May Goals

If I could stay up late no doubt
I’d catch the buds just bursting out;
And up from every hidden root
Would jump a tiny slender shoot;
I wonder how seeds learn the way,
They always know the very day—
The pretty, happy first of May;
If I could stay up then, no doubt
I’d catch the buds just bursting out.

– “The First of May” by Annette Wynne

April was the fullest travel month I’ve ever had with trips to D.C., Miami with Ari, and Cambridge, Massachusets, to speak at Harvard last week—and yet these travels brought deep rest and connection. What a gift all of these adventures were.

The kids and I made memories in D.C. and enjoyed the Museum of the Bible’s production of Prince Caspian. It was stellar! We also enjoyed an unexpected hotel stay that wowed us, and I spent time with my friend, Maaden.

God led us to invest in our marriage in new ways this year. Miami was a highlight of our year—our first trip ever away from our kids on an airplane. We spent four days at the Carillon Wellness Resort and can’t wait to return. We learned the Argentine tango, biked many miles up and down Miami Beach, and enjoyed the expansive Carillon spa. My favorite was the crystal steam room! Most importantly, we had time together to dream and pray about the future and thank God for right now. This trip came on the heels of my finishing New Marriage, Same Couple, and we used the Vision questions from the book during our time together. It was wonderful!

The invitation to speak at Harvard’s Flourishing at Work Summit was a surprise in April. I almost said no, and the kids and Ari encouraged me to do it and see what happened. God used it to enliven me. He always has better plans than I can dream up on my own. I came away from my time there brimming with joy, new relationships, insights, and a desire to serve with my gifts through speaking. After over a decade of saying no to 99% of the requests I’ve gotten over the years, purely because my plate was full with the work of being a CEO and motherhood, I now have more time, energy, and knowledge to give. I have loved connecting with people during my travels and I loved meeting so many faith-driven leaders and researchers at Harvard! If you know of an organization or group that needs to be equipped and encouraged, invite them to fill out this form.

Also, we planted the garden in April, thanks to my mom’s visit. I always learn by watching her in the kitchen or out in the garden. This year, we sowed 12 varieties of tomato seeds, lots of herbs for cooking, four varieties of corn, giant sunflowers, and an entire bed of Erin’s zinnias. Everything is sprouting, and it’s fun to go out and see the progress each day with the kids!

Ahead in May: a trip to Florida with the whole family for my niece’s bat mitzvah, finishing the school year well (our end-of-the-year tradition is a “count the fruit” party with kid-friendly piña coladas and a fun fruit tasting with unique fruit from all over the world!), Father/Son Camp for Josh and Ari (Josh is pumped!), and celebrating Jessie’s life at a small service with her mom and friends. Her passing was so sudden that it was too much to do a service in December. I’m grateful we’ll get to gather and remember her with the flowers blooming now in May. It just seems right.

Also, in May, I did something after 20+ years.

My May PowerSheets goals grew from my 2024 Goals here.

Your turn! What are you looking forward to this month? I’d love to hear!