2023 Year-in-Review

The most-read posts from this year - and my favorite moments from a year filled with changes

Hey guys,

First off, thanks for subscribing to this page. Even more, thanks for reading along as I attempt to chronicle the beautiful and absurd and hilarious and tragic events of my life. This past year was filled with so many transitions - first and foremost my son graduating high school and going off to college.

Here are the Top 5 Most Read Posts of 2023. Thanks for reading. I pray that 2024 will treat you kindly, and barring that, I pray that all of us experience the reality of what God said to His people through the prophet Isaiah: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

And may *that* truth allow you to walk into 2024 with this energy. Yeah, it may look bad, but when you saw Luke salute for the first time, you knew that something was up, and that it was gonna end up all right.

TOP FIVE POSTS OF 2023

5: MOVE–IN DAY AT BAYLOR

Loads of emotion as Nicole and I dropped off our firstborn at college. But there were not a lot of tears, because it was 109 degrees in Texas for move-in day at Baylor which caused instant dehydration in every living creature.

MY FAVORITE LINE:
How hot was it?

It was so hot, Nelly just said “I was like, good gracious” and then died.

4: MISPRONOUNCING “REESE’S PIECES” AT CHURCH

People love nothing more than watching people fail spectacularly in front of them. I did not disappoint.

MY FAVORITE LINE:
Halloween can veer away pretty quickly from the adorable “Lightning McQueen” and “Princess Tiana” zone to the “Drag Me to Hell” territory.

3: TIECHE VACATION BLOG (PART 2)

This blog chronicled our family’s once-in-a-lifetime trip celebrating our 20th anniversary, Jaelle’s 16th birthday, and Justus’ graduation. In this post, the Tieche Family gets upgraded to business class - for no good reason - and I quickly discover the corrupting power of wealth and realize that I can never go back to living with the commoners.

MY FAVORITE LINE:
On Spirit Airlines – which I tend to fly when I can scrape together enough dollars to avoid the lawless hellscape of Frontier Airlines – there are not such perks. You do not simply “get” free things.

2: TIECHE VACATION BLOG (PART 7)

Visiting Florence, Rome and Greece was an amazing experience. But…there were some cultural differences that I found a little annoying. In this one, I ranted about the 1. utter lack of ice on the European continent and 2. the hypocrisy of demanding female fashion decorum amidst the ubiquity of marble penises.

MY FAVORITE LINE:
Our knees?  Our knees have been uncovered and unencumbered.  Our knees have been out for everyone to see. For three solid days now, Ben and I have basically been Italian knee whores. We are knee whores, Ben and I. And nobody said boo to us.

1: TO MY SON, ON HIS GRADUATION

Because I am adopted, Justus was the first human I ever met in my life who shared the same blood as me. More than that, I adore this kid. I reflected on my son’s graduation from high school, and transition away from our home into adulthood. Yes, the occasion is joyous, but there’s a reason the word “bittersweet” exists and it has nothing to do with chocolate chips. As I’ve told people since, it feels like getting fired from a job that I liked and very much enjoyed.

MY FAVORITE LINE:
Oh, what a home we had built. Oh, what a home. The joy of my years. It was all her vision, she saw it. What it could be. It was the best of us.

But now?

How could it be home, anymore, without him in it?

How?

I could see no possible future better without him close to us.