Life is all about seasons…and right now I am in a season I don’t want to forget about.
A year ago I was living my life as a free spirit in Japan, wrapping up my time teaching there, traveling all over the countryside and embracing each day I had left there. I remember asking God, “how can I ever leave this place I love so much?” and God responded, “You’re leaving a place you love, to return to a place you love. It’s a double blessing” And I felt peace knowing that it was my time to head back home to be with family - to enter a season with them.
I wanted to capture the tiny moment of this season of life I am in…not let it pass by without me pausing and really thanking God…for He has put me right in the midst of a blessing.
Here’s a day in the life…
7:23AM - I usually wake up around 6:30/7:00am and slowly make my way downstairs to make some coffee, get myself breakfast, and have quiet time with the Lord. This is my favorite part of the day. I have learned that I cannot write or pray very effectively at night - my mind is just not there. So the morning time is where I am most alert, most focused, and most present with God. I sit here and write, drink coffee, pray until the kids come.
8:38AM - Good morning Tayah! Stac brings the girls over around 8:30 every morning, and Jen or Russ bring the boys over that same time.This is when the chaos begins and the day gets underway. Usually Stac takes Cam and Len to preschool at 8:45, but on this day we had a special plan to take the kids to VBS to watch the morning worship session :)
8:41AM - With the crew all together, we headed to church to drop Hunter off at VBS. It’s fun packing 5 kids in a mini van and hitting the road. These are the little moments I don’t want to forget. They will only be this small for a short time!
8:44AM - I asked my sis “want me to drive?” and she said, “no, it’s ok…I dont mind” and I was thinking…guuuuurl you crazy!! But that’s Stac for yah. 8 months pregnant and not complaining about a thing. As active as ever!! She’s my inspiration. Plus, how cute is her bump?
9:02AM - GVBC…the church I grew up in. I have many memories in this sanctuary…specifically being like 7 years old and crawling underneath all the pews and chasing my friends around. This place is very special to me and I get emotional every time I step through those doors. My parents got married here, my brother and sister as well, I was dedicated here as a baby, and we held all four of my grandparents funerals in this place. Full circle…and a very sacred space for me. So being back and seeing Hunter bounce up and down to the VBS songs was something special.
9:28AM - Cam is my buddy and a really cool kid already. He is 5…and in that unforgettable stage of life where he is still precious (likes to hold hands, doesn’t care about ipad time and would rather shoot “guns”) and yet growing up and becoming more capable of things with each passing day. I love this kid and can’t wait to see who he grows into.
9:47AM - one of the best parts of being an auntie is spoiling your nieces and nephews whenever possible. There’s this place on the corner near church called the “snack spot'“ and the kids cannot stop talking about it. They LOVE it. So we made sure to stop by and let them each choose one thing to buy.
10:24AM - Splash pad at Alondra park! This was my sister’s idea…taking the kids here. And it’s really the perfect place on a hot summers day. If you go early, it’s not too crowded, kids of all ages can play safely here, and best of all…it’s FREE. yes. dream come true. The kids loved it so much….as evident on the girls faces!
10:57AM - Being an auntie that is also a babysitter means I have to be mindful of a lot of things…swim clothes, Tayah’s diaper, potty breaks for the rest, snacks, towels, sunscreen, regular clothes to change into, water breaks, lunch time, nap time, and a bunch of tiny pairs of shoes to account for. phew! I’m tired just thinking about it.
11:58 AM - made it home from the splash pad and had some down time. We fed the kids lunch and they went down for nap time/ quite time. Thankfully the kids all sleep well during this time so I was able to sneak out of the house (while my sis stayed to watch them) to run some errands.
1:20PM - I went to the mall to buy some birthday gifts. It’s funny…when I go here I always get a bit excited/nervous because there is a 75% change I will see someone there I know. And sure enough…as I was walking out of Anthro I ran into a lady from church and had a nice chat with her. Thankfully I am an extrovert so I love these kind of random social encounters haha!
2:23 PM - I was heading home from the mall and by this time realized that I had not eaten lunch yet. Woops. Stac called me and asked me to pick up some Acai bowls for her and baby…which was perfect timing for me to just tag that on as my lunch for the day. Hunter was home from VBS so it was fun to eat and catch up with him. Love that kid.
3:05PM - the kids get up from nap/quiet time around 2:30/3 pm …and on this day my mom had them make birthday card for my auntie Julie. It was a cute crafting time that the kids really enjoyed. I love seeing their personalities come out in these kind of things…Len is meticulous in coloring and design (a true artist), Cam likes to follow the directions and takes his time, Eden is wild and does whatever she wants, and Tayah is just on another level putting stickers in her mouth or on the counter hahaha.
3:42PM - speaking of Tayah…in this specific photo she said, “CHAIIINNN (sounds like “China” since she can’t say ‘Chanie’) LOOK ME. LOOK ME. (‘look at me’)” as she balances off my mom’s wheelchair. HAHAHAHA I love her.
3:43 - The kids have snack time around 3pm and Eden was really enjoying relaxing, eating her cookies and watching TV. This girl is FULL of personality…to the max! And I love her for it.
3:48PM - This was the result of…”Lenny, take a picture of me and Jordy” !! Jen was working from home this day so around 3:30pm she came over with Jordan to get dinner ready…and I got a little play time in with this cutie. Is there anything more precious than a new born baby!???
5:16PM - my family is notorious for eating dinner early. I think this is a result of the fact that my Dad works from home so we don’t have to wait for anyone to come home from work to eat. My sis Jen made dinner and it was AMAZINGGGG. My dad had the great idea to eat outside too…since it was such a nice summer day. The fact that 3 days out of the week I get to eat dinner at home with my family is a true gift. Thank you Jesus!
5:18PM - as mentioned, Jen made an amazing dinner. Recently, i’ve been eating a bit of a vegetarian diet (just a random decision I made) so whenever there’s a veg option I go for that. This time it worked out perfectly as I had salad with grilled zuccini, sweet potato mash and chimichuri sauce on top!! HEAVENNNNN.
6:22 - After dinner we often let the kids blow off some steam outside in the front yard. They love to ride their bikes around…which brings back a lot of childhood memories for me as I remember riding my bike along this same strip of concrete as a kid.
6:41PM - I love this time of day. When the kids just get to be kids outside. Nothing beats it!
7:03PM - on this day we celebrated my Auntie Julie’s bday. She’s like a second mom to me, and a second grandma to these kiddos…so it was really nice getting to celebrate her!! My cousin made fresh Strawberry shortcake and we all gave her gifts. I love these moments.
9:15Pm - once the kids head home…the dishes get put away…the counters wiped down…I head back upstairs to unwind. I usually clean my room, read (currently rereading Mark of the Lion series) or watch climbing videos on youtube HAHA.
Well…that was a real day in the life.
God is good!