I am usually better about blogging. I like to post glimpses into our life every week or two as my way of documenting the on-going story of our daily family life. I'm not sure why blogging has taken a back seat to my other 'free-time' activities, but almost a month has gone by since my last blog posts. It's been a month of ups and downs as so much about this unprecedented Covid pandemic time has been. We have enjoyed fun family activities and met for 3 very positive parent-teacher conferences and finally celebrated Adelie's very belated birthday and watched Staley's excitement about being chosen for the News Team at school and started 'family church' with my family and enjoyed some beautiful fall weather. On the other hand, we have continued to face uncertainty in decisions. We have walked alongside a neighbor as she placed her husband in the nursing home and experienced the tragedy of the sudden loss of a member of our previous small group. There is still illness and division and isolation and so much brokenness, not just in our nation, but in our own community. Some days it is hard to focus on the positives in our home when there are so many hardships in the world outside. But each day gives me a new opportunity to focus on God's blessings and goodness, even in the midst of uncertainty. And family remains a daily blessing that I am forever thankful for.
We tried out disc golf with the kids on one beautiful fall weekend. They all enjoyed it and stuck with it longer than I thought they might.
Staley had a few friends over for an outdoor fall get-together.
They played outside and talked and giggled and enjoyed some s'mores over a campfire.
Since Dava and Briggs are both doing half-day Kindergarten, they've enjoyed quite a few after school play dates. I worry about the weather getting colder as our limiting our kids to outside play dates with friends might get a little trickier once winter approaches.
Adelie enjoyed going to a friend's house for a weiner roast and hayrack ride. Although all 3 kids have had opportunities for social time with friends, it is definitely more limited than in the past. Thankfully they enjoy playing together. And when all else fails, they can just make new friends.
We have still filled most of our free time at home together as a family. Lots of reading. Lots of playing. Lots of crafts. Some reluctant homework completion.
Family movie night has also become a weekly week-end tradition. We have definitely been enjoying Disney+ streaming service.
Being able to enjoy the outdoor fall weather has definitely helped.
This season of Covid can be trying. It can be sad. It can be uncertain. It can make me lose focus on the blessings that surround me. It's not always pretty, but we are hanging in there.
