One oil change away

I'm at the GMC dealership waiting for my oil change.

They have a nice little waiting area in the lobby with a playroom for little kids, which makes it difficult for me to find a reason not to service the car on time. Milo is having a great time, and I'm remembering the last time I waited here while they serviced the car last fall.

Don't worry—the car has been serviced since then. I just haven't brought the kids and hung out in the lobby.

Back then, I was watching Max and Milo play while researching self-publishing on my phone. A month or so earlier, I had written the manuscript for my book—or at least what would eventually become the manuscript. At the time, it was just a Google Doc I had drafted one-handed on my phone while sitting in the rocker at 3 a.m. with Milo.

I always imagined I'd write my first book at a nice desk looking out a window during normal waking hours. But not all ideas flow during business hours. Milo gave me a reason to get them out while they were fresh.

By that point, I had decided I was going to figure out how to publish the book. So I sat in this very lobby watching YouTube videos about self-publishing. I researched what kind of computer I needed because I hadn't owned one since I left advertising. I texted my art director friend Laura to ask how we might digitize Paula's watercolor artwork.

I was exploring all the possible paths to get to the other side.

Today, I'm sitting in the same place, and I'm on the other side.

On Thursday, we uploaded the final files to Ingram. They're pending approval. We've already seen and approved proofs from our offset printer. Now I'm working on the rollout plan: the social cadence, the cover reveal, the launch strategy.

I am HUSTLING media and bookstores.

I have absolutely no shame—in the best possible way.

I believe in this book more than anything I've ever worked on. In bringing it to life, I've become confident in who I am and what I believe.

When I wrote the book, I wasn't conscious of that. It just flowed.

But that's exactly why it flowed.

Because it is who I am.

It is what I believe.

I've learned so much through the process of bringing this book to life. It's reconnected me to my hometown and the people there in a way that has brought the core message of the book into sharper focus.

Traditions don't preserve themselves.

They survive through participation and intention.

When we continue practicing them together, they become bridges connecting our children to the people, places, and values that came before them. That's how traditions connect us across miles and across time.

Living 365 miles away, I've wondered what my role is in all of that.

I can't volunteer for every committee meeting. I can't help set up Main Street. I can't be there for every fundraiser, parade, or community event.

But I can tell the story.

I can celebrate the traditions, preserve the memories, and help pass them on to the next generation.

In many ways, this project has become my way of giving back from 365 miles away.

And as I've reflected on that, I've realized something else.

As a Christian, I believe that's not just how we pass down tradition—it's how we pass down faith.

Faith doesn't preserve itself either. It's lived, shared, practiced, and witnessed. It takes root when we invite the next generation into something bigger than themselves.

Now I'm working on what's next.

I've realized the idea behind the book is bigger than my own story, so I'm starting to tell the stories of other people from my hometown and the traditions they share around our Apple Festival. Our traditions connect our families, our neighbors, and our community.

So now I'm researching how to conduct a great interview. How to frame a shot. I'm dipping my toe into CapCut. I'm checking in with our stuffed-animal manufacturer… which definitely wasn't on my bingo card.

I've simply followed the idea God placed on my heart, and the process has been more rewarding than I could have imagined.

Last fall, I sat in this waiting room wondering how I was going to make a book.

Today, the files are uploaded. The proofs are approved. The launch is underway.

And by the time I'm back here for my next oil change, I hope you'll be reading it to your children.