Chase Turns 20 !! (Dec 31)

Let’s forget about the birthday boy for a moment and think about ME . I am a mom to a 20 yr old human being ???!!

How did that happen ??? I am only 46 ! Just a Bebe myself ??

Ok back to him !

He is 20 and in many ways that is so so so obvious as such a grown up , eloquent young man in business school and ready to take on the world

And in other ways he is just like my two year old boy and still can wake up on the morning and run around the house and scream «  hello world !! «  and Jump on top of us in our bed !

A few things to know about him as he is turning 20 ( chase if ever I am not around one day a much more detailed private one yearly for all kids in the year by year school photo album on the back of each picture )

• At JMSB and doing super well . Loves it and very involved in School and committiees

• lives at home but wishes he didn’t ! Although we all have such a great time 90 percent of the time
•  
• the other 10 percent is pretty intense ! This is one intense young adult with some very strong opinions and ways
•  
• very single and very much loving that ! He seems to enjoy the single life

• Super close to his bro and now they share their clothes and their friends . Still trying to be super close to his sister

• Handsome as ever and almost daily people tell me he looks like one movie star or another . Often Justin Trudeau too !

• super into clothes . Causes many fights in our home as he wears and steals his brothers clothes and my clothes and dads clothes and even his sisters clothes

• his double standards are lessening thank god

• He is getting to be a reader !

• he has such massive discipline about not eating crap . Even though loves chocolate usually says no and gives the rest of us hell to pay when we eat it

• has started some investing and really good and savvy at this

• very business savvy and very career and entrepreneur oriented

• such a sweetie . Honestly one of the most loving guys have ever met . Full of compliments and love and affection and always has been . Also apologized and admits when wrong with huge hugs . He is an amazing son and grandson and friend and brother . I love love how he interacts with People in general

• very authentic and real . Huge emotional intelligence and is and overall amazing person

• he can drive us all seriously crazy . Like seriously . But honestly if he moves out soon I will miss him so damn much . He is so precious and I will take his messiness and intensity any day for the joy he brings our home

Happy 20 bday chase !!

We are all at Trent and he and his dad getting up earlier tomorrow to watch some french comedy show they love and then the traditional 4 by 4 ride with dad to lunch out ( even though he has been driving the 4 by 4 alone for many years now it’s still a tradition and now he takes his dad on back ! )

Lunch out the 5 Of us before we all drive back home for our Varying New Years celebrations !

We only give chase a little small bday basket and we now as of last year do «  mayday «  and in may go shopping for a bunch of clothes for him and hold his bday dinner with gifts in may . We all live this and best decision ever made !

Chase Turns 20 Dec 31 (tomorrow!)

(Pics coming after holidays and also scroll down for Xmas Recap)

Let’s forget about the birthday boy for a moment and think about ME . I am a mom to a 20 yr old human being ???!!

How did that happen ??? I am only 46 ! Just a Bebe myself ??

Ok back to him !

He is 20 and in many ways that is so so so obvious as such a grown up , eloquent young man in business school and ready to take on the world

And in other ways he is just like my two year old boy and still can wake up on the morning and run around the house and scream «  hello world !! «  and Jump on top of us in our bed !

A few things to know about him as he is turning 20 ( chase if ever I am not around one day a much more detailed private one yearly for all kids in the year by year school photo album on the back of each picture )

• At JMSB and doing super well . Loves it and very involved in School and committees

• lives at home but wishes he didn’t ! Although we all have such a great time 90 percent of the time
•  
• the other 10 percent is pretty intense ! This is one intense young adult with some very strong opinions and ways
•  
• very single and very much loving that ! He seems to enjoy the single life

• Super close to his bro and now they share their clothes and their friends . Still trying to be super close to his sister

• Handsome as ever and almost daily people tell me he looks like one movie star or another . Often Justin Trudeau too !

• super into clothes . Causes many fights in our home as he wears and steals his brothers clothes and my clothes and dads clothes and even his sisters clothes

• his double standards are lessening thank god

• He is getting to be a reader !

• he has such massive discipline about not eating crap . Even though loves chocolate usually says no and gives the rest of us hell to pay when we eat it

• has started some investing and really good and savvy at this

• very business savvy and very career and entrepreneur oriented

• such a sweetie . Honestly one of the most loving guys have ever met . Full of compliments and love and affection and always has been . Also apologized and admits when wrong with huge hugs . He is an amazing son and grandson and friend and brother . I love love how he interacts with People in general

• very authentic and real . Huge emotional intelligence and is and overall amazing person

• he can drive us all seriously crazy . Like seriously . But honestly if he moves out soon I will miss him so damn much . He is so precious and I will take his messiness and intensity any day for the joy he brings our home

Happy 20 bday chase !!

We are all at Trent and he and his dad getting up earlier tomorrow to watch some french comedy show they love and then the traditional 4 by 4 ride with dad to lunch out ( even though he has been driving the 4 by 4 alone for many years now it’s still a tradition and now he takes his dad on back ! )

Lunch out the 5 Of us before we all drive back home for our Varying New Years celebrations !

We only give chase a little small bday basket and we now as of last year do «  mayday «  and in may go shopping for a bunch of clothes for him and hold his bday dinner with gifts in may . We all live this and best decision ever made !

My Favorite Use of Time

I have been analyzing the way I spend my time lately and specifically what brings me joy ( since writing a book on this ! )

I love the cottage 

I love reading at the cottage

I love napping at the cottage 

I love spending time with my family anywhere 

I could go on and on 

But there is one thing that seems to surpass it all in terms of joy :

Spending quality time with my children and their friends 

My Vanilla Beans

I have loved this little lady for so long

Since they were very young we have made this a top priority in our lives for all three of them. We will put aside work , have the kitchen piled with dishes , skimp on sleep, have a freshly cleaned home messy within hrs by having lots of kids over with their shoes on and wet towels from the pool - to prioritize having a houseful of kids with us 

It is both a prime value of ours to really know whom our kids cherish and also a massive sense of pleasure for us to be involved and cherish them too.

We can tell the summer really begins when our home has no routine at night for meals and we end up having last minute guests. Chase has been off and working for 6 weeks now before his bike camp job. After working until 7:30 hubby and I opted for a nap outside since nobody seemed to be around to eat. 9:30pm we wake up to Chase and his two BFFs saying “want to hang out near the pool together and eat?” (Aka can you make dinner and we will sit with you?) 

We gave them money to get Lebanese and we sat and talked and talked into late evening outside under the stars. Pure pure fun and happiness for all . They left at midnight to begin their evening at a bar dancing after:)

Then this long weekend first official of school out us had Beauty’s three friends at cottage. One has come twice before and the two others never. She has been hanging out more and more with this squad and was top priority to get to know them much better. So glad we did!

Beautiful people. With such diverse personalities and lovely souls. Each so unique and wonderful in different and beautiful ways. And we talked and talked and talked and laughed! Very very chatty girls . We learned more about Beauty’s life in these three days than we have in 15.5 yrs. !! Everyone cooked and cleaned and helped and planned meals and took turns 

We seedooed and tubed and went on boat. The girls hung out with the Harleys in village. Lol!

We watched late night fireworks from the boat. We got caught in a big storm. They poured over my blog books and got us caught up on our daughter’s life. We shared long fun meals.

Dea fell in the lake !!! Such a funny, beautiful girl and sweet and full of life and ideas

Jade washed and washed dishes! What a  lovely and unique and beautiful this girl is. Beauty shining inside and out

Molly laughed and laughed at the tube rides! Mature, so much wisdom and beauty and strength

One spoke of how amazing one of our sons are and wants to marry him! (any guesses who?)

Another spoke of how handsome the other son is!

I was just so impressed by their youthful ways and mature souls 

Their beauty shone and hearts glowed 

All authentic and truthful with nothing to hide 

So much insight on life is bundled up into such sweetness 

A beautiful weekend. So so weather ( at best !! )  but nobody really noticed or cared 

Just like all the weekends we have spent with Beauty's friends her for so many years. Vanilla Bean and Livvy Bum Bum I hope it all works for august as that is the highlight of the summer too spend that time with “our girls “of forever too. Countless years of spending precious time with this gang who we know so well and love deeply. So many fun times at home and at Trent. We love  all you girls and are so excited to spend time again soon and see you.

It’s fun to watch our children grow and change and develop into the adults they will become. And there is no better way to see this than through their friends. Whom they choose to spend their time with and share their lives with 

And no higher honour and privilege as their parents to be included in journey. To be part of it with them all.

Preparing for Future

I made a list a few months ago of stuff my kids need to learn before they move out 

Values that i have not passed down

Family history (i totally suck at this)

Skills 

Facts 

Knowledge

What have i been doing all these years???

So i started with the obvious. My eldest and getting him to master grocery

Shopping.

With a little minimal salary to get the motivation up 

He comes home and cleans the kitchen 

Tidies pantries 

Cleans our fridge

Does inventory of what needed for home and cottage 

Adds his own assessment to my grocery list i make for recipe ingredients 

Does a huge shopping groceries and pharmacy at Walmart 

Puts it all away and separates the cottage stuff from home stuff

Makes a meal from scratch that has to be different each week

Clean kitchen again

This week on Walmart list were other various things kike white buttondown shirt for his dad for choir show, dustpan, Lysol, floss, a wedding card for a friend and pasta bowls

And ... maxi pads!!

You heard me right. And i made him ask for heavy flow! And he didn’t complain! Made me realize this young man is growing up and probably pretty used to asking for embarrassing stuff at the pharmacy!

I figure this is really preparing him for real life. Lately he has said no marriage or kids ever. Maybe the maxi pads were a tad overboard? 

Next week will be prepping meal for guests. This is really fun 

I am quite sure i will never get to the family history part as i barely listened when my parents tried to on me 

And general life knowledge? I seemed to ignore that too 

Thank goodness I am good at delegation of stuff I hate to do myself !

Proud parents

(Beware: some serious bragging rights below - I am thinking that getting acceptances to colleges and cegeps warrants the bragging but stop reading now if you don't agree! )

These are the parents ( us ! ) that are feeling very very proud 

This is the boy that got into John Molson School of Business . Double major in marketing and finance in co-op .

We are really really proud . Why is that so ?

Well for this guy ... It has been such a long journey . He was not a natural student at all . Did well enough in the public French system in primary school . Got to the private French system in highschool after loads and loads of exam preparation for over a year . Was a good student there in sec 1-3 but below average as everyone there is an exceptional student . By sec 3 end of session he was failing math .

And then ........ He just made a decision. To be a great student. Somehow . And he did it !!!! Sec 4 and 5 rocked ! 

Then went to John Abbott cegep (in English nevertheless which had barely learned how to write before) in commerce and became an incredible student. Honour roll and outstanding achievement in linear and economics!!! And sits on student council and was nominated to make decisions with all the deans on behalf of student body on the academic counsel. Volunteers time for all of this and lots of tutoring he gives in subjects to other students. Has well over 100 hours of volunteer work in cegep alone.

A passionate student and one who truly enjoys school and applies himself. Gets involved in lots and new thing is assimilation stock exchange completions at the University. Studies a lot!!! Works very hard for his good grades. Business world watch out for Chase !

This is the boy that got into John Abbott Cegep in Health Sciences 

Words cannot describe the admiration we have for his academic success. He has always been devoted and diligent and proud of his grades. He is consistently committed and does always his due Diligence. I am not sure even one time throughout his whole education he has asked us one question or for any help even when he was teeny weeny kid (except in art!)  He is autonomous and Independent and thorough and way smarter in math and sciences than either of his parents.

Has a scientific brain. Really scientific. And a math brain . He is a natural leader and the teachers love him . An athlete too and has the highest of grades and awards in his sports program.

This year he gave it his all to ensure he got into health sciences in cegep and it paid off. He worked so hard. 

He since young had wanted to be an orthodontist - and study in sciences. Now having doubts and may want commerce. He will begin in health sciences and see what he likes most. Whatever he wants to do he will be good at and we will be profoundly proud and happy for him. He mentioned lawyer or math teacher as other possibilities. All sound wonderful as far as we are concerned!

Desperately proud of this boy and his academic success. He has made parenting seem easy (sometimes)

(And next will be in two years for Beauty!!! When she hopefully gets accepted to her cegep and program of choice . )

These are big milestones for us as parents as when we decided to send all three kids in the private French system and supported all the work that was needed to pass the exams to get in and the auditions for their sports and dance programs - we knew what we were getting into. One hell of a ride for 5 years 

We and that have given up a lot for this education. Relaxing in weekday evenings, hardly any to shows and barely time for family Nights most weekdays. A couple of family dinners here and there. Studying much of the weekends which are hard on them and hard on us too. Good for cottage life as they can concentrate there and hibernate.

This is why relaxation time and vacation is very precious to all of us as in this type of high school schooling it doesn't come around very often at all. You are taught from sec 1 that your most important job is academics 

And it for the climate and values the school provided. The strict atmosphere that made them strive for more and never ever ever get away with being lazy. The opportunities they were exposed too and the types of students they got to socialize with. They were supervised and nurtured and taken care of. It may have been the best decision we ever made to have them at that school. Most of their friends have been better students than they are in many ways and this gives those great roles model and methods and values to aspire too. 

They won't be any more successful than anyone else in life .All paths end up

Leading to the same road in education and careerin my view. But they had a great adolescence and that's has made for a great family life . Every day they looked forward to school and every day felt good in their skin. This is what I wanted 

And it gave them confidence in themselves. Which is all I ever wanted as their mom 

Who knows where life will take them? It doesn't even matter.

The experience in and of itself was fulfilling and now onto the cegeps and universities 

And now they are here . And we are so proud of this wonderful accomplishment in higher education from our two very different yet two very driven boys!

Special Guests

One part I am loving about having older teens Is socializing . Man is it more fun with the friends of young adults than little kids that I feel compelled to play Lego and crazy eights with !

Last night we had a new very close friend of Chase's  over . In college and univeristy it is hard to to know your kid's friends too well as they are always out and at shows and nightclubs or using the house when we are not here on weekends 

I cornered them on this and made it happen .

He is an actor and in plays but we didn't let that stop us . We had dinner at 9:30pm on a weeknight to make it happen . All of us had activities after school and work that night but we stuck to the plan and made it happen 

I love this guy !!!!!! We had cheese and crackers and veggies in the livingroom and he played piano for us and told us all about his life in Lebanon where his parents and family live .

We had such an interesting and animated evening and it was so fun to get to know someone so different that Chase has been hanging out with lots lately 

He has exposed chase to so many new things : theatre and art and boxing and dance and different  cultures they make a fun duo and pick up a lot of woman together !!! Chick magnets both of them :)

But the best part of evening was how special this special guest made Beauty feel . He was super interested  in hearing her thoughts and ideas and asking her about her views and her boyfriend . I think he sensed beauty's  creative side and they connected on that level . He made her feel like a million bucks . And I felt so happy for her . I remembered as a teenager having two older brothers and how I felt when they paid attention to me and were some of the happiest memories of childhood 

He asked her all about her boyfriend whom she adores talking about and she was telling him she one day wants to marry her boyfriend .  He went with this :) He was telling her that  know that he came to our home for dinner she should now consider him one of her brothers and that he would be there to protect her from harm . The cultures are so different and was super cool to experience his .He also casually mentioned that his family would welcome all five of us anytime in their home in Lebanon 

So he invited Beauty to her dance studio on basement and asked her to show him her dances and they sang together and danced together ( chase too believe it or not ! ) . At first she was so so shy but with a lot of pushing by he and I she agreed . and I let her stay up until 11:45pm on a schoolnight uninterrupted  as I knew she would Remember this forever 

Nobody did chores that night . Our guest was way more interesting 

I felt her glow and happiness all evening of feeling special and paid attention by the 20 yr old friend of her oldest brother 

It was truly a great visit with an amazing guy . I am so happy we prioritized this dinner even if it did happen after a choir practice downtown , a hip hop practice , two busy work days and the house barely having time to be tidied . I love meeting who is important to my children . There is no greater joy in parenting for me I think 

And the visits have been plentiful lately ! Beauty's beau came over for an afterschool visit before they went to his house for his bday dinner . They are so cute together and he is so handsome . There is something so special about him and I really enjoy him 

Bear has his late bday dinner with his BFF who we love and who is coming on our punta Cana trip in a few weeks . He is so fun and we are going to his cottage to have dinner with his parents this weekend

Beauty has had friend after friend over and I have been loving that . These girls are so precious 

I am loving sharing our lives with these young people . It truly is an honour and profound privilege 

What I am loving lately is having them share their lives with me ... Not my idea of their lives .. Of what I want to see .. Or what I planned or intended for them 

Their lives . Letting me see them .

Having young adults on a home is like living in a forum e and all figuring it out together in a messy crazy beautiful way 

This stage ( like most dates of childhood and adolescence ) is my favorite stage. And the hardest 

It's a stage that in many ways I wish could last forever . I have no need for them to grow up too quickly or be very mature and worldly . I am having the time of my life ( on many days ) just watching them goof around and fail and succeed and question themselves and grow up and then grow down a bit . It' s quiet an experience to watch it all . And on many days I want to just throw them all of our the house with the trash !!!

The paradox of parenting is always there for me . Moments like last night make it all worth it . I need to remember to make more time for my connecting to my deepest values ... And last night I felt so complete and fulfilled 

Spontaneous Fun

Sometimes I do it 

And when I do It I love it 

Like today . Hubby and I set alarms 2 hrs later and told the kids to take the bus . We slept until 8am and read in bed until 10am . 

Then I looked  outside at the beautiful falling snow and mild temperatures and put in my favorite hat and coat and walked to a restorative yoga class and relaxed and almost fell asleep In most poses 

Then I decided to completely forget about my long list of things to do today for work ( no meetings but lots of work to produce ) and I texted chase who is off school now 

He came and picked me up and we went to a fancier Thai resto . Then decided to go get a last minute Xmas gift for beauty . Then went to my favorite store ever - chapters and we each got two books . Was a miracle to see chase choose two books he is excited about reading . My dream come true . I didn't care how expensive they were - was just so happy to see him want to read !

So I dumped worked and all the long list of stuff I still have to get done before having 26 people over in less than 48 hrs - and opted to spend a great afternoon with my  eldest son .

It was seriously amazing . We had great laughs and great conversations and I learned so much about this boy I get to call mine 

Most importantly we both agreed that pad Thai without lime  is just not nearly as good as with lime 

Days like this make me so thankful not to have a corporate job or a boss . And also make me thankful that I am as organized as I am and have all the gifts wrapped and ready to go many days ahead and not part of the last minute Christmas frenzy 

I love you so Chase . I honestly feel so honoured to be your mom 

Absolutely Hard and Totally Beautiful Stage

I have described the later teen years ( age 16. 5 and older ) as very similar in my opinion to the newborn through the terrible twos .

It is such a rough stage to raise at this age ( older teen and young adult ) an so annoying and frustrating many days of the week when you literally feel you may pull your hair our from the nonsense and watching them make decisions that you know will cost them so much later on 

That being said on my opinion it is by far the most beautiful too . It is an honor and a privilege. Its is in so many ways seeing every seed you planted ( and the ones you did not ! ) come to full fruition. They keep the parts of you and how you brought them up that they agree with close to their hearts and throw the rest of it out like yesterday's trash

As parents we learn a lot about ourselves and our methods through this process! Nothing like a mirror up to your face with reality like an older teen to show you where you messed up royally . I hear myself saying so often " hope you make the right decision for yourself ! All the best of luck !! " ( and then go throw up in bathroom )

Or like the other night where you realize  your parenting was fabulous :)

Chase and i had a big date an Assante conference with hundreds of other clients . They are our valued financial investors for more than 20

Yrs now and chase as of 18 their client too . So he and i went and had the best nignt ever . The financial speech was ok ( chase liked it more than me ) but the keynote was so inspirational about the one of two québécois who made it to the top of everest among many other massive lifetimes adventures and hard obstacles. 

We listened with tears in our eyes and admiration  

We had jokes between us ( pesto and ceasear salad kits on grocery lists on boring financial speech anyone ? ) or chairs from the dollar store that felt like we would collapse at any moment ! Lol 

I adore sharing life with him . With  all my teens . He made this ordinary event extraordinary  for me . And it helped him saying he thought i was the best dressed woman in the room ! A rare compliment ( vs usual critic) as he likes when i wear my two more expensive power suits 

He loved the newness of it all and the crowd and gifts and networking. I take it all for granted as my daily business life . He appreciates it  through new eyes 

And i offered him a glass of wine and he said no and he insisted to drive both ways and let me take a selfie of us together on our date . He made my day 

So often we think his dad and i , how much easier it would be to have him live away as of next year university .. In so many ways would be easier as not a piece of cake living with a young adult at all 

But we would all be missing out too. on watching him grow and mature and reject us as he grows into his own and embrace us when he needs us . There is a lot more growing up to do all of us together in this family and a lot more fun to be had 

I hope he chooses to stay home for 1-4 more years... I really do .

I know we will make it work if he is 3-5 hrs away i know we will . But i also know the benefits of proximity and sharing daily life as i did and still do

With my mom which has always been the biggest gift of mine and my children's lives having her so close by 

I don't  want just the holidays and smiles . I want it all . The dirty dishes even and the laundry they do on their own and not do for a month . And i know skype exists but for me not at all the same . Its all smiles and happy  or too busy to even bother 

To me its the daily that i want to still be part of . The good the bad and the ugly . All of it - for a little bit longer . After university undergraduate it is time to move out but i hope he enjoys this all enough to chose to live at home  even for 1-2 extra years . But as we know healthy young adults and healthy family dynamics are hardly about what the parents want or what they feel is best  for the young adult - but what the person chooses for themselves that is best for their life or their unique learning process 

The best parenting skill we have is the ability to let go 

And we may  have to as of less than a year from now 

I love you chase from deep deep within my heart 

Whenever you choose to have life take you i will respect and support you and we will make it all Work out 

Magical night

Magical night

I got the  three texts within hours of eachother this afternoon; before a long drive home alone

1- mom can you bring me lots of cookies and donuts when you drop beauty at camp on sunday please ???? ( bear)

2- mom actually no need to get the donuts as i will go with you to do groceries. Can  you and dad pick me up here on sunday for dinner and bring me back for lunch on monday? I need a break

Yes! Yes ! Yes!!!


2 hrs later ..

3- mommy- surprise ! I am on my way home and decided to come home and stay with matthieu  this weekend. Want to have dinner? ( chase )

Yes !!! Yes! Yes!!!


So just like that this rainy weekend brigtned. Not only will we get to see one of our boys but two of our boys! With our girl !!!  We felt like we won the lottery

Chase came home and we whipped him into our arms and could not let go. We took beauty and her bff and chase to basha and watched chase gulp down the food as he said it was the yummiest healthiest thing he ate in a long time . His dad and i kept hugging him in the food line and the woman next to us said " how long has he been away for university ??"

Lol! Away for summer job and only two weeks . We all laughed

We , and the girls and chase had such a great time at that dinner - talking and laughing and sharing and enjoying.

We got home and chase asked if we could drive him and his bff to a party downtown and he was surprised when we said yes !  Then his bff came over and ran to me for a big hug and said it had been too long ( also two weeks! ) then when i was saying bye to chase for the evening and gave him a huge hug for the night- his bff waitied patiently and then said " me too ! I miss my adopted mommy"

Awwwww......

Also the pivotal  unforgettable magical magical moment of the evening was when chase walked in the door and we scremed and ran to him and hugged him hard . His dad and i both . Then beauty walks in and says " what about me ???" And runs runs runs into chase's arms !!! And then looks at all of our shocked faces and said " well of course !!! I have not seen him in two weeks !!!"


This may sound normal to some but it is not for beauty. Not at all . It was one of the top five moments of my life by far . For real. It gave me so much hope and also made me so proud.


This was an amazing night. Chase is having the time of his life as a extreme downhill biking instructor fro the second year in a row as a monitor . He loves it there . So what if tonight he is coming home later than 4 am ?

I love watching them grow . Adore it. Although such a hard age in so many ways and on most days , i am so looking forwa to the next years watching them become adults . Leaving and coming home. Leaving and coming home. I love it.

Onto sunday where we drop off one girl for two weeks and pick up one son for 17 hrs . We cant wait

Being a parent is so incredibly hard and so incredibly beautiful

I would not trade it for anything

My Airport Guy

Years ago a colleague I worked with and whom always seem to have great advice told me " if you travel a lot for work maximize that time the best you can "

For him that meant doing a lot of his shopping at the duty free and most importantly having his dad drive him and pick him up from all trips and grab a bite before security . This was his way to see his dad and to have quality time together often even more than twice a week 

The advice stuck with me . A couple of years later when I heard his dad had passed away my first thought was how lonely he would now be at the airport and how grateful be must have been for all the extra quality time he spent with his dad .

For me airports and planes are a place to get important planning done for work and home . I come up with some of my best blogs best ideas and best work ideas  while in transit 

And now I have added in that Chase drives me and picks me up . We joke in the car today that I might as well just sleep at the airport the amount of trips i have taken for work in the last 4 months . He could drive here with his eyes closed .

I always just turn off my phone on those car rides and soak him in . I love how he lifts in and out my luggage from the trunk and hugs and kisses me as if I will be gone for a lifetime . I love how he tells me " I love you " every single time .

It is a ritual I have come to depend on and I assume soon will share with Bear too who has his learners permit which will be so fun too 

I left the house today with the three teens after half day of exams ( two days to go ) in the pool wth some friends too after a big game of basketball in the heat . I felt thankful they were off their phones and into their lives and happy and content to have their mom travel often for business and there dad work late . They are autonomous that is certain ! ( with a few lists of course to help them along the way ! )

And thankful that chase seemed happy to be Interuppted  to see his mommy off to the airport . I hope it is something my kids will always enjoy doing with me and I will always look forward too . And one day ..: their dad and I will be driving them to their business trips .

( I also have some of my best texting conversations with all three kids and hubby right before the plane takes off and as it lands as i always text them at these time. Last night Chase and i texted for 20 mins and had the craziest funniest and cool conversations. I also have realized how in the last three months i have gotten some of my best excercise in airports just walking so much. I seriously cant believe how much time i have spent in airports- i always travelled every couple of months for work over many years ... But this frequency is all new to me)