Reflections of 2023

In years past, I have titled these “Lessons Of”. I’ve already changed the title line of this one a few times – Lessons of 2023 – 2023 – Recap of 2023 – to finally “Reflections of 2023”.

As I begin reflecting, I find the same is true this year as years past. January and February are blurs. I believe it is a time of reset if you will. Resetting my mind, my intentions, and my focus as I reflect on the year prior.

With that being said – let’s begin. January – yep – don’t recall.

February –
For Valentine’s Day, I surprised McKenzie with a concert to see her all time favorite artist – Carrie Underwood. Watching McKenzie’s face light up as the lights and sounds ramped up before Carrie’s entrance onto the stage was priceless.

Italian Night at The Elks – We went to an annual fundraiser with friends at our husbands’ Elks Lodge raising funds for the Elks National Foundation. It is always a good time giving back!

March –
Greg and I took McKenzie to another concert with friends. We saw Cody Johnson in Dayton, Ohio. He sounds just like he does on the radio. Amazing and one hell of a show.

Greg and I left the next morning for the beach for a few days with other friends of ours. We got home so late from Dayton that I didn’t even bother going to sleep. I cat-napped as Chelsea called it all the way down to South Carolina. This trip was absolutely the most relaxing time I have ever been on a getaway. We looked at condos with a local realtor allowing us to get an idea of what we do and don’t want in a second home.

We had amazing meals, drinks and views. I only wish that the night we went to Hook & Barrel for dinner that we had actually had someone take our photo together. That memory lives in my mind and heart. The meal was spectacular. We also went to Top Golf and to Dave & Busters. We are some competitive people!

April –
GW turned 50!! McKenzie and I planned a surprise party for him. She said – Dad won’t like this. I said – I don’t care. He beyond deserves one. So, I went to the golf course and they put us on the calendar. Hidden on the calendar I should say because the calendar hangs on the wall that leads to the restrooms and they were concerned he would see my name. Lists were made. Plans in place. My brother involved in the surprise – which worked absolutely flawless. Food NOT ordered. Then….. dinner conversations one night and he was very adamant about not having a party – at all – not in the least. I said – what about a surprise party. Oh – no no no no no no. So I said – when you go to the golf course tomorrow, be sure to let them know that you are cancelling your surprise party. His eyes widened and said – sorry. McKenzie said – I told you he didn’t want a party. And, I said – he would’ve gotten over it afterwards. When he went to the golf course the next day and asked them to take my name off the calendar, they said – does Paula know that you are doing this?! Ha!!!! You gotta love a small town for sure! To that end, we went to the golf course for lunch and to The Colony for dinner with friends. It’s what he wanted and that is exactly what he received.

McKenzie was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. College life suits her for sure! She never ceases to amaze us.

We held the last French City Society Gathering before putting it on pause. Our final total over the years is an amazing $100,000. I am toying with the idea of bringing it back this year with changes engaged.

We added a section to the back yard off from the pub filled with pea gravel affectionally known as rich bitch gravel 🤣😎

If you aren’t serious about wanting something done around here, don’t even make a mention of it to GW. We were chatting one evening and I mentioned that I really would like to add pea gravel off the side of the pub and take the walkway out to the pool. Next thing I know, GW was on the four wheeler down at the barn hauling scrapped out belting up the hill. I just shook my head as he placed them down like he was putting a puzzle together. The next day when I pulled in from work, he had my gravel in a pile in the center of the belting. He and McKenzie spread it all out and I love it!!

May –
GW replaced the wooden flower boxes he made me years ago that also housed posts for my patio lights. After years of watering flowers and sitting out in the elements, they had seen better days. Our friend, Bubba, welded the new poles with hooks to hang the runner wire from. After placing them in concert, GW painted them the same color as the pub. We bought brand new string lights and added a couple of strands.

My mom gave us a big scare – again. She was a sick little lady but once again pulled through and we are all so very thankful! This was the second birthday of mine that she had been in the hospital and I pray that it’s the last!

June –
GW and I went to Columbus for my birthday. He always makes me feel so loved and appreciated. We had a wonderful time celebrating and met several people that they too were celebrating their birthdays the same day as mine!

Maryland – GW and the gang went to Maryland. I stayed back due to momma getting out of inpatient rehab. McKenzie was with her. I was the one not able to rest knowing how sick she had been and working on strength. We also bought a new set of washer and dryer that was delivered the next day after GW left. I had planned on driving up on that day, which was a Friday after seeing how well mom was doing at home and with her favorite gal staying with her. It was more me than them I discovered – not shocking to me in the least. The delivery of my appliances was scheduled between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Well, wouldn’t you know it, it was 7:50 p.m. when they arrived. No reason to drive almost four hours that late, so, I stayed Home Alone. It was relaxing and come to found out – much needed. A link is added to those curious above.

July –
I was suppose to go on my annual girls trip to Maryland with Amy & Cindy. My sciatic nerve acted up terrible last summer. And, I do mean terrible. It was the worst it has ever been except for the time I was down in the back from “lifting” the horse out of the fence. I knew as soon as I had stood straight up that I has truly messed up. My friend and chiropractor fixed me then and worked on fixing me this summer. It took a while but he did. However, the morning of the day we were leaving for Maryland, GW literally had to pull me up from the bed as I cried – I don’t cry unless I am in pain and let me tell you – I was in pain. The day before, I went to see Steve and after my adjustment he said – I’m in tomorrow as well. Stop in. I said – I’m leaving for Maryland and won’t make it in. He looked at me in his way and said – do you really think you will be able to sit for four hours in a vehicle? I don’t, but you may. So, when I showed up at his office – in tears – for not being able to go on my girls trip and for being in so much pain – he wasn’t surprised. He did, however, get me fixed up to where McKenzie and I were able to go on our girls trip to the beach.

We flew to Myrtle, got in our rental car and headed to our place. She and I hadn’t ever flew by ourselves together nor went to stay for a week just the two of us. It was magical to say the least. We laughed, talked, planned and rested. We would go to breakfast, then head to our chair rental, read and nap. It was just what both of us needed and didn’t know it.

August –
Back to work. I was there one full day. My second day, I walked in to our maintenance crew trying to contain a 2,000 gallon glycol leak.

Needless to say, it was quite the task to clean and fix everything that was destroyed. Delaying school until September. Which meant a calendar change – including losing Spring Break in 2024.

My God Daughter, Victoria, got engaged the summer of 2023. We went to their engagement party in the German Village at Schmitdt’s Sausage Haus. The atmosphere, people and food were fabulous!!

September –
Back to school – again – this time with students. I started this year with 563 career technical education students. They come and ago due to it isn’t what they thought it would be or it’s too much of what they thought it might be or lack of attendance – taking the spot of someone who truly wants to be there – etc. I am still in charge of all of their attendance by myself. I was added duties without any being taken away. An overload if you will. Others not doing what they are required to do leaving the rest of us to fill in those gaps as well. GW had enough of seeing me come home overworked, under appreciated and used. He required of me to write my resignation letter. With much angst about it, I did what he asked. I took it to my Dean and we had a conversation. A much needed hard and blunt conversation. I won’t go into detail out of the privacy of others, however, I kept the letter with the ability to change the date at any moment if things didn’t change and improve. It was not the easiest of conversations to have with my GW when I pulled into the garage and he asked – did you turn it in – when is your last day? Well….. that’s the thing, I didn’t. He just shook his head. Long story short, improvements have been made – not just for me but others as well – much needed hard conversations have been had with more to follow, I am sure.

GW went to the Greenbrier River with friends. A relaxing weekend for him in a cabin with beverages, conversations and fishing. My GW has travelled more this year than I have ever seen him travel and I am so thankful that he is at that point in his life because he of all people deserves it.

October –
McKenzie goes to New York City!!! McKenzie left for NYC with her college professors and fellow URG students. I had to laugh at her when she came to me after googling where they were staying – a Hostel. She was wide eyed and said – uh – have you seen this? I said chuckling – yes, I have. It’s. not the H you are used to is it? 😂. She had a great time taking in the sights, the museums, Broadway, and making memories that will last an entire lifetime.

November –
McKenzie turned TWENTY!!! What an amazing young woman she is continuously becoming. The world is at her feet and I am enjoying every moment. I miss her being little and with me all of the time. I have loved every single stage of her life and ever so thankful to have been blessed with the ability to be home with her. She wanted to work on her birthday – so she did. Her work peeps were so kind and fabulous in making her feel extra special. Mawmaw, Uncle Bub, Aunt Michelle, myself and GW went to see her at Courtside and enjoyed watching her being showered with love, flowers and lots and lots of cake!

Thanksgiving – we invited the entire family over for Thanksgiving. It was a late meal. Changing it for 2024 with a meal prior to the actual date. GW is working 2024 Thanksgiving. Canaa G and I had a fun food fight. Who knew I could be that fun?! I did!! Two days later, our family was blessed with a new baby boy. It is crazy how much he looked like me when he was born. His dad texted Holy shiitt when I sent him my hospital baby picture after he texted me a photo of Slate.

December –
McKenzie’s last day for the semester was December 8th with a return date of January 17th. What a Christmas break that is!!! We sure didn’t have that long of a time off when I was in college! GW last day for the year was December 14th with a return date of January 5th. Blessedly he only had to use seven days of vacation to be off for twenty-one! We sure do love his schedule!! My last day for the year was December 22nd with a return date of January 8th. My break wasn’t as long but it was nice, slow and not rushed.

One of my favorite moments over the break was the morning that I was wrapping gifts with GW hanging out with me. I asked if he wanted to make breakfast while I wrapped – I actually couldn’t believe I delegated that to him. I had to with the short amount of time from the last day of work to Christmas Eve and day. He poured himself a Bloody Mary and I was like – I want a mimosa! We texted two of our dearest friends a photo of our beverages. Todd called. He and Morgan were sitting around drinking coffee by the tree hanging out like us. We said – come over! They literally live less than sixty seconds from us. They said – we are in our pajamas. We said – so are we! Get on over here! I halted wrapping and began pouring mimosas for Morgan and myself then started on breakfast. We ate, laughed and cheered to each other. It’s the impromptu moments that always turn out to be the most fabulous for us. They had a day of ballgames jammed packed and ended up coming back for dinner! My heart is so full over that moment!!!

We had a great time all together at Mom’s house. It was loud. It was full. It was fun. I was a little more emotional this year than year’s past without Daddy actually sitting in the room with us. He wouldn’t have liked the Christmas tree literally rocking back and forth from being ran into for fear it would have fallen over on the babies. The noise would have gotten to him – a man of solitude every day makes noise an overload. But, he would have loved it all.

New Year’s Eve – GW and I celebrated 21 years of marriage. We took mom and McKenzie to Texas Roadhouse in Huntington to celebrate our anniversary and that of Momma & Daddy’s. Their celebration of 58 years together looks differently now but the love is still there.

As I reflect on 2023, I am very thankful for the loves in my life and the memories we continue to make together!

Happy New Year! XOXO ~ PGWW