What you need to know is that I love my friends.
I feel passionately about showing up for life’s big moments whenever possible. And if I can’t be there in person, I like to text or FaceTime or call to let them know I’m thinking of them. I believe it’s important to mark big milestones, to mark memorable dates in the calendar. To honor the hard shit and celebrate the magical moments that makes life worth living.
So when my dear friend Natalie told me she finalized the court date where her daughter’s adoption would become officially legal (despite the fact that Natalie’s been a mother for these first six months — ah, Wisconsin), I knew I had to be there. In person. Come hell or high water…or a snowstorm.
From the moment she texted the date and time, I saw myself in the court room witnessing the final step in her and her daughter’s adoption process. And sure enough, I was. And it was even more amazing than I could have imagined.
Natalie and I’s friendship is about 24 years in the making. We met in the third grade when she moved from a tiny Wisconsin town to my tiny Wisconsin town. I still remember sitting on the playground with the new kid, feeling an honest friendship blossoming. Being around Natalie was different. I didn’t have to change myself for her, she liked me as I was.
Our long time friendship means our moms are friends, too. So my mom came along for the journey, even though she was having serious hesitations when the forecast showed us driving directly into a snowstorm on the two and a half hour drive north.
It was like driving through a snow globe! But we made it (early even!) and it was all worth the risk when I saw Natalie’s daughter smile as the judge made his final declaration of guardianship.
When I wrote “Be There” in my DSWL Planner at the beginning of this week I knew I was talking about being in the court room. I knew I was talking about hanging out and celebrating the milestone afterwards. I knew I was talking about doing all the things I needed to do to set myself up so I could take the day off.
I’m learning that when I know I need to Be There, I have to honor all the other places I need to be before I need to Be There. This is a muscle I’m still developing with my time perception challenges and ADHD brain, but luckily, I was able to really get my butt in gear for a milestone like this.
I’m so happy my mom and I were there and didn’t miss it. And I’m so grateful for the added bonus of a road trip with my mom. Especially around Christmas. It’s trips like this that tie together so many of life’s small sweet moments that turn love into something palpable, tangible.
With Love,
Jenna
You can think of these questions as an invitation to grab your journal, start a new thread in your group chat, or ponder on your next walk!
What loose ends do you need to tie up before we go into this holiday week and then 2025?
What actions and tasks can you do that will allow you to Be There - physically, mentally, and spiritually?
The Christmas Candy I got to eat (and take home with me) made by Natalie and her mom. One of my childhood favorites, a timeliness combination of peanut butter, white chocolate, Rice Krispies and peanuts. THE BEST.
The Ice Black Thai tea and Mediterranean salad I had yesterday at Paradigm in Sheboygan
The excuse to use strings of Christmas lights as night lights in our bedroom this time of year
The cranberry dyed fabric I experimented with last weekend and how excited I am to iron it, cut it into squares and strips for the new quilt I’m working on
New Year Sound Bath & Future-Self Letter Writing Workshop — Come settle into 2025 with a sound bath and future-self letter writing workshop (we’ll be writing letters to our 2026 selves, mailed back to you in January 2026) with Sevan Arabian-Ries and I at Lynden Sculpture Garden! Our second indoor event of the winter season is on Friday January 3rd! Grab your tickets here.
Poetry Manuscript Circle, led by poet and filmmaker KP Kaszubowski — My incredible talented friend is hosting this incredible virtual circle through Woodland Pattern for the month of February! Have some poetry you’re ready to bring into the world? Learn more here!