Happy 15th Birthday Anna!

My First Turkey

 Our church has a Thanksgiving dinner early in November each year. I've known that the church buys turkeys and people cook them and haven't really given it a second thought. This year the week before the dinner it was announced that they still needed people to cook turkeys. I sat there and thought about who would likely cook turkeys. I realized that most of the kitchen team is in their 80s and probably getting tired of cooking turkeys. It didn't take me long to realize that it was me, in fact, who was in the age category that needed to cook a turkey! That moment when I realized that, in fact, I am the middle aged woman with older children and a kitchen big enough to accommodate a 22lb turkey.

And so I approached the people I needed to talk to and asked if they still needed someone to cook a turkey. In fact, they did and they were delighted that I would be willing. I did not admit that had never cooked a turkey before. 

I went over to the church kitchen and retrieved one of five over 20lb turkeys from the freezer and brought it home to thaw for the week. 

At this point I'm figuring this is a pretty smart move on my part. I don't have to decided what to take for this Thanksgiving dinner and the turkey I cook will be one of five so no one will know who cooked the turkey they are eating. 

I also needed to figure out how I was going to bake this turkey given that we have church Sunday morning and the meal is at 5:00 Sunday afternoon. I decided to get an electric roaster. I figured an electric roaster will come in handy when I cook full holiday dinners and need oven space. 

Sunday morning I put the turkey in the roaster, turned it on and went to church. We came home and the house smelled like Thanksgiving and the meat temperature was correct. Success!

Jeremy made me look really good. He carved the turkey and arranged it neatly in the dish. It happened that my dish of turkey was placed first as people walked through the line so by the time we got our food, it was gone. 

Next time I'll find a recipe and dress it up a little bit. This bake was just for confidence! I sent my sister the picture of a big turkey taking up my whole refrigerator and her response was "Wow, you are really grown up now!" 

 

Joy Dare::October

 12,710. A bit of cool in the air today

12,711. Losing track of time looking at pictures

12,712. Josiah's friendship with Henry

12,713. What do we put our trust in? God > Google
12,714. Isaiah really enjoys PE class
12,715. Feeling more caught up
12,716. Making ice cream cake
12,717. Sean hanging out with us for a bit
12,718. Family evening
12,719. Celebrating Isaiah
12,720. The challenge of making ESL lessons
12,721. Making Isaiah's favorite meal
12,722. Celebrating our church launching a new Haitian church
12,723. bible study on the porch
12,724. Making a photo book
12,725. The brightest moon
12,726. Walking with a friend
12,727. Passing Josiah playing disc golf while I was walking
12,728. My favorite dahlia bloom

12,729. Lunch on the porch with lingering conversation
12,730. The way Aliza showed up and held to her own beliefs
12,731. Candle flames on a rainy day
12,732. Bible study
12,733. Watching for meteors with my boys
12,734. Getting back into the practice of morning walks
12,735. A little time with Josiah
12,736. Praying
12,737. Safety while driving
12,738. Heslop cousins reunited for a weekend
12,739. Family singing in the car
12,740. Josiah and Ronan playing
12,741. Isaiah had the best day with Evelyn and Florence
12,742. Perfect afternoon for outside visiting
12,743. Home in time for "all the things"
12,744. Banana bread
12,745. Getting settled for the week
12,746. Chatting with Janell
12,747. Anna
12,748. Fall bud

12,749. Sun after a few days of rain
12,750. Getting a couple minutes to catch up with Melinda
12,751. Maggie
12,752. Isaiah and Sean's friendship
12,753. Saying Yes to staying to play on the playground
12,754. Actually felt like ESL class went well
12,755. Shakes for a snack
12,756. Renee and Lydia with us
12,757. Josiah's laid back personality
12,758. Steak dinner after senior pictures

12,759. Coloring on the porch

12,760. Double date

12,761. 6 kids playing games
12,762. A Sunday with nothing extra
12,763. Feeling prepare for the week
12,764. Isaiah's thoughts
12,765. A day with Anna

 

12,766. Reading books with Ronan in his tent
12,767. Catching up on everything happening at home
12,768. Showing up
12,769. Driving with the windows down
12,770. "I will not let my feelings tell me who God is. I will tell my feelings who God is." That Sounds Fun podcast
12,771. Isaiah excite about a piano song
12,772. Studying 1 Samuel
12,773. Stayed up way too late with Aliza and Josiah
12,774. Morning light in fall leaves
12,775. Relief and a full heart at the end of ESL class
12,776. Isaiah having fun with friends
12,777. Talking to my mom
12,778. Learning to be content in my roles
12,779. Playing piano
12,780. Fall yardwork with blue sky
12,781. When my children make my issues so very clear
12,782. Listening to the same podcasts as Aliza and the conversations we have about them
12,783. Crisp morning air
12,784. A rejuvenating evening
12,785. Given a blessing--"May He grant you a roar as big as your big sister heart and may it go before you and bring victory." 
12,786. Being Aliza's A&P study partner
12,787. An evening at hoe I wasn't expecting
12,788. Aliza was able to help Anna with her math
12,789. Camden Road is open again
12,790. The laughter when Josiah "tucks Isaiah in"
12,791. Conversations
12,792. Colorful leaves brighten rainy days
12,793. When my child calls me a "truth-spitting, honesty bomb"
12,794. Isaiah was my Halloween candy buying buddy
12,795. Working one on one with some students
12,796. Long, but productive, school day
12,797. Home all day
12,798. Family movie (Karate Kid) and candy night

Wedding--Heslop Perspective

This wedding became an affair that all 6 of us played a role in. Aliza's best friend, Alena, got married on September 27. It happens that all of us Heslop's are friends with the Alena's family. Aliza was clearly going to be a bridesmaid. I was asked to be the wedding day coordinator pretty early on. Josiah did sound. Isaiah was a greeter. It was when Jeremy (and Anna as his second shooter) agreed to be the photographer that our involvement when to the "all in" level!

Here are some pictures of the wedding from the Heslop family perspective!  

There are exactly 2 pictures of Melinda and I together and they both look like this. Melinda giving me her vision and me making it happen. The wedding day went very smoothly. Melinda was able to be fully present with her daughter and her guests which was my highest goal. I had 14K steps on my watch by the end of the day and none of those were in shoes appropriate for that many steps! 

 

Anna was so nervous about taking pictures in this formal setting. She got to be with the girls while Alena put on her gown. She also got to photograph the first look. Anna got some great pictures and some great experience. Since the wedding Jeremy has let her play around with his backup camera. 

At every turn these days, I'm reminded how grown up my children are! Old enough for their best friend to be married?! Old enough to be a bridesmaid!!

Isaiah had a good day too! He hung out with Josiah, Austin and Braedon until it was time for the wedding. And then he handed out programs and sat with Austin and Braedon. The reception was very child and family friendly and he had lots of fun with friends all day long. 

(I realllly like the photographer!)

I'm glad that I wasn't just sitting there watching Aliza walk in and out as a bridesmaid. I think I would have had some big feelings if I had been sitting still!

When the photographer lets his daughter use his camera...I get a picture of him!

I was pretty excited about making Josiah wear dress clothes...including dress shoes. The day before the wedding, Josiah decided he should probably try on his new clothes. He came out and Austin, who was staying at our house, asked him where he got his shirt. Turns out Austin and Josiah were twins for the day. 

Anna and Tabitha have the sweetest friendship. 

Isaiah and Sean were also twins for the day! That one was my fault. I got shirts in two sizes because I didn't know which would be best for Isaiah. The other one was perfect for Sean. 

And since we were all dressed up, I rounded us up for a family picture. 

I wish I remembered who we were all waving to. 

The kids picked up Cook Out for supper when we got home and then we watched K-Pop Demon Hunters and I looked through the almost 2,000 pictures. 

 

Celebrating Isaiah

 

The little thing that I want to remember from Isaiah's birthday is how he immediately asked if we could have a family night on Friday (the day before his birthday) because when he realized that Aliza was going to have to work all day on his birthday. We spent the evening outside being silly and loud and just being happy to be together. 

A first for this year was Isaiah requesting meals that I make! We had pork ramen bowls on Friday night and homemade "chipotle" chicken bowls on Saturday night when Grandma, Grandad, Moriah, Ezra, John, Laura and Sean came over. 

This card played "Makes Me What to Shout" when it opened which led to Aliza and Laura immediately starting to dance. 

Isaiah was so embarrassed. By the end of the night he and Josiah had taken apart the card and figured out how the music played. 

Isaiah was not embarrassed by everyone singing Happy Birthday to him!  

 As far as I could tell, he enjoyed every bit of his birthday celebration!

Joy Dare::September

12,621. First day of school
12,622. Josiah and Aliza got to spend some time together
12,623. Spending the evening with Anna
12,624. Time to enjoy the changing season 

12,625. All the good memories when I scrolled way back in Instagram
12,626. Good attitudes
12,627. "Waiting on God is living on what I know to be true about God when I don't know what's true about my life." --Waiting Isn't a Waste by Mark Vroegop
12,628. Smooth full day of school
12,629. Windows open
12,630. Giving and receiving grace
12,631. Isaiah enjoying some of the "grown up" aspects of 6th grade
12,632. Finishing a book
12,633. Finishing school on Friday
12,634. Lunch with my sisters and mom
12,635. A new coffee shop
12,636. Delivering coffee to Aliza
12,637. Getting Saturday things taken care of
12,638. Saying Yes to the random supper request
12,639. Rain
12,640. Island Creamery with Mom, Dad and Moriah
12,641. Evening walk
12,642. Dentist appointments that go so easily
12,643. Planning for ESL
12,644. Crockpot supper
12,645. Jeremy could help Josiah with Precalculus
12,646. Anna had a good first dance class
12,647. Josiah showing me all the things he has programmed
12,648. Talking to Brian
12,649. Josiah's calm personality
12,650. Isaiah excited about Kids Kamp
12,651. My Sept. 11 phone call
12,652. PE time with Isaiah
12,653. Good attendance on the first ESL class
12,654. Anna is doing so well with school
12,655. Absorbing all the wedding details
12,656. Nighttime talk with Aliza
12,657. Writing an ESL lesson
12,658. Beach evening
12,659. Cousins and siblings
12,660. A day with Jeremy
12,661. Sunflowers and Amanda

12,662. Supper Van, Karen, Joel and Amanda

12,663. Isaiah had a really good piano lesson
12,664. Praying
12,665. Reclaiming the mantra "it's not about me"
12,666. A friend who broadens my perspective
12,667. Rain
12,668. Doing my part, letting God determine the outcome
12,669. Enough for today
12,670. Not having to make supper
12,671. New homeschool inquiries
12,672. A full ESL class
12,673. Making the meal schedule
12,674. Chai from Jeremy
12,675. Sean really excited about the soft shirt I gave him
12,676. Receiving a card in the mail
12,677. Shopping with Anna
12,678. Aliza's job no longer causes her a week of anxiety
12,679. Working ahead
12,680. Pumpkin muffin
12,681. Aliza doing the next right thing
12,682. Intentionally doing restful things on a Sunday afternoon
12,683. Starting the day laughing at myself
12,684. Anna has been excited about guitar again 
12,685. Cleaning and podcasts
12,686. Josiah giving Henry all of his attention
12,687. Homemade sourdough bread gifted to us
12,688. New chicken recipe for supper
12,689. Anna
12,690. Boys bedrooms clean
12,691. Taylor
12,692. More time that I thought I'd have
12,693. Full rainbow
12,694. Austin
12,695. Chaotic but we made it through school
12,696. Wedding rehearsing
12,697. Waking up early because "today is the day"
12,698. Watching Aliza be a bridesmaid
12,699. Directing the wedding day
12,700. Exhaustion laughter
12,701. Sunday School discussion
12,702. Afternoon nap
12,703. A house full of young adults
12,704. So much silliness during school
12,705. Josiah and Austin getting to play disc golf
12,706. Telling Grandma all the wedding details
12,707. Just us
12,708. A long talk with Karen
12,709. Catching up with Aliza

Beach and Sunflowers

 It's only been a couple weeks and these little moments feel like they happened almost a lifetime ago! A lot of life has happened in the last couple weeks. 

We got to spend a Saturday evening at the beach with Jeff and Janell's family. 

Next time I may have to build a sand sofa for myself! 

Jeremy and I had a day together driving to Frederick and attending a memorial service for his uncle, Lanning. Maybe it would not have been the date day activity that we would have chosen, but nonetheless, we got to spend the day together. We left from church and got home at 10:45. I felt like I had big kids. (which, of course, I do and have had for a while now! It still keeps surprising me!) They had different plans for the day and Josiah needed to get Isaiah to his friend's house and pick him up. Their favorite, though, is that I leave them money to buy supper. 

The memorial service was special in a way that Lanning would have appreciated. 

Van, Karen, Joel, Amanda, Jeremy and I decided to have supper together before we all drove home. I saw an opportunity for Amanda and I to have a minute together so I suggested that the brothers ride together and Amanda and I drove together. 

I asked her if they had driven past a sunflower field on their way to the church where people were stopped and taking pictures. She said YES and then recounted just about the same conversation that Jeremy and I had about stopping to take a picture and the guys thinking that wasn't the greatest idea. 

Amanda and I were the last of our 3 cars. We did a u-turn and made our way to the sunflower field. It was golden hour and the road was lined with cars that had stopped. Obviously there were people who had planned full portrait sessions. Amanda and I just jumped out, found a spot, grabbed a couple pictures, giggled over how spontaneous and free we were and headed back to meet the rest at Panera. 

 

I think Amanda's comment as we pulled in to the Panera parking lot with our husbands and in-laws watching for us was, "do you feel like a teenager who is coming home past curfew?" 

We had a lovely supper together and then we drove back home to our kiddos and a new week of school and all the daily activities!  

 

 Happy 11th Birthday Isaiah!!

Joy Dare::August

 12,528. Lower humidity for a day
12,529. Our kids spending time together

12,530. Date night (literally) for Jeremy and I
12,531. A walk through SU
12,532. A deep cleaned back porch
12,533. Future planning with Aliza
12,534. Laughing until I was crying
12,535. When the kids decide it's a good night for Island Creamery and their Dad agrees
12,536. Staying up very late to watch the live stream of our favorite concert
12,537. Grace to be humble
12,538. Brainstorming ideas
12,539. Receiving an encouraging note
12,540. That Henry and Audrey love coming to our house
12,541. Listening to the rain
12,542. Dear friends around me
12,543. The first yellow leaves reminding me the next season is coming
12,544. Reading time with Isaiah before bed
12,545. Maggie "bringing me messages" from Aliza
12,546. Mini golf and lunch with my boys
12,547. Making supper for Laura and Sean
12,548. Christie
12,549. John is home
12,550. Anna telling me all about the rides
12,551. Company for supper
12,552. Talking to Mom
12,553. Bearing witness to another's story
12,554. Josiah's work ethic
12,555. A full Sunday School class
12,556. Talking to my brother and sister
12,557. Smooth travel
12,558. Aliza and Josiah did so well with wisdom teeth removal
12,559. Anna taking on a big project
12,560. Mom's visit
12,561. Reaching out
12,562. Aliza and Josiah's good attitude
12,563. Having Renee and Lydia for the day
12,564. Lunch with the youth group
12,565. Shoulder-to-shoulder time with Anna
12,566. Excited that I am actually re-learning piano
12,567. Taking the first steps to get school ready
12,568. Time with Maria
12,569. Isaiah helping with supper
12,570. More planning with Aliza
12,571. High pitched squeals means they are having fun
12,572. Evening driving
12,573. Listening to Aliza talk about her summer
12,574. Grandma and Grandpa time
12,575. Bible reading before bed (Anna is reading out loud to everyone)

12,576. Laughing together

12,577. Home in time for youth group
12,578. Known 

12,579. Prayer
12,580. Playing piano
12,581. Hearing all about Aliza's day
12,582. Rain
12,583. Thrifting and lunch to celebrate Lydia
12,584. Jeremy
12,585. Learning history from John
12,586. Aliza sharing her summer experience with the church
12,587. Riding home with Jeremy
12,588. A win
12,589. First dahlia

12,590. Anna's friends
12,591. Saying Yes to a spontaneous invitation
12,592. Asking for and receiving forgiveness
12,593. An evening with ladies
12,594. Saying Yes to putting myself in a new situation
12,595. A long talk with my mom
12,596. Laughter at the supper table
12,597. Picnic by the Pocomoke River
12,598. Celebrating John's birthday in Sunday School
12,599. Staying up late talking and laughing
12,600. Austin hanging out with us for the day
12,601. The men making sure John gets safely into our house
12,602. So many hard things, and my family still prays
12,603. A sister to adventure with
12,604. Watching Hamilton on Broadway with my daughters
12,605. Anna's face while she experience Time Square at 10pm
12,606. Breakfast in Times Square
12,607. An easy drive out of the city
12,608. Back home in the country
12,609. To do lists to keep me organized
12,610. Friends with so many talents
12,611. Brian
12,612. New blades on the lawnmower
12,613. Family evening at the beach
12,614. Aliza's heart
12,615. Lunch at Mom and Dad's house
12,616. Beautiful afternoon for a walk around SU
12,617. Food prep and balloons
12,618. Aliza, Anna and I working together
12,619. Alena's bridal shower was perfect
12,620. Friends

Bridal Shower

 Aliza and I had the privilege of hosting a bridal shower for Aliza's best friend, Alena. This was our project as soon as Aliza got home from camp. Aliza knows Alena so well. I wanted her to take the lead in the vision for the shower. 

Pretty quickly, Aliza knew she wanted to use wildflowers to decorate. I had recently come across a local u-pick wildflower farm and knew it would be perfect for the bridesmaids to pick and arrange flowers for the shower. It turned out that the farm ended their season earlier in the week. When I asked for other ideas on facebook, the farm owner reached out to me and offered for the bridesmaids to forage for whatever was left for a discounted. For these girls, it was absolutely perfect. They were alone in the field and had the best time together. 

Food was a little challenging because food is not Alena's thing and Aliza really wanted everything to be food that Alena would be comfortable eating. 

We decided on individual charcuterie cups, a fruit plate and individual lemon blueberry trifles. 

The charcuterie cups had nuts on the bottom, salami, cheeses, blackberry, raspberries, cracker and a pretzel roll bite. 

 

I want to make this lemon blueberry trifle again! Lemon pound cake, lemon curd, lemon cheesecake filling and blueberries. Served in mini parfait cups with tiny spoons made it feel extra special! 

I am now a huge fan of personalized water bottle labels. For a couple dollars on etsy, I could get the template to personalize and then my friend printed them. 

We held the shower in the youth room at church. Aliza's goal was to make this church room feel more homey like a living room. She added a coffee table and tray tables, the wildflower bouquets were a perfect touch, and she covered the whiteboard with a backdrop that said "Miss to Mrs." and filled in the sides with balloons. 

Aliza was also led the games. She asked the bride and groom's moms for pictures of them at different ages and then the guests guessed their ages. It was a fun decoration and people had fun guessing and talking about the pictures. 

 

Then we played Scattergories. The categories were all wedding related and we used the letters L-O-V-E. The older ladies had never heard of Scattergories. They were good sports especially given that we did not choose easy letters to get them started! 

I asked everyone to write down a memory they have with Alena or marriage advice. When it was time to open gifts, I read one, Alena figured out who said it and then she opened the gift from that person. 

This is Alena and Aliza's "best friend" picture pose. 

This was the first event that Aliza and I planned together. It took a lot of communication for us to understand each other's vision. The day of the shower, I prepared the food while Aliza and Anna decorated the room and it was just perfect. 

I am often Melinda's "wing woman." This time she had no idea what was being planned and she got to just arrive and enjoy the event as mother of the bride. This season of launching children is special one that we share and cheer each other on in. Let's me clear though--I'm just fine that this is HER daughter getting married at 20 years old and not mine!!