Earlier this week, I posted a couple family pictures to my social media and added this caption.
I thank God every day for them. This sweet little spot, these beautiful people, this extraordinary life . . . what an incredible gift.
I am just so overwhelmingly grateful.
God has been so good to me. ...continue reading
I don’t know why you read here, and I hope you don’t either because, my word, my 2023 blog posts have been all over the map. Literally.
In January, a house tour in Australia. In February, a book review about Mennonites kidnapped in Haiti and another book review about parenting and brain science.
Let’s not get off track here in March, shall we? 🙂
How about a trip to the zoo . . . Emmett’s first zoo trip. Sebastian’s, too. Even Alec’s first time, although I probably shouldn’t be admitting that. A child not going to the zoo till they’re five years old? When the zoo is literally less than an hour away?
I think we kept saying, Let’s wait till he’s old enough to appreciate it. And then another baby brother would come along, so we’d say, Let’s wait till he’s old enough to appreciate it. And pretty soon, another baby brother came along, and we finally just went. ...continue reading
Day #1 of Trying to Write This Blog Post: It's evening. The boys are in bed, the to-do list is completely crossed off, the husband is pricing work, and I am just sitting down to the computer with my coffee.
"I just know as soon as I sit down, one of the boys will yell," I say to Eric. I sit down. I drink some coffee. I edit a picture.
Sebastian yells.
Day #2 of Trying to Write This Blog Post: It's afternoon. It's a short to-do list kind of day (after all, does my husband really need more shirts ironed when he still has so many hanging in the closet?). The boys are down for their naps, the ones that they almost always take at the same time, the ones where they sometimes sleep for hours. Sebastian hasn't slept much at all this morning, so he should be ready for a good, long sleep. Alec has already had a very abnormal morning nap, but he was extra grumpy, and he didn't sleep long, and yesterday he napped for almost two and a half hours, so I'm hopeful he'll have at least another hour in him. I grab a fresh cup of coffee and sit down at the computer.
Alec talks. I go tell him to lie down. He keeps talking. I drink some coffee, write some words, upload some pictures. Alec talks. I shush him. I write some more. I delete a picture. Alec talks. I finish my coffee. Alec is still talking.
Sebastian wakes up.
Day #3 of Trying to Write This Blog Post: It's afternoon. The laundry is half-done, the floors are half-swept, the ironing still hasn't been touched, but the boys are both napping, and I have fresh coffee.
Please don't yell, anyone.
James Christian Roth.
To some, his was a name well-known in Mennonite circles.
To some, he was the friendly owner of a little secondhand store in Woodburn.
To some, he was a dedicated pastor and a wise mentor.
To some, he was a well-beloved missionary and brother in Christ.
To some, he was a faithful friend.
To many, he was a kind and gentle man, one who took time for others, one who gave selflessly, one who was wise and understanding. A man who knew and loved God.
But to me, he was my grandpa. And I miss him. ...continue reading
In moving, there comes a strange moment when you can’t remember which house you’re in, what you would see if you looked out the window, and where you would be if you stepped outside. . .
And then you realize you’re not actually in Gervais, you’re in Newberg, and you still have half a day of packing staring you in the face. But you smile anyway and reach for another fistful of Lucky Charms and another wrinkled sheet of wrapping paper, and you pull yet another mug from the cupboard and put it in yet another box and are so grateful that you have a husband and that he has brothers and that they are the ones who will carry all these heavy boxes out of your pretty little house for the last time.
I like moving. ...continue reading
