We kicked off a new school year with a sophomore and a 7th grader!
Their fluffy sister stayed at the front window watching for them to come home for most of the day:
After the first week of school, we drove to Grandpa's house in SC for an end-of-summer beach weekend. We went out to dinner, shopped, and enjoyed one last hurrah before diving into our September routine:
 |
| Leah's favorite store! |
 |
| We love our Shibumi shade. |
 |
| Still a sweet beach baby. |
September meant returning to the Cancer Center for my first follow up appointments since completing treatment in May. I was caught off guard by a whirlwind of emotions, and took some time to visit the Healing Gardens and reflect on my journey:
Here are a few recent photos of my chemo curls/hair growth. It still shocks me to look in a mirror some days. After decades of straight, lighter colored hair (and a year+ of being almost bald), my new curls are a visible reminder of cancer. But they are also a powerful testament to healing, renewal, and strength, and for this, I am grateful:
I attended a Pink in the Park event at the end of September with a fellow survivor/friend that I've made this past year. We celebrated and honored all those who have fought, and we continue to raise awareness for breast cancer screenings, treatment, and research. 
We also had a blast attending Wake Forest football games. We upgraded our tickets to be in the Touchdown Club for a couple of games, and this was a delightful treat!
 |
| Our usual seats/view are past the opposing end zone, sitting on Deacon Hill. |
 |
| Touch Down Club = Indoor/Outdoor seating + All inclusive food & drinks! |
We took Bean & Poppy to a September game, and they cheered the Deacs on to a win!
In other fun September sports news, we traveled to App State for one of Maya's volleyball games:
It was a fun day with cousins and we love watching our amazing Maya play!
By far, the most exciting part about the beginning of this school year is that both kids are in marching band this fall! That will be another post, but here's a sneak peek of our 2023 Viking Band marchers:
Hooray for band season and a new school year!