Joy in the Journey: March 2020

13th Anniversary Pictures/Very Last Minute Maternity-is Pictures

I think the last thing we felt like doing was taking our anniversary picture (the tradition we've been doing since our first anniversary now), but I knew we would regret it if we didn't. It didn't happen yesterday on our actual anniversary yesterday, but I decided I would put on the dress that I was supposed to wear for my shower, maternity pictures, and Easter (which have been canceled and I'm sure Easter will be very different this year) and make it happen. We also went outside and just captured a few "maternity-ish" pictures so that I will have one with Josie like we do for the other three boys. I got a few with Stephen (thanks James!) and the boys (just in t-shirts) but this is real life!

March 2020

1st grade magicians in 2017 and 2020

I am so excited to hang these pictures in Josie's nursery of Dorothy May and Flossie Mae (her namesakes) - my amazing grandmothers!

March 8th Stephen was called as the 6th pastor of Connie Maxwell Baptist Church and children's home! I don't even think the surreal-ness of the blessing of this opportunity for our family had set in before the world turned upside down over night...I am praying that God would bring this to an end soon and that we could move on to the time that we were so looking forward to. The really sad thing about the timing of all of this is that we were so excited about leaving a very lonely season that we often described as feeling very "isolated" in such a small, rural town with no other families like us and were so looking forward to all the people, kids for our kids to befriend, and just things to do (without driving an hour) and now we are unfortunately required as a country to be socially isolate for the foreseeable future. I know we never walk alone, and, yet, I am really really struggling with that reality this week.

My baby shower was cancelled for Josie due to Covid-19 but my mom met me after my 34 week drs appointment to bring us more boxes and gifts for Josie. This is as close as we got!

we enjoyed the pool and I squeezed into a swim suit the weekend we took the boys with us for Stephen to preach in view of a call. We knew that we needed a major energy buster before we had some moments we needed them to be able to be remotely still for us!

Joah and the president of Connie Maxwell became fast friends! If you know them both then you would know why...

Last Art Class...a bright spot in our school year/time here...

The WMU ladies at our current church threw a shower for Josie

quarantine energy buster and stress-reliever for mama to get out of the house (in our backyard)

our 13th anniversary dinner! this was a really, really hard anniversary but I'm thankful that we get to do this "for better or worse"

My gramps passed away this morning at home with his children and his wife. He fought a long, hard fight! We are sad for us but rejoice for him - no more pain. no more suffering. He had been unconscious since Saturday but opened his eyes this morning and I'm so thankful that my Aunt began to call the grandchildren and allow us to tell him "goodbye." He was not able to speak, but I'm glad that he was able to be showered with words of love in his final moments here on earth. I'm so thankful for this opportunity also as the coronavirus pandemic will most likely keep us from being present at a funeral for him. These are the hands of my Mimi and Gramps - what an example of a marriage filled with love and laughter (over 60 years together! In sickness and in health!)

January/February 2020

We are moving in just a few days to Greenwood, SC (in the middle of the most challenging time in my lifetime that I can remember: pregnancy, new job, finishing school year, global pandemic, my grandfather dying, etc.) and my phone was full from the last few months so I'm going to do a quick catchup here before our computer is in storage for a few weeks-month between our temporary house and closing on our house. It's a crazy, crazy time and my stress, overwhelm, and now fear (about this virus) have been at an all time high. Praying for God's protection and an end to this pandemic soon so we can get back to living very soon! These pictures and memories are just a reminder of how much and how fast life has changed around the world so quickly...

30 weeks with Joah and Josie

sweetest picture of Hudson

Our family came to celebrate James turning ten by watching his game and Cici lunch afterwards.

interview weekend in Greenwood, SC! We got the job that we always talked about as the "dream" and the perfecting pairing of our hearts and gifting/callings.

We had a terrible bout with the flu this year that lasted about two weeks in our house...no idea the time the COVID-19 pandemic would so far surpass flu season in our world.

Birthday lunch the day before James turned 10

Art class!

Jude's new Language curriculum box art from All About Reading!
You can request free box art for your child.

Found this for Josie at TJ Maxx and I had to purchase!

My firstborn is TEN!

We had a small celebration at home (on a Wednesday) with plans to go to the Georgia Aquarium the next week.

science experiment

end of the basketball season

building a puppy (named CeCe) for Josie - our new baby joining the family tradition!

The boys all brought their puppies along too!

Ready for the day at the Aquarium!

We got behind the scenes access to the Whale Shark (James' favorite animal of the day) feeding
through the homeschool day

James was selected to be a part of the dolphin show! What a perfect way to celebrate his birthday - I couldn't have planned it better myself! Such a HAPPY surprise for our future marine biologist.