Childhood

"There is a garden in childhood, An enchanted place where colors are brighter, The air is softer, And the morning more fragrant than ever." 
 ~ Elizabeth Lawrence

Yes, I do believe the air is softer in childhood.  

Lessons from a Teenager

There is so much wisdom from Anna. This... to her mama in my first year back in the classroom after 13 years. Because she knows her mama can struggle some days, can love it some days, can be just plain tired some days... sometimes she just offers the best advice.

An Irish Jig in a Snow storm

Abigail is working on an Irish Jig for an upcoming St. Patrick's Day performance.

Anna was kind enough to help her out with it.

It was on a snow day with the winds howling and no reason to get out of flannel nightgowns!

Endoscopy

When we are at the hospital for Abigail in the day surgery unit (for an endoscopy) she always seems little to me.

Maybe that's because I get to care for her in such a sweet way.  Mothering her and taking care of each need.  It's a unique situation and even though I'd rather she not have all of these hospital visits I'm so grateful for the precious time with her.

But this time looking back at the photos she seemed so much older to me.

(arrival)


(getting checked in)


(waiting)


(finding her favorite nurse) (favorite since she was 22 months old!)


(smiling through an IV)




(In the procedure room, ready and getting a bit scared, about to go to sleep. Showing her gastroenterologist a photo on her phone of her bird)


(Tubes in, parents exit)


(Recovery)


Yes, getting older.  But still little. 

Snow Days

This week we had a whopper of a storm.  I've never heard the house creak like that.  And no school on Wednesday or Thursday.  I loved Wednesday night... all cozy with the storm whippin all around our house.

The girls were in bed and Scott and I sat in the family room in front of the fireplace talking about what God as been loving us into obedience lately.

The past two days home were just what my heart needed.  I spent the two days not thinking about school and just being home.  I finally took down Valentines Day around the house and redid both mantles, moving things from here to there... (nesting is my favorite thing in the world and it does my heart goooood)

We pretty much stayed in our PJ's for two days straight!  And on Thursday afternoon had a tea party in front of the fireplace in the living room.









with steaming hot cups of 'fairy tale' tea.





I'm guessing that these were the last of this school year's snow days.  It's March.  But I'm sure grateful it came in like a lion! 

Chocolate Cafe

Four years ago this was Anna at the Chocolate Cafe (post back here)

(2014)






And now four years later it was Abigail's turn since she is in Inter-El (Inter elementary Orchestra)

(2018)


And the coolest part is that Anna played this time (again) too. She played for her select high school orchestra, Camarta.

It was really neat to see these sisters, daughters of mine climbing these steps together.





It was very fancy inside.



Abigail waited in the balcony, chatting with another 5th grader from another school. She can be friendly with anyone.





And then it was time to take her spot!



In this sea of an orchestra. She got the amazing opportunity to play alongside Solisti!



I sure hope this was a moment that she was taking it all in, making it a memory.





Anna's orchestra sat up in the balcony listening.





And when she was done she was so proud of herself!



Both Grandma's were there!







And then she went back up into the balcony with the rest of her orchestra to listen to Anna's orchestra play.









A very special afternoon.  Anna had to return at night and played again in a formal concert.  We are so grateful for our girls bringing music to our lives.

Weekend

~Friday~

The power went off for the evening and into the night.  The girls LOVE when that happens.  Bedtime stories are so much better by flashlight.



~Saturday~

We were at the Marriage Prep Ministry Day. Scott and I speak and spend the day with the engaged couples. This is the retiring married couple on the Marriage Prep team. They've been married for 45 years and have been doing Marriage Prep for years and years. I'm not going to let them retire.



~Sunday~

We spent the day as a family. Easy going. Ended up at a garden store. It's cold and snowing here still in Connecticut but a garden store, inside the greenhouse was just what we needed.