Here’s this week’s story:

Title: The Tech Challenge
Story:On Thursday evening, I get a letter from a friend of David’s mom. “Is David doing the Tech Challenge?” she asks. Instead of going to bed, like I usually would, I decide to google it.

And then the world speeds up.

Next thing I know, I am emailing parents to see if they’d be willing to advise kids. I am reading the rules. I am talking to David. I am registering them and I am in the middle of forty-seven emails and twenty-three phone calls. All in the span of twenty-four hours.

Here we are, a mere two days later and I’ve committed David to spending two late nights and seven extra hours a week on this crazy project. I’ve also committed my own time with the kids once a week. I am reading documentation, trying to wrap my head around what all this means. Buying supplies for the kids to get started. Looking at my calendar and doing the math over and over again on how all this is going to fit into our already overflowing life.

And yet.

And yet we do it. David’s excited, motivated and looking forward to the adventure this is going to be. And isn’t that what life is all about? Working hard to support him in all the adventures he wants to take? Isn’t this what I meant when I picked brave for my work this year? Doing things despite the fear and worry. Stepping up. Showing up. Having faith that my instincts are faithful guides on this journey I’m taking.

So here we go. We stepped up for the challenge. Let’s see what unfolds from here. Let’s see if the boys really come through. Let’s see what we learn. Let’s see how much fun and struggle and learning this will result in. Let’s see what we don’t know yet. Let’s see where this journey takes us.

Bring it on.

Stories of Twenty Fifteen is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

Here’s this week’s story:

Title: Solar System Mobile
Story:
One of the presents Jake got for Nathaniel this Christmas was a box of Space Exploration projects. It wasn’t until Nathaniel asked him to help do some of the projects that he opened the box and realized how complicated each project was.

But he’d already promised to help.

So the boys got to work. They picked one of the simpler projects: a solar system mobile.

First they got a piece of yarn and put all the labels for each planet through. Then they tied a picture of the planet below each with a thread. Then, they blew up a yellow balloon to represent the sun. It sounds simple in the three sentences but these steps took quite some time. And then we had the challenge of where to put the finished project.

Jake and I took it upstairs very carefully and looked around Nathaniel’s room to find the perfect spot. As it turned out, we got lucky. We hung it right over his desk.

While the project is lovely, what I love most about this little story was watching the two boys work together. I love seeing how they are both so focused in the photo above. I love how Nathaniel’s not deterred by the difficulty of the task. I love how he wasn’t bored or didn’t get distracted and walk away. And, of course, I love what it taught him about science.

(I learned something, too. I had no idea how different the sizes of each of the planets were. And how much bigger Jupiter is than the others. )

I really enjoy watching the two boys play together and I love playing with them myself, but there’s something special, for me, in watching their dad play with them. Maybe it’s because it’s a father-son moment or maybe it’s because I love them both so much. Either way, these are special moments for me and I cherish every single one of them.

I love you so much, Nathaniel and Jake.

Stories of Twenty Fifteen is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

Here’s this week’s story:

Title: Learning to Play the Guitar
Story:
David, I know I’ve written about the guitar before. I’ve made a layout about it even but I also know that it still makes me so very happy to think of it and I want to write more because I am not sure whether you will keep this up or not, but I still want to remember these awesome days.

Right now, you’re learning so many songs thanks to your awesome teacher and you love them all so much because they are all songs you’re interested in. You started with Eleanor Rigby which was so hard for you and now not only can you play it but you can sing along as you play. You can also play a few really hard songs. You asked her to give you the notes for Paul McCartney’s Christmas song and for the Avicii song that I like because you know I like it. You’re learning On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons because you love them so much and I know you’d love to play all their songs.

The other day, I was upstairs with Daddy and you were downstairs practicing and singing with Nathaniel. Daddy was so surprised that it was you playing because he hasn’t heard you as often as I have and he had no idea how incredibly awesome you are at it.

I know I always bug you to practice more but it’s only because I can see how much better it’s making you and how each time you play, I can see your eyes shining a bit brighter and I can see you being proud of yourself.

David, I have no idea how it is that I got to have this kid who’s kind, smart, loves reading and physics, and crafting with me, and music. How is it possible that you’re so good at so many things? You, my son, never ever cease to amaze me. Your tenacity, your ability to absorb new information, your willingness to learn, your excitement and joy. It’s all contagious my sweet boy.

I don’t know if you will end up sticking with guitar. Part of me hopes you will and that you continue to fill our house with wonderful music every day. But even if you stop, my love, I want you to know that you were awesome and it was just a pleasure to get to listen to your playing and your singing for as long as we got to. I want to thank you for filling our lives up with such wonderful joy.

Stories of Twenty Fifteen is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

Here’s this week’s story:

Title: Breast Stroke Ribbon
Story:
I remember the first time we ever took you swimming, David. You were five years old and I was worried that we’d waited so long that you would be completely scared of water and never want to go in. All of my friends had taken their kids swimming for years but we’d listened to our pediatrician who said to wait till you were five.

So we did. But even though I listened to him, I was still worried that somehow I’d messed up and you’d be permanently scarred from my mistake.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. You went to your class, saw the pool and jumped right in. You played with the teacher and all of his toys. You had no problem going under the water. You had the time of your life.

I can’t tell you how relieved I was watching you have so much fun. Once we started, we never stopped having you take lessons. Even though, you’ve only had a 30minute lesson shared across four people, once a week, you still slowly managed to progress through each of the strokes.

You started with freestyle and then moved on to backstroke, which I think is still your favorite. And then you began learning breast stroke. At first, it felt so weird that you said you’d never be able to figure it out. It was so different from the other two. You didn’t kick in the same way. It seemed tough to coordinate your legs and hands at the same time. Since Daddy was the one who took you swimming each week, I never really got to see your progress; just the words you said when you came home each week. And you’re not known for being the most optimistic one in the family.

So I had no idea how close you were to actually getting your ribbon. And of course, it ended up coinciding with a day where we were in a rush and had to leave early. You were devastated not to get to pick it up after having done so much work. But, after the party we were committed to, we went back to the swim school and not only did you get your ribbon but you got to have your picture taken, too.

I love seeing that huge smile on your face, my son, I am so proud of you!

Stories of Twenty Fifteen is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

I’ve done The Savor Project for the last few years and I’ve changed it up slightly each year to see if I can make it work for me. And year after year, I felt like I didn’t like the system I ended up with. It felt more burdensome than fun. Also, I feel like it always disintegrated to a photo project. A lot of photos from the year but not enough stories.

So for 2015, I decided to do something different. Instead of going for breadth, I am going to go for depth. I will be picking a photo and a story from each week and telling the longer stories.

I am using a 6×12 format. I designed these using the templates Ali Edwards had created for the 31 Stories class a few years ago. Hers was a 12×12 with two 6x12s next to each other but I want to just do a 6×12. I bought 6×12 page protectors and created templates and that’s all I need to get going.

Here’s the first story for this year. It’s actually from the end of last year, I always try out my ideas first so my first few pages are always from the previous year.

Title: The Sticker Book
Story:
This weekend, I was working with Daddy on a coding project for work. The two of you had already used up your computer time so you had to think of some way to spend your afternoon. Nathaniel had the idea of making a sticker book and David, you said, you’d show him now to make one.

After David made the book, the two of you went through my drawer in the garage and picked a stack of stickers for your project. For the next hour, you both worked silently and diligently on your sticker book.

When it was done, you showed me all of its pages. Each page had a category. You had one for money, cheer words, stars, science cheer words, animals, and one fo plants and flowers. I loved seeing how organized you two were and how systematically you went through the whole process.

But, of course, the best part was watching how excited you two were about all the stickers, about your project, and how proud you were to show me the results. Even though you get along well, for the most part, it isn’t very often that you two work together on a project.

I cherish those rare occasions when you work together and you’re not arguing but you’re collaborating and really enjoying spending time together. As you grow up, you will see that there’s nothing as magical as watching people you love, love each other. And there’s nothing as wonderful as seeing your kids get along, enjoy each others’ company, and be happy playing together.

The two of you never cease to remind me how lucky I am. Today was just another example of little moments of magic that surround my everyday life. I am so thankful for you, I am so thankful for our lives together. I am so thankful to get to live these little moments with you.

I love you so very, very much.

Here’s to a year of storytelling!