State of the House ~ February

February is likable because it is short, in has Valentine's Day. Every year I try desperately to have that be enough to offset the fact that its the toughest section of tax season.

The kids are always excited to begin Passion and the Cross rehearsals...they love hanging with their friends and cousins!

A highlight was having six couples from our neighborhood cross our threshold and share a meal with us. That was part of our vision when we moved here and it was amazing. Along with that, I read a book I'd requested for Christmas The Gospel Comes With a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield. So much of the book is highlighted and underlined, these are two favorites:

There are, of course, other ways you can use your days, your time, your money, and your home. But opening your front door and greeting neighbors with soup, bread, and the words of Jesus are the most important. Who knows but that this simple task of sharing the gospel where you are, wherever you are, might just be used by God to change the world?

Radically ordinary hospitality, those who live it see strangers as neighbors, neighbors as family of God. They recoil at reducing a person to a category or a label . They see God’s image reflected in the eyes of every human being on Earth. Those who live out radically ordinary hospitality see their homes not as theirs at all, but as God’s gift to use for the furtherance of His kingdom. They open doors, they seek out the underprivileged. They know that the Gospel comes with the house key.

Project 365, Week 7

My niece (hi, Maddy!) pokes fun at me with what I share here. She says it feel a little like a roller coaster here week to week. Everything is happy is bright, then there is major drama. Believe it or not, I'm a pretty even-keeled, drama-adverse person and yet God has called me to a more-than-I-can-handle-in-my-own strength life. I do it imperfectly, but with lots of heart. :)

February 11

It took her about 4 hours, but she put her dresser together. Her determination will come in handy in life. 

February 12
Snow day! Nothing like a movie to ensure there is no fighting between kids while we're both at the office.

We equally mourned the loss of our beloved sledding hill at the old house and hopefully looked for a new favorite spot around our new place.

February 13
New bedroom chillin'.

February 14

Valentine's Day! I followed through on our tradition of a dozen festive donuts. Shaun took me out to lunch, which was super sweet. But even more romantic than that? When he came home late from work, he allowed me to be alone with my frustration while he jumped in and gently talked with a kid whose day had gone sideways.

February 15
Double trouble.

February 16

February 17
The running around of this day started at 8am for JBQ and ended at 7pm when we got home from baseball. I was exhausted from being up with babies and completely drained. I reached a low when I tried to drop the baby off at the nursery so I could sit in service for an hour but was turned away because of his runny nose. I indulged in a pity party and very nearly broke into tears, right there in the nursing mother's room.

Avery and Amanda got to spend the night at Auntie Sarah's house and get spoiled. They had SO much fun doing crafts. It was such a special time for them and also made me realize how much I rely on Avery when we have the baby. I'm in over my head without her!

We had the first Passion and the Cross meeting...so proud to see Amy owning the Assistant Director role...it is demanding and requires so much grace and she is uniquely gifted for it.

February's 10 on 10

 10 pictures on the 10th day of the month (Sunday).

{Document a snapshot of your life; find beauty among the ordinary things in your day! }

Rather than iron as needed, I prefer to do it all at one time, so once a week I do a podcast's worth of ironing. :)

Avery and I went into the office for a bit. Since Sundays are a quiet day, Avery covered the front desk. She's a bit shy and reluctant, but she'll be very good at it once she gains knowledge and confidence. (She looked so pretty and grown up!)

Lots of take down, put away work after our dinner party the night before.

It seemed so sweet, Aiden quietly playing with his toys, but I found out later he was loading up nerf bullets to shoot at unsuspecting sisters.

Game time. How many words can you find in two minutes? :)

And homework.

Aiden has chosen to do spring baseball instead of spring soccer. Its been a couple years since he played so he needs all new equipment. After Shaun got home from work, they ran out to buy a new glove and then Shaun showed him the tricks for working it in.

The girls did quite a bit of room cleaning and furniture moving.

Aiden attended his first instructional baseball (class? group? clinic?) thing. I was impressed with how organized it was and the level of expertise.

This was such a cool moment! We couldn't find the chapter book we've been reading aloud so we decided to read his Bible, which he just got for Christmas. He started looking up the verses he's memorized for his quiz team and there they were, word for word in the actual Bible. He was blown away and beyond excited. It was such an honor to witness that experience.

Project 365, Week 6

The month of February means the worst of winter has passed. The days are getting longer and a mild day here and there is a real possibility. Sometimes there can even be crocus sightings. We experienced a couple of those mild days this week and it was divine. 

February 4

After COLD temps, the weather turned mild and made us super happy. We took a walk around the block to soak in the sun and run the dog. How do I have such big kids?!?

February 5
A week before, when it was zero degrees, Aiden went to the bus stop in a hoodie, we couldn't convince him of the need for a coat. But Shaun and I joked that he'd wear his coat once it turned 60, because historically and inexplicably, that's what he'd done. Sure enough...

February 6
K moving out January 1st freed up a bedroom, so we separated Avery and Amanda. Amanda ordered a couple things to help make the space her own. When her desk arrived, she opened the package, pulled out the directions and got to work putting it together. I was so impressed that she attempted it and completed it successfully.

February 7
Never gets old seeing the sun come up on a new day.

February 8
Avery's box spring arrived in a million pieces. She and J worked diligently and got it all set up. Again, I was very impressed....I would have let it sit in the box for weeks until Shaun was able to get to it.

Each day in February leading up to Valentine's Day I leave a note on each kid's bed, a simple message written in a heart with a small candy. On this day Aiden's said You are a good Lego creator. It'd been weeks since he'd played with Legos, but from that simple message, a thought was put in his head and he got to work creating with Legos. I know words are powerful and this was such a simple, obvious example of the impact our words can have.

February 9
We had our monthly Junior Bible Quiz meet, 2 hours away so I left at 7:30am with a loaded up Suburban. There was a three-way tie for first place, including our two teams.

Our neighborhood held a progressive dinner. Four houses hosted...first appetizers and cocktails, then salads, then onto dinner and the last house serves dessert. I volunteered to host dinner since our house can seat a very large number of people. I was thrilled with the opportunity to welcome so many neighbors into our home...that's why we're here! I'm so used to hosting family or close friends so I was a definitely nervous about a group of new friends (particularly the couple who pilot a private jet and prepare and serve gourmet food for the flights) but it felt easy and comfortable. When we returned home at 11:30pm, I was exhausted and so happy.

The kids agreed to serve dinner (Aiden was the doorman)...they were so sweet about helping and being involved. 

February 10
The morning after means lots of cleanup and pretty flowers. :)