Well, it's been a journey. Katherine has traveled the sometimes bumpy road from preschool to high school. We have had ups and downs, sometimes two steps forward and three steps back, and we have climbed some steep hills. We have dealt with frustration and fear, confusion and disappointment, and celebrated victories along the way. Today is one of those victories. While it feels like the end of something, what it really is, as we heard during the ceremony, is a "commencement" - the beginning of something...the beginning of the next chapter in the lives of three graduates from Trinity Baptist School. The beginning of new challenges, new pursuits, and new adventures.
Congratulations, Katherine.
Preschool - Montessori School
Learning how to change a tire. :)
Horseplay with Papa.
Oktoberfest, Stowe Vermont
Scuba Diving in San Andres Colombia (snorkeling for Katherine)
Riding the (one of many) ferry enroute to L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland
One of our many annual Green Up Vermont Day efforts.
Sibling collaboration.
One of Katherine's senior pictures.
Katherine marches in her high school graduation.
The Trinity Baptist School graduating class of 2022.
As long as I'm in Montana, I might as well be productive. I met with our draftsman in Billings to make some changes to the exterior of the house plan and talk about some interior changes. Once I was done there I was able to schedule a meeting with our builder to meet at the property to discuss house placement and orientation on the lot. Joining us was our excavator. As I drove from Billings to Absarokee (pronounced ub-ZOR-kee), I thought I would document how long it takes to get from the highway to our property. No sooner had I hit the stopwatch, I encountered an obstacle...one of Montana's (and the west in general) extremely long freight trains. A few minutes down the road (after the train passed and I could make my turn) I cross the Yellowstone River. This river runs straight through Livingston (where we will live while we build the house) as well. In Vermont, we had an art installation known as The Whale Tails. In Absarokee we have a tall white cross. I haven't
Life in Grand Rapids is, well, grand. Great conversation, lots of room to spread out, space for an office, big windows for views of the outside, yummy food, dogs to pet, and a completely different pace from what December and January were. To break up all that monotony ☺ I decided it was time for a road trip. I could meet with the draftsman helping us bring our home design dream into reality, I could wrap up some business at the bank, and I could visit family. Katherine and I hit the road on Thursday. On Friday, we arrived in Livingston Montana and surprised everyone. The drive was lovely. Time with Katherine was fun. And the plan was a success! On our way to Livingston, we drove through Billings and would pass right by Absarokee. Since we were good for time, we decided to stop and see the property on Plenty Coups Road. For Katherine, this was the first time seeing the place where our house would go. I'm only sorry that pictures don't accurately convey how beautiful and
For weeks (actually months) we have been sorting, packing, pitching, selling, and pitching some more. For the last two days those efforts were kicked into high gear as the movers arrived to load all that hard work into their truck and haul it away. Once they were gone and the house was clean and the car loaded with stuff we need for the winter, and our final farewell was said, the urgency of the day was past. That constant driving to fill one more dumpster, load one more box, or say good bye to one more friend lifted like a fog when the sun rises. Today, Katherine and I had a truly leisurely start to the day. Eventually, I went out to run some final errands, fill the car with gas, and buy a little driving food. As I drove around town I realized that I felt oddly disconnected. These roads, the buildings, the views as I drove around town were very familiar yet somehow they feel foreign to me now. "My" church is now just a building. The people in it are and always will b
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