Stormeyes Enchanted

The Monday I Keep Thinking About

Classes begin Monday, June 30, and suddenly it’s real. My stomach does that flip I used to get back in school—except this time, it’s a mix of fear, excitement, and a dash of “What am I doing? What was I thinking?!”

Here’s what I really feel:
I should’ve done this right after high school, but let’s be honest—I would’ve rolled my eyes at elective credits. Stubborn was my middle name. I still am, just…better at masking it! (Husband thinks otherwise—so if you know him, feel free to tell him “hush!” 😉)

---

From Electives to Epiphanies

As I paged through the course materials, I had a flashback to my 18‑year‑old self: clueless, overwhelmed, and wide-eyed. Today? I’m grateful for how far I’ve come—not just in age, but in perspective.

A random glance at my tattoo in honor of Garet, the other one matching Kaden’s, hit me: I’m ready to add one more. I know what it’ll be, I just need an amazing color artist local to bring it to life. (Local tattoo lovers, suggestions? ❤️)

---

Home Base: Living, Learning, Laughing—Even in Chaos

The girls were off the charts yesterday. Screaming, giggling, fighting, laughing—our classic family symphony. And honestly? I was ready for bed by 8 PM. 😂 But that’s life: messy, loud, and imperfect—and it’s okay.

Then my phone buzzed: prom dress pictures from my daughter, “just for fun”. My heart soared—she’s growing up so fast! And then it hit—my gut twisted, quietly thinking, “Garet would’ve teased her about being ‘too old’, or that the dress needed to be a turtleneck with long sleeves and a skirt to the floor.”

And there it was: the sneaky reminder that normal is gone. He is missing out on so much of the siblings growing…. But I realized this: we get to redefine “normal.” We get to live how we think he’d want us to live. With laughter, growth, and sometimes awkward teenage celebrations.

---

Choosing Resilience—Together

So where do we go from here? We go forward. With intention. With strength. With faith that:

• Aging isn’t defeat—it’s progress.
• Grief doesn’t stop our steps—it informs our direction.
• Hope isn’t blind—it’s persistent.

And yes, I feel guilty that I feel…okay. But maybe that’s both okay and important. Because moving forward in honor of those we lost is part of the healing. And I want my kids to see me choosing light over despair, choice over surrender, better over bitterness.

---

Dash, Rain, and Everything In Between

Speaking of choosing—my car is back, thanks to L & F Muffler on Hebron Road in Newark, if you happen to be local. (no affiliation, just major gratitude!) We headed out for a little late-night dash run, old-school music blasting like our own mini-road trip.

---

A Few Reflections to Hold On To

• Never too late: It doesn’t matter if school wasn’t done in 1993—this is your time.
• Add what matters: tattoos, dreams, new chapters—go for them! I need some partners in crime, guys! 😁
• Normal is flexible: grieving and growing can coexist.
• Hope is loud: like thunderstorms. Like bouncing kids. Like prom dreams.

---

💌 I Want to Hear from You

• Does this feel okay to you? Maybe weird or a little right?
• What milestone is making you nervous—and hopeful—right now?
• Or just: what’s your go-to song while you dash out the world’s stress?

---

Final Thoughts

Let’s remember: beauty isn’t in perfection. It’s in showing up. In choosing to keep learning, dreaming, loving—even when making prom dress jokes seems so…wrong without him.

Mondays still happen. Rain will fall. We’ll hold hands, laugh at ourselves, and take another step forward—joy and grief side by side.

And yes—you’re absolutely allowed to feel okay even when the heart still aches. 🌧️✨