Tuesday, May 19, 2026

I Want to Remember This: April 2026-mid May 2026

The past month and a half we have been busy living life here while also prepping things for our move this summer. Time is going really fast all of a sudden. We are mostly excited, but there is definitely moments of apprehension about all of the changes to come. The list of what we accomplished since my last post is pretty boring, but here it is:

1. Lots and lots of softball! My daughter played in four tournaments this spring. She had a great time, showed some character when her playing time wasn't quite what we expected, and improved and grew in confidence each weekend. Her grandparents were able to visit for one of the tournaments too. She is looking forward to her summer season starting soon. 

2. My plants grew like crazy! Between my daughter and me, we mostly kept them watered and healthy. Some of them we planted at our current house, and some of them we will keep to plant in our new house. As long as I can fit them in one car, I don't have too many, right?!? 

3. I did it! The thing that I couldn't do in March. I waited for a warm sunny day and sorted mementos, craft supplies, and homeschool things. I kept some things, threw some things away, and set some things aside to give away. I smiled and cried, felt regret and happiness, and then relief when the sorting task was done. 

4. We did a first pass through the house, packing up everything that wouldn't be used in the next month or so. It's annoying to live in a house with boxes along the walls and everything in a bit of disarray, but it feels good to really be started on the task of moving.

5. My husband got to visit our house in the beginning of the month. He built a wardrobe in our bedroom, prepared the garden, cleaned up the yard, and lots of other tasks to get the house ready for us after a long winter. 

6. My daughter and I finished her 9th grade year. She worked hard and grew a lot. I am excited to see what God has planned for her and me in the years ahead!

7. We sold some furniture and other things on Facebook marketplace that we won't be using in our new house. In the past when we have moved, we often didn't know what our next house would look like and knew that we wouldn't be staying long. This time we have had the house for two years and hope to stay for a very long time. It has given us the opportunity to only move and keep what will work well in our new place. We met a lot of nice people while selling our things and only encountered a couple of annoying people.

8. My daughter and I painted her bed frame and a dresser. It was really easy compared to the table I did last summer, until the top coat we put on caused the paint to crack! Thankfully we hadn't put the top coat on the bed frame yet and we had another dresser. Round two was a success. They turned out beautiful, and I think they will look really nice with the pine paneling in her new room. 

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17


I may have shivered and wore my winter coat
for most of the softball season, but that didn't
stop me from enjoying ice cream with the team
after some victories!

Field trip to the Home of Clara and Henry Ford

Field trip to Greenfield Village



My daughter's braces are off! Time for hard and sticky
treats!

The wardrobe my husband put together for us.



Monday, April 6, 2026

I Want to Remember This: March 2026

In March my husband got his military orders for his next assignment in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We knew they were coming, but it was so nice once the orders arrived and our move became official. My daughter and I spent some time Wisconsin with my family helping my mom make maple syrup and visiting with my brother and his family. We were supposed to be gone for five nights but ended up staying for seven because a blizzard dumped two feet of snow on us!

Here's what we were up to this month to get ready!

1. With orders in hand we were able to reserve a U-Haul, purchase some plane tickets for move-related travel, and start planning out lodging for June and July when we will be back and forth between locations. 

2. I tried to clean out my craft closet and an overflowing bin of keepsakes. I failed. I got all nostalgic, wanting to keep everything, and barely had a plastic shopping bag of things to throw and give away when was I done. I am going to have to try again another day when I am in a different mood. I know it is OK to keep things, but I also know that I rarely if ever regret getting rid of things that I am just keeping piled up in the basement. 

3. My daughter and I grew our plant collection! I think I am most excited about having my own space to garden. I might be going a bit overboard when I consider that my house in the UP is still covered with feet of snow. 

4. The majority of my time is still focused on homeschool, supporting my husband in his job here, dog walks, softball practices, and getting ready for Easter. April will bring more of the same, but I also have plans to start boxing things up! And trying again with sorting through the craft closet...

Cooking down syrup!

My daughter loves helping care for my parents' animals.

That's a lot of snow!

Dog walks!

Homeschool science. These beans have been 
in my pantry for years!

Overflowing plants!

My neighbor in the UP sent us this photo of the road in front of 
our house on March 19th. Our driveway is supposed to be through
that wall of snow!

My daughter and I have slowly been adding to 
our Easter decorations over the years!