1. What’s something you would say ‘runs in your family’?

Ha! I want to answer this both literally and figuratively. In my family, stubbornness is definitely a trait that runs deep. But we are also runners! My whole family runs and my brother-in-law does long distances, like 100 mile races and stuff. I was out of the running loop there for a while but we’re getting back to it because Dakota has to have her requisite training like the boys did. It was less about the running and more about the discipline. Learning to go on 4-5 training runs a week and pushing through pain and suffering really helped my boys to be stronger people, mentally. It was really something to see Isaac go from the kid who said “Nope. I am not taking one more single step.” to the kid who raced us home every single time. And it paid off. Elliot was 8 years old doing 10 mile runs. He ran cross country all three years of middle school. And next Monday, Isaac has tryouts too.

2. A book, song, tv show, or movie you love that is centered around family. 

There’s really so so many but a couple TV shows that came to mind were The Middle and The Goldbergs. Both have so many funny yet touching family aspects. Movie-wise, I know there are some but they’re escaping me right now.

3. Family matters, family ties, family tree, family man, family fortune, black sheep of the family, family values, one big happy family…choose a ‘family phrase’ that applies to your life currently and explain. 

I’m going with ‘one big happy family’ because that phrase, to me, denotes a sort of sarcasm. ‘Oh, you know, just one big happy family!’ and you grin and hide the fact you’re annoyed. My kids had camp all summer, with the exception of my oldest, but Monday and Tuesday were free days before the first day of school today. So they were all here, just waiting for the next thing. Ash doesn’t feel well and my oldest was being an ass and I have SO much work to do so the feeling within our home was one of tension and anticipation.

4. Last thing you fixed for a big family dinner? If you’re not the cook, last thing you were served at a big family dinner? 

I made a pot roast the other night. It turned out great! BUT my kids were so-so on it, Ash wasn’t home from his trip yet but when he did get home that evening, I wasn’t even hungry. So it kind of went to waste. Well, ok, I put it in a Tupperware and my mom texted me that my dad said it rivaled my grandma’s, which was really saying something because she made very few things that were amazing but her pot roast was second to none.

5. What are three words you would use to describe your family. 

Unconventional. Strong. Individual.

I feel like we work as a team but we do it on our own terms. We have a way of feeding our kids differently than others. We enforce rules differently. And we talk to our kids like real people, not just clueless children. It’s hard to explain but I know many things we’re doing will make them better adults.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I am trying not to panic but I have a new teaching gig added onto my pile this semester and I don’t know where my content is yet. If we even have pre-loaded content at all, actually. i.e. do I have to come up with all my own assignments? Tonight, there’s an adjunct meeting and I am hoping this clears up a lot of my issues. I am thankful that one of my other jobs, the prison one, does not end for another couple weeks then I have a month break before it begins again. This allows me to focus on my on-campus classes and these new ones. I know once I hit my stride and get into the swing of things, it will be ok but it’s been a while since I have had to do that. Plus, with Ash home for at least this week, if not next, things are wonky. He is feeling sick so I’m guessing it’s the Rona. A bunch of people from the conference he attended tested positive so hey, here we go. We knew it was inevitable; this thing is endemic like colds and flu so we may as well accept it. We can’t run from it and zero cases is COMPELTELY unreasonable. But hey, listen to the government tell you that’s achievable; by all means. But read actual scientific data and do your own research if you want to better understand the actual virus. If you want to better understand why the government is doing what it’s doing, well, read 1984!