Y'all! It's been a month since I've written and a crazy one at that!
We were so happy we got Jadyn home last month. The Lovings (whom she was staying with in Thailand) didn't get to fly home and are still waiting in Thailand, so we breathed deeply and were thankful we listened to our guts and brought her home a few days early!
So then... quarantine! We have been incredibly lucky that we are in the country and not in a city during all of this. Our lives haven't changed much at all except that we have had to look a little harder for toilet paper :) Seriously, though, our last month has consisted of a BEAUTIFUL SPRING! The main thing that Southeast Texas has going for it is definitely Springtime! It's kinda like you wake up one morning and walk outside to find that plush green and colorful flowers have taken over, the birds are loudly singing, and I think I've seen more squirrels out gathering nuts recently than I have my entire life... I love watching them!
Here's a little photo breakdown of our month!
Toledo Bend Lake is not far from where we are staying and there is a gorgeous little park out there that we enjoy! We went a few times this year but then a group of rowdy teenagers (100+ drinking/foolish kids) came over from Louisiana to party and got it shut down so we were sad about that and can't wait for it to reopen!
We bought some chickies! I mean, obviously chicks would help anybody get through a quarantine, right? They have been so fun too! We got a little pen for them so Jay & Jeremiah helped us get it here and put it back together! They are growing so fast and are such a joy to sit and watch!
One of our favorite things to do is pick strawberries! Third Day Farm in Jasper has strawberries every year and we always try to go if we are here, so this year was no exception! We picked and ate so many berries, it was a great time. We had planned to go back for more but apparently everyone caught onto the idea that it was a great quarantine activity and they overtook the fields so we decided not to go back and fight a crowd.
After we picked strawberries we decided they needed to be shared. Quarantine has been particularly hard on our grandparents and we'd just had enough that day! So we took a basket of berries and other goodies, grabbed a guitar and loaded up to to drive to Silsbee! we sat our basket of goodies and pictures the kids had drawn on the patio table and knocked on the door. Maw Betty & Pa Bill came and sat out on the porch and we stood a good 20ft away and talked and played and sang them some songs. We were sad when we had to go, but glad we could bring a bit of joy to their day! It was hard not giving hugs 'n stuff but that'll happen soon! Hang in there grandparents... kids & grandkids miss y'all too!!!!
It's also dewberry/blackberry season here and we do love them! We picked our usual berry spots and now I keep stumbling upon more!! This is exciting for me, but I think my kids have had their berry picking tanks filled at this point! Notice Jadyn wiped out in the middle of the road during our most recent berry adventure!
We met my brother and his family to go fishing... I can't even remember the last time I fished. Normally I just watch the kids fish but this time I joined in the fun and it was so thrilling to catch a fish!!! I think I will never sit and watch again, so scoot over kiddos and make room for me too!
Now, I had never been to the Sabine River before, so a couple of weekends ago we just decided to go see what we could find and boy did we find something fun! As soon as we pulled in, Jadyn spotted huge blackberries and so, yes, you guessed it! We picked a gallon of berries and still left so many over there! Then we made our way to the riverbank and it was so beautiful and peaceful, it was a great way to spend an entire day... if only we had taken the time to put together a picnic it would have been perfect!
As it turned out we all got hungry by mid-afternoon and so we bailed on the river to find some food! A few days ago we tried to return and pick more berries only to find that there was NO RIVERBANK!!! The river was so high it had covered everything up and there was nothing there but water! It's amazing how quickly things change!
I had my 40th birthday last week and I'm excited about a new decade! My mom fixed me enchiladas and they were amazing! I wished I could have kept eating them all week long! My kids and my beloved were so sweet and thoughtful all week! On my birthday we decided to do NOTHING and it was fantastic! We snuggled up together and watched the new Dora and also watched the new Lion King. I loved them both and I loved resting with my kids!
And then came my birthday present from Jay: an overnight canoe trip, just Jay & I, 22miles down the creek! Jadyn kept our little guys and made sure everyone was fed & bathed! Jeremiah had his nose in the computer trying desperately to close out this school year. Jay... just took care of us! I think this was my favorite birthday ever! The creek was stunningly beautiful, only thing to be heard was running water, birds singing, fish jumping and whatever wildlife was around! There was so much life all around us! I didn't get to take many pictures because well... canoeing takes 2 hands AND who needs technology when you're surrounded by such beauty! We had so much fun though! Having never really canoed before, we got in and spent most of the day rowing the canoe backwards :) We faced each other (obviously it's more romantic like that!) rather than both facing one direction. So this made me have to row backwards... and let me tell you, we have laughed so hard about this! Jay was so patient with me though, and tried to walk me through how to properly help him row. At some point I just turned around and crossed my legs on the nose of the canoe and started rowing like that! I don't know what clued him into the fact that we were using the canoe backwards but at some point it just *clicked* and we belly laughed about it for a good while! We made several stops on the sandbars throughout the day and just enjoyed each other. The clouds covered us and made for the perfect day on the water. We decided to set up camp around 5 in the evening. Jay showed me how to make fire in a hole, so that was really cool! It makes the fire cook really hot and cooked our dinner fast! At some point in the evening we heard deer blowing at us, we had seen their tracks all around the sandbar and realized we were in a crossing. We didn't ever see them but they rustled around for a good while near us!
I slept so hard Saturday night! I'd say my hips are a little bruised from sleeping on the ground but I'd do it again today! I'd just tell my hips to suck it up buttercup!
Sunday morning we fixed breakfast, tore down camp and headed out by 9:30... this time we got in the canoe the proper way and we learned how to row together! It was a blast really!
We saw a few snakes, a lot of turtles, and some shad! I kept seeing these fish that skipped on top of the water and I thought my eyes were tricking me! But then I learned about shad :) They were all over the creek! And now Ben wants to get a net and go fish there!
We will definitely be heading back down the creek with the whole family in tow hopefully soon, it was a great experience that we want to repeat!
So, we're still here in Southeast Texas for now. We were supposed to go on a job but #corona and #oilplunging. And that's ok! We are thankful to still have employment! We are thankful to be enjoying such beauty while we wait! We are thankful for each other and the quiet time we are having! Maybe next time I write we will be on another job, maybe we'll still be here living life! One thing I've learned is that being fluid is a gift! I can.... WE can adapt and flow with anything life gives us and for that I am thankful!
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