365 days ago we packed up our van, and set sail for Spring Break- AZ style! If only we knew what the week, then the month, then the year would hold. Probably a good thing we didn't know? But here we are... still in AZ... without any IL closure... with rooms still full of our belongings back on Whispering Lake Drive... classrooms still full of March 2020 stuff. Yet with a home and life full here in AZ too. We are thankful. We feel many blessings, yet it always feels good to look back & reflect.
Every week it felt like "hmm I wonder when we will get back to IL". I wonder what tomorrow will look like. And guys it has been 365 days of wonder.
Finally we learned to live IN THE MOMENT and wonder as we wandered to borrow John Jacob Niles' words. Forgetting the long term planning that the world so often wants us to fall into. The hype of whats going to happen next - the next best thing. Muting the Google classrooms has helped me understand the value of muting life. The noise. The static. The unnecessary background chatter.
My constant reminder to my students "Mute your mic, please." And.. "stay muted" applies in life... Stay muted- background noise and senseless talk. Only let the good and the true filter through.
Today is a big day. Today we look back and reflect. Today we look forward with great expectation and excitement. Today we pause in the here and now and eat all the green things & taste the rainbow! Our pot of Gold is better than Gold! Far better. "Oh yes my friend there's something more something more than gold, to know your sins are all forgiven is better far than gold"
We are thankful how the Lord has kept us. The Irish blessing rings truer than ever!
Thankful for the local produce stand and farm.
These body scrubs tho!
Thankful for this freshly showered babe!
Thankful for hiking views!
Thankful for Sunday church time! Lulu sat and "read" for 30 minutes! Get it girl!
Thankful for Home Goods and Hannah's organization style! She loves learning from home & loves making her little nest just the cutest!
Thankful for this program. Some recent events have triggered some grief pain & the local church has an amazing 13 week grief class. It is heavy. It is raw. It is real. It is safe. 10/10 rec this if you have suffered any loss in your family. Even if it's been years since that loss.
And then there's little lucky Lulu. We have the sweetest penpal in Iowa, who shares the love of every single holiday. Sweet Bridger spoiled her again this holiday!
And my obsessed with all things holiday Hannah. #nailedit When she found the purple teethers tho! ππ
And she is also a savage. That unicorn donut stood no chance. And this photo is taken and shared with 100% permission. π
Lucky me, we have the cutest "play along with all mom's crazy antics and set leprechaun traps", kiddos!
No, don't worry I didn't make Harrison set a trap π He just got the good stuff π
And as corned beef simmers in the slow cooker, and City Alight's new song plays may we all enjoy the present. Love you all. Happy St Patrick's Day XOπ
Love this whole post! YES to muting out background noise and senseless talk, YES to having something better than gold, YES to finding encouragement, and YES to all the green donuts. πππ
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