Not sure where I first heard that phrase or where it even comes from. What I do know is that 2023 has FLOWN by!!! I mean, when did we finish the 2022/2023 school year and WHEN did I my baby become a teenager?!?

Last time we talked, our family had recently returned from a week long trip to La Paz, Mexico on the Baja peninsula for a youth mission trip. The travel bug had been ignited in all 5 Rushes. 2023 we have laid low and stayed more local.

Spring Break we bus tripped with 50 + Tab people to Lancaster, PA to see “Moses” at the Sight and Sound Theatre. We visited an Amish community and ate amazing homemade pretzels. Memorial Day our family rented a house in the Outer Banks and officially crossed “visiting the OBX” off our bucket list.

This summer we traveled for Elliott’s All Star baseball tournament which was held in Arlington, VA. Oh man, what a great trip we had to Arlington and with such an amazing baseball family! I would have never thought that 5 days in a Holiday Inn with 12 other families could have been such an incredible experience. . . But it was! First let’s just start with the talent on the team. Those fellas. They went to play ball and WIN! Win we did until we didn’t. . . In the extra innings and losing by 1 or 2 points. I really can’t remember. Oh it would have been incredibly fun to continue on to regionals as the VA 50/70 Intermediate State Champions. It was still also incredibly fun to see those fellas pour their heart and souls into ball and unite as a team and make it as far as they did and then cry their hearts out when they lost but turn around two seconds later and say “that’s okay we’ll take them next year!” Perseverance. Where’s that in scripture?!? It’s a pretty amazing passage.

End of summer brought kids traveling to Louisiana for 10 days to visit grandparents and live life fishing and on the farm while Craig and I enjoyed a week of Netflix and leftovers. There’s just something crazy amazing cool when you can come home, change clothes, crawl up on the sofa and catch up on a show until bedtime all while never hearing the word “I’m hungry” or “Momma what’s for dinner?” Seriously, it was a much needed time of being a couple and preparing for what we didn’t know would be the next few months of our world.

End of August Craig’s travel plans for Pakistan came to fruition. A little over a year of hoping for a visa paid off and he was granted a visa to travel to visit Bach Christian Hospital in Pakistan. Thankfully our kiddos were able to go to their local happy place, Triple R Ranch, for a week while I worked and they were growing in their faith and keeping their minds off of dad being gone.

As I’m currently writing this, one kid is playing in the marching band for the Granby High School football game while the other two E’s and I eat pizza and watch TV. Where’s Craig? Well he’s in Africa. Yep. Chad, Africa. Today is Friday, November 3rd. He arrives back to America on Saturday, November 4th and turns 40 on Monday, November 6th. There’s a whole lot to unpack there and maybe one day soon I’ll do just that, but for now, let’s leave it like this. The Lord is never early or never late. He is always right on time. I really am excited to have my man back home. . . And no I’m not just saying because of all of the mushy gushy marriage stuff. I’m incredibly excited to hear what the Lord has shown him during this trip and what he has to share. Until then, I hope this finds you all loving Jesus and living out loud.