Reads for 2021

 This is one of my favorite things to keep up with.

I have loved reading for so long and I like to look back and see what books resonated with me and have this as a tool to share with people when they ask for book recommendations. 

So, without further ado, reads for 2021!

Unfortunately, 8 of the books I read aren't pictured because they were borrowed and I ended up reselling the Series of Unfortunate Events so someone else could read them and I didn't figure I would reread them so, there ya go!

 "The Warden and the Wolf King (The Wingfeather Saga Book 4)" Andrew Peterson -- When the pandemic first began, Andrew Peterson, started doing a read aloud via YouTube live or Facebook live for this book series. It was incredibly special during such an uncertain time in our lives and I was so, so excited when he decided to go ahead and read aloud the remaining books. He started with the first book in March and with a few breaks, he finished the 4th and final book in January. I was thankful for the opportunity to follow along and it was a fun way to reread and experience one of my all-time favorite book series. The author describes these books as "a redemptive fantasy" and that's it. It's so good because of the underlying (and at times, apparent) story line of the characters. He weaves in Biblical truth all throughout the story and man, this final book brings it all together. It's full of redemption, truth, adventure, forgiveness, and newness. It's incredibly moving and I hope that you will read it! I'll share this small excerpt from the book and leave you with that: "He vividly sensed Leeli's sweet, gentle breathing and the music that wreathed her dear heart; he saw Kalmar's roundedness and ached to embrace the boy in the wolf; he even saw his own troubled, selfish soul--the scarred flesh and weary eyes and conflicted emotions-and he loved the Janner he saw through the Maker's eyes. He knew himself and he was known. He saw, and was still. A great love enveloped him, and he thought of his father's bearlike embrace , only now he knew those arms were but a shadow of the bright love that beat the world's heart and held him now, as it always had, with an inescapable, indescribable tenderness. Be still. The voice repeated the words again and again, like a beating heart, until Janner was at last able to obey and to rest, rest, rest. There in the light of the Fane of Fire, Janner Wingfeather encountered--absorbed--an abiding peace that he would never forget all the days of his life. He was still. And he was loved. " 

"The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events #9)" Lemony Snicket -- When I started this series last year, I decided that I would review it as a whole once I read them all. I'm now 4 books away and as I stated with book #8, these later books have gotten better than the first 7. They are super quick and easy reads and I am definitely wondering how in the world they are going to tie this story together! 

"Girl With No Job" Claudia Oshry -- I love following Claudia on Instagram because she's so, so funny. When I saw that she wrote a book, I knew I had to read it to learn about her childhood, rise to fame, and how she handles all that she does. It was a quick and easy read although, there was a good bit of profane language in there so, it's definitely more geared towards adults. But, if you follow her, that's no surprise! Still, it was funny, heartfelt, and she even spent some time diving deep into certain subjects and I was pleasantly surprised by how insightful she was on those topics. It's worth the read if you know who she is.

"Strangely Bright: Can You Love God and Enjoy this World?" Joe Rigney --  I really liked this book. It was practical and the author made some great points. Basically, as he said himself throughout the book, he is writing about "enjoying God in everything and everything in God".  There are so many things I want to share from this book but, this excerpt sums it up best: "The living God made the world so that we could know Him. He reveals himself to us in creation and in scripture, in His world and in His word. Everything in creation declares His glory. Made things make His invisible attributes visible. All God's gifts are invitations--they display who He is and invite us to know Him and delight in Him. They are the beams; He is the sun. They are the streams; He is the fountain. So our calling is simple: to enjoy God in everything and everything in God, knowing that He is greater and more satisfying than any and all of His gifts. Jesus is better. At a practical level, this means we anchor ourselves in His word and orient ourselves in worship and then carry the divine presence with us into our daily lives. As made things that make things, we too ought to display the glory of God and invite people to know Him and enjoy Him. We do this by gratefully receiving all that He richly provides and joyfully sacrificing and sharing all that we have received. Whatever good and perfect gifts are coming down to you now from the Father of lights, begin with them. Receive them with gratitude. Savor them with gladness. Study them with delight. Share them with others. And refuse to stop with the gifts. Follow them back to the giver. See them as declarations of His glory. Know them as images of divine things. And then turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth with grow strangely bright, in the light of his glory and grace." 

"The Rural Diaries" Hilarie Burton Morgan -- This book has the prettiest shelf appeal that you've ever seen. The jacket and the inside of the book is so, so pretty. I was impressed and quite happy when I got it because I ordered from a local (to her) bookstore so I could receive a signed copy (this is no surprise to anyone that know's me and my love for One Tree Hill). I honestly didn't know what to expect with this book because I haven't followed along with her since her One Tree Hill days so I was pleasantly surprised when I was immediately engulfed with her words and finished this book in a day (granted, we were snow/iced in but, it was that good). It was neat following along how she and her family ended up living a true farm life after living the Hollywood lifestyle. I will say and give a warning for future readers that there are some tough subjects discussed in there such as miscarriage and her experience with inappropriate behavior being given to her in the workplace. So far though, this is my favorite read of 2021.  

"Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross" Nancy Guthrie and Various Authors -- I read the Advent version of this book leading up to Christmas this past year and when I saw there was one for Easter, I ordered it immediately. It's compilation of various sermons and essays from 25 different authors, preachers, speakers on the topic of Christ, Easter, and all that surrounds His death and resurrection. It was such a neat concept and I really, really enjoyed it. I liked having a variation of authors to read from and I found myself underlining & dog earring so many of the pages! None of the excerpts were too long, which made it easy to keep up with each day. I highly recommend it and will most definitely be reading it again in the coming years. 

"The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events #10)" Lemony Snicket 

"The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events #11)" Lemony Snicket

"The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events #12)" Lemony Snicket 

"The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events #13)" Lemony Snicket -- The much awaited ending to the Series of Unfortunate Events! Overall, I liked the series. I found myself really getting in to the story around book #8 (not to say the first seven weren't good--they were setting the foundation for the story). You do have to read them all to get the full feel for the story and it is quite an interesting ending! All that being said, I feel like they were a little dark at times for younger children. And then, they were a bit wacky at times which I think would also make it hard for a younger kiddo to follow along. As an adult, I was able to follow but, felt like they were too juvenile. LOL! So, there's my confusing review for you. I'm glad to have read them but, likely wouldn't read again. 

"And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer" A Novella by Fredrik Backman --This is one of those books that you can read in one sitting, maybe even just within an hour. I told Jason after I finished it that Fredrik Backman is becoming one of my all-time favorite authors. The way he writes brings you right in and the stories he tells are incredibly impactful. This specific novella follows a Grandpa that is (I'm assuming) navigating Alzheimers or dementia and it shows the relationship between him and his grandson, his son, and his wife. It was very, very sweet and the author had a note at the beginning stating that this was his way of working through this situation. So I am inferring it's about his own life. I found it moving and very special. 

"The Woman in the Window" A. J. Finn -- Whoa. This book had me on my toes the whole time. It's a thriller/mystery and I love those. Child Psychologist, Anna Fox, never leaves her home and the book walks you through why and how she copes and gets herself into situations. I couldn't put it down and definitely recommend it if you like thrillers. A friend loaned it to me so it's not pictured above but, click the title and you can order it from Amazon. 

"Respectable Sins" Jerry Bridges -- This was a very, very convicting book. I took away a lot of great things and also had many things brought to mind that I need to work on. He covers topics like: discontentment, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, anger, envy, and the list goes on. I think this one is worth the read if you haven't read it before and it might be something that I read every few years. I wanted to share a few excerpts from the book that I found especially useful/convicting: 

"Not only does the gospel prepare me to face my sin, it also frees me up to do so. Facing our sin causes us to feel guilty. Of course we feel guilty because we are guilty. And if I believe, consciously or unconsciously, that God still counts my guilt against me, my instinctive sense of self-protection forbids me to acknowledge my sin and guilt, or, at least, I seek to minimize it. But, we cannot begin to deal with a particular manifestation of sin, such as anger or self-pity, until we first openly acknowledge its presence and activity in our lives. So I need the assurance that my sin is forgiven before I can begin to acknowledge it, let alone begin to deal with it." 

“Whatever your circumstances, and however difficult they may be, the truth is that they are ordained by God for you as part of His overall plan for your life. God does nothing, or allows nothing, without a purpose. And His purposes, however mysterious and inscrutable they may be to us, are always for His glory and our ultimate good. You can ask God to let you use your difficult circumstances to glorify Him.”

“The importance of a firm belief in the sovereignty, wisdom and goodness of God in all the circumstances of our lives—whether those circumstances are short term or long term, our ability to respond to them in a God-honoring and God-pleasing manner depends on our ability and willingness to bring these truths to bear on them.”

“May all of us, with the help of The Holy Spirit, move from any negative attitudes of discontentment to a positive attitude of being stewards of the difficult and disappointing circumstances God has given us so that we may somehow glorify Him in all of life.”

"We must realized that any given situation that tempts us to anger can drive us either to sinful anger or to Christ and His sanctifying power."

"Bone Appetit" Sarah Booth Delaney Book #10 Carolyn Haines -- This series has been loaned to me by a friend and they are such fun books. They are set in the south in delta and follow Sarah Booth Delaney on her adventures. Some she intentionally walks in to and others that seem to find her when she leasts expects it. I don't even know how many books are in the series but, I am working my way through them. This one was as good as the last one I read a few years ago. There was a surprising twist at the end!

"Guac is Extra but So Am I" The Reluctant Adult's Handbook Sarah Solomon -- I thought this would be a cute, fun little read and I honestly didn't enjoy it. Other than a few helpful tips here and there, I don't think I would suggest this to any person entering into adulthood. There were also some things that I found myself fully disagreeing with. Oh, the illustrations in there were nice but again, not worth it in my opinion. Maybe it's a sign that I'm not a reluctant adult--HA!

"19th Christmas" James Patterson -- My trusty Women's Murder Club Series. This is one of my favorite on-going series and if we've ever had a conversation about books then you know it's one of my top suggestions if you like the thriller/mystery genre. These books are quick reads and there's always a twist you didn't see coming. 

"The Characters of Christmas" Daniel Darling -- Each year I read a Christmas book whether it's about the actual Christmas story or something that is festive. This one caught my eye this year and it was a good read. Each chapter covers a person that was present in the story of Jesus and His birth. Mary, Joseph, the Angels, Wise Men, Shepherds, Herod, and more. It was informative and I liked the way he shared so much information about each person. It was a good read and just what I was looking for to help prepare my mind and my heart for the Christmas season. 

"The Christmas Pig" J.K. Rowling -- If you have known me for more than five minutes then you know my love for all things Harry Potter so when I saw that J.K. Rowling had now written a Christmas book, I knew I had to read it. I had no idea what to expect and I feel like I should start by saying I wouldn't consider this a young children's book and that if you do plan to read it with your kids, you should know that it starts with Jack's parents getting divorced and has a couple of pages going through what that was like for him. But, that sets the foundation as to why he loves DP, his stuffed animal, so much and gives way to the adventure that takes place the rest of the book. Honestly though, that is the reality for some children and I think it is good there is a book that they can truly relate to. Overall, this is definitely a book I will read again and I really enjoyed the whole story. It's very unique and unlike anything I've ever read before. It made me happy to still have my childhood blankies and I know that if I ever did lose them, they would end up on "the island of the beloved" 

So there you have it! I feel like 2021 had some good reads and I am looking forward to more in 2022. 

Reads for 2020

Finally, I was able to read this year!
At the first of the year, I thought I'd be able to read so much because I was done with my Master's program and figured I'd find some of my long long free time. Little did I know that in March, April & May we would be mandated to partake in social distancing and quarantining which provided me some time to read a good bit. Many books were read and it was oh, so nice to get back in to reading for leisure! 

A few of the books I read are not pictured because they are either on loan to someone or, I borrowed them from someone to read. 

"Not What You Think: Why The Bible Might Be Nothing We Expected Yet Everything We Need" Michael & Lauren McAfee--This one was recommended by my Dad before chaperoning a youth trip last summer and I think the best way to share about this one is to give you a tiny excerpt from the book. "We believe that when you read The Bible, you will encounter a narrative being offered to humanity rather than imposed on it. This narrative is the essence of every religious freedom we see protected in our form of government and practiced in our culture. To those who critique Christianity as stifling, and to those who use Christianity to stifle the voices of others within the marketplace of ideas, we say, "Go to The Bible". Jesus does not travel from town to town demanding that everyone believe in Him. Rather, time and again, we see him arrive on the scene, proclaim His message, heal the sick, and , extend an invitation to follow Him. Jesus says in the Bible, and by extension to you and me, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).Whether you choose to believe The Bible or not, whether you choose to read it or not, there is little cause for doubt that the Bible continues to have an impact on our culture. There are reasons, beyond mere habit, why it is a source of comfort in days of national strife and mourning. There is a reason why you can find it behind the scenes, supporting the structure of our society. We would like to propose the radical idea that The Bible is a unique text that is more than just another book, more than a mere collection of stories; it is a revelation of divine character." The essence of the whole book is explaining how the Bible still impacts us today, as millennials (as it's written by millennials) and how we can use that knowledge to shape the way we read it, share it, and live by it.

"The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)" Lemony Snicket--I love a series and I have always wanted to read these. I won my very first eBay bidding war with this series, too. It's a very, very quick and easy read. This first book I finished in one day. I think I am going to review the series as a whole so, look for book #13 next year and you'll find my full review of the series.

"The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2)" Lemony Snicket

"The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events # 3)" Lemony Snicket

"The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events #4)" Lemony Snicket

"Open Your Bible: God's Word is for You and for Now" Raechel Myers & Amanda Bible Williams--This was the Bible Study that my friends and I did. Overall, I thought it was really good and felt like I learned a lot through completing it. It was easy to follow and really did make you get into your bible throughout the study. They cover a lot of ground and talk about how the Bible is important to spiritual growth along with some practical ways to study the Bible. I really liked it. I need to add, I did my first ever zoom bible study due to the quarantine when we had our last meeting for this study.

"On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga Book #1)" Andrew Peterson--This is the first in a series of 4 books called, "The Wingfeather Saga" and it's one of my all-time favorite series next to Harry Potter & Chronicles of Narnia. These books are creative, whimsical, funny, and adventurous while also having an underlying Christian message throughout. It's such an AWESOME series. I read them back in 2015--you can see my first review of them all here and had been wanting to reread them. Andrew Peterson, the author, announced in early March that he was releasing the series with new hardcovers and illustrations in them. I was so excited and ordered them both immediately (the other 2 are coming in September). As it turns out, during quarantine, he decided to read the first two books live each night on Youtube/Facebook and it was so incredibly awesome getting to follow along. I mean, how many times in my life will that happen? He read book one over a series of 16 nights and since we were still quarantined, he decided to do the second book, too.
All of that being said, the first book follows the Igiby siblings, their Mother and their ex-pirate Grandfather. They live in a town that's been overtaken by The Fangs of Dang (lizard like creatures). Without giving much away, they siblings find out some information about their past, their connection to some of the town's quirky fellows, and start the greatest adventure of their lives. Book 1 sets the stage for what's to come and it. is. awesome.

"Even Better Than Eden" Nancy Guthrie--I needed a book to lift my spirits when the COVID-19 first hit MS. I was worried, anxious, and uncertain. This book was a blessing. It was so awesome that I underlined almost everything in the first chapter. I found it incredibly applicable and even more so, comforting.
Nancy Guthrie is a gifted writer and I always find myself learning so much from her rather it's from her books or devotionals.

"The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5)" Lemony Snicket

"North! Or Be Eaten (The Wingfeather Saga Book #2)" Andrew Peterson--This is the second book in a series of 4 books called, "The Wingfeather Saga" and it's one of my all-time favorite series next to Harry Potter & Chronicles of Narnia (as mentioned above). These books are creative, whimsical, funny, and adventurous while also having an underlying Christian message throughout. It's such an AWESOME series. I read them back in 2015--you can see my first review of them all here. Andrew Peterson, the author, decided to read the first two books live each night on Youtube/Facebook during quarantine and it gave me the perfect opportunity to reread the series. I forgot how MUCH I loved this story and I am so excited for books 3 & 4 to be re-released in September. The author said that since the live read-alouds for books 1 & 2 were so well received that whether we are still quarantined or not, he is going to do the same for books 3 & 4!

Book 2 is even better than the first as we dive deeper into the adventures and lessons the Igiby children are experiencing/learning. The end of this book makes me cry every. single. time as our beloved Podo learns a valuable, lifelong lesson that he carries with him.

"The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events #6)" Lemony Snicket

"The Girl with Seven Names" Hyeonseo Lee--This book was loaned to me and it was such an informative read. I have not ever read anything like it and I was amazed with Hyeonseo's story and how she escaped her life in North Korea and worked to bring about freedom for both herself and her family. She recounts her story in an easy to read, yet informative manner. It was a stirring book that made me thankful for her resilience and determination. Definitely would recommend this one!

"To Me, He Was Just Dad" Joshua David Stein--This book was an ad that was popping up and I gave in and bought it. I liked the idea behind it--children of famous men and their memories of them. It went over (I think) 41 famous fathers. It wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be--in reality, some of the stories were sweet, some were actually very sad, some were interesting, and a few were disappointing. It was a very, very quick read and you're welcome to borrow my copy if you're interested!

"My Story" Elizabeth Smart--This one was also loaned to me by the same person because she knows I enjoy reading memoirs. This was HARD to read. I was in the 7th grade when the abduction of Elizabeth Smart happened--I was actually only one year younger than she was at the time. I did not follow the story as it happened because...I was 13. Now, as an adult, reading her recount the details of her time being abducted was gut wrenching.

"The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events #7)" Lemony Snicket

"The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events #8)" Lemony Snicket --I am still waiting until I finish all of these books to review them but,  I wanted to make sure I made a note that this is the first one where I thought to myself, "Oh, this is getting good" and I actually wanted to know what happened next. They felt TOO juvenile most of the time (this coming from someone without any shame when it comes to reading children's/young adult books) and I felt like this one is when it started to shift for me.

"The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse" Charlie Mackesy--this is the. sweetest. book. It has gorgeous illustrations in it and it has the kindest, most encouraging words in it. I think it's going to be my new baby shower gift (in addition to the Jesus Storybook Bible). It's so pretty it could honestly be a little coffee table book. I'm not kidding! It is about a little boy that befriends these creatures and they start walking together. I have too many favorite lines from the book but, one of the best is: "Sometimes," said the horse. "Sometimes what?" asked the boy. "Sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent".  It's full of little nuggets like that and I think it's simply wonderful. 

"The Hate U Give" Angie Thomas--Angie Thomas is an author from right here in Jackson, MS. After having many conversations this year, I decided to educate myself further and this was one of my steps. This book, although considered "fiction" is based on real-life events and if you've seen the news, it's happening everywhere. I gained more empathy and insight through reading about Starr, Khalil, Seven, DeVante, their family and friends.

"The Monster in the Hollows (The Wingfeather Saga Book #3)" Andrew Peterson--As he did during March/April, Andrew Peterson hopped online and continued his read aloud of these books he wrote and it has been so special. This story gets better and better with each book and this one is...whew! I think I underlined the whole second half of the book. 

"Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas" Various Authors--this was such a great advent book. It's compilation of various sermons and essays from 22 different authors, preachers, speakers on the topic of Christ, Christmas, and all that surrounds His birth. It was such a neat concept and I really, really enjoyed it. I liked having a variation of authors to read from and I found myself underlining & dog earring so many of the pages! None of the excerpts were too long, which made it easy to keep up with each day. Quite honestly, I think it's my favorite advent book I've read thus far. I highly recommend it and will most definitely be reading it again in the coming years. 

"The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent" John Piper -- this was a very easy read--very short for each daily reading and to the point. It was so short, that's why I added in the 2nd advent book that I just wrote about above. The over arching message of the book was so good in that it really focused on our adoration of Jesus and the magnitude of what Christmas means for those that love, trust, and believe in Him. I would recommend this one if you're looking for something for advent that's incredibly easy to keep up with because each daily reading in brief and to the point. 

The Bible I used a chronological, daily reading bible and this is my first time, ever to read through the whole thing. If you click on the title, it will take you to a link for the exact one I used. Well, almost exact. Mine is the hardcover and I couldn't find it anymore. I really loved the chronological aspect of it. It put a lot of the scriptures into perspective for me and helped them make more sense. I highly, highly suggest using something like this Bible where the days and the passages you're reading are already laid out for you. It made it easier to keep up with it and then, the chronological aspect was just really neat to follow. I am thankful I took the time to read through the Bible this year and gosh, what a year to do it? The Lord knew that 2020 would be the year that I needed to be reminded of His promises each and every day. There were so many neat experiences that happened when I was reading where I would be able to connect what was happening in the passage with very things that are happening in our world this very day. It just served as a very concrete reminder that His word stands the test of time and that's it just as applicable now as it was when it was first written. 

Per usual, if you click the titles, it will take you to the book on Amazon.

What was the best book you read during 2020?

Merry COVID Christmas

Well, it's safe to say this Christmas break was one like no other as Jason and I both had COVID the first part of the week--and yes, this included Christmas Eve, Day, and a few following. It was a HUGE BUMMER but, our family and friends made it bearable and in some ways, it still felt like Christmas--even without being able to partake in our favorite things!

We had family members and friends dropping off food and treats left and right. 

Unfortunately, we both lost our smell and taste but, we were nourished and well taken care of! 

It's coming back, slowly but surely. 

As different as this Christmas holiday was, I want to remember it. 

I want to remember how we had to take it slow, had to rely on others, and were able to literally spend every second of it together. It was sweet, in it's own COVID way and I know I will never forget it. 

I think this was my first Christmas Eve Communion Service to ever miss (in person) and while it was sad--if it wasn't for quarantine in March, we would not have had this live stream service and so for that, I am thankful that we were still able to "be there" through streaming. 

Christmas Eve is when all of my family gets together and opens presents. So, we FaceTimed and got to see everyone open their gifts and they watched us open ours (that our family had so graciously dropped off earlier that day). 

As we've gotten older, our stockings are our surprise from my parents on Christmas morning. We never know what's going to be in there and it's always so much fun opening those and going through them together. Since we were quarantined this year, Mom boxed up our stockings and delivered them to the front door with a strict note to not open them until Christmas morning. It was a gesture that most definitely made it feel more like Christmas! We FaceTimed her and Dad while we went through them before the craziness of their day started. It was simple & sweet and very much appreciated. 

Since we couldn't see anyone, we were sent ALL THE CUTE PICTURES of everyone from their Christmas mornings. 

Bennett, stealing the show with that smile!

Blair said that his new sippy cup was his favorite gift--ha!

Then, later that day, we zoomed with our extended family that we usually travel to see during the holidays. 

It felt the same as we were all talking over one another and spent a good bit of the time laughing and smiling. 

We ended the day snuggled up on the couch,  FaceTiming with Jason's parents since our trip to go and see them was also delayed for the time being. 

All of that being said, know that Jason and I are on the mend and are looking forward to spending the last week of our Christmas break out of quarantine!

I'll end by sharing this excerpt from the Advent book I read this year. The book was so, so good--it was, "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" and I highly, highly recommend it. 

This one was from an entry written by Joni Eareckson Tada:

“On this side of eternity, Christmas is still a promise. Yes, the Savior has come, and with Him peace on earth, but the story is not finished. Yes, there is peace in our hearts, but we long for peace in our world. ⁣

⁣

Every Christmas is still “a turning of the page” until Jesus returns. Every December 25 marks another year that draws us closer to the fulfillment of the ages, that’s draws us closer to home. ⁣

⁣

When we realize that Jesus is the answer to our deepest longing, even Christmas longings, each Advent brings us closer to His glorious return to earth. When we see Him as He is, King of kings and Lord of lords, that will be “Christmas” indeed! ⁣

⁣

Christmas is an invitation to a celebration yet to happen. If you’ve got a Christmas longing, you’re about to be satisfied, too. Just hold on and say with me...Maranatha! Come Lord!” ⁣

⁣

Joni Eareckson Tada

Like I said, it was a Christmas like no other but, one thing is sure--the truth and meaning of Christmas, Jesus becoming a baby and coming to save us all from our sins, doesn't change...even when you have COVID and Praise God for that!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Drive-By Baby Sprinkle for Bennett

Last week, I helped host my very first drive-by baby sprinkle!

I'm getting another nephew and I couldn't be more excited! 

Due to COVID-19, we decided to make this a drive-by celebration...little did we know, a monsoon would start just 20 minutes before it started (really, a legitimate thunderstorm warning)! Nonetheless, it was a fun evening and it was great seeing some faces that we haven't seen in 3+ months! 

I'm so glad someone snapped this picture. I had just walked to someone's car and was walking between tents and it was literally like someone poured a bucket of water on my head! LOL! All you can do is laugh. 

We had cute decor that was blowing away in the wind & getting soaked with the sideways rain but thankfully, our sign made it through and we were able to snap a few pictures. 

My best little buddy was having the time of her life. 

She's an excited big sister!

Do y'all think she was tired of being told to smile? HA! That face makes me smile & laugh. 

Sweet Mrs. Nancy made a quilt for Ann Hatten when she was born, made one for James, and now, made one for Bennett. AND--she made Ann Hatten the sweet little quilt for her baby dolls with pieces from each of the quilts she has made thus far--what a sweet treasure!

This one makes me laugh--soaked from running gifts from the cars to the garage, passing out treats, and visiting. 

This girl loves her a balloon.

Mama Carol modeling with the sign that we just knew was going to run from the rain soaking it. 

Thankfully, at this point, the rain had let up and we were able to laugh about it. We had to take a moment to recreate what all we were having to do--tie tents together, cover our clothes with rain jackets, take one of our decorative tables to the large because too much was blowing off of it, hold down the tents, secure the chalkboard, you name it. 

And let's end with a picture of 100 mini homemade pound cakes, just in case you were wondering what that looked like. Oh, and they were TASSSSSTY. Thanks, Jason :)

Bennett, we CAN'T WAIT to meet you, sweet little fella.
We love you already and we are thankful for the opportunity to honor your Mom and celebrate you! 

"48 Days" COVID-19 School Ending

There's so much that I want to remember about this time. 

I keep asking myself, "how could I ever forget when... (insert unusual thing that's happened as a result of coronavirus)" 

But, I know there will come a time when (Lord willing) this will all be a faint memory for us all.

I've taken a 7 pictures just like this over the span of my teaching career. 

I've finished up 7 school years in "typical" fashion and been more than excited to begin my summer vacation. But, this one sat differently as I thought about wrapping up this...unique school year.

This was not the ending we had hoped for as we packed up our classroom this year. ⁣

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It felt detached and empty. ⁣

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If I’m being honest, this was the most difficult & strange school year I’ve had thus far in my career (before COVID-19 was even present) and as I navigated those days, the words of my sweet Mom came to the forefront of my mind, “What is The Lord trying to teach you through this?” I know that this year especially, there’s so, so much to unpack as I think about answering that question. ⁣

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We haven’t spent the full day with our students (in person) since March 6th, our Superhero Celebration, the day before Spring Break. I was exhausted that day as “special” days don’t always turn out well for my kiddos that thrive on routine and predictability. Although it was fun day, I’m sad that that’s how their physical school year ended—without anyone knowing that would be it. ⁣

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48 school days that we missed getting our morning hugs, completing our centers, working together in circle time, unwinding during sensory time, and telling them we love them as they headed home for the day. ⁣

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There was so much more to come!⁣

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I’m thankful that “distance learning” gave me the opportunity to learn new skills and deepen my relationship with my students and their parents as we navigated this together. But, at the end of the day, nothing compares to face to face instruction and interaction. ⁣

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Coming into a classroom that was completely empty for such a long time felt...wrong almost. THIS classroom is full of life, it is always loud (even when it shouldn’t be 😜), it’s full of various modes of learning, it’s full of unique kiddos, it’s full of working minds, and it’s always full of love & respect for each individual that I’m blessed to call mine. ⁣

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All of that being said, I have a lot to unpack as I ponder Mama Carol’s question that always comes to mind. Usually, I’m ready for summer. This summer, I’m walking away from this empty classroom already counting down the days until that room is full again 💙

A few little things that I wanted to make sure I documented to remember during the school closure:

Making pictures like this to send to our students so they would know we were thinking about them.

Having Jake Johnson, aka Peter Parker from "Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse" offer to send voice memos to our classes--amazing!

Mailing letters of encouragement to each of my students at their homes as they navigate distance learning and working from home with their parents rather than at school. 

Receiving sweet pieces of mail back from them in return. 

Having virtual Awards Day for each of the schools. 

And sending our students off to begin their summer vacation through hosting a drive through "Supplies and Goodbyes" where they could drive around the school, stop by and see their teachers, receive any supplies, awards, and happies and give one last "air hug" or "air five" before ending the school year. 

Quarantine Pt. 2

Here we are, quarantine post part 2. 

It's been 54 days since Part 1 and honestly, not that much has changed. 

We have been sheltering in place other than grocery shopping, working from home, going on walks, and I've been watching Big Brother starting all the way back to season 1 and boy, has it changed. Season 1 is 77 episodes, just in case you were wondering. Like, what?! 77 episodes. 

Needless to say, I have plenty to watch. 

A few things I want to remember from the last 54 days:

 Getting video footage and pictures of this little thing holding a LIZARD!

That is one thing I will not be sharing in with her seeing as how when I see a lizard I run the opposite way. 

Jason's delicious lemon pound cake that was shared with the family for Easter.

 The first time I've ever spent Easter apart from both my family & my church family. 

Something that was circulating the internet was the saying: "Churches are empty this Easter but, so was the tomb" which I thought was such a neat connection. 

This has served as such a tangible experience bringing about the truth that what happens in the world doesn't change what we know to be true about God and what He has done for us. 

 These two cuties in their Easter-themed attire.

And these two cuties taking an Easter selfie while wishing we could all be celebrating together. 

Oh, and more lemon desserts. 

Whoops! 

Papa Steve's belated birthday gift turned out better than I could have imagined! 

Contact Rafael for your own caricature here. He was so incredibly nice and easy to work with.

Our first family get together since quarantine started and it was to celebrated Dad's belated birthday combined with an early Mother's Day celebration. 

It was SO nice to get together with family and feel...normal. 

 We've gone on many, many walks and have seen some of the most beautiful skies. 

 And, I started keeping this little cutie. We've been hanging out for going on 5 weeks now and he's such a little cutie and growing so much. I feel like he changes every time I come over! 

The main thing I wanted to circle back to was how I ended my last quarantine post. 

I asked the question or more so, made the statement:

"Think about what God is trying to teach me and show me during this time, make the best of it."

and what has continually come to the forefront of my mind has been this word: rest. 

It's come up in my daily Bible reading, in my leisure reading ("Even Better Than Eden" by Nancy Guthrie), and in many conversations I've had with people about being quarantined and how we have basically been forced to slow day and take life one day at a time--moment by moment. It's something that has more so, become the norm and it has actually been neat seeing how it's being woven into our lives through a very unexpected, sometimes scary, and very unknown circumstance. 

I wanted to end by sharing a few excerpts from "Even Better Than Eden" from the chapter, "The Story of the Sabbath" because I felt like these words were ringing so, so incredibly true during this quarantine time and it helped me to refocus my thoughts and see this all in a different light. 

"The weekly Sabbath was intended to jog Israel's collective memory concerning God's sufficiency and supply in the past and his promise concerning the future. They were to remember his work of creation as well as his work of redemption."

"Sabbath keeping would set God's people apart as being so well taken care of by their God that they could take a day to rest. It would set them apart as a people who had something to look forward to: unending, all-encompassing rest in the presence of the one true God."

"In this way, they would be reminded of the better land God was preparing and the provision God was making for their rest. In this way, they would be regularly reminded that God would be faithful to preserve their inheritance, not merely in the Promised Land of Canaan, but in the ultimate promised land of the new heaven and the new earth, where they would experience ultimate and unending rest."

"Jesus made clear that the rest of God is not apprehended through our work but, through His. Our work now is to put our faith and trust in His work."

"Of course the greatest work Christ accomplished happened as he hung on a Roman cross. It didn't look very fruitful; it didn't look like he was subduing the earth; it didn't look like he was exercising dominion. It looked like his efforts were pointlesss, like he was being subdued, like the offspring of the Serpant had won. The One who had promised rest experienced on the cross, the greatest restlessness even known to man, the restlessness that you and I deserve to endure forever. There on the cross He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" It was the sixth day of the week when Christ cried to from the cross, "it is finished". The work was done. On the cross, Jesus accomplished his most fruitful work, the salvation of all who believe; he subdued the earth so that it shook in response. By cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands, nailing it to the cross, Jesus exercised dominion. Jesus was put into the tomb, and then there was a day of rest, a Sabbath. "Having worked himself to death, Jesus rested from his labors". Then came the first day of the week, the first day of the new creation, the day Jesus rose from the dead."

"We gather on The Lord's Day to remember creation and redemption as well as to anticipate the new creation. We are reminded that we are not yet at home with the Father; we're not yet walking with Him in the new garden where we will see him face-to-face. We experience a measure of rest as we are joined to Christ in His death and resurrection  but we know there is a better, fuller, final rest in our future. The reality of a greater rest to which this day is just a pointer, a reminder, an opportunity for reorientation."

I am choosing to rest in the certainty that God is faithful and that He has a purpose in this "quarantine life" that we're all navigating and I am choosing to stand firm on the foundation of knowing and believing that He loves me and He cares for me (and for you) and that we are promised rest from this weary world.