I’m in the time-warp stage of looking forward and looking back. I miss Tucker’s younger years, while I’m amazed by him daily. Hourly, sometimes. I miss his tiny cuteness and innocence, although he’s still innocent for a nine-year-old.

“I think the youngest I should marry is 29,” he says. “That’s a good idea,” I reply.

“And then we’ll have sex to make a baby,” he says.

Um.

Anyway.

Ten Things I’m Looking Forward To

10. Tucker, becoming a parent. This feels so foreign and far off (and the sex thing) but I hope and pray I’m here on this earth to meet my baby’s babies. Not so much looking forward to him realizing that people have sex waaaay before they’re ready for a baby though. He’s got the two tied in his mind and has said “when the male pollinates the female.” Gah. At least it’s still technical?

9. For the past few years, we’ve woken up on Christmas morning at home and then gone to Colorado or Tennessee to see family for New Years Eve. This year, we’ll be in our new home on Christmas morning and be in Colorado so we can host Christmas Day dinner. I’m really looking forward to the morning’s joy and excitement and then celebrating with family without having to travel to see them.

Tucker still totally believes in Santa Clause, which I love and also worries me a little bit…

Here’s where the “Who’s right, me or Robert?” comes in…

8. I’m looking forward to the holidays, and having our fireplace on the main level where we’ll hang stockings under the ridiculously large television Robert insists doesn’t look too big for the wall.

7. One day, the too-big television will migrate to the basement, where Robert can watch the Tennessee Vols and I can have a pretty fireplace mantle that doesn’t have a gigantic television inches above it. My dad and my brothers are on Robert’s side. I blame this on their maleness, but am open to your thoughts.

Tell me – am I wrong? Is it just lovely or a monstrosity that is way too large for this particular wall?

6. Turns out, I’ve been clueless on how many great deals there are for military and retired military families. Luckily, the people who live behind us (who also moved here over the summer from less than a mile away from where we lived in Virginia <– small world moments are always worth mentioning) are wise and know about these deals.

I ended up getting Epic Ski passes for each of us for less than some resorts cost for a single day (!!!). I haven’t been skiing in more than 20 years but I’m more excited than afraid. Sharing the fun of skiing with Tucker is going to be amazing. There’s no snow like Colorado snow and sun.

5. Having a president who acts like a compassionate, wise adult. It’ll happen again. I have to believe this.

4. One day, Tucker will do his homework more independently (please please let this be the truth). Maybe even without tears. He gets overwhelmed when he has a lot to do, or if he gets something wrong. He’s too hard on himself. I hope we figure out how to make it easier on all of us. Fourth grade is hard, my friends! I’ve had to Google some of the math.

I don’t know if it’s fourth grade, the fact Colorado does ridiculous common core math, or that he has less support, but this has been the most difficult homework/school year yet.

I’m looking forward to maybe, possibly, understanding fourth grade math one day. Or finding the grace to be okay with the fact I’m not smarter than a fourth grader.

3. Tucker’s off the entire week of Thanksgiving, and in anticipation of hearing “I’m bored” a bazillion times, we’re spending a night at Great Wolf Lodge. The water slides are intense and a blast even though I’m too much of a chicken to go down the one you stand in while waiting for the bottom to drop out.

2. A lovely friend from Virginia is coming out for a visit this weekend and I can’t wait! It’s going to be cold, so we won’t be doing much hiking, but I’m psyched to show her Colorado and spend time catching up.

1. Most of all, I’m looking forward to what’s next, in all the ways.

What are you looking forward to?

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This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post, where Kenya Johnson of Sporadically Yours and I host a weekly prompt. This week’s is “10 things I’m looking forward to.” Next week’s is a five-minute stream-of-consciousness post on “Thanksgiving/Thankful.”