2023 was a year of ebbs & flows, mostly highs but also some lows. Many of the highlights of the past year involved spending time with our great friends, the Sneddon and Leslie families: ringing in the New Year, a fun Superbowl/birthday ski weekend in Red River, 4th of July in Ruidoso, and a summer camping trip in Jemez. Charlie and I both took solo trips this year also… His was a solo road trip to Baja Mexico to meet-up with friends and camp on the beach. Mine was to Jamaica in October to meet up with 15 of my female cousins on my Moms side of the Knox family. It was such a gift to my soul to get to experience the time with them, so much laughter & family stories!
In March, the children and I enjoyed an impromptu road trip to California for Spring Break. We adventured around Los Angeles, seeing Hollywood sights, frolicking on Newport beach (& letting Gentry dream at the Ferrari dealership), being in the audience of Americas Got Talent and spending time with a family friends beautiful family in Irvine. On the return trip, we explored Palm Springs/Joshua Tree and hung out with my brother Aarons family in Phoenix.
The children resumed their sports activities in the Spring as well. Gentry completed his final season of AYSO soccer. And despite reoccurring hip flexor pain, Gentry finished out his middle school Track experience by finishing in 1st & 2nd places in the longer sprints: 800m, 1600m, and the 4x100m relay. He even set a new school record for the 1600m (1 mile) with a time of 5.24 (the school record hadn’t been broken in 15 years). Go Gentry!!! Haven decided to follow in her brothers footsteps and join Track & Field at the local middle school also. It was awesome having the children in the same sport at the same school for once. She placed in 1st or 2nd place in the sprints: 100m, 200m, 300m hurdles, all the relays (4×100 & 4×400, medley). Haven also joined a Spring volleyball league at the local community center.
We had a fast and furious summer. We began the summer with a roadtrip to southern Texas (with an awesome overnight visit with Charlies cousin Donnas family in Amarillo) where we spent 5 nights in Canyon Lake, TX. We loved hanging on the fun boat with family/friends and we also took a side trip to the Schlitterbahn Water park in New Braunfels. I got to spend a few solo days with my twin sister in Austin. After returning home, the children went to their summer camps: Haven went away for a week at Camp Shaver in Jemez and did UNM volleyball day camp for a week. Gentry went away to Project Gold running camp in Flagstaff, AZ and did a local Mountain Biking day camp for a week. Haven also spent 2 weeks in Chattanooga Tennessee with our friends Lucy & Randall. She had a blast with all their adventures involving babies, rivers, and horses!!
It was an exciting year of firsts for 15 year old Gentry. Over the summer, he got his first “real” semi-regular job as a Ranch hand at a local 60 acre horse ranch in Sandia Park. He loved working hard and making his own money. Not to be out done, Haven also started up a Pet Sitting venture on Rover.com and banked some bucks. We marked Gentrys first year of Highschool (9th grade) by getting him Orthodontic braces for his teeth!! He also completed his drivers education program in October and got his Drivers Permit (we’ve been reluctantly practicing our passenger seat heart attack drills and pop scare screams). In the Fall, Gentry joined a local mountain bike club called the Goatheads under the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, and competed in races in Pajarito, Socorro, Gallup, etc. After many race wins, he ended up being the overall State Champion for the 9th grade boys. Woohoo!! Also in the Fall, after a long sad story about Gentry not being able to practice with the Cross Country team due to their morning practices, he ended up joining Manzano Highschool Soccer team instead. He was intimidated at first but eventually found his groove and loved playing on Varsity and JV for the season, he even earned a Letter. Lastly, Gentry also got his first official girlfriend in the Fall. It only lasted a few months but she was as sweet as can be so she deserved an honorable mention.
Haven started 8th grade in August and also finally hit the age of becoming an official TEENAGER. Dunn, Dunn, Dunnnnnnn!! She completed her AYSO soccer season in the Fall, ended with being the highest goal scorer. Simultaneously after a very long dramatic sad story about her not being allowed to play on the same local middle school volleyball team due to our home address, we broke our “no Club sports” rule and let her try out for Cactus Club volleyball team. She was thrilled to make the team and has been loving it so far. But we are not sure what we got ourselves into with this out of state traveling for games!!
Charlie continued to be fulfilled and challenged in his workplace this year. He also began traveling to Phoenix regularly to help his work team there. I officially closed both physical office locations of my private practice since I’ve been mostly doing video sessions since the pandemic. I’m still working with Parenting Forward NM co-parenting clients (via Bosque Mental Health), in addition to this being my 2nd school year working as a part-time Social Worker at my childrens K-12 charter school in Edgewood. I love being where they are!
The finale of 2023 was spending Thanksgiving in snowy filled days in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and spending days prior to that with Charlies son Aaron who came to visit us from his new job in Mesa, AZ. Charlie got to spend the last week of November in New York City for work!! He loved it! I was jealous.
We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health and spirit. We wish you lots of love and happiness in 2024.
Love,
The Tomlins
Irresistible Chaos 