As Audley and I headed into the empty nest a couple of years ago we heard things like “you’ll be so sad”, “you’re not going to know what to do”, “now you can relax”, blah, blah, blah … not on single person ever said the empty nest was utterly exhausting!

WHEW!

I’ve sat down to write so many times over the last year, and nothing comes to mind. It’s not that we have nothing going on, or that I have little to share, but more of we have allowed extreme busyness take control of our lives. This has not been a difficult year by any means, just one we’ve poured so much energy into other people and things that somedays my pitcher is often empty.

After seventeen moves in twenty-eight years, having our own home to settle into has been absolutely amazing. Eighteen months ago, as we made this move, we had a huge vision of what we wanted, but as you all know, what we want is seldom what happens. Let me tell you though, this man-of-mine is a doer! He’s always been amazing, but Audley is truly bringing our dream to life while working, playing papa, acting as a deacon in the church and loving me. He’s pretty much perfect.

Instead of trying to detail all of the things that have happened in the last eighteen months, here are a few highlights that bring you current:

**First, I thought I was only going to teach school for a year, to help get Kimball Christian Academy off the ground. Now I’m in the middle of year two, teaching middle school social studies in a tiny school that doubled its size. I work hard to be an effective teacher. My classes have to read and quiz, but we also do a lot of hands-on experiences from food and projects to fieldtrips. I don’t assign homework, but if work isn’t finished in class, it goes home. We take a lot of open book quizzes because I want my students digging back into the reading and truly learning to comprehend, not just memorize answers off of a study guide. Fridays are generally “fun” learning, but I am being the buzzkill this week and throwing out a vocabulary test right before Thanksgiving break. I don’t know how long I will do this for a couple of reasons. There are days I love my job, but there are plenty of days that I understand why teachers are walking out of a classroom. Between parents, ill-behaved children, personal investment, and politics, teaching school (even in a small private school) just stinks. This is not my first time in a classroom and when I walked away from a teaching opportunity in 2007 after two years in a classroom, I never thought I would do this again. I’m thankful KCA can give the gift of education without following public school and most government guidelines, but public schools have left children woefully unprepared and many of those coming into our school are so behind. If I had school-age children, they would either be home-schooled, or I would find a program similar ours to enroll them in. Appreciate your teachers; it’s hell out there.

**Second, for the first time in six years, all three of our girls live within an hour of us. You know we’ve lived a rather nomadic lifestyle as Audley went where the work was located. We always went with him if the job was eight months or longer because families are not meant to be separated. Children need both parents as they grow up, and a wife and husband need each other. When we moved to South Carolina years ago, Samantha remained at “home” in Tennessee/Alabama as she was engaged to be married. We moved to Georgia six years ago, leaving Gracie in South Carolina as she was to be married. Madeline married her Marine three years ago, and they moved off to Florida to adopt a baby. When Audley and I purchased our house and moved “home” to be closer to our parents, we never imagined the moves that would happen! Gracie and her hubby are just an hour away with TWO of our grandbabies. Michael found a wonderful congregation looking for a minister which took them out of the city and into Tennessee. At the same time (and I do mean the same week), Madeline and her husband moved from Florida with their newly adopted son. They stayed with us over the summer while looking for a place of their own and now live just ten minutes away. With Samantha and Justin eighteen minutes away, my parents twenty-five minutes away, and Audley’s parents an hour away, we are savoring every moment of family time. And, I have not forgotten Bradley. After his four years in the Marines, he is in South Carolina working for Grainger, and just purchased his first house at the age of twenty-three! We are very proud of the life choices our children have made, and I love watching them “adult”!

**In other family news, since my last post, we’ve gone from one grandbaby and one in the process of adoption, to FOUR grands! Gracie has two of the sweetest girls you will ever meet, and Madeline has two boys. Khi’s adoption was finalized in March of this year, and she announced her pregnancy the same day! Khi and Mariah are both two, just three months apart, and Marley and Atler are just ten days apart: arriving in late September and early October. We’re in Lolli and Papa heaven around here!

As for our home, Audley and I have slowly been painting and decorating and remodeling and farming …. You read that right, farming. Audley built me a gorgeous raised-bed garden where we just added a greenhouse. We had a wonderful harvest this past summer as I put up tomatoes three different ways, made pickles, preserved squash, peppers, green beans, pumpkin, and okra, feasted on fresh cukes, and other delights all summer and fall. I also dried an assortment of herbs from parsley to lemon thyme. We have started raising sheep and also keep chickens, pheasants, and quail. Audley calls this his retirement plan. Honestly, this is where my heart is. It’s also one reason I struggle being in a classroom, but for now I will remain to help this little school grow! “Mrs. Jones” is also the Beta Club sponsor, yearbook editor, and program planner, and with no children of my own in school, that is a little excessive. There are days I feel like I’m neglecting my home and husband because of the tiredness. I am so thankful for his support and backing.

There is many an evening I find it difficult to unwind to prepare for bed. Matthew 11:28 is a verse I’m desperately trying to incorporate into my life; “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Blogging has always been a much-needed outlet for my thoughts and creativity. As I am working to find balance in this busy life, I hope to return more regularly to share all of the craziness, but also the recipes and home life I truly enjoy. Drop a note and say hello. If it’s your first time visiting, welcome. If you’ve somehow managed to hang in on social media while I figure out a balance …. THANK YOU!!

Have a great weekend!