About Me

Washington, DC, United States
Heather Capell Bramble is mother of two kaleidoscoping kids, Jonah and Vera. She has a magical kaleidoscope, often in her back pocket, and it usually helps her turn her normally chaotic life into something beautiful. Her goal is to have as much fun and try to be as happy as they can while on the uncharted journey of motherhood. This means doing lots of arts and crafts, going on crazy adventures, and celebrating all kinds of holidays - and yes, trying to laugh along the way!

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Just Wait Six Months, It will Change…

That has been one of my mottos for as long as I can remember.  And in my life, it has held true.  Usually in the worst of times – personally, professionally, physically, or emotionally, I have told myself just give it six months – and things will change.

Because we all know that seasons change, people change, my dress size changes, jobs change, friends change, priorities change, presidents change, policies change, love changes, life changes, it all changes.  In the spirit of Heraclitus of Ephesus, the saying goes, “the only thing constant is change…”

It’s been almost exactly 6 months since the last blog.  Things have changed. It is no longer winter – we are deep into summer and DC summer is hot, hot, hot, and humid…

Feeling hot hot hot…
It is so very hot.  I have had the worst luck with air conditioning units ever since I bought my first place in Washington DC in Dupont Circle in 2002.  I lived in that first duplex condo, which I loved until 2012 – for 10 years.  And for ten years I battled with the damn air conditioning.  I fixed it and replaced it, but it never worked properly…

Then we changed houses. We bought this house in NW DC in 2012 and at first the air conditioning seemed to work… but then quickly again epic battles with the air conditioner.  After many battles with our air conditioner, freon replacement, motor replacement, etc., it never really worked. And then, it just completely stopped cooling the house - even though we are running it and using electricity (do not even get me started on the electric bill!) so we must replace  (in other words change) the whole thing.  We must change out this unit for a new one.

I made the deposit on the expensive new system, and our contractor started the work.  As with all fixit jobs, just replacing the thing isn’t enough – new valve and duct work is also necessary which requires cutting open ceiling and walls – so that is what we got to do.  Even the air conditioner prognosis changes once you actually try to fix it. 

And everything else in life has changed too.

Six Months Seemed Like Six Seconds
The kids are bigger, taller, stronger, wiser, better, madder, sadder, happier, - just more of everything.  In the past 6 months they have become little people with complete lives of their own. 

Jonah is a baseball fanatic and fan.  His first season in kid pitch division and his team unexpectedly made it to the division finals and lost – a season that taught him both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  His team – a group that has been together since he was 4 – is one of those special groups that totally and completely works on every level – coaches, parents and kids.  It is diverse and inclusive and the essence of what the word team should mean.  In a world of super competitive-type A kid sports craziness, our team, The Presidents (named during the Obama Administration), is a little slice of heaven.  The team motto remains - #AlwaysBePresidential and #Tribe.  But even little league teams, they change.  The kids have aged out their division and must enter a draft… so we are going to move the team to a travel team together, and maybe Jonah will play on 2 teams this fall.  Sometimes when life changes, you need a work-around.

Vera is my shining star. She has been ever since I can remember (She did have a “Books and Broadway” birthday party a few years back.)  But now she officially wants to be a “Star!”  This past spring break she had her debut performance as part of the chorus in Alice in Wonderland.  A few weeks ago, she performed at the music recital and sang solo the Moana song.  And this summer she will be doing a Broadway musical camp and a Shakespeare camp.  She has changed.  She is more grown up, more opinionated, more stubborn, more thoughtful, more strong-willed, more committed, and more compassionate. She is changing and evolving into the person she will become.  No matter what she does or how she changes, she will always be my star!

Jonah and Vera continue to do Jujitsu together. Every fourth months testing from one belt to another.  Changing to a new more advanced class.

They can also be found obsessively playing on their tablets whenever they are allowed.  They hate me for instituting the “no screen time” during the week rule.  Whenever they can, they want to be playing/watching – roblox, kidsyoutube, ps4 and other stupid games or weird videos… I am not sure this will ever change – but I just cannot stand it.

These past 6 months saw lots of fun, adventures, meltdowns, drama, birthdays, holidays, family time, and more. Here is a list:

HeatherStatedHerNewLawFirmPartnerJob*Women’sMarch*TuBshevat*PresidentsDayTriptoNY/NYNYToyFair*GroundHogsDay*ValentinesDay*DentistCheckUps*Purim*StPatricksDay*DrSeussBirthday*Heather&Jocelyn11thAnniversary*SnowDays*Passover*RockNRollShow*Baking*SydneyTurned7*VeraTurned7*VeraAndPopHadReverseBirthdays07/70*JocelynTurned44*UofMDVisit*SolarSystemDay*Vera’sAliceInWonderlandShow*MarchForOutLives*AuPairShabbot*SelaIsraelFest*SelaBlackHistoryMonthShowcase*Baseball*Jujitsu*20yearUTLawreunion*GymnasticsShow*StartingGirlScouts*MusicRecital*Shavuot*Mother’sDay*MemorialDay*SwedishMidSummerShabbot*ObamaPortraits*GregsBachelorParty*Movies*NjFriendsVisit*JonahTurned9*IKEAVisit*LittleLeagueFinals*PoolTime*BostonTrip*CampHavayaSleepAwayCamp*CousinsTripToAntigua*GregAndEwanGetMarriedInLondon*Winsome’sBday*FunHouseAtTheBuildingMuseum*ErasureConcert

We went back to London a few weeks ago for an amazing occasion - our best buddies, Ewan and Greg - got married.  The best part - they met at our wedding more than 11 years ago.  I helped officiate the wedding - it was a wonderful honor and privelege.  While we were there - without kids over July 4th weekend, Jocelyn and I went back to the hotel that we lived in in the summer of 2004 for about 5 months and had a drink.  Guess what - the hotel has changed names and been redone.  Then we walked the three blocks to the office building we worked in every day during those same 5 months - guess what - the law firm we used to work at is no longer in Tower 42... because you know  what - things change...

And the world, it continues to change.

Burning Up and Seeing Red
We still have a president who is incompetent and truly evil.  We have a government that is failing us on every level and in every way.  This administration keep changing the rules and making it harder for people in this country to live.  Whether it is the trade wars or the tax plan, it is clear this administration’s changes are aimed to hurt Americans.  The polices are based on greed, power, xenophobia, racism, and sexism.  The world keeps turning and American is changing – but not for the good.  The world is laughing at us and protests worldwide confirm that the USA is failing in its position as a global leader to be a force for good and positive change. With every new tweet and press conference, we see more clearly the dysfunction and treasonous space we are now living in.  Children are being ripped from their parents at our borders as they plead for asylum because their homelands are too dangerous to return to safely. The Supreme Court is about to be changed in a way that will affect Jonah’s and Vera’s kids if we all live that long.  Mueller continues to investigate and indict. Conspiracy and collusion are terms we all know and talk about? The world is still getting hotter.  US citizens have higher taxes and worse health care coverage. Teachers across the country went on walkouts.  Unions lost in the courts. Corruption is rampant in this Administration.  And then there are the latest news reports that Putin has been invited right before the misterm elections and the big Veteran’s Day Military Parade. And this is the 100,000-foot view of our crumbling democracy.  These changes for the bad – they come fast and furious. It is hard to breathe or see through the fog of depression and despair.

Putting One Foot In Front Of The Other
So I march. I Facebook. I try to recycle. I try not to use straws. I give money. I try to speak truth to power in little ways every day. I remain #StillVigilant. But we also live our lives.  The mundane every day lives.  I try to talk to the kids about the world and what we need to do to make it better, including standing up for people when they need our help. But we also got to work and school and camp and music lessons…

Remember I started that new job just a mere 6 months ago.  I have been intensely working each and every to develop my practice and engage on a new level as a lawyer to leverage my past experience and be successful.  And then – as is pretty typical in my life – there is a curve in the road…

A few weeks ago, I got an offer to move jobs.  After saying no a few times, I ended up saying yes to an offer I just could not refuse.  I am excited about this new opportunity to tackle this challenge.  It wasn’t an easy decision as I was committed to what I had been doing and loved my team and colleagues.  But everything changes and sometimes even after only six months, you realize it is time for you to move on.  Friday, July 20 was my last day at my old great gig – Monday, July 23, I start my new adventure.  Tomorrow, I leave on a jet plane with our au pair and the kids for a week in Seattle.  I will stay another two weeks (for total of 3) of onboarding and orientation and then as coincidences have it – I will start in the DC office on August 20th – the same day the kids start 2nd and 4th grade.  New adventures for us all. Wish us luck.

Looking Forward Six Months
As I have told myself so many times before – just wait six months and see what is going on and what has changed.  In the next six months, the November elections will be completed, and I will have turned 48.  We will have a new au pair, the year will have moved another digit, and we will be in the dark of winter and counting the days to Spring, and hopefully I will be able to report that my air conditioner was completely fixed! What other changes await us?  Who knows.

 So with that, I leave you with another quote related to CHANGE… this time a lady and way too many photos from the past 6 mos:

 “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

Let’s do this…



























































































































































































































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