Friday, October 21, 2016

A Casual Letter

Hello internet world! It's been over two months since I started my Facebook hiatus, and tonight I'm just feeling the itch to share life digitally.

I'm not sure I want to thrust myself back into the blogging world with heavy thoughts, so I figured maybe I could just write a letter, of sorts. The goings-on of the Holum world, if you will. It's a little raw and simple (and lengthy), but it ends with pictures. High five for pictures!

Overall, things have been good. Our kids started their first year at a private school. I attended a private school myself, growing up. I'm thankful for MANY things about the experience, but I did get expelled. *Gasp!* In the end, it was of my own free will that I walked away (sort of). But it didn't leave a savory taste in my mouth for putting my own kids into the system.

This is different though, on a few levels. Here we learn about saints and rosaries. We whisper in church, talk to Mary, and chime bells with communion [we aren't allowed to take]. It's been a learning curve. But it's opened many doors to talk about what it is we do believe and why. I've also learned a lot about Catholicism for myself-- things I would've never delved into otherwise.

Anyway, Aspen (my fifth-grader) dove right in, joining the volleyball team and picking up the violin. Now she hates both. :) We have a tournament tomorrow that we have to leave at 7 am for, and she hates mornings more than she hates volleyball. So Lord help us. She also had strep throat, stitches, and an endoscopy all within the first month of school. Sprinkle in a pinch of learning disability, and you've got yourself a stew!

The other kids are doing alright, but none of them is convinced they like this gig better than the public school one. We've also talked a lot about homeschooling (yikes!). Time will just have to tell.

So, how about those Bears, huh? Yeah, there's not a lot to say there. #SoDisappointing

As you may or may not know, I started the year out on a sugar fast/contest with my girl Sara in Kentucky. We put money on the line, adding to the kitty each month with the agreement that if we could make it to October, we'd use the money to meet half-way in Illinois and spend a weekend together. I think we endured until mid-August before calling a truce. I won't share who it was that cracked, but her name ends with "air-uh". :)

So we got together earlier this month. Rodney hooked us up with his free hotel points so we could party it up in the booming metropolis of Normal, IL. Literally. That's it's name. Off.The.Hook. Not really. But we did go to the mall, eat at a hole-in-the-wall diner, drink fake champaign, and start reading "Raising Kingdom Kids" together in our hotel room, which was beautiful. We talked about how little we are truly present with people in our lives-- especially our babies. It's something I'd shared with my Rice-Lake-Lisa earlier, too. I know few people who can be in the moment with others instead of moving on to their own agenda. Being there but not really there.

Maybe that will be my "deep thoughts" post next. I think about it a lot these days. I want to be better, and public accountability helps with that.

At the end of August, Rodney and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. We went to "the cities" and hit up a movie theater that had leather recliners for seating. *first bump* It was amazing. Seriously simple, but amazing. What's more, I realized that in five years, I'll have been a Holum as long as I was an Ivey. Hot dog! I look forward to the day when I've been "mom" longer than I was just Laura. *happy sigh* Life is good.

Last weekend I went to two weddings in one day. Two. Across the state from each other. With all the kids in tow. And no husband. Wow. But worth it! Congrats to Sara & Derek AND to Aaron and Erin. No joke. A&E. :)

I have a sister-in-law who's going to Uganda in a few weeks. She's going to teach women there to sew with a treadle machine so they can make feminine supplies for themselves AND to sell. How awesome is that? Through this, I've learned that my SIL's mom is a world renowned treadle-sewer. I didn't even know that was a thing. But it is, and she's going on the trip too. I'm totes excited for them and more than a little nervous for her husband who will be left behind with four kids-- inclusive of  1-year-old twins. It'll be good. :) I have a feeling that the stories she brings home will be mega encouraging to my soul. I'm so dang excited for her.

Has anyone else's families started the discussion of Christmas parties and the like? My family literally group texted my phone battery to death. Dead. And when the phone came back on, there were 86 missed messages. And by the time I finally scrolled through to find where I'd left off, Mom posted a text about her miniature version of a real dog, which immediately transported me back to the bottom of the messages again. Oh.My.Lanta. #HolidayWoes

Three of my friends (that I know of) are pregnant right now. Three. It's nuts. That's like half of my social pool. Okay, not really. I've actually been quite surprised at how full my social calendar has been with the kids in school all day. And switching schools has opened many doors for fresh networking opportunities. If I was an extrovert, that would sound AMAZING! But alas, I am not. So I'm learning to protect my time and heart while still investing in the relationships God has set on my path.

Believe it or not, there's still more I could say, but this is getting out of hand. :) I'll throw some pictures up. People usually like that kind of thing. :)

Thanks for hanging with me tonight. Hopefully I'll be inspired to write meaningful stuff again soon.



Sara and I posed with our mini golf clubs in front of a cute little fountain for this shot. Not that you can tell any of that though. :)




Rodney and I celebrating the Libners' wedding at their reception.



Sorry if you're squeamish. Here are the stitches on Aspen's arm. And yes, we sang the song a lot that week.



Ezra being "fancy" at Miss Erin's wedding shower. #PinkyUp



The kids (and Daddy) all pitched in money so Mommy would make monster cookies. Jer also offered to be my muscle. Although he dropped out when the oatmeal was added and I needed him most. :)



Aspen at her first volleyball game.



Ezra at her apple orchard field trip.



Rodney helped coach Jer's football team this fall, which has been really fun. :) Jer is #8.



Here's Ezra crossing a bucket list item off, riding a mechanical animal at the mall on our date night.

6 comments:

  1. I DID make it through this whole read, very happily I might add!! I miss you and it was great to read about life, like a Christmas letter only better. Would love to hear about this FB fast - or more FB, or whatever it is being deemed. You look totally stunning in the wedding pic!! I hope to see you soon friend!!

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    1. Kaycee, you're amazing! And you're so sweet to me. I did consider the parallels to a Christmas letter; it's funny you thought the same thing. :)

      As far as I can peer into my future (which, let's face it, isn't past this moment), I am done with Facebook. We could chat about it over that morning coffee we're always threatening to follow through with. ;)

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  2. Word of advice. Have Aspen continue the violin. It's a hard instrument to learn, but it's totally worth it in the end.

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    1. Thanks, Sam. :) I offered Aspen your advice, and she replied with a whiney, "No it's nooooooooot." Lol. Do you play the violin? This seems like something I should've known by this point.

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  3. Made it through! I have missed your posts and pictures on FB.

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    1. Huzzah! I feel like I should mint metals to hand out to people who achieve what you did, lol.

      Interestingly, I do miss posting on FB. I just don't miss intertwining myself and my heart with all the drama and negativity. I think one of the best bonuses is that everything is news to me. :) AND I have the ability to tell others "new" things when I talk to them. So that's fun.

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