Annnnnd Home Again

 All good things must come to an end, right? And our little time in our RV did just that! I told you yesterday that we awakened to this on Monday morning. I contended that it was a sign the campground did not want us to leave, so we should probably just stay. ;) 

But the best part was...since we had put everything away the night before in anticipation of the rain, our morning could look blissfully like this:

No, we didn't get a coffee table. That is our kayak tub! LOL! We pulled it inside early so it didn't get all wet. It had to ride to and from the campsite inside Abby this time. (And then we didn't even get to use it!)

I do have to tell you this funny story from our exit to the campground. The night before, when we were doing our packing-up, we took our bag of trash out to the dumpster. But as we left the campground Monday morning, we had one more little grocery bag of trash to toss. Ryan pulled RIGHT UP next to the dumpster and rolled down my window so I could toss it in. The dumpster was quite literally level with me. 

I told him I would miss. He said it was impossible.

Do you think it was impossible?

Yeah, I threw it, it hit the window on the way out and plummeted to the ground next to the RV. Ryan's face was so priceless. He said, "HOW DID YOU MISS THAT????"

(I mean I promised I would...so it wasn't a surprise to me!) 

There are very specific reasons why I didn't play sports, you guys.

Anyway. 

We took a different way home because we had an extra passenger to pick up:

Whatttttt???? Phoebe?? You better believe it! She is visiting for a while! And I think she liked Abby because she still tries to go stand by her when we go to the parking lot. Ha!

After we got home and settled, we took her on a sunset walk. Oh my goodness. So many new smells. And she wanted to smell every single one. 

I will never tire of that view.

And with that...back on duty we went! Thanks for traveling along on our trip with us! :) 

Camping, Part 2

I had just a few more pictures and fun to share with you from our camping trip, so here we go!

Not only did we get a fabulous 2 hour nap that first day we were out, but we also got a full 8+ hours of sleep going into Sunday morning, and THAT was a gift, too. A true day of rest! 

The forecast said there could be rain, but it held off, and we enjoyed a most beautiful day! Ryan was excited to get out there that morning and build a fire so he could cook our breakfast egg skillet dish!

It was so delicious! (And I just realized all those pictures posted backwards. But you know what? It's late, and I worked a super-sized day today, so just imagine them in the right order! :) 

After breakfast, we decided to go for a walk and explore parts of the campground we hadn't seen during our bike ride the previous day.

When we came back....ugh. The not-so-pretty part of camping happened. It was super hot and I needed more water, so I filled up my water tumbler. When I tried to put the pitcher back in the door of the RV refrigerator, the wire holder that straps it in place popped out, and the pitcher went crashing to the floor. The lid popped off, pouring water all through the RV. It warped our runner rug, it ran down the front step and into our shoes, it created more mess than we had towels on hand to clean up, AND the pitcher itself shattered.

I fell on my knees and started sobbing, because I was so afraid the water was going to seep beneath our new flooring and make it warped too, we had to use Ryan's pool towel for cleanup (before we even got to the pool), and that pitcher was the only way we could have cold water, which is the only way I can drink it very well. 

But in truth, I cried because that mental picture of watching the pitcher crash to the floor, explode, and pour everywhere was a picture of pieces of life right now. I could not stop crying. Long after cleanup, I was still sitting in the chair, crying inconsolably, while Ryan tried to tell me it was all okay. 

I needed that cry. Even in the inconvenience of it all, I think maybe the broken pitcher was a gift from God to allow a dam in my heart to break and those tears to FINALLY come out. (Crying is not something I often have time for in our job, because it takes SO MUCH mental energy.) 

Once the hiccupping subsided a bit, I took to my devos and Ryan went out to sit in a lawn chair and do his also.

After we felt better, we decided to head for the pool for some relaxation.

Ummmmm there was no relaxation at the pool. Just kids cannonballing into the water and saying on repeat, "Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Watch me. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom."

So we sat on the sidelines and watched and then went back to the quietness of our camper.

And our lunch: Campfire pizzas.

We went for more walks and bike rides in the afternoon. The place was DESERTED and it was so lovely.

She was lookin' pretty cute out there by herself! 

Much later in the evening, we made our last campfire meal, which was a burger/potato foil packet, and it was also very tasty.

And s'mores. Because of course.

We saw on the weather app that it could be super stormy overnight and into the morning, so before we went to bed, we took up the sewer hose, the rug, tables, chairs, outdoor lights and awning. We tried to make the place as ready to go as possible when the morning arrived.

Sure glad we did! This was the view out the window come morning:

But oh. What a good, good day it was. Spilled water and all. 

A Little Respite

We are home from a glorious three day weekend. Want a peek into our fun?

We picked a place at random and ended up in Batesville, Indiana. We've been to that area before - what feels like years ago now - when we visited Ripley County. That was such a fun trip! This time, we went straight to our campground, which was new territory for us!

We stayed at Indian Lakes, which had a KOA tucked inside it, and that's where we went. This place was HUGE! Hundreds of sites, and many of them were occupied full time by campers and park models that stay year-round. Happily, the section where we stayed was almost entirely empty, and we loved the privacy of it. 

    

Ryan made all the arrangements and told me later that when you reserve online, you can't choose your site, but we hit the absolute JACKPOT with the site they gave us. The nice lady in the office escorted us to it and we could hardly believe our good fortune. It was a corner lot with the perfect amount of shade, lots of extra space, full hookups, a fire pit, and a cement pad outside our door. Gorgeous.

We arrived just after lunchtime, and I'd come prepared for that! While Ryan started unpacking the camper, I put together salads and set them up on our bistro table.

In full disclosure, I also had part of a cookie my friend Abagail gave me. She made it, and it's a good thing we don't live closer. I'd be requesting a batch every day.

After we got set up, we crashed in the RV and took a TWO HOUR NAP!! Uninterrupted sleep is such a gift, and we both felt human again when we woke up!

Human and in need of smoothies. :) 

We took some time to explore the park on our bikes. It was HOT OUT THERE!!!

We found the boat launch (which was the good news). The bad news? It was too far from our campsite to conveniently carry the kayak, and since we hadn't brought a separate vehicle this time, we couldn't drive over. So no kayaking for us on this trip. But we did enjoy the bike exploration.

We worked up quite an appetite, too, and we wanted to try one of the new recipes we brought along. Ryan built the fire and I assembled the turkey smoked sausage/green beans, mini potatoes/onions/mushrooms.

100% delicious, you guys!!! So so good. 

It's not even right to build a fire and not include a s'more, so we did cap off the evening with that treat!

And then we did what we could not do at our last camping adventure: sit outside for a while. I did get a few mosquito bites, but not nearly as many as last time. It was so fun to sit and enjoy the quiet evening - lights up and all!

Eventually we did go inside, and Ryan worked on putting together his Sunday morning breakfast ingredients and I hunkered down to watch a movie. It was the perfect end to a beginning of a respite!

Thanks for traveling along!

Villages

 I remember back in the days of my heart desert when I begged God to do something...anything...to show me in a tangible way that He was still present and working. He would offer my heart the kindest gifts each time, showing Himself active in my life and circumstances. 

While days here don't feel as desperate as days did then, there are still times I ache for God to remind me that I'm not alone in what I do. That Ryan and I together are not alone in what we do. And it has been such a faith boost to me to see Him send answers and blessings.

* I was talking to a woman from our church who asked how she could help WillowBridge in a financial way, and I was able to share a specific need we had at the time. She immediately fulfilled it. (Bonus: I was able to share this blessing story with our tenants and they participated in writing a thank you note!)

* Another woman at church stopped to ask about how she could help, and when I mentioned our need for drivers, she said she would love to help do just that! We have a meeting set up with her to talk more about this.

* My friend Abagail came to visit for the first time since we moved. We both needed a girl-day more than we knew, I think. I was able to show her some of our favorite area treats, and we had a great time talking together. I'm pretty sure both our husbands thought this was the best idea ever. Happy wives at the end of the day!

* One of my college roommates sent me a random text the other night and asked if I had time to talk. We chatted on the phone for probably an hour, and her stories boosted my faith SO MUCH. I was able to pray with her at the end of the call, and it was such a blessing!

* The book I told you I'm reading - the new one by Erica Wiggenhorn - has been perfectly timed each day. I've cried actual tears over the timely encouragement of her words. 

* I don't even know how this happened, exactly, but yesterday morning I lost my wedding ring. I didn't panic (which is so unbekahlike) and prayed that God would help me retrace my steps. I actually found it in the landscaping (and in the pouring rain). I was so thankful!!

I am grateful that God encourages my heart when it feels faint. I am grateful for the villages He raises up around me to speak life into my soul through prayers, conversations, written words, and meeting needs. And I'm grateful for miracles that may not matter in the grand scheme of life, but they matter to me in a grand way: like finding my wedding ring!

Thank You, God, for these villages! And thank you, blog friends, for being part of this encouraging village!!

Sunday Sentiments

 Yesterday, at the end of the Saturday Six, I shared a quick memory about a Sunday School teacher I had who encouraged those of us in her class to pray out loud on Sunday mornings at the start of class. It was wildly uncomfortable. We were all shy kids who didn't want to feel stupid in front of our peers, but our teacher was great about helping prayer feel more normal. 

She modeled it for us with her own words and was always quick to encourage us with every attempt we made. And now I appreciate so much what she did. She made a huge difference in my life with something as simple as teaching me to pray in front of others.

It made me think of the host of people who volunteered their time and Sunday mornings to give me a great foundation all those many years ago. 

Because of Sunday School teachers and children's ministry volunteers:

* I learned all the books of the Bible in order, using a song I still sing.

* I learned the importance of bringing tithes and offerings to church.

* I learned the importance of inviting friends to church.

* I learned how to look up verses in the Bible.

* I learned memory verses I still recite. 

* I learned all the little songs that solidified truths I learned from the Word.

..and so much more!

My parents gave me a great foundation at home, and I've written about that here before. I don't want to take away from the hard work and intention they put in, but I want to demonstrate that because of all these men and women who volunteered in Sunday School, my foundation was even stronger.

I know it's harder than ever now to find people who want to commit to being at church each week to work in children's ministry. So many people now travel on weekends or don't have time (don't want to take time?) to prep during the week for class on Sunday.

But it so matters!

I am grateful for the host of Sunday School superintendents, teachers, VBS workers, and youth leaders who spent time investing in me. My life now is richer because of their investment then. I am so very thankful.

I don't know if you're involved with kids at church or not. (And truly, I know it's not for everyone! It's not something that's possible for me in this season of life.) But if you possibly can, I encourage you to pray about it. You might never know what an incredible influence you could have in a child's future! 

The Saturday Six

 

One.

I have no idea if grapes would grow where we live, but I still had fun reading this post about growing grapes at home. So pretty hanging from the arbors!! Any of you ever try growing grapes? 

Two.

I don't know if you like looking at cute little storybook-esque homes, but if you do, here are some for sale right now. I have to confess I'm a sucker for an adorable little rounded door on a brick house! 

Three.

I have some pretty strict rules about not putting my purse on the table or kitchen counter. After all - it sits on the car floor and everywhere else the rest of the time. Yuck! But I love this hack for keeping your ingredient containers clean while you're cooking! Never thought of this! 

Four.

I've heard of the Christmas gift-giving rule of thumb "Something they want, need, to wear, and read," but this week I stumbled upon this additional list of seven gift ideas. I really like some of the extra ideas at the end! If you're looking for some new traditions for your family, this might be a great way to go!

Five.

I don't know if storage zings you as much as it zings me, but I think this blogger's storage area is SO PRETTY. I know she says in her post that it's not pretty, but I disagree! One of the biggest adjustments we've had to make (living-space wise) in coming to WillowBridge has been losing any kind of attic/storage space. We are able to tuck a few things here and there around WillowBridge, but I love what she's done! 

Six.

Maybe I've shared something like this at some point along the way, but it certainly can't be over-shared, so I don't even care if it's a duplicate. I remember when I was in elementary school and one of my Sunday School teachers made a point of encouraging those of us in the class to pray out loud. It was INSANELY SCARY and none of us wanted to do it ever. None of us liked doing it. We were young and afraid of being made fun of. But she pushed us to do it, and looking back now, I'm so glad she did. It was a good foundation in praying out loud. If you have kids in your life - your own or kids you teach or kids who hang out at your house - here are some great ideas for encouraging kids to pray. It's a great gift to give! 

The Daily Fab Four

 One of my friends challenged me to try something new to see how it helped my state of mind. 

Our world is hard right now. That's a straight-up fact no matter who you are, what you do for a living, or who lives (or does not live) in your home. This is a hard, hard season of history.

Add to that the personal stresses that all of us have (in differing details) every single day, and it can be hard to keep encouraging thoughts running through our heads.

You've probably heard it said that we are what we think, and it's true. Scripture encourages to set our minds on things above this world and to think on things that are true, noble, excellent, praiseworthy, etc. 

But do you do that?

I don't. Not usually. I get far too easily consumed by the discouragement that swirls around me.

So my friend challenged me to try focusing on the daily fab four, and you know what? It's actually helping! 

Every single day, I pause to make room for these four things.

1. Random act of kindness.

It doesn't have to cost a lot of money. In fact, it doesn't have to cost any money. It could be a texted or handwritten word of encouragement to someone. It could be a latte delivered to a friend. It could be giving someone your spot in line at the store. 

Whatever pushes you to stop rushing through your day and helps you see the people rushing through their own days all around you...do that!

(One day I was even kind to myself by choosing NOT to say something mean about myself to something else. It counts!)

Fun fact: One of our tenants left us an encouragement note in our mailbox, and it completely made my day. I kind of wanted to frame the thing and hang it up in our living room. It helped me have a fresh appreciation for how much these little random acts of kindness matter! I know how good I felt...so I want to make others feel that same way!

2. Something creative.

I realize creativity doesn't zing everyone the way it zings me, but there's something to this one! I promise!

Pausing to stir the creative juices really does help foster encouragement. And it doesn't have to be scrapbooking or painting - though it could be! I've done everything from baking to playing on Pinterest to editing pictures to dreaming about living by the lake someday.

When the stresses of the day press in, purposing to take time to be creative is helpful in ways I never knew. I tend to save creative time as a reward for a LOT of work. Giving myself permission to take little bits of time to be creative each day has helped so much!

3. Prayer and Pondering.

My friend called it meditating, but that word can be a source of contention depending on how it's used, so I just switched it up to prayer and pondering.

Taking time each day to SIT QUIETLY before the Lord to pray and ponder His goodness is such a good use of time. (Sometimes I have to retreat in the shower for this to get away from all the noise and bustle of our job, but I make a point to do it!)

This may be the best one of the four, honestly!

4. Do some form of self-care. 

Self-care is another phrase that can sort of ruffle some, but it's an important thing. It's actually a direct assignment Ryan and I have for our job right now. We so rarely have time to pull away from our busy days, and if we don't learn to do it, we are absolutely going to burn out.

Manicures. Sunset walks. Reading. Taking a nap. Listening to music. Talking to friends. It could be anything! Anything that gets you to stop focusing on work (or stress) every minute of every day.

***

I have to say that being mindful to do each of these things each day has been so encouraging for me. It has pushed me to focus on calm things, good things, Godly things, encouraging things. 

We can't (and shouldn't!) ignore the difficult around us. It matters and needs tending. But we can tend so much better if we have some reserve to draw from. When we've paused to recharge and encourage our hearts in the Lord. 

I'm not sure if anything like this would be helpful to you, but just in case, I thought I'd share! Happy Friday, my friends! 

Tenth Anniversary Registry

 Ryan and I are looking ahead to our NINTH engagementversary (in October) and anniversary (in December). We can't quite believe we are reaching the last anniversary in the single digits. It has gone so quickly! 

I've heard couples say before that the wish they could re-register for gifts for their tenth anniversary, because that's when they start to notice significant wear and tear on things they received for their wedding. And while we don't have plans to do that for real, I do think it would be a good idea to begin compiling a list of things we might need to replace in this tenth year of marriage. It turns out all those couples who wanted a registry redo weren't wrong about stuff wearing out a decade at a time!

One of our most-used skillets is starting to wear out, and we have so many chips (not potato) in our dishes that they kind of look like we bought them at a thrift store! 

Here are some of the things I'd put on a list for us to begin replacing as we head into this tenth year together, culminating in just over a year with a tenth anniversary.

* One of the things that has taken the biggest beating without being upgraded at ALL? Our potholders and oven mitts. They are burned, stained, cracked, and quite pitiful. I found these potholders and these oven mitts on Etsy that I thought would make adorable replacements. 

* New dishes are definitely on the list...maybe these or these? Something neutral, so regardless of the season or table decor, the plates work! (Our current set is a blue square set that came from Target - and I'm pretty sure you can't get them anymore. We have loved them, but it's time for a change.)

* We did get these storage containers for our showers and wedding, and everything we have is still going strong - and I still love them as much as I did when we got them! But I would love to get one more set. I love NOT storing things in our pantry in bags or boxes, and all my current storage containers are full. I would also love to add these labels to them just to make them even prettier. 

* As I mentioned, some of our pots and pans are starting to wear out, and I'm a bit more conscious now about what I'd want in a new set. When we registered for the set for our wedding, we chose a brand I was familiar with and had heard good things about. They've worked great, but I've been learning a lot more about toxic chemicals found in nonstick cookware, so I'm thinking something more along these lines for the next set! 

There are some things we have already replaced along the way: 

* We traded out most of our plastic kitchen utensils for wooden ones.

* We purchased a flatter, space-saving knife block.

* We replaced our worn out drinking glasses with Mason jar glasses that were leftover favors from Ryan's sister's wedding.

* Ryan treated me to a Ninja blender a few years back, replacing the sad little bargain blender I'd purchased at WalMart back when I was single.

* We got a new bed when we moved to WillowBridge, and it was a smaller size, so our sheets and bed cover are all new. 

* Our coffee pot. Many times. Obviously. 

And other things are holding strong, like:

* bath towels and washcloths

* Kitchen Aid mixer

* silverware

* mixing bowls

But I'm excited about the idea of celebrating our upcoming tenth year of marriage with a few replacements. 

What would YOU replace in your house if you could register for some new things??

Summer Nostalgia

 Last night after dinner, I sent a group text to my family, just shooting the breeze about our day. I sat down for a few minutes and ended up falling asleep hard. I woke up a bit later to all their responses, which included some questions. I made the mistake of trying to answer while still entirely incoherent, and I'm not sure anything made any sense to anyone!

Lesson learned: don't text while sleeping.

But after that, Ryan and I went out for a walk, and because I'd fallen asleep, it was almost dusk by the time we headed out. We made our way from street to street and Ryan commented that he loved hearing the sounds of a summer night. The cicadas and clopping horses (hello, Amish country!) took him back to his childhood in the country. He took a deep breath and declared summer nights to be his favorite. I told him all we needed was a lake and a swing. :) 

I started thinking about my own summer memories from when I was a kid:

* Mom always hung the laundry outside on the clothesline in the summer. I loved it when she washed the sheets and I could run between them when they were still damp. (Yes, I am aware now that it probably negated all the washing she just did.) But I loved the feel of cool sheets blowing against my cheek when I ran down the middle of the lines.

* My parents also had a pretty big garden when I was young, and I had fun hiding in the rows of sweet corn once they grew tall enough to be over my head. It was cool and shady between the stalks, and I loved it. 

* Then there were the corn shucking parties, which I did not love nearly as much, but I remember them. Dad would harvest the corn and roll it up to the house by the wheelbarrow load. We'd shuck it outside, where messes were no big deal, and then all the ears of shiny butter-colored corn would go into the house for Mom to freeze.

* We didn't have central air, and even though we did have a window unit in the kitchen, all Mom's canning overpowered it. I remember those super hot summer days when the house smelled of pickled beets and canned green beans. Mom would pull the sliding door shades shut and crank the air to try to cool the house, but I would head outside to the rows of corn. Much cooler.

* I remember the years our neighbors had an above ground pool and their kids invited me over almost every single day to swim. There were days when I woke up, put on my swimsuit, headed next door, and didn't come home until almost bedtime, except to run home for meals. I loved those years! 

* I remember riding my bike around the driveway - until I fell off said bike and broke my leg. 

* And I remember sitting in the swing in the backyard, watching lightning bugs fly across the yard in the evenings after dinner.

Then I grew up and had a home of my own, and I still loved summer evenings.

* I would take long walks through campus after work and dinner, running into college students still on campus for summer classes and sports. 

* I learned to grill on a tiny charcoal grill that I parked on my back patio. 

* And once Ryan and I got married, we'd spend our evenings on the cement slab, under the pirogi (remember that??) in the hammock or drinking coffee.

* And when we lived in Kokomo, we'd walk to the ice cream stand for a big scoop of some deliciousness.

We know fall isn't far, but for now we're soaking up the end of these beautiful summer days and making memories we can look back on months and years down the road.

How about you?? What do you love from summers gone by?