june 2020.

We kicked off June with a road trip to Florida to meet my family at the beach. But before we left, important decisions needed to be made. My anniversary gift from David was living room bookshelves, which is something I’ve wanted for the seven years we’ve owned our home. But as we took a good long look at the living room, we realized that it could use a new coat of paint. This turned into, more or less, a total living room update. Cue hours spent on Pinterest, trying to find the perfect paint color.

I settled on two favorites: Sherwin Williams Anew Gray (left) and Agreeable Gray (right). I got samples on the wall, and we all settled on Anew Gray. Steve very kindly offered to paint the walls and trim and replace the vent covers and light switch plates while we were at the beach. Needless to say, we were thrilled!

 

 

 

New Smyrna Beach

New Smyrna Beach, Florida, is one of my happy places. We joined my family for three nights at our friends’ beach house, where we’ve taken many a vacation. I was 12 years old, the age Judah is now, when we started going. So many fun memories!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pip

Yes, Pip the squirrel is still around, which you know if you’re on Facebook (where David posts regular Pip updates). He’s pretty adorable, but very feisty and demanding these days. If the kids walk outside to visit him without a treat, he gives them a good sharp nip on the shoulder.

It’s hard to stay mad too long.

 

 

 

Seeing friends

Summer is our time for catching up with friends that we don’t get to see as often during the school year. We’ve spent more time than usual on porches and playing in backyards, sweaty in the SC heat, but so happy to be together that we don’t mind a bit.

I’m also free to serve our church more in the summer — helping David with premarital counseling, meeting with staff members, joining a women’s ministry team, and double dates with other couples. The lines blur here, because yes, it’s ministry, but it brings me so much joy to get to do this week among people I love and learn from all the time.

 

 

 

Organizing

For me, summer is time for organizing.

I go through every closet in the house, make a big thrift store run (or three), and shift things around in the attic.

I wrapped up records for the homeschool year, and started planning for the fall. I’m so excited because we’ll be homeschooling, but doing something a little different this fall. Two friends and I are starting a small classical homeschool co-op for middle schoolers. We’ll meet two mornings a week, and I will be teaching 7th grade writing and literature to five students.

This is a lifelong dream for me. Not just to be a teacher, but an English teacher. I’m a bit terrified, but mostly really happy!

 

 

 

Isle of Palms

We just couldn’t get enough of the beach, so we took a day trip to Isle of Palms at the end of the month. It was magical, although we did not take a single picture except for this one in the van.