Despite my best efforts to manifest an endless summer, we always find ourselves going back to school, and this year was no different. Even my cousins left the homestead, as Cortney returned to UW-Madison for her second year, and Ashlee got settled in at Purdue to begin grad school.

I’m officially a 7th grader now, which means I’m starting Junior High. Much to my dismay, mom and I spent some quality time getting my locker organized, which will surely stay looking that good ALL YEAR LONG (said no 7th grader ever).

I’ll be back in band and basketball, but this year I get to play 7th grade school ball, which I’m curious about. And I finally get to experience the beloved study hall, because apparently this might be the year that I actually have to study for school. Oh… and I signed up for student council on a whim! Stay tuned about that.

Genesee is starting 4th grade, and she has a pretty busy year ahead, too. She’s starting her GNBL basketball career, giving volleyball a try, and she’s especially excited about her Wisconsin state history project.

Currently, I’m still hoping to become a professional athlete in the NBA (with size 10.5 shoes, I am officially taller than my mom now and hopefully still growing), but if that doesn’t work out, I sometimes talk about becoming a financial advisor or a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Genesee intends to play professional soccer, and her back-up plan is something to do with animals or art or both!

So, cleary, sports are still a pretty big deal around here. And honestly, we love that. Sports have given us some of our best friendships, taught us about teamwork and leadership, pushed us to be resilient, and given us plenty of reasons to celebrate.

But this back-to-school season has also felt a little different. Just days before school started, a neighboring community lost a high school senior after a football injury. The loss has rippled through so many communities, including ours, and it’s a heartbreaking reminder that the things we love can also carry real risks.

We’re holding that family, their school, his teammates, and everyone who loved him in our thoughts. We’re grateful for the joy that sports brings into so many lives, while never taking for granted the people who play them. #LLA