Epic Adventure

2017 is going to be a year of epic adventure.

And I'm not buckling my seat belt for this.

No. I am standing with my head out the sun roof,
arms spread open wide, Dara Maclean blaring on the radio (( PUSH PLAY ))....


....and I am smile-screaming into the wind!!!!!!
Obviously, this is all beautiful imagery *wink*
and I STRONGLY support the use of seat belts while operating a vehicle.
For the past 3 years now I have spoken a "word" or two over my life -- trying to harness
a vision for myself and family. Something to latch on to. Something to inspire, drive, carry me....

And this year: EPIC ADVENTURE, my friends.

EPIC.

Last January I decided to "try" working for Young Living.
That felt safe. I'll "try". I'll "see what happens".

I was totally that person who thought that one in a million people win at network marketing.
I thought it takes a special person. Super human abilities. Luck. The right company. The right timing.
Etc. Etc. Etc.

You want to know what I learned?

I learned that NONE of that is true!

I learned that this works if you work it.
I learned that like any other job, if you show up, invest, learn, grow -- it moves you.

Judah recently told my husband that his favorite truck is a Fedex truck. HA!
When Nathan asked him why, he said, "Because it delivered this super cool blue case
filled with lots of oils that smell aaaaaaaamazing!!!!" Staaaahp. How cute.

It was a THANK YOU gift from Young Living for leading my community!!!!
And I'm like.... floored, humbled, grateful. What the heck?! Best. Job. Ever.

You know when I finished college with my bright shiny double-major degree, I had stars in my eyes.
I wanted to do BIG THINGS. Don't we all?

Then one baby after the next, I found myself doing a lot of LITTLE things in the secret, quiet of my
home. I'm talking about the little things that are bigger than life, ya know? The changing of the diapers,
rocking, holding, bathing, living in the trenches of newborn motherhood.

And I thought, "Did. God. forget. me?!?!?! Does He not see my resume!??!"

I tried to do MORE. I kid you not, I was rejected when I applied for nursing home ministry
in the suburbs (because I had a baby that I wanted to bring). I was told "we don't need anyone"
when I contacted my church to see if I could help with children's faith formation. I joined a
mom's group, only to find out that I could barely attend because my child HATED the nursery
and I felt no peace the entire time.

I remember telling Nathan, "I know this is God's good will, but it's HARD."
It's hard to be still when your whole personality and body is wired for adventure, you guys!

Moms, you hear me?! It is HARD. And I see you!!!! And I am cheering you on!!!!

As I was praying and thinking over this new year, I started to cry.... aaaaand I'm crying again....

I told Nathan, I feel like after 7 years (such a good number!),
God is ushering me into a new season of my life; a new phase of the journey!

ALL THE DESIRES OF MY HEART. IN HIS PERFECT TIMING.
I have gotten to see, experience, live so much good!!!!!

And now? Here's looking at you, 2017!

I am excited to be a daughter of a good, good Father and the wife to an amazing man of the Kingdom.
I am excited to be home with my kids: homeschooling, gardening, doing community with our people.
I am excited to be working for Young Living: sharing, loving, leading people into health and wellness.

You guys, PINCH ME!!!

The fact that I get to spend every day doing the things I love best?

I'm ready for this EPIC ADVENTURE... and I want to take you with me!!!!
I have endless seats on my bus. With dozens of sun roofs and enough speakers
to carry the good vibes all the way to the back!!! Whatever you need.

I'm your girl.

The Gift of Business from Brittany Vail on Vimeo.

****I want to close with this last bit, because I think it's important and if it can change your life,
your story or situation -- I WANT THAT. I am voting all over that! This Young Living business has
rocked my world. My health. My spirituality. It has pulled YUCK out of my heart and changed me.

And then there is the money. Because this is a job (SEE INCOME DISCLOSURE).
And if $500, $2000, $144,000 a MONTH -- whatever YOUR number is -- could make a difference --
let's do this thing.

And together, NOT ALONE (I lead a TEAM, my friends!!!),
we ARE making this a year of growth, grace and....


EPIC ADVENTURE!!!!

Miscarriage

I woke up to Nathan kissing me on the forehead, "Hey, I am leaving for work."
I was so sleepy; had been falling asleep on the couch after dinner every night for two weeks.
"Something is seriously wrong with me?!" I joked.

That morning I grabbed a pregnancy test (because I keep stock - you're welcome Dollar Tree!) and
peed in a cup. Three drops later I walked out of the bathroom and thought, "I can't look at the answer
without Nathan!!!!" So I gently slid the stick into an envelope and set it on our bedroom dresser.

I know I know -- I've had the determination and will power of a two year old refusing nap time for
as long as I can remember. Ha. I did NOT peek. That afternoon I slipped the envelope into my purse
and drove to church where we were meeting as a family for Mass: feast of the Immaculate Conception.

We sang the last hymn and I looked over at Nathan who was shocked to find out that I had actually
brought the pregnancy test to Mass. SURPRISE!!! I opened the envelope and at first didn't see the
second line... and then I looked again, "Oh my gosh, BABE! There are TWO lines!!!"

To which we both immediately questioned the QUALITY of a pregnancy test that had been taken
hours and hours prior to reading the results. We both agreed that it was anti-climatic
and went out for tacos. Lol.

But in the back of my mind I knew it had to be right.
I don't typically crave deli turkey, Lucky Charms, pop tarts and oranges!!!


I waited 3 more days and checked again. Definitely POSITIVE.
Checked the next day too, because I'm a skeptic and was in total HAPPY shock!!!
THREE positive tests. My fourth pregnancy. "I'll call the doctor when I hit eight weeks or soooo..."

We were excited and planning a way to tell our kids and family for Christmas!!!

A week later, somewhere between 4/5 weeks, it began.
I went to bed in peace thinking the spotting was just a fluke. Not a big deal.

But I woke up the next morning, December 16th, and realized it wasn't going to stop.

Shaking, I texted my sister. Not sure what to do. "I feel sick," I whispered over the phone
to Nathan. That day my doctor sent me in to run labs -- but I could feel that something had changed.

Like a light had gone out?

I threw on a hoodie with half blow-dried hair and put the kids in the van. As I was backing out
of the driveway I noticed that my neighbor's parents were parked in front of my house. The mom was
crying in the passenger's seat and dabbing her eyes with tissues as the dad unloaded flowers from
their own daughter's funeral. Another child taken before a parent. Never enough time.
Life passes so quickly.

I cried as a I drove away. My heart hurt for them and for us. I knew.

My labs came back the next day. The numbers were there.
Definitely pregnant. But low. Definitely losing life.

And that's when about twelve different emotions go through your body at the same time,
and you're not really sure which one to latch on to... ?! The lies. Oh the lies.

"You're broken. You failed. You did something wrong.
God doesn't love you. He doesn't want you to be happy. Etc etc etc..."

I thought I had no right to be sad. I know others who have lost "older" babies --
"harder" situations -- "greater" suffering. I have three living, healthy, beautiful children.
I have friends who can't conceive at all. Be tough. Be brave. You're fine. Get over it.

I felt empty, disappointed, sad; in shock really. Then tears. Waves of tears coming and going
as powerful and as quickly as life given and taken away again.

But somewhere in the midst of all of that, God came down and rescued me. And His peace and grace
that surpasses all understanding rushed and filled and changed my heart, and I found the courage
to speak OUT LOUD the truths against those lies....

the truth that God sees us all separately in our suffering and that there is no measure for His
compassion and mercy that He pours out on me or you or anyone else. It just is. It's perfect.
And exactly what each of us needs in the time it is given.

FREEDOM!!!!!! Friends!!!! What darkness was sent to lie and bind me, to hold my heart hostage,
was broken by the fierce and magnificent LIGHT of the truth our God brings. He is the Dawn and
I am standing in that warmth with arms open wide delivering our dear Glory baby....

into eternal life!!!!!
She opens her eyes to meet Jesus.

Forever in our hearts.
You are part of our story, little Glory.
We love you and will see you in paradise!!!!



+++++++++++++++++++++++++

I want to say THANK YOU to all those who have called, sent messages and flowers, or who
have helped with our children. THANK YOU for the real life and virtual hugs. THANK YOU for
loving me and our family and for walking this journey to heaven with us. You know who you are!

It is beautiful. We are blessed. XO.

Present in the Pace

I feel like the best days of my life are fleeting before my eyes.
I'm trying real hard not to blink, but nothing stops the draining of the hours,
the days, weeks... turn into years and before I know it I will be telling all the
young mothers, "Enjoy it while it lasts."

On one hand, I'm like SLOW DOWN, bottle up all the memories, relish every moment,
capture all the scenes -- burn them on the hard drive of my heart, never forget.
And then on the hand, I'm like CAN THIS DAY GO ANY FASTER?!??! When you've got
toddler meltdown city on your hands, a to-do list a mile high, nothing but frozen
pizza for dinner... lunch... and breakfast. The complete parody of parenthood.

Life often feels more like the tango than a waltz.

Moving. Steady. Abruptly changing.
Wild. Intimate. Serious. Exciting. Abruptly changing.
Sippy cups. Tired eyes. Rinse. Wipe. Repeat. Abruptly changing.

Oh wait, that's not the tango, but my liiiiiife!

Last week I walked into my counselor's office; four walls, 100 sq feet of safe space.
God has done some crazy work on me in that place over the past two years.
Letting me yell, cry, laugh it all out.... process all the things.

"What's your pace like?" he challenged.

"Fast, messy, busy. You know, normal?" I self-soothingly shot back.

"At the end of the day, did you taste ANYTHING?" he pressed.

"Sometimes I catch it. Often, it's survive or die mode!"

silence.
MORE SILENCE.

Inner monologue: OMG how does he read my soul?!?!?!?!?!?

"Man. I need to work on being PRESENT in the pace."
Yes. Yes, be present in the pace.

The very next day, for real, I opened the mail box to find a package shipped from Washington.
A gift from a social media kindred spirit -- one with the most beautiful eye for
colors, movement.... you can't make this stuff up!



I burst into tears standing in my kitchen.

Be present in the pace.

I don't think it's just motherhood or parenthood in general - but many of us find ourselves
swimming hard in the big, loud ocean of life; barely tasting our days for fear of drowning in the process.

I know the song is like eight million minutes long, but this part right here >>>

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

It's never going to stop; the waves, the rush.
The pace is set, but I get to decide how present I am in the journey out into the deep.
And that is beautifully consoling. That even when I am up rocking the baby at 2AM
or hustling in my work; when I am cleaning up the kitchen for the thousandth time;
washing, wiping, putting away all the things....

I will have tasted.

Because I have been present in the pace.
Walking on those waves.




artwork c/o the talented Kendra Castillo
check her out on facebook | instagram

Have Mercy

I just want you all to know that I am perfect. In case there was any confusion. Just open the dictionary to perfection and there won't even be a definition. Just my face.

THAT IS A JOKE.

Ok for real, life has its highs and lows. One minute I feel like a freakin' rock star and the next I am the hottest mess you've ever seen. And when I say "hottest", I am not talking about Miss America status. I'm talking knee deep in crazy town, people.

But if there is one thing I am learning in this season of my life is that GRACE upon GRACE upon GRACE is absolutely required and zero-negotiable. It literally takes an act of the will for me -- to pep talk myself into CHOOSING to have mercy on myself, my husband, my kids, my to-do list, my business, my housework, my homeschool plans. It helps if I imagine Uncle Jesse saying it to me, "Haaave mercy." Then I forget my name, what I was doing....

image credit
...seeeeeee!? Everything is all better. Lol. Just kidding, Nathan.

Last week I thought I had a babysitter for the kids for my annual appointment to the OB-GYN. But no, that fell through and I was hauling three children into the doctor's office like a boss -- tossing out snacks and taking names of any ruffians. AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER, the doc finally comes in and my kids latch onto him: FRESH MEAT.

I immediately throw out a disclaimer,
"Well, everyone WAS being well-behaved.... up until about an hour ago?!"

He says, "It's ok, we will do this quickly so you can be on your way!"

Quickly?

Nothing should be happening "quickly" in regards to this appointment.
If you know what I mean.

All my kids are waiting with the receptionist and I can hear Bella's voice growing in panic...
"Momma? MOMMA! MOOOOOOMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!"


I should have just waited until the next time I get pregnant. That's totally a thing right?! Skipping annuals and just waiting for the next kid to check out the whole sha-bang? Sigh. I can't wait to grow up and just know these things.

As I am hauling my crew out of the exam room, the receptionist asks me,
"Should I put you down for a year from now?"

Seriously? #holdme

So we load in the van and head to the grocery store. Because that's the smartest thing to do after spending close to two hours in a gyno's office with three children under the age of six and having your cervix poked at with a "Mom, his Qtips are the biggest ones I have ever seen!"

Flash forward. Halfway down the interstate, with Chicago traffic cruising at an easy 80-90mph -- switching lanes and skipping blinkers like it's their JOB-- I feel the gas pedal pressure change and we start losing speed.

My heart is racing, but the Holy Spirit came down and literally cleared a path for us to crawl across three lanes... and as I barely make it to the curb every light on the front panel goes on and I realize I am BEYOND BELOW EMPTY. Out of gas. How does this happen to me?!

I call my husband who is an easy 90 miles from my location at this point. No answer. I call my dad. He's out of state. Call Nathan again. No answer. John Stamos?! Jk. It's hot outside and the AC doesn't work without gasoline and I am seriously thinking, "We could easily be side swiped in this crazy traffic."

And my kids are like, "SIDESWIPE?!?!?! Like the Transformer?!?!?"

I call a friend who is the nearest to my location. No answer.

Welcome to your new home, kids. The interstate. No joke, they thought it was an amazing adventure and not one of them moaned or complained a peep. I, on the other hand, fought back tears for over an hour.... waiting on my friend's husband (she ended up texting me!!!) to save me.

I tried to pay him. But he told me to read my kids the story of the Good Samaritan as a bedtime story and that he was happy to be able to serve me and Christ today.

WHAT?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?

You guys, we have been blessed with the best of friends.

I'm telling my husband this -- literally shaking my head,
"WHY is God crushing me with so much grace lately?"

My friend and her husband and Jesus.... had mercy and grace for me and I'm literally standing on the side of the road beating myself up.

I got back in my vehicle and made the decision in that moment to take the boxing gloves off. To just receive the moments rather than come at them swinging. Because even when it feels like everything in the world is out to get me -- there is a GOOD, GOOD Father who is standing between all of that for me if I would just open my eyes and take in the grace.

And HE is perfect.


And because I am NOT, this little note now hangs from my rearview mirror.
It's a good question on all levels. Don't you agree?!

Homeschooling My Kids Ruined My Life

I have thought all along that because this is how I grew up, that this is what my family did, that being
a second generation homeschooler would make me happy. It makes sense; it's part of my identity,
my ethos. I am one of twenty-one grandchildren on my mother's side, and all of us were homeschooled.

This is what we do.

We ordered all the books and went through all the motions this year. Counting, rhyming, memorizing,
sounding out words -- starting over -- crying, laughing, reading good stories and drinking warm tea.

We explored the world around us more than the books on our shelves; making notes and coloring in the
details of the magic found in nature, free play and being little. We collected all the treasures to
keep in our pockets, mason jars and hearts.

Instead of the routine I had envisioned, it was raw and unpredictable. I had goals for me and
my children; milestones and achievements I wanted to hang on the wall. Not for accolades of course,
but just for me to know, "Hey, we did that" --

some came easy, some came hard, and some didn't come at all.

There were days I tried to stuff our school into this box of expectations and elaborations;
doing all the things that I thought we must be doing to be a real school --

beating myself up at the dinner table, "He didn't get it. We had to start over. I'm doing something wrong." I'd throw my hands in the air, go to sleep and wake up to start all over again. Is this it?
Is this what I am going to spend the next 25+ years of my life doing? Schooling children in my bathrobe
and messy bun with a barely warm cup of coffee in hand?!!!!

And believe it or not, somewhere in the middle of all that, I think I found myself?

Somewhere between singing math facts for peanut butter cups and snuggling on the couch
to devour Magic Tree House books -- somewhere between wiping finger paints off the walls
and scraping play doh out of my carpet --

I realized that homeschooling my kids had ruined my life in the best way.

It had changed me and made me a better person and mama. Nudging me, sometimes ruffling my feathers,
straight out of my comfort zone and into this new place where I am being transformed...

learning to "let it go" and just plain have more grace on myself and my children --
being ok to forget perfection and just do what's perfect "for us".

It has made me little and curious again. With a thirst to explore, go outside, get messy.
I want to BE IN IT with them -- the world brand new all over again!!!

I didn't see it coming. The gift to be had in the ebb and flow of teaching and learning
with my children. What a gift.

Childrenisms

I do some pretty awesome things when my husband is working all day. *pats self on back*
Recently, I managed to rearrange all of our living room furniture -- which included shoving
a very hefty loveseat down our hallway and into our master bedroom. When he finally got home
to the "surprise", I equated the whole moving the couch into the master bedroom scenario to

"giving birth".

I told him, "You must LOVE it! I birthed that couch for us!" Lol.

Disturbing imagery, I know. But I think it highlights the creative labor I put forth
to make my our interior design dreams come true.

Anyway, what I really want to talk about is my children. I did truly birth them.
Do you know the other day while I was shopping at Whole Foods (because this would only happen at
Whole Foods) a very energetic, normal-looking woman chased me down the aisle waving and smiling....

Stranger: "Yoohoo! You have two boys and a girl!
You MUST tell me what you DID to get a girl!"

And I'm thinking, clearly she knows 'what to do'.

But no, this lady wants legitimate tips on conceiving a girl. Like down to vaginal pH
and ovulation theories. And I'm just here for fermented pickles, not a fertility lesson!

This "stranger" was suddenly becoming my new BFF. I mean I don't just talk about mucus patterns
with anyone. Oh my gosh this REALLY happened. But then she just said, "We have the three boys,
and I just don't know if I can do one more pregnancy... and not get a girl!"

To which I consoled her with really not consoling news at all, "Well, I really hope we can
have a few more! They are just awesome -- no matter what!!!"

Her whole face changed. But not in a bad way. She THANKED me.

Stranger now BFF: "It's so relieving to hear you say that! I don't want to feel
alone in this! And I think big families are great!

And I'm just standing there like, "What just happened?!"
I hope you name your child, Brittany Awesome, dear lady. Ha.
#cultureoflife #missionwhereyoustand


But I concur.

Big families are awesome, and I just love doing life with these people God gave me --
they make everything so fun...ny.


Me: "How did you get so good at drawing dinosaurs?"
Judah: "Well, I waited 100 years... and then I could just do it!"
Me: "But you're only 4 years old."
Judah: "Well, ok so 4 years..."
Me: "Gotcha."


Isaiah: "Mom, are you making dinner or eating cookies again?"
Me:

Isaiah: "Mom, how much do pets cost?"
Me: "Well, it depends on what you want to buy. Like a pet fish would cost about $3."
Isaiah: "I was thinking T-REX."
Me: "Buddy, dinosaurs are not alive anymore."
Isaiah: "What! Are you kidding me?"


Me: "How many pieces of candy did you eat?"
Judah: "ONE!"
Me: "Then why are there NINE wrappers in your bedroom?"
Isaiah: "Well, we EACH had one."
Me: "Well, there's only TWO of you!"
Isaiah:
Judah:

Judah: "I love you!"
Me: "YEA?! Why do you love me?"
Judah: "Because you're a good cooker and picker upper. You also know a lot about oils."


Me: "Why do we eat vegetables?"
Judah: "I only eat carrots."
Isaiah: "OOH OOH OH!! So we are not constipated!!!!"
Judah: "That is not right."

Me: "You guys, please be quiet, I am tutoring Anna."
Isaiah: "Toot-er."
Judah: "YEA! Toot!"
Both: "TOOTER ANNA!!!!!"
#minions


Judah: "What can we call this hammer?"
Me: "Knuckle Sandwich?"
Judah: "How about AWESOME? Rock Star? Or Punk?"
Me: "Whaaaaa?"
Judah: "Or sponge."

Bella: *screaming* *throwing things from purse*
Me: "Would you like some water?"
Bella: "NO!"
Me: "Would you like a snack?"
Bella: "NO!"
Me:
Bella: "MONEY!!!!!!!"

The Importance of Kindred Spirits

Here's a toast to Anne Shirley; to all the bosom friends and kindred spirits!
Diamond sunbursts, marble halls, puffed sleeves and strings of pearls are lovely, but
tried and true, rich and deep friendship? Our Anne girl knew what she was talking about.

It's such a beautiful gift this side of heaven.


This month I managed to escape with some of my dearest friends to spend the
weekend together! I kept pinching myself thinking, "I can't believe we pulled this off."
Shout out to our amazing husbands who held down the forts + children... on DST weekend no less!

That wasn't on purpose, by the way. But a nice perk for us momma-ladies!

Community does not come easy these days. I watch my grandparents, "the greatest generation ever,"
so easily plan to do life together with their "people." They naturally are inclined to not walk
the road alone. Whatever they are doing, you can bet there is more family or friends involved.
Whether it be work or play. I envy them.

So what's wrong with our generation? Hidden behind cell phones and profile pictures, we talk
without really talking -- always texting, pinging, DM-ing because... I don't know why?

I guess it has become convenient, normal, socially acceptable.
I guess our lives are so full of busy-ness that there just isn't time.
I guess it enables us all to be multi-tasking Jedi masters.

I know I get scared, but I want to throw caution to the wind and send out the call, the invite.
I want to keep showing up and being vulnerable enough to be really real with the people I encounter.
Our stories, our connections -- the lives we touch -- are not arbitrary.

Let that sink in.

If you believe in God, there is no random business here.

He chose this place, these people for us to walk with. We need them.



And we need cupcakes.

I think the opportunities to build meaningful, beyond small talk, friendships come up a
few times throughout our lives. And this weekend spent with some of my "kindred spirits" really
spoke into my life (who says that?!) -- shaking me awake! Brittany, show up, invite, be present.

People are in the present moment, and are merely caught in virtual code on the digital frontier.

I want to be present.
I want to be counter-cultural.
I want to channel that "greatest generation" vibe.
I want to dare to be a "bosom friend."
I want to LIVE life with the people God chose to surround me with.


Viva Anne Shirley!



"Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think.
It's splendid to find out that there are so many of them in the world."
- L.M. Montgomery

Snow Day

Yesterday we experienced the biggest snowstorm of the season; which was mild for our region according
to record, but still a lot of beautiful snow! We all hunkered down and stayed cozy with pancakes,
school work and a family movie night. That new The Good Dinosaur totally made me cry! Oh, Pixar.

But I don't think anything will ever get me like UP. I ugly cried.

We've been moving forward with our Charlotte Mason style Kindergarten, and I think we are all at
peace with that. Believe it or not, I think I've had the hardest time adjusting to homeschooling. But
not for the reasons you are probably thinking. It's just been difficult for me to remember to "go at their
pace" - keeping in mind that we are not mocking the school system, but creating a learning environment
that we all can thrive in. Look for the educational MOMENTS, not the educational norm.

Good pep, talk, Brit.

I almost bought a ticket for this conference.

But they sold out so quickly and airline prices shot up. So Nathan consoled me with, "I'll go on a
trip with you!" I'm married to a good man, y'all. We are currently looking at some pretty cool Airbnb
tree houses...

Nathan is like, "So I'm going to pay money to sleep in a tree and pee outside?"
I'll let you guess who is the nerd in our family and who is the freakin' adventure rockstar.
There's a 50/50 chance here. I'll put money on your deduction skills.

I can't wait to catch up on The Bachelor this week. Don't roll your eyes at me. I'm betting he
goes with JoJo, even though Lauren B is his soul mate. Oh well. We will see her on next season's
The Bachelorette. You heard it here first.

This blogger is my new fave. She kills it with the re-caps.

Everyone in my house is coughing at the moment. This winter has beat us up. I'm so over it.
Can we all just be healthy at the same time?! In the sunshine?! On the beach?! No? Just pass the tissues.

I'm looking forward to this weekend! I'm teaching a Basic Oils class and it's going to be G-REAT. I could
talk about essential oils until the cows come home. But I don't do that in class. It scares people.
Seriously though, it's been so fun and different for me to teach adults who don't raise their hands
every 5 seconds to ask questions like, "Mom, is there a squirrel in the front yard?"

My life.

Life Lately

Dear Diary,

Yesterday I made chocolate chip cookies "for my kids" *wink wink*.
Being real health conscious, I rationed out two cookies per child, and fed myself six.
That's what moms do. They take one, or in my case six, for the team.

I feel like we are all just a little expectant /slash/ crazy over here. We open the front door every
morning expecting Cancun and then spend the rest of the day running around the 18X20 living room
like crazy because we live in the Midwest. And Mother Nature hates us here.

I really do love the four seasons. No lie. It's just rough with the chicken nuggets all cooped up inside.
So we skateboard down the hallway and carry on. Winter nature hikes with our Wild + Free group
save us. Until someone face plants in the snow. Then it's tears and false claims about limbs freezing
and falling off. But we've been finding some awesome tracks and loving the fresh air!




My sister came to visit with her crew! It was awesome until all four toddlers woke up in the middle
of the night with the stomach flu. It was as awful as it sounds. Quality bonding material though.
The family that pukes together... stays together?

Seriously this is TMI but there was someone throwing-up/screaming every thirty minutes
from 10PM to 6AM. It was like a horror movie that wouldn't end. I kept whispering to Jesus,
"Remember this penance when I get to heaven!" I bleached the bathroom seven times
and still shudder when I walk by. Out of the three adults, I was the only one to catch it
and join the pukey pack. What is that!?

It's because I eat six cookies.

But it was so good to see them!!! Wishing they were not so far away.

Bella slept with us for a week straight during her recovery. Poor thing. We soaked up every minute.
And then I realized that she no longer sucks her fingers. I am definitely somewhere between
heartbroken that my baby is growing up and jubilant that we didn't have to break that habit for her.

But seriously you know the "last time" for so many joys of childhood come, but nothing can prepare
or soothe the momma heart in regards to that. Unless we are talking about the last diaper change.
Then maybe I throw a party. No tears. Just confetti and high fives.

Ok well other than that, it's been all homeschooling, soccer, Valentine's Day, Lent, Young Living ---
You know the more I think about it, winter may be long and cold, but there is much to enjoy in
the stillness and slowing down. Like the fact that I can eat ice cream every day without thinking
"Will this make me look bloated in my swimsuit?" So we will soak up these last days of February
for the good that they DO bring and look forward in crazy expectancy to the
first day of spring next month!!! NEXT month!!!!

P.S. my legs are so white, the South Pole is jealous.

Sincerely,
Brittany