Gratitude in the Middle of the Winds

Desert Winds are back in Arizona

The past few weeks were quiet in our house—not the peaceful kind of quiet, but the kind that comes when influenza decides to make itself at home. As hard as we worked to keep it away, Influenza Type A swept through our family and had all of us down for the count. Even the baby ran a fever of 103, which is enough to make any household stop and hold its breath for a while.

Thankfully, we’re all well again. And after a couple weeks of sickness, simple things suddenly feel like gifts—energy, sunshine, and the chance to get back to normal life.

February did bring one especially bright moment. My first cousin and her husband stopped in for a visit, and it was wonderful. Those kinds of visits remind me how valuable family connections are, especially when life pulls people in so many different directions. We are older now, and more relaxed about life because we've had lots of practice-- the things that weigh on us we hand over to Jesus.

Out here in Arizona, another familiar sign of the seasons has arrived—the winds. Anyone who lives in the desert knows what that means. The wind kicks up the dust, rattles the windows, and reminds us that the next act on the calendar is the long stretch of summer heat.

Summer here can be grueling, but it also has its redeeming moments. If the monsoons arrive the way they’re supposed to, the desert comes alive. The smell of rain on dry earth, the sudden green in places that were brown the day before, and the dramatic skies make the whole season feel worth it.

It’s been a few years since we’ve had the kind of monsoon season we used to count on, so this year I’m hopeful.

Being sick slowed me down for a bit, and a few writing projects had to be set aside temporarily. But the plans are still there, and I’m moving forward again. While stories have a way of waiting patiently until we’re ready to pick them back up, the characters continue poking at me to get moving.

If you’d like to follow along with what I’m working on, feel free to follow me on social media. I share updates there as new projects move forward. I'm trying to get better at posting and that means you won't be bombarded.

And as this windy Arizona spring rolls in, I’m feeling grateful—for family, for health, and for the chance to keep writing. Blessings! Soni and Friends