Keep going...

20 January 2025: What else to do on a day like today but...keep going? Keep doing what you need to do, loving and supporting those you love, and praying and working to make things better.

In a more granual sense, for me, that mostly meant staying close to home (snow and ice played a role in that), working the book, and spending nearly two hours on a video chat with Jane, Allison, Heather, and Beth. All of that helped to push back against the darkness. 

Day one of a new, dark reality, but we keep going. 

Update, 7:41 p.m.: Just feels worth recording this because emotions and grief and today are so weird: just now, "crop duster" was an answer on Jeopardy! and I giggled and thought, 'I should tell Ryan that,'" like I could just call him up or he was in the other room. Just a second, if that. And then the "oh, wait..."

McDaniel with Beth...

21 September 2024: What a treat it was to spend some some time with Beth today while her daughter, Caitlyn, finished up an overnight recruitment visit at McDaniel College. I got there around 1:00, heading straight to Westminster after finishing an open house at Shepherd. We had lunch, walked around campus, and just caught up for a while. 

Beth is the first friend that I made at Roanoke. That friendship sustained me during some of the hardest days in that early and very tough transition. The fact that we are still friends nearly 30 years later--her own kid is looking at colleges (!)--is such a gift.

25th Reunion

20 April 2024: 

[Catch-up post]

Nearly twenty-five years since I graduated from Roanoke and getting close to twenty-nince years since I met this group of women (and Mike!) who have been such blessings in my life. 

Allison and Mike

1 July 2023:

[Catch-up post]

Filled with so many emotions and so much love for Allison and Mike.

Reunited for the wedding weekend...

30 June 2023: 

[Catch-up post]

Norfolk Reunion, Last Day

25 July 2021: Seven years ago, I was with some of these dear friends the day I learned about Ryan's death. In the aftermath of that, this friend group really helped sustain me, as they have through every challenge. We've sustained, supported, and taken care of each other, including when we lost Shannon. It was a kind of special synergy to be with them again this morning before we headed home.

Norfolk Reunion, Day Two

24 July 2021: 

[Catch up post.]

Day Two was pretty perfect, too.

Norfolk Reunion, Day One

23 July 2021: 

[Catch up post.]

So happy to have reunited with these friends. Bliss.

Video-chatting, almost one year in...

13 March 2021: 

[Catch-up post...]

Late on my daily post for the first time is a long time, but I am going to use it as an excuse to go meta and talk about another anniversary. You see, last night's weekly video chat with my college friends went extra-long and was extra-awesome. Mike joined us again (two weeks in a row), which made it even better. As we talked, we realized next week would be the one-year anniversary of our first video chat. It is not an overstatement to say this: I am not sure what I would have done without these friends and these weekly chats. What a gift.

My old crew...

11 April 2020: Had my first "grocery store with a homemade mask on" experience today. I hated it. I felt anxious and rushed and just...sad. And it was even more of a bummer because a) I like going to the grocery store--like genuinely enjoy it and b) because I am doing my best to only go every 10-14 days, I was looking forward to this as almost an "outing." (These are weird times.)

So, I was bummed.

Came home, had video/phone conferences with some students, mowed the lawn, graded some papers. It was all okay. Good even.

But what really made my mood lift? Video-chatting with Beth, Jane, Allison, and Heather. What a blessing they are through all of this.

Garth Brooks Concert

18 May 2019:

[Catch-up post]

Had a great time on Saturday heading to Pittsburgh with Allison, Beth, and Jane to see Garth Brooks. Great show but even better company with three of my best friends.

"The Shannon Niehaus Lobe Fan Club"

4 October 2018: It's been just over a year since Shannon died. It is still hard to believe. But a final gift she gave my Roanoke friends and I was making us all closer, putting us back in daily conversation with each other. Back when she first got sick, the rest of us started this group text (actually on Messenger) and named it "The Shannon Niehaus Lobe Fan Club." That thread is still going strong and continues to be a place where we share updates and stories of our days, get support and advice from each other, and make each other laugh. Tonight is no exception. One of us texted that she needed some good vibes. The rest of us happily sent them her way. And now we are texting about silly stories from years past. The thing is, I didn't realize how much I needed this tonight until the messages started coming in.

What a blessing to have these women in my life 24 years (!) after we met.

Alumni Weekend, Part Three

13 April 2014: Sunday meant saying goodbye and heading home, but not before our traditional lunch at the Homeplace. (Group picture to follow, maybe? I don't have one, but maybe someone else from the group does?)

Alumni Weekend, Part Two

12 April 2014: Some of my best friends, their terrific kids, and a baseball game? What could be better?

Jersey Girls

On my way back from the Truck Party, I stopped in New Jersey to see my friend Beth and her daughter, Caitlyn. I didn't stay for long--a brief visit and lunch, but it was great to see them both. (And Ian, Beth's husband, too, although he couldn't join us for lunch.)

Caitlyn was quite the charmer at lunch. Everyone--waitresses, other customers--loved her. She entertained herself by staring at people and saying hello to them--and by playing with this cup of water. By the end of lunch, she was soaked.


Eating some of her mom's sandwich.


Caitlyn and Beth.