Enforced Family Time

So now we can't really go out and do anything or be with friends at all which is bad and good. Bad: Sophie doesn't get to have any tennis tournaments after all that practice, tensions over online learning, less opportunities to socialize, way too much screen time (school and some free choice), and kids' boredom. Good: lots of time with family, time to study and converse about what we value, time to practice parenting, trying new hobbies, kids trying to overcome their own boredom (my favorite), and focusing on what is important to us, church at home.

That last one is awesome. We get dressed in our Sunday clothes, we sing hymns, and take turns giving a talk and/or share testimony. Neal, because he worthily has the priesthood and approval from his bishop, is able to bless and administer the sacrament for our family. We've felt the spirit and we are careful to try and keep the spirit buy giving cool down time when things get stressful or using calm voices and being quick to forgive when we blow emotional fuses.

This past week, the Bluebonnet Festival in Ennis was cancelled like everything else that encourages gathering. However, we knew the flowers would still be there so we took a nice long drive down to Ennis and stopped at a vast field next to a lake that is blanketed with wildflowers. There was one other group of four people and they were far away from us so we really enjoyed having this place nearly to ourselves. During the festival their are families everywhere getting pictures with the bluebonnets as it is our state flower and this is something Texans do.  It was so nice to be out and walking and feeling the breeze, surrounded by beauty. We drove some country roads and enjoyed see the cows, donkeys, and goats before heading back home.

 

I love watching Neal get into his artistic groove.

Taken by Rhys

Taken by Rhys