Glimpses of Packing

 GUESS WHO HAS INTERNET AGAIN!!?!?!!?!?!!?!

Two WONDERFUL men showed up at our house yesterday morning and had us connected in very short order. I was so happy, I could have cried! So after transferring over FIVE HUNDRED PICTURES from my phone, I am going to back up and show you bits and pieces of things you've missed!

First up, I wanted to share a few pictures from our moving adventures. I think I said this, but in case I didn't, this time we didn't do one big moving day. In fact, we moved almost everything on our own, just the two of us, over a series of days as we had time. Ryan's dad loaned us his truck, and Ryan's sister loaned us her enclosed trailer, and both of those were SUCH blessings. Oh my goodness. I seriously can't even explain. If we'd had to rent vehicles each time, it would have been so costly. 

SO!!! Here are some glimpses of moving...

Here is a picture I couldn't share in real time, because I hadn't even told you there WOULD be a move! This was the very first night we started packing boxes. At this time, Rob, Sean, Sarah, and our other two immediate coworkers knew we were moving, but we hadn't told the tenants or Gateway as a whole. I had to try to pack very quietly so the tenants wouldn't hear the tape roll ripping. (We also had to try to sneak boxes into the building when we thought they would all be at work.)

Lexi never did become friends with the sound of the tape roll ripping. She would bark her head off at it every single time. (This also made packing interesting, since we didn't want her barking to disrupt the building!)

This one was backed to the brim with 12x12 scrapbooks. Ryan had to use a furniture mover to get it on and off the truck. ;) Also - three cheers for Tim and Justine, whose child had recently had a birthday and that resulted in some good-sized boxes donated to our move! 

The room that takes forever: the office. :) But for the most part, it was one of the rooms we could start packing early, because we definitely weren't going to have time to read during this adventure!

We just packed whenever we could. Usually it required all of our weekend days, plus whatever snippets of time we could find in between working adventures. The closer we got to the end of our time, the more time we had to pack, because we were slowly removed from WillowBridge responsibilities and mostly just had to be available if needed. We didn't have to attend as many meetings or planning sessions. 

I did most of the actual packing into boxes, but Ryan did help with some of it! And yes, those are VHS tapes. What. Do you not have those? ;)

Since we didn't have a garage or storage space, all the boxes just lived in random corners of the apartment. It was an adventure!

And sometimes it was just straight up MESSY. An utter delight for two Type A individuals. ;) 

Braeya was a fabulous supervisor. And the tape didn't bother her nearly as much as it did Lexi, so she stuck around for a lot more packing.

Then the day came at last when we could start packing things INTO THE TRAILER for the first trip over to the new house! We did have a few seasonal things in the WillowBridge shed, so we started with that and then hauled out boxes from the apartment stash. That sidewalk a few photos down is a lot longer than it looks when you're Bekah hefting furniture! :) Unfortunately, we have no pictures of the two of us hefting furniture, because we were out of hands with which to take pictures!

Ryan is truly a master at efficient packing. He enjoys it and is REALLY good at it. We were able to get everything moved in just four trailer trips because he was SO good at efficient arrangement. 

And after we had everything moved out - I went right back to packing up more things! 

So there you have it! Caught up on glimpses of packing to move! 

My Day at IF: Kirklin

 

Yesterday I shared with you a little of the heart lessons I learned on Saturday while at the IF local gathering in Kirklin, Indiana. Today I thought I'd tell you a little about the day itself!

Let's start with what it's like to get up at a "real" time! One of the things we did get spoiled on during our time at WillowBridge was NOT getting up super early. An early getting-up time for us there was about 7:30 so we could be prepared to be backup drivers if needed by 8 a.m. But our official day didn't begin until 9 a.m. and I tried very hard not to be overly zealous in being dressed and ready prior to that very hour. 

But Saturday I needed to be on the road by 6:30 IN THE MORNING!! I pretty much got ready the night before, so I could just roll out of bed, get dressed, and get going. It is extremely rare anymore for Ryan to not accompany me to a speaking engagement. (It's one of my typical non-negotiables, but for us on this day, it worked out better for him to be back at home to tend to some other things.)

So to recap: I was up 3 hours earlier than normal, driving myself (something I have not done in a very long time), and OH!!!! It snowed. Of course it snowed. ;) 

Ryan was so good to me and had the car all ready: gas tank filled, GPS loaded, speaking supplies packed. He got up early too, to make sure I didn't oversleep, made my coffee, and prayed for me before I left. I just love him so. He kept me well supplied with texts and pictures throughout the day, too!

I had to giggle, because the first thing that happened to me after I got on the road was a train delay. That happened to me on the regular at WillowBridge, but this was the first time I've been caught by one here. Then I ever-so-narrowly missed some deer that crossed the road in front of me. I adored seeing them, because you know my ridiculousness for deer, but I also adored that they did not injure my vehicle and I did not injure them! 

My two-hour drive was blissfully uneventful. I didn't get sleepy, I didn't have trouble with slick roads, I didn't get stopped by accidents or construction...it was good, and I was grateful. 

My GPS tried to take me right past the church, but I outsmarted it. :) 

The church where I spoke was in a super small town that reminded me quite a bit of Grabill! This was the church - and the ladies who were there were all SO kind and welcoming. It's always a bit unnerving to walk in when you don't know anyone! 

The committee who put on this event had done such a beautiful job of decorating. It may have been cold and snowy outside, but it was fully spring INSIDE! They even had a photo booth - but I didn't get over that way. (HOW??)

Those are plastic tablecloths cut in circles! A labor of love!

All the food was so good. They had fruit, bagels, and breads for breakfast and then lunch was salad and some ADORABLE cupcakes. There were afternoon snacks too, but that was right about the time I spoke, so I didn't partake. 

A husband and wife duo did the music, and they were SO good.

One of the ladies at my table was kind to take a couple of pictures for me when I spoke!

By the time the conference was over in the afternoon, the sun had actually come out! I was able to use my sunglasses on the way home! (I told Ryan when I left in the morning that I was taking them in faith - ha!)

It was a really wonderful day, and I'm so glad I had the chance to be part of it! 

Sunday Sentiments

 

Yesterday I spoke at an IF Gathering, and I'll tell you more about that this week. But today I want to tell you one of my favorite things about that day.

Just in case you aren't familiar with IF, let me give you the quick synopsis. The original, main gathering was a little over a month ago in Texas. There were many well-known speakers on the roster, and their teachings were recorded. Then churches and other gatherings could host local versions of IF and share the videos of the teachings.

The church who hosted the one I went to yesterday asked me to share in person at the end of all the recorded talks.

Because the setup of the event was a little different from a normal women's conference or retreat, I was able to sit in on the teachings of all the other speakers before sharing from my own heart.

It. Was. Beautiful.

My day started early, because I had about a two hour drive to reach the church, but it was worth leaving home in the dark (AND THE SNOW!) to have a day of heart-filling. I scribbled notes in my journal and soaked up the ideas presented throughout the day.

It's been a while since I've attended such an event. I think the last one I went to was the November before the pandemic, when I went to a women's leadership conference in Tennessee. I enjoyed that one too, but I sorely missed Ryan while I was gone! This was just one day, so I was home to him much sooner!

One of the things that Jennie Allen (the founder of the event) shared in her talk was that in general, we have all but abandoned speaking to people face to face. We are a lonely people because we've become accustomed to just staying home and choosing movies over fellowship. She went so far as to say that even when given an opportunity to interact with others, most of us will choose to stay home with our jammies instead. We're uncomfortable with the idea of having conversations, because they could get difficult and awkward, and we don't want that.

Convicting!

As we reevaluate life and priorities, my heart is convicted to find the balance between carving out time for rest and our own family time here at home and time for and with community and friends. It really does matter. The richness that can come into our lives from the people around us can't be manufactured in other ways, and we will be better people if we don't miss those opportunities. 

I am grateful for the chance I had yesterday to enjoy some community and learning, and I am grateful for the challenges issued to my heart for the future we have ahead! 

The Saturday Six

 

I wasn't online much this week, but I did stumble across some really fun trip-related things (probably because everyone seems to be on spring break right now) so I thought I'd share them here today! Never a bad day when you get to think about a vacation, right?

One.

A few years ago, on our anniversary trip, Ryan and I did a drive-through Christmas light display in a cave in Louisville. It was so much fun! I am not great with scary caves, but well-lit, minimal-bat caves are interesting to me. So this kayaking tour in a cave actually sounds pretty fun! And it's in Kentucky, so it's not out of the scope of reality for us! 

Two.

I don't know if I have shared this one before or not. Seems like a while back (months...years?) I ran across this or something similar. But it's okay if it's a repeat. It's still pretty cool! I love trip planning - SO much - but if I did not love it, these surprise vacation packages would be pretty cool! I don't know...could I be okay heading out without EITHER of us knowing where we are going or what we'll be doing? That would be pretty crazy! But I do love the concept. 

Three.

When I was growing up, I had a two story playhouse in our backyard, and it was pretty cool! I never stayed the night out there, and if I had, I would have been TOTALLY off grid. ;) But the idea of spending the night in a modern-day treehouse? Sign me up!! This list is pretty impressive. Would you stay in a treehouse??

Four.

Years ago, I was trying to drive to my friend Jenna's house, but I wanted to go a different direction than the GPS wanted to take me. I ended up setting the GPS for Peoria, Illinois, and then headed north from there. Because I only used Peoria as a destination to get the route I wanted, I missed out on the fact that that there are tons of fun things to do there! I think I might have to move this one up the list of places we might want to go ourselves! 

Five.

Alaska is probably a long shot on travel for us, but THIS looks really fun. I think I'd stay here for the cuteness of the domes alone. But add in the lights?? I think it looks like a really fun adventure. Who knows!? Maybe one day we'll get to go!

Six.

And finally...the grand dream list! I'd need a few years to hit all these, but oh how wonderful it would be to see these places in person! I couldn't pick from the list. I loved them all. 

Puzzle Pieces

Good morning, friends! 

It has been a productive week here in Shafferland 4.0. Yesterday I surveyed the garage, where Ryan had poured hours of hard work into organizing and told him it was hard to believe that just a week ago, it was still piled high with yet-to-be-unpacked boxes. There is still work to do in the garage, to be fair, but at least it's set up in a way that will make it easy to do. 

The inside of the house is coming along quite nicely. I think maybe today we will start hanging things on the walls, and to me, that is always one of the markers of it truly being home. 

The setting up of home has felt a bit like a puzzle this time. Of course, there are some things that were easy to place. You know...like the bed. But all the little pieces and parts of accents and decorations have been like assembling a puzzle. I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

Nita's wooden rocking chair has lived in three rooms in the last week, and I think it has found home at last. (I'm so glad we have that chair. Ryan loves it for sentimental reasons, and I love how perfectly it fits in this home - this home we didn't even know we would have when he brought it from the cabin.)

I've been making a list of little things I hope to find - either at garage sales, thrift stores, or the stores where we have gift cards. Little completer pieces to half-finished vignettes around the house. I think the thrill of the chase will be as much fun as placing the pieces where they will go.

Last night, while Ryan was putting the finishing touches on a garage project, I sat in the dining nook, gazing around at the kitchen and living area. I don't know that I've ever had a home feel like home so quickly. Even with some puzzle pieces still missing, it's fully warm and cozy. There are pieces of our story all around, and they make my heart glad. 

Putting together this puzzle of a home has been the perfect project for my heart, and if I had to guess, I'd say it's been a pretty perfect project for Ryan's heart too. We've both pitched in, piecing it together, trying things one place and then moving them to another if they just don't quite seem to be in the best place. Working with Ryan to make home...home...has been one of my favorite things.

The first week has been full of productivity. I'm excited to see what week #2 brings! Here are some of my hopes:

* I'd love to see at least most of our wall hangings go up. I know there might be some spots that we aren't certain of and don't do just yet, but I think most of them can be done!

* I want to sort through the last few piles/boxes of home stuff that's in the garage. Some of it may need to be pitched. Some of it just needs to be put away somewhere. But I would love to see that section of the garage sorted through and cleaned.

* I hope we can visit one or two of the local places we were given a gift card to - so we can begin to learn our community even more! 

* Internet!! We're still without it. The gentleman came to do the outside work yesterday, but it will be next week before we have it fully connected on the inside. I am so grateful for Ryan's hot spot. It's limited, and I'm about two weeks behind on reading ANY blogs, most emails, and much of what has happened on Facebook, but I've been able to keep up with writing here, and for that I'm thankful. I have many projects for the house that I will be able to complete once we have internet.

* I hope we can put up our curtains, too! We were able to bring all our curtains from WillowBridge, and I'm so ready to have them up at the windows. Much like wall art, curtains are one of those "it's home" moments for both of us. 

Slow and steady wins the race, right? We'll piece together this house one little bit at a time!

Happy Mail

 

Yesterday evening, Ryan came in with the mail and said to me, "Someone got fun mail!!" I promptly became puppy-level excited and then said, "Wait. Are you for real or is this a bill that you're pretending is fun?" 

Not that he would ever do that. 

Wait. He probably wouldn't. 

I would. 

Actually, I did. Do you have time for a quick fun side-story from the days of WillowBridge?

We had one tenant who would ask every single day, "Did I get any mail?" He loved mail and we all knew it, but he hardly ever got any. But every time, when we told him he hadn't gotten anything, he said, "Thank God. Could have been a bill." 

Mmm hmmmmmmm.

So one day, he got mail. It was nothing fun or remotely personal. Probably a bill or junk mail. But when he came in that day, before he had a chance to ask me, I put on my most concerned face and said, "Hey, I have some bad news. Like really bad."

He immediately started rapid-fire guessing all the things it could be and I just sat, all forlorn, shaking my head. Finally, he said, "WHAT IS IT???"

I said, "Turns out you got mail today. I'm so sorry." 

I believe he called me a turd. :) I had the best time with it. 

So you can see why I don't believe people about the mail. I'm people, after all. 

But back to yesterday's story...it turns out it really was fun mail! 

Ryan handed me a thick envelope with a local return address on it, and I ripped it open and promptly cried. 

Some of you already know what I'm about to say because your names were attached to it!

Inside I found a stack of gift cards to local shops and restaurants and a note that simply said, "Bekah - you are welcome here." And then it was signed from a whole group of you that I first interacted with back in my WBCL days, and then that continued in the Gateway days. Some of you I have met in person and some I have not, but the mere fact that you would bless me/us in this way was completely overwhelming in the most wonderful way. 

Instantly, I was reminded of how God goes before us and orders our steps. All those many years ago, when I worked at WBCL, He allowed our paths to cross. You've been following our story and we've followed many of yours. None of us had any idea then we would live in the same town, but here we are! And I couldn't feel more like I belong. Truly.

The tangible gift was overwhelming. But the intangible gift of welcome and belonging was the part I needed most. Thank you for loving us so well. 

We are humbled and grateful. 

All the Little Stories

Yesterday marked one week since we made our official move. We'd brought a few loads at a time prior to that day, but on that day, we left behind an empty apartment and brought our mostly-bedraggled selves into our new home. I feel like we've done a good job of unpacking and setting up in just a week's time. I think all the furniture has been brought in and placed, except maybe an accent table or two. And yesterday I started adding touches of decorations. Now it's starting to feel more like home.

In the days to come, I'll probably blog about this more specifically on different occasions, but one of the things that is really important to me/us as we settle into this home is to have every single thing in this home matter. I love following people on social media who curate beautiful homes. I love seeing all their perfectly coordinating and arranged living spaces. I find it inspirational. But even more than that, I love following people who live in homes of story. I love it when they post a photo and then explain the entire story behind something in that photo. 

That's the kind of home we want to live in. We do love to be tidy and organized, but I highly doubt we will ever qualify for magazine level living - and that is okay with me! Story matters more to me than magazine level. 

As I've been unpacking the decorations, I have relived in my mind the stories behind the pieces that make up our home. It has been such a joy for my heart. 

This was the first area I officially decorated. I actually did this one a few days ago, because all these pieces were tucked into kitchen boxes. 

It's just a little spot in the corner of our kitchen, but it brings my heart joy. 

* The pitcher on the left is a perfect treasure I found in a garage sale pile at church a few years ago. I'd been looking for a picture just like this one and hadn't found the perfect one yet. I never dreamed it would be in the best of all places: a garage sale! I don't know who it belonged to before me, but I loved the price!

* It holds a mix of wooden utensils. A couple of them were handmade by someone I never met, but he was a friend of a dear friend of mine who was part of my women's ministry group at our Kokomo church. She gave them to me for Christmas and told me how he made them. I love them so much because they came with a story and always make me think of Nancy!

* The purple Ball jar with the "Welcome Home" sign on it was a gift to us from our friend Amber several years ago. We had gone on vacation, and she kept an eye on the house and on Braeya for us, and when we arrived home, she had left it next to our pile of mail. Purple is one of her favorite colors, and she made the sign (artist extraordinaire). She'd filled it with homemade scotcharoos. Though she doesn't particularly love to cook, she does make the best scotcharoos I've ever had, and Ryan LOVES THEM. He calls them smoochies. (Unfortunate name mix-up that stuck.) I am not sure what treat I'll put in the jar, but I love the story behind it.

* The little mug was a gift from our friend Shari (HI, SHARI!!) and I think of her and Wayne every single time I see it. 

* The white pitcher on the right holds our coffee filters. Ryan and I had been trying to find something to hold the filters and could not find the right thing. During a leisurely stroll through Hobby Lobby on a date night, we found that, and it was perfect. 

* The rose was my gift from Ryan the day he proposed to me. It's sitting in a bed of coffee beans - marking two of my favorite things: roses and coffee. I love it so very much and it reminds me of one of my most favorite days in life. 

* I'm not sure who owned the white cake plate originally, but it came to me from Mom, and I love it. It doesn't have a dome, so I don't use it for food, but I love it for decorating and it's perfect for this corner.

* The rolling pin was my grandma's. She made a lot of good food with that rolling pin - and I'm thankful I was privileged to make meals in her kitchen for sixteen years. I actually do use her rolling pin sometimes, even though I have a more modern, plastic version. There's just something about a good, old-fashioned rolling pin, with all its quirks.

* The salt and pepper shakers were another Hobby Lobby find of ours - and they perfectly fit what we were looking for to complete our kitchen. 

This whole corner is laden with stories of family and friends. Date nights and gifts. Storied history and fresh starts. 

May it represent our whole home and all the pieces that comprise it! 

Exploring the Great Outdoors!

First things first! I was able to transfer a few pictures for the sake of posting, so I have updated yesterday's monthiversary post to include the pictures I described! Check them out! :) 

I don't know what the weather has been like where you live, but this hasn't been the sunniest spring on record here in Indiana. So when the sun does show up - with any measure of warmth - we celebrate and participate!

Sunday was just such a day. After church (and lunch, and a genuine afternoon nap for Ryan) we decided to take Lexi to the walkway by the river and get some fresh air. 

It was amazing. We weren't able to get out too much for walks in the winter, because it was just too cold for Lexi (and probably too cold for humans too) to be out for extended periods of time most of the time. And then we were knee deep in packing and such, so we have not properly been outside on the regular since the fall, and we MISSED IT.

It was great to see the water running down the river, the buds on the trees, the grass greening up, and people out and about with giant smiles, probably enjoying the great outdoors as much as we were!

I love photo opp spots!

Ryan was sending a Marco Polo whilst walking. Multi-tasking at its finest!

Isn't it so pretty????

Just imagine it when the leaves show up!

Date day!! :) 

Lexi was SO EXCITED to see every single person she encountered on the trail, and they were all so kind to stop and talk to her. 

Sweet girl is getting SO BIG!! 19 weeks old now! She was a complete champ and did almost every step of four miles on that trail. She rested well after that, let me tell you!

112 Months

UPDATE!!! I was able to get pictures loaded! :) See below!

One year ago, in April, we crossed the threshold into triple digit monthiversaries. Looks like if we cross over into 4 digits, we'll have to be married a little over 83 years, which will make me 117 years old. Something tells me that may not happen. 

But anyway!!

For that special 100th monthiversary, Ryan and I took the day off work, had breakfast at one of our favorite places, went to the botanical garden in Fort Wayne, walked around the downtown park areas, had dessert and coffee at a shop I loved when I worked at the station, and ended our day at our friends' church, worshiping with them at their Good Friday service.

We had no idea that exactly one year later, we would have just moved to become part of that church community, but that's how it happened.

This past Saturday was our 112th monthiversary, and we started the day all leisurely, sleeping in as long as we could. (Lexi and Braeya both sleep better here, so we also sleep better!)

We ventured forth to try out the coffee shop in town. Fun fact: When we toured Wells County back in 2014, we went to the local coffee shop in this very town. It was owned by different people, called by a different name, and located in a different building, but we still went! So we had to try the updated version, and it turns out that 95% of town had the same idea. I wasn't sure we'd find a table!

But we did! We found the cutest little table right in the window where we could savor our coffee and breakfast and enjoy people watching. We had great conversation about our dreams and some of our favorite things about being married. (For the last couple of years, it seems like all our conversations were about work, so this was a nice change!)

We took some pictures - took a while to find the angle that didn't make Ryan squint and make funny faces, but we got there. It was the grandest, most delightful little date. 

We had a brief window of nice weather in the afternoon, so we took Lexi for a walk and explored the neighborhood a bit. (We also got to meet another of our neighbors!) 

We ended the day with our friends Jonathan and Julie - at their house - for a Seder meal. They had some other friends there for it as well, and everyone was incredibly welcoming. It was a very moving and worship-filled evening, and I was so grateful to be part of it. 

I'm also grateful for these 112 months and a chance to date my husband!

Sunday Sentiments

 

We are still without the internet, and I'm so sad...I have so many pictures I want to share with you, but I can't get them uploaded yet. 

Meanwhile, we are wrapping up our first week in our new home. We paused to look at each other yesterday and neither of us could believe that just one week ago yesterday, Ryan and our friend Tim were carrying a load of heavy furniture to the new house. And now, a week later, we're here and the place has crossed the threshold from house to home. 

Last night, we were invited to join a small group made of friends and (hopefully!) new friends to participate in a Seder meal. It was the most wonderful evening together, and we felt fully welcomed and embraced. We returned home with full hearts! 

We ate the meal by candlelight, and as the overcast day slid into dusk and darkness, I soaked in the beautiful simplicity of it all. Delicious food shared with friends who shared their stories and asked for ours. Soft light, a fire in the fireplace, acapella singing around the table...it was sweet in every single way.

We are still so grateful for this time of rest and rejuvenation. If I could document every single moment, I would. If I could make notes of all the things that make this season precious to my heart, I would. But some of the things can only be lived and felt deeply. 

So I inhale the goodness: of walks around our new neighborhood, with Lexi exploring every inch of the path. Of late starts to the morning, followed by deep stretches to work out all the kinks that stress and moving have given me. Of journaling without falling asleep. Of cooking recipes I haven't had time to make in a long, long time. Of working on talks for upcoming speaking. Of visiting a new-to-us coffee shop and having a leisurely morning date. 

These are the simple things for which my heart is grateful today. I hope your heart has been able to find some simple goodness too. 

And hopefully soon, I'll be able to share pictures of our adventures! 

The Saturday Six

 

Easter is in JUST a couple of weeks. How is this possible? This week I thought I'd take a look at a few ideas for your Easter season. A couple of these may not be first time mentions on the blog, but that makes them no less meaningful! 

One.

I know I have posted about this before on the blog - probably on the Saturday Six in a previous year! But it's worth mentioning in this Easter-themed list, so I will mention it again. Lindsay Sherbondy, of Lindsay Letters has this really beautiful and meaningful piece of art that we own. (I probably won't be able to find it in time to display it this year, but I am looking forward to it next year!) I'm not typically into the more abstract kind of art, but this one was so meaningful to me that I had to get it a few years ago. The piece is called It is Finished, and it's one that I treasure - both the piece and what it represents! (You can get it in either a canvas or an art print. We have the print.)

Two.

I don't have a Cricut, but if I did (and if I was hosting Easter this year) I think these placemats and napkin rings would be an adorable way to add to the tablescape. Simple - and yet meaningful. If you're crafty (in a good way) and hosting this year, check it out!

Three.

This one isn't new AT ALL, but it's one of my favorites. There are a million Christmas music collections, but not nearly as many Easter options! Years ago, the Gaithers did two projects in the Holy Land, and I love them both. And I think they're great to listen to (or watch!) around Easter time. The Israel Homecoming has songs like The Easter Song, I Have Returned, Hallelyah, Have You Had a Gethsemane?, I've Just Seen Jesus, I Call Him Lord, The Holy City, and Because He Lives. The Jerusalem Homecoming has songs like Jerusalem, Resurrection, El Shaddai, Walkin' in Jerusalem, I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked, and Holy Ground. The music is amazing, and to see so many of the beautiful places in Israel is a bonus!

Four.

Whether you need some activities for a family get-together or for kiddos at church, here is an Easter scavenger hunt that will have participants looking to Scripture for the answers to the scavenger hunt questions! 

Five.

The Marion Easter Pageant was something I participated in for about the first 25 years of my life. If you're local to the Marion area, I hear they're doing the newer version of the Pageant this year, so you can check it out if you want! My heart will always be partial to the original, and I'm so glad it's on YouTube now so we can enjoy it anytime! Here is the link if you'd like to watch it. 

Six.

And finally for today - a list of activities for the week leading up to Easter. Whether you choose to do these with your family or with a group of friends, they could include some incredibly meaningful demonstrations of Holy Week! 

New Month, New Routines

 

It is April on the calendar, but Indiana has completely missed the memo! I think we're in for more cold and rain. Fortunately, our plans today are largely centered around...wait for it...unpacking. We can easily do that on a cold, rainy day.

Today also officially begins our new adventure. The last three days were technically our last weekend at WillowBridge, even though we were not there in person. It was strange, last night, to end our weekend without reading notes, picking up the work phone, and restarting all the chores at 8:30. In fact, at 8:30, we were visiting the friends who had been hanging onto our refrigerated food for us. (Our refrigerator finally arrived yesterday!)

I have thought long and hard about how I hope to spend my April days, since they will look so different from previous days.

* I'm looking forward to having more time each day for Bible study. I was so excited to find my missing box of study books a couple of days ago!

* I'm also looking forward to increasing my water intake again (moving really messed up my careful intake) and having time to exercise again. Those are both high on Ryan's list, too. He has missed his gym time!

* I'm looking forward to having the boxes unpacked fully (so we can see that beautiful garage again) and the house settled to be like home. We have done a lot in the few days we've been here, but there is still much work to do - especially in the details!

* I'm looking forward to going on dates with Ryan and exploring our new hometown. We've heard about many places we think we're going to like, and I'm eager to check them out!

* I'm looking forward to cooking again. We haven't done much of that in the last two or three weeks. I guess maybe first I need to look forward to going to the store to stock up on the things we've depleted.

* I'm looking forward to scrapbooking. I had been keeping up pretty well, but I definitely got behind and need to catch back up!

* I'm looking forward to enjoying spring. I thought maybe if I wrote about it here, the Indiana weather would be inspired to cooperate! :) 

What are your April hopes??