Splash in the Rain Puddles

Happy anniversary my love! 17 years sounds like a long time, and in some ways feels like it too. Ha! But what a journey it has been.  Marriage is a beautiful thing.  To know that you are sharing life with the very person God created to be your partner…to know that no matter what, they will always be in your corner…to know that chances are very good they know exactly what you are thinking before you even need to speak it…it really is a beautiful thing.  But it takes work….it takes work to put their needs before your own…to remember that before kids, it really was just the two of you…to always find a way to stay on the same path, even when you might take separate roads to get there.  We have both learned a lot in 17 years.  We balance each other out, we make each other laugh, and we are very aware of our differences.  But it works.  Because on our wedding day, we knew with certainty that this was God’s plan for our lives. And now 17 years and 3 boys late...

Last week, this world lost a beautiful soul.  As her earthly body grew weaker, she had a confidence and a peace about where she was going and the heavenly body she was about to receive.  She has always been Grandma to my hubby...and I consider it a great honor to have called her Grandma for the last 17 years.  I think it is probably a rare gift to grow close to a spouse's grandparent.  But Grandma...she played a big role in God's plan for my life....and that goes back about 20 years.  I was loving life as a college student, when my sweet friend Christie took a few of us to Williamsburg, VA to visit her Great Aunt Virginia and Great Uncle Jack.  What a trip that was...to see the farm, that beautiful long lane of magnolia trees, and experience the hospitality of Mrs. Virginia Massie.  Fast forward a few years to our senior year in college...weeks away from graduating...when Christie suggested we take one more trip to see her Aunt Virginia.  I rememb...

One month of summer break is already in the books.  slow down time! We've found a good groove to our summer schedule...a combination of working on the farm and at home, fun with friends, youth group, checking in with a little school work here and there, and baseball.  lots of baseball.   My puzzle guy...he is on a roll working hard... and so rewarding to see the paycheck for all that work Last little league game for this guy... Just in time for his first All-Star game... and a lead off in-the-park homerun to start the tournament.. with a night game and several more games to play the next day... which then resulted in this... this boy goes full speed, 99% of the time.  but the struggle is real with that remaining 1%.  LOL!  loving the fresh blooms of the season and it's always nice to see that some of what I'm saying is actually getting through to the 7 year old :)   "Be kind, and make good choices!!" It really is hard to believe that I've bee...

When the school year began in the fall, we had so many questions....would we actually stay in session?...what will happen if someone tests positive?...will the kids be behind because of the shut down in the spring?...how oh how would any of this ever feel normal? Fast forward a few months...everyone adapted...protocols were followed...kids were doing well...and it actually did feel pretty normal.  Now, here we are at the end of a school year unlike any other.  I definitely wouldn’t say it went by quickly for my kids.  While they did well and still enjoyed school very much...it just felt like we needed to push a bit harder than usual to get to the finish line.  This year more than ever, I have so much gratitude for our teachers.  They approached this year with such confidence, grace, and adaptability.  I just cannot thank them enough.  And now begins summer break!! It’s when I enjoy being a stay at home mom the most...taking advantage of these care free...

Let’s hear it for all the moms out there! I for one, have been blessed with one of the best...as was my hubby...so we are pretty fortunate in the mom department.  Two wonderful examples of how to do this job in the very way God intended....by keeping Him first, always first....by honoring their husbands...and by loving their children through it all.  Being a mom. It’s what I always said I wanted to be when I grew up...and now here I am...doing what I've always wanted to do.  Do I make many mistakes? Absolutely.  Are my kids perfect? Absolutely not.  Do they make me crazy at times?  Absolutely.  Do they ever wonder if they are loved? Absolutely not.  Do I wish time would just stand still so I could keep them under my wings forever? Absolutely.  But would I ever want to stand in the way of the amazing plan God has for each of their lives?  Absolutely not.  I’m so grateful God gave me these three young men.  Forever thankful to be...

We had a great week of spring break!  We didn't go anywhere or do anything particularly exciting, but man we sure got a lot of work done and had some fun in the process.  I was in full spring cleaning mode and so thankful for the help of my three guys.  There's something about knowing that all of the dust that was sitting on top of my curtains...my cabinets...my windows and light fixtures is now gone, that brings comfort to my soul 😊  Spring is definitely in full swing....planting season for dad on the farm....baseball season for all three boys....and a full time taxi and meal delivery season for mom.  It's a good season.  A busy one...with days where I feel like I need to be split into 3 equal parts to make the schedule work...but I'm so thankful that we are healthy and well and able to embrace all of the work and activity...it's such a blessing....this life we get to live.   Chase doing his thing...on the field and in the kitchen... Jack doing ...

It’s Holy Week.  What a profound week in the life of a believer.  It’s the week that ties everything together.  The events of Holy Week, followed by that glorious resurrection morning, are where we find grace and forgiveness, hope and joy, and the perfect example of complete sacrificial giving.  It's where we see the love of our Father bridging the gap between Himself and our sinful world.  What an amazing love.  A gift laid at the foot of the cross for all to receive.  All we need to do is ask, accept, and follow.  Happy Easter all.  May you find Jesus at the center of your celebrations! and this...oh my heart....a throwback to a few years ago when Luke was first beginning to understand the true meaning of Easter.... and back to 7 year old Luke...we're calling him Toothless these days :). Jack continues to learn new skills and is such a great help at the farm and this guy is back on the ball field.    His team took home first place...