I had a dream about my dad last night.

The whole family was out west to go skiing. He walked up to the counter next to me to buy our lift tickets and I paused, waiting to hear if he would buy himself one. He did not and I felt that heavy silence hang in the air where you don’t know whether to acknowledge the elephant of sadness in the room or carry on as usual as to not highlight it.

I chose the former and with tears in my eyes I looked at him and said “I really wish you could be out there with us.” He gave me a hearty side hug (as we were standing side by side facing the counter) and with a tear in his eye replied “I do, too. But I’ll stay back and write a blog about all I’ve gone through.”

Ok, so the last line was kind of funny, but my dad did write so many great articles that he published in several newspapers and on his blog so it does make sense. Dreams are strange, as I’m sure this one combines the thought of our upcoming ski trip and the memories from all the ski trips mom and dad took us on growing up. But overall I was left with a deeply connected feeling.

This dream allowed me to feel the essence of being with my dad; we always had a strong bond and emotional connection. And since the dream happened what felt like mere seconds before I woke up for the day, it felt like he was right there, just on the other side of my consciousness. Bittersweet, but a happy way to start the day.

I took Finley out and poured a coffee and ran as fast as I could to grab my computer so I could write it down. My dreams never stick with me for long and I wanted to type it out before the feeling evaded me.

So here I am now… happy Friday! This has been a really nice week. I finished Deep Work and am serious when I say I might start it over again immediately (but I think David might listen to it first so I’ll have to wait since we share an Audible account).

With what I’ve gained in practicing controlling my focus, we’ve had a peaceful and engaging homeschool vibe. I am going to really practice these new techniques in purposeful time management to keep this going despite our activities kicking back into gear in the next two weeks. Both girls will have basketball, soccer, and piano. Kaitlyn will also have TKD and I’m considering signing her up for a daytime homeschool theater class. She is, shall I say gifted? in drama so I think it would be a fun fit for her.

I started the search for someone to watch Finley while we go on our short ski trip. Several friends recommend Rover to me and it is a neat service. I met with a potential pet sitter yesterday who was very sweet but we both agreed it probably wasn’t the best fit right now, as she has three young children and Finley has to be watched pretty closely at the moment.

I’m going to reach out to another option or two today and cross my fingers something works out. I feel like a new mom again trying to find a sitter and just wanting someone that will love my sweet, furry baby like their own. I wonder where Kaitlyn gets her dramatic side from…

David and I sat on the couch and had wine together last night. We’ve been so logistics focused lately as we get ready to close on the Charlotte house, look for a new rental (so we can 1031 exchange it), manage Bearolina, discuss commitments, and such. It was really nice to just chill and chat. And it’s amazing how quiet and discrete the girls can be in their playing when they know they are up past bedtime…

Today’s plan: meal plan, do math and read aloud with the girls, workout, grocery shop, take Finley to the field to run, and make pizza dough. Yay for pizza night! Hailey has basketball at 7:30 tonight which throws a wrench into the whole pizza/movie vibe, but I’m excited to watch her play!

Oh, on the movie note! I think we are the only ones that haven’t seen Sing 2, but I’ve heard great things. As of today, it’s available to rent on online streaming platforms, so if you’re in need of a family flick, check it out!

Thanks for letting me ramble, friend. I hope you have a wonderful weekend 💜