Let the celebrations begin!

Or alternately titled “Healing through learning”. I guess it’s a good thing to have several titles to choose from!

Hello loving community, sorry for letting so much time pass between my updates. It’s been a busy two weeks filled with love, learning and connections. And most importantly, we have kicked off the series of events to celebrate Obie. It is a testament to his legacy that there are so many groups who want to honor him. This last week was the 50th annual Spokane Homecoming Invitational Tournament (SHIT) which he had helped organize. The third Friday in May was ALWAYS on Obie’s calendar and it was one of his favorite days of the year. I went to Spokane to help honor him and it was immediately apparent why this group of friends was so important to him. I was able to tuck into his closest group of friends and they sheparded me through their traditions. It was so good to see some friends from out of town who I had not seen since his passing. There were tears but those were overshadowed by the laughter and memories. This is a group of friends who are not afraid to show their love of each other. We also raised $1500 for the Obie Fund for the Richland Teen Center for our Boys & Girls Club.

Next up on the celebration train is the Richland Yacht Club’s Margaritaville party on June 7th. Anyone is welcome to attend, this was another event that Obie helped organized for many years. After that, we’ll be gearing up for the big weekend at the end of June. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been able to nail down most of the remaining details. I’m really happy with how things are shaping up and I hope that these events will do him justice. They are not your typical memorial events but he was anything but typical.

The week before last I travelled to San Diego for the national conference of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The national conferences are always so motivating, a great time to reconnect with other board volunteers and club leaders and hear some amazing keynote speakers. I was able to take a quick trip up to Carlsbad to visit The Flower Fields with all of the ranunculus in bloom. I am finding that having flowers front and center in my life, whether in my yard, planters or cut arrangements in the house brings me a lot of joy. I’ve been pestering my floral design instructor to let me help her with weddings and other events. As I’m defining what life without Obie looks like, I want to anchor my time and efforts around things that will give back to others and bring me joy. So hit me up if you want me to do an arrangement for you!

I’ve also been continuing the work with my soul dhoula and it surprises me with how much I learn in each session. We are digging into the formative moments in my life and how that has shaped the person that I am today. The whole goal is to become more aware and intentional. I shared before that I have felt like a weight was lifted after the first session. With each session, I feel an increased sense of connection to not only Obie, but also my gramma and Cindy. There are some themes emerging around future potential to help others deal with loss and the need for me to relax and “let my hair down”. In reflection, I know that I was hyper focused in the few months after Obie’s passing which was a coping mechanism for me to control some aspect of what was happening. The great news is that while I keep getting shit done, it does not feel as frantic and I am more settled.

I’ve also been listening to the Mel Robbins podcast and two recent episodes also contributed to my learning. The first was about how to harness your inner voice for good (as opposed to negativity) and the other that I just started is about spirituality. I honestly believe that if you open yourself for these clues, sometimes subtle, sometimes very obvious, you will become more connected with not only your spirit but also those that surround you.

As I look into the next few weeks, I will be focused on getting the last few minor projects done around the house and helping Emily get her garden planted. Once we get into June, the laundry room renovation begins and the first big camping trip will occur. Last weekend we had our first driveway pizza party with Tyler, Emily and the kids and Tim and Lana. I’m hoping that becomes a tradition throughout the summer. As I look into the future, I see a life filled with so many people we love.

I still have an Obie sized hole in my heart, but the sharp edges seem to be filled with light now. I still cry, but the tears are ones of love and joy, not despair. Honestly, I don’t ever want to lose that. As I reflect on the people who have shaped my life, I would not be the person I am today with Obie and his unconditional love. So I will always cherish him and sometimes that shows up in the form of condensation on my face.

I hope you have a great holiday weekend, please take the time to connect with the ones that you love. Our lives are only as full as the people we have around us. Thank you for being a part of my world, I appreciate you all.