Life is too important to be taken seriously. – Oscar Wilde

Sometimes the best updates aren’t about one big topic or grand lesson. They’re just about life moving the way life tends to move — quickly, quietly, and all at once.

That’s where our family is right now.

2026 is rolling along, and for the first time in a while it feels like we’re hitting a groove (I hope I didn’t just jinx myself). Not a perfect groove, because I’m not sure family life ever truly qualifies for that, but the kind where everyone is moving forward, schedules are full, and the days have a rhythm to them.

The biggest reminder that time refuses to slow down is that Isabel is less than a month away from graduating high school.

That sentence still doesn’t feel real.

It seems like just the other day I was walking her into Pre-K, trying to act like I had it together while handing off my little girl to a classroom full of strangers. Now she’s finishing high school, earning her Associate’s degree at the same time, and preparing for University of Virginia’s College at Wise on the near horizon.

That’s the thing about parenting. The days can feel long, but the years move like a fastball.

Jacob is also stepping into a big new chapter. He begins with the football staff at Virginia Tech on the first of May as Director of Video Content.

That’s a sentence I enjoy typing.

If you haven’t watched his Set In Stone series, you should. Even if you aren’t a Virginia Tech fan, it’s worth seeing what happens when talent meets effort and creativity gets room to run.

Then there’s Caroline, who is wrapping up sixth grade and counting the days until summer break like only a middle schooler can.

She’s also starting to branch out a little more these days. She’s trying new foods, which in itself deserves recognition. There’s even a rumor floating around that she may follow in her sister’s footsteps and run cross country. I’m not confirming anything yet, but sources say interest is growing.

As for me, I’m coming off a busy three-to-four-week run that included two card shows and a trip to Phoenix. It was productive, energizing, and involved more miles than my back preferred.

Now I’m looking forward to a couple of weeks back at the shop…catching up, getting organized, and adding a few new wrinkles to Lab 20 Sports Cards. I’ve learned that small improvements, made consistently, usually beat grand plans that never get started.

Sarah is heading into the start of her busy season, though to be honest, the winter never slowed down much at all for her in real estate this year. That market kept moving, and so did she.

Last week we had one of those dinners with friends that reminds you how important simple things can be. Good food, better conversation, and a few hours away from the usual pace of life can do a lot for the soul. It’s easy to stay busy and let weeks run together, so nights like that feel even more valuable.

That’s the current state of things around here.

Kids growing up too fast. Careers moving into new seasons. Work staying busy. Plans being made. Summer vacation getting closer.

Nothing dramatic. Nothing groundbreaking.

Just life.

And if I’ve learned anything, it’s that these ordinary seasons often become the ones you miss the most later on.

Before I wrap things up, here are a few of the books, articles, and blog posts that have recently caught my attention. If you’ve been reading something worthwhile lately, send it my way.