Family Updates for June

While the month of June was eventful, it seemed unusually calm.  Even the kids seemed quieter and more reflective.  There were lots of happenings and several firsts this month.  One thing has remained consistent though; this doesn't seem real.  I had a good friend stop by with hugs this week, and we both agreed, "Weren't we all just all at the skating rink yesterday? Doesn't it feel like it was yesterday?" It wasn't yesterday though; it was November 2021. From the very first day of June to the last, it was a rollercoaster.  But I'm so thankful to God for the way our family and community continue to show up for us. It reminds me that we are not alone, and that the love and loss of our person is shared among so many. Here are the updates:

 Father’s Day Family Trip

Although it was more of a staycation, as it was about an hour drive from our home, I could tell it was needed. We got there safely, enjoyed ourselves and mostly enjoyed being in a new space. That, alone, was therapeutic. I knew that Patrick would have loved the spot we found and that gave me joy. The kids had a blast at the waterpark, felt at home on the beach, and loved looking out at the marina. It was a much overdue break.

 Fun with Family

One of the best times this month was having family come to visit from Indiana.  We enjoyed the Florida Aquarium, a delicious early dinner at Armature Works overlooking the bay and jammin' to the BEST Music. They also treated us to our  Sunday Sundaes  tradition at one of our family's favorite ice cream/gelati spots.  It was all love, all fun, and all very necessary.

 Patrick's First Book

Toward the end of last year, Patrick had submitted a first draft of his men's devotional to the publishing company.  He was so excited and looked forward to having it completed as an encouragement to the men of faith.  A few days after his passing, I reached out to our friend and editor and said, "We have to do this, for him." She wholeheartedly agreed.  I'm sure I'll post more about this work later, but I’m beyond grateful to all of those who helped bring this work to life. Both the Kindle E-book and Paperback are available on Amazon. 

 Vacation Bible School

We began and ended the month with fun weeks of Vacation Bible School. Some of the kids volunteered and some attended but they all loved the music, moves and the message.  They woke up excited each day and learned about being "Designed by God and made for His purpose."  Benji was able to attend his first ever VBS and had a blast making new friends

 Necessary Distraction

Many of our family and friends know that our oldest son is a professional actor.  Right before everything happened, he auditioned and booked a job with a popular kids learning app.  We didn’t know then but we would need the distraction of filming these segments before and after Patrick’s memorial service.  A few weeks ago, the producer emailed me the finished videos and we were all extremely elated.  He did so well! If you have abc mouse, look for a familiar face on the “Fun Facts” Banner on the homepage. In this family, we count all the wins.

Prayer & Produce

The last time that my family was preparing for our Prayer and Produce Outreach, it ended abruptly with me and the kids rushing Patrick to the emergency room.  This month, for the very first time, the Wheeler kids went out and completed the mission.  I’m still digesting the significance of them and their courage to #keepitmoving in honor of the legacy.  I’ll probably post more about this another time.

Individual Updates

Kendall is growing and healing well. She’s been an excellent babysitter. A few down days came this month as this unwanted reality continues to settle in, but she wakes up each day being the light. She even started her first gig, walking dogs in the neighborhood!

Christian and Elijah are doing well in Karate and started basketball at the Y. They are great athletes and I love seeing them encouraging each other on this journey through our grief. 

Avielle and Joy have both been promoted in karate and also love play dates with friends. We call them “the baby girls “ and they are both growing up beautifully and are good helpers. 

Benji finished his first session of gymnastics and is great at backflips and loves the “block pit.” He got to attend his very first Vacation Bible School and loved it. Benji is such a little encourager and he’s growing up too quickly!

Amira is the sweetest, we call her our therapy baby. She’s the little boss and loves to do things on her own.  She enjoys playing in make-up and also imitating any and everything Benji does.  This month, starting around Father’s Day she started saying “Mommy, I need Daddy.” All I can do is reply, “I know baby, me too. I’m sorry.”

Me: I met a friend out for breakfast for the first time in months. I almost cancelled out of fear of being too socially awkward. I overthought what I could talk about or what I didn’t care to talk about, and I got worried.  But thankfully, I didn’t cancel. I kept the date, and we laughed, enjoyed good food and talked about all things beautiful including my Patrick. I was so proud of myself for getting through another hard thing.