Slaby 2018

Jan 4, 2019
3 min read

Our Lookback

Every year. Every single year I feel the same thing. I'm not gonna do it. Not gonna do it. Nope not this year. Can't. Won't. Not.

Every year I fail to convince myself that the sky won't fall if I don't pull this website together one more time. That the kids won't miss looking back at it year after year. And that the few people that consider reading this site will no doubt find other more interesting and amusing things on the way to our url.

Nope. Every year, I fail.

Every year I keep coming back.

Back to writing and believing somewhere on this spinning bouncing ball, there is meaning to our mayhem, if only for that errant look back. That the kids will take some moments re-reading their old posts, tripping down memory lane and putting back the pieces of their own puzzles of life.

Onward I go. This tradition continues....complete with nagging the kids to get their posts done, favorites listed and photos shared.

Because when you're a family, that's what you do. Tradition. Sacrificing reckless abandon, steadfastly forging ahead, often in the tightest of squeeze, and where failure is just one tempting step away...but miraculously avoided (mostly) every time.

Over 31 years ago, Mark and I came together, young and full of big ideals and even bigger ideas. Powered by blissful ignorance which grew into leaping faith, we've come to accept that most things can be overcome, conquered, or at least accepted. One way or another, we have somehow prevailed.

Then, in a blink of an eye, we're now looking back on a family we've grown and the flurry of ideas that sprang, held together with the thinnest of resolve at times, but never broken.

In my little lookback here, I've come to realize that it's Tradition that has been our family's greatest ally. It's these little things we do every day, from saying I love you every time we hang up the phone, to hugging even in the worst and crankiest of times, or to getting up at 3 am to take a goodbye picture when one of us flies away. And the countless other traditions, seemingly meaningless, but providing the glue that binds us all as one, never perfect, but fiercely loving family.

Tradition.

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If ever there was a year that pushed Mark and I to the limit, it would be 2018. Not gonna lie. It looks way better in our rear view mirror. But here we are. Again.

And no doubt, we will be here again and again.

The biggest blow for us this year has been the heart-stopping uncertainty of Mark's employment. Daily high stakes decisions turned into a roller coaster of queasiness that got the best of us. Rounding out nearly a year on shaky ground, thankfully, things started to fall into place.

Last spring Mark got a sweet job at Next College Student Athlete as a Recruiting Specialist. This ties together all his experience in higher education and sales. But the best part about it is that he's not tethered to an office or a commute. He works from home, or anywhere there's internet. Like on earth, anywhere. That's exactly what we were hoping for as we settle into our empty nest.

Now we can fly!

New to me this year is my bike rental business. Funny how what you think about comes about. Bikes have always been on my brain. Serial entrepreneur that I am, I definitely have to be careful what I wish for. It's all good. Fun. Inspiring. Fulfilling. And challenging. The stuff that makes me tick...

That's our world in a few hundred words and a thousand more through the pictures below. Through struggle comes strength, and 2018 flexed our muscles in unimaginable ways. But the sun is still shining, and we're still smiling, We are grateful beyond words.

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Make sure to check out the kids posts to see what they've been up to. They're all off and doing their own things now. So proud of each and every one of them of course, but mostly proud of how they all seem to have an inner knowing of what brings them happiness, and are always daring to embrace it. One step at a time.

Thank you for stopping by. Drop us a note or a comment. And, sign up for my updates. I might actually surprise you and send one some day. . . . .

Love & sPaRkLes to you,

Maria & Mark