mamahall: 5 THINGS // around here lately

ONE // last weekend, i went to a nearby hotel for a few nights to be with 4 amazing women (friends!) to plan and pray about this little event we host once a year. God provided this opportunity and we took full advantage, talking late into the nights through all the details and decisions that we normally discuss over the course of several months. we drank a ton of coffee, ate yummy food, worked really hard, and did some serious team heart-bonding. it was special! i hope we can do that every year! shout-out thanks to our husbands and families for supporting us in this calling. (hey, by the way, are you going to Declare?)

TWO // i love monday and wednesday mornings because those are the mornings bubba (8) and i sit side by side in the office for hours: him doing his school work (4th grade!) and me catching up on email, seed co social media, and declare planning. every once in a while he'll ask for my help with a math problem or a new vocab word. every once in a while i have to remind him to stay focused, save the doodling for later. every once in a while he'll start humming and i'll find myself singing along. every once in a while we take a break to grab a snack (rice cake, grapes, biscotti, apple) and refill our water/coffee. i just love the hours that we spend in here together being productive.

THREE // my sweet girl (12) is ROCKING her first year in her new school (7th grade!). i am so proud of how well she has adapted from full time homeschooling to the UMS. her workload has increased tremendously, but she is keeping up and managing to make great grades. putting either of my kids in any kind of school had never been on my radar- i was always content with homeschooling full time all the way through 12th grade. but God keeps confirming in very personal ways that the decision to enroll her in this school at this time was right for her...and for us. *sigh*

FOUR // did i tell you about the book i contributed to? it's an actual book! with a hard cover! and it's for sale at bookstores and on Amazon! honestly, when (in)courage asked me to be a part of Craving Connection, i didn't realize how real it would be, so when the real book showed up in the mail with my name and my words inside, i thought i was being punk'd or something. but i wasn't. those are my words on those pages, my heart, shared with anyone who turns the pages. my chapter is about pursuing a deeper connection with God and seeking Him when times get tough - my personal experiences and encouragement for anyone needing His nearness. Craving Connection is a collection of real life stories and practical Scripture application for connecting with God and with friends. what an honor to be part of such a great project! it truly blessed me. (check out the book here)

FIVE // the other day in between songs during dance class (true blue dance crew cardio dance) we tossed around this random beachball that had questions written all over it like "what was the best gift you ever received?" "what is your guilty pleasure?" "what makes you smile?" and we took turns sharing our answers. so fun! when it was my turn, my hand landed on the question "what is one of your hobbies?" and i froze! i have hobbies! but what are they? shopping, yes. reading, yes. writing, yes. dancing, duh. exercising, yes. geeking out on essential oils, yes. watching Gilmore Girls, hobby? spending time with friends, is that a hobby? i was put on the spot and only had a second to give my answer so naturally i blurted out KARAOKE with all kinds of enthusiasm, which makes absolutely no sense because i have only done karaoke once in my entire life and that alone disqualifies it from being a hobby. *eyeroll, self* well anyway, it had me thinking about what my hobbies really are and that i need to have my answer ready in case i ever get asked that again. what are your hobbies?