BLOG INFORMATION, Julie Anne's Personal Stories

A Brief Blog Respite and JA’s Back

Julie Anne

Update from Julie Anne

Well, I didn’t intend to be away for so long or I would have posted something. Truth be told, every day I planned on posting something “tomorrow,” but as I followed my gut, that “tomorrow” didn’t happen, so obviously it wasn’t meant to be. I guess I needed the down time. I’ve been going to school even in the summer for two years now and didn’t realize how exhausted I was, physically, emotionally, academically.

Two years ago, I was only a high school graduate with a busy family and busy blog. Today, I now have my Associates degree (2 more years to go for my Bachelors), with a busy family and a blog that still has a bunch of readers who keep coming back for more, even though I haven’t published anything for the longest time in the blog’s 4-yr history. Thank you for your patience and support. You all are so gracious.

Here is how I’ve spent some of my time unwinding:

I taught my youngest how to do rug hooking.

 

I’ve been chauffeuring my youngest two back and forth to their Fun with Clay class each day. They already have their first project ready to go into the kiln and there’s still three weeks of class left. I love this. It’s 2 hours every day where they get to use their creativity and do not get distracted with technology.

 

The kids and I have been playing lots of Sequence. 

 

We’ve been picking raspberries from our prolific bushes. We already have picked enough for a few pies. If you haven’t ever had fresh red raspberry pie, they are amazing.

 

 

Last year I started making succulent arrangements. I had one arrangement outside and succulent pieces dropped in the soil beneath. This year, those little pieces have come up as volunteers, so I’ve created a little area and have helped them along by transplanting more starts so they will take over an area by our front walkway.  We live next to the Columbia River, and the rocks are river rocks we dug up from our yard. We have so many, so it’s fun to find creative ways to use them. I took this picture of the succulents a few days ago and there has already been significant growth in those few days. We probably won’t see any soil here by the end of summer – it will be full of succulents. I can’t wait!

 

 

I planted these perennials last year and they have quadrupled in size.  Kathi helped me discover the name: Rudbeckia hirta (Gloriosa Daisy). It’s been  fun to dig in the dirt and plant new annuals and perennials in the yard. I have missed this hobby.

 

 

And last, but not least, I’ve cast on a new knitting project. It’s been too long since I’ve last knit, and now I can enjoy a little down time while catching up with some favorite Netflix shows (currently Call the Midwife). I forgot this kind of bliss without school deadlines!

 

If you have sent me an e-mail in the last month or so and I have not responded, please try again. I’ve been trying to dig through the pile.  I’ve been working on a few ongoing situations that have updates, and also have had some deep thoughts on a new topic that hasn’t been discussed. So, hopefully, you’ll see more regular posts for the next few months while I”m on summer break.

Special thanks to Kathi for keeping the Sunday gatherings going each week!

 

37 thoughts on “A Brief Blog Respite and JA’s Back”

  1. I’m glad you are enjoying your down time, Julie Anne! Bravo for being so dedicated to your studies! From a perspective of the ‘other side’, I’ve just finished correcting 80, 14-page English exams! (Am looking forward to summer vacation, you can bet!) It seems to me that was a catchy tune of a popular restaurant -“You deserve a break today!” , wasn’t it? 🙂

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  2. I love the pics and stories that go along with them. I am so glad that you are getting a break. Enjoy all of your favorite things!! Now if I can figure out how to get a long vacation from work………..3 more years!!!

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  4. Blessed to hear of your time ‘unwinding’. We really take for granted how exhausted we are. Precious time with family and using creative gifts that the Lord grants us is excellent use of “redeeming the time” for His glory. Savour the moments.

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  6. Yay for yarn… and dirt… and fruit… and clay… and down time!!!! You most certainly deserve all of this for all of the hard work you’ve done.

    Liked by 3 people

  7. Yay for the Associates degree, JA! Great job!

    And yay too for the things you’ve been able to do with family. Your kids are growing up knowing they have a mom who not only cares but who loves them well.

    Liked by 2 people

  8. Looks like a good time. Congrats on the degree!

    I hope when you come back you do something about Lori’s Always Learning craziness. I saw two or three articles pushing back at her men shouldn’t do housework thing.

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  9. Oooh, Lori’s new post is about how her other post went viral LOL. Sorry, didn’t mean to derail or anything:

    “Yes, I had a post go viral. It didn’t go viral because the women loved what I said in the post. It was because they hated it and it made them angry. One woman even told me to remove it since it was so evil. What was this evil post?”

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  10. Your busy schedule is mind boggling to me. Thank-You for this place to connect with like minded saints. Glad you took some time to refresh yourself. No need to respond to that goofy text on the destruction of USA by Jan. 2017. xo

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  12. Lea, I saw Lori’s whining post. And she claims they are mad because she’s being Biblical. Not true. She’s making up her own Patriarchal nonsense trapping women in a male-dominant subservient prison in their own home. Obnoxious!

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  13. Thank you, Carmen. Send me more pics of your beautiful area and family. Yesterday I was just thinking how badly I wanted to see “Anne’s” stomping grounds. Oh, I know why, a friend was making raspberry cordial. Lol. Do you remember that from the books?

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  18. Great post Julie Anne and “Congratulations” on earning your Associates Degree! Way to go! I really enjoyed your fantastic pictures, accompanied by reading of the many blessings in your life. So glad you are making the time to slow down a little (yea, right!) and enjoy life. You are an amazing gal!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Congratulations on your degree, and glad to know that it meant that you are back, not that something was wrong with your back. :^)

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  21. Oh, yes – PEI is one of our favourite vacation spots! Did you know that L.M. Montgomery was married to a Presbyterian minister? She also grew up without a mother (much like the orphaned ‘Anne’ girl) and had a very strict upbringing by her grandparents. I took a Maritime Authors course in Uni and found out that L.M. didn’t have the happiest life. She became a legend, however, with her Anne of Green Gables. People come from all over the world to visit PEI because of that fiery red-head. She has great appeal, just like another redhead I know. . . 🙂

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  30. Brian,

    Is GAG an acronym? I thank God that at least Russell Moore was not invited. He thinks that he’s the Protestant Pope of the Southern Baptists.

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  34. Doing well:) watching what is going on in Britain Im sure the prophecy industry in the US are freaked that the EU is changing and has not taken over the world yet:) David Cameron resigned as well, I dont know why people are so surprised by that?

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  35. So glad to see you’ve been enjoying the family and getting back to some fun hobbies 🙂
    I’m a knitter “want-to-be”. I just wish I could knit more stitches than I have to pull out!

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  36. Loved the pics! If there’s hope for humanity in this world or the next, it certainly lies with you and many others like you, regardless of gender.

    Liked by 1 person

  37. How do you do it all? First, congratulations on finishing your Associates Degree!! Second, (time for a rant) I really hate how Lori shows no compassion or empathy for those who are in difficult situations (Her go to answer is to do life like she does and God will provide, just don’t work when you have kids, even if you are a single mom with no income and you can’t get groceries). Just try to give another point of view and you are banned!

    And three, I am also a knitter (who has tons of yarn) who hasn’t picked up her needles in years. I will take your new knitting project on as a challenge! I need to get to work! You have been missed. Glad you are practicing good self-care!

    Also thanks to Kathi for her Sunday blogs!!! Hugs from Ann

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