Good morning, dear reader.

As I type, I’m sitting on a couch in a cottage on the top of a mountain. It is still dark outside, and the small town below is dotted with lights.

It is so beautiful.

Over the last few days, my family and I have stayed at a local state park. It’s been a very nice break.

At the same time, I’m ready to get home. Home is my favorite place to be.

But sometimes, a reset is very good for the soul.

Years ago, we used to own a travel trailer and we would take our children camping. This year, I decided that I’d like for my younger children to have that experience, too. Since we no longer own a camper and I’m not much for tent camping, we settled on spending two long weekends in state park cottages in 2024.

I’m so glad that we did this, and I hope to carry the tradition on in 2025.

We hiked several trails, and watched football. We ate a lot of food from home, along with one dinner at a Mexican restaurant. We picked up apple donuts, and ate ice cream.

I think everyone will remember this time with fondness.

As a mom, I hope to create fun times and good memories for my children. I definitely don’t always succeed at this, and my children all have a different definition of fun.

But I think it is still worth the effort.

I hope they remember how nice it was to walk in the woods and to connect with nature.

Time in nature is how I connect with God nowadays. I honestly consider every moment to be holy, and I hope my children can see glimpses of this, too.

2024 has been a wild year for me, but it’s also been so, so good. I’ve learned so much about both myself and the world around me. The time I’ve spent in nature has contributed greatly to this.

The sun is now starting to rise as the lights still twinkle below. Two of my older children are about to set off on one last hike before we go. We are only about thirty minutes from home, so we don’t have far to drive once they return.

I just know it’s going to be a good day. And I believe you are going to have a good day, too.

Thank you so much for stopping by today, friends.