My mood currently is Frances getting her flowers from her peers at the SAG awards.
😭 I cannot fully express what this episode of On Being did for me. Otis Moss III is my new favorite theologian and his passion for Howard Thurman is contagious! (Big thanks to Sarah Holland for flagging this episode)
👑 Guys, I’m extremely into the celebrity profile and looking at pictures of actors dressed the heck up, so this Town and Country spread with the new royal generation from The Crown is just RIGHT ON UP MY ALLEY, written by our beloved Elizabeth Holmes.
💻 My dear friend Retha Nichole is presenting her A Better You workshop TONIGHT! You can still get tickets and hear from a TON of super-smart people (also me). I don’t get a kick-back on these tickets, I just genuinely think Retha is wise as heck and if you’re wanting to venture into business or life coaching, but you aren’t sure if it’s for you, this is a great way to test out the water!
🎃 The Lazy Genius curated a post about how we do Halloween this year and people had such great ideas!
🤔 This is an excellent post from Devi Abraham that has got me really thinking about the ways in which I use Instagram specifically, and also just how we use it in general. I think Devi is SO SMART and I always leave her space thinking.
❤️ Don’t forget, the We Got You Club is still riding high, and there are so many ways (not just financially) that we can help. I hope you’ll give it a look this weekend!
Seriously considering making a big life change and thinking about moving from St. Petersburg, FL to Chicago. I've reinforced my decision with my boss and waiting for him to at least commit to letting me WFH for 6 months (thru June) before I take the leap. My condo I was building completely blew up- I got rid of most of my furniture when I sold my house last year. I'm going month to month in my current place and I've been WFH for 32 weeks now so WHY not?
I've always loved Chicago-- the complete opposite of where I live now and I am in desperate need of a change. I've been with my company for 10 years in January, and I'm even open to leaving the company and finding a new job, especially if they don't agree to the 6 mths. #WishMeLuck
🏈FNL: Finished S2 and started S3. Is it just me or do the Season finales seem anti-climatic? They just end- we didn't even get a championship game? Now we meet JD and Tami is the principal? Would've liked more insight into that decision! My heart is broken for Smash and this is peak Coach with how he refuses to let any of these kids give up. Billy & Mindy is the epitome of small town staying power and the evolution of Tyra's hair continues with what appears to be a perm.
📚 Finished Home Before Dark by Riley Sager and it was perfectly spooky, haunted house vibes for October. I also just finished Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman (prequel to Practical Magic)- took a bit to get going, but it was so good!
🥗 My pants don't fit anymore: Need to get back on the WW bandwagon. It's the only thing that has worked for me. Just can't eat what I want, when I want anymore. My metabolism just can't keep up these days.
I'm not sure what the protocol is about posting twice but I just remembered a few treasures:
*I'm working with youth at my internship right now which means I'm on a Zoom call with 25 teenagers every Friday night which is so much overstimulation. The silver lining is the virtual prayer wall that has been provided for them and the sheer vulnerability and honesty that is on display.
*Also I purchased our very own Amanda Water's book, You Again and it is a delight. I love a book that is told in two separate time periods but about the same people. Thanks Amanda for this lovely distraction from the dumpster fire of election, pandemic and (gestures wildly) all of this!
Evidently when a ray of heavenly light shone down and the first British person saw the first cookie, the British person said, “Spiffing—but let’s make it a hard, dry pellet, really give our teeth a good workout, what?”
Treasures this week: the Comfortable Together group, and Mr. Rogers Faith Adjacent. Oh, and the most recent regular and Patreon episodes of the Big Boo Cast. They regularly make me lol, sometimes to the point of tears. Looking forward to a weekend of absolutely nothing. Happy Friday!
The waterfall of emotions that comes wrapped up in this sweet newsletter gets me every time. I'm sitting in my office crying 20 minutes before I have to coach a teacher. Totes ok because I really needed the cry, been holding in tension all week.
Amongst all the posts that pulled at my heart strings, I am especially thankful for the girl pronouncing English words because I'm an ESL Specialist and that was super great.
Love to see it!
My treasure this week is that I've saved up a bunch of Bible Binge eps so I can hang out with Erin, Jamie, and Knox while I have an alone day tomorrow. (Praise Jesus for alone days).
We didn’t get a rental we applied for (housing where we are is so competitive).
My husband lost his job. Thanks covid.
My 4 year old has been just testing my salvation.
My husband also has been in and out of the hospital with mysterious abdominal pain. Turns out it’s an ulcer. From stress. Thanks covid.
BUT... it’s snowing here in Montana... everything is being covered in a thick blanket of white. I keep being reminded every time I look out the window that God is in the business of making all things new. Over and over. Without fail. God is always faithful.
So, I guess there is a treasure in there somewhere.
Y’all, I have got to be better about digging up treasures. It’s the main reason I don’t post here every week; I feel like I never have anything good to bring to the table.
My husband and I finished the second season of The Umbrella Academy this week. We watched both seasons in the past few weeks and it is a wild ride at times but really good! So...one treasure found!
Also, because it’s fall, I’ve been listening to Nickel Creek - my fav band of all time. My music listening has been weird for years (which is a whole thing and really sad for me) but going back and listening to these albums I love has been super fun. And introducing them to my 8-year-old.
I found 2 treasures! That might even count as a third. 🤣
I was in a good mood today and happy that I only had one small turd and then I got a phone call informing me that my nephew (who's birthday is today) has COVID and I broke down crying. He's ok-ish and on the mend but I guess I have a lot more fear/stress/sadness in me than I thought and it doesn't take a lot for the dam to burst...
My treasures:
*The Comfortable Words, I've loved doing it together with so many kind, thoughtful, lovely people. I wished I could have participated more in the comments but bronchitis had other plans. (Coughing makes my brain go blank, apparently.)
*My dear friend, who has struggled with infertility and everything that comes with it, sent me a picture of her ultrasound. Baby is growing and seems healthy and I could not be happier for her! ❤
*I finally hung a couple of lanterns I got at Easter. Better late than never. 😉
Hi, friends! I have commented sporadically here before, but not frequently. However, I loved the community that we cultivated over at The Comfortable Words so much that I decided to try to poke my head in here on a more regular basis. :)
My Treasures for the Week
-My awesome pen pal, who I connected with courtesy of Erin Moon. Her letters are so dear to me, and I love that we have become such good friends.
-The Comfortable Words. I so enjoyed reading this with several of you all!
-It was 80 degrees yesterday here in Southwest Ohio, and it made my summer-loving soul so happy.
My Turds for the Week
-My husband lost his job around a month ago. Many people in my life have decided to text me any time that they see a now hiring sign in a window. My mother texted me four times last week to tell me that Amazon is hiring. She asked me the other day if he had considered getting a job at the local outlet mall. A man from church texted me this morning to also tell me that Amazon is hiring. I know they are doing it because they care. But it's starting to wear on me. Its not exactly helpful, and plus, my husband is a mechanical engineer.....he'll work anywhere if we get desperate enough, but he's really looking for a job in his field.
I kept a list of treasures this week, is this what adulting is?
* I finally voted! It's been hanging over my head because I was putting A LOT of weight on this election which is good but also bad for my perfectionist tendencies. But I did it!
* I finished my weekly paper for my grad school course while the sun was still up the night before it was due! I haven't been time managing very well and stared into the blue light of my computer until well past 9 pm the past few weeks.
* My sister and I created a proper tea party for my 5-year-old niece complete with scones, fancy china, and Devonshire cream. She kept saying, "This is amazing." Also, she is a huge fan of milk in her tea, come to find out.
* It's Pastor Appreciation month and the whole congregation of the church that I intern at has been so lovely and generous. I've gotten three gift cards and several very sweet notes.
* I bought a new hand mixer with one of those gift cards and this is also what adulting is.
* I discovered @KoreanVegan on Tik Tok and she is the most soothing and thoughtful thing I've seen on there in a long time.
* A church that sponsors me informed me that they are considering relinquishing their monthly financial support until I am actually on field as a missionary in Ireland which who knows when that will happen because of COVID. The pastor that informed me of it, told me on Facebook Messanger at 10 pm one night which was dumb but he acknowledged that stupidity and sent me a proper email in the morning. So I had a lot of feelings about that but mostly about how he told me and less about losing the support. I used to take this kind of thing VERY personally but I am working the coping techniques that are to remind myself that it's not personal. They didn't have the whole story and it's all in God's hands. He has provided for me so far and will continue to do so.
*The grad class I'm in is frustrating because the professor isn't actually teaching us from his brain. He's directing us to read and write papers, with little to no feedback from him. This can be the nature of online classes but I haven't had such a disengaged professor before. It's frustrating especially since it's a theology class that really needs some active teaching and discussion.
Sciata is the worrrrst. Moving on to a couple of my favorite treasures (I know have a note in my notes app dedicated to collecting links all week long):
Well, thanks for making me cry at work with that Nicholas Winton video.
Updates/things I'm loving:
-The Boy and I got to take a mini road trip last weekend to visit his grandparents (first time meeting them for me). We cooked together for his family and I won them over with said cooking. We got to soak in the hot tub at night and first thing in the morning (just...can that be my life every day?). But we also drove through the wreckage of one of the many wildfires that destroyed homes and towns here in Oregon and it was so, so sad seeing only chimneys and burnt cars remain for miles and miles. 😔
-It's cold outside (my car was even frosted over yesterday morning!), which means I can wear all the warm chunky sweaters that make me feel like I'm under a blanket at work. Also means cuddling doesn't immediately lead to sticky sweat, so that's nice.
-My sister will be delivering her second baby in the next couple weeks (due on Halloween, and if he's born on that day I think our mother will have a heart attack and be forever concerned for his soul.) I'm so, so excited to have a fresh baby to snuggle, but I also might have to be secretive about meeting him because our parents are not being smart about COVID stuff and my sister isn't sure how she feels about them being around him when they're not being safe (understandably so) but we also don't want them to be mad that she's letting me meet him and create some weird drama (can you tell we're both 9s? 😆).
-I have started rewatching Gilmore Girls because that is where I'm at in life and I'm starved for content and needed something to fill the Schitt's Creek hole in my life.
-The Boy has an interview today at the company where my dad works. He and all the other upper management are nearing retirement age and are looking to hire younger people to train and replace them. This would be a good job for Michael, and it would mean he would move up closer to my neck of the woods, but also he might be working with my dad? Not sure how I feel about that. 🙃
Anyway, that's a lot. I'll stop and start reading through all these other treasures. Yay for Fridays!
- Update on our Moony pup situation: we did end up sending her back to her breeder last Friday night. We just don't have the ability to go through maybe losing another puppy again and they have many more contacts and resources to attempt to help her. They already have a contact that is getting them an appointment with a specialist at University of TN. So hopefully they can get her some help and it's beneficial. It was awful saying goodbye, though, and we've all been emotional this week as a result.
- My ulcer is acting up. It's probably stress, but trying not to stress right now feels impossible.
Treasures:
- A couple days after that, the breeders contacted us. They had held back one puppy, a male, for their breeding program. But with Moony's special needs, they don't have the time to devote to him. So, assuming he passes a second health check with a different vet (they are not pleased that their regular vet missed Moony's problems), we will be picking him up tonight. My husband and I are cautiously optimistic, but we are NOT telling the kids until we physically have him.
- Erin, knowing how to hack my crying (and naming it as doing that, instead of assuming I'm a weirdo for doing random things when I'm upset) has been very beneficial. The end of the last Harry Potter book, clips from the Lost finale (the touches!) and It's a Wonderful Life for the win. I used to do this when I was a kid with a book on tape of Anne of the Island that was narrated by Megan Follows, and I am forever sad that I lost it even though I don't have a tape player anymore. I can still hear her doing Ruby Gillis's monologue about wanting to live.
- My daughter is turning seven on Sunday! She is a ray of sunshine and when she is not, I have found Jen Hatmaker's hack about adding water to be a winner. And she can now shower without the least bit of help and it's as amazing as I thought it would be.
Nervous about an upcoming trip out-of-state to my grandparents' house this coming Thursday. My mom is there until she goes back overseas so it is our only chance to see her this year, but the possibility of us taking Covid-19 to my grandparents who are in their late eighties is daunting. Also daunting: visiting right before the election. Our extended family has a new agreement not to discuss politics, but what counts as not political now? I am a five and small-talk is not my forte. Suggestions welcome!
I forgot the other thing I wanted to ramble here about. So two posts - sorry!
The Faith Adjacent Mr Rogers episode. Months ago I submerged myself in a close study of Mr Rogers the documentary and the Tom Hanks movie. I came away with questions. And one of those questions Erin gave a great answer to in this podcast. Is it silly that I was excited to hear my question read? Anyway...with that answer in mind, I had two encounters this week that continued to challenge me in how to handle these deep rifts caused by politics.
First up was a conversation with my mom where she shared about having a conversation with some people in her small group that seemed to boil down to their dismissal of "all democrats as deceived." I was encouraged to hear how my mom is trying to listen to her neighbors and challenge some of these characterizations of whole groups of people. But it left me a little ill at ease. I think our current situation allows us to be further and further from encountering real people we know and love who may hold views that challenge ours.
The second was a conversation I was having with my sister about the Phil Vischer video about abortion. It turned into what felt like a debate about racial issues and I was left feeling discouraged that so long as the internet offers us a view to support whatever reality we choose to believe we will remain entrenched in our views and only look for proof that backs them up.
Lastly my other sister and I have been talking at length about a chapter in Kelly Corrigan's book 'Tell Me More' titled "I Love You." In it, she talks about how powerful "I love you" becomes when it shows up in these tensions or places where we are struggling to find common ground. I've been thinking a lot about how I would write some of these - one to my teenage son, another to my family members who I can't seem to find any common ground around politics. Something like "Even though we can't agree on what feel like indisputable facts to me and you keep sending me lengthy videos to watch that allow you to further insulate your opinions, even though I struggle to hang on to the belief that these differences will not surmount the common ties that bind us, I love you."
Turd: I have, I guess, a man cold. Worst cold of my life, possibly -- the body aches broke me and I ordered some woo-tastic lozenges from Target drive-up.
Treasure: I was tested and it's not covid. My husband has been bringing me tea and congee while I lie on the sofa and read.
I read Ian McEwan's "Sweet Tooth" and it was ... awful?? This man won a Booker Prize??? Now I'm reading Vivian Vande Velde's "Heir Apparent," which is a ton of fun. I also have the rest of the Twilight books coming in the mail, since I missed that boat in high school when I was so pleased with myself for not being "basic."
A while back there was talk of making Olympics events out of everyday things. Or something. IYKYK. Anyway, I'm feeling really close to Olympic leveling at avoiding grocery shopping and/or meal planning. I hates it. I still think about that part in Becoming by Michelle Obama when she talked about how she decided to reclaim her time by hiring a personal chef. And as much as I LOVE MO, this upsets me to this day.
But I did not come here to write about that. I came here to write about how this week was but sometimes I want to ramble.
I listened to the Burnout episode on Brene's podcast (thanks to recommendation here) and the Mister Rogers episode on Faith Adjacent. I felt super accomplished because I rarely have the attention span to get through two podcast episodes these days. The Burnout stuff was mind blowing for me. My therapist asks me on the regular about where I "feel" things in my body and I just nod and smile at her like she's making sense. Body scan meditations are a mystery to me. The Burnout revelations finally brought all that stuff together and it started to make sense to me. Question for any of you who have studied this further than me: I want to know more about the part where they talked about creative outlets and even mentioned using your imagination. So I tend to be someone who lets my imagination run WILD when I'm stressed. I don't know if this is exactly what they meant and am hoping when I read the book I may understand better.
My other thought about my week centers around a theme of "finishing strong" and whether or not I will ever be a person who does. Did anyone see the NYT chocolate chip cookie recipe claiming to be the best chocolate chip cookie recipe? On the one hand, will I never not fall for those. And on the other, why must people insist on boldly claiming these crowns for themselves? I intend to try the recipe and then question my own failings and the NYT's once I've confirmed that it is in fact NOT the best. The main difference I see in the recipe is superfine sugar. Otherwise, pretty much the same as any other recipe I've made in my life. If you have made it this far on this rambling journey with me, *turns and looks you in the eye*, thank you for listening.
I moved last Friday and it went great! Thanks to everyone who gave me such good tips and tricks about moving. I am very grateful that I have parents who graciously flew into Dallas from Kansas City to help. I know if I was married they probably would not come in town to help out, so I'm thankful for the sympathy of my parents of being "alone". They're both 60 years old and they kicked my butt. The energy they have to get things done quickly and efficiently blew my mind. I had a hard time keeping up.
I also want to say that hiring movers is a treasure. (Even if they didn't wear a mask and were huffing and puffing all over my furniture...)
I'm heading off to my best friend's bachelorette party this weekend in Northwest Arkansas and I am praying that the leaves are beautiful. Any Arkansas Swipes out there that can confirm??
Lastly, I want to take this moment to appreciate the treasure that is the song "Every time you go away" by Lennon Stella and Kevin Garrett. Such a dreamy and romantic song. 10/10 recommend to listen to on a rainy afternoon.
So this week was a great mix of the things. My family got away to Duluth where yes, there was snow. There was ice, there was weird take out situations. BUT the house was amazing.
Getting to wake up one morning with the sunshine pouring in to the view of the lake was amazing. We had to wake up very early when we left on Tuesday because – yeah, we had to race snow. SNOW IN OCTOBER. And it’s snowing today. It looks like a snowglobe outside. So fun fact *dings* - I am a lifelong Minnesotan, I have snowflake tattoos on my left leg (my kids were both born in snowstorms) – but every winter I have to really muster up my energy. I also become part housecat, I sit in windows when its sunny to trick myself to thinking that warmth is not winter. But again, it was a lovely time away and we are hoping to rent the same place in the spring. It was a perfect place in Duluth proper.
I got to knit (finishing two hats for Swiper Sarah and I will start a scarf for Cathy and a shawlette for Sharon). I got to read books, we got to just chill. I got to see my dad, drink many a beer, watch movies, it was just what we all needed.
Erin, responding to your treasures first and foremost
- Thank you for Comfortable Together - it was such a gift! I would love to keep chatting with that community, and hope we will after this period
- Thank you also for the Mr. Rogers Faith Adjacent ep - it was a balm to my soul.
- I will stan forever for the Ringer, so not surprised they are the source of the GBBO edicts, of which I will hold to.
My treasures for this week:
- My birthday was Sunday, and it was one of the sweetest celebrations ever and I felt SO loved by so many people. I've already had what is likely my crappiest birthday, and celebrations had been a little fraught since, so a COVID birthday was already going to be better by comparison. But for it to be one of my fave days was saying something. Still soaking in the love 5 days later <3
- The arrival of my fancy Peloton and getting a little exercise mojo back. My booty is almost used to the seat! Shout out to Meg for being my ride buddy, and I owe you a ride!!
- One Day Hour by Hour was so fun this week and I loved seeing the minutiae of so many days (including many lil' swipes!)
- THE WEST WING REUNION SHOW. I cried so many tears of nostalgia and sweetness, and I am ready to petition for a full season of episodes restaged as this one was.
- Revisiting the HSM2 Non-Stop Dance Party remix cd (thanks, Lindsay!!!) It is the definitive fun version
And finally, what y'all love me for the most, a lil Tiktok joy
Ummm...did anyone else just weep their way through this set of treasures? No? Maybe that’s just my Enneagram 4 game going strong. So many feels. Robin Williams and WW2 heroes—gah! So much human connection. ❤️
This was a good week. I had a slower work schedule, so that meant some time to get the backlog of tasks done. Post office, errands, go through piles, etc.
After almost 5 months of being married, I’m finally sending the stuff to the Social Security office to change my name. I’ll be honest—I feel weird about it (and I’m not even getting rid of my first name...just doing a double last name, no hyphen). I feel a very strong sense of not wanting to negate who I was prior to this relationship and also of wanting to share a name with my husband. Maybe it’s because I got married at 37. Who knows. At any rate, I’ve got Enneagram 4 feelings about that, too.
My writing mentorship ended this week, which makes me a little sad. It’s been really nice to have weekly writing prompts/assignments/ goals. I’m hoping to keep creating weekly goals for myself going forward. I know there are some other writers in this space—how do you set goals for yourselves?
I feel like I could keep going because this Friday space is so comfortable. But I will stop and read how the rest of you are doing. Hope you get some rest and peace this weekend! ❤️
Erin, Mama Beth’s tweet has me in stitches this morning! I’m heading to the BMV soon to renew my Driver’s License so no puffy eyes for me in my picture! All the tear jerkers will be watched later 😉
It was an adventurous week while nannying! The almost two year old stuck a pea up his nose and a friend sent this trick. It worked!!! A little scary but all is well 😊
A few friends from college reconnected through a text thread and we managed to plan a girls weekend away within 24 hours. Pending covid, we will be in a giant cabin Late Spring 2020!
I feel called to write a book which is hilarious because I remember ZERO grammar lessons from school. I keep asking the Lord if He has the right gal!
I’m on the Waitlist for Hope Writers. My Enneagram 2 is battling my 3 wing because I do not want to take away from all the growth made giving our beautiful black sisters and other minorities a voice. I feel like an imposter as another “middle class white girl” wanting to share her testimony.
Thoughts on how to start writing and how to process those big questions?
I feel like I fell off the Internet wagon this week after Monday. Simply put, I was v v v busy, and some of that busy-ness drove me to the absolute necessity of sitting down after the kids went to bed with some wine and melting my brain with The Bachelorette (GAHHHH what a train wreck of an episode). But anyway, here we are. It’s Friday, and I have a counseling appointment today, so praise be.
I guess that's it? My plan for the weekend is to go over my ballot (PA only has 6 races other than the Presidential race), so hopefully I can vote early next week.
Diving in with a list of treasures on this lovely Friday morning!
☕️ a 30 minute later start at work on Wednesday morning often means I can get coffee before going into work
🍰 homemade pie crust - Sunday evening, I was really in the mood for quiche (which is weird because I've had an aversion to quiche since a "traumatic event" middle school). I made this bacon and potato one with a homemade gluten free pie crust. Y'all, I swear I heard the angels singing when I took that first bite. Mary Berry would have been proud - there was no soggy bottom. Quiche recipe: https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/bacon-potato-quiche/
🍨 Y'all, this week I figured out to make a knock off version of the pumpkin cream in starbucks pumpkin cold brew 😍 If you whip the cream first and them add the pumpkin, it is firmer - bonus points if you dip some of the homemade pie crust leftovers into the pumpkin whipped cream.
🎧 when reading the comfortable words this week, I put on Audrey Assad's Siloh - "When pain comes to show you/ What you'd rather not know/ What will your heart do?/ What will you let go?.....May loving kindness/ Calm the raging of the wound/ May your healing/ Be a clearing in the wood/ May you breathe in/ Deeper than you ever could before" Highly recommend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtRLayKoyB4
📚 I got my diploma for my Master's degree last week.
I can't wait to read about the rest of your weeks. I hope you have the best weekend available to you 💜
A cold front has moved in this morning so I’m sitting here listening to the rain and gentle rumbles of thunder. A good way to start out a Friday.
This week was a lot. It started happy with a day off on Monday and my dog’s birthday ice cream outing. But then a traumatizing medical experience midweek has been affecting me a lot. I’m now carrying emotional sadness and physical pain from that.
I’m low on treasures right now, but one good one is Mindy Kaling sharing a cheesecake bar recipe: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGp7tHMBB6W/?igshid=p4a4k7yl9qfc I made them last night and did half Oreo crumbs for the crust. They are delicious and super easy to make.
Love Devi's post! Can we just act like actual human grownups online instead of cranky middle schoolers? I am so thankful for this space to be a vulnerable actual human grownup.
Sister Beth though! 😂 I feel like she’s been watching Jezzie-Bath parody videos on TikTok- cause that’s a JB caption alll the way 😂
Had a turd in the form of a flat tire Wednesday. I started to cry cause it happened on lunch and I just wanted to go home, but I stopped, texted James to commiserate and get the warm happies of knowing he’d drop all to come help me. (I didn’t let him though Wednesdays are busy for him) Then I walked to get Mexican food, came back and made a video of me changing my tire which tickled me to no end. Cause I’m HILARIOUS. I got a squats workout in the process. So silver linings!
When I dropped the tire at James house after choir he and his roommate were out with a patch kit immediately to see what could be done... but then he took one look at the tread and started yelling (just the exclamation voice, not the stern talking to the dogs voice) “SARAH THIS TIRE IS BALD!!!” And had to check all the other tires. So i got hugged, comforted and firmly instructed to buy new front tires ASAP. Ooof my car fund.
Also. Next weekend, should no one get covid or have other medical emergencies, the Boy is finally coming home with me to my parents. I’m stoked and terrified. What if they don’t like him?! What if politics come up!!!
I realized I’m super independent and that though I talk to my mom weekly, she doesn’t exactly know how I feel about James. Maybe that’s cause I’m cautious and reserved about getting her hopes up? but I told her the yesterday about Serious Things conversations beginning and I was like “ hey I know this might be weird for you to hear having not met him yet...” I don’t want her to feel left out (I know she struggled with that with my sister’s dating relationship and getting married). But also, I’m almost 30. I’m on my own. I respect and love my parents but I’m a fully launched fledgling here. I don’t know how to be and how to love her best though this.
DEAD from mama Beth's tweet. She always knows what we need.
Also been loving the comfortable words this week! Esp. loved today, sheeeeweee. Some friends and I are doing it together and it's been so needed.
Some things I've been loving:
-At Night podcast. Created to help you wind down before bed!
-The Chosen Series. Yes Lord!!!!!
-Poshmark always. I make low ball offers sometimes to get the bargining going, and sometimes they just accept my low ball offer. Like my new Hoka sneakers for $22. Also, don't sleep on Hoka sneakers.
-Wearing an actual face mask (charcoal mask by Beautycounter) under my actual mask for my long mask days (really only Sunday's!) You'll look crazy on the way to your destination, but you'll be protecting those blemishes and feeling fresh afterwards instead of like a greasy hotdog. You're welcome.
I have a few treasures in a crabby mountain of turds.
My 4 year old is adding more and more words to his vocabulary. It such fun to now get to hear his personality as well as see it. We found a preschool that will take him, put him in the correct age group. It was very frustrating trying to explain that his speech is delayed but genuinely nothing else is! But finally someone listened and he’ll start school in January.
My thyroid meds seem to be heading in the right direction. If anyone commented last week about bonkers thyroid issues by thyroid doctor told me to take 1000mg of vitamin C to help the hormone absorb properly- obviously check with your doctor. Also she said add loads of b12 to help as well!
In all other areas of life I’m doing my best to stay afloat, to not be overtaken by the mood of the country or the people around me- it’s hard work but it’s fine. I’ll be fine.
"as though AA Milne write The Vampire Least" 😂😂 My daughter moved to rehab this week, and I'm just trying to focus on one day at a time, and feeling all the emotions.
Treasures: my mom helped my son make a fire truck costume for Halloween. He wanted it to be the fire truck from the picture book "I'm Brave", and y'all it is bonkers amazing. I am terrible at that kind of thing, so there cheers for mom!
That Mr. Winton clip had me bawling earlier this week. When they all stand up....ugh, cannot even.
It's been a strange week - both dragging and flying by, winter and summer weather, sweet times with my boys and a newly sassy 8 year old - yings and yangs everywhere.
Treasures:
- again, Comfortable Together. This has been such a joy over the last two weeks. I am so sad it ended today, but loved what I found through it.
- there's been quite a few enneagram posts on IG that have been ON THE NOSE this week for this 9. My favorites:
- our library is holding a "Kid President" election, and I am using that along with some other things to teach my kids about the election process. The kids running are SO. CUTE. and SO. GENUINE. It is killing me that my boys have to just pick one to vote for!
- We've been listening to audiobooks in the car, and we just started the Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo. My boys love it, and so do I - the sign of good kids books, and a good audiobook (narrator is key). The first is Midnight for Charlie Moon. I describe them as "X-Men meets Hogwarts."
- A friend of mine hosted an embroidery class, and now I am hooked. It's going to be a good winter hobby. I am finding it weirdly calming, plus I get something pretty at the end!
Beth Moore. God bless her. I know I'm only 30 and probably young enough to be her daughter, but same same.
My sweet treasure is Falcon's debut album called "Nova" (Falcon is the mainstream pop alter ego of Amanda Cook, formerly of Bethel Music, and while I can't read her mail and she intentionally keeps her life private, I have this feeling that her feelings about her time there are as mixed as mine lol). She writes so vulnerably about mental health, life after divorce, and romance, and it's so refreshing. If anyone has any music recommendations, please post them here, I'm always looking for new bands!
Beth Moore is such a treasure. I’m laughing so hard at that tweet 😆
Turd/tech support request- does anyone know how to block someone on Voxer? On Wednesday, I was minding my business, on a walk with my mom, aunt, and my two little wild women, when I got a picture Vox from someone who’s name I didn’t recognize but was very close to someone I knew when I lived in Africa. (I’m sure you can tell where this is going...) I was immediately suspicious, but I was naively under the impression that only people who were in my contacts could send me a Vox, so I opened it and of course it was a dukachu. 🙄🤢 I briefly considered writing something along the lines of “oh no! That doesn’t look normal. You should probably get that checked out” and also briefly considered trying to locate the only picture of my hooha I’ve ever sent someone (frantic “What is happening?!!?” message to my best friend/former roommate/friend who is a nurse when I was a week postpartum and something was NOT right with my undercarriage) but also decided against that. I’ve received 3 more messages which I’ve deleted unopened, but cannot figure out how to block this person and make it stop. After the most recent one, I submitted a help request to Voxer and the response I got back was basically “maybe we’ll help you, maybe we won’t. If you upgrade to premium, we’re more likely to help you.” 😐
Yeesh. You got me ugly crying before 7am. Mr. Winton, man. Total turd of a day yesterday. Marital tension, accidentally texted husband some processing thoughts about said tension that was meant for a friend, son voms in the car, MIL goes to ER (cancer issue), husband stays with MIL overnight in hospital where he says "there were COVID patients all around us." Cool cool. It's all fine. NEW MERCIES IN THE MORNING IN THE FORM OF THIS NEWSLETTER. I need to go get a loaf of bread, get under a blanket, and watch GBBS.
Erin! I was 👏 un👏pre👏pared for those Robin WillIams and Mr. Winston clips. Those men were absolute treasures. Thank you for sharing.
🚙 Like many others, our family life has changed pretty dramatically in the past seven months. I gave up my job and now home school my third grader and first grader. My PreK daughter rocks an online PreK that is truly amazing. All this to say, yesterday we took advantage of the flexibility that home school provides and traveled from GA to NC to celebrate my husband’s grandfather’s 95th birthday. This is always a bit of an undertaking (think extra quarantine leading up to the trip, and travel potty in the back of our mini-van so we don’t have to stop anywhere!), but man, it was so good to have something to look forward to all week. Then getting to come here and celebrate with a very small group of people we love very much was just good for the soul. Documenting it all on IG for #onedayHH was extra fun too.
📸 Speaking of #onedayHH, it’s always such a highlight of the fall. This year has so few communal experiences that getting to live an ordinary day with each other is such a peaceful joy.
📻 Brené Brown always puts out such great work, but three recent episodes of her Unlocking Us podcast have been exceptional. Jason Lasso, Burnout, and the Joe Biden eps were all moving and enjoyable.
👟 I turned 38 last week and have finally resigned myself to the fact that I have to wear good shoes. Maybe it’s from a lifetime of wearing cute and trendy Target shoes that had no support? 😉 Seriously though, ponying up the money for Brooks Adrenaline sneaks and Vionic ballet flats was a sacrifice, but I feel like I’m walking or exercising on clouds when I wear them.
📩 I voted last week. I teared up and prayed while doing so. The past few years have been so difficult for so many, and I have felt so dismayed and honestly gobsmacked by what I’ve seen and heard “Christian” leaders do and say. Praying for a change and twirling my way out of political conversations that are not going anywhere. I’m also gleefully recycling campaign mailers and ignoring all of what POTUS says and does for the next few weeks. ✌️
Looking forward to this thread as always! Have a great weekend!
As an Australian, I 100% support anyone moving to the Southern Hemisphere. It's a happy, happy place to be and our covid management isn't too bad. My state is sitting on 2 new cases right now, and that's pretty great.
That said, this week I've had a comical amount of time spent going between medical appointments with my husband. We went from struggling to conceive to a doctor suspecting he had cancer, very very quickly. Thankfully it isn't cancer but there's still issues we don't understand and so there are more tests and more bills and honestly, I'm tired. I wont bore you with the details. Here's some treasures though:
- new churches with lovely ministers. We've been trying to find a church home and two weeks ago visited one near us and immediately fell in love when they spoke affectionately about one another, and then about serving their community by feeding those who are struggling. I cried. I felt like we'd found our kin. Then, ooooh, then, we went back a second week and felt welcomed again by those who spoke to us afterwards, and the minister asked if he could come over for tea. He did that, and stayed for three hours while we talked about our stories and our passions and our chickens and our dog and our God, too. He knew me when I was a teenager, and catching up felt good. Better yet, he sees ways that we could fit into the community and has even said with my background in ministry/theological studies, that he'd be happy to have me preach. MY HEART. I'd given up on that dream. What a treasure.
- I fed him cookies, because that's what I do when people come over. And it's this cookie recipe I keep going back to, and so do so many of my friends. It freezes well in balls and if you add white chocolate chips into the situation, you'll find much joy. https://www.thebakingchocolatess.com/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies/
So. Yes.
Turd of a week with some treasures in there.
I stuck something on the Got You file but man, there's so much there to meet and I want to meet all the needs and yet, I just sit there and ask God to do what I currently can't... that's enough, right?
Seriously considering making a big life change and thinking about moving from St. Petersburg, FL to Chicago. I've reinforced my decision with my boss and waiting for him to at least commit to letting me WFH for 6 months (thru June) before I take the leap. My condo I was building completely blew up- I got rid of most of my furniture when I sold my house last year. I'm going month to month in my current place and I've been WFH for 32 weeks now so WHY not?
I've always loved Chicago-- the complete opposite of where I live now and I am in desperate need of a change. I've been with my company for 10 years in January, and I'm even open to leaving the company and finding a new job, especially if they don't agree to the 6 mths. #WishMeLuck
🏈FNL: Finished S2 and started S3. Is it just me or do the Season finales seem anti-climatic? They just end- we didn't even get a championship game? Now we meet JD and Tami is the principal? Would've liked more insight into that decision! My heart is broken for Smash and this is peak Coach with how he refuses to let any of these kids give up. Billy & Mindy is the epitome of small town staying power and the evolution of Tyra's hair continues with what appears to be a perm.
📚 Finished Home Before Dark by Riley Sager and it was perfectly spooky, haunted house vibes for October. I also just finished Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman (prequel to Practical Magic)- took a bit to get going, but it was so good!
🥗 My pants don't fit anymore: Need to get back on the WW bandwagon. It's the only thing that has worked for me. Just can't eat what I want, when I want anymore. My metabolism just can't keep up these days.
Ummmm... thank you for this. I am not on Twitter. Well,
I was at some point but couldn’t tell you the password. I appreciate getting to come here and pillage all of the good and never have to see the bad 💕
I'm not sure what the protocol is about posting twice but I just remembered a few treasures:
*I'm working with youth at my internship right now which means I'm on a Zoom call with 25 teenagers every Friday night which is so much overstimulation. The silver lining is the virtual prayer wall that has been provided for them and the sheer vulnerability and honesty that is on display.
*Also I purchased our very own Amanda Water's book, You Again and it is a delight. I love a book that is told in two separate time periods but about the same people. Thanks Amanda for this lovely distraction from the dumpster fire of election, pandemic and (gestures wildly) all of this!
This from the GBBO piece is gold:
Evidently when a ray of heavenly light shone down and the first British person saw the first cookie, the British person said, “Spiffing—but let’s make it a hard, dry pellet, really give our teeth a good workout, what?”
Treasures this week: the Comfortable Together group, and Mr. Rogers Faith Adjacent. Oh, and the most recent regular and Patreon episodes of the Big Boo Cast. They regularly make me lol, sometimes to the point of tears. Looking forward to a weekend of absolutely nothing. Happy Friday!
The waterfall of emotions that comes wrapped up in this sweet newsletter gets me every time. I'm sitting in my office crying 20 minutes before I have to coach a teacher. Totes ok because I really needed the cry, been holding in tension all week.
Amongst all the posts that pulled at my heart strings, I am especially thankful for the girl pronouncing English words because I'm an ESL Specialist and that was super great.
Love to see it!
My treasure this week is that I've saved up a bunch of Bible Binge eps so I can hang out with Erin, Jamie, and Knox while I have an alone day tomorrow. (Praise Jesus for alone days).
Y’all. My week has been mostly turds:
We didn’t get a rental we applied for (housing where we are is so competitive).
My husband lost his job. Thanks covid.
My 4 year old has been just testing my salvation.
My husband also has been in and out of the hospital with mysterious abdominal pain. Turns out it’s an ulcer. From stress. Thanks covid.
BUT... it’s snowing here in Montana... everything is being covered in a thick blanket of white. I keep being reminded every time I look out the window that God is in the business of making all things new. Over and over. Without fail. God is always faithful.
So, I guess there is a treasure in there somewhere.
Y’all, I have got to be better about digging up treasures. It’s the main reason I don’t post here every week; I feel like I never have anything good to bring to the table.
My husband and I finished the second season of The Umbrella Academy this week. We watched both seasons in the past few weeks and it is a wild ride at times but really good! So...one treasure found!
Also, because it’s fall, I’ve been listening to Nickel Creek - my fav band of all time. My music listening has been weird for years (which is a whole thing and really sad for me) but going back and listening to these albums I love has been super fun. And introducing them to my 8-year-old.
I found 2 treasures! That might even count as a third. 🤣
Rebeckajust now
I was in a good mood today and happy that I only had one small turd and then I got a phone call informing me that my nephew (who's birthday is today) has COVID and I broke down crying. He's ok-ish and on the mend but I guess I have a lot more fear/stress/sadness in me than I thought and it doesn't take a lot for the dam to burst...
My treasures:
*The Comfortable Words, I've loved doing it together with so many kind, thoughtful, lovely people. I wished I could have participated more in the comments but bronchitis had other plans. (Coughing makes my brain go blank, apparently.)
*My dear friend, who has struggled with infertility and everything that comes with it, sent me a picture of her ultrasound. Baby is growing and seems healthy and I could not be happier for her! ❤
*I finally hung a couple of lanterns I got at Easter. Better late than never. 😉
*Kids are the best. 😂 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/funny-tweets-kid-quotes_l_5ca26711e4b0fb341d60cab2
*This article. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-54607295
*This adorable video. 😍 https://twitter.com/dog_rates/status/1316053805742530560
* I want to be this man when I grow up! https://www.instagram.com/p/CGX4mPJhxfa/
That's it for me. Take care, friends!
Hi, friends! I have commented sporadically here before, but not frequently. However, I loved the community that we cultivated over at The Comfortable Words so much that I decided to try to poke my head in here on a more regular basis. :)
My Treasures for the Week
-My awesome pen pal, who I connected with courtesy of Erin Moon. Her letters are so dear to me, and I love that we have become such good friends.
-The Comfortable Words. I so enjoyed reading this with several of you all!
-It was 80 degrees yesterday here in Southwest Ohio, and it made my summer-loving soul so happy.
My Turds for the Week
-My husband lost his job around a month ago. Many people in my life have decided to text me any time that they see a now hiring sign in a window. My mother texted me four times last week to tell me that Amazon is hiring. She asked me the other day if he had considered getting a job at the local outlet mall. A man from church texted me this morning to also tell me that Amazon is hiring. I know they are doing it because they care. But it's starting to wear on me. Its not exactly helpful, and plus, my husband is a mechanical engineer.....he'll work anywhere if we get desperate enough, but he's really looking for a job in his field.
I kept a list of treasures this week, is this what adulting is?
* I finally voted! It's been hanging over my head because I was putting A LOT of weight on this election which is good but also bad for my perfectionist tendencies. But I did it!
* I finished my weekly paper for my grad school course while the sun was still up the night before it was due! I haven't been time managing very well and stared into the blue light of my computer until well past 9 pm the past few weeks.
* My sister and I created a proper tea party for my 5-year-old niece complete with scones, fancy china, and Devonshire cream. She kept saying, "This is amazing." Also, she is a huge fan of milk in her tea, come to find out.
* It's Pastor Appreciation month and the whole congregation of the church that I intern at has been so lovely and generous. I've gotten three gift cards and several very sweet notes.
* I bought a new hand mixer with one of those gift cards and this is also what adulting is.
* I discovered @KoreanVegan on Tik Tok and she is the most soothing and thoughtful thing I've seen on there in a long time.
https://www.tiktok.com/@thekoreanvegan
Only a few turds:
* A church that sponsors me informed me that they are considering relinquishing their monthly financial support until I am actually on field as a missionary in Ireland which who knows when that will happen because of COVID. The pastor that informed me of it, told me on Facebook Messanger at 10 pm one night which was dumb but he acknowledged that stupidity and sent me a proper email in the morning. So I had a lot of feelings about that but mostly about how he told me and less about losing the support. I used to take this kind of thing VERY personally but I am working the coping techniques that are to remind myself that it's not personal. They didn't have the whole story and it's all in God's hands. He has provided for me so far and will continue to do so.
*The grad class I'm in is frustrating because the professor isn't actually teaching us from his brain. He's directing us to read and write papers, with little to no feedback from him. This can be the nature of online classes but I haven't had such a disengaged professor before. It's frustrating especially since it's a theology class that really needs some active teaching and discussion.
My week can be summed up in this tweet: https://twitter.com/daciaonthedaily/status/1317289306034262016?s=21
Sciata is the worrrrst. Moving on to a couple of my favorite treasures (I know have a note in my notes app dedicated to collecting links all week long):
+ we've probably all seen this adorable couple re-uniting after 215 days, but if you haven't: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJaAbKXg/
+ this mash-up slaps so hard and had me dancing: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJaG4CV4/
+ Grandpa Holt is the cutest thing on the Internet: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CGjE2QVpkIe/?igshid=138nn6doahtan
(Just realizing 2 of my 3 treasures are of the geriatric persuasion, but I'm cool with it.)
Well, thanks for making me cry at work with that Nicholas Winton video.
Updates/things I'm loving:
-The Boy and I got to take a mini road trip last weekend to visit his grandparents (first time meeting them for me). We cooked together for his family and I won them over with said cooking. We got to soak in the hot tub at night and first thing in the morning (just...can that be my life every day?). But we also drove through the wreckage of one of the many wildfires that destroyed homes and towns here in Oregon and it was so, so sad seeing only chimneys and burnt cars remain for miles and miles. 😔
-It's cold outside (my car was even frosted over yesterday morning!), which means I can wear all the warm chunky sweaters that make me feel like I'm under a blanket at work. Also means cuddling doesn't immediately lead to sticky sweat, so that's nice.
-These ridiculously and dangerously easy GF peanut butter cookies: https://www.texanerin.com/gluten-free-peanut-butter-cookies/
-My sister will be delivering her second baby in the next couple weeks (due on Halloween, and if he's born on that day I think our mother will have a heart attack and be forever concerned for his soul.) I'm so, so excited to have a fresh baby to snuggle, but I also might have to be secretive about meeting him because our parents are not being smart about COVID stuff and my sister isn't sure how she feels about them being around him when they're not being safe (understandably so) but we also don't want them to be mad that she's letting me meet him and create some weird drama (can you tell we're both 9s? 😆).
-I have started rewatching Gilmore Girls because that is where I'm at in life and I'm starved for content and needed something to fill the Schitt's Creek hole in my life.
-The Boy has an interview today at the company where my dad works. He and all the other upper management are nearing retirement age and are looking to hire younger people to train and replace them. This would be a good job for Michael, and it would mean he would move up closer to my neck of the woods, but also he might be working with my dad? Not sure how I feel about that. 🙃
Anyway, that's a lot. I'll stop and start reading through all these other treasures. Yay for Fridays!
Hi, Lil Swipes!
Turd:
- Update on our Moony pup situation: we did end up sending her back to her breeder last Friday night. We just don't have the ability to go through maybe losing another puppy again and they have many more contacts and resources to attempt to help her. They already have a contact that is getting them an appointment with a specialist at University of TN. So hopefully they can get her some help and it's beneficial. It was awful saying goodbye, though, and we've all been emotional this week as a result.
- My ulcer is acting up. It's probably stress, but trying not to stress right now feels impossible.
Treasures:
- A couple days after that, the breeders contacted us. They had held back one puppy, a male, for their breeding program. But with Moony's special needs, they don't have the time to devote to him. So, assuming he passes a second health check with a different vet (they are not pleased that their regular vet missed Moony's problems), we will be picking him up tonight. My husband and I are cautiously optimistic, but we are NOT telling the kids until we physically have him.
- Erin, knowing how to hack my crying (and naming it as doing that, instead of assuming I'm a weirdo for doing random things when I'm upset) has been very beneficial. The end of the last Harry Potter book, clips from the Lost finale (the touches!) and It's a Wonderful Life for the win. I used to do this when I was a kid with a book on tape of Anne of the Island that was narrated by Megan Follows, and I am forever sad that I lost it even though I don't have a tape player anymore. I can still hear her doing Ruby Gillis's monologue about wanting to live.
- My daughter is turning seven on Sunday! She is a ray of sunshine and when she is not, I have found Jen Hatmaker's hack about adding water to be a winner. And she can now shower without the least bit of help and it's as amazing as I thought it would be.
Nervous about an upcoming trip out-of-state to my grandparents' house this coming Thursday. My mom is there until she goes back overseas so it is our only chance to see her this year, but the possibility of us taking Covid-19 to my grandparents who are in their late eighties is daunting. Also daunting: visiting right before the election. Our extended family has a new agreement not to discuss politics, but what counts as not political now? I am a five and small-talk is not my forte. Suggestions welcome!
I forgot the other thing I wanted to ramble here about. So two posts - sorry!
The Faith Adjacent Mr Rogers episode. Months ago I submerged myself in a close study of Mr Rogers the documentary and the Tom Hanks movie. I came away with questions. And one of those questions Erin gave a great answer to in this podcast. Is it silly that I was excited to hear my question read? Anyway...with that answer in mind, I had two encounters this week that continued to challenge me in how to handle these deep rifts caused by politics.
First up was a conversation with my mom where she shared about having a conversation with some people in her small group that seemed to boil down to their dismissal of "all democrats as deceived." I was encouraged to hear how my mom is trying to listen to her neighbors and challenge some of these characterizations of whole groups of people. But it left me a little ill at ease. I think our current situation allows us to be further and further from encountering real people we know and love who may hold views that challenge ours.
The second was a conversation I was having with my sister about the Phil Vischer video about abortion. It turned into what felt like a debate about racial issues and I was left feeling discouraged that so long as the internet offers us a view to support whatever reality we choose to believe we will remain entrenched in our views and only look for proof that backs them up.
Lastly my other sister and I have been talking at length about a chapter in Kelly Corrigan's book 'Tell Me More' titled "I Love You." In it, she talks about how powerful "I love you" becomes when it shows up in these tensions or places where we are struggling to find common ground. I've been thinking a lot about how I would write some of these - one to my teenage son, another to my family members who I can't seem to find any common ground around politics. Something like "Even though we can't agree on what feel like indisputable facts to me and you keep sending me lengthy videos to watch that allow you to further insulate your opinions, even though I struggle to hang on to the belief that these differences will not surmount the common ties that bind us, I love you."
That Beth Moore tweet!!! lol for real over my bagged grocery store salad and lukewarm Diet Coke lunch break
Turd: I have, I guess, a man cold. Worst cold of my life, possibly -- the body aches broke me and I ordered some woo-tastic lozenges from Target drive-up.
Treasure: I was tested and it's not covid. My husband has been bringing me tea and congee while I lie on the sofa and read.
I read Ian McEwan's "Sweet Tooth" and it was ... awful?? This man won a Booker Prize??? Now I'm reading Vivian Vande Velde's "Heir Apparent," which is a ton of fun. I also have the rest of the Twilight books coming in the mail, since I missed that boat in high school when I was so pleased with myself for not being "basic."
A while back there was talk of making Olympics events out of everyday things. Or something. IYKYK. Anyway, I'm feeling really close to Olympic leveling at avoiding grocery shopping and/or meal planning. I hates it. I still think about that part in Becoming by Michelle Obama when she talked about how she decided to reclaim her time by hiring a personal chef. And as much as I LOVE MO, this upsets me to this day.
But I did not come here to write about that. I came here to write about how this week was but sometimes I want to ramble.
I listened to the Burnout episode on Brene's podcast (thanks to recommendation here) and the Mister Rogers episode on Faith Adjacent. I felt super accomplished because I rarely have the attention span to get through two podcast episodes these days. The Burnout stuff was mind blowing for me. My therapist asks me on the regular about where I "feel" things in my body and I just nod and smile at her like she's making sense. Body scan meditations are a mystery to me. The Burnout revelations finally brought all that stuff together and it started to make sense to me. Question for any of you who have studied this further than me: I want to know more about the part where they talked about creative outlets and even mentioned using your imagination. So I tend to be someone who lets my imagination run WILD when I'm stressed. I don't know if this is exactly what they meant and am hoping when I read the book I may understand better.
My other thought about my week centers around a theme of "finishing strong" and whether or not I will ever be a person who does. Did anyone see the NYT chocolate chip cookie recipe claiming to be the best chocolate chip cookie recipe? On the one hand, will I never not fall for those. And on the other, why must people insist on boldly claiming these crowns for themselves? I intend to try the recipe and then question my own failings and the NYT's once I've confirmed that it is in fact NOT the best. The main difference I see in the recipe is superfine sugar. Otherwise, pretty much the same as any other recipe I've made in my life. If you have made it this far on this rambling journey with me, *turns and looks you in the eye*, thank you for listening.
I moved last Friday and it went great! Thanks to everyone who gave me such good tips and tricks about moving. I am very grateful that I have parents who graciously flew into Dallas from Kansas City to help. I know if I was married they probably would not come in town to help out, so I'm thankful for the sympathy of my parents of being "alone". They're both 60 years old and they kicked my butt. The energy they have to get things done quickly and efficiently blew my mind. I had a hard time keeping up.
I also want to say that hiring movers is a treasure. (Even if they didn't wear a mask and were huffing and puffing all over my furniture...)
I'm heading off to my best friend's bachelorette party this weekend in Northwest Arkansas and I am praying that the leaves are beautiful. Any Arkansas Swipes out there that can confirm??
Lastly, I want to take this moment to appreciate the treasure that is the song "Every time you go away" by Lennon Stella and Kevin Garrett. Such a dreamy and romantic song. 10/10 recommend to listen to on a rainy afternoon.
Hey gang!
So this week was a great mix of the things. My family got away to Duluth where yes, there was snow. There was ice, there was weird take out situations. BUT the house was amazing.
This was the house: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/35737677?check_in=2020-11-10&check_out=2020-11-13&s=67&unique_share_id=5ebd4d41-9f05-48e2-87b1-b11d0236f957
Getting to wake up one morning with the sunshine pouring in to the view of the lake was amazing. We had to wake up very early when we left on Tuesday because – yeah, we had to race snow. SNOW IN OCTOBER. And it’s snowing today. It looks like a snowglobe outside. So fun fact *dings* - I am a lifelong Minnesotan, I have snowflake tattoos on my left leg (my kids were both born in snowstorms) – but every winter I have to really muster up my energy. I also become part housecat, I sit in windows when its sunny to trick myself to thinking that warmth is not winter. But again, it was a lovely time away and we are hoping to rent the same place in the spring. It was a perfect place in Duluth proper.
I got to knit (finishing two hats for Swiper Sarah and I will start a scarf for Cathy and a shawlette for Sharon). I got to read books, we got to just chill. I got to see my dad, drink many a beer, watch movies, it was just what we all needed.
Other treasures for my week
Green puppy! https://www.today.com/pets/unfur-gettable-meet-pistachio-puppy-born-green-fur-t195666
Morning show DJs I am friends with now have a podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/ben-and-dana-got-fired
I am truly friends with both of these guys and its so fun to hear them again.
This article, really needed this gratefulness reminder: https://www.oprahmag.com/life/a34330280/o-readers-thankful/
Local band I love debuted a new song: https://open.spotify.com/track/3BmFmczO6QoaJYWa0yiGyY
For those of you who love Robin Williams, this was a great podcast I binged last year that was really quite a testament to him: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/knowing-robin-williams/id1482972205
I need to dive back into all the work things (boo) but I am here for everyone’s treasures.
Thank you for all being you.
Mel
Erin, responding to your treasures first and foremost
- Thank you for Comfortable Together - it was such a gift! I would love to keep chatting with that community, and hope we will after this period
- Thank you also for the Mr. Rogers Faith Adjacent ep - it was a balm to my soul.
- I will stan forever for the Ringer, so not surprised they are the source of the GBBO edicts, of which I will hold to.
My treasures for this week:
- My birthday was Sunday, and it was one of the sweetest celebrations ever and I felt SO loved by so many people. I've already had what is likely my crappiest birthday, and celebrations had been a little fraught since, so a COVID birthday was already going to be better by comparison. But for it to be one of my fave days was saying something. Still soaking in the love 5 days later <3
- The arrival of my fancy Peloton and getting a little exercise mojo back. My booty is almost used to the seat! Shout out to Meg for being my ride buddy, and I owe you a ride!!
- One Day Hour by Hour was so fun this week and I loved seeing the minutiae of so many days (including many lil' swipes!)
- THE WEST WING REUNION SHOW. I cried so many tears of nostalgia and sweetness, and I am ready to petition for a full season of episodes restaged as this one was.
- Revisiting the HSM2 Non-Stop Dance Party remix cd (thanks, Lindsay!!!) It is the definitive fun version
And finally, what y'all love me for the most, a lil Tiktok joy
Club playing REAL bangers 🧑🏼👩🏽🏀🎭🎤🎤 - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJ5Vpfyc/
Classic lit meets classic meme - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJ5V79as/
An excellent dad joke - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJ5pyYtM/
This girl’s dedication to her middle school crush though - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJ5p9e4e/
Thank you for 10k! - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJ5pH2vB/
Going to a place nearby, gotta go - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJa26dUy/
Erin, this could be a real fun Bible Binge segment if you run out of ideas 😂 - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJaS5fmw/
The answer to this high energy vid is YES - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJaSgMfF/
Mama Mia Thermopolis - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJamp7dQ/
“Per my last email hype energy” - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJambF25/
How to spot a Northerner - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJagYL49/
Ummm...did anyone else just weep their way through this set of treasures? No? Maybe that’s just my Enneagram 4 game going strong. So many feels. Robin Williams and WW2 heroes—gah! So much human connection. ❤️
This was a good week. I had a slower work schedule, so that meant some time to get the backlog of tasks done. Post office, errands, go through piles, etc.
After almost 5 months of being married, I’m finally sending the stuff to the Social Security office to change my name. I’ll be honest—I feel weird about it (and I’m not even getting rid of my first name...just doing a double last name, no hyphen). I feel a very strong sense of not wanting to negate who I was prior to this relationship and also of wanting to share a name with my husband. Maybe it’s because I got married at 37. Who knows. At any rate, I’ve got Enneagram 4 feelings about that, too.
My writing mentorship ended this week, which makes me a little sad. It’s been really nice to have weekly writing prompts/assignments/ goals. I’m hoping to keep creating weekly goals for myself going forward. I know there are some other writers in this space—how do you set goals for yourselves?
I feel like I could keep going because this Friday space is so comfortable. But I will stop and read how the rest of you are doing. Hope you get some rest and peace this weekend! ❤️
Good morning Swipes!
Erin, Mama Beth’s tweet has me in stitches this morning! I’m heading to the BMV soon to renew my Driver’s License so no puffy eyes for me in my picture! All the tear jerkers will be watched later 😉
It was an adventurous week while nannying! The almost two year old stuck a pea up his nose and a friend sent this trick. It worked!!! A little scary but all is well 😊
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nevoAdT7Gjw
A few friends from college reconnected through a text thread and we managed to plan a girls weekend away within 24 hours. Pending covid, we will be in a giant cabin Late Spring 2020!
I feel called to write a book which is hilarious because I remember ZERO grammar lessons from school. I keep asking the Lord if He has the right gal!
I’m on the Waitlist for Hope Writers. My Enneagram 2 is battling my 3 wing because I do not want to take away from all the growth made giving our beautiful black sisters and other minorities a voice. I feel like an imposter as another “middle class white girl” wanting to share her testimony.
Thoughts on how to start writing and how to process those big questions?
Thanks friends 🥰
Hey, Swipes!
I feel like I fell off the Internet wagon this week after Monday. Simply put, I was v v v busy, and some of that busy-ness drove me to the absolute necessity of sitting down after the kids went to bed with some wine and melting my brain with The Bachelorette (GAHHHH what a train wreck of an episode). But anyway, here we are. It’s Friday, and I have a counseling appointment today, so praise be.
My treasures:
⭐️ Beautycounter came out with a concealer to go with their Skin Twin foundation, and I'm suuuuuper excited to try it (https://www.beautycounter.com/creamy-concealer).
⭐️ Space-themed decor for my younger son's birthday coming up. He will be 1 this coming Wednesday, and truthfully, I am not sure how that's possible. I ordered one of those themed party packs from Amazon, and um, well, it's a situation. 😂 https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VWGTST2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
⭐️ Update on Penny & Sparrow's live show that happened last Friday: It was phenom. They played my favorite, favorite song "Just And Just As," (https://open.spotify.com/track/3RqJuWenHnO7fdhh4pN1jX?si=2av7Ivg0QN2-cEDY56inCg) and I may have teared up/become overwhelmed with emotion. It's fine. My accompanying cocktail was a whiskey sour with pomegranate simple syrup, which was quite delightful. You can still buy a ticket & watch the show until Sunday! https://www.pennyandsparrow.com/store-live-stream
I guess that's it? My plan for the weekend is to go over my ballot (PA only has 6 races other than the Presidential race), so hopefully I can vote early next week.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Hi friends!
Diving in with a list of treasures on this lovely Friday morning!
☕️ a 30 minute later start at work on Wednesday morning often means I can get coffee before going into work
🍰 homemade pie crust - Sunday evening, I was really in the mood for quiche (which is weird because I've had an aversion to quiche since a "traumatic event" middle school). I made this bacon and potato one with a homemade gluten free pie crust. Y'all, I swear I heard the angels singing when I took that first bite. Mary Berry would have been proud - there was no soggy bottom. Quiche recipe: https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/bacon-potato-quiche/
🍨 Y'all, this week I figured out to make a knock off version of the pumpkin cream in starbucks pumpkin cold brew 😍 If you whip the cream first and them add the pumpkin, it is firmer - bonus points if you dip some of the homemade pie crust leftovers into the pumpkin whipped cream.
🎧 when reading the comfortable words this week, I put on Audrey Assad's Siloh - "When pain comes to show you/ What you'd rather not know/ What will your heart do?/ What will you let go?.....May loving kindness/ Calm the raging of the wound/ May your healing/ Be a clearing in the wood/ May you breathe in/ Deeper than you ever could before" Highly recommend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtRLayKoyB4
📚 I got my diploma for my Master's degree last week.
I can't wait to read about the rest of your weeks. I hope you have the best weekend available to you 💜
A cold front has moved in this morning so I’m sitting here listening to the rain and gentle rumbles of thunder. A good way to start out a Friday.
This week was a lot. It started happy with a day off on Monday and my dog’s birthday ice cream outing. But then a traumatizing medical experience midweek has been affecting me a lot. I’m now carrying emotional sadness and physical pain from that.
I’m low on treasures right now, but one good one is Mindy Kaling sharing a cheesecake bar recipe: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGp7tHMBB6W/?igshid=p4a4k7yl9qfc I made them last night and did half Oreo crumbs for the crust. They are delicious and super easy to make.
And this piñata dog toy has been a huge hit https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/bark-full-o-fluff-pinata-dog-toy-large-3180967?cm_mmc=PSH-_-GGL-_-CCY-_-CCO-_-PET-_-AQU-_-0-_-PM_GGL_FY20_SBU04_Supplies_BOPIS_NewCust_LIA-_-0-_-0&gclid=CjwKCAjw_sn8BRBrEiwAnUGJDi9brZ_5aCN7s89nmZYZNgIjZ7vRkimYlNdUhNihV14pArbkQtGdXBoCHfkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Now I’m just hoping for a quiet, restful weekend
Love Devi's post! Can we just act like actual human grownups online instead of cranky middle schoolers? I am so thankful for this space to be a vulnerable actual human grownup.
Sister Beth though! 😂 I feel like she’s been watching Jezzie-Bath parody videos on TikTok- cause that’s a JB caption alll the way 😂
Had a turd in the form of a flat tire Wednesday. I started to cry cause it happened on lunch and I just wanted to go home, but I stopped, texted James to commiserate and get the warm happies of knowing he’d drop all to come help me. (I didn’t let him though Wednesdays are busy for him) Then I walked to get Mexican food, came back and made a video of me changing my tire which tickled me to no end. Cause I’m HILARIOUS. I got a squats workout in the process. So silver linings!
When I dropped the tire at James house after choir he and his roommate were out with a patch kit immediately to see what could be done... but then he took one look at the tread and started yelling (just the exclamation voice, not the stern talking to the dogs voice) “SARAH THIS TIRE IS BALD!!!” And had to check all the other tires. So i got hugged, comforted and firmly instructed to buy new front tires ASAP. Ooof my car fund.
Here’s the treasure I made out of the turd: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGnZQQxnA9N/?igshid=1metue8cc9bla
Also. Next weekend, should no one get covid or have other medical emergencies, the Boy is finally coming home with me to my parents. I’m stoked and terrified. What if they don’t like him?! What if politics come up!!!
I realized I’m super independent and that though I talk to my mom weekly, she doesn’t exactly know how I feel about James. Maybe that’s cause I’m cautious and reserved about getting her hopes up? but I told her the yesterday about Serious Things conversations beginning and I was like “ hey I know this might be weird for you to hear having not met him yet...” I don’t want her to feel left out (I know she struggled with that with my sister’s dating relationship and getting married). But also, I’m almost 30. I’m on my own. I respect and love my parents but I’m a fully launched fledgling here. I don’t know how to be and how to love her best though this.
I need a baby stroking my face right about now.
DEAD from mama Beth's tweet. She always knows what we need.
Also been loving the comfortable words this week! Esp. loved today, sheeeeweee. Some friends and I are doing it together and it's been so needed.
Some things I've been loving:
-At Night podcast. Created to help you wind down before bed!
-The Chosen Series. Yes Lord!!!!!
-Poshmark always. I make low ball offers sometimes to get the bargining going, and sometimes they just accept my low ball offer. Like my new Hoka sneakers for $22. Also, don't sleep on Hoka sneakers.
-Wearing an actual face mask (charcoal mask by Beautycounter) under my actual mask for my long mask days (really only Sunday's!) You'll look crazy on the way to your destination, but you'll be protecting those blemishes and feeling fresh afterwards instead of like a greasy hotdog. You're welcome.
Happy Friday peeps!
I have a few treasures in a crabby mountain of turds.
My 4 year old is adding more and more words to his vocabulary. It such fun to now get to hear his personality as well as see it. We found a preschool that will take him, put him in the correct age group. It was very frustrating trying to explain that his speech is delayed but genuinely nothing else is! But finally someone listened and he’ll start school in January.
My thyroid meds seem to be heading in the right direction. If anyone commented last week about bonkers thyroid issues by thyroid doctor told me to take 1000mg of vitamin C to help the hormone absorb properly- obviously check with your doctor. Also she said add loads of b12 to help as well!
In all other areas of life I’m doing my best to stay afloat, to not be overtaken by the mood of the country or the people around me- it’s hard work but it’s fine. I’ll be fine.
"as though AA Milne write The Vampire Least" 😂😂 My daughter moved to rehab this week, and I'm just trying to focus on one day at a time, and feeling all the emotions.
Treasures: my mom helped my son make a fire truck costume for Halloween. He wanted it to be the fire truck from the picture book "I'm Brave", and y'all it is bonkers amazing. I am terrible at that kind of thing, so there cheers for mom!
Here's a tweet/retweet about a very unusual family death tradition: https://twitter.com/mstiefvater/status/1318673749571416066?s=19
Love to you all!
Destroyed by that Nicholas Winton clip ❤️❤️❤️ I love learning about WWII heroes.
That Mr. Winton clip had me bawling earlier this week. When they all stand up....ugh, cannot even.
It's been a strange week - both dragging and flying by, winter and summer weather, sweet times with my boys and a newly sassy 8 year old - yings and yangs everywhere.
Treasures:
- again, Comfortable Together. This has been such a joy over the last two weeks. I am so sad it ended today, but loved what I found through it.
- there's been quite a few enneagram posts on IG that have been ON THE NOSE this week for this 9. My favorites:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGqCktqBLGQ/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGiddvMgwAg/
- our library is holding a "Kid President" election, and I am using that along with some other things to teach my kids about the election process. The kids running are SO. CUTE. and SO. GENUINE. It is killing me that my boys have to just pick one to vote for!
- I purchased A Kid's Book About Voting https://akidsbookabout.com/collections/all-products/products/a-kids-book-about-voting to also use for some voting education, and it is so so good. My boys were fascinated with the history of voting in the US (quote from my oldest, "Wait, girls couldn't vote?!?!?" No, son, no they could not).
- We've been listening to audiobooks in the car, and we just started the Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo. My boys love it, and so do I - the sign of good kids books, and a good audiobook (narrator is key). The first is Midnight for Charlie Moon. I describe them as "X-Men meets Hogwarts."
- A friend of mine hosted an embroidery class, and now I am hooked. It's going to be a good winter hobby. I am finding it weirdly calming, plus I get something pretty at the end!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Beth Moore. God bless her. I know I'm only 30 and probably young enough to be her daughter, but same same.
My sweet treasure is Falcon's debut album called "Nova" (Falcon is the mainstream pop alter ego of Amanda Cook, formerly of Bethel Music, and while I can't read her mail and she intentionally keeps her life private, I have this feeling that her feelings about her time there are as mixed as mine lol). She writes so vulnerably about mental health, life after divorce, and romance, and it's so refreshing. If anyone has any music recommendations, please post them here, I'm always looking for new bands!
Beth Moore is such a treasure. I’m laughing so hard at that tweet 😆
Turd/tech support request- does anyone know how to block someone on Voxer? On Wednesday, I was minding my business, on a walk with my mom, aunt, and my two little wild women, when I got a picture Vox from someone who’s name I didn’t recognize but was very close to someone I knew when I lived in Africa. (I’m sure you can tell where this is going...) I was immediately suspicious, but I was naively under the impression that only people who were in my contacts could send me a Vox, so I opened it and of course it was a dukachu. 🙄🤢 I briefly considered writing something along the lines of “oh no! That doesn’t look normal. You should probably get that checked out” and also briefly considered trying to locate the only picture of my hooha I’ve ever sent someone (frantic “What is happening?!!?” message to my best friend/former roommate/friend who is a nurse when I was a week postpartum and something was NOT right with my undercarriage) but also decided against that. I’ve received 3 more messages which I’ve deleted unopened, but cannot figure out how to block this person and make it stop. After the most recent one, I submitted a help request to Voxer and the response I got back was basically “maybe we’ll help you, maybe we won’t. If you upgrade to premium, we’re more likely to help you.” 😐
Yeesh. You got me ugly crying before 7am. Mr. Winton, man. Total turd of a day yesterday. Marital tension, accidentally texted husband some processing thoughts about said tension that was meant for a friend, son voms in the car, MIL goes to ER (cancer issue), husband stays with MIL overnight in hospital where he says "there were COVID patients all around us." Cool cool. It's all fine. NEW MERCIES IN THE MORNING IN THE FORM OF THIS NEWSLETTER. I need to go get a loaf of bread, get under a blanket, and watch GBBS.
Erin! I was 👏 un👏pre👏pared for those Robin WillIams and Mr. Winston clips. Those men were absolute treasures. Thank you for sharing.
🚙 Like many others, our family life has changed pretty dramatically in the past seven months. I gave up my job and now home school my third grader and first grader. My PreK daughter rocks an online PreK that is truly amazing. All this to say, yesterday we took advantage of the flexibility that home school provides and traveled from GA to NC to celebrate my husband’s grandfather’s 95th birthday. This is always a bit of an undertaking (think extra quarantine leading up to the trip, and travel potty in the back of our mini-van so we don’t have to stop anywhere!), but man, it was so good to have something to look forward to all week. Then getting to come here and celebrate with a very small group of people we love very much was just good for the soul. Documenting it all on IG for #onedayHH was extra fun too.
📸 Speaking of #onedayHH, it’s always such a highlight of the fall. This year has so few communal experiences that getting to live an ordinary day with each other is such a peaceful joy.
📻 Brené Brown always puts out such great work, but three recent episodes of her Unlocking Us podcast have been exceptional. Jason Lasso, Burnout, and the Joe Biden eps were all moving and enjoyable.
👟 I turned 38 last week and have finally resigned myself to the fact that I have to wear good shoes. Maybe it’s from a lifetime of wearing cute and trendy Target shoes that had no support? 😉 Seriously though, ponying up the money for Brooks Adrenaline sneaks and Vionic ballet flats was a sacrifice, but I feel like I’m walking or exercising on clouds when I wear them.
📩 I voted last week. I teared up and prayed while doing so. The past few years have been so difficult for so many, and I have felt so dismayed and honestly gobsmacked by what I’ve seen and heard “Christian” leaders do and say. Praying for a change and twirling my way out of political conversations that are not going anywhere. I’m also gleefully recycling campaign mailers and ignoring all of what POTUS says and does for the next few weeks. ✌️
Looking forward to this thread as always! Have a great weekend!
As an Australian, I 100% support anyone moving to the Southern Hemisphere. It's a happy, happy place to be and our covid management isn't too bad. My state is sitting on 2 new cases right now, and that's pretty great.
That said, this week I've had a comical amount of time spent going between medical appointments with my husband. We went from struggling to conceive to a doctor suspecting he had cancer, very very quickly. Thankfully it isn't cancer but there's still issues we don't understand and so there are more tests and more bills and honestly, I'm tired. I wont bore you with the details. Here's some treasures though:
- this recipe was my lifesaver tonight. It smells delightful, it tastes amazing, and it's all on one tray: https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/greek-lamb-meatball-tray-bake/9f5dfw6z
- new churches with lovely ministers. We've been trying to find a church home and two weeks ago visited one near us and immediately fell in love when they spoke affectionately about one another, and then about serving their community by feeding those who are struggling. I cried. I felt like we'd found our kin. Then, ooooh, then, we went back a second week and felt welcomed again by those who spoke to us afterwards, and the minister asked if he could come over for tea. He did that, and stayed for three hours while we talked about our stories and our passions and our chickens and our dog and our God, too. He knew me when I was a teenager, and catching up felt good. Better yet, he sees ways that we could fit into the community and has even said with my background in ministry/theological studies, that he'd be happy to have me preach. MY HEART. I'd given up on that dream. What a treasure.
- I fed him cookies, because that's what I do when people come over. And it's this cookie recipe I keep going back to, and so do so many of my friends. It freezes well in balls and if you add white chocolate chips into the situation, you'll find much joy. https://www.thebakingchocolatess.com/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies/
So. Yes.
Turd of a week with some treasures in there.
I stuck something on the Got You file but man, there's so much there to meet and I want to meet all the needs and yet, I just sit there and ask God to do what I currently can't... that's enough, right?