Mother's Day Reflections on a year gone by...

A holiday letter? Nope. A new year's letter? Nope. A Chinese New Year's letter? Nope. A Vernal Equinox letter? Nope. Oh, my god...it's Mother's Day. Well, what better time to reflect on my life and the life of my family...

But I will say that being in Taiwan has given me the perfect excuse to procrastinate on this year's holiday update or as Dave Barry would refer to it: 2016--A Year In Review!

It's funny because 2016 was a year that a lot of people didn't like, and there's good reason for that (TRUMP!)...sorry, I had something caught in my throat! But seriously, 2016 felt like a year that drove us apart as a country, strained our friendships and family relationships, and caused a lot of toxic stress.

So within that larger, upsetting context, I feel grateful that the Texas Nortons experienced so much joy! Part of that joy is our community (that's YOU), near and far, that keeps us grounded and connected and reminds us to CELEBRATE EVERYTHING!

So we tried to do just that throughout the year...knowing that "the best portions of our lives will be the small, nameless moments we spend smiling with someone who matters to us." 💕

In January...we celebrated our annual Hoowee Jamboree, a winter gathering with friends at Bastrop State Park! Bloody Mary's for breakfast, meat marriages and a whole lot of laughter! As our good friend (you know who you are!) once said, "The best parties are made of a series of small, questionable decisions."😊

Buenos dias!

Matrimonio de carne :)

January also brought a visit from one of my good adventure therapy friends, and several of us spent time hiking and rock climbing near Hamilton Natural Pool. Winter in Texas can be quite lovely!

One of my favorite places in Texas!

On belay!

We attended the ACCT conference together in Austin, and reconnected with some of our experiential education friends while also enjoying time at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort.

In February, I presented research at the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs annual conference in LaJolla, CA. I know, it's a rough life!

View from my morning trail run!

Time on the coast with my academic partner-in-crime and soul sister!

Billy's trail running training culminated in his second 50K race with at Huntsville State Park with our good friend Jimmy (obligatory no shirt photo montage).

Running with our good friend, Jimmy, and celebrating with post-race beers!

In February, we hosted our annual Oscar party, with Will going home with the Oscar this year! I blame Mahalia's theater years for this becoming a family tradition, but at this point, we go all out!

The Jayhawks came to town again, and Will and I went to root loudly against the Longhorns (Sorry, UT fans. No, I'm not.)

Holding Phog Allen's original 1951-52 NCAA tournament championship trophy, the Holy Grail of b-ball!

In March, we headed to Colorado for spring break. We reconnected with so many friends and family there, and spent a majority of the week with our dear friends, the Gardners, at their cabin in Nederland. Boy, did we get our fair share of SNOW! 😊

Let it snow!

Skiing at Eldora

Reunion!

RMSEL ultimate

Aunt Julie

Uncle Garcia!

Cousin time!

We also celebrated our annual Easter picnic at the Wimberley Valley Winery, and we had almost 100 people come this year! Word is out that it's the best way to spend Easter Sunday! Surrounded by the spring wildflowers, local wines and good friends, it is easy to feel the joy of the Resurrection. 😊

Hill Country Book Club representing!

Some of our favorite San Martians!

Just like family!

Annual Easter Egg Hunt madness!

In April, we traveled to NYC for my sister Deirdre's 40th birthday! It was great to be in the city that never sleeps (we didn't sleep much either) and reconnect with family and friends.

Girl time!

Soooo sleepy after a very fun, very late 40th b-day celebration!

My beautiful TiTi and my nieces!

Uncle Billy!

And of course every April brings Old Settler's Music Fest, which always shakes the rust off my soul! It's also when I found out that I was selected for Fulbright Taiwan, so we had lots to celebrate!

Pure magic!

Camp CaCaw!

My sisters!

My dad and Elizabeth came to visit during the end of April and the time was spent eating, laughing and watching sports! We are so thankful that despite battling cancer for three years, my dad's health continues to be stable enough to live his life and spend time with his grandchildren!

Hopdoddy's with Picklehead! #truelove

After their visit, I flew to Moab, Utah, where I did a two-day training for Outward Bound, and also got to spend some time hiking around Arches National Park. Springtime wildflowers abounded and I  fell in love with the sandstone canyons.

Getting ready to head to Moab--this is my Outward Bound trainer look!

In May, we gathered for a whimsical Kentucky Derby party, complete with big hats, mint juleps and good friends!

I mean, these hats! C'mon!

Life is good...on the H's porch! :)

We also got a visit from Wendell's godparents, my cousin Andrew and his wife Brie! We spent some time in San Antonio on the River Walk, and enjoyed catching up as a family. Our kids simply adore these two and love every minute they get to spend with them!

Posing with Uncle Andrew.

Enjoying snuggle time with Aunt Brie!

In June, I presented at a conference in El Paso, and decided to take my mom and the kids with me (Billy reports this was his first time alone in the house in 10+ years!). We enjoyed getting to know the city and hiking around Franklin Mountains State Park.

Hiking with Gadie in Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso, TX

I spent the majority of the month of June in Panama, co-leading my first study abroad trip with one of my best friends and fellow academic, Dr. Minda Morren Lopez. I should disclose that Minda and I hatched this plan over wine one night, and even though we had some challenges with our third-party provider, the trip was a life-changing experience for our students and for us!

Our study abroad students!

River crossing...a mindful moment.

Look what I found (and cooked)!

And the craziest thing of all...we ran into these two love birds, my cousin Abigail and her now (yay!) fiance Brian, who just happened to be in Panama at the same time for a wedding. Thanks to FB, we figured it out and got to go out for dinner!

In July, the Buckley's, our former neighborhood best friends who moved away, came to visit! It was so great having them "home."

Back at the Plum Creek pool...just like old times!

I love my Brenners! @ the Huisache Grill

We celebrated the 4th of July with our annual neighborhood parade and fireworks. Living in small town Texas for nine years (gulp!), I have actually come to enjoy these simple traditions.

Even Cha Cha got in on the fun!

July also brought Wendell's 6th birthday! As usual, she showed the same unbridled enthusiasm she shows for, well, just about everything. :)

I turned 46 in July and celebrated by SUP-ing on Lake Austin with friends and family. I will tell you that 46 has been a little rougher than 45. I herniated a disc in my back, and haven't been able to trail run or bike most of the year. But this picture is a good symbol of how I've transitioned to yoga and worked to find healing (and sweat!) on my mat! My Red Dawg tribe helped me stay fit and sane (ish), and I've grown to love yoga more than ever...even yoga on a paddle board! :)

Namaste (with Mindita)

In July, Mahalia left us for 9 days to go do an Outward Bound course, canoeing the waterways of Central Florida. This rite of passage in between middle school and high school was not easy (can you say hot, mosquitoes, snakes, alligators, and being the only girl on course?!). Nonetheless, when I asked her how it went, she replied, "Let's just say, it was totally worth it." Type II fun, indeed.

We are now the parents of an OB alum. Wow, we are old.

In August, my dad and Elizabeth came back to Texas for another visit, and this time we hit the beach! We always love making it to the Gulf Coast and had so much fun just relaxing on the water.

I love that these guys all hang out together!

Feeding the sea gulls!

A sunset paddle on the bay side.

School started back up for everyone in August, and I had back-to-back work trips to present research at the National Wilderness Therapy Symposium in Park City, Utah, followed by a research council meeting at Thompson Island Outward Bound School in Boston.

First day of school--this wasn't staged.

Hiking in the Wasatch Range

Looking back at Boston from Thompson Island at sunset.

In September, Will and I squeezed in our annual mother/son camping trip. We did a weekend backpacking trip to Lost Maples State Natural Area, and enjoyed the scenic Hill Country views.

Annual Mother/Son Camping Trip: Backpacking at Lost Maples State Park, TX

Look! We found a waterfall! I call this photo "PURE JOY!"

September was the beginning of my sabbatical from Texas State. I was not only granted developmental leave, but was also awarded a $20,000 research grant to support travel and professional development. So travel I did. For me, the freedom of the open road is "not an escape from life, but rather an attempt to not let life escape" from me (but it IS an escape from laundry and dishes). It's true that I love the novel sights and sounds of new places, and that this is my form of adventure--going deeper into the world.

My travels this fall included an east coast visit the Wilderness School in Connecticut as part of my work to develop the Foster Care Adventure Therapy Network, along with stops in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, where I developed and implemented a mental health training for the Student Conservation Association. I also headed to amazing conferences in Austin, Dallas, DC, Minnesota and even got to keynote the 1st Adventure Therapy Forum in New Zealand! Thank you Texas State (and thank you Billy and Gadie for holding down the fort)!

Such a beautiful and amazing place, serving youth in foster care through outdoor, experiential education!

Taking a beach break in York, Maine with my good friend Dr. Tucker!

Presenting on adventure therapy with veterans at the UT Military Social Work Conference

Took Mahalia to DC with me!

Presented a guest lecture on adventure therapy at Child Trends in DC, hosted by my friend and TXST MSW alum, Lacey Morris!

AEE/TAPG Pre-Conference with more of my awesome TXST MSW alums!

Salesmanship Club Youth Camp Reunion in Minneapolis!

My ActivatEE family @AEE

Monkeying around with Amy Horn at Adventure Works in Christchurch, New Zealand!

Coasteering in NZ: Before

Coasteering in NZ: After!

A pounamu given to me by my NZ adventure therapy friends for speaking at the 1st NZ Adventure Therapy Forum.

Amidst all of my conference travel, October and November brought lots of fun family visits! Billy's family all came to visit us on different weekends. We got lots of quality cousin time and home-cooked meals from Abuelita!

Uncle G!

My name is Moustache!

Sammy got to come cheer on Mahalia at her XC meet!

TiTi Tara and Alex kayaking on the Blanco River!

The three October birthday girls! (I'm sure I will be questioned about why I cropped Billy out of this photo!)

Hermione Granger ready to trick-or-treat with Grandpa

The customary goodbye picture on the front porch!

My cousin Corban also came in November. I got a University Lecture Series grant to bring him to campus to come and speak about the use of fiction to create social change. His lecture was well-attended and while he was here we also attended the Texas Book Festival and he spoke at the Front Porch Austin's Pub Church.  It was such a wonderful gathering that re-kindled my passion for pursuing my faith through deep dialogue about social justice and diversity issues.

Corban's lecture in the Witliff Collections Gallery.

Signing books and celebrating after the lecture!

Mahalia and Uncle Corban at the Texas Book Festival

Speaking with NPR correspondent John Burnett at the Front Porch

For Thanksgiving, we drove to Indianapolis for another wonderful Lynn family gathering! We got to see our Farm Family too! My aunt Cheri and her husband Rollie hosted a beautiful Thanksgiving Dinner and we celebrated my cousin Charles' 30th birthday with a family bowling night!

With our farm family...you will be missed our dearest Claudia. 😢

This is as close to a family portrait as you'll get from us!

The handsome guys!

My beautiful aunts!

Cousin time!

I love my daddy!

Bowling with the cousins!

In December, we frantically managed tying up loose ends to move to the other side of the world, while also dealing with the usual holiday madness. Billy made things a bit easier on me by taking all three kids to NYC to visit his family the week before Christmas. I was sad not to go, but it gave me the head space and time to get things ready. My two regrets were not getting to spend time with the Nortons...and not getting to see HAMILTON, which was what TiTi Dee got everyone for Christmas! Wow!

Broadway!

Luckiest girl in the world!

Subway adventures!

Cousin time!

Brrrrrrr!

But everyone came home just in time to spend Christmas in Texas with me and Gadie, which was so special, especially since we knew we would be apart for six months!

And before we left, our good friends, the Perezes, threw us a going away party! It was so bittersweet, but so heartwarming to have so many good friends and folks from our Texas community come to wish us well and say goodbye.

These two are like family.

I miss my Hill Country Book Club!

That's a whole lotta flannel.

So that was the year for our family from start to finish, with time passing quickly, but offering lots of joyful adventures. In the midst of all that, we each of us had our own milestones and memories...feel free to stop reading here if you've had enough. ha!

Your pretty much heard about me...I continued teaching adventure therapy and social work and loving both, and I was delighted to have an adventurous sabbatical off campus in the fall, both to further my research and scholarship, as well as to launch the Foster Care Adventure Therapy Network. I also stayed involved at Texas State, continued to coordinate FACES and also helped with the new #justicetalks initiative on campus. In the wake of the Trump election, hate crimes, violence and even suicide wreaked havoc on our campus. But thanks to the good work of several of my colleagues, we were able to respond to these negative events by creating space for students to come together to dialogue and give voice to these difficult issues.

My social work AT class at the ropes course!

Our FACES t-shirts say it all!

But man, between the election fallout, sabbatical research and getting a family of five ready to live abroad for my Fulbright, I was stressed! Seriously, I can look back on periods of really bad stress in my life and this was one of them. There were times when I did not cope well, so I am working on making 2017 a year of gentleness and mindfulness because I don't want to go back to that place of being so hard on myself and everyone around me. Life is too short. Got to learn to let go of needing to always be in control...

A special reminder from a friend...

Billy certainly does a better job of that than I do, but this year, he had his share of stress as well. He finished his second year of academic coaching and then moved back into the classroom, teaching college prep courses. Meanwhile, he was trying to figure out how to convince his district to utilize their sabbatical policy and grant him paid leave in the spring in Taiwan. He kept hitting road blocks, but he developed a wonderful sabbatical proposal after going to the International Association for Experiential Education Conference with me in Minneapolis. He brainstormed some really innovative ideas with the help of our good educator and OB friends Bryan and Steiny, and he pitched his ideas to the Hays CISD School Board who, on December 11,  unanimously approved to give him paid leave (which we now refer to as the Christmas Miracle!). Seriously, though. Watching "It's a Wonderful Life" had a whole new meaning for us.

Thanks Barney!

Visiting Steiny in Minnesota. #family

Halloween costumes...at this point, we were still campaigning.

Billy's 42nd birthday was election night. Still hopeful at this point, but...

This guy won. GRRRRRRR.

Time for a drink!

Billy continued to coach his high school ultimate frisbee team, who went on to win second in State in the spring! This continues to be one of the things he does that brings him joy, along with trail running, birding, his virtual book club (you know who you are) and fantasy sports leagues (again, you know who you are).😊

Notice Will standing by his dad's side, soaking up all of his ultimate mojo!

He also still holds the world record for "Most Present Dad." ❤️ Which is one of the main reasons that after 17+ years, I can say...I still love this guy a lot.

World's Most Present Dad ❤️ (hiking at Lair of the Bear in Morrison, CO)

This is what 17 years of marriage looks like.

Mahalia ended 8th grade and finished out the year with her middle school play, as well as wrapping up her 3+ years with Zach Theater's pre-professional company. She decided that she needed a break and wanted to focus on adjusting to life in high school. She got her braces off right before school started and walked into Hays High School looking like a young woman (where does the time go?!).

Barton MS Performance

Final PPC performance!

I love that smile.

All dressed up for the 8th grade dance!

Before and after!

She took a full load of Honors and AP classes as a freshman (not my child-ha!), did theater at the school and ran cross-country. I have to give her so much credit for finding a lot of balance in her life at such a young age. She was definitely coping with the stress of having to leave her friends and her school for six months, but in general, she was resilient and made us all proud. In her spare time, you can find her watching re-runs of Parks and Rec, SNL sketches or John Oliver. I'm not sure what seeds are being planted by all of this, but she's sassy and informed and hilarious, so I'd say either improv or politics is in her future! ;)

First day of 9th grade (and 6th grade)

At a cross country meet with her biggest fan!

Going the distance!

Will finished 5th grade and moved on to (gulp!) middle school. He has such a great group of friends that he made the transition easily. Along with working hard in school, he continued to play basketball and even tried his hand at lacrosse, parkour and running!

Walking the halls of Negley Elementary School!

Basketball training session!

Lacrosse camp!

Parkour!

Negley 5K

He jumped into middle school with a lot of confidence and grace. That kid is so adaptable! He is super focused on his academics, taking honors classes and pushing himself. He has made predictions about his future that are usually prefaced with the phrase, "After the NBA, I want to be a..." and have included such things as civil rights attorney and social worker. Although based on this letter, he may end up in seminary. Sweet boy.

Out of the mouth of babes...

Ready to hike to camp...mother/son backpacking trip!

He's a contemplative little guy who loves nature...

Will's 12th Birthday

Wendell finished Kindergarten and celebrated her accomplishments! Her awesome Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Corn, lovingly handed her off to her first grade teacher, Ms. Thomason! We continue to be so blessed by the dedication, talent and love of the teachers at Negley Elementary.

With Mrs. Corn!

Awesome achievement award!

First day of 1st grade!

1st grade Christmas party with Ms. Thomason!

Wendell finished her year at Dance Unlimited in Buda in the spring, and then took a break from activities in the fall (which means mom and dad got a break!). Instead, she spent her time with friends and playing outside. She loves birds almost as much as her dad, so they often go romp around the lakes in our local nature preserve. In general, she is in love with nature, and spends her time in the eternal now, which is a good reminder for the rest of us! And who knows, she may join Will in seminary...for Kindergarten career day, she chose to dress like an Episcopal priest!

Dance recital!

Enjoying the eternal now...with face paint from OSMF

In answer to the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

I love nature!

Gadie continues to live with us and also continues to be a non-smoker! She gave up cigarettes for New Year's Eve and has not looked back! Instead, she meditates, walks, does yoga, and is even dating again! Go girl! We have been so inspired by her transformative journey and miss her so much in Taiwan. But we are thankful that she is helping us by staying behind to take care of our home and the big, black dog!

Family Hike in Wimberley

Still crazy after all these years! :)

Cold beer on the beach!

I don't know about you, but all this living makes me feel like these kids...TIRED (If nothing else reading this 'holiday' letter should make you tired-ha!)!

But scrolling back through our year of pictures, fills me with gratitude for all of these good things, which add up to a very FULL life, filled with the fullness of God's love.

In your joy, in your pain, in your struggles and in your celebrations, may the fullness of God be yours each day.

Though we know you are well into 2017, we hope you can look back on 2016 with us and find comfort in the happy memories, strength in the challenging memories, and abiding love through it all.


And remember, when times get tough, hang in there!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. At least it's not the kitty cat in the tree. 😊

 
With love from the great (but bat shit crazy) State of...

Y'all feel free to come down for a visit anytime!

Actually, with love from the beautiful island nation of Taiwan...

Christine, Billy, Mahalia, Will, Wendell, Gadie and Cha Cha <3 br="">