{ WHAT'S GOTTEN US THROUGH 2020 // FOREVER GRATEFUL... }
i’m certain that no one will doubt the fact that this year has been a LOT! it may take years to unpack the impression that this year has left on me and i am sure that i won’t be alone in that. but, the one thing that has been a constant through the ups and downs of every single day that 2020 has brought our way has been my decision to remain FOREVER GRATEFUL!
i just finished wrapping up a mini guide about gratitude in our house and homeschool. sharing how we allow it to power our days has really helped me to press through the last quarter of this year. through the adult tantrums, the frustration, the fear and moments of despair. through the weight gain, the hair loss, the family and friendships that feel lost in the distance, in spite of it all… i’m just so very grateful.
i’ll be sharing a homeschool update here on the blog very soon but the short of things is that our book stacks have been a major win in this season. vannah and i talked all about our fall favorite things on the channel which included our current book stack in all its glory, lol. the boy who harnessed the wind, kindness and wonder, creative schools, with the fire on high, the jamie drake equation, orphan island, everything all at once, the brainy bunch, the lost fairy tales, the family life cookbook. reading has been an anchor to our days.
we’ve fallen into working as thefallcofamily nicely and it’s making me all sorts of happy inside. we just finished up a three part series on our homeschool planning lately in partnership with OSMO and I loved seeing the kids wrap their minds around what we do as “work’. a fall day in the life, plan and homeschool w/ us using real life math and planning and homeschool w/ us sharing where in the world all of our friennndddsss are from. it is completely in line with the life and lessons that we want more of and we are so grateful for the opportunities that have been coming or way.
thanksgiving was different. i kept my mind and heart occupied in order not to focus of the sad thoughts that tried hard to consume me. missing my family terribly and not quite sure of when we’ll get to see, hug and love on them again… is hard. through it all focusing on what home means to us.
i’ve recorded a few fallcofamily style podcast on “shaping our home and homeschool w/ our values and beliefs: gratitude'“, “the importance of sitting still”, “why I believe moms make the best teachers”, and “encouraging one another: in home, school & life”. i filmed a few videos on “our giving tree”, “starting and ending our day w/ gratitude”, and “addressing ungratefulness as a habit”. and, we’ve also added a few printables like our gratitude ornament diy, morning routine checklist, and night routine checklist.
this gratitude guide isn’t perfect but rather expresses the honest and raw thoughts, emotions and actions that i set forth in our home to create a foundation of unshakable joy and peace built by faith and love.
can we just talk about their sweet faces for a moment and how they remind me of all that is good and matters most ?! not traveling and being on the road to visit family for the holiday certainly made it possible for us to slow things down a bit and actually get a few family photos where your friend was actually in front of the camera w/ the rest of the crew.
i even got to take a couple w/ just brian and i. well, kinda…lol. that is before this sweet girl jumped in and commanded the room. i promise she reminds me of myself but all the parts of me that are unbound and unbothered by the cares and weight of the world around her. she is a constant reminder of joy and peace that has been delightful. she is responsible for drawing up our thanksgiving menu, planning out the “guest list”, walking through the itinerary, insisting on decorations and setting the table complete w/ place cards to match. she has been my get up and go, making home magical in a time where i felt like i wasn’t sure how much i had left.
and my boys, my precious boys. young men they are becoming right before my eyes. so many hugs, and so many moments watching them spend more and more time under the wings of their father. watching as they listen to his voice lovingly command their attention. sharing his thoughts on the world around them and how they may slightly differ from mine. we are entering, yet again, into andifferent season of motherhood/fatherhood and life and were grateful.
so, while i’m certain that no one will doubt the fact that this year has been a lot and that it may take years to unpack the impression that this year has left behind. our decision to remain forever grateful is the one thing that has gotten us through!!!
what has gotten you through this year? what has been a constant that has moved you forward?
with all the love,
syreena