Howdy, my friends! Although I’ve been quiet here the last few months, know that you’re in my thoughts and prayers! If you know me well (or if you’ve followed Today’s Lady Virtue for long), you already know that I’m a firm believer in DOTFOTE-ing.
Um . . .
You know to assume “no news is good news.” If I go AWOL from the SM scene, you “get” that it’s because I’m most likely laser focused on the people I know (face to face) in the places I go (like in my Suburban) because that’s where I’m MOST needed.
If not, you can read more about DOTFOTE-ing here. But the purpose of today’s post is to give you another What’s Up Update in summary of the recent goings-on in my life. Since I’ve been away, isn’t it only natural to give one of these to reconnect?
Yeah! So, what’s up?
Thanks for asking. If I had to choose a theme for this past season, I’d say B is for . . . bags and boxes.
Why bags and boxes?
Well, bags and boxes were a MUST for the more-than-the-usual-amount of traveling we’ve done. In April I flew to Washington D.C. for Word Alive with Lysa TerKeurst & Proverbs 31 Ministries. Also in April, my hubby and I flew to Paris, France to celebrate my 40th birthday. Thanks to my parents who stayed in our home to care for our five kids, Matt and I were able to enjoy a refreshing trip to Paris, Normandy, and Nice, France–together!
Then my oldest son and I packed bags for our trip to College Station, TX. We went there to attend the New Student Conference a few days after his high school graduation.
And bags (times seven people) were needed for the 35-day East Coast Road Trip my hubby and I took with our five children in June and early July.
That’s a lot of bag packing. So, what about the boxes?
Well, we saved every Amazon box that arrived for the last quarter, knowing we’d soon need it to pack up our oldest son and send him off to college. In July, Matthew’s roommate and his mom came over to help pack and label the apartment furnishings we accumulated. Those Amazon boxes came in quite handy!
One positive thing about these piled up packed boxes–the Lord used these to slowly prepare my mama heart for the REALITY that my oldest son was moving out of the home and into his own apartment to attend college.
Well, that’s good.
Yes! Plus, we’ve been up to our ears in the boxes we’re reserving from the salt water fish tank. My hubby is building a tank with the kids, which is a long-term project that he envisioned as both a learning and relationship-building experience.
Aww, good idea!
It was! But we’re new at this. And salt water fish tanks require a LOT of plumbing. And plumbing projects can spring leaks. So, we’re saving boxes just in case we need to return something.
[Reader laughs]
Yeah. So, our recent family theme has been bags and boxes.
Now I see why! So, you launched a kid to college. How’s your mommy heart?
Well, I won’t lie. There are moments when my heart swells, a lump wells up in my throat, and my eyes spring a leak without warning. But I will also say that the Lord has been so good to prepare me for this moment, especially during my son’s senior year. We took baby steps toward him leaving home, and this gradual approach allowed for growth, acceptance, and excitement for God’s good plans that lie ahead!
That’s encouraging.
Seriously.
And this bags and boxes season has been all about prioritizing priorities.
Tell me more about that.
Are you familiar with Kelly Thorne Gore, the president of iBloom?
Maybe . . .
Well, iBloom puts out great materials and especially an iBloom planner that helps women identify their priorities and live by these.
Awesome!
Yes! Check out iBloom when you’re finished reading this post.
So, putting these thoughts about priorities into practice, I’ve spent focused time on my marriage, my graduate, my family (during the last summer where our nest is still full), and my Gram (she’s 90).
Nice!
Paris and a quick getaway to New Braunfels gave my hubby and I quality, quantity time to get away together and celebrate the life that we’ve lived together as husband and wife for the past 20 years.
Planning a special graduation gathering for my oldest son, attending the New Student Conference, road tripping, and packing and moving him to his apartment afforded many opportunities to cherish him.
Hosting Gram in our home for a few weeks this summer gave us several special moments to hear stories from the past 9 decades of life that God has allowed my Gram to live. What a treasure to enjoy her!
Wow! That sounds special.
It was. I’m so thankful I took time off from SM to be present with my people.
You mentioned you went on a road trip.
We did! We traveled east this time. It was truly epic.
Tell me more about your trip!
Well, we covered over a dozen states/regions/provinces and traveled as far northeast in the US as Maine.
Provinces?
Yes, we crossed the US border (passports!) into New Brunswick, Canada and drove as far east as Prince Edward Island (yes, we toured Green Gables and trekked through Anne’s Haunted Woods Trail. We stayed one night in Montreal, Quebec (and loved eating a French breakfast with the fam the next morning).
Fun!
It was. It was also both educational and adventuresome.
Keep talking.
Since we toured the New England states in the USA, we learned so much about our nation’s heritage and history.
Where’d you go?
In the Washington D.C. area, we toured Arlington National Cemetery, the National Mall, the Smithsonian Zoo, and Mt. Vernon. In Philadelphia we saw the Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, and the Constitution Center. From New Jersey (Liberty Park), we took a ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty where we listened to two awesome audio tours. We overlooked all of NYC and the surrounding area from the 102nd floor of the One World Trade Center, as well as walked to several iconic sites there. In Massachusetts we toured Plimoth Plantation, walked the Freedom Trail in Boston, and enjoyed a beach day (wearing fleeces!). This ended the historical portion of our trip.
Wow! No wonder you said it was educational.
LOL, yes. I’m sooooo thankful that I’m homeschooled and get a second chance at learning!
So, tell me about your adventures.
Our first adventure was in Tennessee—at Falls Creek Falls State Park, we hiked to and stood beneath the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi river. In Maine we went sea kayaking. One highlight was seeing at least 15 harbor seals pop up their heads in the water surrounding us. We also went lobstering in Maine (lobster boat), drove and hiked around in Acadia National Park, and ventured out of bed at 2 am to hike on a trail up Cadillac Mountain (in the dark using headlamps) to see the first light and sunrise.
That’s awesome!
It was! I learned that 6 mos. out of the year, Cadillac Mountain is the first place in the US to receive the first light of day. Amazing.
So, was that it for adventure?
No, we took a Hornblower cruise at Niagara Falls past the American Falls and into the Horseshoe Falls (Canadian side). LOL we learned why they handed us a poncho! We also went sea kayaking on Lake Superior at the Apostle Islands National Park. It was a guided tour, but the 4-foot waves kept us paddling (and me, praying).
That was an adventure!
It was.
We ended our road trip with a tour of Mt. Rushmore and a trip to Evans Plunge in Hot Springs, South Dakota before heading to Jackson, WY where we gathered with some of our extended family for a week.
Niiiice!
It was! And when we returned home, well, I HAD to focus on all things home after being gone for so long.
I bet!
You bet I prayed often, asking the Lord for more strength, right attitudes, and a joyful spirit as I did laundry, paid bills, ordered school books, stained the fence (family work project), reorganized the school room, planned our homeschool curriculum and schedule, prepared school binders, and helped pack and move my college student’s apartment furnishings.
Mercy! #ReEntry is real, y’all.
Sigh. I get it.
Girl, I know you do. Thanks for your encouragement. Thanks for listening and for caring.
Sure!
And now my family and I are back in full swing of all things homeschool and sports. LOL that and my hubby and I are learning how to be the first-time parents of a college student. So, the reality of my life season now is still full, but I’m excited to get to spend a little more time writing here on the blog and connecting with y-o-u!
Your turn! What about you? What’s going on in your life? What’s on your mind? What is one highlight of your last season of life and/or what are you focusing on in this current one?
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