Our people, in our home, this year.

A year we will never forget.
With each up, there is a down and here on my blog I share both. Today I get to share with you a magical glimpse into our lives. A snapshot of what we have been doing, or not doing, this year. This is just a sliver of our lives, the remaining portion is filled with “I’m sorry’s,” teachable moments, huge mistakes, the heavy weight that each decision seems to bear in this unrelenting year, the goodbyes and the major changes. It also holds great successes, progress, optimism and so many adventures we had with…


Our people, in our home, this year.

In a year filled with unexpected twists and turns we have hunkered down. We have stayed home and we have done more than I could have imagined. We have learned more about ourselves and each other than I knew possible. Benjamin said to me the other night, “I would choose us and our life every single time.” And he is right, we choose us. It’s magical and refining.

We have chosen to stop things because it was the right time, sourdough anyone?! (Don’t worry I haven’t lost the will to try again.) And in all seriousness, we have said goodbye to things we never thought we would. We have done new things like grow dahlias and school at home. We have done hard things like refrain from being with those in our beloved community and taken parenting courses. We have done crazy things like catch huge, scary fish; and cooked like our lives depend on it, homemade maple bars anyone?

We have all learned new things and gotten better at working together. We have adjusted to being a family of seven during a pandemic, and made special memories like “stay at home fancy night.” We are pros at wearing masks and ordering groceries online, we all wash our hands and sanitize like never before. We share a commitment to keeping those around us safe. We have dedicated our time and energy to learning about our privilege, how to acknowledge it, practicing yielding it to others, and to seeing the injustices that occur around us every day. We appreciate the beauty in diversity that surrounds us and are fighting for equality and justice because we know that “every step takes us closer.”

This season has changed us. To mark this time @erinwakeman came and made a family film on our farm. It’s a gift I am honored to share with you all. She captured us as a family, our dynamic, and what we each contribute individually. I’m deeply grateful that as a team we have done what we can with what we have been given. We are working tirelessly to grow, change, love, and fight for each other and our parts in making the world different, better, one person and one choice at a time.

The kids watched it five times in a row the first night we received it. I may have watched a few more times after bedtime. We’d keep it on loop if we could, all day every day. I will never forget the exclamations, fits of laughter, and the growing delight in each of us as we saw ourselves and our lives depicted in our film.

2020 you are and will continue to be one for the record books. Here is to more insight, more growth, a whole lot of love, and taking each next thing in stride, together.

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