March ended full, exhausting, and exactly how we want to live it

March showed up fast and full, and it did not let up. Between swim meets, travel, family milestones, and a few core memories mixed in, it was one of those months that left us tired, grateful, and wondering how we fit it all in...and that's a feat in itself when we are questioning how we find the time! It felt like every week brought a new highlight, and somehow we managed to keep moving forward through it all.

March kicked off with me dropping Isaac off at 4-H Camp Palmer for a couple of days so he could experience it and train with future counselors. His official review was that it was cold and still being worked on, but he thinks camp is going to be so fun, which is all that matters. March 1 also meant celebrating Paw’s 77th birthday, and it was the perfect way to start the month by pausing to recognize someone who means so much to all of us.

The first weekend of March had us exactly where you would expect—at a pool for YMCA Champs at BGSU. Both Isaac and Olivia competed and did well, helping the Lima Barracudas bring home the championship trophy. It made the weekend even more meaningful having Maw and Grandma Barb there on Saturday and Grandma Barb and Grandpa Ron back on Sunday to cheer on the Agozzinos. Both kiddos enjoyed hanging out with their favorite teammates on the pool deck and also at dinner at BW3. 

The second week of March gave us spring break, and Jeremy and I both had the entire week off, which felt like a rare gift. The weather cooperated enough to bring out the campfire, giving us a chance to slow down just a bit and enjoy being home. We even managed a version of date night during the spring break week, which honestly fits us perfectly at this stage of life.

Mid-March took us to Mason for Olivia’s second dance competition, and we made a full family weekend out of it. We started at Topgolf to use up gift cards before they expired, then I met Sandy for drinks at Dave and Buster’s while Jeremy and the kids worked toward their long-term goal of winning the ICEE machine. After what feels like two years and probably more money than we want to admit, they finally secured it, and the excitement made the whole thing worth it.

Sunday in Mason was spent entirely at the Energy dance competition at Mason HS again, where Olivia and her team performed well even if it was not quite as strong as their first competition. Despite that, they still earned the opportunity to compete at nationals if they choose to go, which is a great accomplishment. 

Later that week, Olivia also had her choir concert, and it was such a joy to hear the eighth grade group perform so beautifully. This was considered their spring concert with Mr. Littler.  Olivia has enjoyed singing so much that she decided to sign up for it in high school as well. 

March 21 and 22 had us in Canton for Zones, where Olivia competed in six events over two days, including relays and individual swims. She had an incredible meet, highlighted by placing second across five states in the 50 free, which was a moment we will not forget. We were grateful Grandma Barb and Grandpa Ron could be there to watch, while Maw and Paw stayed back with Isaac so he could attend his baseball scrimmages.

March 23 is a date that deserves to be written down and remembered, as it was the day Jeremy successfully defended his dissertation. He chose to do it at work without anyone around, but we were ready to celebrate when he got home. After a quick toast, he opted for a well-earned early night, which felt like the perfect ending to such a big accomplishment.

The following week was one of my busiest, with the Social Media Workshop and the PR Alumni Dinner happening on the same day. While it was exhausting, the alumni dinner always fills my cup because of the people and the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments. Having Caroline Schumacher serve as keynote for both events made the day even more meaningful and memorable.

One of my goals this year is to have a quarterly date night with each kid, and Isaac and I were able to make that happen at Corner Pins. It was duck pin bowling, which is very different than normal bowling. Corner Pins is upstairs in downtown Lima above Casa Lu Ai. We played four games and split the wins perfectly, which made it even more fun and competitive. It was such a simple yet meaningful way to spend time together with my boy!

Olivia got her one-on-one time the entire last week of March (and into April) during our trip to Greensboro, North Carolina, for YMCA Nationals, and this is one of those core memories that deserves more than just a paragraph. As one of only 12 thirteen-year-olds at the meet, she qualified as part of the 200 freestyle relay with her 50 free time, which already put her in a pretty special category walking in. There is something different about Nationals—the energy, the focus, the level of competition—and she stepped right into that environment ready to take it all in and grow from it.

We split the drive to make it manageable, heading out Monday night for the first six hours and finishing the trip Tuesday morning. As soon as we arrived, she was greeted by Coach Kody and got her deck pass so she could get in the water and loosen up, which helped settle the nerves a bit. That evening was the parade, and it ended up being one of those unexpectedly fun moments that brings the whole experience together. The theme was movies, and the girls went all in with Winnie the Pooh characters—Olivia as Kanga fit her perfectly—while the Lima boys showed up as Men in Black, which was equally on brand.

Wednesday morning came quickly, and it was time for her relay. She swam second leg and delivered a 24.85 split with a running start, which is moving. What made it even more impressive is that this was the first time that relay group had ever competed together, yet they still managed to PR and break the Lima YMCA record 1:38.94. 

Then came the 50 free time trial, and this is where things got really fun. She stepped up and delivered a 25.03, which was a huge personal best and an incredible swim under pressure. Missing the national long course cut of 24.99 by four hundredths stings just enough to keep you hungry, but it also proves she is right there. You could see it on her face—equal parts excitement and determination—which is exactly where you want an athlete to be heading into the LC season.

That night, we slowed things down just a bit and ate outside at The Cheesecake Factory, enjoying 75-degree weather that felt like a reward after a full day at the pool. Those quieter moments matter just as much because they give you time to reflect, laugh, and take in everything that is happening. It was one of those “this is what it is all about” evenings.

Thursday morning started early again, with Jeremy dropping Olivia off for warm-ups before her 100 breast time trial while we packed up the hotel to be ready to head out right after. She closed out her Nationals experience with a 1:13.11, her second-fastest time ever, which is exactly how you want to finish—strong, confident, and still building. Watching her compete across multiple days, stay focused, and continue to show up race after race said just as much as any time on the board.

What stood out the most, though, was her perspective. When I asked her favorite part of Nationals, she did not say a specific race or time. Instead she said the environment and being surrounded by such strong swimmers. That tells me everything about where she is mentally and where she is headed. She has absolutely been bit by the national bug and is already thinking about how to get back, not just on relays but with individual events, and I have no doubt she will get there. We made the long drive home Thursday and pulled in around 11 p.m., completely exhausted but incredibly proud. It was the kind of trip that pushes you, grows you, and leaves you wanting more all at the same time. It was the perfect way to close out March and step into April with momentum, gratitude, and a whole lot of motivation for what comes next.

While we were away at Nationals, Isaac had a big moment of his own at the high school swim banquet, and it was tough not being there in person to celebrate with him. He was so excited to receive his varsity letter as a freshman, which is such a strong accomplishment and a reflection of the work he put in all season. On top of that, he earned a special “hype-man” award, which honestly fits him perfectly and says so much about the kind of teammate he is. We are incredibly proud of the season he had and everything he contributed, even though it was hard to miss such an important night—we were definitely celebrating him from afar.