I'm up early before my kids for the first time in what feels like weeks. I should be using the time to catch up on the Bible study I'm 6 days behind on, but here I am.
Treasures: 1) My preschoolers went to school this week for the first time all month. The big one ("potty seat boy" for those who remember) had been going in person since Oct. The little one started in Jan. Well, we caught a cold on the first few days of Feb and stayed home for a week, went to visit a friend over valentine's weekend, then found out they had been exposed to the c-virus. So we had to stay home another week and a half. Thankfully they got better pretty quickly and we didn't catch anything, but that was a long 3.5 weeks that we didn't go anywhere or see anyone or have any break from managing preschoolers and their fickle feelings.
2) The littlest preschooler, who is not quite two, has been studying toilet training from her brother. She is picking it up faster than her brother and has had multiple successes, including 💩 and I know this should be in the turd category simply because of its content, but I'm just so proud of her and anticipating the end of diapers being within the next three to six months instead of years down the road.
3) I turned 40 on Thursday! I'm all for getting older and I have embraced my grays and I'm not mournful about any of it, so I'm rather excited to have reached this milestone. We got tacos (like good ones, almost like TX ones), and I got lots of Marco Polo messages and I didn't have to visit my family because we were still coming off the ten day quarantine and didn't make plans. Is that mean?
4) My mom has had her second vaccine, my dad is scheduled for his first on Monday.
5) Potty seat boy turned 4 this week, too, and I made him a terrible ugly cake and slapped a dinosaur on top and he was happy. We went to see the Hot Wheels Drive Thru on Sunday and he was beside himself with awe and excitement. Only bummer to him was that he couldn't actually drive them.
6) This video of typewriters from films set to music (the classical composition The Typewriter) is just mesmerizing. I honestly came here just to share this but got carried away and already finished my whole cup of coffee while composing my treasures and turds.
So you can just click this and move on with your life, and I'll be satisfied.
Mixed feelings:
1) I turned 40.
2) My baby is growing up very quickly. We also took the side off her crib because she was jumping out of it every single time she didn't want to stay in it and while she is the most physically capable of all my kids, it didn't seem safe. So naps and bedtime have been a struggle but it's settling down. Also she can open doors so now she gets up at any old time of the night and comes into our bed like a spider monkey and sleeps on my actual face.
3) my husband flew to TX (we live near Atlanta) to meet the insurance adjuster re: his parents house that flooded in the snowpocalypse. He and his brother were planning to renovate in order to sell it, so this will accelerate those plans and if (please pray) they don't deny the claim, the floors, paint, and a lot of various other repairs will be paid for by insurance. But his parents have been in assisted living for almost a year, so they might try to classify the house as "vacant" which would allow them to deny the claim. It still had all their things, furniture, etc, and had been maintained while they were out, so they shouldn't be technically able to deny it. 🙏
Turds:1) I'm parenting solo this weekend.
2) Preadolescent hormones are the worst and the big girls are almost-12 and almost-10 and the feelings are so big and involuntary and easily offended. Lord help me.
3) I turned 40 in a pandemic and it's lame.
4) We've been out of our church home group for several months for various reasons and connections where it is normal to ask "how is your heart?" are rare. I'm feeling out of sorts and disconnected with what's happening in my heart, and out of regular accountability to keep moving forward, so it makes me sad. 30-year-old me would have blamed everyone/thing else for my lack of well being, but age and experience with myself has shown that I make my own choices and I do things like write on internet forums instead of taking the same 45 minutes to connect with God in the quiet of the morning, and deal with my heart.
Signing off and probably about to be interrupted by one or more children. Happy Saturday, friends!
I am so enjoying Erin's lent study but really the treasure has been my friends scattered across the U.S. who are doing it with me. There's three of us in WA state, one in AZ, one in MI and one in NY and we've had the best conversations over Marco Polo. (I LOVE Marco polo - my friend's husband calls it Tik Tok for moms...). It's so hard to be far away - they all used to live in the Seattle area with me - but having the Lent study as a conversation prompt has been so lovely. <3
I love all the vaccine news so I'll add mine: my parents are getting their second dose next week! Yay! And I am really hoping that it starts speeding up more in our region.
I have nothing to share from the internet because this is my internet time right now. I'm enjoying the links from you all so thank you in advance.
I've been trying to write this comment all day but my brain just won't cooperate. I thought about giving up but I didn't comment last week and I don't want you to forget about me 😉
I'm not in a good place, physically or mentally, and it's been a rough week. I'm sure there have been treasures but I can't remember them right now. I'll try to do better next week. Thanks for sharing your stories and treasures, I've had some laughs reading through your comments and for that, I am grateful!
Greetings from the last days of February and can it please just be DONE already! I love winter, and we Texans got an *actual* winter this month (thankfully, we had no major issues like so many others), but SMOKES, am I ready for March. It’s my birthday month too (next Wednesday) — can we start a spreadsheet of birthdays to celebrate each other in our respective months? — and I just feel *lighter* in March. This second month of the calendar seems soooo loooong.
I have a single tremendous treasure, a grammar geek article to share, and an out-of-the-blue creative project. It was all so unexpected and unanticipated that I’ve been energized in a way I haven’t felt in months. Such an answer to prayer!
Blessing: my mom and I had an ordinary, uneventful week. No drama, no health crises, no tears or worries. We got to stay home most days; the 2 doctor office visits were banal (and Mom walked the LONGEST hallway to one of them *without extreme weariness*, while wearing a sling on one arm and using her cane with the other!); and I managed to avoid cooking all week. [I do hate finding meals for us.] it was just so nice to feel *boring* all week.
Article: I haven’t gotten my reading mojo back yet (it usually returns in April for Dewey’s readathon), but I consume a lot of online articles. This one about the proper use of typically confusing words gave me life. I cringe at grammar mistakes — it’s not personal toward offenders, just a gut response from my perfectionist 5 brain — so I’m always wanting people to know the correct way to use/spell words of common use. What’s most delightful about this article is the “proper usage” paragraphs the author writes. Dude might be a grammar god, but he’s got personal issues to work out! 😂
Creative Epiphany: the past few years I’ve tried to participate in the 100 Days Project but failed miserably after only a few weeks. This year it came during my mom’s surgery days so I could never quite get momentum to start. This week, though, I read a throwaway line about a photographer who shot what was “just inches away from her” and my brain exploded. All of a sudden I wanted to do THAT! I love the idea of documenting whatever is “just inches in front” and making it feel important. It’s a new riff on “journaling the mundane” (which I already do), and it has sparked SUCH INSPIRATION. It won’t be a hundred-day commitment, but I’m going to try for a birth month project to celebrate myself and my own quiet life.
PRAYER REQUEST: lastly, a quick request if you would. We’re looking to move to a new rental house and need it to be better accessible for Mom. We’re specifically looking for walk-in shower, good sun exposure (for warmth), and a floor plan that doesn’t keep us so isolated in separate bedrooms at night (I need to hear Mom if she’s up). We’re moving back closer to the area we like (Collin County, TX) but we want to find something before summer. AND we can only visit homes once a week, likely, because of Mom’s walking difficulties. So, prayers appreciated! I’ll contact a realtor this next week to help, but we are hoping for a quick resolution to the process. Thanks, guys!
Jules, I love everything you wrote today. V looking forward to the article because I'm a word nerd.
Also I'm not sure how you feel about typewriters but I came here expressly to share this little link and feel like it might give you a thrill too, so I'm sharing the link here too just for you.
Well that’s just everything, isn’t it?!? 🙌🏻 I love the nostalgia of typewriters, for sure. But as a person who learned to type on IBM Selectric with manual correction tape, I am soooo appreciative of computers that allow me to fix mistakes before they get to paper. Typewriters are dreamy, but wholly impractical for a perfectionist. 😏
Oh my gosh. Normalize the Oxford comma! Make it official and non-debatable! That comma has a NECESSARY purpose. Why are we even debating this?!? [I have strong feelings. 😂]
As someone whose birthday is in February, I'm a little offended by everyone wanting it to be over, but then I saw your birthday is in March so I'll allow it. 😉
I got super excited about that article and I can't wait to read it! I'm a perfectionist type 1 who also cringe at grammar mistakes. However, English is not my first language so I'm sure I make them all the time. 🤷♀️
Looking forward to following your photo project, I feel inspired to do something similar!
I'm so glad you had an uneventful week and I'm praying you'll find the perfect house!
Thank you, Rebecka! And I can appreciate the offense about February. 😂 My sister’s bday is Feb 20, and she believes it to be the best month. I’m always wanting to move the calendar forward. LOL
Glad to hear about an uneventful week! I looked for your updates last week to see how you were doing--but I must have missed it! I hope you find a great realtor and a new house quickly.
I totally agree, here in Texas, March is like coming up for air. It's my favorite..so much hope is in March.
I will read the grammar article, I am always trying to learn ways to write well. I went to a private, prepatory college school K-12, and I suck at writing because the method they used was not the best way I learn. I have learned more being married to my extremely smart, knows how to write well husband. Thanks for the article!
Thanks, Anna! I was late to the party last week (Saturday, I think), but I so appreciate that you checked for me. 💞 There’s a tiny bit of normalcy right now.
“so much hope in March” YES! I love that. It’s true! What a great visual to put with my lighter heart.
It took me a looong time to understand that writing “well” wasn’t just about learning the mechanics. It truly comes easy to me, but I know it’s a challenge for a majority. I learned to not be snobbish. 😬 And I also learned that most people *want* to learn, so I felt less guilty about sharing articles like this one. So happy you appreciate it!
Aww. 😊 I often feel “speshul” (air quotes) but this is nice to hear.
There’s ridiculousness for its own sake (Are-Kansas) and there’s, “I never knew which was correct.” I aim to enlighten the latter! And I accept no excuses, most especially those who say, “I don’t care what’s correct.” 🙅🏻♀️
Today I turn 36 years young. I started the day by taking my furball for a nail trim and got my free birthday Starbies (cc Popcast: I cannot stop calling it this now, but no one gets it, except you).
Today my brother deciding to open up and divulge all the things going on right now in his life, Swipes- I was not prepared, I was not ready, I was not expecting the words that came out of his mouth, he is not doing well. I had to stay strong and give him the words he needed to get through this. He took notes that he will bring to his therapist on Monday and that made me feel all. THE. DAMN. things. I sat in Finn's dog bed and cried after I hung up.
THEN I picked up myself the same way I told him, and played my T Swift playlist and starting wiping down all the things in here and I plan to take a rage shower afterwards to wash it all away.
I have dinner plans tonight with the random, amazing people I've met in this city and will eat mac & cheese, crab cakes, shrimp & grits, and end with hummingbird cake and gratitude. WE are all still here, I am choosing positivity and joy every damn moment I can, until the next wave hits.
🏈 I finished my watch of FNL- still felt disjointed a bit, but it was such a lovely journey, and I'm so glad that Coach finally got it together and let Tami do all the things. Still not a fan of Julie, but Matt and Riggins and Vince will live on in my heart. What should I watch next?
📚 The Push by Ashley Audrain- SO GOOD. TW for mothers with small children or HSPs. The way this author crafted this slower psychological thriller and the short chapters had me devouring it in the best way possible. Up next? Beach Read by Emily Henry
I’d just like to say I love the final GIF you chose of Kate McKinnon, that my 9 year old reminds me sooooo much of her, and that the same child’s sense of humor is already about as well-developed. So look out, world. The kid needs her own YouTube channel, because she turns on her “who, me? No, I’m a normal kid” thing when in front of people, but the world needs her gifts.
And if you think I’m just saying this because I’m her mom, just know she’s one of four kids and the others aren’t funny.
I don’t know what we are supposed to do here exactly, but if we are celebrating treasures, then I will celebrate SEEING ANOTHER PERSON TODAY. I have basically seen no people in the flesh for longer than a flash since having my little boy in December. Today, I got to haul my two darling cherubs to take a long walk with my sister in law and my niece, and she brought me a chai latte and drowned it in sugar and I do not deserve her. I had to push the gargantuan double stroller around, and my two year old melted down when we tried to leave the park after, and I nursed my newborn in the car before we made the drive home... BUT WHO EVEN CARES BECAUSE I GOT TO TALK TO A PERSON AND NOT LISTEN TO FRIGGIN MOANA FOR TWO HOURS. Now, excuse me while I go wash my kid’s blanket that got super muddy on said walk (cause it’s like 30 degrees with winds at 75😂) because from the sounds of “nap time” upstairs... she will likely die without it. Shine on, friends. This community is legit.
My treasure is that my 4 kids are with my Mom today, which may be one of the few times in the past year at least some of them are not in this house! I didn't even remember how much better my brain can function without being interrupted every few minutes or just general noise that never ends.
My one goal while they are gone is to finish our taxes. Federal and local are done, but I swear the state of PA is living in a different time period! The state is using a new site for their state filing. In order to just create an account, I had to call the PA dept. of revenue when the person had to send me a special link to register. Then I have to verify my phone with a code and finally, she tells me to finish I will receive a letter from them in 10 days with a code, that will finalize my account set up. I'm sorry, what year are we living it that they have to mail me a letter with a code, just to set up an account to file my taxes?! I need to wait on a letter before I can even start my state taxes. I could pay for a tax service, but now it feels like the principle of the thing.
Just to end on a happy note, I got a Ruggable yesterday that I had been waiting on. It is amazing what a difference a new rug can make.
The second paragraph here is why I happily pay an accountant every year! For the first four years of my marriage, I would sob in distress over the taxes every year, and my husband finally just took them from me and delivered them to a CPA and I have never been so relieved.
It definitely is worth paying for if it stresses you out. I strangely get some kind of weird satisfaction from doing them myself, and ours are not typically super complicated. I am pretty sure if I could just get into the actually site it wouldn't take that long!
Hello everyone! This was a crazy few weeks and it feels like I can breathe a little easier now. My fiance had to have emergency dental work (thank God for insurance), then had a bad what we thought sinus infection but, surprise (!!!) was COVID. Thankfully it was a relatively mild case but I was exposed and got it as well. I quarantined for 2 weeks and had a mild case (the tiredness is the worst as well as loss of taste and smell so prayers for it to come back would be greatly appreciated). I live with my parents and my mom was exposed through me (so far no symptoms but she has to quarantine through March 11. My dad had it back in November so he has the antibodies. Anyway...
Treasures-
*Kendall Vanderslice's IG account @edibletheology She combines bread baking and liturgy and I am going to try my first loaf today!
*@sharonsaysso because I am now officially a Governerd.
New yarn from the lovely CAB The Yarn Shoppe out of Denver, CO.
*This video I found a couple of years ago of Jimmy Fallon and Benedict Cumberbatch doing a Mad Libs and acting it out remains one of my go tos in times of duress. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM9Wuzj4k24
This week was one of the more insane weeks I’ve had for a while. It consisted of helping my brother through a mental health crisis, dealing with the fact that it triggered a flood of memories of my own mental health crisis, taking the ACT the next morning, doing extra homework to get ahead before I’m out for surgery, and planning all the surgery prep things. To say the least, the majority of my Lent observations were basically thrown out the window and trampled on. It makes me sad. The brightest spot this week was eating lunch by myself in my car after the ACT. I was able to chill, listen to music, eat Taco John’s, and just be for a little bit. It was a welcome break from all the hard. I’m cranky and tired and overly done with stress for a while. But the sun comes up, and the world still spins. I’d appreciate some prayers.
I've been praying for you this week, Riley! I'm sorry you had such a rough time. Praise God for some Taco John's, music, and mental rest amongst the crazy.
I so appreciate the prayers!! Even though this week sucked, there was still God in the midst of it. All hard to explain, but I could feel the prayers.💕
Y’all. I forgot it was Friday! It’s been bananas at our house the past couple of weeks as I’ve been finishing a huge commission for church (14 foot art installation) & dealing with BIG 14-month emotions.
But, we found out today that the hubs PASSED his licensing exam! This is the last of SEVEN (*after* getting his math PhD. you heard me right.) exams and modules toward his actuary license. Actuaries are the smartest of all humanity, I’m convinced. Anywho, he’s not used to being celebrated, so my enneagram 2 / extrovert energy is a lot for him, but I don’t *even* care at this point. BRING ON THE CELEBRATIONS!
My treasures this week have been
⭐️ Made Out of Stars: A Journal for Self-Realization by Meera Lee Patel - I got this in a Galentine’s exchange & it’s been a hard but great morning routine with The Bible Recap.
⭐️Brad Montegue’s IG account. He’s Kid President’s older brother. And an amazing writer.
⭐️My friend’s son calling his outlying squiggles/overextended lines as he practices his letters & numbers "fancy" rather than mistakes.
⭐️Ellie Holcomb’s behind the scenes of her extraordinarily normal life.
My treasure this week is that I started watching Schitt's Creek (I KNOW! I am so late to this) and I'm obsessed. I'm already feeling sad about finishing it and I'm only on season 2.
It has been...a week. Do I say that every week? It feels like I'm never going to not feel overwhelmed and that's going to be the topic of my whole therapy appointment tomorrow.
I just started grad school in January and I thought I was handling things well and then I realized last night as I was getting ready to go to bed that I'd completely missed an assignment that was due today. It was the catalyst for a full break down. And then I woke up and checked our bank account and saw that it was NEGATIVE $275 and had another break down. We're currently trying to figure out how to cover it but so far it's looking grim. I've also had little sleep and a yeast infection for a week straight so I'm genuinely stunned that I'm still functioning.
Despite the disaster of a week, there were a few treasures! As always, the newsletter and this community is one of them. In a time of so much isolation, it is a true joy to catch up with all my internet friends. Here are a few other delights from my week:
-Catching up on WandaVision: we binged the last five episodes on Sunday and while I didn't get to bed early enough that night, I did go to bed filled with joy and a free trial to Marvel Unlimited so I can go through the whole comic book canon for the Scarlet Witch.
-A new planner that makes so much more sense to my brain, I'm going to fill it all out today so that I can hopefully avoid further freak outs around missing assignments. (If you're looking for a new planner to try, my new one is from UpStudio which is a delightful small, female owned business).
-I got a new tattoo on Tuesday to honor my grandfather that recently passed. I love it so much and it was a cathartic experience and a sweet way to honor him since we didn't get to do a memorial service. (It's strawberries and a little note in my grandmother's handwriting - https://www.instagram.com/p/CLsEsE4HTcp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)
-I chopped off all my hair! I've always gone back and forth between long hair and a pixie but I've been growing it out for about two years now. I finally got fed up with it and went back to a pixie and it has made getting ready so much easier.
Okay friends, off to read through the comments! Have a wonderful weekend!
I feel like starting grad school is under appreciated as a stressor. My first 6 months or so of grad school was the hardest year of my entire life!! I remember regularly feeling like there was no way I’d ever have a “normal” life again, that I wouldn’t be smart enough to finish, and just generally like I wanted to crawl out of my own skin a lot of the time. That alone is overwhelming even without all this other stuff! I hope next week is much better for you!! ❤️
For what it's worth, that sounds like a ridiculously overwhelming amount of stuff, so it feels completely appropriate to read you've been...overwhelmed.
Good for you for looking for treasures in spite of the crap. And that tattoo? Goodness. It's lovely. :)
Thank you for that. I'm trying to remind myself that it's okay to feel overwhelmed and there are tangible reasons for the emotion. And thanks - I am smitten with it.
The camp musical is the day AFTER my birthday! What a gift! Probably the only one I get, cuz, you know, COVID ☹️
Bless it. It's Saturday now.
I'm up early before my kids for the first time in what feels like weeks. I should be using the time to catch up on the Bible study I'm 6 days behind on, but here I am.
Treasures: 1) My preschoolers went to school this week for the first time all month. The big one ("potty seat boy" for those who remember) had been going in person since Oct. The little one started in Jan. Well, we caught a cold on the first few days of Feb and stayed home for a week, went to visit a friend over valentine's weekend, then found out they had been exposed to the c-virus. So we had to stay home another week and a half. Thankfully they got better pretty quickly and we didn't catch anything, but that was a long 3.5 weeks that we didn't go anywhere or see anyone or have any break from managing preschoolers and their fickle feelings.
2) The littlest preschooler, who is not quite two, has been studying toilet training from her brother. She is picking it up faster than her brother and has had multiple successes, including 💩 and I know this should be in the turd category simply because of its content, but I'm just so proud of her and anticipating the end of diapers being within the next three to six months instead of years down the road.
3) I turned 40 on Thursday! I'm all for getting older and I have embraced my grays and I'm not mournful about any of it, so I'm rather excited to have reached this milestone. We got tacos (like good ones, almost like TX ones), and I got lots of Marco Polo messages and I didn't have to visit my family because we were still coming off the ten day quarantine and didn't make plans. Is that mean?
4) My mom has had her second vaccine, my dad is scheduled for his first on Monday.
5) Potty seat boy turned 4 this week, too, and I made him a terrible ugly cake and slapped a dinosaur on top and he was happy. We went to see the Hot Wheels Drive Thru on Sunday and he was beside himself with awe and excitement. Only bummer to him was that he couldn't actually drive them.
6) This video of typewriters from films set to music (the classical composition The Typewriter) is just mesmerizing. I honestly came here just to share this but got carried away and already finished my whole cup of coffee while composing my treasures and turds.
https://lithub.com/watch-a-supercut-of-typewriters-being-used-on-screen/?fbclid=IwAR06M1baiN-DI9all34f6-FoIIemSNwj25MugdpoRi2s-o8yegHrEg5f9jk
So you can just click this and move on with your life, and I'll be satisfied.
Mixed feelings:
1) I turned 40.
2) My baby is growing up very quickly. We also took the side off her crib because she was jumping out of it every single time she didn't want to stay in it and while she is the most physically capable of all my kids, it didn't seem safe. So naps and bedtime have been a struggle but it's settling down. Also she can open doors so now she gets up at any old time of the night and comes into our bed like a spider monkey and sleeps on my actual face.
3) my husband flew to TX (we live near Atlanta) to meet the insurance adjuster re: his parents house that flooded in the snowpocalypse. He and his brother were planning to renovate in order to sell it, so this will accelerate those plans and if (please pray) they don't deny the claim, the floors, paint, and a lot of various other repairs will be paid for by insurance. But his parents have been in assisted living for almost a year, so they might try to classify the house as "vacant" which would allow them to deny the claim. It still had all their things, furniture, etc, and had been maintained while they were out, so they shouldn't be technically able to deny it. 🙏
Turds:1) I'm parenting solo this weekend.
2) Preadolescent hormones are the worst and the big girls are almost-12 and almost-10 and the feelings are so big and involuntary and easily offended. Lord help me.
3) I turned 40 in a pandemic and it's lame.
4) We've been out of our church home group for several months for various reasons and connections where it is normal to ask "how is your heart?" are rare. I'm feeling out of sorts and disconnected with what's happening in my heart, and out of regular accountability to keep moving forward, so it makes me sad. 30-year-old me would have blamed everyone/thing else for my lack of well being, but age and experience with myself has shown that I make my own choices and I do things like write on internet forums instead of taking the same 45 minutes to connect with God in the quiet of the morning, and deal with my heart.
Signing off and probably about to be interrupted by one or more children. Happy Saturday, friends!
HAPPY 40th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you! ☺️
I'll definitely take BTE! Thank you!
hello!
I am so enjoying Erin's lent study but really the treasure has been my friends scattered across the U.S. who are doing it with me. There's three of us in WA state, one in AZ, one in MI and one in NY and we've had the best conversations over Marco Polo. (I LOVE Marco polo - my friend's husband calls it Tik Tok for moms...). It's so hard to be far away - they all used to live in the Seattle area with me - but having the Lent study as a conversation prompt has been so lovely. <3
I love all the vaccine news so I'll add mine: my parents are getting their second dose next week! Yay! And I am really hoping that it starts speeding up more in our region.
I have nothing to share from the internet because this is my internet time right now. I'm enjoying the links from you all so thank you in advance.
I love the vaccine news too!!! Each time I hear someone got vaccinated, I get a little more hopeful!
I heart this very much.
I've been trying to write this comment all day but my brain just won't cooperate. I thought about giving up but I didn't comment last week and I don't want you to forget about me 😉
I'm not in a good place, physically or mentally, and it's been a rough week. I'm sure there have been treasures but I can't remember them right now. I'll try to do better next week. Thanks for sharing your stories and treasures, I've had some laughs reading through your comments and for that, I am grateful!
I wish you all a lovely weekend! 🧡
Hugs and prayers!!
Thank you, Angie!
Sending hugs your way Rebecka, hang in there lady!
Thank you, Britany!
Rebecka, we all love you! Is there anything we can do to lighten the load?
Thank you, Jillian! That means a lot, it really does. If you'd pray for me, I'd really appreciate it.
Greetings from the last days of February and can it please just be DONE already! I love winter, and we Texans got an *actual* winter this month (thankfully, we had no major issues like so many others), but SMOKES, am I ready for March. It’s my birthday month too (next Wednesday) — can we start a spreadsheet of birthdays to celebrate each other in our respective months? — and I just feel *lighter* in March. This second month of the calendar seems soooo loooong.
I have a single tremendous treasure, a grammar geek article to share, and an out-of-the-blue creative project. It was all so unexpected and unanticipated that I’ve been energized in a way I haven’t felt in months. Such an answer to prayer!
Blessing: my mom and I had an ordinary, uneventful week. No drama, no health crises, no tears or worries. We got to stay home most days; the 2 doctor office visits were banal (and Mom walked the LONGEST hallway to one of them *without extreme weariness*, while wearing a sling on one arm and using her cane with the other!); and I managed to avoid cooking all week. [I do hate finding meals for us.] it was just so nice to feel *boring* all week.
Article: I haven’t gotten my reading mojo back yet (it usually returns in April for Dewey’s readathon), but I consume a lot of online articles. This one about the proper use of typically confusing words gave me life. I cringe at grammar mistakes — it’s not personal toward offenders, just a gut response from my perfectionist 5 brain — so I’m always wanting people to know the correct way to use/spell words of common use. What’s most delightful about this article is the “proper usage” paragraphs the author writes. Dude might be a grammar god, but he’s got personal issues to work out! 😂
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/grammar-tips-from-a-thirty-eight-year-old-with-an-english-degree
Creative Epiphany: the past few years I’ve tried to participate in the 100 Days Project but failed miserably after only a few weeks. This year it came during my mom’s surgery days so I could never quite get momentum to start. This week, though, I read a throwaway line about a photographer who shot what was “just inches away from her” and my brain exploded. All of a sudden I wanted to do THAT! I love the idea of documenting whatever is “just inches in front” and making it feel important. It’s a new riff on “journaling the mundane” (which I already do), and it has sparked SUCH INSPIRATION. It won’t be a hundred-day commitment, but I’m going to try for a birth month project to celebrate myself and my own quiet life.
Find the photos here if you want to follow along: https://instagram.com/phreneticmind
PRAYER REQUEST: lastly, a quick request if you would. We’re looking to move to a new rental house and need it to be better accessible for Mom. We’re specifically looking for walk-in shower, good sun exposure (for warmth), and a floor plan that doesn’t keep us so isolated in separate bedrooms at night (I need to hear Mom if she’s up). We’re moving back closer to the area we like (Collin County, TX) but we want to find something before summer. AND we can only visit homes once a week, likely, because of Mom’s walking difficulties. So, prayers appreciated! I’ll contact a realtor this next week to help, but we are hoping for a quick resolution to the process. Thanks, guys!
Wishing everyone an uneventful week. 😊
Jules, I love everything you wrote today. V looking forward to the article because I'm a word nerd.
Also I'm not sure how you feel about typewriters but I came here expressly to share this little link and feel like it might give you a thrill too, so I'm sharing the link here too just for you.
https://lithub.com/watch-a-supercut-of-typewriters-being-used-on-screen/?fbclid=IwAR06M1baiN-DI9all34f6-FoIIemSNwj25MugdpoRi2s-o8yegHrEg5f9jk
Well that’s just everything, isn’t it?!? 🙌🏻 I love the nostalgia of typewriters, for sure. But as a person who learned to type on IBM Selectric with manual correction tape, I am soooo appreciative of computers that allow me to fix mistakes before they get to paper. Typewriters are dreamy, but wholly impractical for a perfectionist. 😏
I’m a fellow grammar-issue finder 😂 I proudly use the Oxford comma!!
Oh my gosh. Normalize the Oxford comma! Make it official and non-debatable! That comma has a NECESSARY purpose. Why are we even debating this?!? [I have strong feelings. 😂]
I LOVE this idea, Jules!
Hi Jules! Happy early birthday! I think a bday call out would be REAL fun! And praying for the housing situation
Yes! A birthday call-out! I’d love to send postcards to all my fellow March-ers. 😊
As someone whose birthday is in February, I'm a little offended by everyone wanting it to be over, but then I saw your birthday is in March so I'll allow it. 😉
I got super excited about that article and I can't wait to read it! I'm a perfectionist type 1 who also cringe at grammar mistakes. However, English is not my first language so I'm sure I make them all the time. 🤷♀️
Looking forward to following your photo project, I feel inspired to do something similar!
I'm so glad you had an uneventful week and I'm praying you'll find the perfect house!
Me too Rebecka!
Thank you, Rebecka! And I can appreciate the offense about February. 😂 My sister’s bday is Feb 20, and she believes it to be the best month. I’m always wanting to move the calendar forward. LOL
I can't blame you, if it wasn't for my birthday I wouldn't think February has much to offer either! 😂
😂 👊🏻
Glad to hear about an uneventful week! I looked for your updates last week to see how you were doing--but I must have missed it! I hope you find a great realtor and a new house quickly.
I totally agree, here in Texas, March is like coming up for air. It's my favorite..so much hope is in March.
I will read the grammar article, I am always trying to learn ways to write well. I went to a private, prepatory college school K-12, and I suck at writing because the method they used was not the best way I learn. I have learned more being married to my extremely smart, knows how to write well husband. Thanks for the article!
Thanks, Anna! I was late to the party last week (Saturday, I think), but I so appreciate that you checked for me. 💞 There’s a tiny bit of normalcy right now.
“so much hope in March” YES! I love that. It’s true! What a great visual to put with my lighter heart.
It took me a looong time to understand that writing “well” wasn’t just about learning the mechanics. It truly comes easy to me, but I know it’s a challenge for a majority. I learned to not be snobbish. 😬 And I also learned that most people *want* to learn, so I felt less guilty about sharing articles like this one. So happy you appreciate it!
Aww. 😊 I often feel “speshul” (air quotes) but this is nice to hear.
There’s ridiculousness for its own sake (Are-Kansas) and there’s, “I never knew which was correct.” I aim to enlighten the latter! And I accept no excuses, most especially those who say, “I don’t care what’s correct.” 🙅🏻♀️
Today I turn 36 years young. I started the day by taking my furball for a nail trim and got my free birthday Starbies (cc Popcast: I cannot stop calling it this now, but no one gets it, except you).
Today my brother deciding to open up and divulge all the things going on right now in his life, Swipes- I was not prepared, I was not ready, I was not expecting the words that came out of his mouth, he is not doing well. I had to stay strong and give him the words he needed to get through this. He took notes that he will bring to his therapist on Monday and that made me feel all. THE. DAMN. things. I sat in Finn's dog bed and cried after I hung up.
THEN I picked up myself the same way I told him, and played my T Swift playlist and starting wiping down all the things in here and I plan to take a rage shower afterwards to wash it all away.
I have dinner plans tonight with the random, amazing people I've met in this city and will eat mac & cheese, crab cakes, shrimp & grits, and end with hummingbird cake and gratitude. WE are all still here, I am choosing positivity and joy every damn moment I can, until the next wave hits.
🏈 I finished my watch of FNL- still felt disjointed a bit, but it was such a lovely journey, and I'm so glad that Coach finally got it together and let Tami do all the things. Still not a fan of Julie, but Matt and Riggins and Vince will live on in my heart. What should I watch next?
📚 The Push by Ashley Audrain- SO GOOD. TW for mothers with small children or HSPs. The way this author crafted this slower psychological thriller and the short chapters had me devouring it in the best way possible. Up next? Beach Read by Emily Henry
LOVE this community so much, mean it. 💕🤗
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I loved Push too!! I was sad it was over but also relieved (if that makes any sense!)
Thanks Angie- yes, I felt so validated by the end, completely as I was hoping it would turn out.
Happy birthday! That sounds like an amazing dinner. Enjoy!
Thanks Sarah! I'm still thinking about that cake, and mad at myself for not taking the rest TO GO.
Happy birthday! 🎂🎈🎉
I hope your dinner tonight is awesome and wonderful in every way!
Thank you Rebecka!!
I’d just like to say I love the final GIF you chose of Kate McKinnon, that my 9 year old reminds me sooooo much of her, and that the same child’s sense of humor is already about as well-developed. So look out, world. The kid needs her own YouTube channel, because she turns on her “who, me? No, I’m a normal kid” thing when in front of people, but the world needs her gifts.
And if you think I’m just saying this because I’m her mom, just know she’s one of four kids and the others aren’t funny.
I don’t know what we are supposed to do here exactly, but if we are celebrating treasures, then I will celebrate SEEING ANOTHER PERSON TODAY. I have basically seen no people in the flesh for longer than a flash since having my little boy in December. Today, I got to haul my two darling cherubs to take a long walk with my sister in law and my niece, and she brought me a chai latte and drowned it in sugar and I do not deserve her. I had to push the gargantuan double stroller around, and my two year old melted down when we tried to leave the park after, and I nursed my newborn in the car before we made the drive home... BUT WHO EVEN CARES BECAUSE I GOT TO TALK TO A PERSON AND NOT LISTEN TO FRIGGIN MOANA FOR TWO HOURS. Now, excuse me while I go wash my kid’s blanket that got super muddy on said walk (cause it’s like 30 degrees with winds at 75😂) because from the sounds of “nap time” upstairs... she will likely die without it. Shine on, friends. This community is legit.
Sisters/SILs/women who are basically sisters are God’s greatest gift. WAHOOOO!
Yesssssss. I have had mannnny in laws cycle through my family, but this one is divine and I love her so. My brother barely deserves her😂
Ha! And I’m sure you don’t let him forget it.
He needs to know😂
My treasure is that my 4 kids are with my Mom today, which may be one of the few times in the past year at least some of them are not in this house! I didn't even remember how much better my brain can function without being interrupted every few minutes or just general noise that never ends.
My one goal while they are gone is to finish our taxes. Federal and local are done, but I swear the state of PA is living in a different time period! The state is using a new site for their state filing. In order to just create an account, I had to call the PA dept. of revenue when the person had to send me a special link to register. Then I have to verify my phone with a code and finally, she tells me to finish I will receive a letter from them in 10 days with a code, that will finalize my account set up. I'm sorry, what year are we living it that they have to mail me a letter with a code, just to set up an account to file my taxes?! I need to wait on a letter before I can even start my state taxes. I could pay for a tax service, but now it feels like the principle of the thing.
Just to end on a happy note, I got a Ruggable yesterday that I had been waiting on. It is amazing what a difference a new rug can make.
The second paragraph here is why I happily pay an accountant every year! For the first four years of my marriage, I would sob in distress over the taxes every year, and my husband finally just took them from me and delivered them to a CPA and I have never been so relieved.
It definitely is worth paying for if it stresses you out. I strangely get some kind of weird satisfaction from doing them myself, and ours are not typically super complicated. I am pretty sure if I could just get into the actually site it wouldn't take that long!
Hello everyone! This was a crazy few weeks and it feels like I can breathe a little easier now. My fiance had to have emergency dental work (thank God for insurance), then had a bad what we thought sinus infection but, surprise (!!!) was COVID. Thankfully it was a relatively mild case but I was exposed and got it as well. I quarantined for 2 weeks and had a mild case (the tiredness is the worst as well as loss of taste and smell so prayers for it to come back would be greatly appreciated). I live with my parents and my mom was exposed through me (so far no symptoms but she has to quarantine through March 11. My dad had it back in November so he has the antibodies. Anyway...
Treasures-
*Kendall Vanderslice's IG account @edibletheology She combines bread baking and liturgy and I am going to try my first loaf today!
*@sharonsaysso because I am now officially a Governerd.
New yarn from the lovely CAB The Yarn Shoppe out of Denver, CO.
*This video I found a couple of years ago of Jimmy Fallon and Benedict Cumberbatch doing a Mad Libs and acting it out remains one of my go tos in times of duress. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM9Wuzj4k24
Love to all!
I do not appreciate Short Afternoon Walk’s tone. Someone needs to wash its mouth out with essential oils.
😆😆😆
This week was one of the more insane weeks I’ve had for a while. It consisted of helping my brother through a mental health crisis, dealing with the fact that it triggered a flood of memories of my own mental health crisis, taking the ACT the next morning, doing extra homework to get ahead before I’m out for surgery, and planning all the surgery prep things. To say the least, the majority of my Lent observations were basically thrown out the window and trampled on. It makes me sad. The brightest spot this week was eating lunch by myself in my car after the ACT. I was able to chill, listen to music, eat Taco John’s, and just be for a little bit. It was a welcome break from all the hard. I’m cranky and tired and overly done with stress for a while. But the sun comes up, and the world still spins. I’d appreciate some prayers.
Praying! 🧡
Hope you can do some radical selfcare this weekend.
I've been praying for you this week, Riley! I'm sorry you had such a rough time. Praise God for some Taco John's, music, and mental rest amongst the crazy.
I so appreciate the prayers!! Even though this week sucked, there was still God in the midst of it. All hard to explain, but I could feel the prayers.💕
That’s a lot to deal with, Riley. I hope your Taco Johns will work some magic on you. Def praying for peace over you 💗
Thank you!💕
Y’all. I forgot it was Friday! It’s been bananas at our house the past couple of weeks as I’ve been finishing a huge commission for church (14 foot art installation) & dealing with BIG 14-month emotions.
But, we found out today that the hubs PASSED his licensing exam! This is the last of SEVEN (*after* getting his math PhD. you heard me right.) exams and modules toward his actuary license. Actuaries are the smartest of all humanity, I’m convinced. Anywho, he’s not used to being celebrated, so my enneagram 2 / extrovert energy is a lot for him, but I don’t *even* care at this point. BRING ON THE CELEBRATIONS!
My treasures this week have been
⭐️ Made Out of Stars: A Journal for Self-Realization by Meera Lee Patel - I got this in a Galentine’s exchange & it’s been a hard but great morning routine with The Bible Recap.
⭐️Brad Montegue’s IG account. He’s Kid President’s older brother. And an amazing writer.
⭐️My friend’s son calling his outlying squiggles/overextended lines as he practices his letters & numbers "fancy" rather than mistakes.
⭐️Ellie Holcomb’s behind the scenes of her extraordinarily normal life.
Hugs, gals!
Congrats to your HUBS!!
Brad Montague is a true treasure. ❤️
Actuaries are really just math magicians, and you can't convince me otherwise. Congrats to your husband!
Bahaha! I love this. That’s going to be his unofficial title now.
My treasure this week is that I started watching Schitt's Creek (I KNOW! I am so late to this) and I'm obsessed. I'm already feeling sad about finishing it and I'm only on season 2.
I've been trying to make one Whole30 meal each week and this week's was this creamy coconut shrimp with tomatoes and cauliflower rice and it was DELICIOUS and so easy to make. https://www.slenderkitchen.com/recipe/creamy-coconut-and-tomato-shrimp
It's almost March, friends! Feeling hopeful for warmer weather and more vaccinations!
how fun to find a new favorite show! I wish I could watch it again for the first time.
Schitts creek makes me so happy! And that recipe looks delicious!
Started Schitt's Creek in January, just finished it, and it's a travesty that that show can't continue on forever WE NEED MORE OF THE ROSE FAMILY
Schitt's creek is a love of my heart.
Hi, friends!
It has been...a week. Do I say that every week? It feels like I'm never going to not feel overwhelmed and that's going to be the topic of my whole therapy appointment tomorrow.
I just started grad school in January and I thought I was handling things well and then I realized last night as I was getting ready to go to bed that I'd completely missed an assignment that was due today. It was the catalyst for a full break down. And then I woke up and checked our bank account and saw that it was NEGATIVE $275 and had another break down. We're currently trying to figure out how to cover it but so far it's looking grim. I've also had little sleep and a yeast infection for a week straight so I'm genuinely stunned that I'm still functioning.
Despite the disaster of a week, there were a few treasures! As always, the newsletter and this community is one of them. In a time of so much isolation, it is a true joy to catch up with all my internet friends. Here are a few other delights from my week:
-Catching up on WandaVision: we binged the last five episodes on Sunday and while I didn't get to bed early enough that night, I did go to bed filled with joy and a free trial to Marvel Unlimited so I can go through the whole comic book canon for the Scarlet Witch.
-A new planner that makes so much more sense to my brain, I'm going to fill it all out today so that I can hopefully avoid further freak outs around missing assignments. (If you're looking for a new planner to try, my new one is from UpStudio which is a delightful small, female owned business).
-I got a new tattoo on Tuesday to honor my grandfather that recently passed. I love it so much and it was a cathartic experience and a sweet way to honor him since we didn't get to do a memorial service. (It's strawberries and a little note in my grandmother's handwriting - https://www.instagram.com/p/CLsEsE4HTcp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)
-I chopped off all my hair! I've always gone back and forth between long hair and a pixie but I've been growing it out for about two years now. I finally got fed up with it and went back to a pixie and it has made getting ready so much easier.
Okay friends, off to read through the comments! Have a wonderful weekend!
Your tattoo! Love it! And I love finding a planner that makes sense to me - makes organizing life so much more do-able.
I feel like starting grad school is under appreciated as a stressor. My first 6 months or so of grad school was the hardest year of my entire life!! I remember regularly feeling like there was no way I’d ever have a “normal” life again, that I wouldn’t be smart enough to finish, and just generally like I wanted to crawl out of my own skin a lot of the time. That alone is overwhelming even without all this other stuff! I hope next week is much better for you!! ❤️
Lol, I meant hardest “time” not hardest “year.” Freudian slip probably because that 6 months certainly felt like an entire year 😂
LOVE the tattoo. and bleh. what a crapload of crap for a week. Sorry :/
WOW I love your tattoo- the details and color is beautiful. Well done, you!
What a rough week! I'm glad you still managed to find some treasures though.
Your hair is the CUTEST.
Thank you!!
For what it's worth, that sounds like a ridiculously overwhelming amount of stuff, so it feels completely appropriate to read you've been...overwhelmed.
Good for you for looking for treasures in spite of the crap. And that tattoo? Goodness. It's lovely. :)
Thank you for that. I'm trying to remind myself that it's okay to feel overwhelmed and there are tangible reasons for the emotion. And thanks - I am smitten with it.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMe2nQtC2/ also, Hamilton tiktok