Thursday, July 21, 2016

This Season of Life


Well, hello there, my friends, how are you? It seems I have inadvertently stepped away from this space, not on purpose, per say, but mostly because I am feeling a little quiet. As I mentioned in my last post life has been full and I am enjoying it all, but as one part of my life gets full I find other parts become quiet, and that is kinda where I am at right now. Feeling the pull to quiet the world around me, and sink into just being, when I can.

This is not to say that things in my life aren't good. In fact the opposite is true, life is good at the moment. There are so many wonderful things happening and I would love to share them with you, but I can't, at least not yet, but soon. All of the goodness happening around me has left me feeling like the Universe is looking out for me, and helping to guide me on this new path. I am placing my trust in this path as it leads me, and not asking too many questions, but instead leaving myself open to receive.

Of course, there is always a little darkness in every day life, and I am finding shadows here and there too. Those shadows don't hide my light though, they just remind me to be grateful, and it is in that gratitude that I practice every day that I find so much abundance. That abundance crowds out the shadows and lets the light shine in.

I am not sure how long the quiet will last in this space. I do know I want to get a garden update posted soon, and there are a few other things I want to share, but right now, in this moment, I am craving quiet. So I will follow that craving, and see where it takes me. I will be back, maybe next week, maybe a few weeks from now. Until then, my friends, enjoy this season of life you are in, and take care.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Life is Full




















Wow! It is not often, my friends, that you will hear me say I am busy, but this past week I was busy. Summer camp started on Tuesday, and runs Tuesday's and Thursday's for the month of July. Each day I have a small group of kiddos here, we walk in the woods, record nature findings in our nature journals, craft, play, read, and play some more. It has been so much fun this week, and I am excited for the weeks left to come.

On Saturday, I hosted my fourth swap party, a small one this time, with a few close friends. Beautiful gifts were made and exchanged, a delicious lunch enjoyed, and wonderful conversations and stories shared. It was a delightful afternoon, one that reminded me of just how blessed I am to have the most incredible tribe of women around me.

Sunday morning found me in the kitchen, with a group of ladies, for my Putting Food By workshop. We made jam, canned dilly beans and dehydrated kale. As we worked we chatted, drank tea, shared stories and laughed. There is something pretty incredible about coming together with other women in the kitchen to put the harvest by. It connects us to each other, but also connects us to the past, to the tribes of women before us, and that feels absolutely amazing.

Life is full right now, and it is busy, but in a good way, a way that makes my heart happy, fills me up, and reminds of just how much I have to be grateful for.

Monday, July 4, 2016

Reflecting


Yesterday marked nine months since my marriage ended, and while I didn't mark the occasion in any way, I did take a few moments to reflect. The last nine months have definitely been challenging....finding my way as a single homeschooling mama, figuring out the best way to run my little homestead on my own, determining how best to earn an income and still live the life that feels right and authentic for me, and so much more. It has stretched me, forced me to think outside the box, and in some ways, allowed me to become more of the person I want to be.


Remaining true to who I am in all of this has been important to me. This kind of thing can make you angry, bitter and resentful, and it would be easy to fall into those feelings and emotions, but they don't serve a purpose, at least not for me. Yes, in those initial days I can whole-heartedly say I moved through those emotions, but the key was I moved through them. I didn't let them become part of me. Instead I acknowledged them, let them sit with me for a bit and then released them. That process allowed me to move forward from a place of calm and peace, it allowed me to see a new path ahead, and it allowed me to set new goals for the future. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't an easy process, and there were many days I questioned the path ahead, and my ability to carve out a life for Reece and I that would hold true to who I am, but I can stand here now, and say I am doing it. Even with all the ups and downs, and the negative cloud that at times hung over my head, I remained positive, I chose to see the good in my life, and I offered gratitude every single day for the simple things in my life that were going right. Because even in the darkest days there was always something to be grateful for.


Reflection has been a big part of the last nine months, and I am sure it will continue to be as I move forward. Life is full of lessons, and in reflection, I am finding my lessons in all of this. Some of those lessons have been easier than others, but they have all helped me grow into a stronger, happier and more content person today. In essence, they have brought me to this moment right now, a moment in which life is moving forward, with me in control, and that feels pretty darn good.

Life is never easy, it is an adventure of the most daring kind. There will always be obstacles to overcome, but we can, and will get through it. It isn't always pretty, as I have discovered, but we get through it, one step at a time.

Friday, July 1, 2016

6/12

A photo of my little man, once a month, on the last day of each month, in 2016

Reece, summer is here and we are soaking it up. Day trips, days with friends, and the first trip to the beach. You are loving it, and so am I. We are taking things slow and keeping things simple, and that feels right this summer. This past week we enjoyed the first of many trips to the beach, and it filled me with such joy to watch you play with your friends. You guys caught baby catfish, swam in the lake, and worked together to build rivers in the sand.

I am so looking forward to our summer together, and can't wait for more adventures.