My Reflection of Something: everyday life

Showing posts with label everyday life. Show all posts

A little flashback to the early days of this blog!!

Okay, so that title is cheesy and that photo is totally unrelated. But I have been spending the bulk of my online time lately working on helping my friend Jamie with her online shop and website: Pure Joy Creative. It has been really good for me to use this part of my brain again, but I have already written about that recently. I did want to pop back on here, however, because her website is live now (YAY!) and we are getting to a point where I will have more time to come back to this space once in a while.

I will be blogging for Jamie occasionally, but this space is still my online home and there have been many times in the past few weeks when I have wanted to come do some writing. I am excited that the desire to do that remains, and also that I should be able to follow up on it soon! I have a lot on my mind as far as what I want this space to become. It has served many purposes over the years, but now that I am entering yet another new season of life it is time to kind of find my next vision.

This blog began as a photography blog, way back in the day, and I loved how much I learned and the friends I made. Them when I first had Aiden, and struggled with postpartum depression, I connected with amazing women through sharing about that. As Aiden grew and life changed, I entered into the realm of homeschooling and taking on campaigns for brands I loved. Then there were the gap years!

Well, during those gap years, a big part of my time was spent working through my diagnosis with cPTSD and going through treatments. While I don't feel like I will write extensively about that, I do want to look at what I can bring to this space as a result of what I learned. So, anyhow... I am still here and still thinking about things. I am thankful for this space and the people who still visit to share this part of my world.

Photo by Kolyssa Teal

One a lighter note, today you can fund my much-loved Pumpkin Roll recipe being shared over on Pure Joy Creative. You will notice I had Jamie label it as "Chelsey's Pumpkin Roll" because my big sister was the original queen of the pumpkin rolls. Gotta give credit where credit is due! Head on over and grab your copy and pin that post on Pinterest if you really want to make me smile!

I can't wait to share more in the coming days! Happy Monday, friends!

The Project Bringing Me Pure Joy!

Monday, November 11

There is something about the beginning of autumn that makes me want to blog. It happens every year. However, for the past two years I have just not been in a place to make it happen. So I look back at this space where I used to love sharing about my life and I find myself wondering...

How can I move forward here?

So much has happened in the course of two (almost 3?) years. I was diagnosed with cPTSD and started EMDR therapy. We moved... twice. The second move brought us over 500 miles and was anything but smooth. We were without a home of our own for 3 months. Matt has changed employers twice. Aiden has grown in the most amazing ways. Homeschool has been one of my greatest joys... but also a significant challenge during all of the chaos. I have dealt with serious health struggles with my mom and injuries of my own. At the start of this year we walked through losing Matt's father, and lost a couple dear friends shortly after that. It just seems like so much has happened that has changed me completely that it would be strange to just pick up and start blogging again as if no time had passed.

And yet, this is just more of my story. While I feel like I am not even the same person anymore sometimes, the truth is that I value every part of the journey that has brought me to this point. Sometimes I find myself grieving the fact that I have been away from writing and recording memories for so long. I look back at the blog posts here, and I find that it is just amazing to see where I have come from. I see how much joy there was, even in the hard times, and I don't want the gap in memories to grow any wider. So, I will start writing again. Even if it feels a little weird. Maybe someday it won't anymore.

Perhaps I can go back and fill in some of the gaps along the way. While I haven't blogged during the time away, I have kept journals and a private instagram account. I also reopened my public instagram at the start of this year. However, I find that I take significantly fewer photos now. I laugh sometimes at how Aiden will have thousands (an unmanageable number, really) of photos from the first 7 years of his life and then suddenly there are a lot less. A LOT less. My thoughts on things like photos have changed a bit. I actually wish sometimes I had taken fewer photos in those earlier years. That is a post for another day, though.

Anyhow, I have no idea if anyone will even see these posts for now. Most of my social media died when I abandoned things at the start of 2017. I am mostly just wanting to record life again, but I wouldn't mind reconnecting with some of the amazing people that made my life special back in the "good old days" of blogging. I guess I will just see where this takes me. No matter what, it feels really good to be getting ready to hit publish here. Really good.

Almost 3 years later...

Saturday, October 12

Week 5 - The Week of "Almost..."

I have been sick for the past 3 days. The kind of sick where all you can do is lay in bed with an ice pack on your head and alternate between reading and sleeping. If I didn't have to feel incredibly awful while doing it, that doesn't actually sound half bad, ha! But I would very much like to trade doing my daily work for feeling like I had been run over by a truck. Today I am better-ish... better enough to sit up at the computer, but so dang-darn wrung out that this paragraph has exhausted me.

2017 - Chapter 5/52

Sunday, February 5

Chapter 4 - The week we made Sabbath a priority

Strangely, I am not feeling particularly wordy today. Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet this morning, but I am just kinda enjoying the quite and trying to figure out what this day is going to look like. Sometimes that makes it hard to focus on the past week. However, if I don't write this now I might very well not have time to later.

2017 - Chapter 4/52

Monday, January 30

OUR FAMILY

Celebrated the marriage of my sister, Ryann!
Started caring for a sweet baby girl 3 days each week.
Spent lots of time with our newborn great-nephew and loved watching him grow!
Moved across town in with my mom at the end of the summer.
Traveled to Missouri a couple of times, and enjoyed every minute there!
Met our best friend Erin's sweet new baby girl and soaked up lots of snuggles.
Finished out our 4 years as Godparent Leaders at church, and watched our kids all graduate from High School, along with our nephew Brodie.
Had the best Thanksgiving ever!

AIDEN

Turned SIX!
Earned 500 points and a medal in the library summer reading challenge. He is quite the bookworm, and can almost always be found with a Geronimo Stilton book nearby.
Broke his first board at Tae Kwon Do and has earned additional belts to become a Camo Belt now.
Took up the game of chess, joined chess club at the library and continues to impress us with his skills. Soon we will be unable to beat him (he already has beat both his parents on occasion).
Continued his homeschooling, studying a wide variety of things from piano to nature studies to astronomy. He loves science and writing his own stories. He has a family-only blog where he loves to create posts.
Enjoyed learning more about college football with Grandma... he is quite a Huskers fan!
Got his first "grown-up" Bible, and loves to study the Word and journal about it!
Improved at riding his bike with training wheels, and enjoyed moving to a house with a sidewalk out front so he can ride his scooter.
Enjoyed lots of fun times with family, cousins and friends!

BRANSON

Cut off (and donated) 16 inches of hair!
Continues to stay home with Aiden, serving as his primary homeschool teacher.
Helped plan an awesome VBS and worked on the Godparent program at church before beginning a sabbatical from church work.
Enjoys finding time to study the Word and has been learning a lot about prayer.
Recently rediscovered the fun of fitbit challenges when the siblings all got one!
Has appreciated the opportunities to serve her friends and family this year during the tough times, as well as celebrating the good ones with them!

MATT

Continues to work at Tenneco, although he has changed departments here and there. He is a jack of all trades there and has made great friends.
Serves as communion assistant at church, and even manages to find robes long enough for him.
Enjoys connecting with his brothers via playstation, and spending time with his brother Sam who still lives here in town.

And of course there are lots of great photos...

2016... what a year! Let's review...

Saturday, December 31

I have been spending less time online lately... partly because I have been feeling the need to take extra time being present (which means taking way fewer photos) and partly because I have been so frustrated with Instagram lately that it just makes sharing less fun. I am a stay-at-home, homeschool mom... which means that often Instagram is my place to go for doses of adult interaction during the day!

In recent months, I have been trying to follow fewer and fewer people, because with the non-sequential feeds I feel like I miss a lot from my friends who aren't using the app to try to build a following or get massive likes and comments. Yet these are often the people I want to connect with during the day! There are definitely times when I want to be inspired and keep up with my blogging friends and those who curate their feeds and promote them. But I feel like those are often the only accounts I see!

I also want to be able to take my personal account private again. I have struggled with the question of public or private many times over the years. I blog, so clearly I have decided that for me it is worth sharing publicly about certain things. Yet there is still something more organic about instagram that makes me want to keep it more private. Or at least there used to be.

I mentioned that I have been feeling the need to be more present lately. I feel like it is often hard to find a balance (not that I have any love for the concept of balance, but that is another post entirely) between capturing the everyday and focusing on unplugging more. I go back and forth so often, but I listened to an episode of At Home the other day that reminded me why I like to document the little things. One of the gals (I am bad at keeping track of who says what on that podcast) talked about going through a dark season and how much it helped her to be able to look at her feed and see that there were still moments of joy amid the sorrow. I have often felt this way.

I regularly scroll through those photos when I struggle... because I do stay home and care for my little family and our home, it is easy to feel like I am not "doing enough" or "making a difference" in my chosen vocation. However when I see the beauty of our everyday, it keeps me going. I see growth and progress more readily when it comes in the form of a series of square little images, all neatly arranged and ready to provide a glimpse into the way this season is being used by God.

So, I treasure my personal feed and the snapshot of my journey it provides. And yet, I also love the way that instagram provides encouragement and accountability for my faith and fitness journey. This is why I tend to keep my account public. I love the connections that can be created through hashtags and groups. I appreciate the opportunity to share my studies, the books I love, fitbit accomplishments... I want to continue to share these things.

So, I am once again (I have tried this before for both my Bible study groups and my fitness efforts) going to try to keep 2 accounts on Insta... one for documenting life (@bransonmerrill) and one for sharing my faith and fitbit studies and steps (@faithandfitbit). Maybe this will help me to once again find that encouragement and fellowship that I used to treasure on this platform. I sure hope so! I know that just complaining about algorithms isn't going to do me any good. Time to try to make the system work for me!

Faith, Fitbit and the Failures of Instagram Algorithms

Monday, December 19

Last week was such an adventure with my family in town that this week has been rough. I have been in a bit of a funk, and I just can't seem to find a rhythm. Blogging more lately has been good for me, and every time I jump back in I realize how much I need the time to sit and just think and write and focus on something that is my own. I used to love doing the 10 things that made me happy this week posts, so I thought I would jump back into that this week! When I am in a funk it always helps to stop and think about the good stuff in my life! So, let's see here...

1. My siblings joining fitbit! There was a point in time when fitbit really worked for me, but between lost devices and life's changing seasons I had lost any drive to be active. This week I have been killing it because I now have a super fun and competitive challenge group again! I am hoping this new energy last for a long, long time because I am already feeling better!

2. Mornings with Matt - We are continuing to make time (almost) every morning to pray together before the day begins and it has been so, so good. It is even getting easier for me to get up super early. I used to be lucky to be ready by 7 when my daycare baby arrived, and now I am up before 5:30 and more or less coherent enough to have quality time by then. Ha!

3. Speaking of daycare, I didn't have my daycare cutie last week, and I missed her! She brings so many smiles to our days, and an extra dose of snuggles too. She definitely made me happy this week.

4. New books to read always makes me happy!! I got some great ones from the CPH Thanksgiving sale, and I can't wait to dive in to them. Of course the fitbitting is cutting in to the reading... I wish I liked audio books more because that would be a great solution! But if I am going to read I need to be able to highlight and write and reflect... so I am just going to work on making more time to read daily!

5. Last night Aiden took a stack of paper and set up his "office" where he said his job was to give people money from his piggy bank and write reports. He then brought me a paper of his contact information with a web address and twitter handle for his office, along with a warning sign that said "Do Not Send Joke Emails." I thought I would die laughing on the inside. Of course I was all business on the outside... you gotta take him seriously when he gets into these characters! This kid always makes me happy!

6. Hiland Dairy Mocha Iced Coffee most definitely makes me happy. I am working with them on a sponsored campaign right now, and I am totally hooked on this stuff. I used it to create a recipe (which I posted here) but I have also been drinking it every day. I have been mixing 1/3 coffee, 1/3 Hiland mocha iced coffee & 1/3 Hiland vanilla almond milk. Perfection!

7. I joined a instagram Bible study group for Advent, and it is such a blessing to be studying again with some of my favorite people! I have been flying solo for quite a while now, and I had forgotten how much I love having a group of sisters in Christ as part of my morning time!

8. My sisters convinced me to download snapchat again, and I have laughed so much this week. They are such nuts, and I have to admit that it is a fun way to keep in tough. So much silliness!

9. Bob Ross on Netflix and how much Aiden loves it... his sense of wonder is contagious!

10. Being given opportunities to be God's hands and feet for people He has placed in our life. As I continue to struggle with loneliness and isolation, I am being taught that it is still important to reach out in love and look for opportunities to connect and serve.

What made YOU happy this week? I would love to hear about it!

From Fitbit Friends to Snapchat Silliness {10 things that made me happy this week}

Friday, December 2

When I put this post in drafts, Fall was just beginning. Now, I would give quite a bit for those days of mild temperatures and t-shirts outdoors. It is downright COLD here this morning! Not to mention the fact that Aiden has lost another tooth or two since I took these photos, ha! I still wanted to share them, though.

This was such a fun day with my boy. After I took a few photos of him, he got to take the camera and take some photos of his own. I love that he is so excited about nature and the changing seasons.

Sharing the beauty of creation with him tends to reignite my sense of wonder as well. This is one of the reasons nature study is such a big part of our homeschool... there is always something new to learn, and many things to appreciate each day!

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.

- Mother Teresa

Hello, Fall!

Wednesday, November 30

The older I get, the more I appreciate the more moderate seasons. This year, I am downright in love with Fall. Of course as a homeschooler, summer doesn't hold the excitement that it probably would if Aiden was in school all year. And winter? Winter is for the birds (or rather I wish I could migrate south like a bird when it arrives!). Give me Fall and Spring and I am a happy girl.

I definitely feel like my season of life the past year or so has been anything but a moderate season. It feels like it has been an endless cycle of difficult times and challenging situations. Just over the past week, it seems as if things are finally starting to change a bit. Like the promise of falling leaves, I can see signs of a quieter time popping up around me. This Fall I see signs of change in places other than the trees, though. I see it in the changing smile of a little boy who is growing up. As he loses his baby teeth, he also seems to be losing some of his dependence on me. That can be hard on a mama. I have struggled with it over the first half of this year, and it has taken until now for me to start accepting the idea of having a boy who is not quite my baby anymore.

My changing relationship with Aiden has challenged me as a mother, but it has also provided opportunities for me to look at who I am as a wife - and as a women beyond the walls of our home. When he was little, I was so consumed by the (often exhausting) need to be "on" 24/7 that I definitely lost focus a bit in other areas. Now, I am seeing glimpses of how someday I will find myself without a child needing daily attention, and it makes me think of how I invest my time in other areas. I don't regret for a moment devoting myself fully to the role of mother, but I do see how perhaps having that singular focus left other areas of life unattended. I am entering into a new season of life, and with the changing of seasons always comes some maintenance and preparation.

I have definitely felt moved to spend a good part of that preparation time investing in my marriage, and concentrating on how I can grow as a wife moving into this new season. Parenting can crowd out some important things like intentional time together if we aren't careful. This week I started trying to make more of an effort to really connect with my husband by getting up super early to have coffee and pray with him before he leaves for work. Aiden is such a night owl that evenings have never been easy for me and Matt to have time together. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to realize that one possible answer was for me to just get up earlier. I am not super excited about being up so early, but it is certainly worth it to have that face time and prayer time each day.

It may seem a bit premature to be thinking about what life will be like for me and Matt when Aiden is grown. After all, he is only six years old! Yet I know that taking better care of our marriage now is about more than preparing for the day when we (theoretically) become "empty nesters." It is also about having a unified vision for our family as we continue to move into the territory of raising a child who has his own ideas and emotions and (someday all too soon) hormones to deal with. Gone are the toddler days when discipline was mostly about distraction and redirection. Now we have this huge task of providing this little boy with deeper understanding of what it means to live life as a child of God. This is such an important time for us to be firmly united as husband and wife, and dedicated to promoting family unity.

While life is by no means easy right now, I do feel like I am more at peace perhaps than I have been for a while now. It isn't anything I can put my finger on, but I know that having the peace of God is way past my understanding most of the time. I find myself very conscious of how precious each day is lately, and how I want to really focus on living instead of just getting through each day. Whether that means an extra game of chess, a trip to the park, or just silly snuggles and stories, I know that these precious days with a little boy counting on me will not last forever. Like the vibrant orange leaves on my favorite autumn tree, I need to appreciate them now. And all the better if I do so with my amazing husband right beside me. Families are such an incredible blessing, no matter the season! (But I could still live without winter coming anytime soon... ha!)

Thoughts on the Changing of Life's Seasons

Monday, November 14

You know when you sit down to edit photos and realize that the ones you are working on are from when your best friend is still pregnant... with the child who is now 6 months old? Oh, maybe that is just me. Actually, I have some from even earlier in her pregnancy too, but let's not even talk about that. Anyhow, I so loved going back through these photos. This day was just perfect... lunch at one of our favorite finds from a random drive together (oh hey... you know I have photos from THAT time that I don't think I ever finish editing, and that was like 2 years ago, ha! I really hate editing...) and then a trip to a state park. Erin had her darling little girl in a little dress and pretty sandals... and then Aunt Branson let her wade in a creek, ha! I am always the one letting kids make messes, and this was no exception.

I absolutely cannot wait to be back in Missouri where this can be a normal occurrence instead of a once a year thing. And maybe with Erin around to remind me in person to edit some photos it will actually get done! But then she will also be able to scold me in person for posting photos of her all pregnant after I made her walk so much she thought it would induce labor. Not that it will stop me... she looks gorgeous pregnant!

Photo Flashback - Missouri Creek Visit

Monday, November 7

I have been kind of blah this week. Not sure why exactly, although I did write a bit the other day about my cabin fever. I am still just trying to get my energy back and find a good routine. I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to stay home and focus on being a wife and mama, and I want to be a good steward of that time. All I can do is keep working at it!

The other night Matt took Aiden on a "daddy date" to McDonald's. Aiden had been asking him to go eat inside there for a while, and he was super excited when Matt told him they were going to. I love that something so simple is exciting to our little man. And Matt took a few photos while they were there as well (clearly he has been married to me for a long time, ha!)

Now then... time to think of 10 things that made me happy this week! I know I have SO much to be thankful for, and that each day is a gift to celebrate! This week I am especially thankful for...

A new battery for the van! Yay! And my brother for installing it for us.
A really excellent Wednesday night with our teen small group. So much laughter and silliness.
How Aiden loves on the baby girl we watch 3 days a week.
Signing Aiden up for online cooking lessons. (Now we are just anxious to get started! It will begin January 25th)
A fun game night with the bros... even if they robbed me of my victory 3 times in one round! Ha!
My lovely new blog header from my friend Stephanie!
Productive homeschool days... even if (or perhaps especially because) they are kind of rare lately.
Quiet mornings.
A new small group to be a part of online. I have really been missing having a small group to connect with! I look forward to getting to know these new friends!
The return of Aiden's healthy eating. We went through a little mini phase of him not wanting to eat much of anything, but this week he has been eating like normal again and including lots of veggies. His current favorite is a spring mix tossed salad with thousand island dressing. He has a weird love of thousand island dressing...

What made YOU happy this week??

Blog Pretties & New Friends {10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week}

Sunday, January 17

Y'all... I have not left my house all week. Not only that, but I am in this weird place again where letting myself be a hermit has given way to some serious anxiety issues.

So. Not. Good.

Our van is having battery issues, and so until I am confident it is going to always start (which we are praying will happen with a new battery) I am reluctant to go anywhere. It has been cold and I am just not a fan of relying on the kindness of strangers for a jump start (even here in small town USA) or waiting on a family member who may or may not answer their phone to come help me. My brother has been a jump-start hero for like a month now, but I am wanting to get out while he is at work so...

Then there is the fact that I now watch the sweetest little 2-month-old girl three days a week. I certainly am not taking her out if there is a chance the van will not start, and even when it is fixed I have flashbacks of the total fail that one time I took my best friend's infant and Aiden both out to run around. Granted Aiden was younger and we were visiting my old hometown so it wasn't like I was in my natural surroundings. But still...

These first few month of the year are always the hardest winter months. I am in that post-holiday funk where not only is Christmas over but the excitement over a new year has worn off. That happened especially fast this year, ha! I am pretty sure I set a goal about getting outside more, but clearly that has been a big fail. I know it would probably help, but it is that crazy cycle I get into where I have let myself pull away for too long and now it seems super overwhelming to jump back in. Even taking Aiden outside to play feels like a huge ordeal when it is cold.

Homeschool P.E. starts back up next week, and library story time the week after that. Aiden still hasn't made it back to taekwondo yet (not entirely my fault on that one since Matt is the one who takes him) and I can't remember the last time we had a playdate. So I am confessing all of this here because I know I need to snap out of it. If not for myself, then for him. He doesn't complain... he is as much a homebody as I am... but I want more for him. I don't want to let me wanting more force us into being over-committed or busy just for the sake of being busy, but those three activities I listed are quality activities we value as a family.

I miss my friends. This has been a weird couple of months in many ways, but I have to stop using that as an excuse. Things have been changing. The friends I used to see often are all working more, and I am too. Now is the time when I need to decide if it is really worth it. If the extra work I am doing is at the expense of relationships then it isn't worth it. Is it better to have financial wiggle room, or to spend time with people who make my life more enjoyable? I know my answer... I just have been failing to act on it.

This is one of those "something's gotta give" moments, and I know the things I am not willing to part with... I feel like choosing to add child care for sweet baby girl was a really excellent choice for our family. I have just been resisting letting go of some things that need to be put on the back burner to create the margin needed to make this new season of life work. I am working on it. That is all I can do. I need to just keep working on it. And for goodness sake I need to get out of the house. Tomorrow! Must make it happen... time to take a leap of faith back outside my comfort zone and trust that it will be okay.

Do you struggle with the winter blahs? How do you handle it?

Cabin Fever Confessions

Thursday, January 14

In 2014 I took that top right photo of Aiden for my (unfinished) project 365. If you look close, he has a milk mustache and a dirty face. It was just so Aiden. And he is standing on my bed looking out the window... you know, the one he climbed out a few times before he was allowed to even be outside alone and then would come in the front door and scare me silly. Anyhow, the following year I took a photo at the same window at the start of January. So, of course I had to do it again this year. He is looking so much more grown up to me lately.

Now it is that time of week when I stop and think of 10 things that made me happy this week! The first week of 2016 was NOT what we had imagined! I started watching a sweet little 2-month-old, which I love, but my own little one got pretty sick at the same time. He ended up with strep and scarlet fever. It was a weird week! We kind of kept him "quarantined" to protect the baby, and Matt stayed home a couple extra days to help out so Aiden wouldn't be lonely. In spite of some challenges, there was plenty of joy to be found...

Baby snuggles! And all the other sweetness that this baby girl brings with her three days a week!
Our family doctor getting Aiden in right away when he got so sick. Oh, and 4-dose antibiotics!
Finding my Zen tea back in our local walmart (they tend to get rid of everything I really love, ha!)
Quiet mornings with my Heavenly Father.
Fun games from my childhood to play with Aiden, like Guess Who.
Working on knife skills with Aiden with the kid knives my brother got him for Christmas (my knife skills are already improving as a result!)
The sweetness of my local best friend who sent food when Aiden was sick! She is always so thoughtful!
A very fun dinner and game night with the bros (both mine and Matt's) and of course the cheesecake!
My awesome husband who rocked the homemade ravioli for my upcoming post!
The #ParentTeacherMeetUp resuming... I love collaborating with my awesome homeschool mama friends Maggie and Nicolette, and the posts that are linked up always encourage and inspire me!

What made YOU happy this week?!

Three Years, One Window {10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week}

Sunday, January 10

2015... It seems like it passed by in such a blur! As I sit down to try to reflect on the year, I find that more than anything this was a year that taught us to "go with the flow" more. It hasn't been a bad year, but it has been one filled with challenges and growing pains for sure. As I prepare to head into 2016, I once again look back at our life in photos and recognize that there are treasures to be found in day to day life, even when there are few "big" events to look back on.

As Aiden continues to grow, much of our life is centered on play. Sometimes that means nerf gun battles with Uncle Sam and Daddy, but more often it means just being open to how imagination and creativity can be found in any circumstance. Aiden's imagination continues to show me how the world can be an exciting place without the need for big plans or expensive toys. In his world, time is the most precious resource. I am trying to learn from him.

It has been such a joy getting to see this little boy, my baby, grow and learn. I see his personality shining through in his quirky sense of humor and unique interests. I also see how he is surprisingly sensitive, often intense, and incredibly loving. I don't think I expected to have a son who was so compassionate and interested in making sure the people in his life know how loved they are. Sure, he also often carries a sword and can be found battling with start wars figures... but the love that he displays each day is so very sweet and sincere.

2015 was a year that brought extra opportunities to connect with family. It is exciting to watch Aiden grow along with his cousins. Being the only boy surrounded by little girls can be tough, but he loves each of them. I especially love seeing the special bond he has with his cousin who lives many hours away now. They were together a lot as babies, and whenever they are reunited they are like two little peas in a pod again. I didn't really have cousins I was close to growing up, so it is fun to watch these littles for bonds that will hopefully last a lifetime.

We began our official (or rather "almost official") journey as a homeschool family this year. I plan to post more about that later, but it has been quite the interesting experience. I am learning so much about both my little student and myself as we go! I am finding that my head and my heart don't often agree about how things should be done, but I am learning to trust my heart more and it seems to be working. I have also been really immersing myself in research and resources as I explore the probability that Aiden is gifted and what that means for how we school. I started the year disappointed that we weren't officially recognized homeschoolers (in this state you aren't until the child is 6 years old) but by the time holiday break arrived I was so very glad I have more time to figure things out.

Other highlights from the year:

Aiden continues to excel at taekwondo, and is now taking piano lessons. We enjoy giving him opportunities to learn and explore the things he is passionate about.
We traveled to western Nebraska for a weekend so that I could serve as wedding photographer for my niece. It was quite an adventure!
We continue to serve as Godparent Leaders for our high school small group. Our teens are seniors this year, which is hard to believe! We also adopted 2 students from the local university to support during the next 4 years.
We have enjoyed time with our local friends, and also said goodbye to some dear friends who moved this year. I still marvel at how God has provided these special relationships for our family after years of feeling so isolated.
In October we had a scare when my niece Kylee had to have her appendix out! Aiden spent some time being a hospital buddy for her.
I did some photography "jobs" in November and December, which was fun! I still don't see myself every doing it as more than a hobby though.
I have been working as a virtual assistant for a blogging friend for a few months now. It has been wonderful to put my skills to use while providing some income for our family. This has quite possibly been the most challenging year we have had financially since Aiden was a baby, so that has been a blessing. We continue to see how God always provides for what we need.
As December comes to a close we are awaiting the arrival of my new great nephew, and also preparing our home to welcome a sweet baby girl 3 days a week as I provide childcare for the daughter of one of our Pastor's.

There is so much more I could share, but it seems overwhelming to try to put it all in any kind of order. I have been blogging again for about 4 months now, and I definitely see where it is so valuable to have this space to record memories and keep a digital scrapbook of sorts. I am thankful that instagram holds much of what I have failed to record here during my absences, but I think that more than anything I want to focus on getting back to the root of why I started blogging as I plan for the coming year.

I want this to be that place where I can look back and see all the amazing things that happened when I was too busy going through things to fully appreciate them. I often find myself marveling at how rich my life is when I look back through photos. I miss when I had posts with the details and thoughts to go along with what those photos recorded. I want to focus in on the everyday... the moments that we so easily miss if we don't stop to appreciate them. These are the things I want to capture and celebrate... this life God has given full of both trials and great joys. A life that reveals His love for us as we learn to love each other fully and serve Him daily. A life most definitely worth treasuring. For now, though, I will leave you with more photos and a glimpse into where I hope this blog takes us in 2016.