I took a break from writing but have recently been feeling drawn back.
The thought that it is only possible to restart if I "Catch up" was keeping me stuck. Catching up would be a labor for which I do not have the time or energy, so I'm letting go of that and embracing this moment.
We are at the start of a new summer and I'm going to dive back in with an update on the family
Jim: He had his left knee replaced in January, recovered well and is thinking about having the other knee done. He is adding more hours at Guilford Hall Brewery after a slow period and a transition in sales responsibility. His summer is full of beer tastings and lots of Catonsville events. He had a great men's group at OLV and that is newly shifting with Fr. Bill moving to a parish out in Oakland MD.
Me: I've been working with the same company for 15 years but the software startup has changed many times over the years most recently with a corporate merger. I now work with a team in Germany. Business has normalized post-merger and while still being full time I feel like I am more available.
Emma: still lives in the house on Gorsuch in Better Waverly with her 3rd floor bedroom and her college friends as roommates. She is now a Park Ranger with the State of Maryland and working in Seneca in Montgomery MD. The drive is too far and park housing fell through, so she has put in for a transfer. She is dating Ciana and it has been fun to have the 2 of them over. We don't see Emma enough.
Rachael: moved back home after a year in Cambridge, MA while she and Josh sort out next steps. She wasn't expecting to stay this long and is eager to venture out. Meanwhile she is working at CVS, got her pharmacy tech license, and is saving some money.
Megan: lives at home and she finished her semester at CCBC and is working at the farm again in the oil room. She is dating a really nice guy named Declan. We don't see her a lot in between all of the coming and going.
Bridget: Finished Junior year with great grades and some AP exams under her belt. She worked at Charlestown during the year but decided she didn't want to continue in the job with the busy end of school. she is hoping to get a new job and lots of driving practice this summer.
Johanna: Finished 5th grade at St. Mark and is excited at the prospect of being a middle schooler. She has already attended 2 weeks of UMBC summer camp, coming home full of stories and exhausted from lots of pool time.
We have 2 cats: Tara and Saoirse plus Rachael's cat Leia who stays in the basement.
