End of the Decade

                              ~2019~



As 2019 comes to a close and I reflect back on the decade, it has been one hell of a ride with lots of ups and downs. It has been 10 and a half years since we left Oregon and landed in Santa Rosa. Orion was born here in Santa Rosa just two years later and this summer we celebrated his 8th birthday. He has known no other home.











While Apollo was barely 15 months old when we arrived here, he retains a few memories of Oregon. Leaving was bitter sweet and there are still a few people, a few places, and a few memories that I will forever hold in my heart from those days in Central Oregon. While Santa Rosa still does not quite feel like home to me, there is much to love about this place. We have built a lifetime of memories here with the boys. We have made some good friends. We have discovered new activities that we love and have had many adventures while living here this past decade.

 





I am looking forward to a new year and the start of a new decade. While 2020 is just a number value, it feels like a whole new start. It feels like it holds promise for so much more opportunity and adventure and much change. I hope when the next decade ends, we are someplace new and can look back in fondness at the 2020's.







 This is the final day of 2019. Our big family trip was to Phuket Thailand this year. Apollo and Melanie visited Aden in Montana in April to meet Aden's prospective bride. I was able to go to Alaska and Canada for fishing/business trips. Melanie and the boys went to Oregon to see Melanie's three sisters and her mother while I was traveling. We fit in a trip to Disneyland and California Adventure for Orion's birthday.



We spent a few nights living in the RV again with all of our pets due to a wildfire evacuation again. And I somehow managed to fit in 75 nights in hotels for business travel. Melanie worked three different jobs throughout the summer months. We have been busy to say the least. We shared many laughs and shed a few tears this year. We lost our beloved dog Remi and gained two new puppies; Ace and Zohra.




  Apollo started 6th grade and Orion started 3rd. Both boys excel in Math and science and are overall good students except when it comes to keeping up on homework assignments.
  Orion still lives his life for Christmas. He has been streaming Pentatonix Christmas station every night since Thanksgiving and refuses to stop until January 1st.







Apollo is honing his skills for mimicry and has his mom and I down to a "T".
Orion does awesome front flips from the diving board at the Wikiup Swim and Tennis club.
Apollo likes building electronics and is quite adept with a soldering gun. He is beginning to dabble in Arduino robotics and lasers.



Orion likes to take electronic apart to see how they work. Old computers, DVD players, tablets and phones are not safe if they stop working.
 Both boys have become great swimmers, and  even though they aren't thrilled to be on swim team, they do very well. Both boys have an eye for photography. Apollo won best of show for his age group at the fair. Both boys had 1st and 2nd place ribbons for all the photos they entered.

   Overall, 2019 was a great year. I am blessed to have the family that I have and the adventures that we shared together.


                                               Goodbye 2019~Hello 2020