Ellison Creek Cascades is a beautiful trail near Payson, Arizona. It was a beautiful, well kept trail with water pools and a waterfall at the end. When the kids think about this summer, I hope they remember it as the summer we searched and explored secret trails. I...
Family
Waiting on the wrong day
I have so much to tell you about Texas, but I really need to write more of last year down before I forget. In the early weeks of the pandemic, one of my favorite things were the flyovers that were organized. I grew up attending air shows with my dad. The Blue Angels,...
Brother and Sister
When they were young, I prayed that Julia and Nate would be friends. They found their way through learning one another and loving one another. They have a bond unique and admirable. They've been through adopting a sibling. They've watched me recover from miscarriages....
WORD OF THE YEAR {2021}
Do you choose a word of the year? Since 2008, I’ve chosen a word to reflect on throughout the year. *The idea of a word of the year was first introduced to me by my dear friend Heather. Once upon a time, she had a lovely blog full of beautiful inspiration. I’m very...
A reflection on joy
My word of the year for 2020 was ‘joy’. By February I had been to four funerals - Andrew, Art, Jeff, and Liz. I remember sharing on Instagram that it felt mean that my word and my year seemed at odds with one another. I shared with you I’d been asking the Lord,...
14 weeks with Love Bug
Doctors appointments, bath times, diapers, bottles, little bows, tiny socks, and smiles. It is all a blur. Fourteen weeks went so quickly. When the case manager visited our home, she asked if we would be open to allowing the parents to visit. With the pandemic, there...
The Story of the NICU…
Before I jump head first into bringing the little love-bug home, I need to tell you about the NICU. The case manager asked me to arrive by 10am. DCS receives the date of discharge, but does not typically receive an exact time. The time depends on so many...
Becoming Foster Parents
On August 28th, we officially put our house on the market. Brian had accepted a job in Texas and we were planning to move mid-December. Our sweet relator, Emily, was hosting an open house for us on August 29th, so we headed north to Cottonwood, Arizona, in hopes that...
West Fork Trail, Oak Creek, Arizona
We wanted one more hike together before Julia returned to Virginia for college. We had also just learned that we would be leaving our precious desert and returning to Texas in December and we wanted to soak up one more day filled with exploring this beautiful state as...
And the mask theme continues…
It has become a tradition of sorts. Before Julia heads out for college, she and her dearest friend, Julia, do a photo shoot together. This year, the theme was Disney. My Julia went with 'Brave'. Dear Julia went with 'Mulan'. Can you see it?! Their friendship is so...