Thirteen moves in eight years. Kids who have moved twice as many times as their age. How does one handle so much change?
Author: Emma Hall
My name is Emma Hall, and I am a young wife and mother of five. Yep, five kids! My husband and I are high school sweethearts, married at 18. He spent five years in the Marine Corps, during which time we followed him back and forth across the country. Nine moves + one deployed husband later we have settled in Ohio (for good?) where we work to balance chaos, joyful children, toxic free living, renovating our farmhouse, and living simple.
Surprise move #9: we bought a farmhouse in Ohio
Do you remember two and a half years ago when my husband got out of the Marine Corps and we moved to Colorado for good? And then God had other plans, and six months later we moved to the DC area for 10 months until a new job allowed us to move back to Colorado–you know, for good. We bought our dream land. We came up with preliminary plans totell me the rest!
When our mission as mothers does not start with our kids
I turned the music louder to try to drown out the persistent four year old in the backseat. “Can I watch PJ Masks when we get home, Mom? Can I can I can I can I can I can I?” Again, I told him no because it was lunch time, and wishing he would be quiet, I turned the music up a little louder. This was a convicting song andtell me the rest!
20 lessons I learned in 2020
2020–what a year. People have a really strange view of survival, the world changes extremely quickly, and people have forgotten how to think for themselves.
No longer a military wife, but not quite a civilian one either: the in-between life of a contractor’s wife
It’s just another husbandless day. The first question I’m typically asked when people find out my missing husband is deployed: What branch? He’s prior Marine Corps, I tell them, but he works privately now. We did five years in the Marines. Five years surrounded by a community of people who spoke my language, understood the acronyms, knew what it was like for spouses to miss Christmases and milestones and births.tell me the rest!
The dancing leprechaun: an election story that Jesus wins
With election day coming in only 72 hours, chaos is everywhere. Half of America is going to lose. Regardless of who is elected, millions of people will be angry, half of a family celebrating while the other half recovers from a gut punch. We’re expecting riots or protests, major disruption and…more chaos. The media has a golden child, poised to win. We’ve all seen the polls–and as far as newstell me the rest!
To the mama expecting a baby during Covid-19
This morning, the most gorgeous little girl was born to one of my dearest friends. She is absolutely perfect, and yet– It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. Months ago, she and her family were ready to move to Asia, to start a new life with a new job at a new school. But the plane ride never happened, and as her family waited indefinitely, she prepared to change alltell me the rest!
He’s deployed, and I’m determined to save his place
Reminders of him are everywhere. Half an onion in the fridge from when he made us breakfast sandwiches out of eggs fried in onion rings. A faded old t-shirt he forgot in the laundry. His toothpaste, unwittingly abandoned, peeking out from behind a bottle of lavender essential oil and my satin mint facial scrub. Honey sticks he purchased at a quirky gas station in a small mountain town still intell me the rest!
The importance of two weeks in bed postpartum
My midwives sat across from me during my prenatal appointment, with crossed legs and kind countenances. They knew something I didn’t. I think you need a new plan, was the gentle reply they voiced only with their eyes. What was my postpartum plan to rest after my third baby was born? Well…nothing? We were new to the area, we weren’t plugged into our church, my husband didn’t have paternity leave,tell me the rest!
We’re moving to Colorado…again
When we moved to Colorado the first time, over a year ago, we intended to settle down. Put down roots, build a home, stay somewhere for more than two years. But when we make plans, God likes to remind us Who is really in charge. Six months later, we packed our bags and headed to DC, where we’ve enjoyed nine chaotic, healing months. Healing after years of separation and transition.tell me the rest!