We Made It!

The end of August is always challenging and exhausting, but we get through it every year!  Nothing bad, but just a lot going on.  Gracie's birthday always wraps everything up!  She was kind enough to come home and spend the evening with us to celebrate.  The week prior was also full of things, but I will get to that...

Finally 18!!!

She can sign her own paperwork now!

Eighteen years.  Eighteen years.  How?  It's easy to think about all of the time leading up to becoming an "adult."  All the milestones, adventures, challenges, accomplishments, and even the "lasts" that I have mentioned in here before.  All the years, months, weeks, days, and moments we've experienced have brought us to this point.  They were great for the most part and I actually enjoyed raising a daughter far more than I ever imagined I would.  I think I have mentioned that part of the decision for starting both kids in school early was to avoid having 18-year-olds at home for a whole year before sending them off to college.  I still support this 100%, but for many more reasons and different reasons than what swayed our original decision 13 years ago.  I do think about what it might be like if she was still home for one more year, and I have absolutely no regrets about the decisions we have made and letting her become the independent woman she is and allowing her to figure things out.  It is still strange not having Gracie home, and a huge adjustment to have one less dependent.  However, I refuse to focus on "losing" that part in our life.  I am so excited to continue developing a different kind of relationship that we will have for much longer than the past 18 years.  When I think about the great relationship and all the fun times I have had with my mom post-adolescence, I am pretty hopeful and encouraged based on the results so far.  Girls always need their mom, and even though her "minor" years are done, that does not change how we will always be there for her.  The past 18 years have been amazing and the best is still yet to come!  Happy birthday Gracie!!!  We continue to love you more every day.

Seeing Jaley!!!

Jaley was back for a weekend and she and Gracie were able to find each other.

I miss this girl, but I know she is so happy now!

Rodeo with teammates this year

Roomies:  Gracie, Rylee, and Tyah

Gracie and Jiggy

Rylee and Gracie

Mizzou Football!

Game #1 with the new North End Zone.  We are pretty much rock stars receiving VIP treatment.

Nick was invited to the Curator's suite for the first game and Owen and I got to join.  We also had our 4 tickets, so Owen brought his friends.  It was a really hot evening, but we had fun!  The game was pretty one-sided against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.  I stayed through about 3 quarters before heading home.

Getting a ride on the golf cart

Ready for kickoff!

The suites were stocked with so much food and beverages!

Including Buck's ice cream! 

I sent this picture to Owen and he decided to leave his friends for a bit to come join us.

Here we are!

Another pre-game pic from the suite level

These are the seats I get with athletics, which aren't bad either.

I think the boys had fun.

I didn't see Gracie that evening, but she went with teammates.

Gracie and Jiggy

Gracie and Addy

Finally...SBC Football

I can't believe we are in the fourth week of school already and HS game #4 is tonight.  SBC is 2-1 so far; we lost to Blair Oaks last week, but played much better than last year.  Owen injured his leg in practice last week, so didn't play, but he should be back for this week's game.

First game against Kirksville.

I had pretty low expectations, not gonna lie.  But I was pleasantly surprised at how well we played.

Owen's number has changed to #56

During the week leading up to the first game, the coach decided to move Owen and Max to O-line.  I was not excited about that because I know what offensive linemen should look like, and I don't believe that Owen fits that mold.  Actually Owen's mass probably does not take up half of that mold.  I also know how hard they hit each other, but my perspective could be a little skewed by the ginormous bodies that walk by my window for practice every day at Mizzou.  Anyhoo...  Owen was not buying in at first, either.  I think he also knows what the build of an offensive lineman should be, plus he has never played that position before.  Learning it 4 days before a game was probably a little uncomfortable.

But I guess he did ok and he ended up starting on offensive line and linebacker on defense.  He didn't come out of the game very much.

Kirksville put two guys on Owen

Did I mention that he is also the long snapper?

I didn't realize this until someone told me.

He was practicing on the sideline after a questionable snap.

Well, we ended up beating Kirksville.  I can't remember what the score was.

Grandma Deb came to watch at Kirksville

Next game:  North County

I don't even really know where that is, but at least we played at home.

Pre-game

Max, Owen, Aiden Williams, and Grant Hyde

Team Captains at the coin toss

Aiden Williams, Owen, Graham McKim, Brody Troth

I missed this at Kirksville... we were running a little late.

Kickoff

Owen directing at middle linebacker

Post-game with his buddies

Kai, Kellen, Owen, and Andrew

We got a family pic!

All the grandparents came to watch.

And Gracie!

It was another really hot night of football.  I can't believe how warm the past month has been, and it will be for at least a few more days.  Everyone stayed with us on that Friday night after the game, including Gracie!  She and Owen bonded that evening, and Gracie actually stayed with us again on Saturday before heading back to Columbia.  She and Nova went to a concert at the lake on that Sunday evening of Labor Day weekend.  

Owen and Gracie were both working on homework on Saturday night... those crazy kids.

Owen has actually had quite a bit of school work outside of actual school this year.  Those dual credit MACC courses take a little more time and effort.

Gracie has gone to two concerts in the past couple weeks.  One was at the lake and the other was near Kansas City.  She and Nova went to both of them together, and they ended up staying with Kirsten Dell in Kansas City.  I'm sure that was a fun couple of days for her.  She found some of her teammates at the concert, too! 

Katie Guilliam, Gracie, and Audrey Cathey at the concert in KC

Part of the original 2026 recruiting class

Gracie and Nova in KC

At Tye Myers at the Ozark Amphitheater

Finally up to date...

We helped Drummonds host the Football team dinner last night.

I think there were over 35 high school football players there and it was a success.

It was still so hot, though.

I think I mentioned that Owen got hurt during practice last week.  It was the same kind of thing that happened a couple of weeks before state wrestling last winter.  He got hit pretty hard in his quad, but luckily that's all it was...nothing serious.  He didn't have a lot of mobility for a few days, but seems to be doing much better this week.  I'm assuming he will be playing again tonight.  That's all I pray for; no injuries.  So, here we go.  Week 4 of school and football.