07/04/21 Catch Up

Philip helping me write emails :).

Tori, myself, and Bethi during a pit stop on the trip to Illinos.

I could say I apologize for how long it's been since I updated, but you know what... I could and probably would be doing that here until I die. So, you know what... Hi, it's nice to talk to y'all again! And if you care for an update on my life, here's the Cliff's Notes version since late April, as of July 4th...

Abbi at the Mississippi river.

Our trip to Illinos went great. It was so bittersweet to be able to attend my Great-grandma's memorial service. On the one hand, it was so sad to be there and not get to see her, but hearing all that was shared about her was such a blessing. I have very few memories of time with her, but the ones I do hold are sweet ones, and it was like I was getting to know a precious part of my heritage so much better as I heard the stories. We were able to see family we had not for years, and Mama's parents took us on a tour of the places from their childhood (and Mama's early childhood) - and we got to go to the Mississippi river, which thrilled Abbi especially! Philip also got to touch grass for the first time, which he loved, one of the first sibs to do so... because southern grass is a whole lot less pleasant than this Iowa grass he got to experience, haha.

Peter, Josiah, Noah, and Isaac at Snake Alley.

When we got home, I immediately started packing up for a flight out to Florida! It went really well, except for my meltdown at the first sight of the crowded Charlotte airport, where I realized my flight wasn't even listed on the board. After that stress, the rest of the adventure felt like a breeze, haha! I had the most wonderful time. The bride's family put me up for almost a week, and we had the best time enjoying each other's company as we prepared for Alyssa's special day. It was a truly beautiful wedding, and I'm so grateful I got to be a part of it!

My mother was DISGUSTED with me
that this was the only picture I got my first
time in an airport, after she asked my dad and
I twice to remember to have him take a nice one.
At least my matching luggage is cute, right?

Gorgeous! I spent most of my time just
staring at the clouds. I did sneak in reading
some of Voddie Baucham's "Fault Lines" though.

I am having the time of my life taking
siblings out to run errands since I bought
my van, even though I hate driving
in Charlottesville, haha.

When I got home, my aunt was there with her kiddos, and we had them here for three weeks. In that time, we also had friends over from SC, and I apparently brought home a bug from FL, because we were good and sick for a bit. Right after my aunt left, we had friends from NH, and right after they left, Tori and I went with the family I work for to a homeschool convention down in FL. It was a crazy busy month! Bethani also turned 16 May 1st, and Emmi turned 11 June 1st. 

He makes me absolutely happy. I can't
take that smile!!!

June was a bit calmer? I only took one trip, to Norfolk, with the family I work with. (You can read about it at Julia's blog here, it was neat how the Lord worked with that event!) But it still feels like we are spinning. Some of us have been sick again, and Daddy is still pulling 14+ hour days at work, 6-7 days a week, due to the "staffing crisis" that is happening company wide. Baby Philip is mobile now... crawling and pulling up on furniture, getting his second tooth, and just generally making the whole family smile. Andrew, Daddy and I put up a swing set in the yard in May, and between that, the sandbox, and the water table, the little ones have greatly enjoyed this nice yard again this summer. Mama and Bethani did take a trip to SC, with the baby, to see Mama's grandma, who ended up in the hospital. They were gone for five days, and even though we managed the house okay, we were thrilled when they got home! But also *so* happy they went. It was really good for them, and I'm glad they got to see Grandma K.

They are the cutest. I'll never get over the
fact I thought I didn't want Mango.

I'm working a few days a week, and I am loving it so very much, this job is an exact answer to prayer! But I am on a completely different schedule than my family the days I work, and so I'm trying to learn how to balance that again. No... not again. I never did learn at my last job, ha. Between work, taking back over the grocery list and now doing the shopping (realizing I'm a bit out of touch, and apparently our food needs are different then they were even just five months ago... a whole lot less milk, more tortillas, and a whole host of other unexpected things), and taking care of our pets and plants, I stay fairly busy, but at the same time, I know there is so much else I could do, should do, miss doing, want to do. I'm making it a goal to get my priorities in order, and also to make sure that I acknowledge that running myself into the ground (even when it seems to take appallingly little to do so) actually makes me less useful in the end.

Andrew, Philip, Noah, Josiah, Peter, and Isaac.

That about sums up the past couple of months, although there are so many little moments that I've loved that I just don't have the time to share. Like buying a sickly little plant for 2.50 that now looks great (ironic, since I can kill indestructible succulents with one watering), and getting an update on the kitten I found a home for last September, when I figured I'd never hear about her again. Making slime with the kiddos (and totally making a mess of it). Finding Clorox wipes for clearance and laughing at how you couldn't even find them full price just a year ago. Music and books that I have found so encouraging. I do plan on eventually doing a post on the books I've read this year (was going to be monthly, but, HA. I don't think I even read anything the month of March anyway, haha), but you can do yourself a favor in the meantime and go listen to this song, it was on repeat for weeks after I found it!!!

He was proud of his slime, even though it didn't work ;P...

I also do not currently have time to update my bio, which I have been told is outdated. Mostly because I will literally just sit and stare at the screen if I try, because I despise bio writing, ha. 

We are heading out to SC this Thursday, to visit family and our church there. We are still doing the livestream from our SC church currently (hoping to try a local church soon, though, as the covid restrictions are being lifted! Masks were required as of June 30th, and illegal as of July 1st, as if that one minute between the two days made any difference), and as we turned on the livestream this morning and joined in the worship, I thought excitedly "next week we'll be singing right in the middle of them!" Honestly, the trip won't feel long enough, but to be able to make it at all is so exciting.

I'd love to hear from y'all now! What has been your happiest event since April? Is there any way I can be praying for you?

Rejoicing in the hope of the gospel,

Ambrielle