when you just need to exhale

several years ago a close friend spoke of her 40th birthday with such tender strength.  she said she felt more alive, more confident and more comfortable in her own skin then when she turned 30.  

this fall i believe i am getting a glimpse of the sweetness that getting older provides. i was a frantic young mother, desperately wanting to get ALL of it right.  the naps, the schedule, the food.  this same passion driven anxiety followed me into homeschooling.  doubts would creep in and i would slap a new schedule over them or rework a system to silence my fears. and as i enter this year i can feel it all just settling down a bit inside of me.  i can't tell you how thankful i am for this undercurrent of peace. i am recognizing and trusting that God's strength will be made perfect in my weakness.  i show up for my days, i don't have to control them.  

the beginning of this year has very much been an exhale for me.  i didn't realize i was holding my breath for so long. 

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my parents have a time share in vail the 3rd week of october every year and they invite us to join them for part of their week.  it just so happened that sarah mackenzie was speaking at a small homeschooling retreat about 20 minutes from where we were staying.  i've been listening to sarah's read aloud revival podcasts for close to 2 years now, devoured her book and have been changed and inspired by the way she calls us all to expect God to show up in our homeschools.  

her voice and most recently julie bogart's (i might have to write more about her...she is changing my life! if you are homeschooling you MUST go to her youtube page and watch every single video.) have had a profound impact on me. 

this was the setting of this intimate retreat.  i had to snap this for the girls. 

i put on my brave pants and gave her a giant hug and told her how thankful i was for her work.  we chatted for awhile about her podcasts and i shared with her a very powerful moment we had in our homeschool group when i read an essay from her book about peter walking on water and then we listened to "you called me out upon the water, the great unknown, where feet may fail...."

such an honor to meet her. 

my brother and his wife, rocio were up in vail with us!  we had a lovely time! so beautiful up there.

my growing up babies!