chance introductions & lily jade sale
Ā Diaper Bag: LILY JADE || Ā Brown Puff Accessory: AMAZON
The past two weeks have been all about school! I turned off social media and laid low on the blog as I have entered into full time teacher mode!!! Ā Matt has continued to travel for these job interviews while the kids and I have been trudging our way through the homeschool-first-week-back-in-a-routine-fog.
Of course it’s an adjustment, but I feel FAR more prepared this year than last…maybe because now I know everything about what NOT to do your first year of homeschooling! š I’m collecting all of the photos to share the events of the first day of school and will share soon about my curriculum choices and what we changed from last year to make this year more successful….
But for now a quick story…A few months ago my sister went to a blogging conference (if you follow along on my Instagram you might remember the BlogHer conference in Orlando that I had really wanted to go to but couldn’t). Anyway, my sister, Mindy, met a woman sitting next to her named Amy and as they were talking Mindy told Amy that she and I would have a LOT in common and have to get together sometime.
The next thing I know Amy was reaching out on my Twitter letting me know she’d be in town soon and hoped to get coffee. I said yes but didn’t know who Amy was, so of course I googled her to find out who in the world I’d be meeting up with! As I scanned Amy’s upcoming event page I noticed she had just recently been connected to another friend of mine, Richard, and the two of them will be hosting an event in two weeks here in Orange County! (If you’re here local you should totally come!)
Richard and I met a long time ago at the gym just 2 days after my son broke his arms. I was exhausted, walking around the weight floor pale faced, lightheaded, in a daze, and needing a breather from the stress of that horrific event. Richard came up and politely asked me how I was doing, and the thought crossed my mind to simply lie and say I was fine.
But there was something in me that made me really want to just tell the truth. I told him what had happened to my son, about the ER and how stinkin’ crazy scared I was. I told him that my son couldn’t even scratch his nose by himself, that his days and nights were filled with painful whimpering that absolutely broke my heart and how I hadn’t slept for 3 full days. Richard responded with such warmth, kindness and compassion that I literally went home and told Matt I thought I’d met an angel.
He had told me his name, but in my post ER brain fog I couldn’t remember, and never saw him again until a few months ago. Since then he has quickly become a dear friend/fatherly figure that continues to encourage me in my new found blogging, speaking (coming soon!) and writing adventures. He pushes me, challenges me, and makes me really think through what I’m doing and why. I love hearing his life experiences, stories about his family and his heart for raising kids.
This morning the three of us met at a resort coffee shop that overlooks the ocean. The view was unreal, with palm trees galore, a perfectly manicured golf course and sail boats in the ocean below…but the conversation is what stole my heart. Somehow God orchestrates things to come together in the least likely ways…and although it always blows my mind, I suppose it’s about time I just get used to it!
As we shared the stories with one another of similar passions, life goals and how our lives have all intersected, who all we know, and mutual relationships/friendships it was a lot of head shaking at just how every bit of this encounter seemed nothing short of God-ordained. I am so thankful for these new friends and couldn’t help but want to share them with you as well!
I hope you all are having an amazing holiday weekend and that your kids are adjusting to school schedules as well! (Who is the transition more difficult for? Parents or kids???)
By the way these Lily Jade bags are on sale this whole weekend so if you’ve been eyeing them and wanting one for awhile this is the time to get one! I’ve been a brand rep for them for quite awhile now and I honestly haven’t seen prices this low in a long time. Husbands, this might be a great buy-it-now-save-it-for-Christmas gift! š hint hint!
