Fabulous Kari, Fabulous Fifty

October 12, 2020

 

Dear Kari,

 

I don’t know what I did to deserve you, my beautiful friend. Sometimes I am in awe just thinking about that.  What do people do without Kari Laniel in their lives?  

 

How do they get through a happy hour?  I love our happy hours where we take on the huge, and I mean huge, problems in education and politics.  And share stories and pictures of our families and friends. And laugh our heads off about the silliest things. And cry our eyes out over our dogs and cats.

 

How do they watch movies in a theatre without someone to hold their hand when they’re about to sob? Or sing out loud when any Bruce song is in the background?

 

How do they even get through life without you checking in with a text? Or reading one of your blog posts, captivatingly written each time in a style your own. Or opening the mailbox to find a perfect card with a perfect message. Or receiving a gift from you like mermaids, or Christmas Coke straws or Royal Baby word searches or sweet journals complete with prompts. Hand-picked, straight from the heart every time.

 

How do they survive one single day at work without going into your room to vent, to celebrate, or for a hug? Nobody can hug like you. Nobody.

 

How do they watch football?? Whether college football at a Husker bar or a live Bronco game, to be in your presence and witness the frustration, anger, suspense, energy, and pure joy of the game is nothing short of magic.

 

I know I could not exist without you in my life, Kari Laniel.  I thank God that he made our paths connect.

 

Happy 50^thbirthday, my friend.  May your day be as beautiful as you are.

 

Love,

Cheryl

 

Champagne Summer

I'm sitting on my patio going through summer pictures on my iPhone, trying to organize and weed out those that are redundant or not so fabulous.  It's taking me way longer than it should, and I'm not deleting very many.  Instead, I'm sipping champagne and  smiling as I remember all the enchantment and love of the last few months.  For most of this summer, the weather was delightfully sparkling and warm, family and friends were bubbly and sweet,  and my adventures were all fun filled and effervescent.  Kind of like

Champagne!

I'm about an hour into my picture organizing (and champagne drinking) and I realize that the folders I've created mirror the very reason that this Summer of 2017 will go down in my book as almost perfect.  Take a look inside my photo book.

CELEBRATIONS

Oh, celebrate we did, with dance recitals and birthdays and weddings and retirements.  And champagne!

Madi aka Moana.  Away Away!

Jess turns 21!  The twins are 4.  Mom is 89 <3

Another retirement celebration??  I know--how awesome is that??

Nate and Lindsey are married!

       

Throughout all the celebrating we cheered and ate cake and sang and danced.  (and drank champagne!)

THE PATIO

My backyard beckoned me every night this summer.  I (and usually my mom and Jewel) spent so many warm, quiet evenings listening to the bubbly fountain and crickets, reading books and emails and letters, planning our days.  And drinking champagne.

Solar lights, sparkling water, books, Jewel

Fitzgerald, tea, and a real letter from Cousin Ginny

I'm hoping these patio nights linger way into autumn.

     

A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE (of the heartland!)

I never imagined that seeing a solar eclipse could be so magical, but experiencing this celestial event with my mom and sister and nieces and nephews made it so.  Read about my experience here.  

Diamond rings, eclipse glasses, and family

AUGUST

Yes, August!  I've always dreaded the month of August.  For as long as I can remember, August signaled school starting and the end of summer.  I always had a sense of sadness as August loomed ahead, knowing that my days of leisure would soon be filled to the rim with school work, early nights, and way too much stress.  Not this year!  I think I was looking forward to August most of all--no school and no stress.  Instead, August brought glorious weather, brunches, more patio nights, long walks with Jewel, road trips, out-of-town visitors.  And champagne :)

Road trip essentials, fresh veggies, brunch

Brunch, summer flowers, reading

Peg's veggies turn into fresh salsa and pasta sauce

   

FAMILY

I'm almost finished with my picture organizing project.  I spent way too long looking and not enough time deleting.  But my folders are complete.  The last folder is the fullest, and I find myself lingering the longest as I feel the love all over again.  I got to see every single member of my fam this summer, whether in Colorado, Nebraska, or on the shores of Christmas Lake.

Nebraska, Colorado, and Minnesota family love

Everyone's a fish at Christmas Lake

Christmas Lake Love

  Nothing brings me more joy than love and hugs from Mom and sisters.

I'd melt for my sisters

 and brothers

and brothers

 and nieces and nephews

too hard to get nephews to pose--the girls are always game

and Royal Babies

all 8 of them!

and besties.

BFF

And a few more--this isn't even close to all the pictures in this last folder--it would be overflowing if it were a real folder!

And a grand finale lake compilation <3

And now, with my photos nicely organized in my new iPhone folders (Celebrations, The Patio,, Total Eclipse, August, and Family), I'm almost ready to say goodbye to this perfect summer.  But first, one more glass of  champagne.

A Simple Journal

Right before my last year of teaching started I received the most incredible gift from my friend Kari.  We did our annual back to school happy hour, and over summer cocktails, she handed me a gift bag containing a simple journal.  I soon learned, however, that there was absolutely nothing simple about it.  Kari's gift became a lifeline to my past, bringing back memories from my thirty-two years as a teacher.

so very Kari (and Cheryl!)

Each month Kari mailed me an envelope containing three journal prompts.  These prompts were meant to elicit memories from my years of teaching, and that is exactly what they did. Starting in August and each month after, I reflected on my career.  Memories, many long forgotten, flooded my mind.  I smiled, laughed out loud, gasped, and shed tears as students, colleagues, parents, classrooms, and schools appeared in my mind and heart.

The prompts ran the gamut, from

to 

to

to

all the way to

As each month approached, I found myself anxiously awaiting Kari's handwritten envelope containing inspiring quotes, the journal prompts, and Kari's love and energy.  The year flew by as I poured myself into this journal project.  

Kari put each prompt in a library-style book envelope.

I'm forever grateful to Kari for engaging me in this nine-month journal exercise.  I hope I captured everyone who joined me on my thirty-two year journey and every miracle that sparkled along this English teacher's path.

pages and pages of love and gratitude

Hey 2016 . . . Can We Take Our Seat Belts Off Yet?

With all the highs and lows of 2016, I feel like I have been on the craziest roller coaster ride ever.  The Cyclone?  Nothing like 2016.  The MindEraser?  Not even close.  The Chipmunk?  Nope.  Right from the start, 2016 presented us with tragic news, amazing opportunities, devastating losses, and joyous moments.  How in the world does anyone handle that?  Well, we fasten our seat belts and hold on for dear life.  

Those lows were tough.  How many entertainers did we lose this year?  It seemed like I had just processed the death of David Bowie and the next thing I heard about Glen Frey, The Hag, and Prince.  And on and on and on and on . . . 

It continued right up to the end, too.  Hitting me hardest was losing Leon (blog to come soon about his place in my life).  My good friend Monroe, who has accompanied me to many Leon concerts, snapped me out of my despair like only Monroe can with "Well he didn't just 'hang out' for 74 years.  He LIVED.  Dying is a part of it.  Don't waste the living part."  Thank you, Monroe, and thank you Leon Russell.

Leon the last two times I saw him--2014 and 2015

There were other lows, of course--terrorist attacks in our country and abroad, disappointing football seasons for Nebraska (will we ever be a championship team again??) and the Broncos (why couldn't they end the year like the Super Bowl Champs they were at the beginning??), and that election that seemed to bring out the worst in people.  My heart still hurts from all the hate that infiltrated our lives, mostly through social media.  

I cried with family members and friends as they lost loved ones to cancer and heart disease and organ failure, and I pray they find peace in the new year.

Those lows--I'm sending them off to the universe with a kiss and hoping their light shines down on all those who miss them--because there were highs.

Oh those highs!!!!

In no particular order (well, maybe the last two would be at the top!) 2016 brought me:

BACK TO THE ISLAND

My sister Kerri enjoys taking Mom and me on trips, and I'm so glad she does.  We returned to Maui, my favorite vacation destination, where we stayed at the Westin Maui Resort.  Sunny, warm days, sparkling blue water, pineappley cocktails, and beautiful traveling company transformed this weary teacher in a way that nothing else could  Paradise.  Thank you, Kerri and Nathan and Lindsey and Mom!

Maui Love

THE BEST FRIENDS A GIRL COULD HAVE

Somehow, I am surrounded by the most amazing friends--angels--whose hearts are as big as the sky.  Their support and genuine love shines in my heart always, and I am grateful for each one.  I love our conversations, our lunches, our cocktails, our movie and theatre dates, our happy hours, our book talks, our laughter, and our tears.  They make me say "Yay friends!"

Yay friends!

ROYAL BABIES

We welcomed a new royal baby this year, Russell Lee Hawk.  Nathan and Lindsey, my new niece!, are beautiful new parents, and I can't wait to meet Russell next month. The other seven Royals continue to bring so much light to our family.  Ethan 6, Drake, 3, Max, 3, Madi 3, Lucy 2, Quinn 1, and Archer 1 made 2016 beautiful.

Royal Babies

BRUCE!!!!!!

Bruce Springsteen came to Denver in 2016 and I got tickets!!  I have seen him many times, but this--The River Tour--was my favorite.  He just gets better and better.

That's my Bruce

Did I mention Bruce?  Because 2016 really could be called The Year of Bruce.  Not only did I see him in concert, but in case you somehow missed it, I MET HIM, TOO!!  I will write about that as soon as I can calm myself down enough to come up with sentences rather than #HEKISSEDME or #HECALLEDMEDARLING, but for now, just know that Bruce is real, he is sweet, and he is gorgeous.  #HighlightOfMyYear!  

*Update*  Blog finished!  Read it HERE!

FAMILY

The highest high this year and every year is my family.  At one time or other, whether in Nebraska, Minnesota, or Colorado, I got to see everyone, and there is nothing that will ever top that.  

Family over Everything

I'm really, really hoping we can all unbuckle our seat belts, at least for a bit, as we begin 2017.  For those of you who are ready to kick 2016 to the curb, I hope 2017 is better.  It will be, I know it.  And for those of you who are clinging to 2016, thinking how can it get any better, it can.  I know it, too.

I hope you are all ringing in 2017, this New Year, in whatever way brings you joy.  May you all meet your Bruce in 2017!

Happy New Year!

(my New Year's kiss!!!!)