Great Expectations
My inner child, my literal children, and what we deserve
Good morning, beautiful people! Happy Sunday to you all. I’m so happy to be back with my writing habits and honestly, it’s kinda calming to write on a Sunday morning. So grab a coffee yourselves and let’s catch up!
Family Slice
This week we started something called a "Magic Puzzle" - it's one of those puzzles that transforms into different shapes as you work on it, with a surprise ending that completely changes the picture you thought you were building. Kim picks one up for me whenever I feel a bit down and without going into detail, this week I felt really down. So now it’s become some sort of a ‘cheer Miche up’ tradition and I’m obsessed.
There's something deeply satisfying about working on a puzzle where the rules keep shifting, where what you think you're building isn't what you end up with. It feels like a perfect metaphor for faith, honestly. We think we're constructing one understanding of God, of ourselves, of our families, and then suddenly the pieces rearrange themselves and we're looking at something entirely different.
The kids love hunting for the hidden details scattered throughout the image - there are so many"Easter eggs" to discover. But what I keep thinking about is how this puzzle mirrors theological development. We start with one framework, one way of understanding doctrine and scripture, and then life happens. Transition happens. New relationships happen. And suddenly all those carefully placed pieces need to be rearranged. Even though this puzzle breaks all puzzle conventions, it’s still a jigsaw puzzle.
The magic isn't in the final picture - it's in the willingness to let the image transform, to trust that what emerges might be more beautiful than what we originally planned.
This Week's Special
The "One Big Beautiful Bill" has completed its journey through Congress, and the outcome is both predictable and devastating. Fortunately the Senate removed the Crenshaw Amendment (which would have banned Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care) and passed it with a tie breaker vote from the Vice President. The House barely passed the bill by a 215-214 vote later that week.
Here's what breaks my heart about the numbers: the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is projected to cost around $1.5 trillion over 10 years, with extending those tax cuts adding over $3.3 trillion through 2033. Meanwhile, the Medicaid cuts in this bill are projected to save approximately $1 trillion over a decade. The math is staggering: we're taking healthcare away from the most vulnerable to pay for tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy.
This isn't just policy - it's a moral framework that says some people's financial comfort matters more than other people's basic survival. The bill passed after "over 24-hour vote-a-rama" in the Senate, setting "a record for the most amendment votes in Senate history." All that time and energy spent on legislation that will make millions of people's lives measurably worse. I’m sure you’ve seen many people speak out against the bill like
and and they’re hitting the nail on the head; these are senators and house representatives that promised to not touch Medicaid and they all lied.In my work with TMC, I see daily how these decisions ripple through real families. It's not abstract policy when a parent has to choose between rent and their child's medication, or when someone has to ration insulin because their insurance no longer covers it. The cruelty is the point, and the efficiency with which it's being implemented is breathtaking.
The Crust of the Matter
Last Friday’s exploration of Mark 2 has been living in my head all week, especially the story of the paralyzed man whose friends literally tore through a roof to get him to Jesus. I keep thinking about how the crowd - probably well-meaning people genuinely interested in Jesus's teaching - became a barrier to someone who desperately needed healing.
This week, watching our car getting loaded with splash pad toys and playground gear, I've been wondering: what are the "crowds" in my own life that might be blocking someone's access to what they need? Am I sometimes the person taking up space in a way that makes it harder for others to get through the door?
The friends in Mark's story didn't wait for permission or ask the crowd to move. They took direct action. They "dug through" the roof - sustained, determined effort to create access where none existed. Mark tells us Jesus saw their faith and responded immediately.
Sometimes love looks like making space. Sometimes it looks like tearing through roofs. And sometimes it looks like sitting with a Magic Puzzle, watching pieces rearrange themselves into something you never expected but somehow always needed.
Momhood
Our Monday Summer Planning Sessions with the Cricut machine continue to be the highlight of my week. This week the kids and I made a gorgeous schedule that includes Taylor Farm Park with the splash pad (again - they're obsessed), a playdate with friends, and the very important mission of buying fireworks for the 4th.
I love watching them negotiate the balance between adventure and comfort. They want new experiences, but they also want the familiarity of places that have proven fun before. They want independence, but they also want the security of knowing mom has thought through the logistics.
Using the Cricut to make our schedule feels like such a perfect metaphor for this season of motherhood. We're taking the raw materials of summer - time, weather, children's energy, family rhythms - and cutting them into something beautiful and functional. Each week is its own little work of art.
Being the primary schedule coordinator has taught me things about myself I didn't know. I genuinely enjoy the puzzle of fitting everyone's needs into the available time and space. I love the anticipatory energy of planning something the kids will remember. I'm someone who finds deep satisfaction in the mundane magic of making sure everyone has what they need when they need it.
Everyone includes myself by the way. This week’s therapy session we dug deep into my Internal Family Systems. Particularly into how some of my managers “strategically” minimize my needs and wants in order to not scare people off. Looking at my kids though, it’s easy to give them exactly what they need and want and my therapist has been encouraging me to look at myself like a child again. Like a person who deserves to be loved and cherished.
Pie To Go
😎 This week marks the beginning of TMC's programming break (July 6-19), and I'm practicing what we preach about rest being resistance. No support groups, no big projects, just space to breathe and remember that our worth isn't measured by our productivity.
🏕️ My camping research is getting serious after my son's repeated requests. Any folks in the Richmond area have recommendations for family-friendly spots that are safe and welcoming? We're looking for something that balances adventure with accessibility - kind of like everything else in life, honestly.
📖 Book writing momentum continues to build. It’s funny how having capacity makes creativity possible again 🙄 When you're not just surviving, imagination has room to stretch.
🫖 And a newsletter note: "Spill the Tea" will be back this Friday with Mark 3 and its radical reimagining of what family means. I'm moving it to Fridays permanently - it just feels like a better rhythm for deeper theological reflection as we head into the weekend.
Thanks for being here, friends. Your presence makes every week a little brighter.
With love and pride,
Miche
P.S. - If you're on Substack Notes, I'm sharing daily glimpses of summer life and quick theological insights. Come find me there for the between-newsletter moments! I have no clue what I’m doing there lol, so help a sister out.
Camp Hanover! Thank you for sharing. Sending love and hugs!