March 2020

March brought both the lion and the lamb. I was blessed with a long weekend in Naples with Mom, soaking up as much sun, laughter, and peace & quiet (the lamb portion of the month) as possible! The timing of my trip could NOT have been better, as the girls' quarantine break from school began the day after I returned home!

We heard the lion in the cries of students everywhere when they were sent home to be home schooled by... their moms on March 17th! But the lion really seemed to amp up in the cries of those mothers each time the home school year was lengthened, then extended, and finally succumbed to the end of the 2019-2020 school year 😭

Hadley has been such a responsible 7th grader! Getting dressed each morning and logging in to her virtual learning sites.

Piper is the first one dressed and logged in each morning! Her work has transitioned from paper & pencil, to all online learning now, and she's done it all in stride; likely making her that much more ready for middle school.

Bryndel seems to be the most delighted about having me as her teacher. She enjoys school in her PJs and snuggling up with me when it gets hard. With the exception of math games, all of her work is pencil to paper.

There have been a mix of emotions, myself included, much like the variable weather in the month of March. Some days we cannot even believe that we get to eat three meals together and not have to rush around between activities. It feels like a rainbows & unicorn day. Other days, we miss being with our people SO much that it physically hurts not to see them and hug them, and cherish the connections we have with them. That feels like a thunderous blizzard kind of day, maybe with some stink mixed in.

We have learned to take it just one day at a time. To prayerfully put ALL of this at the feet of Jesus. Trust that He is good today, just as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow. To seek out the funny and hilarious, and laugh until we cry. Cherish the family meals, family game nights, and the makeups after the inevitable fights. Find things to be grateful for each and every day. Write actual letters to people we love and miss. We have taken MANY hikes on our land, through the rain with umbrellas, and at several State Parks. More books have been read than ever before in our house, and that's saying something! Kids have even been bored. What?? And they are learning to figure that out too.

Kyle continues to see patients, and is grateful for the normalcy that brings as well as the opportunity to help patients boost their immune systems. Each week the numbers look different, but we are thankful he is still able to help some people!

I am still working as well, but from our lovely home office in the basement, complete with all of Kyle's mounted animals! This might be the hardest part for me, trying to find the balance and time for regular house keeping kinds of things (they eat SO much right now!!!), trying to keep a positive attitude while home schooling, and then sneaking in bits here or there to try and do my job at the church.  A whole lot of coffee and God's grace is getting me through (and maybe a happy hour here & there too, ha).

February 2020

February saw the end of the BB season, the 100th day of school, more sledding, fun school activities, and the blessing of celebrating my Grandpa Jerry's life with family.

Bryndel's shirt sported 100 pistachio shells (Piper made it in 1st grade, and Bryndel was thrilled to wear it!).

Piper's half birthday treats, cheese snowmen.

Coffee date with Had on one of her days off.

Bryndel had some of the best defensive moves on her BB team (She's the one in the air trying to block the shot!).

Piper played hard every single game, including the HS half time exhibition game.

Hadley also finished her season strong!

This is my Grandpa Jerry on his 70th birthday, jumping on our backyard trampoline! At 91, he still had that warm smile and sparkly eyes. I can only imagine his arrival in heaven; well done good and faithful servant.

The girls were blessed with such a special weekend of remembering Grandpa Jerry, with the bonus of being with cousins!