Hello Friends!

It has been quite some time since I’ve shared anything on this blog of mine. (I mean, has it really been over a year?).

A few months ago, I was seriously thinking about closing down this blog. It doesn’t make sense to pay yearly fees for a website that sits silent. My responsibilities have grown as a wife and mama. There are now two busy little boys at home that keep me busy all day long. I love supporting my husband as he pastors our little church plant that grows a bit more each passing year. The fragments of free time I get throughout my day are often spent with my nose in a book – a pastime I still love and prioritize as a busy mama! But in recent weeks, the desire to start writing again has hit me hard. I’ve missed blogging and sharing the things I’m learning and doing with others. 

So, this blog isn’t going anywhere, for now. 🙂

In this post, I just want to chat a bit and fill you in on what’s new in our lives since I last posted over a year ago! I hope if you’re reading this, that you will leave a comment below to say “hi” and share what is new with you as well. 

A family of four…

Our second son, Matthew was born last October. His birth (and the postpartum season that followed) was so special. We had an uncomplicated birth experience at a local birth center and were able to come home only hours after delivery. I got to experience those early hours and first few days at home with a newborn that I never got to experience with my first son (due to his heart condition and NICU stay). Almost everything about the newborn stage felt so easy this time around. Now Matthew is a busy 10 month old who loves to crawl all over the house, getting into things, and putting just about every little thing he can find in his mouth. (All the more motivation for me to keep my floors clean!).

Our oldest son Daniel is a wild one – full of energy and a zest for life that I never thought possible… but it’s a blessing from the Lord considering he lives with half a functioning heart. No one would ever guess he’s had three major heart surgeries. He loves being a big brother and regularly asks us for more babies. All in good time. 😉

Church planting…

My husband and I are still church planting in Pennsylvania. Pastoring a small church in a post-Christian society has it’s challenges for sure. It amazes me how few people want to hear about Jesus. But God has slowly been building his church. We love the people he has brought to our church and it’s a blessing to serve Him in our community. 

One of my favorite parts of ministry right now is planning fun ladies fellowships for the women and girls in our church. Our latest activity was a “birthday bash” where we celebrated all our birthdays at once and had a fun time of food and fellowship. I’m already planning the next one!

Homeschooling on the horizon…

Now that my oldest is four… I love reading and learning about homeschooling. As someone who grew up being homeschooled I am excited to don the hat of “homeschooling mom.” While we haven’t “officially” started school, we are going to co-op and doing simple pre-school lessons each week. Since I love to read and learn, I am so glad I get to do that alongside my children now and in the coming years!

Just last week I typed up our preschool goals for this next school year and I’m excited to share them with you in an upcoming blog post!

Current reads and goals…

My interests haven’t changed much. I still love managing our home, cooking for my family, spending time with my husband, reading good books, eating chocolate, and watching a good mystery movie. 😉 

Books: It took some time to get back into the routine of reading after Matthew was born. However, now that he’s sleeping through the night and has a very consistent nap routine, it’s gotten a lot easier to find pockets of time in my day for reading. Two books I’ve enjoyed recently would be The Last Bookshop in London (a nice historical fiction book with a sweet storyline) and The Journey That Saved Curious George (the true story of Margaret and H.A. Rey’s escape from Paris during World War II). My current read is called The Monday Morning Club which is an encouraging book for pastor’s wives.

Goals: One of my biggest goals right now is getting back in shape after baby… which is happening ever so slowly! Our family has been enjoying lots of yummy meals from the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook (which has been a favorite of mine for a long time).

Our Fall months are busy with family activities, ministry events, and more, but I hope to carve out some time to share more blog posts in the coming weeks/months!

Until then, please leave a comment and say “hi”…. I would love to hear from you!