Carpe Diem the Life out of Life

I've had several messages lately from friends saying, "Hey, how are you?  Are things okay?  You haven't blogged in a while."  The short answer:  Yes, I am fine and thank you so much for asking!  The long answer:  See below

Spring is here!

Spring is always miraculous.  Living in the mountains of PA, it usually came a little late to us, but I loved watching the birds return, the brush start turning green, the trees come back to life and the animals begin their scampering.  It was also muddy, which kinda made me not like spring a whole lot.  Muddy dirty mud that would would be tramped through the house and in the car and on shoes... mud.

Kentucky, and particularly Kalas Village, has its own little spring miracles.  Just like in PA, the brush turns green, the birds start singing and the trees look alive but instead of scampering animals, it's people... neighbors... smiling faces that have been hidden under layers of puffy clothes and knit scarves and woolen hats that suddenly emerge from behind closed doors and into the streets.  White faces soon start turning a sun-kissed red.  Dull eyes start sparkling with life and light.  Hushed voices start yelling, "Hello, how are you?"  Life returns to the village.

The kids in particular find new life, with each other and the world around them.  Suddenly, doors are flung open and children emerge from everywhere.  As one of my neighbors put it, "The winter is over and all these children come out, slightly taller and a little older, and there's a bunch more tiny ones, the babies born over the winter months."  Bikes, scooters, ripstiks, roller skates and every other wheeled object you can think of become modes of transportation for every elementary resident.  Little

Sunset at Kalas on Easter night

gangs of these wheeled posses find their way to gazebos and front porches to concoct games and stories and inventions and craft shows and whatever else their little minds can imagine.  Sprinklers and water guns fill up the warm afternoons and chatter and laughter the mild evenings.  Bedtimes come way too soon and school is an interruption to their lives.

Honestly, its beautiful.  The sounds of life being lived, the day being seized.  It pulls you out and into being.  It makes you want to walk and talk and grow and breathe.  Someone once asked me how our family can "do" so much and I answered as honestly as I could - we carpe diem the life out of life.  We try to "seize the day" with each moment and to live intentionally into each precious second of life.  We truly strive to not let an opportunity to experience life more fully pass us by whether it be going outside on a beautiful day or sharing communion with friends on Easter.  It is a full life, one that yesterday as I tried to sum up in a few words to answer Facebook's unending question "What's on your mind?" left me speechless.  

Kentucky spring is not without its "mud" only it comes in the form of allergies, countless allergens that make you sneeze and snot and tear up and cough and want to nap a lot.  My new friend Claritin makes its rounds daily in the Embree house.  But it hasn't slowed us down too much.  Life is being lived, my friends, and we do not want to miss out.


So, the long answer is, I, or more precisely, we have been busy hiking, biking, running, singing, laughing, talking, working, sneezing, visiting friends, celebrating with family, exploring new places, making more memories, eating fabulous dishes, sharing beautiful days and star-filled nights and enjoying all that spring's new life has to bring.  

Today Luke and I celebrate 13 years of marriage.  He surprised me with a little getaway this weekend to Lexington, just us, no kids.  While we were reflecting over the past 13 years we both agreed that while things have not always been easy or perfect, we've always been in it together and we always do our best to live life to the fullest for God's glory and His kingdom.  We agreed that we'd both be happy if at the end of our lives the legacy we leave behind is "They loved God and lived life to the fullest."  So hey, as spring spreads its life across the country and winter retreats for another year, go out, live life, carpe diem each moment and celebrate the beautiful life God has given you!  Blessings friends!!