Handholding-versary and Quiet Faithfulness

We celebrated our 36th handholding-versary quietly, with chili and a viewing of "Hunt for Red October", while reminiscing about God's faithfulness in our relationship.

The seedlings began to flourish as we prepared for the plant sale and our summer garden. I'm learning so much every year as we try new things in an attempt to steward our resources well.

The tent caterpillars also showed up. This time in the laundry basket as I hung clothes to dry. They are fascinating and intricate creatures! According to Wikipedia:

"Tent caterpillars hatch from their eggs in the early spring at the time the leaves of their host trees are just unfolding. The caterpillars establish their tent soon after they hatch. The tent is constructed at a site that intercepts the early morning sun. The position of the tent is critical because the caterpillars must bask in the sun to elevate their temperatures above the cool ambient temperatures that occur in the early spring. Studies have shown that when the body temperature of a caterpillar is less than about 15 °C (59 °F), digestion cannot occur. The tent consists of discrete layers of silk separated by gaps and the temperature in these compartments varies markedly. Caterpillars can adjust their body temperatures by moving from one compartment to another. On cool mornings they typically rest in a tight aggregate just under a sunlit surface of the tent. It is not uncommon to find that the temperature of the aggregate is as much as 30 °C (86 °F) warmer than the surrounding air temperature on cold but sunny spring mornings. Later on in the spring, temperatures may become excessive at midday and the caterpillars may retreat to the shaded outside surface of the tent to cool down."

 

Baby Shower

At the end of March, we drove up to Northwest Arkansas for Olivia's baby shower. In preparation for an upcoming Suzuki workshop, I've started reading "Nurtured by Love" by Shinichi Suzuki. The more I delve into this approach to teaching music, the more I love it.

One of my favorite people in that corner of the state is Bree. She generously carved out some time for an early morning walk and let me push the stroller with her sweet little one. Sweet fellowship while moving our bodies was exactly right!

Connor's aunt hosted a baby shower for Alice. Sarah sent an adorable dress from the Solomon Islands, which surprised Olivia and made all of us tear up.

This stage with our young adults means that many of their friends (and we count them as our adopted kids!) are also getting married and having children, and we got to spend a little bit of time with Elisa and her growing belly. These two friends are due within days of each other!

Road trips always mean stopping for coffee along the way, but finding a shop that consistently delivers when I ask for "extra hot" proves challenging. Diamond Drip Coffee provided delicious coffee, big smiles, and the perfect temperature when I asked for 190 degrees!

 

Spring Break in Kansas City, Part 2

Aaron and I tend to be "early to bed, early to rise", unlike our young adults. So while the rest of the house slept, we snuck out to explore Swope Park.

The weather was absolutely perfect for a hike! We just kept on going and going, until the rest of the family started texting us and asking when we were coming back :-) We might have taken a turn we didn't intend to take! But this trail system is lovely, and I hope to go back again the next time we are in Kansas City.

A build-your-own breakfast burrito bar was waiting for us when we returned to the house, including Shaky K farm's famous candied jalapeños. 

We spent the day playing games (with an extra adopted kid) and laughing a lot.

When the time zones aligned, we enjoyed a video call with Sarah, who was 17 hours ahead of us.

We sampled one of Benjamin and Hannah's favorite coffee shops downtown, 

attended church together,

took Percy (the best dog ever) on a long walk in the historical Cave Spring Park,

and took a tour of UMKC where Benjamin is working towards his MFA.

Spring Break in Kansas City, Part 1

With our young adults spread all over the world, we have to be intentional about spending time together. Spring Break offered the perfect opportunity to gather in Kansas City with Benjamin and Hannah.

I no longer ride in a vehicle very well, so we stop often to stretch our legs. The George Washington Carver National Monument provided a fascinating and educational pause on our roadtrip.

We had no idea what to expect at the park, but we were pleasantly surprised by all of the new-to-us information about all of the incredible things he accomplished.

A trail wound through the area where George grew up, and his quotes were scattered along the path. In our homeschool journey, we read books like "A Weed is a Flower" by Aliki, but in the bookstore we discovered a new, beautifully illustrated book, "The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver".

The exhibit also focused on Carver's walk with the Lord, which was new information to us!

 

Spring and Bird's Nests

 I borrowed my favorite two- and four-year-old siblings to celebrate Spring with bird's nest cookies and some beautiful picture books.

Bird Builds a Nest: A First Science Storybook by Martin Jenkins

Cradles in the Trees: The Story of Bird Nests by Patricia Brennan Demuth

Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? by Rita Gray

Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest: Where Birds Begin by Irene Kelly

Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward

My Spring Robin by Anne Rockwell

Exploring God's creation and learning together has never been so delicious!

Adventure Buddy

Katherine and I gratefully picked up Aaron from the airport on a Thursday morning, and by Saturday he was ready to join me on another adventure.

We have wanted to visit the Oark General Store and Cafe for a long time, and this was the weekend! The weather was beautiful, and the hamburgers were worth the wait.

Since we visited on March 14, also known as Pi Day, we also had to try a piece of their famous pie!

After we fueled our bodies, we hit the Ozark Highlands Trail to hike to Train Trestle Falls.

We had so much fun exploring the area and imagining when a train could actually drive over this beautiful waterfall. 

Super thankful to have my adventure buddy back again!

March in Arkansas

While Aaron finished his time in the Solomon Islands, Katherine and I walked to our nearest poll

and placed our votes in the election. This was her first time to vote!

The bulbs continued to make our lives more beautiful,

local farmers continued to nurture us,

and school continued to march quickly toward the finish line for our last young adult.

Spring Sabbath

"We are to garden creation as lovers of God and neighbor. That call to garden includes the gardening of our bodies and the cultivation of the world as a whole.

This means that at heart, all of our work is to cultivate the earth for the sake of love, not for the sake of our name. 

But that implies we're supposed to respect our God-given limits in the process, not ignore them."

~Justin Whitmel Early, "The Body Teaches the Soul"

 

March Health Update

As March rolled around, that signaled my next round of scans and bloodwork.

When I went in for my weekly volunteer slot at CARTI, I also had my CT scan scheduled. The technician was thoughtful enough to give me a bandage that matched my dress! Everything continues to look good, and I don't have to go back again until June.

March in the Solomon Islands

After SITAG's Conference, Aaron made a trip out to Marulaon to work with the translation team.

With Starlink in place, we can now stay in touch with phone calls and emails, which feels wild. 

We're so grateful for the donor who provided the system of communication.

Aaron kept sending me beautiful pictures, like this one of a sunrise from our porch in the village.

And this one, of our friends sending him off from the beach.

And this one, as he rode in the motor boat back to Honiara.

One of the bonuses of his trips back? He gets to interact with our incredible and faithful colleagues.

Our favorite colleague, Sarah, dropped him at the airport to begin his long journey home.

Finishing February

With Aaron overseas, Katherine and I busied ourselves with all sorts of good things. 

We pruned the crape myrtles,

watched the first signs of Spring as the peonies began popping,

began to anticipate Alice's arrival,

reveled in the fragrant flowers that filled our yard,

rejoiced in the opportunity to serve as the attendance mom for the youth symphony,

found whole fish at an Asian market and recreated a favorite recipe,

hit the gym together,

and taught lots of cello lessons to some amazing students.