Josh and I went down to south GA to visit Irvin and celebrate Jason’s 50th birthday!! I met Jason early on when I started dating Josh…so I guess we go way back to 1997. It was fun to see family.
The drive down was beautiful. Josh landed from Africa and we were on the road in a couple of hours! And we even stopped in Cochran to see our meeting place—Middle Georgia College in Cochran!
To think of God’s providence in getting Josh and I both to the middle of nowhere, Georgia for college is hilarious and was the best thing ever!
A big part of our story happened in that Huddle House. We opted out of actually eating there, but snapped a quick pic and kept moving!
We rode the golf cart, shot guns, walked outside, took Irv to a doctor appointment, and took the kids to a remote control park….it was a fun time.
Church was Sunday, then we had to leave to start the trek home. We stopped in to see my family on the way back.
More shooting guns! It was good to see everyone even if it was a quick visit.
Excuse the vagueness, but not long ago someone said to me about something going on, “I’m sure you’re worried sick….”
It stopped me in my tracks because I wasn’t worried at all in that moment. Not to say worry never tries to creep in to the situation, but overall worry wasn’t a defining emotion. Worry hadn’t been a part of the equation for quite a while, so I started thinking about why that might be.
Then, imagine the bells going off in my heart and mind when I started repetitively reading Philippians this month.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I had been praying intentionally and increasingly about this potentially worrisome situation. And just as these verses explain—if you’ve prayed and asked with thanksgiving, and fully let God know your request, trusting Him to handle it all in His time and in His way, then you’re going to have His peace. It won’t make sense to anyone—not even you—but you’ll have peace that guards your heart and your mind from all the scary thoughts and what ifs.
I started thinking about the many things I’ve worried about over the years—like if we could afford three kids’ braces or if we could manage three kids in college (tuition and the funding of three mostly grown people can add up quickly). I worried if Josh would die and I’d be a widow with three little kids (I’m telling you—worry can make you go to all the dark places). I worried about if I’d ever have friends here in Charlotte. In our earlier years of marriage I often worried if Josh would ever have a job he enjoyed and felt made for. So much time wasted on worry. It only steals! But God gives.
So today—Thanksgiving Day 2025–I want to say I’m mostly thankful that I’ve been able to pray with a thankful heart even in the midst of a situation with unknown outcomes. And I’m beyond grateful for the God of peace who gives the peace of God when otherwise I’d be worried sick.
My friend and I were “enjoying” the elliptical this morning after our HIIT class. We needed some catch-up time and seeing how I can’t breathe, much less speak, during the HIIT class and all the treadmills were taken by folks avoiding 40 degree temps since winter (and even snow last night!) arrived a bit early, we opted for some elliptical action.
In our chatting we both realized that we have entertained decorating for Christmas earlier than ever before this year! It seems like so many people already have their trees up; I hold no judgement about that. It just seems to be so many more people than usual! But my friend and I both have husbands that have held us off from following through. Mainly because Josh gets the tree out of the carport and it’s heavy.
I simply pondered one evening, “Do you think we should go ahead and get the tree up so when the kids come home over Thanksgiving they’ll be like, ‘Oh the holidays!’”? And Josh said in his matter-of-fact way, “No. They can come home at Thanksgiving and be like, ‘Oh it’s Thanksgiving.’ And then they can come home at Christmas and see the tree and be like, ‘Oh it’s Christmas.’”
And that was that. And he’s right. I’m usually ready for it all to be put away after a couple of weeks. The house just seems cluttered after some time has passed—so to ensure we still have the tree up on Christmas Day, he’s probably right to make us wait.
Ruby even told me most people think we’re such Grinches when she answers the question, “When do you take your tree down?” with “Christmas night if my mom has her way. The day after if we’re lucky.”
So yeah, I love Jesus and I love celebrating His birth. But all the stuff can get to me.
And I wonder why we don’t give Thanksgiving the respect it deserves? I know I, for one, need to focus way more on gratitude everyday, and even more so on a holiday set aside for just that.
HOWEVER, I ordered a small nativity that came in the mail today. It’s so cute and there’s no need to put it away with Christmas stuff when it’s just a matter of a couple of weeks til it’s all coming out. So I present you with my tiny corner of Christmas-a-little-early.
Here’s to hoping Josh doesn’t notice. Ha! What’s he gonna say, “Put the reason for the season away”?!?!? I don’t think so.
Hope you’re gearing up for a wonderful Thanksgiving! There is so much to be grateful for.
Ruby was the maid of honor in Kylie’s wedding so she was very busy. But molly and Lillah stayed all weekend. And Rachel even stayed over one night. And Mack got some time to sleep in and eat some home cooked food. It was a nice weekend!
It started with this fun pumpkin painting at my friend’s house.
I baked some cookies while I waited on everyone to get here. And we handed out almost 150 treats on Halloween!
But the highlight was definitely the wedding!
Looks like I got zero pics of Mack😬
I’ll make up for that over Thanksgiving Break! Not much longer now….
Until then, Rolo and I will be resting up and getting ready for more family time🦃🧡
October has flown by! I have some very random photos to share and try to highlight some things that have been going on lately.
Our small group from church met up to put some furniture together and move some other items at Beds for Kids—a local company who takes furniture, especially beds, to those in need. We had a great time together.
I hosted a book club/bible study on Wednesday mornings! It was such a good time!!! I think I’ll need to dedicate a whole post to this! Stay tuned.
This is me sending my girls pictures of my OOTD for bible study or church. lol. I’m so glad I have daughters! Mack just isn’t very interested in anything I’m wearing.
I got my nails done. Got a hair cut. Took lots of pics of Rolo. Molly came home a couple of times. And fall is beautiful in Charlotte!
Ruby is working a good bit at Seven and James in the mall. She is doing so good in her senior year—managing all of the school work, her job, and getting her room mate married! Lots going on for Ruby.
Josh went to Michigan for a hunt!
We hosted a young adult group at our home for chili and s’mores. It was a fun time!
Today I painted pumpkins with a few friends and it was so fun. Everyone was so creative.
We’ve had a lot of other things going on this month that I didn’t snap pictures of—but it has been such a full, fast October! Halloween is Friday night and Molly and Lillah will arrive. More friends come over the weekend because there’s a wedding Sunday!! I’ll be sure to post photos from the wedding weekend! We may see Mack this weekend too.
I’ll be back with all of that and to tell you more about the book club. Hope you’ve had a great October!
The girls came home for Fall Break this year. Ruby brought Kylie so they can enjoy some time together and go to a concert—a last hoorah before Kylie gets married and moves to OHIO! Those two have been roomies all through college and the whole relationship has gone smoothly. They really are a sweet pair.
Molly has gone to Cross Fit twice with Josh. We took her shopping with us today. And she has slept a lot because I am pretty sure she and Abby often have late night shenanigans.
The weather is chilly here finally! We sat around the fire pit last night just talking with the girls. And we somehow were talking about a funny marriage story from our newlywed days. One day in our first weeks of marriage Josh came home from work and I had made chili with a side of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It was yummy, and we moved on with life. I am sure I served this several more times throughout our first year or more of marriage with nothing notable about it.
So one evening we were having a Sunday School party with our class of other newly wed couples and a few small children thrown in by this time. The menu was chili with a side of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Seemed perfectly normal and standard to us!
Until.
One gal asked me, “What’s up with having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Is that for the kids?”
I was like…., “UM, what do you mean? Do you not have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with your chili?” And everyone in the class was like….NO.
We laughed and were a little embarrassed. It’s just funny how when you merge two families together there are many things that you grew up doing differently that you have to talk through and eventually settle on how your family will do things. For us, it wasn’t chili and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You should definitely try it if you haven’t before.
Mack decided to get up and drive home today. He doesn’t get a Fall Break. He has also been sleeping alllll day. His living situation isn’t going like we had hoped—pretty sure it’s a bit more rowdy than any of us could have anticipated. He isn’t a fan and for that I am super grateful.
I haven’t taken any pictures…..but I would like to shout out Hunter Bailey and Nathan Blow for boosting my stats here on the blog for one special day last week. LOL. Hope they’re having a great Fall Break, too!
Rolo got an extra-stuffed snuffle ball on her 8th birthday. And as you know, one year is like seven years to a dog. So Rolo is in midlife. The doctor said her well check results were all good “considering her age.” Her lady parts are more droopy, she’s slightly more grumpy, less playful and sleeps a ton.
I had no thoughts when we purchased little Rolo as a puppy that she and I would be in midlife changes together, but here we are. Enjoying our midlife together. I’m her favorite and sometimes she is mine🤣🤣🤣
Happy Birthday, Rolo!! I’m glad the kids begged and pleaded for you eight years ago!
She’s a professional napper. I send the college kids pics of her almost daily. It’s their favorite thing. 🐶🐾
What a fun time with the kids this weekend in Lynchburg. Mack and Brooke even drove from Wilmington, and I’m so glad they did.
We always buy them food, do some shopping, treat everyone to ice cream, listen to their stories, and we even got to attend a football game on Saturday. And of course church at Thomas Road was so encouraging!
Our air bnb was so private and peaceful. Loved spending time on the porch with coffee and The Word.
We also went to the bridal shower for Kylie! Her wedding is getting close!
Next time we’re at Liberty it will likely be for a double graduation! Until then….!!
We didn’t know Mack was coming home until Friday afternoon, but we’re glad we got to spend some time with him. He (like the girls both did) seemed sick as soon as he woke up Saturday morning. Those early weeks of freshmen year take it out of you I suppose. But he got lots of sleep and a couple of sauna sessions to help him feel better quicker.
Rolo was happy to see him, snack with him and sleep with him again!
We sent him back just now with a full gas tank, a freshly cleaned jeep, two pounds of breakfast sausage balls, a couple dozen chocolate chip cookies, a couple new shirts and shorts, and lots of other snacks. Oh and clean, dried, folded clothes.
What’s not to love about coming home???
I also read this and thought it was true and encouraging. I hope our kids know they are loved and supported no matter what season of life they’re in and whether they take our advice or not.
So while I didn’t plan to labor on Labor Day weekend, I did end up laboring—but it was a labor of love.
Since the kids have all moved away to college, I have become addicted to checking their location on “Find My.”
I can see who got up and out to make it on time to class.
I can see who makes a late night Taco Bell run.
I can see who is at work, at the gym, at the piano room, or at the library.
I can see which church they are attending on Sunday morning.
But no matter how many times I check in on WHERE each of them are, I cannot tell HOW they are just by seeing where they’re located on a map. And that’s the part I miss the most. When they’re under your roof, even with school and busy social lives, you still see them regularly and can get a pulse on what’s going on in their life.
But being hundreds of miles away makes it quite difficult to know how the kids are doing. Really.
The reality is only God knows how they’re doing through and through. Whether they’re living here right under my nose or halfway across the world, God is the all-knowing One. He sees them. He knows them. He understands them better than they understand themselves.
Sunday’s sermon was good and one line in particular was for me. The pastor was talking about how God sees us right where we are. He went on to say the words latitude and longitude—I mean, who uses those 3rd grade geography terms in a sermon except one that I’m sitting in….that line was for me, the mom addicted to seeing where, latitudinally and longitudinally, her kids are. It definitely made me aware that God sees where I am, too. And He knows HOW I am.
And no matter where each of us are AT, I know Who each of us are IN, Jesus Christ. There is no better place to be, no better person to care for us.
So we will attempt family face time calls and check in with good questions and lots of loving assurance, but ultimately they’re walking their life out in Christ. Mom was never meant to always be around! And I know that. It just takes a little bit of time to adjust.
Sharing this pic without the whole story/context, lest you think I’m crazy.
