This was my first mother's day with a babe in my arms. Last year, Cooper was constantly kicking in utero, making us smile. We filled our weekends with preparations for him, and little did we know how special that tiny person was. How special this little life is...

I want to live in a state of mind (and heart) where I can appreciate new and exciting things, and venture beyond our at-home normal (when it is safe, practical, and loving to others to do so), but not at the cost of losing a love for the ordinary, for the typical, for the regular.Enamored by the paths of sunlight streaming into interior rooms, making patches on the wall, Cooper discovering his shadow.Making sourdough brownies (and then insufficiently baking them and not realizing it until later). Consequently, then baking a sour cream vanilla cake from Food52 as a redemption bake (as you do)...

In the midst of social distancing, here are some photos and snippets of life right now. It feels more odd than usual to document "ordinary" life, but this space has always been a home for that exact sort of documentation, so I'll continue on. Lots of knitting. I finished the neutral striped socks for Nicholas...

Regardless of what your days currently look like (arguably not normal for most, if not all), I'm praying for little pockets of joy, and for safety for those who cannot or do not have the option to stay in, and for those unable to work from home experiencing a loss of income. Putting my hope in Jesus and praying for freedom from fear.I want to view this time of forced rest in a way as a chance to slow down, examine some heart things that I am sometimes too distracted to give heed to. I read somewhere about parents trying to explain self-isolation, school closures, etc...

It all felt a bit much. I'm usually pretty active on my instagram, even if I don't have a chance to write a blog post, and the other day, I wrote this on my profile:This week felt difficult for a myriad of reasons. Nicholas was in a car accident (he's okay! The car is not), Coop has a cold, and a few other things are weighing heavy on my heart and mind. I read this timely bit, from Jonathon Parnell's "Reading to Walk": "So how will you face it? What follows are three prayers for facing Monday--or any less-than-enthusiastic tomorrow:1...