A 2014 Love Letter to My Family

Written By: Kim - Dec• 25•14

This year is coming to a close. As I think back about 2104, there have been wonderful changes for our family. The three of you (ok, four if you count Sydney, our Airedale Terrier) continue to make my life full. I love coming home because of you. Here are the highlights that I remember:

  • Connor, you finished your sophomore year and started your junior year. You continue to mature and grow in your approach to handling your schoolwork. I am so proud of you.
  • You are still dating the same girl you were last year when I wrote my 2013 letter. Maintainin2014-02-07 14.23.37-1g a relationship takes work. Maintaining one that is now long distance since she moved on to college, takes even more work. Congratulations on this milestone. She is lovely inside and out. We like the two of you together. And, you attended her senior prom. From out point of view, it seemed like a fun experience for you.
  • You found your first part-time job, lifeguarding. As much as you complained about being on the swim team, it’s ironic that you continue to earn a paycheck as a lifeguard. I admit that I am having the last laugh on this after all the push back you gave me. You have taken your work seriously and I am proud of you. You also turned down a beach vacation this summer with your best friend to spend more time with your girlfriend before she left for college. Very telling son, that you know where your priorities are at your age. Your loyalty to those you love is astounding.
  • Connor, you not only earned your driver’s license, you also purchased your first vehicle. I thought I had left jacked up trucks with big tires behind when I moved from Alabama, but your truck is a constant reminder of where I came from. And, that’s never a bad thing. You are now beginning to understand that money does not grow on trees. This is a major milestone in anyone’s growth and I am glad that you have realized this at your age. I am so grateful that God gifted me with you. Your future is so bright and I am happy to be a part of it.
  • Abby, you transitioned from junior high school to high school this fall. I am so happy that you like high school. You are such a serious child. I think that you have an old soul. Based on what I know about you, it makes complete sense to me that you enjoy being around people who are more mature than the kids your age.
  • 2014-08-31 13.56.05Despite my pleading that you join the swim team (you do sustain less injuries), you made the basketball team. You are working hard to improve yourself. Even as a young child, you always had fantastic hand-eye coordination and this is now paying off for you as an athlete. I am so proud of all that you have accomplished.
  • You currently are 10th in your class academically. Abby, you are super smart. I knew it the minute I first looked into your eyes. Your future is so bright and I am happy to be a part of it.
  • Abby, this spring you were confirmed. In our Catholic faith, this is not only a sacrament, but a major milestone. My heart is so full as you continue on this faith-filled journey.
  • I am not going to lie, Abby. Our relationship has been strained this year. Friends with older teenage girls say this phase is normal for girls your age. I am glad to hear this, but I will also be glad when this phase is over. It really hurts me that we don’t seem as close as we used to be. But, I am still extremely grateful that God gifted me with you. And, if I ever made you feel anything less than that, I am truly sorry.

2014-08-10 19.59.11Mike, we celebrated the big 23 years of wedded bliss in 2014. What a journey we have been on. In church recently I looked over at you while you were on your knees praying. My heart was so full of joy and love for you at that moment, I am not quite sure how to express myself. I will just say that I cannot imagine being on this life journey with anyone else. Thank you for being my husband. And I am most definitely glad that God gifted me with you because without you, who knows what my life now would look like. Thank you for your support as I left my six-figure job to start my own business. Out of all the people I know, I knew that you would understand the most. Thank you for believing in me.

I love you all. Here’s to an even better 2015.

Five Things I Learned at the Beach

Written By: Kim - Aug• 16•13

This week, my daughter and I spent a few days at the beach. Here are the five things I learned.

  1. If we lived near or on the water, I would ride my bike or walk every day. There is something about a body of water, but especially an ocean, that makes me want to get up and go. While I saw a few people using the indoor treadmills (which made me wonder at their sanity), the boardwalk was more than wide enough to accommodate everyone. This particular beach front even had a separate bicycle path. Maybe it was the constant ocean breeze, but it was a perfect way to incorporate healthy activity in to our day.photo
  2. At the beach, almost anything goes. Where else can you see someone waiting for the bus in a bikini? And holy cow, the trashy t-shirts. We haven’t been to an American beach in three years. I had forgotten about the tacky shops. Really America, we can do better.
  3. Dogs do not belong in baby strollers. If your dog cannot make it down the boardwalk, leave him or her at home. My daughter and I almost fell off our bikes from laughter when a 60-something woman was pushing her purse-size dog in a child-size stroller.
  4. The beach umbrella or cabana is worth the rental fee. It sounds like opposite day, but if I am mostly in the shade, I will stay on the beach longer. As you can see, I am not a sun worshipper. Despite my Italian mother, my fair skin, blue eyes and small amount of natural red tint comes via my German father. After I worked for a year at a cancer surgeon’s office, I am fanatical about sunscreen, hats, and shade. Interestingly enough, I don’t mind tanning my legs, with sunblock of course. So, if you want me to stick around the beach or the pool, then find me an umbrella or cabana.
  5. My daughter makes a great travel companion. Our trip this week was a girl’s retreat. She is enthusiastic about travel and is not afraid to let you see that. She likes to have an agenda. I often wonder if she will end up in meeting planning. The association world could use more people like her. The only complaint I have is that she likes to completely unpack and spread her items everywhere. When I say everywhere, I mean within an hour of getting inside our room, the entire contents of her suitcase, backpack and beach bag are in the closet, bureau drawers, desk, bed, chair and bathroom.

Maybe it’s because my children are both teenagers now, but the summer just seems to fly by. My husband and I only have three more before our son goes off to college and five more before my daughter heads to college and we are empty nesters. Maybe then, we will trade the suburban house for a beach front place.