Zinging past photos, my thumb hovered over all of 2019; a rectangular montage barely filling half of my iPhone screen. My mind couldn’t help but wonder, what snapshots were important to me last year at this time?
Feb 1: I sat through a live webinar / town hall listening to our new VP of Strategy speak, taking a screenshot of our newest buzz words and mission statement portions of our rebrand. Drinking the koolaid, ready (again) to adapt to new surroundings and tackle KPI’s. I’m a remote employee, so I primarily work from home, with frequent travel to clients or HQ. I snapped a picture of my beloved CMN socks.

Feb 4: 12 attempts at one good video for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Carly and I laughing uncontrollably (me behind the camera.) Her laugh is so wonderful. I have MP3s of it. I try to balance collecting digital memories with being present. Try being the operative word.
Feb 8: Screenshots that I sent to Jer theorizing on whether Pete Davidson became huge overnight or google is just making him seem that way to me based on my viewing and browsing habits. And because SNL has been NAILING it.
Feb 16: Video of Carly enjoying a dip-a-stick (full of red and blue dye and other GMOs I’m sure), while Hamilton plays in the background. We sing along, as I remember, feeling happy. Just a moment where the sun was shining in the big window in our house on the farm and nothing but love and music filled the room. I pan over to Jer’s foot on the couch. He always told me that we know how ‘to weekend’. He was so right.
Feb 18: Jer and I, lunching at the Blarney, a Toledo favorite, with all the name implies. Reminding me of O’Donnovan’s in Chicago, the kind of place that midwesterners drink brown beers and wear flannel clothes with knitted accessories. Here in Toledo, Jer and I enjoyed what the world had served us: a visit with the most beautiful server we’d ever seen, sitting in the Blarney, the sunny window spot no less. A rose-colored view of the town we love. As if that wasn’t enough, we indulged in suds and plotted our Acoustics for Autism “set list” cross-checking the stages to catch as many of our favorites as possible. Is there anything better than local music? Yes, there is. More than one stage of it – for one special day to show how music brings people together, and united we can accomplish great things. And there is beer there. I had game stomach. #notkidding

2/22 (photos), we celebrated Kacee’s basketball accomplishments with a delicious dinner at J. Alexanders. I have 20+ photos of Kacee absolutely crushing it. Playing varsity as a sophomore. Super stoked to have gotten her temps, already visiting colleges and learning leadership. Dad coaching her on how to speak on camera. It’s about the team. It’s about the 10,000 hours.

2/28 (photo), ironically snap a shot of “A New Day” clothing label in the dress shirt I purchased from Target, hoping for positive karma on this business trip. Cincinnati first. Then on to St. Petersburg, FL for an intense strategy session and presentation for a game-changer client meeting. The label, a nod to the fact that clients come and go, I was aiming to convince my boss as much as myself that it was a positive sign. Albeit hilarious as we have uttered those words so many times before.
My daughter has a super rare genetic condition that is medically provocative, inspirational and horrifying at the same time. If you think time passes quickly, try the Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome or progeria lens on. Think dog years, not human years. Carly’s body ages 10 years to our one.
So, suffice to say, we try to live in the moment and enjoy the moments that we are given. It’s incredible this gift of technology. But wow, the documented moments evoke so many feelings, I can’t help but peruse the very accurate account of the months to follow. These everyday moments take on new meaning today as technology’s one year ago reminders filter in.
A timelapse of the past year when first Carly, then Jeremy and I got sick. And, Jer got very sick.