February's 10 on 10

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

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

I open God's Word each morning because life is too much for me to do on my own. I need to remind myself of truth and when I spend time with God He is faithful to realign my heart...my messy, sinful heart. 

Lace up the shoes, do the thing. The habit of it means you don't have to have a conversation about it everyday. When you ask yourself, do I feel like it? do I want to? the answer, inevitably will be no. So don't ask.

Sometimes its sweet, sometimes its scary these early-morning moments while the kids get out the door to the bus stop.

Shaun left to check on some apartment issues, so I cleaned, put dinner in the crock pot and got out the door to work.

I bought this canvas a couple years ago because it reminded me of Psalm 23. When I notice it, or when I remember that I need to stop for five seconds and notice it, I breathe deeply and think of verse two and three:

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths...

I'm so thankful Shaun and I get to work in the same office space (most of the time its a really great thing).  We both drink green tea by the gallon and currently the drink station is in my office so there are built in times to see him several times a day.

Wednesdays is Teen Bible Quiz, then wipe down, tear down. Then we join Junior Bible Quiz. But before, after and in between, the kids play football or wall tennis ball.

There were enough helpers for the younger kids, so I went grocery shopping while the kids stayed at church.

Good to be home! Everyone gathering in the kitchen to talk about the day, eating dinner, putting groceries away, pulling out homework. 

When Aiden doesn't like dinner, he makes himself a fried egg sandwich. Its not ideal, but it is protein and learning kitchen skills. So there's that.

 

Project 365, Week 8

Its tax season, so its no surprise that we worked a ton, but wow...we worked a ton! I'm happy to work while the kids are at school, but its not my favorite when they're home and I'm not. This week they had two days off for President's Day, plus a snow day. They did such a great job pitching in and helping out where they could. And, we made it!

February 15

Aiden got to have a sleepover at Pop and Kiki's and had way too much fun!

I ended up with a very long work day, when I came home at 8 my family had picked up the house and had a salmon dinner on the table. It spoke so much love to me!

February 16

The kids really did their best to fill the long days with productive things to do. Loved the creativity of this to-do list!

Check-in photo from the kids, they were set up reading in Amanda's room with her new LED lights that can change colors.

February 17

We're trying to get creative with Bible Quiz to overcome two hurdles....we haven't had a competition meet in a year and the core group that we started with a couple years ago is about to age out, so we're recruiting new team members and figuring out ways to integrate them. This week, we split the boys and girls and the teens lead the smaller groups.

February 18

I was home for 45 minutes to put dinner together before heading out to dinner with friends. Amanda picked out an outfit for me and did my hair...it was very special! And the night out breathed some life into me....its a rare and treasured thing to have people on your side who have been there for so much of life...our little group has definitely faced some hard things.

February 19

A snow day turned remote learning day. Amanda got asked to babysit for the neighbors and got to do school right along with them. She loves the opportunity to feel responsible and capable (and make some money! :). 

The at-home crew checked in just as they were switching gears to sled and play with the dog. On a snow day the kids are done by 1:00 so there's still plenty of time to play out in the snow.

Pretty snow walking out of the office.

After youth group, my kitchen was a flurry of hungry, happy girls.

February 20

So pretty out the back window.

February 21

Home. My favorite place and I got to spend most of this Sunday here. Laundry, cleaning, transplanting plants, reading, two sit down meals all together, a movie. It was lovely!!

My people.

 

Let's Do 52...Silhouette

 That it will never come again is what makes life sweet. Dwell in possibility. Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough. ~Emily Dickinson

Project 365, Week 7

It was a cold, wintery week. Per usual in February, much of the time was spent working. It takes a little more effort to maintain perspective and a thankful heart but truly, life is a gift in all the forms that it takes. All is grace.

February 8

After work I went over with Aiden to shovel the new office driveway. To my surprise and great delight, someone had plowed it! So we only had a little shoveling to do. Mostly, we fooled around...Aiden threw snowballs at me and we took slow-mo videos (his fav!)

February 9

Day two in a row of remote learning because of weather. When I got home the kids were cleaning and organizing their rooms and Amanda and Aiden were being best friends. It makes me smile when that happens.

Quiet winter evenings...homework to be done, books to be read.

February 10

Chilly, pretty morning!

February 11

I worked longer-than-normal hours this week and it was such a blessing that Amanda took the initiative several times to tidy up the house. When she does that, she likes to turn on ALL the lights.

February 12

The kids are mastering the art of Frappuccino making.

February 13

Forgoing several bed options, this is what Aiden and Rocco came up with.

I picked up Dakota and all involved were completely delighted. He and my kids are such sweet friends.

Long story that doesn't matter on why I was walking the streets of our old town. For roughly a mile, memories flashed through my head, rapid fire. Sweet, precious memories of hours and miles adding up to the thousands walking these streets. It started out with just me, then we added a dog. Eventually one stroller, then a double stroller, then a double stroller and carrying a baby and of course the dog. We must've been a sight! Eventually, one child at a time aged out of the stroller until all were walking, now in their Catholic-school uniforms, headed to and from school. Ah...those days...ordinary, sacred moments on those sidewalks, some of the very best stuff of life!

February 14

Happy Valentine's Day! This boy and I are so different and sometimes celebrating that diversity looks more like a choice than a celebration.

Bob Goff says

None of us really fall in love, we just stop making everything about ourselves, and love floods into the space selfishness leaves behind.  Could it be that simple (not easy!)? 

Five of the Teen Bible Quiz kids earned enough points to join in a fun day. We are still limited in activity options, so Katie and I (who are both very limited in the 'having fun' department) did our very best to create a fun time for the kids in the community center. Even in our inadequacies, we really do enjoy the time we spend with these kids.

We had steak and chocolate-covered strawberries and lingered at the table for a bit...my favorite!