Hello Again!!!

Hello Strangers! Anybody still out there?? ;-) 

I find myself back here after nearly three years have passed!!! I honestly thought I may never have another moment to spare for writing, but over the last few months my heart keeps yearning to be back in this space in some capacity.  

I haven't read or followed a blog in years. My leisure time online has been on Instagram as a busy mom who feels like I don't have much time to read a beautiful blog and enjoy it's contents--much less write one-- so I've chosen IG to be able to jump on for like 3-5 minutes at a time. But I've missed this!

Above is the latest snapshot picture of my family taken just a few days ago on Resurrection Sunday (Easter) at one of our favorite restaurants in the area, Patti's 1800's Settlement. We just enjoyed a delicious dinner with my family, and posed by their water wheel. As you can see, the children have grown like little weeds!

Our baby, Rosemary Grace, whom I last wrote about on here is all of three years old now! 

 

She's truly as beautiful and even more precious in real life as she appears! This girl was born with a heart of gold that overflows with affection and love!  We bonded instantly after we adopted her at birth!  There was actually no transition period with her, and I held her for the first 6 months of her life just being in awe of the miracle she is. She is currently at a very mischievous stage which has kept me on my toes, on my knees (in prayer), and in the rocking chair as she is a cuddly koala who loves to hear her mama sing! And at the sink continually washing her off from her messes...(girlie loves sneaking chocolate and getting it everywhere!)

My older kids, Jayden and Kylie are 11 and 10 years old! Babies don't keep, as they say, and they have become amazing big siblings to their little sister that Kylie basically prayed into our family! Kylie was always the little sister and now she is very much the big sister who is a great help to me.

Some big changes over the last three years include moving houses.  We are finally in the one we plan on staying in for a long while -- 

-- Hallelujah! --

-- thankfully as this is our ninth home since being married for almost 17 years. There was a time we were moving on average about every 20 months or so, and we were very ready to get rooted and established. We absolutely love our home and neighborhood and we believe the Lord gave us this home, which is another story in itself.

We are now a homeschooling family!  That is something I never in a million years thought I would be saying, even just a couple years ago. We made this huge decision not because of the virus, but the virus made it a great year to begin. This was a call from the Lord!  We knew He called our family to this, which is the best reason we should do anything! The Lord had been leading my husband and I down the path of discussing and praying over homeschooling a few months before it was confirmed in our hearts, this is what our family needs right now!  This is a very personal decision and we are seeing some fruit come out of it. It hasn't been "easy," although most things that are growing good fruit don't come easy.

I say we are homeschooling "right now," because we pray every year about what we should do regarding school. I won't get into details now, but it has been a unique blessing in many ways that I didn't foresee a few years ago, and it's been one of the biggest challenges of my motherhood journey as well. As long as God gives me the grace to do it, I can and will with success; although many days I feel like it's by His grace alone! To begin homeschooling, all the while training a 2/3 year old, has been a learning curve for us all. I do hope some fruits of the spirit are being sown and watered in the process. In fact, I know they are!!

I don't have time to catch up entirely, but I wanted to come and share, and just see where this goes! 

My heart is for Jesus now more than ever, and to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone I can  so, as always, my posts will be laced with scripture and testimonies of the Lord! 

I'll share on family, motherhood, gardening and of course recipes and food abounding, for that's how this blog began in 2009! I would love to talk a bit here and there more about specifics on topics such as marriage, adoption, homemaking, and what it looks like to walk with Jesus in the midst of trials. (Who doesn't need that after the year the world has experienced in 2020/21??)

I know blogs are a dime a dozen, and there are many, many more that will look more professional and beautiful and eloquent, and I so appreciate them! Here, you will continue to see bits and pieces of the simple but abundant life the Lord has given me, what He is doing in my life, what I'm learning, what He is speaking to me about and what I'm cooking in the midst of it all!  

This will be a bit more of an intimate space than my social media accounts. I feel sometimes my words overflow there, so I've decided to move the majority of my thoughts and recipes of length into this space, like a home for myself online! I've made some sweet friends around the world from here!

If you love Jesus or you want to know even a bit more about Him or if you just love some grounded conversation-- I invite you into my Cozy Little Kitchen once again. 

Don't forget your hot tea or coffee or cozy cocoa because I can promise you I'm not writing without a warm sipper in hand!

So good to chat with you again!!! xo