Mrs. Arensberg

We are not exactly thriving over here.

The weather forecast called for catastrophic flooding today, and unfortunately, it delivered.

After spending the day volunteering on our middle school renovation, I came home to find that the garage renovation we have poured our heart, soul, time, and money into had flooded. Then we found out that a tree had fallen on the very building at school that our amazing group of volunteers works out of.

Digging trenches in the mud to try to save our house was definitely not on my bingo card for today.

At one point, I was genuinely hoping I’d uncover a buried treasure chest full of gold while digging 😂

We know things are replaceable, and we are incredibly grateful everyone is safe, but whew… today was a lot.

So if you happen to see any of my posts over the next few days, give them a little love. Every like, comment, share, save, and click truly makes a difference for creators, and right now every penny counts. I was literally about to make a post today asking for help purchasing a new carpet cleaner for our school, but it appears we have bigger fish to fry now. 🤣

Here’s hoping tomorrow brings a little less rain and a little more luck. Trying to keep in good spirits, but it’s tough.

Sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer someone isn't advice, answers, or solutions. It's our full attention.

When we listen to understand instead of listening to respond, we create space for others to feel seen, heard, and valued. Connection begins when we set aside our assumptions, quiet our inner voice, and become curious about someone else's perspective.

Everyone deserves someone who listens to understand their heart, not just their words.

I love a good “I’m just a girl” moment, but let’s not forget all the incredible things girls can do when they stop waiting for permission and start believing they can learn anything.

What’s a skill you taught yourself that made you feel unstoppable? 👇

What happened to you may be part of your story, but it is not your identity.

You are not defined by the hardest moments you’ve lived through, the mistakes you’ve made, or the things that were done to you. You are defined by your resilience, your courage, and your decision to keep moving forward.

Your past may explain you, but it does not have the power to define you.

Some days, growth feels frustratingly slow. You put in the effort, show up consistently, and wonder why it isn’t getting easier yet. But the best things in life rarely happen overnight.

Growth is built in the slower moments: the extra practice, the hard conversations, the decision to keep going when quitting would be easier.

Effort + time = growth.

Trust the process. The seeds you’re planting today may take time to bloom, but they’re growing beneath the surface.

My neighbor has these *lovely* sweet gum trees that hang over our fence and drop those spikey BOMBS everywhere. They are the bain of our outdoor existence. Even poor Annie gets them, stuck in her paws. We had a pretty decent rain today, but no real wind or storms.

Today while I was making lunch, it decided to one-up itself and drop some huge limbs, breaking our gate, and narrowly missing our boat motor. 😫

I love trees, but I I wish with all my heart that one could go away.

After sharing the story about losing part of my finger as a child, so many of you reached out with your own stories, which reminded me why books like How’d You Get That Scar? matter so much.

Scars tell stories. Some are visible, some are not, and all of them deserve to be met with curiosity, empathy, and kindness.

This book helps children understand that our differences are not something to hide or be embarrassed by. Instead, they are part of what makes each of us unique! It’s a wonderful conversation starter about visible differences, inclusion, body positivity, and the importance of teaching kids that questions are okay when they come from a place of respect.

Every scar has a story, and every story deserves compassion.
Link for the book in the caption!