Strawberry Picking, Year 5

One of my favorite traditions: picking strawberries! This was our 5th year to visit Wegmeyer Farms, and it was a great day for strawberry picking. We were going to wait until we finished school, but looking at the weather and our schedule...it worked out best for us to go today, so we loaded up and made the trip!

The weather was perfect and the strawberries were in peak season! The kids have had lots of practice picking the best, most ripe strawberries, so we came home with some really great ones. And it was really fun to hear them talk while we searched for the best ones... "Mommy, remember when we came and it was SO muddy?" or "Mommy, remember when the cicadas were all over the plants and were SO loud??"  :)

I absolutely love this tradition, and that our sweet friends introduced us to it our first summer in Virginia. I have watched our babies grow up in this strawberry patch, and I look forward to many more years to come!

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What the Lord Has Taught Me in Motherhood

The Lord has used motherhood to teach me so much- about myself, about what it means to love and sacrifice for others, about Him. It started long before I became a mother, in those long, hard days when my heart ached for nothing more than to become one. In the dark days, when I became one briefly, and then knew too quickly the heartache of saying goodbye too soon. When I carried the title in my heart and womb only, but my arms were still empty and aching for a role that still wasn’t mine. But in that time, I learned to trust the heart of my Savior. While I did not understand His ways or timing, He was teaching me that I could trust His character and heart. He was still good, still working, and still holding me close. 

Then when I finally became a mother, my arms filled with not one but 2 babies, I quickly learned how woefully underprepared I was. I couldn’t rely solely on my type A planner self, because twin babies, who may benefit from that, basically throw all of it out the window. And then when our 3rd baby arrived before the twins were 2 years old, I found myself drowning in the reality that I am not enough. But in that time, I learned, once again, to trust the heart of my Savior. While I like control and self-sufficiency, I had to realize that I am absolutely not enough. But that’s ok, because my Savior is more than enough- for my daily needs, for my babies’ needs, and for us to face whatever the day holds. He is in control, He knows what we need, and I don’t need to worry about any of it.

And today, on this Mother’s Day, I think of my own mom. I think of what an incredible example of love and sacrifice she has been to me over the years. How she has shaped for me the vision of motherhood that I desire for my own children. I am thankful for the legacy of faith and prayer that she passes on. She is the patience, grace, and safe place I pray to be. And even now, I am continuing to learn from her. Because over the last few months, I have watched her and my dad grieve a hurt that no parent should have to. And she has done so still reminding me to trust the heart of my Savior. That while it hurts and we don’t fully understand His plan in all of it, He is still good, still working, still holding us close. 

Today I’m thankful for my mom and the countless ways she has loved me and my brother. And more importantly, how she has always, always, pointed us to Jesus. I’m thankful for the ones who call me mom, who I get to hold in my arms. I hold on just a little bit tighter today, even if it draws a few eye rolls and “you’re squishing me!”s. And I’m thankful that the heart of my Savior can be trusted for every stage of motherhood, whatever comes. That He is always good, always working, always holding me close. 

{iPhone Rewind} :: April

Eli's notes from Pastor Milt's sermon <3

Reading a letter he got in the mail from Granny {with help from his trusty assistant}

Me: What is this on my mirror?

Aiden: It's a rainbow, Mommy

Me: Well, let's not draw on Mommy's mirror anymore, ok?

Beautiful flowers from my love

Wanting to offer Mommy snuggles when she's not feeling her best. I sure do love them!

It's April. And we are still experiencing below freezing temps. It didn't snow, but I am ready for WARM weather, please!

Maddie wrapped up her year of Pioneer Girls! Now I have a ton of badges to sew on to her sash :)

They have loved decorating and setting the table recently. I love how they work together, offer Mike and I pictures of the two of us together to look at, and how Aiden likes to look at pictures of himself LOL

Sharing his science book about "Planets, Dwarf Planets, and Other Things" with Granny and Grumpz :)

He has been super focused on Perler Beads recently...

Behold. Captains Law, Judgment, and Conviction! {From The Mansoul Chronicles}

Maddie and I {finally} got haircuts!

At the park with Daddy :)

Kid art on Daddy's office dry erase board

Tossing the football

"I love you" flowers are the best :)

We're diving into crochet with Maddie! She's actually doing pretty well for a beginner :)

Easter 2025

For Easter this year, we were able to attend our church's Good Friday service, which was a wonderful blend of prayer, singing, Scripture reading, communion, and reflection. Pastor John helped lead a dramatic reading of the passover to the cross, and it was a really sweet evening with our church family.

Easter mornings are split for us as a ministry family. Mike was already gone before the kids got up, as he was off to help with the Sunrise Service. I got to do Easter baskets with the kids {taking a video for Daddy}, so they didn't have to wait, and then we got ready for church.

This year, the kids each got new rain boots, a puzzle/sticker/joke book, a chocolate bunny, and new Yoto cards. We don't do gifts as big as Christmas, but we do want to make it a day of celebration and fun, since it is a day of celebration! The day to celebrate that Christ has risen!

Mike preached both services, and we got to celebrate baptisms, which is always special. We were excited to have our friends B & C join us for the service too. Since it was a busy work day for Mike {too much going on!}, we were not able to snag a full family photo this year, but I was able to grab one of the kiddos!

The rest of the day, we enjoyed time outside, grilling for dinner, and just spending time as a family. Which was a perfect way to wrap up a busy Easter weekend. We missed being with family, but we are so thankful for our church family and for the time to soak up the sweet days of childhood with our kiddos. 

We are thankful for the cross and for the empty tomb. He is risen!

{iPhone Rewind} :: March

Maddie and I got to enjoy a fun girls' lunch at Panera :)

Baby shower for our sweet friend Hannah

While Maddie and I went to lunch and the baby shower, the boys enjoyed their own lunch at Pot Belly!

Sometimes I wonder if they're actually listening during school...but then I'll find random notes taped to the wall and realize that they are listening and that they believe me LOL! {this is what they learned in sinsse = science}

We got to serve with Generosity Feeds again, helping to pack 10,000 meals for our community!

We said goodbye to my Honda Pilot, so I needed to clean it out. Definitely a past life, in more ways than one! I also cleaned out CD's haha!

I went looking for the second set of keys to the Pilot, and came across an extra set of keys from one of my brother's old trucks. It was also from a past life, when we were all back in Dallas, and we saw him more often, and it just made sense for us to keep an extra set for him. I sat in my basement reminiscing sweet times, crying over a silly set of old keys. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I know grief does that, but it definitely came out of nowhere and derailed my afternoon. 

We bought a new {to us} Telluride! Considering that the Pilot sounded like a tractor and barely made it to trade-in...we're thankful for the Lord's provision.

A Portrait of Aiden, age 6. A hat from the local garbage company. Orange glasses. A Blippi shirt. Pooh Bear by his side. Holes in his pant knees from lots of play. #timeslowdown

The kids are loving the new ride...especially the sun roof!

Our Community Group had a Pi Day celebration- complete with pizza pies, dessert pies, and Frito Pie!

Sweet gifts from Maddie, left on my dresser :)

We drive by this spot multiple times a week, and we are always on the lookout for this gopher/marmot/groundhog friend. The kids were so excited to finally see him again and asked for me to pull over so they could watch him eat!

Showing our St. Patrick's Day spirit! We learned the legacy of St. Patrick and made green smoothies.

I absolutely LOVED studying Revelation with these ladies {not everyone is pictured}. I was so proud of them for sticking with it!

They did a 2-week project to repave the cul de sac, and it was EXCITING entertainment around our house!

Having lunch on the porch, watching the repaving project :)

Aiden and Maddie finished their first grade math book! They'll finish out the year working through their second grade math book!

Mike found Maddie's doll house family arranged in a family hug. And I love everything about this.

Telling Daddy about his library book. With his upside down dress up hat.