Hey, I have missed you!

Wow, y’all. It’s absolutely crazy how much has gone on in the last couple of months. I have felt so behind on EVERYTHING, and work honestly has come last in the overwhelming race against the clock every single day and constantly just trying to keep it together until nap time. (I get two times a day that bubba goes down- I will share Knox’s latest schedule in the coming weeks!) Now, because we are family around here, I wanted to just fill you in, say “hey!”, and keep this good thing we’ve got going. Because, listen, I like you. I want to keep you and I connected. 😉

To be frank, The Cake by Hannah has taken a back burner the last two months to a baby who has discovered he wants to always be vertical (and is now crawling like a champ!), the month of May that was swallowed by sickness (multiple times for all three of us!), and the month of June which was dominated entirely by travel/camp/Paul gone for 10 days. You guys, sending your husband off to a remote village in Africa with zero contact for any amount of time is unsettling, but DANG 10 days. We had never been apart for that long before, and definitely not without contact! I feel like I have been out of my routine since the beginning of May. And in case you’re wondering… it’s July… JULY. I went to the gym today for the first time since May, because I can’t ever figure out how to align getting someone to watch Knox so I can go to barre. I often start writing posts and can’t finish them. I literally have 5 open documents at the bottom right corner of my computer of posts I haven’t finished yet. It’s just so hard -all of it- when you are trying with every fiber of your being to be a good mom, good wife, good mentor, and oh yeah… when I get the chance, good writer and find “me time” to do what I love.

Because of the challenge this season of life has brought, I have longed for simplicity in every little nook and cranny of my life. What I focus on and who I focus on. How long I take to get ready. How much less I care about what I am wearing. How much more I care about if I am investing my time and thoughts in something that matters. You see, the best part about the last couple of months has been that despite this season being a challenge, it’s also been so life-giving and helpful. I have never been happier, I don’t think. I have never felt so sure of myself, despite the chaos around me and my (countless) shortcomings.

Sure, there’s a lot to figure out in this act of balancing life, work, motherhood, being a wife, and… well, everything. But here’s what I know: I have never been more happy with simple than now, and I am just glad you guys want to be part of whatever that looks like. That my friends is so freeing. I have never been more content with less for the sake of more than now.

**Literally just stopped writing this post for a good 40 minutes, because Knox just said “mama” for real for the first time. I about died. And I then proceeded to lay on the floor making him say it over and over again… Case and point… this is why my focus is so divided, but I don’t mind it one bit. My family and being a mom will ALWAYS trump work. I will share videos of him saying “mama” at the bottom of this post. You will also see how much of a monkey my child is all of a sudden… literally none of this is staged. (Feel like I have to say that O_o) **

For a quick update on us: Knox is crawling and climbing over everything. And, as of .2 seconds ago, apparently saying “mama”. I am still absolutely freaking out. Paul just traveled to Africa for 10 days where he served with Mission Massai, preached to the village at their Sunday service, and helped lead a VBS for the kids. We then had camp for our students, and then preached this past Sunday with Emma Mae Jenkins. *She is actually my pastor’s niece. And, she is just as amazingly kind and precious in real life as you hope she will be.* This was my first time to ever PREACH from the stage (I sing from it all the time!), and despite being incredibly nervous… I had so much fun and have a new love for speaking. Not a bad gig to work and experience so much in life with my hubby literally at my side. I am so grateful for life, y’all. SO GRATEFUL. You can listen to our’s and Emma’s message from Sunday here.

Anyways, clearly life has been wild. I have been trying to figure out what to focus on and how much time to put into things. Here’s what I can guarantee you will always get from me:

Instagram: I am always there. Let’s hang out. And if you like following along with my life, my family, my faith, and just keepin’ it real… tell yo friends, too. 😉
Sweet Thoughts: Every single Tuesday, without fail, at 6 AM you will receive my weekly devotional. (Except this past Tuesday, because it’s a holiday week and I gave myself off.)
The Blog: I will continue with weekly blog posts. Some weeks there may be more, but I am promising myself and you at least one a week.
The Cake Shop: This is ALWAYS there! I currently have Signature Tanks, Because He First Loved, and Sunny Days ball caps in full supply for the summer. The Cake Shop is an extension of the heart behind The Cake by Hannah. The mission to always be sweet, find joy in the little things, and to spread kindness like buttercream frosting.

I love you guys so deeply, friends. You celebrate and cry with me, and everything in between. I am grateful for each and every one of you. I am grateful for what we’ve got. 😉 I was going to do a photo shoot for this post, but honestly… I just found it fitting to share some pics from the last few weeks from the every day simplicity of our life lately. Like, 4th of July parades, lake days with friends, our first movie theatre date in years, a breakfast date, and such. You know, life. *insert a shrug here*

Love y’all. I have linked everything I am wearing to the best of my ability.

xoxo, Han