Small Wonders

Day 121/366
The weather today was a gift - lots of sunshine, warm temps, a quiet breeze. We drank it in after dinner with time outside, exploring all of the blooming things. We have a lot of wood violets in the yarn and their delicate, purple blooms are worthy of some admiration.

Thank You Notes

Day 120/366
Enavi wanted to thank all of her friends and family who made her birthday so very special, so she decided to write notes to everyone who sent cards, gifts, flowers and special birthday wishes.

A Socially Distant Birthday

Day 119/366
This is certainly a birthday that Enavi will remember, as it was unlike any she's experienced so far. We may not have been able to leave the house for birthday fun, but there were so many special moments. One of the highlights for Enavi was a surprise visit by several of her friends. They brought signs and flowers, performed a birthday chant they had made up just for Enavi, and even stayed long enough to play a few rounds of socially-distant charades! It was such a treat to see them all, and what a special gift for the birthday girl.

Last Day for 13

Day 118/366
Tomorrow she'll be 14... but today there's playing, smiles and laughter!

Family Hike

Day 117/366
A hike on a beautiful afternoon with my favorite people... yes, please! We took advantage of the sunshine and warm temps and hiked one of my favorite trails at Donald Park.

Hyacinth

Day 116/366
We had gray skies for most of the day, but the sunset was just beautiful. We also collected some of the hyacinth blooming in the yard so that we can enjoy them indoors. They smell amazing!

Play Ball

Day 115/366
A beautiful evening for some catch in the field.

Magnolia Blossoms

Day 114/366
I feel like magnolia blossoms are some of the most flamboyant of the spring flowers. They are simply unashamed of their beauty and happy to strut their stuff. I love the huge flowers, gorgeous colors and delicate petals. They are definitely one of my favorite blooms to spot in the spring time.

Going Green

Day 113/366
Happy Earth Day!

French Braids

Day 112/366
She'll be 14 in one week! How did that happen?!?

When she was little, hair brushing was not a very fun time in our house. I remember taking her to get her hair cut into an chin-length bob, just so that I wouldn't have to deal with the tears. She's been growing her hair out for a couple of years and it is getting so long! Now when she asks me to french braid her hair, there are no tears, and my braiding skills have improved quite a bit. I can usually get decent looking braids on the first try, but Enavi is very patient with me even when I have to start over.

Make Your Mark

Day 111/366
Just as the sun rises the light hits the window and illuminates these hand prints left by one of my kids. The prints make me smile each time I see them. They're only visible for a few minutes, and then they disappear as the sun rays shift. I suppose I should wash my windows, but I like imagining my kids standing there, making their mark.

Window View

Day 110/366
Anyone else finding themselves looking out the window more? There are times when I stand in the kitchen, looking out the window for long stretches, observing subtle changes in the outside world.

Waiting to Bloom

Day 109/366
We have so many things in the yard that are on the cusp of blooming. Each day I walk around our property, cheering on all of the sprouts and waiting with great anticipation to see more flowers. They really are little sentinels of hope for me. This crab apple tree is absolutely gorgeous when it is full of flowers, and it usually blooms the first week of May. I am so looking forward to seeing it's pink blossoms and smelling the sweet fragrance of the flowers.

Picking Up Supplies

Day 108/366
We were getting pretty low on various supplies, so it was time to go to the grocery store and Target. Enavi hadn't been to a store in over a month and jumped at the chance to go with me. I wanted to document this new reality of shopping during social distancing, complete with face masks. (This picture makes me smile because she's wearing a face mask while looking at face masks in the skin care aisle.) The shopping is done and we're hopefully set for another couple of weeks.

Working Together

Day 107/366
And then there was the day when the kids were playing a goofy game and broke the light fixture in Enavi's room. Upon arriving upstairs to inspect the damage from the loud crash I heard while cleaning up the kitchen, I saw the kids totally figuring it out, cleaning it up and working together. No one was yelling, no one was panicking; they simply set about the task and got it done. I stood back and took pictures and my kids asked me why I was taking pictures of them cleaning up a broken light. I told them it was because I wanted to document how they loved each other in the small ways and how we can still depend on one another and be kind to one another, even after 4 weeks of being stuck at home together.

Picking Dandelions

Day 106/366
This girl still loves to pick all the pretty flowers, including dandelions. She kept sniffing them while I was taking pictures and telling me, "They smell so good, Mom!"

Productivity

Day 105/366
The current portrait of productivity in our house, quarantine edition. School is getting done, work is being created, people are showered and dressed (a small mama victory!) and we're still able to enjoy being together.

A Different Perspective

Day 104/366
This is the third week I've been giving out daily quarantine challenges for the kids to do. They're usually small tasks that don't take very long and involve some type of creativity. It helps us distinguish one day from the next! Today, I challenged the kids to find and photograph three signs of spring. I love to see their vision represented in their photography and when they show excitement about something that is a huge passion of mine, it makes my heart happy. I've posted their pictures below so you can enjoy them, too.

Enavi's pictures:

Jevin's pictures:

Easter Rain

Day 103/366
The rainy afternoon didn't dampen our Easter praise. Happy Easter! He is Risen!

Icing on the Cake

Day 102/366
Our Easter will look very different this year, but we will still have all of the important things. We will worship our risen Lord and Savior, we will sing songs of praise, we will read scripture and rejoice, we will spend time together, we will have Easter baskets, we will have candy, we will eat too much cheesy potatoes, and we will have cake.

Good Friday

Day 101/366
Today we celebrated Good Friday, even if it wasn't quite the way we had planned. We watched our church service online and participated in communion, along with those watching the service. It was comforting to still hold some of our traditions, even though we're at home.

I had the idea for this picture a couple of months ago, long before Covid-19 and sheltering in place became our reality. One evening I was driving by the church in Mount Vernon and I noticed that the cross above the altar was lit at night and you could easily see it glowing through the doors. I tucked that away for a future picture, thinking that it would be interesting to take a picture of the cross through the glass doors. Fast forward to Holy week 2020 and I knew this picture would be the perfect documentation of worship during this time when we are unable to physically meet together as the body of believers. My faint reflection in the glass is a wonderful reminder of why we celebrate Easter! My sins have been redeemed through Christ's sacrifice.

Virtual Worship

Day 100/366
Good Friday is almost here and our church will be streaming a Good Friday service to honor the sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross. Jevin and Davin are helping with the music portion of the worship service, and Jevin is getting a little practice time in before we record the songs for the video. It's not the same as being able to worship together as a body of believers, but I am so thankful that we have the ability to worship together remotely through technology. Sunday is coming!

Keeping Tradition

Day 99/366
We may be stuck at home, but we'll continue our Easter traditions as well as we can.

Wild Ringlets

Day 98/366
When she was a baby, Enavi had these soft, sweet curls, especially when her hair was wet and they were absolutely adorable! She has long since lost her curls, but sometimes she gets these little wispy ringlets that surround her face and remind me of those baby days. Tonight the golden light illuminated these soft, fluffy wisps of hair and the wind was just enough to lift them away from her face and I managed to catch it.

Spring Blooms

Day 97/366
The crocuses continue to bloom and decorate the yard with pops of cheerful color.

Under the Moon

Day 96/366
We enjoyed our first bonfire of the year under a nearly full moon. It was the perfect cure for our cooped-up feelings, and roasting marshmallows never hurts, either.

The Little Things

Day 95/366
There were many things about today that felt hard. It's hard to be home, feeling the uncertainty of what's ahead, hearing the devastating news of families that have lost loved ones in our community due to Covid-19, trying to push the fear away that presses in. But there were moments of thankfulness mixed in with the hard things. The sun was shining, the buds are growing and promise to bloom, giggles and silliness with the kids. I'm looking for the little things that God is giving me each day that bring hope, like the little rainbows and sunbursts in the dew drops on the grass.

Fresh Air

Day 94/366
We've had warmer weather and more sunshine the past couple of days. The kids have been spending time on the trampoline, wandering around the yard and soaking in the fresh air.

Sprouts of Joy

Day 93/366
I can't even tell you how much joy filled my heart when I spotted this little purple crocuses smiling at me from the yard. Yay for something that's blooming!

Waiting

Day 92/366
We're safer at home, watching and waiting to see all the subtle changes in the outside world.