It’s been a year since we left our home of eleven years and moved to the farmhouse.

What seemed like such a long and stressful process to get the old house sold and the new house purchased is just a distant memory now.

We have done a lot to the farmhouse over the last year, including our biggest project of adding a second bathroom upstairs and our most recent addition...the screen door I’ve been dreaming about my whole life.

In some ways, we miss the house on the hill...living on blacktop, having a shop, and having the fence complete so we can have our cows on the property with us.

However, our new shop plans for the farmhouse property are in the works and the fencing supplies have been purchased, so the cows will be back home sooner than later.

I suppose the gravel road is just a trade-off for the four bedrooms and basement we acquired when we purchased the farmhouse.

We have been blessed beyond measure over this last year and look forward to many more years making memories with our girls at the farmhouse.

Just last weekend, we celebrated our first small town Independence Day with family friends at our home.

We grilled out, the kids did the slip & slide, and we watched our town’s fireworks from the farmhouse backyard.

We’re so thankful for the men and women who have sacrificed for us to have freedom in this country.

We’re so thankful to see God’s hand working in all and through all and for the freedom found through Jesus.

Happy 4th of July from the Farmhouse, friends.

​❤️🇺🇸🏡🇺🇸❤️

And just like that...the last school year of my teaching career is over.

You might remember a few months ago when I announced my new position as the director of special services in my current district.

At the time that I agreed to this position, back in late August of last year, it seemed like a lifetime away.

It seemed like there was so much more time left in my classroom.  I mean, nine months is a LONG time, right?

And yet, here we are...the last day of school.

I'd be lying if I said I was over-joyed as I left the school parking lot today.

Yes, I'm excited for my new journey, but I feel like every time a season in our lives comes to an end, there is some grieving that must take place.

I have known that public education was the career choice for me ever since I can remember.

There was never a time in my life that I thought of any other career choice.

I can remember being preschool age and "playing school" with my dolls and stuffed animals in my bedroom.  (I always tried to recruit my little brother, but it wasn't quite as enjoyable for him.)

My new role is exciting and refreshing and something I am looking forward to.

But in reality, there are things I am losing.  

Things I'm giving up.

Things I am having to let go of.

Building relationships with the same 20-30 kids day-in and day-out.

Being able to make an impact in the daily lives of the students in my classroom.

Creating lessons that are engaging and interesting for my kiddos.

Spending time with some of my dearest friends all day, every day...my hallway colleagues.

Yes, I know I'll still be making a difference.
I know I'll still be able to connect with children.
I know I'll still have an impact.
I know I'll be in the same building I've been in for the last eleven years.

But this afternoon, my students of nine months walked out of my room.

I waved goodbye to my students and headed straight to the cafeteria to set up for the celebration we have at the end of every year.

When the staff get-together was finished, I headed back to my room.

I walked down a mostly empty hallway to my mostly empty classroom.

And it was then that I had a few tears.

Okay, I had a lot of tears.

Even tonight, as I sit here typing this, I have a tear rolling down my cheek.

There are a lot of things to look forward to..

There's a lot to be excited about.

But there are also a lot of things to be sad about...and that's okay.

I think that sometimes we feel like there's something wrong with grief.

Like we shouldn't feel sad when we are moving into something that seems bigger and better.  Why would I be sad about this opportunity?  Why would I have a hard time moving into a position that seems so perfect for me? 

Well...because it's normal.

It's completely natural to grieve the seasons of our lives.

Change is necessary and important...but change can also be difficult and painful.

So as I sit here tonight on the farmhouse front porch, watching the fireflies blinking away in the field across the road...I will just have a good cry.  You might remember that I believe ugly-crying is a vitally important part of life.

I will cry for the thirteen years I spent in a classroom.

I will cry for the dear friends and colleagues...my teaching BFFs.

I will cry for lesson planning and connecting with "that one kid" and lightbulb moments for struggling learners.

I will cry for read-aloud chapter books, scented chart markers, and my favorite bright pink fake leather rolling office chair that I bought on clearance for $15 a few years ago.

I will cry for my teaching partner who has become like an older brother to me over the last ten years.  I will cry for the comfort and the security and the partnership that will change drastically in the near future.

I will cry and I will smile.

I will look back fondly on the experiences and lessons and memories that have become so important to me inside the walls of my classroom.

I will clean out that classroom over the next few weeks and I will move (some of) my belongings down the hallway to my new office.

I can't promise that there won't be more tears. 

And there's nothing wrong with that.

Cherish the seasons, friends.  Each of our seasons is filled with important lessons and precious memories.

But grieve the seasons if you have to. 

Tears from the farmhouse tonight...and hope for tomorrow.

Much love,
"Mrs. Newkirk"

❤️🏡❤️

Uh. Okay.

This was supposed to be a checkup.

Sure, I was full-term and sure, Claire's head was NOT small.

​But still.

I had expected to leave that appointment, do a little shopping, grab some Starbucks and go home to snuggle my Harlee-girl for a few more days.

But that just wouldn't be Claire's style, now would it?

Claire Bear did things her own way then and she does things her own way now.

She is precious and kind and beautiful.

She is independent and stubborn and smart.

She has what we call "second child syndrome".

She often learns things the hard way.

She loves others with her whole entire heart.

She would rather wear a dress and high heels than shorts and a tshirt, yet she's not afraid to get her hands dirty working hard inside or out.

Our life wouldn't be complete without our sweet, sweet Claire Bear.

​Happy 9th Birthday, sweet girl. ❤️