Stress

The stress is eating me whole

BUT God, I know you are in control.

My Year in Pictures September 2026

September was another busy month. But, I also started to feel like I am finally coming out of the heaviest parts of grief that have cloaked me since my mom passed away. I am finally able to feel hopeful again (which I seemed to have lost along the way). I am 100% a work in progress, but I am thankful to see the light flowing back in.

My Year in Pictures August 2026

 August was a blur month, and I missed posting at all about anything...but here I am, trying to play catchup again.

A new house again

We have been looking for a house for a year and a half. Sunday morning, Matt got into our bank account to see how much his paycheck was so that I could pay our tithe. While he was in there, he noticed that he had won a bonus for $600ish dollars at work, but hadn't been told yet.

My Year in Pictures July 2026

July was another hard month. I got a medical diagnosis that was expected, but different from expected. I also did something to my hip, which resulted in xrays, doctors appointments, and at least 4 weeks of physical therapy in my future (my hips are out of alignment). The chronic pain slowed me way down, making it harder to get out for my daily walks, which started affecting my mental health.

Light

Sometimes you are looking for the light in the darkness. Sometimes you have to be the light in the darkness. My goal is to not add to the darkness.

Little glimpses of happiness

I am in a difficult season. It has been seven months since I have found the time/will-power/motivation/whatever you want to call it, to do a post like this. It's not that I haven't had things to be thankful for, I have. I am just on the struggle bus. 

But, this = Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150:6

Headlands Beach

While my sister and her family were here in June, they wanted a Lake Erie beach experience. After researching a few options, we decided on Headlands Beach, in Mentor Ohio. Headlands beach boasts the longest natural beach in the state of Ohio. It is a half-mile long.

My Year in Pictures June 2026

June was probably the best month I've had this year. It was busy with a lot of the normal things, but also a week with my sister and her family here. I had a few health issues as well, but again, overall, a better month.

Shipshewana

My husband and I had not been on a vacation since November 2024 (visiting family or family coming to visit does not count as a true vacation). With all of our stress, we knew we needed to get away, even if only for a short weekend trip. In May, we decided to go to Shipshewana for a long weekend. I have always been fascinated by the Amish lifestyle, and my older sister had told me several times that we needed to visit Shipshewana. With it only being three hours away, it was the perfect trip to celebrate our anniversary.

Share Four Somethings June 2026

I am not sure how we are at the end of June, yet here we are. Blogging has been difficult for me for the past few months, for a variety of reasons, but I am trying really hard to play catch-up on this blog, with most things. I missed this post last month, but I am happy to be back this month. Anyway, our prompts for the Share Four Somethings link-up for this year are: something we loved, something we are carrying forth from this month to next, something that sustained us, and some thing we are making space for.

My Year in Pictures May 2026

May was another difficult month, but had more bright spots in it than the previous months. I had vertigo for an entire month, which resulted in having to have PT for earcrystals, and an upcoming visit with a neurologist. 

Matt and I celebrated our 27th wedding Anniversary, and took a quick trip to Shipshewana, Indiana. I first saw this idea on Jennifer's blog and thought it was a great idea. The idea is to pick one photo from the month, a photo to highlight the month. Jennifer is using the photo to recap the month and at the end of the year see a recap of the year. 

A common occurrence in Shipshewana, we loved it!

A few nice days in May, so we made it to Lake Wallace.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17 

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!" Psalm150:6 

My Year in Pictures April 2026

April was another difficult month. My mom was in hospice, then required 24-hour care, so I went to Indiana to help. She passed away 4 days after I got there. Then, my sisters and I planned her funeral, and survived the funeral. I first saw this idea on Jennifer's blog and thought it was a great idea. The idea is to pick one photo from the month, a photo to highlight the month. Jennifer is using the photo to recap the month and at the end of the year see a recap of the year. 

Share Four Somethings April 2026

April was a difficult month. The beginning of the month found me in Indiana helping with my Mom's care. When I went, I was expecting to be gone for a couple of weeks, we hadn't realized it was Mom's last week. After her passing, we quickly cleaned out her apartment, had her funeral, and I was back home, nine days after I left, but forever changed. I feel like I missed so much, since I was gone for Easter and my son's 21st birthday. Then, I finished April in a vertigo flare-up, making it impossible to get much of anything done. Anyway, our prompts for the Share Four Somethings link-up for this year are: something we loved, something we are carrying forth from this month to next, something that sustained us, and some thing we are making space for.

Life Update

Hey friends. I once again disappeared, but didn't mean to. I was planning to do my March picture update, and haven't done it yet. Life has been hard lately and I wanted to do a quick-ish update for the few who do follow this blog and check-in. 

Share Four Somethings March 2026

March has been a mixed bag. We are all finally healthy (praise God), but my mom started hospice last week (terminal rare cancer), and we just found out this week another family member has cancer (I can't say more than that at this point). I am grieving my mom even though she is still here (anticipatory grief). Anyway, our prompts for the Share Four Somethings link-up for this year are: something we loved, something we are carrying forth from this month to next, something that sustained us, and some thing we are making space for.

Always

I am struggling a bit but I resurrected this post and revamped it a little, because I need this reminder today, and maybe you do too?

The things of this world will pass away. 

The people of this world will pass away.

But, one thing will ALWAYS be true: Jesus is with us, ALWAYS.

My Year in Pictures February 2026

February was another difficult month. Between the three of us, we had Covid in the house for a month, lots of snow, and missed days of work. I first saw this idea on Jennifer's blog and thought it was a great idea. The idea is to pick one photo from the month, a photo to highlight the month. Jennifer is using the photo to recap the month and at the end of the year see a recap of the year. 

Share Four Somethings February 2026

February was another rough month. We had Covid in our house, and I missed lots of work. I finally went back, only to have the girls get sick again (hoping and praying I don't catch their junk). I am REALLY hoping spring brings better weather, health, and all the things! We have some new prompts for the Share Four Somethings link-up for this year they are: something we loved, something we are carrying forth from this month to next, something that sustained us, and some thing we are making space for (these prompts are SO much harder for me than the others, I just don't think like this). I will try to get my graphic updated before next month's post.

Date day, homes + coffee

One of the things we would love to be able to do is to build our next home. Matt has always wanted a little bit of land (the older I get, the less I desire it), but I get it. He doesn't want to be super close to our neighbors, and he doesn't want to be in a neighborhood.