My Week Was Chaos — and I Loved It

Hey friends,

This past week was packed — and not in a stressful way, but more like that “I-did-a-lot-and-now-I-need-a-nap” kind of way. You know the feeling?

First off, both of my kids were home. They’re 23 and 21 now, which means the house feels full in a way I’ve really missed. Holly and I are loving every second. There's something about having the whole crew back under one roof — it brings a certain energy and warmth that you can’t replicate. Even when all we’re doing is grabbing dinner together or watching whatever show they’re into at the moment, it still feels like a mini celebration. I don’t take it for granted. We know how fast life moves, and any time we can press pause and just be with our family — even if it’s over takeout and a dog climbing the furniture — is time well spent.

Speaking of dogs… let’s talk about Luna.

Luna is Sam’s puppy, and while she’s incredibly cute and full of personality, she’s also a one-dog wrecking crew. Ted — our older, chill dog — has pretty much mastered the art of doing absolutely nothing with grace. Luna? Not so much. She’s all gas, no brakes, and definitely doesn't understand personal space or quiet time yet.

My morning routine used to be pretty structured: wake up, get moving, maybe a workout, maybe some journaling or quiet reflection. Now? It’s more like a morning obstacle course. Luna has to be walked, fed, distracted, pulled off the couch, stopped from chewing something she shouldn’t — and all before coffee. Honestly, everything takes twice as long now. And yet, I’ve found myself laughing more. She’s chaotic, but in that joyful, life-filled way that reminds me a lot of having babies in the house.

It actually made me stop and think — how did we do it back when our kids were little? I mean, full-time parenting and trying to have a routine? Respect to all the parents in the thick of that season right now. You’re superheroes. It’s funny how a 25-pound puppy can pull memories out of storage — the ones of kids refusing to wear the shirt you picked, or needing to change clothes five times before breakfast. It’s a little nostalgic and a lot humbling.

To top off the week, I traveled to Salt Lake City for a business conference. I flew out Tuesday afternoon — made it through security quickly thanks to TSA PreCheck (seriously, if you don’t have it and travel more than once a year, it’s worth it). I made a point to keep up my workouts while I was there. I didn’t hit my cardio goal Friday, but with the pace of the event, it felt like a win just to move consistently.

The conference itself was energizing. We spent several days diving into business strategy — goals, leadership development, marketing, sales systems — all the stuff that makes a company not just run, but grow with intention. But what hit me most was how much we talked about balance. Balance between work and life. Between building a business and being present at home. Because the truth is, when something’s off at home, it eventually shows up at work. And vice versa.

We held most of the sessions at the home of a guy named Chris Crone — he’s a big name in the real estate world and has a killer YouTube channel if you want to check him out. His home, which doubles as a training center, had sweeping views of the mountains. The kind of views that make you stop mid-conversation and just stare for a few seconds. It was stunning. I was definitely jealous… until someone reminded me that they regularly get five feet of snow in the winter. That brought me back down to reality real quick.

Now, about the return trip. I made a decision I thought was smart at the time: book a red-eye flight back home Friday night. The idea was to land Saturday morning and still have time to spend with my family over the weekend. But here’s the thing — red-eye flights are for either young guys or people made of stronger stuff than me. I couldn’t sleep a wink. The flight got delayed, we took off late, and I landed in Atlanta at 5:30 in the morning feeling like I’d aged 10 years. I was toast for the next two days. If you’ve got a secret for actually sleeping on planes, share it with me, please.

Still, I did get back just in time to spend Saturday night with my son watching the UFC card. It wasn’t a blockbuster night, but we were excited to see Gilbert Burns fight. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t his night. He didn’t look like himself and ended up losing. Disappointing, but still good to hang out and unwind together.

Later that evening, we hit up the Coweta County Rodeo. Now that was a surprise hit. It’s a smaller rodeo, but it had all the staples — roping, barrel racing, bull riding. The bull riding was tough to see clearly from our seats (I’ve officially been spoiled by TV camera angles), but everything else was awesome. Watching the women in the barrel racing events — the speed, the precision — was impressive. And calf roping? That takes serious skill. Watching people jump off horses and wrestle calves to the ground? That’s not a hobby; that’s a workout.

The food was classic: local vendors, a bunch of deep-fried everything, and even some monster-sized tractors on display for the kids (and let’s be honest, for the adults too). The whole event had a fun, small-town charm to it. We’ll definitely be back.

All in all, the week was a whirlwind — from puppy chaos and family dinners to strategic planning and rodeo lights. I came out the other side a little tired, but more focused than ever. Sometimes all it takes is stepping away to see the big picture, and this week helped me zoom out and reset in a few key areas.

Hope your week brought you some balance, too — and maybe even a little unexpected fun.

Until next time,
– Shane