We’ve taken seizing the moment and intentionality very seriously this week. It just took a bit of planning to turn a “normal” week into a special week. My sister has reminded me how hard it is to move from the beautiful mountains to the city, so we’ve really pushed ourselves to be outside as much as possible. My weekend trips the last few weeks have also helped me remember that people who don’t live in Atlanta get to spend a lot more time in healing nature.
I’m still seeking my new normal, my new rhythm and I hope this week is a sign of things to come. Intentionality is always important, but at no time is it more so than when a crisis forces you to lay the groundwork for a new way of life.
As a single, I went out with friends almost every night. It was rare that I was home with nothing to do. After I was married, my husband and I developed a new rhythm that included staying home almost almost every night. Now, neither of those rhythms feel right. This week did feel right.
We met at Kennesaw Mountain to hike on Tuesday, met friends at the Chattahoochee on Wednesday, and then hiked up Stone Mountain on Thursday. It’s been a very busy and potentially stressful week at work, but these afternoons outside have really helped me keep it all in perspective and think about the things I want to think about: Shah’s love, God’s faithfulness, and the precious gift of friends, family and nature.
I’m at a stage in my grief process where I’m having to actively remember the love and the good times, because my soul doesn’t understand why he is gone and tries to understand it in all kinds of different ways. I’m having to actively remember the truth. The truth is good. He loved me so well. But the truth also hurts, because I remember what I had and can’t understand how I lost it. Death doesn’t make sense. It isn’t right.
Nature and exercise have helped me be in this process, remember the truth and grieve the loss, while remembering that this life now is also good.
Friends have also been very thoughtful this week and I’ve been more able to take it all in from this place of beauty.
And as always, Zoya is a source of pure delight.
One of the most delightful things about taking Zoya on these adventures is watching her development change in the matter of an hour.
We go from, Wow Mommy, I can climb this 3 inch rock two feet from you,
to, see you later, 
to, I’m going to sleep well tonight, all in less than an hour.
I love to see her walk three steps away and run back, and then five steps away and run back, and then ten steps away and run back, and then O my, I’d better get up and go chase her, because she is not looking back.
So in reverse order, here are three different photo albums from this week.
Stone Mountain
Chattahoochee
Kennesaw Mountain
And then I almost forgot the bonus, Chinese takeout picnic in the backyard on Monday!
God Provides for Us 
Good to see you breathing, girl.
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