A Journey through Summer

Happy St. Patrick Day! Today we finally had a bit of sunshine, both emotionally and literally.  It did wonders for the mood of our household. Families are starting to reach out into the virtual community with ways to support each other.  Kids can have hundreds of educational sites to watch, but they still need that human connection.  Today we created a shamrock for our door as part of a Shamrock Hunt in our neighborhood.  The kids also participated in a scavenger hunt through our Church's children's program. We also took advantage of the nice weather to go biking at our local State Park.  We weren't alone, as other families had the same idea, but there was definitely enough space to keep our distance.  Highlight of the day was seeing a bald eagle by the river. The mail has become something to look forward to.  A package from the grandparents filled the rest of the hours of the day with bubbles and other fun things to enjoy. ...

Day 1 of Spring Break was not terrible.  Finding that balance between an intended break, social distancing, and keeping up with education demands feels challenging.  There will likely be more screen time, but with focus on content instead of quantity. The weather wasn't very friendly today, so we made sure to get outside early.  I am hoping to somehow move a mile a day.  Today was by bike. I did open the backpacks to at least examine what work was assigned.  Daniel is completely online, but Anna has more worksheet activities, including a full chapter of math.  Yeesh.  Not looking forward to that.  It did spark an interesting conversation between the two kids as to which measurement system was better, Metric or Standard.   Lunch was good and easy, featuring a Spring Break Classic served three ways. Afternoon is always the hardest.  Come 2:30pm the word "Bored" has been expressed multiple times while mom is trying to tac...

Today was a different kind of Sunday.  I still got up early to sing with the choir.  But instead of singing before a full congregation, it was with 22 other individuals coming together to lead an online worship experience.  I must confess that I almost turned around and went back home.  I was unsure of the risks I was taking going out into the world.  Any yet, I was reminded to not be afraid.  So I went. I sang.  I heard the Word spoken and was reminded of the truth.  We heard that God will give us rest in the middle of the wilderness.  I cried at the words that "death has no hold on me".  God is good. The snow of yesterday quickly melted away.  We are trying to encourage the kids outside as much as we can.  Today involved campfires and roller skates.  Who knows what they will come up with tomorrow.  I am still trying to decide how much people interaction is good right now for the kids. Our pastor said th...

I wasn't planning on revisiting this blog again until this summer.  But, the universe had other plans and our family has come together for the next few weeks as we practice (not perfect) the art of social isolation.  Hello COVID-19. I had hoped with spring break on the horizon, we would have the week off and concerns would diminish and school could resume.  School administrators in their understood wisdom decided that 3 weeks of being at home was the better course. So, in our journey through the summer of our lives, I give you the hopefully brief pitstop in the town of COVID-19. Yesterday was Friday the 13th.  And it was not a good day.  Multiple emails heralding a domino effect of one institution after another closing.  Options reducing with each email, quick decisions had to be made.  Clients wondering if I could join them when their time came to go to the hospital.  Add to this a last minute scramble for school forms to turn in and gather...

The Coloring of Motherhood By Leah Garner W e recognize the outline. The actions and movements seem familiar. Seen from afar, or under a microscope of scrutiny The emotions find empathy inside us, but perhaps in a different setting. A glimmer of something we dreamt, but we cannot quite touch in our waking moments. And then we cross over into our own motherhood. G oing from the world of instruction and paint by number, into an expansive palette of colors with the brushes in our hands. We think back on the Masters we admired and try to follow their strokes. Our hands hesitate to make a mark like those criticized for their art. A nd yet… W ith each stroke we find the colors dry different than when first applied. Sometimes the picture gets more complicated the harder that we try. Taking a step back helps us see a bigger picture; appreciate the unique colors for what they are. W e see our child. And our children hold brushes too, Pai...

Last year I was unsure about taking on the kids for the summer, for what was to be dubbed "Mommy Camp".  We survived, thrived, and delved into another school year.  Now we are looking forward to summer and a break from school expectations.  New skills are being learned through softball and tennis.  Other constants like karate, swimming, and art also fill up the calendar. We are grateful I am able to stay home with the kids.  Not just financially, but the ability to more directly lead our kids through the early summer of their lives.  Nothing is perfect, but we are trying to follow the example of The One who is.

Greetings from the depths... The depths ... ...of winter ...of the bottomless pit of homework ...of despair over a crisis of faith ...of being overwhelmed with the responsibility and magnitude of parenthood A lot is happening all the time in life.  Sometimes we feel it stronger than others.  This week has been one of those times.  The world seems soooo... big and wrong and you feel so small trying to do anything right. And yet, as I tell my kids, we are responsible for our own actions.  No one else.  So even though it may seem small, I will do my part. I will teach .  Teach my kids they are loved always.  Teach them to be kind, loving, and gentle to everyone they meet. I will love.   Without judgment, just grace. I will learn.   I will keep open to new ideas and information to help me guide my actions and lead my family. My crocuses have been trying to bloom since January.  Snow keeps coming to keep them buried, but the...