new. new look. new opportunities. new starts.

Yes. Yes, you are at the right place. The blog finding joy. And, yes, the blog finding joy, has had a little face lift. Okay, a rather large {but much needed} face lift. Just like me, later today, except mine will be not a face lift but will simply be me getting my hair highlighted. Also, ahem, much needed. And no, that is not a roll of toliet paper Samuel is holding. Rather, it is papertowels, that he needed after he spilled sugar {well, got into sugar with his brother Elijah} all over himself, his clothes, the table, the floor, and basically my entire kitchen.

Thank goodness he is incredibly cute. That sugar fiasco took a long time to clean up. And the entire roll of paper towels. And a great deal of his mother’s patience.

I’m in the season of my life where there are many new things. Some hard, some good, some beautiful, some, well, simply new things – stepping stone moments in life.

New opportunities? Well, I feel so blessed to be able to share my heart with you — my finding joy seeking beautiful in the everyday of life — through writing. And through that writing new opportunities have opened which have become blessings in my life. Like Oreck. Or curriculum from wonderful vendors. And friendships. Ah, the friendships that I’ve built and established are such a blessing that one could have not ever prepared me for when I sat to write some words several years ago.  For those, I thank you.

One opportunity, an opportunity that I had the blessing to attend, but due to unexpected issues had to pull out less than a week before, was the BEECH micro-conference in Florida. Many of my dear friends were there, and even though I could’t be there, they included me. A flat Rachel, with a skirt with hearts and red painted nails {yikes} was in their midst. I skyped with them. Emails. Encouragement. And, blessings upon blessings, I am planning on going to Florida in early March to “make-up” for missing this last weekend and to continue helping plan this new {and amazing} venture.  Love these girls –> go to the BEECH page for full details and these gals {who were in sunny Florida} to read theirs — >> dazeofadventure,Spell Out Loud, Jimmie’s Collage,Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling,Hodgepodge, Domestic Serenity, Donna Spann, Layered Soul, Mommy Matters, and Homeschool Creations.

It’s in the new that I write this, and in the midst of the new I celebrate the simplicity, the beauty, the connected thread of the everyday. In the mid-day naps with Samuel in my arms. In the late afternoon chats with friends at a coffee shop. In vegetables diced and falling in a pot. In the snow falling outside my family room window. In the chats with Chloe on the way to ballet. Beautiful, simple moments that connected together create a thread, a tapestry of threads and moments that creates a connected life.

That’s finding joy.

It’s taking the new, the opportunities, the everyday, the ups, downs, and living with a posture of joy.

Thanks for walking this journey with me. And yes, here’s just one more picture of Sam with the roll of paper towels looking adorable and innocent. That little face? That’s joy.

A huge thanks to my daughter Hannah for updating my design. You can find her design site here –>> Hannah Nicole Designs and her blog here –>> Aspire