Nineteen

 August 10th has arrived again and I remain thankful that Team Carroll is finding ways to keep building and moving forward in the midst of a pandemic that is proving way more resilient than I would've thought.  This time last year I remember thinking that the masking and isolation would pay off once we got the vaccines approved, but as I type this with two shots of Pfizer in my arm, I'm still wearing a mask and anniversary plans had to be adjusted for this weekend.  Therein is the lesson of Year 19:  FLEXIBILITY.  When you can't do birthdays in your favorite restaurant, no worries, get takeout and eat it while overlooking the city, or the Pacific.  Can't go see your favorite artists perform in your usual concert venue? No worries, pull up to the fairgrounds and see them do their thing from the car.  And if you're lucky, maybe you can get away some place special, like say, Tahiti because you've built up good karma.  Through it all, I love the Mrs. as much as the first time I visited her and she made a pan of mac and cheese.  In addition to being reminded to be flexible, the COVID times have put the important things in perspective.  Keep the house clean, keep the kids fed and healthy, remind the Mrs. that the affirmations far outnumber the internet trolls.  As Homecoming comes into our life to go along with All American, I'm more focused on having the quality time versus stressing over every single detail of how it's spent.  We're outside again (sorta) and that is a blessing to be thankful for.  Next year is a milestone that I've been looking forward to for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to bring our village together (hopefully) and celebrate two decades of Team Carroll.  It is not lost on me how much your support and encouragement is a factor in our longevity and I hope we can gather without restrictions to show our appreciation.  Until then, we're going to keep finding ways to enjoy life safely.  The Dimpled One is beginning the high school journey and I don't plan on missing a minute from my VIP seat.  Year 19 has set me up nicely to appreciate it all.