May held so much per its usual December-like pace. Just, so much. The judge finally issued his ruling on alimony and attorney's fees and a piss-poor ruling it was. I choked on it and cried and have since had to move on. The Lord has been faithful, so faithful, to provide for me along this broken and broken-hearted road over the last 15 months, so I will cling to that very faithfulness going forward. While I hoped for a big provision all neat and tidy and secure and predictable from alimony, the Lord has brought me to understand that HE will provide my daily manna on just that basis ... daily. It's a hard and good trust to walk in. So I will keep walking. It's all I CAN do.
Two ways the Lord lifted my head and comforted my heart with his specific mercy and coverage around this same time: someone anonymously paid my May rent (!!!) and another dear heart sent me cake ... to my very door ... with no idea of the cake backstory from the previous couple weeks that had been going on. Tears ensued. The Lord sees ... He sees me ... and he sees to my needs and even to precious unspoken wishes that only I knew. I cannot get over the goodness of the Lord. And how intense that goodness feels in contrast with the intense grief I know as this divorce nightmare continues.
Bane's spring hunting has been on fire ... he has brought several birds into the house and one mouse and countless other critters he just toys with, kills, and eats outside.
The school year wrapped up for me at Wiseman and it was a sweet close out. I moved my classroom into a new and smaller space in the library and it is a cozy fit that I like very much. I am so glad I remembered to snap some pics of a chunk of the kiddos I have worked with this year. Darlings, all of them!
We had exciting Tennessee spring weather - aka tornados. We had lovely cooler spring temps too.
Mother's Day was simple and sweet. Anna and I visited my first Open House pic for looking at homes. I don't know if/when I will buy a house or move, but I think it will be fun to dream and window shop until I DO know. We adored this little house.
We enjoyed a quick trip to AL to attend Brooklyn's graduation.
Other May odds and ends include quality time with board games and books, wrapping up the year with the good people in my Community Group, Anna doing some dutch braids in Lasa's hair (which is a big help!), Lasa trying her hand at MY hair, Lasa finishing up third grade with a handful of awards, Anna signing up for her first dual enrollment courses (and finding out she was given 6 credit hours already based on her ACT scores alone!), Anna's girlfriends and all their social engagements that have me scooting her all over town every week, and another kayak paddle, this time with Lacey. We finished a couple shows we have been bingewatching for months (Gilmore Girls, Survivor) and started a couple others (When Calls the Heart, Lost, Suits, The Chosen again). I started a book on hand lettering and have found it to be as soothing as it is recreational. I have since put it in the self-care category that will constitute much of this summer as I recover from the previous year+.
Anna participated in the Memorial Day Classic with our church. We worked in a zoo run which was a big line item on our summer bucket list; Lasa hadn't been in years and didn't even remember the last time she had been. I had to fix that and we did on a gorgeous day in the 70's.
I read a great book and am going through it again with some ladies from church for a summer book study. Pretty sure I am getting a tattoo this year with this theme ... Heaven Rules!
Anna orchestrated summer's first camp out for Lasa.
This guy turned EIGHTEEN!
Another beautiful watercolor Anna did for hire.
