August

This year has been so weird and unfortunately it has made me neglect this poor blog. The person who really gets the short end of the stick is Aspen. No baby memories recorded! I need to get better!

Kaybree and Eisley started back at school this week. Teachers changed at the last minute but we managed to send them to school in person which I such a relief for me. I see so many friends posting pictures of their young kids falling asleep in front of a computer and I am so glad we don't have to do that. Kids are meant to be with other kids!

You were both excited to get back and you love your new teachers. 

I really struggled over the summer with whether or not to send you back to ALA. It seemed like maybe it was time to move you to Canyon Rim so you could get to know more kids in the neighborhood. But then everything happened and out of pure confusion we decided to keep you at ALA. I'm so glad we did! Kaybree has developed a good set of close friends there. It just warms my heart to see you playing together and hanging out, even outside of school. 

Aspen has developed a strong personality in recent months. You have NO trouble expressing yourself these days. Most of the time your expression is a full on scream, and most of the time that scream is aimed at Eisley or Tucker. 

Poor Eisley just wants to be your best friend but doesn't really know how so she pushes your buttons until you scream in her face and then she screams back and calls it playing. Kaybree on the other hand is great at making Aspen laugh. She usually does this by pretending to fall, or chasing Aspen as she runs away. 

Aspen knows several names now. She calls Grandpa Richard "Papa" and she's always asking for him at Grandma's house. She can say Eisley pretty well but Kaybree comes out "Paybee". She knows Mommy and Daddy but I swear every once in a while she calls me Alli.

Aspen still loves being outside--even when it has been 115 degrees every day with no monsoon this year to offer any relief. She still goes outside every morning, says hi to Turtle, plays in her playhouse and yells at Tucker. 

Brendon and I are lucky to still have the option to work mostly from home. I go into the office on Thursdays and he goes into the office one or two days a week in the morning.

Aspen is lucky to get Grandma all to herself--with occasional visits to Papa in his office down the hall. 

Overall we are just lucky. 

I did hear recently from the family now housing J. (I don't know what to officially call them) They mentioned so many of the same issues we experienced. He blows off appointments, he blows off school, he refuses to take medication. Sometimes he disappears for days at a time. As heartbreaking as it is to hear this news, it also gives me some comfort. I can see that his choices in the past were not a result of something I did or did not do. It's his choice and it's a choice he is still making. It's a bittersweet relief to not see those decisions play out each day. 

We're still in contact with J. He messaged us both on the first day of school and told us it went well and that he has a new girlfriend. We still have a good relationship with him. We still love and care about him.