Sunday Snapshots: Memorable Moments from the Week

 

This week has been full of a little bit of everything! We certainly weren’t bored, and we made some great memories along the way. Want to see a sampling?

We finally got the boat in the water last Sunday afternoon. Ryan and a neighbor took it to the launch, and Lexi and I waited at home to see it come around the bend. I felt like Kathleen Kelly waiting in the park to see NY152 come around the corner. 😉 Lexi was teakettling at the top of her lungs when she finally saw him sailing our way. Let summer begin!

We celebrated 150 months of marriage this week, and my favorite moments from the day were the ones spent with Ryan, including an impromptu lunch on the patio at his work. The week was fraught with schedule changes, many of which threw me for a loop, but that schedule change was sweet, because it gave me an unexpected lunch with him!

 It was a pleasure to get to host the Swiss Village residents for boat rides one afternoon this week! They seemed to have the best time, and I was grateful we had the best weather to host them. Ryan was captain of the boat, and I served cookies on the patio. (That sounds way fancier than it really was!)

I went to have breakfast with the seniors (not high school) from church this week and there ended up only being three ladies (including me) there. We had the BEST TIME talking, and I just loved hearing how they met their husbands!

To add a little bit of culture into our week, we took in some theater! Ryan and I went to see the Crandall family in Freaky Friday: The Musical. Yep, the entire family was in it, and we had fun cheering them on!

This week also brought us some much-needed R&R, and we do not take it for granted. The chance to get away together was a complete gift.

While we were gone, we enjoyed some hiking, and it was so much fun. We were grateful for good weather and the chance to see some new-to-us sights! Stories forthcoming! 😊

Saturday Suggestions

 

This week has been filled (dare I say marred?) with plot twists and schedule changes that left both of us spinning and, at times, a little annoyed. Ryan and I are both strict schedulers, because it’s how our home runs most efficiently. But for both of us, work and personal life were filled with change after change after change this week, and we honestly had to stop and pray through our attitudes at times. We are looking forward to this weekend and a chance (hopefully) to catch our breath a bit.

                While we do that, check out some varied, but hopefully interesting, ideas I found for you amid all the schedule changes!

This little post is short and simple, but oh-so to a very important point. Perhaps you need to be reminded that God actually hears you, and if so, here you go! (BONUS: This longer post also has a very important point, and if you fear you are wasting the time you’ve been given with your life, it might help you refocus!)

I love following the Facebook account “For the Love of Old Houses” and enjoy seeing the different homes across the USA (and world) they feature. This one in Texas has so much character and charm, and I just love so many of the details. It reminds me a lot of our style (minus the blue we have come to adore) with the industrial touches we have around our house! I think the kitchen and the back patio were my most favorite spots. (BONUS: Check out this REALLY old and restored home in Kentucky. I do love a good restoration.)

I know we are a week into June already, but if you need help filling out your calendar of fun things to do this month, check out Yvonne’s ideas here. From hobbies to holidays, she’s got you covered for June! And as a nod to her list, can I just say that summer = sun tea for me when I was growing up and was first out on my own. Maybe I should bring that back! Anyone else?

I’ve been following Becca for a while now on Instagram, and I appreciate her approach to hosting people in your home – without stressing about all the things we stress about when we host in our home. This week, for the first time, I checked out her website, and she has some fun stuff on there! From recipes to freebies to practical guides, she can give you inspiration for welcoming people into your space this summer!

I love a good patio inspiration, but that’s not why I’m sharing this post of Lory’s. I’m sharing it because she talks about the slow process of making and changing her patio space. Thanks to Pinterest, social media, and TV, we all think we have to hurry with any given space and finish it all in one moment. It’s not true. It can take time. It can go through several versions. It’s okay for growth to be slow. I hope you can feel more confident in that from Lory’s words!

Look at this adorable beachy rental! I think it is just cute as a (literal) little button! (BONUS: And another adorable find? This silo-turned-house! I think this would be an adventure!)

Pontoon Afternoon

 

Ryan and I have always tried, as much as busy schedules permit, to share our home with others. We’ve done it in a variety of ways, and some seasons lend themselves to hospitality more than others.

                One of our goals for this summer is to slow down and enjoy the lake as much as we can, because…it’s the lake! It’s meant to be enjoyed! But we also hope to share this space with others as often as we can, and this week, we had our first chance to do it!

                Last summer, after the pontoon came to live here, Ryan offered to have the Swiss Village residents come over for a boat ride. They did, they loved it, and the activities department asked about doing it again this year. We put a date on the calendar and then watched with much nervousness as warm weather did NOT arrive in any quick fashion, and we feared our guests might have to wear snowsuits on the boat!

                Alas, the Lord was so gracious to give us a warm (hot!) and sunny day, and we had about 20 people show up on two buses to spend the afternoon here with us, enjoying patio and pontoon time.

                We scattered camping chairs around the patio, supplementing our own furniture, and everyone found a seat – most in the shade. We passed out water bottles and homemade cookie bars, and Ryan rounded up the first half of the residents to take a couple of laps around the lake. Then they returned, switched places with the patio crew, and the second half toured the lake.

                I was so happy that my parents came along. Originally they hadn’t planned to, so others could have a chance, but when they added the second bus, they signed up. (Mom forgot her sunglasses, so she wore mine. Pretty stylin’!)

                My favorite part of the entire day was seeing their joy. Several of the residents used to have boats and/or lake homes, and they miss them. It was fun to see them enjoying a slice of that life again.

                My other favorite part of the day was hearing the residents share how much they love Ryan, his encouraging smile, and his helpful attitude. Proud wife, right here!

                Lexi’s favorite part of the day was seeing her grandpa. Those two. 😊 I was pretty sure Dad didn’t even want to go on the boat, because it meant leaving Lexi back on shore while he was gone.

                After everyone left and we cleaned up the chairs and the food, Ryan took Lexi and me out for a private cruise, because there wasn’t room for us earlier! We had the best time!

                So grateful to share our home and pontoon!

Graduation and Growing Up

 

This past Sunday was Graduation Sunday at our church. We celebrated just shy of a dozen high school graduates and honored a few others who have finished higher education degrees over the past year. It was a sweet service; our youth pastor offered a great message, and I’m pretty sure most of us cried our way through The Blessing at the end. We came forward to pray over our graduates and their families, and then everyone scattered for graduation ceremonies and subsequent parties.

                I wrote notes to all our graduates. Some of them know me, others don’t, but I wanted to offer each of them some Scripture that I hoped would settle into their minds as they take their next steps toward their chosen forevers. For some, that’s college. For others, entering a trade. Some are probably still figuring out what’s next – and I wouldn’t be surprised if a few changed their minds along the way. That’s what growing up is all about, after all.

                I watched the video that featured their favorite verses, lessons, and advice and enjoyed getting to know them better through hearing them share. Their words reminded me of my own thoughts and hopes not quite 30 years ago when I graduated from high school and looked ahead to my own future.

                I had no clue that day, of course, what my own life would hold. I didn’t know I’d grow up to try out a handful of careers. I didn’t know I’d marry a guy I already knew from that very school. I didn’t know I’d write real books. I didn’t know I’d come to enjoy cooking and hospitality.

                Perhaps I would have had much hope if I could have peeked into the future and seen the Bekah of 30 years down the road. Yet perhaps seeing this Bekah would have been too much of a spoiler for that Bekah. The parts of the road that made me who I am today were too much for graduating Bekah to handle.

                I’d never want to go back. Some do, I know. Some people loved high school and would return in an instant to relive the friendships and the activities. I was grateful to be done and have no desire to return.

                But I am thankful for the winding road of growing up that brought me where I am today. And I hope each of the graduates who stood on our church platform on Sunday and crossed school platforms that afternoon to collect a diploma will also one day appreciate the winding road of growth that will lead them from where they are now to who they will become.

Celebrating 150 Months of Love!

 

Ryan and I celebrated 100 months of marriage back in the late pandemic times, when we were still working at WillowBridge. I remember we took the day off work, explored parts of Fort Wayne (masked for some of it, outside for some of it) and ended the day at a Good Friday service at a church that, a year later, would be the church we called home. We had no idea back on that day.

                I had grand plans for a fun day to celebrate 150 months of marriage this month, but duty called for both of us in life.

                I was supposed to take a bit of a road trip for a work-related lunch meeting, but as I set out on my way, I found out the lunch was canceled. I was already out and about, so I pointed the car toward Ryan and surprised him at work! I asked if I could join him for lunch, and he said yes! It was such a pretty day, so we ate outside on the patio and then took a walk around the building. (I absolutely wore the most impractical shoes for a walk, but they were cute!)

                After work, we had a monthiversary dinner at…(are you ready?) a graduation open house! It was yummy, too! I realize it probably isn't the most glamorous location for a monthiversary dinner, but we had fun together, talking to friends, and eating really delicious food.

                After dinner, we came home for an evening of work. We were about to host a pontoon cruise day for the Swiss Village residents, so we needed to clean the pier and boat and spruce up the patio area!

                Our reward? A sunset cruise…with Lexi. She was so excited to explore the lake by boat, and we were excited to sit down!

                It may not have been the grand day we might have chosen, but we were able to be together, and that made it grand in its own way. Love you, Ryan! Thanks for making our days sweet!

Bekah's Bookshelf: My 2025 Reads so Far

 

May was not my most prolific book-reading month! It was a busy month, but I also could have tried a little harder. The beautiful thing about not being in school (yet) is that I don’t have to read if there are other things I’d rather do. May was my month for that.

                I did read one book, and it was very different from my normal choices!

                Six years ago, when Ryan’s mom passed away, the family asked me to write her obituary, and I did. When I shared it on Facebook after it printed, one of my writer friends messaged me to tell me she’d enjoyed reading. We started talking about obituaries, and she told me about Jim Sheeler, a Pulitzer Prize winning writer who has written books about obituaries. I put all of them on my wish list and a few months ago, I finally tracked down a used copy of the one titled Obit.

                Interesting fact about Jim: he was inducted into the Obituary Writers’ Hall of Fame, which I did not even know was a thing until I read this book. And, by the way, that Hall of Fame is overseen by the International Association of Obituarists, which I didn’t know was a thing (or a word).

                The book Obit features “inspiring stories of ordinary people who led extraordinary lives.” Each chapter is the story of someone who died and the things that made them who they are. The obituaries are not like the pieces we read in the newspaper. They aren’t lists of accomplishments and family members. They are live stories succinctly told in a few hundred words, and each one holds an important life lesson for the reader to take away.

                At the beginning of the book, Jim said, “When I began writing obituaries, my goal was to write about people whose names had never appeared in the newspaper, to find the stories that had never been told – and, just as important, the lessons they left behind…When Interviewing friends and relatives, one of the questions I always ask is, ‘What did you learn from this person’s life?’”

                I loved reading the stories of the people. Each chapter of the book was a different obituary, a different life story. Some were young, others old. Some had bee surprised by death and others waited for it to arrive. Some lived simply, others lived extravagantly. All of them left a mark on the world, and Jim Sheeler captured it in story form.

                I didn’t have something in common with every person I read about, but I did learn something from each of them.

                I hope my writing captures the lessons I learn from those around me, and I hope I put into practice the good things I learned from reading this book.

                Here’s to a June filled with more reading!

Dreams and Goals for June

 

The first day of June was, admittedly, not my favorite day, but let me tell you what I love about TODAY: it’s our 150^th monthiversary! I love Ryan, and I am grateful for how well he loves me even when I’m not having my best day. He’s full of grace, and I don’t take it for granted. Thank you, Ryan, for choosing me 150 months ago and for choosing me every day now! I love you with my whole heart!

                Also today…I want to share with you some of the goals I have for the month ahead. I have a feeling the month is going to fly, so I have tried not to overload the schedule. But I’m looking forward to what I have here!

Implement schedule changes. Ryan and I are working hard to bring some calm to a crazy schedule. This month will end his year-and-a-half long run as Boot Camp instructor at the gym, and as much as we have both enjoyed the routine and relationships that have come from that adventure, I think we both are excited for a change. I am also (from advice given in a seminary meeting) going to start weaving study time into my schedule now so it will feel normal when classes start. Though this is an addition, it’s a sit-and-be-calm addition.

Host some pontoon rides. We have a couple on the calendar already, and if the weather cooperates, I’d love to host a few more. Nothing formal or fancy – just an opening of the pontoon so people can enjoy a cruise around the lake.

Enjoy some days off. Since we don’t have children, our schedule doesn’t change as dramatically in the summer as other people’s do, but we do have some time off scheduled this month, and we are both really looking forward to it! There will be adventure, there will be fun, and hopefully some relaxation, too!

Learn how to contour makeup (better). A couple of months ago, I bought a contour makeup palette to use in place of concealer. I really do love the makeup itself. It feels much lighter than concealer, and I love how it looks under the powder. Unfortunately, I still haven’t mastered actually mixing the multiple colors to highlight and lowlight. I need to figure it out for real!

Savor summer. I really want to do a great job of appreciating and savoring something special and sweet each day of these summer months. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. I just want to soak up the beauty of the season!

                That’s it for me. How about you? Any plans for June?

Sunday Snapshots: Memorable Moments from the Week

 

I appreciated the beauty (literal and figurative) of this past week and the moments that stuck in my mind as extra sweet. The week provided a great end to the month of May, and today I want to show you some of the sweetest memories.

Even though I declared my church office complete, there will forever be tweaking of the space. This week, the tweaking came through adding a lamp to the empty spot in the corner. It reminds me of the lamppost in Narnia, and I love it so. It feels perfect to me right here.

My absolute favorite part of the whole week was our holiday on Monday. We had zero plans. I never did get ready. We sat and enjoyed throughout the entire day, and it was grand in such soul-filling ways. Ending the day watching a sunset over the lake felt like perfection.

Today is graduation Sunday at our church, and we’ll be honoring those who have achieved this milestone this spring. I had a chance to write notes to all our high school graduates, and I really loved sharing with them a verse that I hope they will take to heart throughout their lives, as well as my own congratulations on a milestone that matters.

Had some great meetings this week – and some great coffee. Though the meeting pictured here is a different one, one of the Zoom meetings I had was about starting school this fall, and it left me so encouraged and excited!

This month has continued to run on the cold side, which has made me sad for many reasons, including a lack of good walking weather. We finally had a great walk this week, and it was fun!

Ryan and I are not in the season of life where we attend many weddings, but I have a feeling this will change as our friends’ kids start to get married. We did go to one this weekend – and after the wedding, we had our own little ice cream date. It was freezing, we sat outside, and I was in a sleeveless dress, but it was still fun!

We had small group last night and the food theme was breakfast. I made gravy for the first time in my life, and it wasn’t too bad! It wasn’t as seamless as the fool-proof recipe promised, but it tasted good, so that’s what matters, right? Biscuits and gravy = Ryan’s happy place, so it was a good day for him!

                Enjoy the start of this new month, friends! Have a great day!