Spring Break 2022

 Spring break means...

Spring break hats!!!!!!!!!!!

The kids and I had a pretty tough year, and honestly, it continues to be tough.  When you lose something (especially by a choice that wasn't your own), the grief kicks you in the face out of no where sometimes.  So, for spring break, we decided to find as much fun and joy and family time as we could. We began with fun at the pool! 

yay for the pool!

We went for a fun hike with Uncle Nick and some of us wore our Spring Break hats there too!

If you look closely you can see the big horn sheep

We had tons of fun

not sure what he's doing, but it was impressive

Monopoly with Uncle Nick

fun with our neighbors!

beautiful flowers and my He always RESTORES candle bring so much joy and peace. 

Playing some boggle with my girls

Spring break fun at our fav local lake

Gifts from incredible friends and family who know that we're walking through very tough times.  

Thank you everyone who pours out love on us.  We are so grateful. 

my cousin sent a beautiful reminder to keep on my keychain

another lovely walk at the lake

and MORE fun with friends at the pool

Chick Fil A for lunch

Spring break hats by the pool

and obviously fun at the pool itself

AND something else super fun we did was spend a night at a hotel.  The kids thought this was like the best thing ever.  The hotel had a pool and spa and we played some great card games.   AND I got offered a JOB while we were there.  Not at the hotel.  I got offered a teaching job at the kids' school. 

We met wonderful friends for dinner

It was so so much fun!

and back to the hotel room for some fun card games and reading

When we got home, the neighbors had set up a scavenger hunt in the house for us. 

fun prizes at the end

It was a very fun Spring break. 

May 2021

 

May was filled with both glorious joy and heart wrenching pain.  

The garbage guy gave Kolbe a vest and he immediately got to work. 

A glorious sky!

Fun at a park with the neighbors!

I started babysitting my dear friend's baby, Matilda. 

Trees blossomed

Wonderful neighbors and trees abloom= blessed

More fun with baby Matilda

Kolbe learned to ride a bike!!

           

All 4 girls played spring soccer.  

Elise enjoyed baby holding (a friend's baby) at the soccer tournaments in between games

More spring blooming

I love these pink tree blossoms

Spring walks

Because we couldn't get enough soccer through our league, we played more with the neighbors.  The kids' buddy, David, had a "soccer party" at our "close park".  

          

          

Ticket to Ride!!!!

Beautiful sunny walks with Kolbe and Smoky

BEAUTY!

Chris drew some lovely chalk pictures for the kiddos

At the end of soccer season, there was a big tournament day which was super duper fun.  

and there were ice cream treats at the end! 

         

Neighborhood BBQ to say goodbye (not a far goodbye--just 20 minutes away) 

to our next door neighbors.  

Fun neighborhood bike and scooter track on their moving day!

And then there was hard news. 

Sitting outside watching Kolbe play one afternoon,

 I received my worst nightmare- divorce papers. 

I don't feel like elaborating currently, but I will say that as soon as I reached out to friends, I was surrounded with love.  

A lovely friend treated me to an amazing and glorious 2 hour pedicure.  We were the only ones there, so there was no rush and it was just what I needed.  

She added a manicure too just for an extra heart hug

sparklers

More dear friends surrounding me with love and presence. 

And wine and laughs, and yes, crying too. 

Sophie started wearing my shirt to bed every night.  

Too sweet

Kayla and Sophie were part of a Narnia ballet production for their dance studio. 

Sophie was a little mouse

I got to help out with the mice until they went up for their dance

              

Kayla was an army gal and spring snow. 

God seriously wows

Bought these lovelies for myself from the discount bin. 

Two different friends blessed me with lilacs because I said I love them.  

Playing Word on the Street with Uncle Nicky

Silly time. 

He's a boy.  

What do you expect?

"Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, 

for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9

I do not know everything, even months later, writing about May 2021 in December 2021.  

What I do know is that God is good and that He is with us in it all.