SATURDAY COFFEE LETTERS: July 11th (#15) (Patreon)

Dear Patrons,

Welcome to Saturday Coffee Letters with Alanna! ☕️

I am so sorry that I missed last week's Coffee Letters. Between all of the travelling and returning to work, I completely forgot what day it was until it was already too late!

So first and foremost, thank you all for your patience as I found my footing again after Kyle's sister's (my sister-in-law's) wedding.

It's actually kind of funny because I have talked about my "sister" in some of our reactions before, but I'll let you all in on a little secret… my "sister" isn't actually my biological sister. She was supposed to be. My mom had tried to adopt her, but unfortunately the adoption was denied, and she was later adopted by another family in our church. Despite that, she has called me her sister ever since she was seven years old.

So honestly, it is really special and exciting to officially have a sister-in-law now through Kyle. It's something I never really expected to appreciate as much as I do.

As many of you know from our Cronicles updates, the trip itself was a little bit of a doozy. But that's okay, because now we can laugh about all of the adventures we went on. All of the things that didn't necessarily go right in the moment have now become funny stories that we reminisce about whenever we talk about our adventure to Saskatchewan.

When we finally got back home to the island, I had maybe an hour, perhaps an hour and a half, before I had to be at work. During that time, I had to stop at the licensing office because while we were away, Avery had gone and passed his driver's test.

So now... I officially have a licensed driver in the family.

It's absolutely wild to think about.

He's sixteen now. Legally, he could get a job, drive himself places, and continue taking those big steps toward adulthood. The only thing he can't do is drink.

It is crazy to think that I have a child who is old enough to become self-sufficient and has proven himself so capable. I am incredibly proud of him.

This past week has really been about returning to normalcy. Getting back into our routines, seeing family, and taking the time to understand what each of us needs after such a big adventure.

That trip taught us a lot about one another.

It taught us about our strengths, our weaknesses, and the areas where perhaps some of our needs have been overlooked.

One thing this adventure taught me more than anything is that my family needs me at home more than I may have originally realized.

So with that said... I have officially put in my two weeks' notice.

My final day of work will be on the 15th of this month.

I am incredibly grateful for my job and everything it has given me, but I know in my heart that right now my family needs me.

Now my focus can return fully to home.

To helping Oliver continue with his potty training and supporting him through speech therapy.

To making sure Isaac has everything he needs and that his development continues to flourish.

To making sure the boys can get to soccer on time, to karate on time, and have opportunities to explore life, spend time with friends, and simply be children.

I am so excited to come home and live a very full life alongside my family.

And the truth is... I would not be able to do this if it were not for all of you.

So this Coffee Letter is, above all else, a thank you.

A true, honest, and heartfelt thank you to every single one of you here on Patreon who has made it possible for me to step back, come home, and support my family in the way they need me to.

This letter is a little bit of everything. A little bit about our trip, a little bit about what happened afterward, but mostly it is about gratitude.

These past two weeks have really shown me what I am thankful for, what goals I want to pursue, and where my priorities truly lie.

And they lie here.

With my family.

And with all of you.

So thank you.

Until next week! ☕️

What are you grateful for lately? Or have you ever gone on an adventure that changed your priorities or helped you realize what truly mattered most?

Love,

Alanna P.