Thursday, February 21, 2019
Hello There
Hello there! Its Owen here, and I've decided to start posting on this blog again. The last time you guys heard about me was around 2014, and I was in either 2nd or 3rd grade. Its just a month away from my 13th birthday, which is crazy to think about. I am in the 7th grade right now. I came home from school today and I am currently grounded from my phone and xbox, so I decided to read some of the old blogs and I got a little sad and happy reading these, as it brought some great memories back. Well Im just going to say, a LOT has changed in these 5 years. First of all, my parents have recently gone through a divorce, which is really unfortunate, but my mom always said to think of it as one big learning experience (I still haven't really learned anything from it yet). My dad, Ben is currently living in a suburb of St. Louis and we get to see him every Wednesday and every other weekend. Second, my best friend Grant has moved to Kansas City, and that was extremely devastating and I hardly get to see him anymore, but I have made many more great friends out of this, but he will always be my best friend. I know it doesn't seem like much, but to me and my mom especially it has been 5 years of great change, and we haven't really had time to post on this blog, and I know not many people will see this, but I hope to post on this blog again. Here is a picture to show how much we've grown. -Owen
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Hello? Is anyone there...
Wow...it's been a while. 4 years, two months, and 19 days to be exact. I'm not sure where to start.... It took me a while to even remember how to create a new post. But here I am, typing this and wondering if anyone will even see it? Does anyone keep a blog anymore? Does anyone who used to follow this still come looking every now and again for a new post? I have to think no. It seemed like such an important thing to do for me and my peers back when blogs first became a thing. A way to be heard and to share your journey with others. Then life came along and the kids got older, and it didn't feel right telling funny stories about them for everyone to hear. So we all kind of stopped...at least the ones in my general circle did. But here I am...giving it another go.
I realized immediately that if I'm going to use this as a way to share more with "the world", some things will have to change. Like the cute little banner image at the top. I was so proud of that when I figured out how to make it. It was so cute, and so were we. The perfect, all American family. Yep, that banner needs to be updated... I'll get to it eventually I'm sure. Just like all the other pictures in the house that have slowly been replaced. I suppose I can still call it "The Powell Family Blog", though even the meaning of that has changed.
So what happened between my last post 4 years, two months, and 19 days ago? Gosh, a lot. There were birthdays and first days of school and trips to the pumpkin patch and vacations and happiness and laughter. But there was a lot of sadness and heartache in there too. Not the kind of stuff you share on a blog. Why not?
Ben and I were officially divorced sometime in mid-January 2018. I really don't remember the exact day. Isn't it funny how I'll never forget the date of my wedding (August 10, 2002), but it hasn't even been a year and I've already forgotten the day of my divorce? What I do remember about that day is that Isla, our dog (who we got sometime after the last post, so you may not even know her?), pooped all over the carpet that day, and I found it sometime that evening. I laughed and then cried thinking about how I spent the evening of the last day of my marriage cleaning up dog poop off the floor.
The real beginning of the end, however, was early February 2017. So although on paper and according to the courts, we were still married until mid-January 2018, in my mind, "we" had already been almost a year gone by the time the judge signed the papers. Through all that time, I really haven't taken any time to write or journal. I spent a few sessions with a counselor, and that was helpful, but she told me she didn't think I needed her any more - I'm a counseling graduate! But there are times still where I think I need to call her...but I don't. There are times when I still want to scream...but I don't. There are times when I still want to cry...that I do, but only when no one is looking.
No one really talks about how hard divorce is. It's like having a miscarriage.... Aren't humans funny? We are so quick to share the funny and the good and the happy. But in the times when we need other humans the most - when our world is crumbling apart and our hearts are completely broken - we close up, act like it's all good, smile and tell everyone "it's fine, we're okay." Luckily for me, I had (have) an amazing support system. I could lean on my parents and my sister, and my mother-in-law and some dear and very close friends, especially in the first few months when my world was black and I was literally just surviving. But what about the people that don't have that? And what about the times when, a year and a half later, you are still finding yourself hurt and broken, but the story is old now and everyone has moved on and doesn't really want to hear it? Hence, this blog post.
Really, though, I'm fine. I'm through the worst of it. The dust left behind from my old life - my marriage - is starting to settle, and my new life is slowly starting to come into focus, though I still don't really know what it looks like. My dreams are still generally the same - to share moments with my children that leave us with happy memories that we shared together...to travel and see the world... But all the details are fuzzy. I remind myself that perhaps in my head the details were in sharp focus 2 years ago, but in reality, no future plans are ever guaranteed. So it's okay. There are just reminders, still very often, about how much everything has changed, and how we all (the kids and I) will have to accept this as part of our story forever. I have so much to say to my kids...but I suppose that will be another blog post or two (or 100). Mainly I just want them to know how much I love them. No matter what is thrown at them in this world, they will ALWAYS have me.
Some days I want to start writing a book.... but then I think, nah. Sadly, my story has been told over and over many times before. Just different settings, different characters. Maybe one day I'll sit down and do it and find a way to make it compelling enough for people to read. For now I think just writing (in a space where probably no one is listening) may help.
Okay, I think I'll stop. I feel like I'm rambling and that this post has no general theme. I guess it is just to say, I'm still here but the world around me is very different. It was hard and will be hard, but I am hopeful that there is a lot of good left for us all to share. Here's to the future!
XOXO,
Francie
I realized immediately that if I'm going to use this as a way to share more with "the world", some things will have to change. Like the cute little banner image at the top. I was so proud of that when I figured out how to make it. It was so cute, and so were we. The perfect, all American family. Yep, that banner needs to be updated... I'll get to it eventually I'm sure. Just like all the other pictures in the house that have slowly been replaced. I suppose I can still call it "The Powell Family Blog", though even the meaning of that has changed.
So what happened between my last post 4 years, two months, and 19 days ago? Gosh, a lot. There were birthdays and first days of school and trips to the pumpkin patch and vacations and happiness and laughter. But there was a lot of sadness and heartache in there too. Not the kind of stuff you share on a blog. Why not?
Ben and I were officially divorced sometime in mid-January 2018. I really don't remember the exact day. Isn't it funny how I'll never forget the date of my wedding (August 10, 2002), but it hasn't even been a year and I've already forgotten the day of my divorce? What I do remember about that day is that Isla, our dog (who we got sometime after the last post, so you may not even know her?), pooped all over the carpet that day, and I found it sometime that evening. I laughed and then cried thinking about how I spent the evening of the last day of my marriage cleaning up dog poop off the floor.
The real beginning of the end, however, was early February 2017. So although on paper and according to the courts, we were still married until mid-January 2018, in my mind, "we" had already been almost a year gone by the time the judge signed the papers. Through all that time, I really haven't taken any time to write or journal. I spent a few sessions with a counselor, and that was helpful, but she told me she didn't think I needed her any more - I'm a counseling graduate! But there are times still where I think I need to call her...but I don't. There are times when I still want to scream...but I don't. There are times when I still want to cry...that I do, but only when no one is looking.
No one really talks about how hard divorce is. It's like having a miscarriage.... Aren't humans funny? We are so quick to share the funny and the good and the happy. But in the times when we need other humans the most - when our world is crumbling apart and our hearts are completely broken - we close up, act like it's all good, smile and tell everyone "it's fine, we're okay." Luckily for me, I had (have) an amazing support system. I could lean on my parents and my sister, and my mother-in-law and some dear and very close friends, especially in the first few months when my world was black and I was literally just surviving. But what about the people that don't have that? And what about the times when, a year and a half later, you are still finding yourself hurt and broken, but the story is old now and everyone has moved on and doesn't really want to hear it? Hence, this blog post.
Really, though, I'm fine. I'm through the worst of it. The dust left behind from my old life - my marriage - is starting to settle, and my new life is slowly starting to come into focus, though I still don't really know what it looks like. My dreams are still generally the same - to share moments with my children that leave us with happy memories that we shared together...to travel and see the world... But all the details are fuzzy. I remind myself that perhaps in my head the details were in sharp focus 2 years ago, but in reality, no future plans are ever guaranteed. So it's okay. There are just reminders, still very often, about how much everything has changed, and how we all (the kids and I) will have to accept this as part of our story forever. I have so much to say to my kids...but I suppose that will be another blog post or two (or 100). Mainly I just want them to know how much I love them. No matter what is thrown at them in this world, they will ALWAYS have me.
Some days I want to start writing a book.... but then I think, nah. Sadly, my story has been told over and over many times before. Just different settings, different characters. Maybe one day I'll sit down and do it and find a way to make it compelling enough for people to read. For now I think just writing (in a space where probably no one is listening) may help.
Okay, I think I'll stop. I feel like I'm rambling and that this post has no general theme. I guess it is just to say, I'm still here but the world around me is very different. It was hard and will be hard, but I am hopeful that there is a lot of good left for us all to share. Here's to the future!
XOXO,
Francie
Monday, June 16, 2014
Sydney is 5!
Happy Birthday Sydney!!! More to come later but I wanted to post her 20 questions.
1. What is your favorite book?
A: The Enchanted Tea Party
2. What is your favorite movie?
A: Frozen
3. What is your favorite food?
A: strawberries and pizza!
4. What is your favorite TV show?
A: Hot Dog! (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)
5. How did you like being four years old?
A: The really fun we had.
6. What is your favorite color?
A: Pink and purple
7. Who is your favorite superhero?
A: Wonder woman
8. What is your favorite song?
A: Let it go
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: A Cowgirl
10. What is your least favorite food?
A: Daddy's tacos...I really did not like that. I almost threw up.
11. What do you want to do when you're five?
A: Go to Monkey Joes
12. What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy?
A: Snuggle her
13. What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?
A: Have him make me into a pizza
14. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?
A: Draw on the Easel
15. What is something Mommy always says to you?
A: I love you
16. What is something Daddy always says to you?
A: No no no
17. Where is your favorite place to go?
A: Monkey Joes
18. What makes you laugh?
A: When my friends make funny faces
19. What is your nickname?
A: Syd
20. What is your favorite toy?
A: My giant teddy bear and pink kitty too!
21. What makes you sad?
A: when I get in trouble
23. What is Mom's job?
A: to fix computers
24. What is Dad's job?
A: Golf...he doesn't do a job!
25. What is your favorite thing to do with Owen?
A: Play with him
26. What can you do now that you are five?
A: Look at our baby birds (referencing a nest of birds we found in our tree outside)
27. What are you thankful for?
A: My Mommy and Daddy and Owen.
1. What is your favorite book?
A: The Enchanted Tea Party
2. What is your favorite movie?
A: Frozen
3. What is your favorite food?
A: strawberries and pizza!
4. What is your favorite TV show?
A: Hot Dog! (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)
5. How did you like being four years old?
A: The really fun we had.
6. What is your favorite color?
A: Pink and purple
7. Who is your favorite superhero?
A: Wonder woman
8. What is your favorite song?
A: Let it go
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: A Cowgirl
10. What is your least favorite food?
A: Daddy's tacos...I really did not like that. I almost threw up.
11. What do you want to do when you're five?
A: Go to Monkey Joes
12. What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy?
A: Snuggle her
13. What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?
A: Have him make me into a pizza
14. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?
A: Draw on the Easel
15. What is something Mommy always says to you?
A: I love you
16. What is something Daddy always says to you?
A: No no no
17. Where is your favorite place to go?
A: Monkey Joes
18. What makes you laugh?
A: When my friends make funny faces
19. What is your nickname?
A: Syd
20. What is your favorite toy?
A: My giant teddy bear and pink kitty too!
21. What makes you sad?
A: when I get in trouble
23. What is Mom's job?
A: to fix computers
24. What is Dad's job?
A: Golf...he doesn't do a job!
25. What is your favorite thing to do with Owen?
A: Play with him
26. What can you do now that you are five?
A: Look at our baby birds (referencing a nest of birds we found in our tree outside)
27. What are you thankful for?
A: My Mommy and Daddy and Owen.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Hoops Kid
So Owen has been obsessed with basketball since the NCAA tournament. He loved watching the pre-packaged highlight video of UConn that they played during the championship game. Here is a link:
https://www.youtube.com/user/uconnhuskies
I told him, "You know, we could make a video of you playing basketball kind of like that." He loved the idea so we got right to it and spent the better part of a Saturday putting this together. He doesn't want me showing anyone, but I figured the blog was safe :) Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/user/uconnhuskies
I told him, "You know, we could make a video of you playing basketball kind of like that." He loved the idea so we got right to it and spent the better part of a Saturday putting this together. He doesn't want me showing anyone, but I figured the blog was safe :) Enjoy!
April
- Hortica put on an Easter Egg Hunt for the kiddos this year. It was a beautiful day for it and the kids had a good time. Owen fell during his hunt and hurt his knee and was upset. He rallied later and they all came and played in my cubicle and I got some good pics of him goofing off. He later went out front to play with a bouncy ball with Ben and fell into a thorn bush. It was a bit of a rough morning for him!
- Easter was lovely, though I did not take any pictures. Rhonda hosted and we had a nice time with the family and got to hunt more eggs. We got to spend the day with Scott, Christy, Sylvie and Jack, which is always a treat!
- Hortica put on an Easter Egg Hunt for the kiddos this year. It was a beautiful day for it and the kids had a good time. Owen fell during his hunt and hurt his knee and was upset. He rallied later and they all came and played in my cubicle and I got some good pics of him goofing off. He later went out front to play with a bouncy ball with Ben and fell into a thorn bush. It was a bit of a rough morning for him!
- Easter was lovely, though I did not take any pictures. Rhonda hosted and we had a nice time with the family and got to hunt more eggs. We got to spend the day with Scott, Christy, Sylvie and Jack, which is always a treat!
20 Questions with Owen - 8
Owen is EGHT!! Here are his answers to this year's questions:
1. What is your favorite book?
A: Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth
2. What is your favorite movie?
A: probably Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
3. What is your favorite food?
A: Steak
4. What is your favorite TV show?
A: Teen Titans Go
5. How did you like being 7 years old?
A: I did not like being 7, but my favorite thing would be that I got to have a sleepover
6. What is your favorite color?
A: Green.
7. Who is your favorite superhero?
A: Why do I have to do superheros?
7b. Okay, then what is your favorite sport?
A: basketball
7c. What is your favorite team?
A: Florida Gators
8. What is your favorite song?
A: On top of the World (Imagine Dragons)
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: Basketball player
10. What is your least favorite food?
A: Rotten Egg.
11. What do you want to do when you're eight?
A: I don't know
12. What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?
A: read boooks
13. What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?
A: shoot hoops
14. What is your favorite thing to do with your buddies?
A: play wii u
14a. What is your favorite thing to do with Sydney?
A: play in the shower
15. What is something Mommy always says to you?
A: good night, love you
16. What is something Daddy always says to you?
A: I don't know, he doesn't really say anything that I remember. Oh he usually says hey Owen do you want lunch?
17. Where is your favorite place to go?
A: Disneyworld
18. What makes you laugh?
A: thinking about trying to spy on Sydney at my sleepover
19. What is your nickname?
A: O-O
20. What is your favorite toy?
A: Probably wii u
21. What makes you sad?
A: when I get in trouble
23. What is Mom's job?
A: computer programming
24. What is Dad's job?
A: Lawyer.
27. What are you thankful for?
A: my family
There you have it! Happy Birthday Owen!!
1. What is your favorite book?
A: Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth
2. What is your favorite movie?
A: probably Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
3. What is your favorite food?
A: Steak
4. What is your favorite TV show?
A: Teen Titans Go
5. How did you like being 7 years old?
A: I did not like being 7, but my favorite thing would be that I got to have a sleepover
6. What is your favorite color?
A: Green.
7. Who is your favorite superhero?
A: Why do I have to do superheros?
7b. Okay, then what is your favorite sport?
A: basketball
7c. What is your favorite team?
A: Florida Gators
8. What is your favorite song?
A: On top of the World (Imagine Dragons)
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: Basketball player
10. What is your least favorite food?
A: Rotten Egg.
11. What do you want to do when you're eight?
A: I don't know
12. What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?
A: read boooks
13. What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?
A: shoot hoops
14. What is your favorite thing to do with your buddies?
A: play wii u
14a. What is your favorite thing to do with Sydney?
A: play in the shower
15. What is something Mommy always says to you?
A: good night, love you
16. What is something Daddy always says to you?
A: I don't know, he doesn't really say anything that I remember. Oh he usually says hey Owen do you want lunch?
17. Where is your favorite place to go?
A: Disneyworld
18. What makes you laugh?
A: thinking about trying to spy on Sydney at my sleepover
19. What is your nickname?
A: O-O
20. What is your favorite toy?
A: Probably wii u
21. What makes you sad?
A: when I get in trouble
23. What is Mom's job?
A: computer programming
24. What is Dad's job?
A: Lawyer.
27. What are you thankful for?
A: my family
There you have it! Happy Birthday Owen!!
March
- Owen turned 8!!!! All he wanted (begged) for was a sleepover party. We decided to go for it. We had 5 boys come over and we took them bowling, had pizza and cake, and then came back home for the sleepover. They were great. There was not much sleeping but everyone had a good time and Ben and I survived :)
-Sydney had her ballet recital and she did wonderful!
- Owen sang in his 2nd grade musical program. He still has no interest in an actual speaking part, but that's ok.
- Owen turned 8!!!! All he wanted (begged) for was a sleepover party. We decided to go for it. We had 5 boys come over and we took them bowling, had pizza and cake, and then came back home for the sleepover. They were great. There was not much sleeping but everyone had a good time and Ben and I survived :)
-Sydney had her ballet recital and she did wonderful!
- Owen sang in his 2nd grade musical program. He still has no interest in an actual speaking part, but that's ok.
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