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Littlest Brother….meet Santa

December 10, 2008

Thanks for all the kind & thoughtful comments and emails this week. You don’t know how much I appreciate it!

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December 22, 2008

About me

Alongside my husband and 5 kids, I'm a fan of hometown roots and passport stamps. Our days revolve around the idea that building tables is better than building fences, cookies should be shared, and adding more color is always good.

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underthesycamore

Sticking with a goal for 10 years takes a lot of p

Sticking with a goal for 10 years takes a lot of persistence, focus, determination, and an incredible team! Way to go @111projectok and @careportal 🎉

Thankfully, fun doesn’t require skill, and I can

Thankfully, fun doesn’t require skill, and I can be quite terrible at pickleball and still have a good time. My crew graciously avoids their spin serves and patiently watches me run around, missing most of my shots. In a family of pickleballers, I excitedly partnered with @gammapickleball to up my game with a legit paddle. I, of course, chose pink—when I am not playing, I can hang it on the wall, and it matches my house.

There is a link in my bio to the website with all six colors in the Shine Bright line.

Anyone else need a pretty paddle to offset their ugly plays?

We have new neighbors. Moments after hearing that

We have new neighbors. Moments after hearing that my guys liked Krispy Kreme, they surprised us with a couple of boxes. They evoked memories of all the good we saw as we traveled - people moving through life who pay attention to the details of others and act on what they learn. Unexpected and extravagant kindness displayed in the form of sugar-laden fried dough. The Krispy Kreme box in my kitchen reminds me to keep my eyes and ears attentive and protect the margin in my schedule so I can treat others the same.

I updated my living room wall! The girls told me t

I updated my living room wall! The girls told me the old frames had been there way too long. I’ll write another post with details on the process, so if you have any questions, ask them in this post.

Started a new wall project. I’ll most likely pai

Started a new wall project. I’ll most likely paint over it in a couple months because that is par for the course for me. Going for a taco shop vibe…because that is normal for a living room 😆

She has his heart and I can’t stop smiling about

She has his heart and I can’t stop smiling about it.

Campbell party of 7 will soon be a party of 8! ♥️

Thankful: getting to celebrate those I love. (Happ

Thankful: getting to celebrate those I love. (Happy birthday @corbettccampbell ) ♥️🎉

Today, I am thankful for my community college frie

Today, I am thankful for my community college friend Noah (the one who looked out for me on test day) and how he gets excited to share life news with me. I packed cookies to celebrate his acceptance into a four-year university and he makes sure I don’t use the PIN number as my name in Kahoots again. In the absence of parental influences, I’ve taken it upon myself to be his ‘college mom.’ He laughs at me and tells me bus stories. I remind him to do his homework and get more sleep. We are a funny combo - an unexpected gift found in Spanish 1.

Thankful to celebrate new life (my niece is having

Thankful to celebrate new life (my niece is having a baby!) and for Breese’s cheesecake.

When I joined IG over a decade ago, I used it as a

When I joined IG over a decade ago, I used it as a daily record of gratitude. I planned to try that again this month but was not thinking through what March 1st held.

Our neighbors moved today. They weren’t the kind of neighbors we waved at from a distance. They are family. Our kids spent their childhoods going back and forth between our homes multiple times a day, wearing down a path in the grass. I always imagined spending the rest of our lives next to each other. Watching marriages. The births of the next generation. Huge gatherings between our yards on holidays. We are grieving deeply over here. My kids were given the rare gift of growing up in the dream scenario of close friends living next door. Though the tears are flowing in our home, we are grateful knowing the depth of sadness reflects the height of goodness we’ve known.

BUDGET TRAVEL TIP: Pay attention to where students

BUDGET TRAVEL TIP: Pay attention to where students grab after-school snacks. They often lead you to a local spot with prices that fit budget travel.

It sounds a little funny, but in reality, we discovered some of our favorite foods around the world by watching where students ate after school. Most of the communities we visited were walkable instead of car-based. The majority of residents (including students) walked everywhere, so it was easy to notice when classes let out, and students flocked to a usually nondescript, budget-friendly spot to grab a meal or snack.

This approach led us to discover Lahmacun (a Turkish flatbread pizza) in Cappadocia, Türkiye. Everett found a recipe for it this week and took over the kitchen, bringing back fond memories of how the best food recommendations came not from Instagram but from those using pocket change and carrying school bags.

They run to each other every time they’ve been a

They run to each other every time they’ve been apart. ♥️

12/2023 “The guesthouse came with complimentary breakfast each morning and a cat smitten with Evann. I lived my best life waking up to pad thai; and Evann lived hers sneaking the cat into our shared room. It was only an issue when she forgot one day and locked it inside, unbeknownst to the owners or us. At lunch, several blocks away, her eyes grew big with panic when she remembered the cat asleep on her bed. We laughed (knowing the owners adored her like she adored their pet), quickly finished our meal, and rushed back to find the cat quietly exploring our room. No harm was done, but no more sneaking the feline into our room. Evann continually reminded us once we returned home that we promised she could get a cat.” Excerpt from the “Thailand” chapter of my book.

I walked into Spanish tutoring with a paper full o

I walked into Spanish tutoring with a paper full of questions like, “When do I use ‘muchas’ instead of ‘muy’?” My Colombian tutor smiled and graciously walked me through all my questions. I might have also convinced her to make me empanadas when I pulled up a video of my family salsa dancing at a hostel.

The next day I met up with a friend at a local coffee shop. She is a wildly talented creative, also born in Colombia. Being in her presence is like sitting in the sunshine. I watched as she prayed over our barista, who shared her story of recovery from addiction and building a life after incarceration. Holy ground.

A couple days later my friend from Mexico took my hands in hers as she relayed the difficulties she is walking through and told me, “Life must be celebrated no matter what happens.”

As I think back to each interaction, I feel immense gratitude for the gift of sitting at those tables. How cool is it that the world fills my community?! All I have to do is pull up a chair or extend an invitation to experience its beauty.

A dreary sky spat at me while heading inside to ta

A dreary sky spat at me while heading inside to take a Spanish test in a new-to-me building. The massive asphalt parking lot and rows of cars struck me, and my mind wandered back to places where warm sun dabbles cobblestone streets and train stations outnumber parking lots. I sighed, wishing to be in one of those places - they felt light, communal and welcoming.

Stepping into the building, I looked the part of a lost older student. Noah, an 18-year-old who sits next to me in class, started waving at me from a distance. He was watching out for me, helping me find my way. As I approached, he beamed with pride, “I drove by myself for the first time!”

When I left, I saw the parking lot differently. It was where Noah pulled in after his first solo drive - a black field of milestones and celebrations for him and countless other students.

I love a good gut-punch reminder of how taking the time to get to know others and celebrate their wins can completely change my perspective.

*I changed his name for privacy

I don’t have a plan for it, but I now own 200 sq

I don’t have a plan for it, but I now own 200 square feet of blue tile and a couple of boxes of cement tile - thanks to a contractor’s friend, who convinced him to list it on FB marketplace instead of tossing it.

For $100, I scored about $1500 of tile. When I found the deal, I knew two things: I wanted more tile in my house and liked this shade of blue (it reminds me of Morocco & Mexico). Those made it easy to confidently move forward despite not having a plan. Thankfully, Chris smiles and encourages my ‘I’ll figure it out’ approach.

Now, I am walking around the house, pausing, and asking myself, “Would I like this wall blue?”

A year ago today, Breese and I spent an afternoon

A year ago today, Breese and I spent an afternoon crafting at a nearby high school with a handful of students - all who call another country their first home. We hot-glued fabric, snapped group photos, and stood in awe of the bravery of the young women around us as they tackled a new language, a new culture, and a new home. I smiled, watching their teacher (my friend) as she delighted in her students and created a sanctuary out of a classroom. One of the young women told us she didn’t have any friends outside of her local Afghan community despite being in the US for two years.

On that day, I wrote, “We acutely remember how it felt not knowing the language, culture, or anything apparent to everyone else (when in a new country). We remember what it was like to be easily recognized as ‘not from around here’ and be welcomed instantly with genuine joy and kindness. We’ve been home for eight months and are continuing to figure out what it looks like for us to be on this side of the welcome.”

The words I wrote a year ago still ring true today…I’m home, which means now I am the one that gets to experience the genuine joy of being on this side of the welcome. ♥️

The Notes feature in Google Maps is my go-to for k

The Notes feature in Google Maps is my go-to for keeping track of all things near and far. I use it to add links, recommendations, tips, contact info - anything and everything. While exploring a new location, it serves as a quick check to see if anything is nearby. It also makes it easy to find places all over the world I want to return. There is an option to create multiple maps, but I prefer one big world map. You can also add collaborators to your Maps and Notes.

My professor asked the class why we wanted to lear

My professor asked the class why we wanted to learn Spanish. In our class of about 20 students, everyone’s answer circled back to having someone in our lives we wanted to be able to talk to. There was a barista hoping to chat with customers. A service member aiming for connection while abroad. A young man with a fellow employee in mind. A teacher longing to connect with her new students. I was beaming as I listened to each student share.

Connection. Community. Building bridges across language barriers. Welcoming. Broadening our circles. Loving our neighbors. It is good to be back in the classroom.

I am thrilled to partner with @everlywell (#sponso

I am thrilled to partner with @everlywell (#sponsored ) to try their Women’s Health Test. Hormones and all the changes that come with this season of life are a constant conversation among my friends. While I am being intentional about eating well (hello protein), lifting heavy weights, sleeping, walking, and doing all the other recommended things, I also want to know what is happening inside my body. I am excited to get my test results and learn more about my hormonal health—things like whether I have any imbalances and what my cortisol levels are.

Use the link in my bio for more information on the at-home tests offered by Everlywell and to order your own.

Tonight, as I chopped onions and tossed spices in

Tonight, as I chopped onions and tossed spices in the crockpot, I thought about how easy it is to cook dinner with access to a knife and spices. During our year abroad, my pantry consisted of what I could fit into a little bag. Sometimes, our lodging had a knife, and sometimes, it didn’t even have a fork. From hostels to Airbnbs, every kitchen was different. Only twice were there dishwashers. The few times we had access to a washing machine, they were always found in the kitchen near the sink (something different from kitchens I’ve been in here). There were several overlooking the ocean and a couple outdoors.

What started as gratitude for my consistent kitchen at home quickly became missing the simplicity and ease of life that year. About two months into the trip, my days began to feel so light and freeing when all I had to manage and care for fit in a bag on my back. Though it is nice not carrying my pantry in a backpack, I’m grateful to have experienced those ever changing kitchens.

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