Waving the White Flag

For the the first time ever, I was SO busy - and lost track of time to the point - that I just plain forgot to finish a post. (What felt like) 100 different responsibilities pushed Friday's HFFF post so low on my to-do list that it didn't happen at all, and while I stressed about this "failure" for a few hours, I had to pretty quickly move on because (what felt like) 100 new responsibilities needed my attention. 

Because I don't have another option, I've decided to wave the white flag of surrender, grant myself the grace I'd give anyone else, and publicly declare that blog posts could be kind of spotty between now and Will's high school graduation at the end of May. Hang in there with me, won't you? I promise to return to my regularly scheduled programming once we all come up for air.   

A glimpse into (just a little bit of) the chaos of the last couple of weeks...

I may be waving the white flag, but I wouldn't trade a single minute of this. Thanks for taking this journey with me, friends.

Our Senior's Night

This post isn't exactly the kind I usually write, but I want and need it here for the memories...

~

I remember when we found out Will made the varsity soccer team as a freshman. He didn't seem all that surprised, but I was shocked. To me he just wasn't big enough, or strong enough, or fast enough, or experienced enough to join a team made up mostly of 17- and 18-year-old boys young men.  

I also remember when Will actually played in his first varsity game. Once again he didn't seem all that surprised, but I was - once again - shocked. I couldn't believe they put that baby out there on the field, relying on and trusting him to get the job done. 

But over the years I've come to realize that at some point in life you - we all - have to be that freshman, recruited because someone sees your potential and believes in you...called up and onto a team of bigger, stronger, faster, more experienced players so you can learn from them. Because even though it's scary, that's how you grow as a player, as a leader, and as a man. 

~

When you're the freshman, you think about what it'll be like to return to the team as a sophomore, a junior, and eventually a senior. You dream about spending a little less time on the bench and a little more time on the field, and maybe even about what it would feel to be one of the starting 11. You watch and learn from the captains, considering if that leadership position might be a goal you want to accomplish. But you kind of go through the motions when it comes to the big stuff like banquet and Senior Night; you find it hard to believe that it'll ever be you walking out onto the field with your parents because four years is a LONG time and senior year feels millions of miles away.

And then suddenly it's here, and you wonder where the years went and how it's possible that your time as a Lad, your time in high school, your time at home with your family, and life as you've always know it are all almost over. 

Freshman Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Senior Year

Yes, he's had a lot of different hairstyles throughout the last four years. 😂

Senior Night was chaotic (my to-do list was a mile long, as it usually is on home game nights), but perfect. The Lads, including Will, had a fantastic game. They earned a huge victory on the scoreboard, and every senior got to play. Hallie and two of my besties were able to come to the game. (Hallie doesn't make it to a lot of games, not because she doesn't want to, but because she has a conflict every Tuesday and almost every Friday night.) I hope Will could feel how incredibly proud I was to walk out with him that night, and how proud we've been of him every single time he's put on a Lads jersey for the last four years.

The season isn't quite over - we go again tonight, in the second round of the playoffs - but given that it could end at any moment, we're appreciating every last moment we can.

~

I made a mistake up above... Your time as a Lad is never over. Once a Lad, always a Lad. 

High Five for Spring Break (3.21.25)

One

My parents visited us for less than 48 hours at the beginning spring break (they were passing through on their way to Florida), and while here they were able to see the Lads' final district game of the season and Will's final district game of his high school career. 

After we "pregamed" with family and friends, the Lads added another "W" and positioned themselves well for playoffs...which start tonight! #wegoagain

Two

After dropping my parents at the Houston airport on Saturday, Hallie and I spent the afternoon at the outlet mall in Cypress. On our way home we stopped - as all Texans do - at Buc-ee's, where for the very first time we actually met him!

Three

On Sunday, Will traveled with senior orchestra friends to the Houston Symphony. It wasn't a huge senior trip like many programs take, but this is our orchestra's first year with a booster club and therefore first year with any kind of senior trip at all, so we were grateful for this opportunity for Will.

Four

On Monday, Will and Tom left Texas bound for the midwest, where they visited (for the second time) the University of Iowa, friends of ours who live in Iowa, Tom's dad at the family's new lake house in Nebraska, and MANY different disc golf courses along the way. They finally arrived home on Saturday evening, after many hours in the car and many memories made together.

Five

Meanwhile, Hallie and I headed off to Dallas for a 48-hour wedding extravaganza in honor of our soon-to-be aunt/sister-in-law, Kayla. We hosted an incredibly fun pizza party sleepover, went out for a delicious brunch, went shopping at Sephora for wedding make up, and hosted a charcuterie- and floral-themed wedding shower. (Oh, and because my "check engine" light came on while enroute to Dallas, I also took my car to have a hose repaired.) While it wasn't a long visit, we LOVED getting to celebrate sweet Kayla and catch up with lots of family members on Tom's side. 

It's a Ferris family tradition to create - out of tissue paper - a
wedding dress for the bride-to-be. It's not a contest, but more like
a craft or art project. Kayla's might be the best I've seen us create!

Six

I'm so grateful we could also fit into spring break Jenn's polar plunge birthday celebration and lots of time with friends - including Kara, who was back from Houston Ballet for spring break - for Hallie. 

~

Anyone wish we had one more week of spring break? 

Happy weekend, friends!

Swimsuit Snow Angels and Polar Plunges and Snakes, OH MY

For those of you who are new to Chasing Roots...

The Mueller family's annual tradition of playing in the snow while wearing as little clothing as possible began in 1984, when six-year-old Erin and four-year-old Sara donned their swimsuits and ventured across their snow-covered backyard - from the porch to the swing set and back - for absolutely no reason at all. Read the full backstory here.

One might expect such a tradition to become less important - to perhaps even disappear completely, the victim of a slow, painful death from hypothermia - once the children grow up and move out and change their last names, but not this tradition. Read about how my dad, Grandpa Paul, has kept the tradition alive here. 

I brought this tradition with me into my marriage, and proudly introduced it to my children a few years after that. Read about Will's first swimsuit snow angel here.

A couple of fun videos from years past - including when Will made his snow angel with a cast on his arm (wrapped up in a plastic bag, of course) and when my SIL "encouraged" my nephew to make his first swimsuit snow angel - can be found here and here. 

It doesn't snow very often in the Lone Star State, but when it finally did back in 2021, we were able carry on our tradition here in Texas. For those who want more ridiculous photos and videos (mute the videos - my voice and commentary are always awful), here are links to our 2023 and 2024 swimsuit snow angels.

When we haven't had consistent access to snow, we've subbed in a polar plunge. (2020, 2021, 2022)

~

This year takes the cake when it comes to winter weather fun - we made swimsuit snow angels AND did a polar plunge. AND I touched a snake. Read on to learn more about how these things are connected...

We spent Christmas 2024 in Wisconsin. Per usual, for Christmas Hallie wished that Mother Nature and Santa Clause would collaborate to gift her with at least one snowfall - preferably enough for sledding - and thankfully, they delivered. 

On our last full day in Madison (and what was pretty much Will's final hour in Madison, as he left a day earlier than the rest of us), we threw on our swimsuits, gathered our towels, and rallied those who wanted to make angels (Will, Hallie, Lily, Carter, Tom, and me) and those who wanted to film/photograph those who wanted to make angels (my parents, sister, and BIL). We had as much fun keeping this tradition alive as one can have when freezing to death. 

Will popped down and up quickly...

...which we soon learned was so he could...

...kick snow at me. What a sweet boy.

I feel like we look cold.

Then last weekend, which is admittedly much later in the winter than one should complete this activity, my friends and I did a "polar plunge." If we're being honest, it wasn't cold enough outside or in the pool to describe our activity as a true polar plunge, but it also wasn't warm enough outside or in the pool to describe our activity as swimming either. It honestly felt great - the cold water certainly took our breath away at first, but we felt great after it was done.

I absolutely loved that this is what my friend Jenn wanted to do for her birthday celebration...but our other two friends, Mandi and Anne, were not quite as excited. When at first they didn't want to participate, we all started making deals, and eventually we landed on: if Mandi and Anne did a polar plunge, I would touch - and Jenn would HOLD - Mandi's daughter Kaylee's pet python, Sabine.

Which we did. Everyone - polar plungers and snake touchers alike - was so brave. 

Swimsuit snow angels, polar plunges, and snakes aren't for everyone. But I hope that every once in a while you do something that takes your breath away.