I don’t know about you but I find it hard to believe we are down to the last two months of the year! With so much going on in life and work, I thought I’d share some fun family updates, work highlights, and the latest on our foster experience.
Dylan’s Marathon Milestone and College Tours
A couple of weeks ago, Dylan, along with 9,000 other brave souls, laced up for the Portland Marathon. He had been gearing up for this all summer, so when race day finally arrived, it was a mix of excitement and a touch of panic—because, let’s be honest, 26.2 miles is no casual jog around the block! His support squad included his Grandma Jan and Aunt Kari, who jetted up from San Francisco to cheer him on.
The day couldn’t have been more perfect for the race—sunshine, creative costumes, and people from all over the globe (the winner was from Sweden, no less). Dylan crossed the finish line just after five hours, looking both triumphant and ready to crash. It was an incredible experience, filled with cheers from loved ones and a reminder that marathons are 90% determination…and maybe 10% wondering why you signed up in the first place.
After the marathon excitement, we shifted gears to college tours. Last week, we visited the University of Washington, one of the many schools on Dylan’s list to research. While it’s anyone’s guess where he’ll eventually end up, it’s been fun checking out different campuses. We missed out on most of the tours when Mia was researching colleges due to Covid, so I’m soaking up the chance to do some of this with Dylan. The UofW campus was stunning, and the food passed Dylan’s critical taste test—a very important factor in the decision-making process apparently 😉 And the library? It felt like stepping right into a Harry Potter movie. My pictures didn’t do it justice!
Work Highlight: Inspirational Talk by Arlo Washington (Oscar-nominated documentary)
One of the highlights of my recent work trip was hearing from Arlo Washington, the founder of PEOPLE
TRUST Community Loan Fund and the star of the documentary The Barber of Little Rock. As part of Microsoft’s focus on diversity and inclusion, Arlo was invited to share his incredible journey and vision for a more just economy.
The Barber of Little Rock delves into America’s growing racial wealth gap, told through Arlo’s own experiences as a local barber in Little Rock, Arkansas. He’s seen firsthand the effects of generational poverty and systemic racism, which fueled his desire to create meaningful change. His nonprofit community bank, PEOPLE TRUST, stands as the only financial institution within a ten-mile radius of his neighborhood, helping underserved and underbanked residents gain financial stability and mobility. Arlo’s work is an economic lifeline for his community, offering a new way forward that could reshape how we think about banking.
It was truly inspiring to hear his story and learn about the significant impact he’s making. The open discussion that followed left us all thinking about how we can support and champion even more positive change in our own communities. Here’s a resource to learn more about CDFI’s.
Saying Goodbye to Chastidy, Our First Foster Dog
Finally, we said goodbye to Chastidy as she transitioned to her new foster family after six weeks with us. It was definitely bittersweet to see her go, but as much as we tried, she needed more support than we could offer (two bouts of diarrhea, anxiety meds, and a hyperarousal issue will keep you on your toes!). Despite the challenges, there were plenty of sweet and funny moments that I wouldn’t trade for the world—but our sassy Siamese wasn’t exactly heartbroken to reclaim the house! Let’s just say I’ve gained a whole new appreciation for those who foster. It’s a lot of work, but seeing a dog on the path to finding her forever home makes it all worth it. For anyone interested in learning more about One Tail at a Time, check out their Instagram account at @otatpdx or One Tail At A Time PDX (otatpdx.org) – they are an amazing organization doing a lot of good.
That’s a wrap!
So, that’s a quick round-up of life lately—grateful for these experiences and excited for what’s to come as we head into the holiday season. Here’s hoping life and work are treating you well, whether you’re running marathons or just keeping up with the day-to-day. Let’s enjoy the ride!
Thanks for reading,
