A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN A MONTH
I knew that I had been away for a while, but I didn't realize that six weeks had passed. Looking at everything that has happened since my last post, I'm truly amazed at how much life squeezes into every moment. Here's a brief rundown of what's been going on with our beautiful blended family:
Birthdays!
AJ turned 9 in late January. One week later, Grayson had his first birthday, and less than two weeks after that Noah turned 7. We had parties, ate cake, and mingled with parents from their classes. All in all, it's tough cramming that many birthdays into such a short space, but the memories are wonderful and I feel like we did a good job of giving each little their own celebration without breaking the bank.
Court orders!
That's right, folks. I got served by my ex-wife, with whom we've been locking horns lately. I won't go into much detail here, but suffice to say that the twins are nearing school age, and we don't see eye-to-eye with my ex about where the girls should attend school, or who should be primarily responsible for their respective educations. I'm sure I'll write more about the various debates we've had at some point - I know we're not the first couple to argue over what's best for kids when it comes to school - but I just don't have it in me right now.
Modeling!
Our favorite friend and photographer, Brynna Elzey, was hired to take product photos for a cute little start-up marketing plush toys and rad bean bags. She couldn't imagine any other family in the pictures, so she tapped our littles for the shots. We got to hang out with the founder/designer of Buddy Plush and talk toys while Brynna captured all the joy of kids discovering new things. Quick shout-out to Mallerie, who keeps our house so damn cute you'd think the interior shots were staged. But hey, no staging, here - we're a candid family!
Books!
I'm not sure how much I've mentioned about my other writing, but I've been working on a novel as part of a low-residency MFA program. Two weeks ago, my mentor and I agreed that the novel is submission ready. That's not the end of the publishing process by any means, but I'm celebrating my ability to complete a novel inside the first 12 months of my son's life. I literally started the book the week we brought Grayson home, and I sent it off to an editor for consideration three weeks after baby boy turned 1.
Softball!
AJ has started her second season of softball. We were nervous to move her up with her old team after just one season, so she's got a new team this year. That was definitely a cause of anxiety, but AJ has really grown when it comes to making friends. She seems to be meshing well, though she does still struggle with the idea of coaching. She tends to view any critique or suggestion as criticism, but we're hoping that she'll internalize the idea that improvement is not an attack on how she is, but an opportunity to get better at what she loves.
More books!
Bonus: my second collection of poetry is officially available for preorder. It's a real masterpiece, I think, but not because I think I'm a gift to poetry. I am proud of the verse, but the real treasure is the artwork. This collection is a hardbound, fully illustrated collaboration with my best friend and favorite artist, Desarae Lee, so it features 40 unique illustrations juxtaposed with poems inspired by the images. It's a truly beautiful book, and the art alone is worth the money. Preorder your copy here.
Marriage!
Say what?
That's right. Last week, Mallerie and I eloped in Colorado. We had been talking about getting married for quite some time. I can't say that we have many delusions about the romanticism of government paperwork, but we are deeply committed to one another.
I think it says quite a lot that marriage does not feel any different for us. We've worked hard since we met to be partners, to truly coparent our children, and to put work into growing our relationship each day. We've done a damn good job, too, I think. Our kids adore each other, our parenting styles complement one another, and we wouldn't trade a moment of our crazy little life together.
I skipped over some of the less significant stuff, but you get the gist. Any given week at our house is a full one. Tuesdays alone would make most parents' heads spin, what with softball practice, night class for Mallerie, and the usual chaos of dinner, school prep, baths, bedtime rituals, etc. Still, I absolutely I adore this life. I never, ever imagined having such a large family, and I honestly never believed that I could handle five kids on my own, but it turns out I can, and we have.
So, silent reader, what wonderful have you found yourself among today?
