Category Archives: New Year

Welcome 2023!!!

Posted on by

2

Welcoming a new year is a great opportunity to start fresh. We’re planning the usual suspects of resolutions – Dry January, exercise more/eat less, books over Bravo – but we also have some huge changes coming up in 2023.

Anna will be starting medical school this year. It’s still unclear as to where she’ll be going, but she has already gotten accepted into six wonderful schools, including Johns Hopkins. It’s safe to say that she is going to be going to a great school and continue to head towards her goal of helping people lead healthier/less complicated/more comfortable lives. She also has her Art by ACT keeping her busy as well as a great research job at Kennedy Krieger. And, she is not finished exploring through travel – just last night she mentioned upcoming trips to VT for skiing, CA for adventure and there was something about a cross country trip. I wanna be ANNA!

I also have some big changes for 2023. I thought I would dive right into working as soon as I graduated with my MA, but I’ve been rather picky. I went into this with a very specific plan in mind – I want to be a therapist for special needs families (even more specifically the siblings of children with special needs). Of course, I look forward to working with any human who is struggling through any challenge, but I wanted to make sure I landed where I could learn and grow while working towards my goal. I found a great fit and should be starting soon (details will follow). I miss being busy. I miss working. I’m ready.

Dan has been on a serious health focus leading up to 2023. I’m hoping it’s as contagious as the stomach flu that went through our house a couple of weeks ago. He continues to work in crypto currency — which has been a challenge but very interesting lately. Dan is also eager to plan some fun family adventures and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with!

Jack is keeping his own plans to himself – an advantage of being non-verbal – but I have no doubt that he is looking forward to fun times at his adult program and spending oodles of time with friends, family, and his other families. Jack may be one of the few people who greets each new year with a simple “Hi. It’s going be another great year!”

We are all wishing everyone a very happy new year and hoping this year brings you all joy, purpose and a whole lot of laughter!!!

Love, The Torrey

hApPy NeW yEaR!!!!!

Posted on by

1

images-5

I find the whole New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day thing ridiculous. Why on earth do we put so much pressure on one night to be awesomely fabulous and one day to represent “new beginnings” that are going to change our lives forever? Has anyone ever really had the best night of their lives on December 31st OR ever made a change on January 1st that lasted more than a month (or week, or day)?

This year I promised myself to give up New Year’s pressure – telling myself that it’s just another date on the calendar. Unfortunately, that promise lasted less time then any New Year’s Resolution I’ve ever made. Starting weeks ago, people start asking about our plans for the evening. And, suddenly every email I received was either from a local gym or Weight Watchers asking if I was ready to make another attempt to lose that 10 pounds.

I could have let it all wash passed me, but I couldn’t help myself. I signed up for a 10 class package at Baker Street Yoga, rejoined Weight Watchers (now called WW), started Googling “Dry January”, and found myself saying to anyone who asked about our New Year’s Eve plans, “We don’t really have any plans. You guys should come over.”

I’m sitting with JackO as I write this, telling him about how his crazy mom is wondering who exactly is coming over later AND how many WW points are in a Moscow Mule. He’s laughing at me. Jack doesn’t worry about dates on the calendar. He’s just happy he is going to have some visitors later today and hoping that they bring him treats full of tons of WW points.

I’m adding to my New Year’s Resolutions – I wanna live my life more like Jack.

Wishing everyone a Happy LIVE LIKE JACK New Year!

Love, Jess

PS If you live locally – please feel free to stop by. Apparently we’re having a party;)

things come in threes – PLEASE!

Posted on by

1

images-82

Things come in threes – I hope. The truth is that I’m not sure I can take a number four if it presents itself. You guys might find me roaming the streets of Maplewood, screaming obscenities.

I’ve said that I don’t believe in karma or fate or destiny, but I’m starting to believe in really bad luck. I might need to start carrying around a four-leaf clover or wearing a horseshoe around my neck.

2018 is not off to a good start.

1.) The stomach flu — It seems to still be lurking around the house, waiting for the next victim. And, apparently it doesn’t come with the whole “you develop an immunity to it” thing, because I had it twice. I’m all for losing weight quickly, but this is a little ridiculous.

2.) Burst pipe — Still not resolved. We were able to isolate the problem and I was proud of myself for being so calm and cool with the plumber, “Please, take care of any emergencies first.” NOW I wish that I hadn’t been so cool. It’s been over a week.

3.) No heat — We woke up this morning and it was freezing. Dan and I both fooled with the furnace, but it wasn’t budging. I called the oil company and then got to go through our morning routine wearing a coat, mittens, hat and Ugg boots. Thank goodness Jack has a sense of humor and loved watching his mama try to make breakfast with mittens on. Once he got on the bus and my distractions were gone, I had time to really freak out. I kept thinking about our pipes as I watched the thermostat lower. I had every faucet dripping and space heaters in the bathrooms. I called Dan at the office by mid-morning and started crying, “2018 must be cursed!”

Four hours after leaving a crazy message with the oil company (cool Jesse was long gone), my hero arrived and was able to fix the problem. We were out of oil — don’t laugh. The house is warming up, but it’s going to take a while before I warm up to this new year.

I realize that none of these things are tragedies — but come on!! I’m tired and have stuff to do.

Okay. I’m done complaining. I’ll slap a smile on my face and go out and face the day.

Love, Jess

 

 

 

GOODBYE 2016!

Posted on by

2

I’m pretty sure all of us feel that 2016 hasn’t been quite what we expected. Years rarely live up to their promises, but this year has been particularly tough. So many heartbreaking losses. And, I don’t just mean the folks … Continue reading →