. I had surgery at the end of the month, so had to take a break from the gym for a few weeks.
Our new garage was built.
In August, Cam did a golf camp at Croasdaile, which he loved! We did our annual trip to Lake James where we rented a boat and went tubing - always a great weekend! Cam had a wakeboarding lesson with AF Wake at Lake Gaston. Even Brian wake boarded! They both made it look easy, but I just relaxed on the boat and took pictures, ha! We went to Wet 'n Wild Water Park in Greensboro with one of my best friends and her two girls. The kids even did the Daredevil Drop, which shocked us at how brave they've gotten! Cam started 4th grade, which is turning out to be even better than 3rd! The past two years he has shown enormous strides in his education, thanks again to having another amazing teacher. This is the month Brooke started staying up and eating dinner with us, so we changed our nightly routine to include her, which is a little more chaotic but has gone really well overall.
In September, we had our annual Myrtle Beach weekend with the Murray family, one of my favorite weekends of each year. We picked apples at Millstone Creek Orchard with my family. I got my results back from my primary care appointment - surprised that all of my bloodwork and lab tests showed I am in perfect health! Shocked, however, that a genetic result came back that I am APOE 4/4: the worst possible gene combination you can have when it comes to predicting Alzheimer's Disease. Not good (!!!), but prayerfully choosing not to worry and deciding how I can use this result to ultimately enhance my quality of life. This month we started our weekly Tuesday game night.
In October, I celebrated one year working in my new role at Duke! Cam and I went to a Duke basketball game. The four of us went on a festive train ride at New Hope Valley Railway, to the NC State Fair, and to Simply Natural Creamery for an ice cream-making farm tour. I volunteered on Cam's school fieldtrip to Piedmont Wildlife Center and also volunteered for therapy dog day at his school. We celebrated Halloween with trick-or-treating and "Trunk or Treat" at Brooke's day care. We had a Squishmallow-themed trunk! There were lots of fall outings with friends. I celebrated a decade of Articles Club!!!
In
November, Brian and I celebrated
13 Years of marriage! I spent a memorable day at the hospital with Brooke after she stuck a rock up her nose (which may or may not have been there for a few weeks) and it was finally extracted at 9 PM in the emergency room. We celebrated Brooke 2nd birthday with a family dinner and ice cream cake. She has had an amazing year. She is talking so much now and continues to be the easiest "baby" ever! We celebrated Cam's 10th birthday with a sleepover with four of his friends. Five ten-year-old boys in our house was....a lot, lol! Cam got the Home Alone Lego set and a new hoverboard; the gifts are getting more expensive each year, ha! We celebrated Thanksgiving and went to my first Tennessee football game!!
In December, we did our annual advent calendar with festive activities for each day. We volunteered at Celebration of Lights at church. I went on the Historic Oakwood Home Tour in downtown Raleigh with my Articles Club girlfriends. Cam did more Legos. Christmas was low-key and enjoyed by all. I spent lots of time thinking ahead to next year's goals, and thinking about what went well in 2025. I finished writing my 52nd and final blog post of the year!
I really hope your year has been equally fun, full of good memories, blessed with good health, and has been a year that you can look back on with a smile. I don't spend any time on social media, but I read enough news to know that there is so much uncertainty, fear, anxiety, loneliness, and just really awful things in the world that can dampen one's spirit. I strategically choose to narrow my focus. It's not that I am turning a blind eye to all the pain and suffering, but when I choose to focus on my friends, my family, my work, my church and the things that directly touch my life, I notice nothing but gratitude and blessings.
Wishing you a Happy New Year!!!!
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