February: Fire in Ada, fast swims, fierce dance, and flights to Barcelona

February did not tiptoe in. It showed up full speed.

We kicked off the month meeting Andy and Kristi for lunch in Wapak. There is something special about hearing friends talk about the home they are building from the ground up. Walls, windows, timelines, dreams. It is exciting watching people build not just a house, but a future. That lunch set the tone for the month. Growth. Forward motion. Good things underway.

For Christmas I received a medal holder for all my racing medals that are not framed, which basically means anything under a marathon. I finally got it hung in my office this month, right next to my framed marathon medals. Seeing them all displayed together felt like a quiet reminder that consistency matters. Not every race is the big one, but every mile counts.

Then February 2 took a sharp turn. Jeremy called from across campus and told me to look out my window. Viva Maria’s was on fire. Watching smoke rise from a place that has been part of our community for years was heartbreaking. It ended up being a complete loss. It also stirred up memories from 2005 when my apartment caught fire on the other end of the main block. Fire has a way of freezing you in time. So sad for the owners and everyone connected to it.

 

The first weekend of the month, Isaac stayed in town with Maw and Paw while Jeremy, Olivia, and I headed to St. X for the TRY meet. It was a fast and fun weekend full of prelims, finals, personal records, and late nights at a hotel in Blue Ash. There is nothing quite like the energy of a swim meet where everything clicks. Olivia swam lights out, and we loved every minute of it.

Mid-month, I had the honor of being recognized at the ONU Board of Trustees meeting for my promotion to full professor that I earned in the fall. That moment felt significant. Years of work, growth, and perseverance acknowledged in a room full of leaders. Even better was seeing PR alum Sandee Reid and sharing dinner with her and other trustees. Those full-circle moments matter.

Valentine’s Day was perfectly us. Isaac used his PBIS points at school to buy me a beautiful crochet rose. Jeremy and I exchanged the same card we have been passing back and forth for 20 years. Tradition wins. We spent the evening at the pool for Isaac’s first sectional swim meet. The night before, he shaved his legs and clogged the tub drain with so much hair that it required intervention. Sections were competitive. He swam well but did not advance to districts. Still, I could not be more proud. Effort and courage count.

Another bright spot was dinner with Shannon and Clare at our favorite Mexican restaurant in
town. Good food and even better conversation. Those friendships are grounding.

February 21 brought our first SODC Elite dance competition in Mason at High Voltage. Olivia and I made the trip while Maw, Paw, and Sheri came to cheer her on. The team crushed it, earning top awards, and Olivia even accepted one on behalf of her team. Watching her step forward confidently in that moment was pure joy.

The end of the month was the highlight, at least for me. Barcelona in three days felt like a masterclass in saying yes. I tagged along with three students to a conference, but since I was not exactly on the advisor’s most-wanted list for every conference activity, I recruited Sandra Hoying Paeltz and just like that the shenanigans began. Between sessions with students, we covered serious ground. We stood beneath the stained-glass ceiling of the Palau de la Música Catalana and were reminded that a city that finances a concert hall by public subscription takes culture seriously. We wandered through Parc de la Ciutadella, slowed our pace without trying, and justified every step with gelato. We headed up to Montserrat where serrated peaks, a quiet monastery, and the Black Madonna created one of those grounding, awe-filled moments you do not forget. The Sant Joan funicular added just enough thrill, and by the end of Day 2 we had blended professional growth with full-on exploration in the best possible way.

Day 3 was a 7.5-hour sprint through genius before a mid-morning flight, a four-hour layover in France, and home sweet home. We traced Gaudí’s early brilliance at Palau Güell, strolled through Plaça Reial, tasted the color and chaos of La Boqueria, and slipped into the Gothic calm of Santa Maria del Pi. Coffee at Els 4 Gats, where Picasso once exhibited, felt like a nod to every creative risk-taker. We walked Passeig de Gràcia, admired Casa Batlló and La Pedrera from the outside, lunched on tapas under the trees, and then stood inside Park Güell and the Sagrada Família in complete wonder. Three days packed with architecture, faith, art, mountains, markets, laughter, and meaningful time with students and a best friend. Barcelona was more than a trip. It was a core memory.

We closed the month by taking Isaac to 4-H Camp Palmer for counselor training. He said the best part was bonding with his fellow counselors. The worst part was freezing showers and muddy cabins. Character building, I suppose. We are hoping for better conditions this summer.

February was full. Fire and celebration. Hard moments and milestone moments. Travel, tradition, teamwork. If nothing else, it reminded me that even in one short month, life can hold more than you think.