hello May

May began with a Lyon family celebration of Nana's life. It was pretty surreal after the covid year and not seeing anyone in the extended family for 2 years or more- just to be together. But being together to pay our respects to Nana was challenging. I remember Teresa had caught a cold, and was so worried about everyone thinking she was sick, she almost stayed home and missed Nana's funeral. We talked her into taking a covid test, which was negative, and she was able to go with her mask with the confidence that she wasn't going to spread covid at least. That is the clearest memory I have of that weekend actually: how stressful everything was, but worrying about covid made it so much worse.

 We had a 'family only' service (to make it safer) which made it even more odd. Jim officiated the service, and hearing lots of stories and memories made it beautiful. It was truly a celebration of her life and legacy, which we all share a part in. We all went back to Nana's house after her burial, and walking through her house, which was sold shortly after her passing, was probably the strangest part of it all. Looking through all her belongings, searching for something to remember her by or just to save things that were beautiful or meaningful was emotional work. The final years of her life were didn't get to spend much time with Nana, and that in and of itself made it all harder to process. Thank you Lord for family-being together was a gift.

Grandpa and all his grandkids! Sadly, Mimi wasn't in the picture too.

Mother's Day is always a special day, but it was literally the only part of David's VPK year that I got to participate in with him. It was so sad that we didn't get to celebrate all the holidays throughout the year, but it was really special to get to go for Mother's Day. David was so happy!

I picked out this puzzle for the Cumming's kids and mine too when we had funerals to attend. We didn't get it out until we got home, but this one has been a fan favorite. It is relatively simple, but 1000 pieces always take some time to finish.

This year in Young Life, I had two senior girls! My friend Gayle and I decided to take our two special senior girls to dinner down in St. Augustine. We had such fun spoiling them and celebrating their last year of high school. Love you both Brooke & Ellie!!

End of the year YL keychains and Mother's Day roses at the soccer field. Coach Christ is the best!

We hosted a few end of the year parties for club soccer teams. James' team with Coach Greg in the picture below. David had his end of the season party that I coordinated. This one was easiest because it was at the field after his last game.

On a good day you find a slug to play with, and you find some of your mother in laws glass bowls at your neighbor's garage sale.

My campaigner girls & me did an escape room to celebrate the end of the year!

The boys' had their first piano recital with Miss Mia. It was really fun to see them practice and perform for us and her Dad!

I organized my bookcase with rainbow colors and I just love the giant clam bowl on the top! David had one of his last days at preschool, and it was 'what I want to be when I grow up' day. Of course he chose baseball, why not!?

David had such a sweet little group of friends at preschool; his last day was bittersweet for me! This was by far the saddest preschool graduation I've attended. Closing this chapter of our family's life hit me hard.

David got to be the flag holder for the pledge, that was a first for our family. And he and Modest were so cute on the stage together! I couldn't help myself of snap a few pictures of them.

Thank you for a wonderful year OPPC!!

It was really nice to have Grandpa&Mimi with us that morning. In years past, we took all the boys to see graduation, but Covid rules said no siblings allowed. It was special for us though! Glad we got to have graduation in person.

I never get tired of seeing all four of them sitting together. I love it.

Taking the kayaks out in the lake with Hermione! She loves running through the water more than anything else.

you&me babe 😘

Lord thank you for the time you gave us in May. It brought the end of so many different seasons. Thank you for Nana's life and legacy. Thank you for how she impacted us all, and I pray that her memory would be a blessing. Thank you for a great year of soccer for each of our boys; thank you for each of their coaches. May you continue to use all the everyday and mundane things for our good and your glory. Help us see things how you see them! Thank you for the years we were at OPPC preschool, and thank you for all the wonderful memories. I will treasure them. Help me move to the next season with a thankful heart and a spirit of gratitude. Lord you know how hard it is for me to move forward into the unknown! Thank you for our family and our community. Thank you for our local Young Life community and for how much these sweet high school girls bless me. I pray that you continue to reveal yourself to us all! Thank you Lord for loving us and never letting us go. Amen.

hello April

In April, we got to visit my Mom&Dad's farm for the first time since they moved in! We were able to go visit once before they purchased it. We met the previous owner and saw some really wild deer mounts! So so many taxidermy deer. But it was very different to see all their things getting settled. So exciting for them. We had given them a double swing made by our friend at Southern Pine Swings as their Christmas gift, and we finally got to hang it in the tree out front of their house. The boys loved it, and so did my parents. Matt was the superhero for going up in the bucket of the tractor to hang it!

The boys felt like the tractor was the coolest toy they'd seen in their life, but even better was going to sit with Daddy and Papa in the deer blinds. The boys have to work on their target practice, and David and I had the best time swinging! All kinds of fun on the farm, and it is beautiful.

It was Easter weekend when we were able to go visit, and it was so special to be on the farm. We could have had a real 'egg hunt' since the chickens had been laying in the woods before my parents moved in, ha! But the plastic ones were super fun too. On your mark, get set, go!

We decided to tow our little John boat up to my parents' farm to stay. The boys were so excited to take it out on their pond, and soon enough maybe we will have some good little fishermen.

The other reason this Easter weekend was special, was because Papa wasn't the pastor of a church but was going to speak for Easter Sunday back at the church where my parents had attended in Suwanee, GA. So he wasn't able to be in the pictures, but only because he had to leave early for church. What better place to take our Easter pictures than the new swing!?

Hayden got to have his turn keeping the team trophy, so we had to take a picture with a kiss.

Our annual Young Life Sk8ties night was a blast! Loved getting to dress up & hang out with my campaigner girls.

My sweet friend Jessica was helping run the St. John's fundraiser banquet, so I bought a ticket and tagged along! Such a fun night to get dressed up and spend time with friends.

Our new niece Charlotte Prose was born!! Welcome to the world- April 12 was a lovely day to be born!

David got to have a do-over birthday in April since we had covid quarantine for his actual birthday. He got to wear the birthday crown and everything. Our out door cat has a best friend we have affectionately named Jeff. Turns out Jeff is a girl, and this time she had a litter of 5 or 6 kittens who were in much better health. Bless her, this was the last time we saw Jeff!

We celebrated my Young Life girl Isabelle's birthday with a Majestic milkshake from the Marble Slab Creamery up on Fleming Island. Truth be told, I just really wanted to buy one!! They looked amazing, but it needed a special occasion. So fun to celebrate you Isabelle!

The boys' tiger floats from Easter were perfect for two on two battles in the pool. Our neighbor Zac came over one afternoon for this game of lacrosse/tiger who-knows-what!

Calvin had already lost one soccer ball at the fields, and Coach Christ was so kind as to replace it. But it got lost. ah! I don't remember how, but Coach Christ saw that it had gotten lost again. He gave me a sharpie with the ball this time and said, "he can have this, but only if you write the following: Calvin, Please do not lose me. Coach Christ". Talk about generous and so so kind. 

This picture is a challenging reminder of the death of my friend Jessica's father in law. It was a tragic, devastating loss. I got these flowers for her mother in law. They were the most beautiful white ranunculus I've ever seen. My husband lost his Nana the day after Rusty passed away. Her passing was sadly more of a relief after years of sickness and mounting dementia, but grief looks many different ways as people process. Her celebration of life service was scheduled for the beginning of May.

The boy's Spring school pictures arrived, and as usual, I absolutely adored them!

My Calvin requested breakfast in bed for his 8th birthday! He saw James ask for the same thing when he turned 8, and he hoped to have this treat for a long time. Such a great way to start the day. His daddy made him pancakes and lucky charms, his request!

Calvin's gift was a new razor dirt bike! He was so excited; he could hardly stand it. Our neighbor Zac had given Hayden his old bike, and we got it a new battery and got it running again. This new bike was even better than the old one, and quickly became the favorite toy for riding up&down the back street. I insisted he got a matching helmet too, ha!

Because Calvin couldn't have his 7th birthday party at Chuck E Cheese due to covid closing it in 2020, he decided to have his 8th one there. He had some of his soccer teammates come and even Mimi&Grandpa were able to make it. We were so glad to see them; it was the first time we had since Nana had passed. We asked Mimi if it would be ok for us to just buy Publix cupcakes for the party, because it had been such an emotional and chaotic time for her. I know we all missed her lovely gift, but we wanted to make sure we try and take care of her the best we know how. Sometimes cake can just be cake.

Calvin had a great 8th birthday! Thank you to our family and friends who helped us celebrate. ❤️

Our Young Life dodgeball tournament was rescheduled for the end of April this year, and it didn't get a whole lot of kids to turn out. We always had taken our boys, but this time we got to be a competing team!! David couldn't wait! It was a fantastic time competing as the 'ninjas'. Matt Prose got us through a few rounds with his dodgeball basket from across the court- automatic win!

I bought a vintage stool for my bathroom that just feels so right. And sweet David dressed up for preschool one day, but I can't tell you why! I wish I remembered.

Awww, we all got to meet baby Charlotte! We took turns holding her the weekend we celebrated Nana's life together. New babies are such a joy for everyone, and she was such a comfort during a time of grief. The rest of Nana's memorial is in the May entry.

Lord, what a month of change. Charlotte entering this life and Nana at home with you Lord. Calvin's birthday and celebrating Easter. Thank you for all these precious memories. Time seems to move so swiftly, but savoring each of these moments captured brings back so much more to my memory than just the image. Thank you for the blessing of these pictures. Thank you for Nana's life & legacy. Thank you for Rusty's life & legacy. Thank you for the new life given in Charlotte. Birth and death intertwined this closely makes it all very humbling. Thank you for being in charge of it all; we trust you. Amen.