April.

April brought all the showers as promised; now we wait to see if May holds up her end of the deal with flowers.

I’m sitting here looking out at more gray clouds while drinking my second cup of hot coffee for the morning.

It’s cool and gloomy, but the bright green baby leaves are bravely peeking out and promising warmer days will come.

We’ve worked hard this month planting grass and trying to transform our yard from a muddy, sandy mess into something we can go out and enjoy this summer.

Darren and our son have been building rock retaining walls and getting everything prepped for stone pathways and a patio.

When we pulled into the driveway yesterday, my six-year-old daughter said, “Man, this place looks good. Look at that grass!” Apparently even she is tired of the brown muddy mess 😁

I spent one rainy day this month introducing a friend to my favorite bookstore and antique shop. We sipped hot coffee and drove around the sweet little town my family moved away from a couple years ago.

I came home with an antique printer’s tray — I’m going to hang it up for the kids to fill with the many treasures they bring in from outside like rocks, seashells, and feathers.

I also found a few beautiful old books to read and add to our shelves.

Speaking of shelves, Darren used some of the wood from the old farmhouse we remodeled in Massachusetts and added these shelves on either side of the fireplace here in our new home.

I’m enjoying having another area to decorate and display photos.

Photos are really important to me. I love the way a photo can transplant you back to a moment in time and remind you of the significance that moment held.

I took the photo of the clouds on one of our last evenings at that farmhouse in Massachusetts.

Leaving that place was incredibly hard, even though we knew it was the right thing to do.

That night, the clouds reminded me of wings, and it felt like a reminder that God’s wings were wrapped around me then and always.

I took the photo of Darren and I holding hands during that same difficult summer of transition.

We were sitting in a field in Maine, under a tree that we’ve gone and sat under ever since we were dating.

We’ve held hands in solidarity through many years and many things — good and bad, and that photo reminds me to keep holding on to the precious hand God placed in mine.

Other treasured moments from this month include the sweet letters my mom and dad mail back and forth with the kids.

If my kids are going to grow up far away from grandparents, I’m glad they can at least keep in touch as pen pals 🖤

Here is Puppy, the brave survivor of a panther attack (this particular panther being our rather naughty cat).

Puppy has been a beloved member of the family since our daughter was born, so I’m glad we were able to get him on the road to recovery 😛

One of my favorite things this and every month is our Friday night movie nights together.

We all look forward to piling on the couch together at the end of the week to enjoy a show (and pizza and popcorn and ice cream because we don’t mess around).

Our kids are getting so big and one of the only times we get to snuggle up with them these days is during these family nights each week. We may drive each other crazy 98% of the time, but I will always treasure these evenings together.

I closed out the month yesterday by snuggling my daughter who was home from school with an ear infection. Again, the bigger they get, the less I get to scoop them up in my arms… so I’ll take what I can get…even sick day snuggles 🖤