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I'm finally catching my breath after two very busy months. Everything is good, really good, but ever since the end of August, I feel like time sped up three-fold--maybe even quicker!

In mid-August, after completing yet another interview for a higher education position, I finally heard the words I had been waiting for over the past two years: "You're hired."  

"I'm hired?" I repeated, worried I might have heard the lady on the other end of the phone wrong.

"Yes. Sarah and Tamika would like you to begin on August 23rd. Does that work for you?"

August 23rd was less than two weeks away. I would have liked more time to spend with Lewie before he started school again this year. I would have liked more time to tell the Board of Directors at the Land Trust. I would have liked more time to get my life in order, but the words, "Yes, that's perfect," came out of my mouth. I could hardly believe what I was saying... Was I really ready to begin a new job again after working a little over a year at the Land Trust? 

Daddy Lew, Little Lewie, and my mother were all happy for me. They knew I missed higher education and was eager to go back to a position that was familiar. My year at the Land Trust had been interesting, but I felt like a fish out of water for most of it. I learned a lot about conservation, but, at the same time, I never felt like I knew enough to make a difference. Perhaps more knowledge would come in time, but for a full twelve months, I felt inadequate, and it weighed on me. 

On Friday, August 23rd, I started my new position, and on Monday, August 26th, Lewie started his sophomore year of high school. That same week, I started teaching two classes while helping train a new Executive Director at the Land Trust.  Before long, there was Meet the Teachers Night (where I contracted COVID and gave it to my mom).

On Sept. 16th, my husband turned 54 (I still had COVID), and then my birthday, my mom's birthday, and my niece's birthday all occurred from Oct. 3 - 11.  If that wasn't enough, Lewie was given a list of requirements to complete his Confirmation on Oct. 6th. There was a class, a retreat, a paper, an exam, and then preparation for his big day, which included buying him a new suit and shoes and a gift for his sponsor. 

For the following weekend, I had pre-purchased tickets to take my mom on the "Turkey Train" in Lake Winnipesaukee, NH on Saturday, and on Sunday, Lewie had a special Confirmation mass at our home parish. On Oct. 19th - 20th, I was asked to travel out-of-state for work. Yes, that's right. After working in my position for less than two months, I was asked to travel to Virginia to learn about an innovative associate's to bachelor's degree program (called ADVANCE)  between Northern Virginia (NOVA) Community College and George Mason University. It was an AWESOME trip, where I had a chance to visit two college campuses, learn about their unique transfer program, make friends, and explore Merrifield, VA.

Here are some highlights from the past two months of fun, excitement, and pure craziness.

1) Lewie's first day of Grade 10:

Since Lewie's first day, the three of us, Little Lewie, Bruce (our dog), and I, have a regular morning routine. I shower at 5 am, Lewie wakes up for 6, and Bruce comes over from Grammy's side around 6:15. I pack Lewie's lunch, make his breakfast (usually a fruit and yogurt parfait), and give Bruce a sweet potato chew. Lewie eats his breakfast around 6:30 and then brushes his teeth and flies out the door to meet the bus around 6:45. Depending on the weather, Bruce usually flies out the door to greet the bus, too. He stops at our fence and tries to play a game of chase with the cars behind the bus. It's pretty silly.

So far, Lewie has been loving his Sophomore year. I just finished parent-teacher conferences, and his teachers had so many wonderful things to say about him and his class participation. I don't want to jinx his awesome record, but so far, he may receive As in all his classes, including some challenging ones like Algebra II, Chemistry, and AP Computer Science. 

2) Lewie's Confirmation:

A few years back (after COVID), our Archdiocese decided students from all towns should come to the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford (our state capitol) to make their Confirmation. This was an unwelcome change for many, who would rather have the Confirmation performed at their church instead of making a long drive to an unknown cathedral.

Because of this long drive, we were worried about asking a sponsor to support Lewie. Would one of our family members or friends really be interested in giving up most of their Sunday for this event? As it turned out, Lewie's Aunt Missy volunteered to be his sponsor, and all of Lewie's cousins came to the cathedral. It was her birthday, too!  At the end of the ceremony, we had a little party for Lewie at our favorite restaurant, and I made sure to surprise Aunt Missy with a birthday cake. It was the least I could do!

Lewie, me, and Aunty Missy with the Bishop. Lewie chose the Saint name, Nicholas, since Saint Nicholas is the Saint that inspired the story of Santa Claus.

They used lots of incense.

Our restaurant celebration.

The very next weekend, Lewie was invited to come to a special mass at home to honor our new Confirmants. I made him get dressed in his suit again, but shortly after we arrived, we saw that the others were dressed pretty casual. Lewie just gave me an angry glare--mostly to be funny. How was I supposed to know this wasn't a dress-up event? Oh well! At least I was able to get some nice pictures with him at our church--the church where Lewie received all of his sacraments and the church where I received mine, too.

3) Mom's Surprise Birthday Party:

My mom turned 80 last year, and she made me promise that I would NOT have a birthday party for her under any circumstances. We could celebrate her birthday at home with us, but that was it. This year, in January, my mom was forced to retire after working 30+ years in insurance. The company she worked for, CDR, was bought out by a new insurance agency, World Insurance, which no longer supported my mom's part-time work. She was told she could either work full-time again or leave the agency. It was a blow to my mom who liked working from home to make a few extra dollars. It was a further blow because she lost her work family. 

In August, a few of my mom's work friends suggested we get together for her birthday. I knew my mom didn't like surprise parties, but I also knew my mom missed her work friends terribly. This would be a chance for her to see all or most of them again at one time! I made arrangements at a restaurant and concocted a story as to why we were taking her out to eat. She wasn't buying it. "I hope we're not having a party," she said to me.

"Okay...we might be meeting with a few others, but they are the ones that came to me. I didn't arrange it," I answered.  I was upset I had to give away the plan, but in the end, she was SURPRISED. She only thought we were meeting up with two people. She became pretty emotional when she saw a table of ten waiting to greet her. 

It was the perfect party as it felt like a reunion. Most of my mom's work friends from 30, 20, and 10 years ago had left World Insurance, too, so they were all happy to celebrate my mom while getting caught up with each other's lives. The best part was when I had a chance to read her friends' text messages to me. Here is just one among many texts I received from her work friends: "Annette, thank you for having us all. Sharon is priceless; I adore her and am blessed to have her as a second family. She truly is my second mom. She is an amazing friend and confidant and the most honest and trustworthy human being I have ever known. I am blessed to have her in my life. The world is a better place with her in it."

4. The Lake Winnipesaukee Turkey Train:

My mom's birthday gift was a one-day bus trip to climb aboard the Lake Winnipesaukee Train for a delicious turkey dinner while overlooking the lake. I knew there would be a lot of sitting (six hours on the bus altogether) and another 1.5 hours on the train, but I also thought it would be a good trip for my mom who's been having some difficulty with her legs and feet.

The minute I presented her with the gift, she wasn't happy. "That's too much sitting," she argued. "I'm old. I can't do trips like this anymore." For the week leading up to the trip, I had come to the conclusion that I would just go on the trip by myself or maybe beg Lewie to join me. (My husband couldn't go because he needs a full knee replacement surgery.) In the final hours before leaving, my mom decided to go with me after all, and although it was a LONG day, she did have fun. We both had fun, and the turkey dinner was delicious--so was the ice cream at the Kellerhaus, a unique gift shop in Laconia, NH. 

Our first stop was The Common Man Roadside Donut Shop Hookset Rest Area.

We sat by two ladies (around my mom's age) who were larger than life. The two of them travel every week and do ballroom dance competitions with Arthur Murray Dance Studios. The lady next to me had fun memories of her childhood years at Lake Winnipesaukee.  I loved talking with her!

5. A work trip to Virginia:

Last weekend, I went on a work trip to see two college campuses in Virginia and learn about their exciting transfer partnership called ADVANCE.  I was not slated to go as I am an Assistant Director, but nonetheless, my boss couldn't make the trip and asked if I could go in her place. I knew there was a lot going on at home, but at the same time, I felt "important" to be going on this trip, and was really excited to make new work friends. (I felt like I hadn't had a work family since the departure from my last college position in 2022.)

I was surprised by how much I loved both the George Mason University and NOVA (Northern Virginia Community College) campuses. They were lively, beautiful, modern, and thoughtfully designed. For example, Mason had a maker space with 3d printers and sewing machines. I could look down at the operation as there was a glass wall to peer at everything going on from above. Students were hard at work sewing costumes and coding on computers. Mason also had tons of outdoor spaces for students to hang out and eat--Starbucks and Panera being two of the many restaurant choices. 

I wanted to have a picture taken with their "food robot." Little Starship here
(there are a fleet of them)ride around to bring food orders to their student customers.
The robots have sensors, so they are very careful not to get in anyone's way.

The NOVA campus we visited (there are six campuses in all) was home to 14,000 students. There were multiple buildings, aesthetically arranged, which made the community college feel welcoming. Their student center was perfect with an Information Desk, Campus Safety/Student IDs, Business Office, Financial Aid/Financial Stability Office, and Advising/Counseling/Career Counseling all in one location. Seats were arranged in the center of the building (reminding me of an airport), so students could study or work on their computers while waiting to be seen. The Financial Sustainability Office had someone available to help students get resources to SNAP and housing; they also had a food pantry, career closet, etc. to help struggling students, too. (We have them, but their locations are not always easy to find...)

The work visit was fast and furious, but it accomplished what I hoped it would do. I had a chance to learn about the latest trends in transfer partnerships, make new friends, and even get to explore. The Mosaic District of Merrifield is super trendy and happening!  I felt fortunate to have this experience.

In the midst of this fun-filled blur, I also turned a year older. I'm not the big 50 yet, but it's constantly on my mind. I've spent the past two years trying to reinvent myself, and I'm still asking the question, what's next? Will this be the year that I go back to college to pursue an Ed.D.?  I'm not sure, but I think I might be ready to take the leap. Who knows? Maybe I'll be going to college the same time Lewie does. The universe works in mysterious ways...

Three Birthdays

Fun Fact:  In our house, the four of us have birthdays right in a row.  My son starts the birthday season with his on August 11; my husband is next on September 16; my birthday follows on October 3rd, and my mom ends the season of partying on October 8th. 

In some ways, the four back-to-back celebrations can be difficult (i.e. the party planning, budgeting, and time management).  In other ways, the time of year is perfect.  My son gets the summer birthday, my husband gets the sweet spot between summer and fall, and my mom and I get the first few glorious weekends of fall.  Additionaly, our birthdays don't have to compete with any major holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Instead, we have the start of school and Labor Day; by the time Colombus Day rolls around, our celebrations have ended.

In August, I already posted how my son became a teenager this year, celebrating with a pool party and a sleepover.  For us, the celebrations were much different but FUN!!  

The first of the adult birthdays started with Hubby (Big Lew). He wanted to go to NYC for his birthday, so he could attend the filming of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. (Jon Batiste and Stay Human are some of his favorite musicians.)  The request was not an easy one, but I was determined to make it happen.  

I chose several weekdays in September and put our names on a waitlist.  (Getting those days and my work schedule to line up felt like a maze, but in the end, Tuesday, September 21st became the lucky day.)  We took the Metro-North train into Grand Central Station at noon, and from there, we walked to the Ed Sullivan Theater in Midtown Manhattan.  (The day was warm and pleasant, perfect for the walk to the theater and the several hour wait outside),  After the filming, we walked to The Tavern on the Green inside Central Park to have a delicious birthday outside underneath a canopy of starry white lights.  Honestly, the ambiance made me feel like I was in a fairytale.  

On the train to Grand Central...

We could take pictures outside, but we couldn't take any pictures inside the theater.

Underneath the starry canopy of the Tavern at the Green

By the time we took the train back to CT and drove home from the train station, it was well after 11 p.m.  Our feet were tired and our throats were sore from all the hooting and hollering, but our hearts were full of gratitude for the beautiful day that was given to us without any hitches.  It was a birthday (a 51st birthday celebration) to remember!

My birthday was a little more low-key.  I requested a yummy lunch on the patio of the G.W. Tavern followed by a hike.  Hubby accompanied me, and much like his birthday, mine was equally perfect.  Somehow, we were lucky enough to get the best seat in the house--a small, simple table on the outermost part of the patio overlooking a lush green hillside.  Then we went for a stroll on one of the many trails at the White Memoiral Conservation Center, where we were able to get a glimpse of a few vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds from the slowly changing trees.

Sitting on the patio wall of my favorite restaurant.

On the following weekend, we celebrated my mom's birthday--first going to Clover Nook Farm (local to us) to pick pumpkins and then visiting Pumpkintown U.S.A. in East Hampton, CT.  Before my mom's fall (last May), I had visions of taking her on a weekend getaway to Stowe, VT, but she still didn't feel ready for an overnight trip.

Pumpkintown U.S.A. is this unique little village made of people with pumpkin heads.  It begins with a drive through the forest and then ends with a walk through the "town" next to a few shops, notably The Harvest Store and Paul and Sandy's Too Hardware and Garden Center.  We had never gone before, but it turns out that it was the perfect event for my mom that is still recovering from her fall and for Lewie who lately has this aversion to huge crowds.  We had a chance to view many cute scenes of pumpkin people going to school, golfing, skiing, running a farm stand, getting married, and so much more.  During the forest drive-through, we ordered yummy popcorn and cider donuts for the ride.  In the town, we visited the stores and bought ourselves plants at the garden center.  It was another gorgeous day without any hitches, and while the event certainly attracts people (mostly young families), it was easy to walk around, take pictures, and shop without any waiting.

Pumpkins at Clover Nook Farm

Welcome to Pumpkintown U.S.A.

Why "I do" take this pumpkin to be my lawfully wedded wife.

Too cute for words!

Our cake celebrations for all three birthdays were held at home--whether it was pecan pie (Hubby), cupcakes (me), or an apple pie (my mom), we all blew out candles and made a wish--probably the same one... After a year of having to do all our celebrating at home in 2020, it was nice to be able to travel locally to celebrate our special days.  Still, in the end, the sweetest part was being able to spend these days with the people we love, knowing we get to cherish another year!!