New feathery residents

Another spring routine: adding chickens to our backyard flock.

After sending 5 roosters to the freezer last year, we knew we wanted to add a few more birds this spring... hopefully hens this time.  Despite how tasty those birds were this winter in chicken noodle soup, ending up with 5 roosters out of the 12 birds we bought last year was a bit disappointing.  Since W have 6 grown hens now so we bought 6 baby chickens.  One died right away though so now we are down to 5.  Eleven it about right for a backyard flock.

Many sunny afternoons, we've had the baby chicks out in the yard.

Just another spring glimpse of our Life on the Gravelly Road.

Easter Photo Overload

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from our family on the gravelly road to yours.  He is risen. He is risen Indeed!

As tradition, we took our family photo before going to Easter Sunday church service this morning.

And while the tradition has little to do with the reason we celebrate Easter or the promises that we proclaim while remembering the empty tomb, its a tradition that slows us down a moment as a family amidst the candy and baskets and busy weekend and hurry to get out the door for church.

I'm thankful for each smile, giggle, closed eyes, and goofy face as I comb through our pictures this afternoon.  We have reason to smile because of that first Easter Sunday, hope for tomorrow, victory over the grave.

But before you think we are some angelic crew, here's one of our silly ones...

May you and yours have a blessed Easter weekend.

And while this is just a peak into our day, I'm hoping to share more of our family fun from this weekend but I don't want to miss what's happening right now on the gravelly road.

Wordless Wednesday: Scooter Silhoettes

Book Review: Never Unfriended

I'm honored to share a bit about a book I just finished reading:  Lisa-Jo Baker's "Never Unfriended: The Secret to Finding and Keeping Lasting Friendships".

This is a book to read slowly and savor over cups of coffee, in stolen minutes of rare alone time in motherhood and womanhood.  It encourages you to ponder you own past and present friendships and to better understand how God designs us for friendship and friendship for us.

Lisa-Jo walks readers through four big questions that color how we see friendships: What are we afraid of? What can't we do about it? What can we do about it? and Where do we start?  Then each section is filled with Biblical wisdom and heartfelt personal stories, where Lisa-Jo leads the reader through a model for lasting friendships based on the most authentic and faithful friend who ever lived - Jesus.

I feel a transition of sorts in my own friend life as my kids will soon all be in elementary school -- preschool and little kid playdates are nearing an end with conversations at school, church, and sporting functions are becoming more the norm.  The idea that next fall is the beginning of my last year of MOPS is a somewhat scary thought- meaning I will need to work at being more intentional about my friendships, without the opportunity to gather, encourage and pray with the same group of women multiple times per month.   So much of this book both encouraged and challenged me in so many ways.

"This is the secret to finding and keeping lasting friendships: become women who want to see the women around them flourish."

So many of Lisa-Jo's words resonated in my heart, advice that should be read and considered over again as seasons of life change and friendships ebb and flow.  From being the "new girl" in a group, to conquering the feelings of missing out, to handing tough conversations or conflict and even supporting a friend through times of grief - this is a book that is can apply to women of all ages and walks of life, a blessing to read by yourself or with a group a friends.

"Maybe the most intimate, radical thing we can do for our friends is to show up."

And yet the even more important message is this: "There is a God who would die before He would ever unfriend you.  There is a God who did die rather than unfriend you... He is the only one who can live up to the promise to Never Unfriend you.  It's worth taking Him up on it."

Take some time to check out this new book.  I hope it blesses you as much as it did me.

Just another look at what I've been reading here on the gravelly road.


** I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased feedback. All opinions are my own. **