Category: Ethos
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Patchwork
Often the very best traditions are the ones that manifest organically; that simply spring forth year after year, nearly forgotten, like daffodil bulbs. I’d wager my kids actually prefer customs that require less micro-management, lest the fabricated memory-making render Mother an anxious, worn-out cruise director and squelch their fun. For decades my family’s visited Vince Woods’ humble…
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Lifesavers
The following are ten random, tangible blessings that are keeping me afloat lately; though this list is certainly not exhaustive… 1. Two words: Creamer frother. The most unassuming little gizmo arrived alongside my Nespresso machine and I almost dismissed the saintly ditty upon unboxing; but thank you, Jesus! I didn’t because it elevates plain ol’…
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Fall Y’all
We’re having an unseasonably warm and wonderous fall. A born and bred Oregonian, I actually adore romantic, gloomy gray days sprinkled with intermittent rain-showers, but even the most passionate pluviophile can appreciate temperate blue skies and organic vitamin D pro bono. We recently gathered chestnuts from a local park, one of our fave fall pastimes.…
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Seasonal Introversion, Social Atrophy, & Living in Community
This week’s been bananas, but my extroverted heart is full to overflowing. To say nothing of homeschool, real-estate work, and juggling the kids’ own burgeoning social calendars, I’ve had a full week: Monday I had lunch with a girlfriend, followed by an afternoon pedicure with my sister-in-law. Tuesday I lunched with another sister, then met two…
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The Neverending Story (a fixer-upper update)
A quick update on our fixer-upper because, no, we’re not done with the remodel yet. I’m not complaining– we’re chipping away at projects as our schedule and finances allow, refusing to go into debt (or the mental asylum) over this renovation. via GIPHY Instead, God’s forever teaching us patience, and we’re continually shuffling the master honey-do…
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No Hands but Ours: Attachment Through the Years
Recently, online champions of adoption No Hands But Ours featured our story as it pertains to: Attachment Through the Years. Check it out here, alongside similar stories, or read on… It’s been four and a half years since we first met our son in China. Sometimes that feels like a split-second ago… I freshly recall the nervous,…
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For Gramps
I hit the Grandpa jackpot. My grandfather’s an honest, patient, even-keeled man. A stoic, hard-working son of Depression-era farmers, he’s the unwavering, unglitzy foundation of my extended family. throwbacks It’s a shame I’m pretty much his opposite, the only traits apparently passed down prescribe my blue eyes, hairy arms, and love of a bargain. Still, I’m grateful…
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The Ministry of Ordinary Places (book review)
What to Read Wednesday in the house! I’m pressing pause on the back-to-school frenzy for a hot minute to share yet another incredible new book: The Ministry of Ordinary Places. Author Shannan Martin is an ordinary gal– an ordinary gal with an extraordinary grip on being real, being present, and being a good (literal & metaphorical) neighbor. Neighboring…