Tales of the Ordinary Days

Day 23 | 30 Days of Writing Last night in Kingman Today was our last day in Kingman before we hit the road again. It doesn't feel like we've been gone for over a week. In fact, thinking about being back home next Sunday made me a little sad. Our epic road trip is living up to expectations and going by way too quickly. I also noted that my 30 day writing exercise coincidentally ends with day 30 being the night we pull back into our driveway. Thoughts were starting to stir on which writing project I should take on next. Mom helped relieve me of this decision. I am now officially on the the writing team for the Pick Family History book. We spent the afternoon going through Mom's mounds of documents, files, and research with her. Google file sharing will be our saving grace as other contributors include mom's brothers in DC and Indiana, and sister in Idaho. My very organized mother white-boarded her outline of the book contents with many notes on key points...

Day 3 | 30 Days of Writing Believe there is good in the world. Be the good. I love this sign. And I especially love the goodness of the people who surround me. With this week being my birthday week and second year in my fifties, I am reminded of all the great people I have met along the way. Blessings come in many forms, but the joy of friendship is one I appreciate more and more with each passing year. I marvel at the length of so many of my relationships and equally how the new ones seem to come out of nowhere but always at the right time. Often my many worlds collide unexpectedly. The connectedness in these relationships goes far beyond the six degrees of Kevin Bacon. Tonight was a prime example. Four women. One common tie but an unlikely friendship of varying ages and stages of life. A young widow with children just starting school, a second marriage empty-nester, a career woman with kids in high school, and a mom right in the middle of all these stages. We all shared...

Day 1 | 30 Days of Writing The new normal A week ago our new chapter of empty-nesting officially began. Our collective kids have moved on with their lives outside of Omaha, with Garrett's youngest leaving last Thursday. The sounds of our house are now filled with just me and Garrett, with our dog, Zeke, constantly at our heels. Our cat, Abby, is mostly hiding from the dog, with an occasional ruckus coming from battles between dog and cat. Yes, we are adjusting nicely. Two weekends in, we have found our quiet weekends full of dog walks, movies, football, house maintenance, food management, and peaceful conversations over a drink or dinner. Last night was no exception. After an early movie and Costco run, Garrett and I found ourselves enjoying some tacos and margaritas. Finally feeling out of my initial fog of life transition, I was anxious to talk to my husband, now free of interruptions and the pressures of a full calendar. My biggest challenge hasn't been the voi...