A letter from Mar 12, 2025

Dear FutureMe, I'm super late this year, so I'm going to let ChatGPT do this for me. (Please don't do this again, or hey, do it again, but in a more timely manner!) And now, a robot: As I write this, it's 2024, and a lot is happening. By the time you read this in 2025, I wonder how much has changed—how much has grown, and how much remains the same. Do you remember the Thanksgiving trip through the Southwest? The Grand Canyon's vastness, the way it made everything feel both impossibly small and infinitely grand at the same time? The crisp desert air, the painted skies at sunset, and the final stretch into Las Vegas, where bright lights met exhaustion but also excitement? I hope you still carry those memories, and maybe even have plans for another trip like it. Oh, and congrats! You made it to Team Lead at dC. That’s no small feat. Right now, the path is still unfolding, but I hope you've settled into the role, found your rhythm, and feel confident in your leadership. Do you still enjoy it? Has it been everything you hoped, or has it brought unexpected challenges? Either way, I know you’re making the most of it. This past year was our family’s first full year in our home. Does it feel even more like home now? Have you finally tackled those little projects you kept putting off? I hope it’s filled with warmth, laughter, and fewer random piles of things in places they don’t belong. And the kids—wow, they’re growing fast. Jake is on the verge of crossing over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. Did he find a good troop? Does he love the adventure and responsibility that come with it? And Ella—she’s earning her Deputy Belt in Taekwondo! I wonder if she’s kept up with it, and if she’s still as fierce and determined as she is now. I bet she is. Last summer, we made that trip to Fort Worth, with a stay at the Great Wolf Lodge. The kids were beyond excited—was it as fun as we imagined? Did we all survive the water park chaos? Hopefully, the memories were worth the exhaustion. It’s still hard keeping the kids at home after school instead of sending them to Third Base. Some days it feels like the right call, other days it’s a battle of patience and energy. Have things gotten easier? Have you found new ways to balance everything? One of the biggest changes this past year was Dad moving closer to us in San Antonio. I hope that’s been a blessing—more family time, more support, more moments together. Has he settled in well? Have the kids loved having him closer? And then, there’s your brother. Right now, he’s struggling—psychosis, mental health challenges, the uncertainty of what’s next. I know it’s heavy. I know it’s hard. I hope a year from now, things have improved for him, even if just a little. I hope he’s finding stability and help, and I hope you’re managing to navigate it all with patience and grace. A year from now, when you read this, take a breath. Reflect on all that’s happened. Be proud of what you’ve done, what you’ve survived, and what you’ve built. The past year hasn’t been easy, but you’re here, and that’s enough. With hope and curiosity, Me