It's been awhile, yes? It's been a crazy while. We've had some really lovely times, lots of great family moments, including J's first trip to the ocean. We've had some wild times. We've had more than a few rough days. We've had a very full life over the last few months, and it just hasn't come upon me to write. I've had a few things come to mind, but mostly, I was just too busy living, thinking, or feeling to sit and write. (Though sometimes, writing puts that thinking and feeling in its place!) It did occur to me that you need proof there's more than gloom & doom on this little corner of the internet . . . I have a few ideas in the works, but for now, for those of you who are interested, it's back to my 33 things . . .
Just to beg some grace for my absence, here are 33 things that are happening RIGHT NOW.
(Well, not exactly in this moment right now, but definitely very present and current in my life . . . in no particular order . . .)
1. Our little boy is growing up fast. The second birthday is on the horizon! Which means . . .
2. Time to plan the birthday party . . . Tigger, Winnie-the-Pooh, and Eeyore are featured players. Never thought I'd plan a Pooh Bear birthday, but the guy knows what he likes.
3. Finding ways to keep that spark alive in this new phase of our life . . .
4. Navigating changing family dynamics, from a few sides. This is harder than it sounds.
5. Preparing to celebrate our 10th anniversary . . . wow!
6. I started doing Insanity . . . but not in an insane way. I like it, just not 6 full days a week.
8. Really mindfully seeking to let go of my old friend perfectionism . . .this is beyond harder than it sounds.
9. Reading The Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D (among millions of other parenting/work related books). Considering my sweet, sensitive guy is being raised by two highly sensitive people, this seemed like a pretty solid idea. It's a pretty good book, though there are a few things that don't ring true in our home.
10. Coming out of my postpartum funk, I think. I think. More on this later, maybe.
11. Hoping to sell our home, the first home we bought together 8 years ago. Which means trying to keep it tidy while raising a vibrant and busy toddler. See #8. (If anyone you know is looking for a great starter home or downsizing home just 10 minutes from downtown, send them our way!)
12. Hoping to purchase a home, which means we are shopping and debating . . . suburban-style neighborhood close to my parents, or urban and livable neighborhood close to fun stuff . . . newer, easy home, or older, beautiful home . . . having a child changes everything.
13. Debating the food sensitivity/allergy situation . . . I think we're really better off without dairy and wheat, but it sure makes gatherings challenging. We've had a couple of other rough reactions around here, too. Conventional wisdom says he'll grow out of it, but I'm hesitant . . . I'm considering taking J to get a couple of tests run to narrow some things down. Considering I've figured the current plan through trial and error, I think this is the way to go.
14. Mindfulness. It's better than medicine . . . and I have just been so stubborn getting in a practice. When I first start, I become extremely aware of the anxiety in my body, and sometimes I just want to avoid that. But as I go on, the anxiety drifts away. It's so worth it and SO good for the brain and body. We're bringing it in as a regular part of our family life. More about that later, too.
15. Our church is becoming more inclusive, meaning safe, comfortable, and welcoming of people of ALL kinds. We're pretty good at this in most departments, but we're focusing on autism and other differing abilities. I'm working on getting a team of people ready to help a pretty fantastic, spunky little girl have a good time at church.
16. Bringing back the toughest thing I've ever sung . . . in a couple of weeks, singing the opening of Bach Cantata No. 51. Holy coloratura. It's much harder to get practice time these days and the vocal mechanism is still feeling a bit sluggish, but I'm hopeful we'll get there.
17. Traveling and hosting all summer long . . . this summer, we are traveling or hosting in 10 out of 15 weeks. That's a lot for a family of introverts.
18. I have a TON of writing to do for work . . . that I have procrastinated, and deadlines for these and many of the above items are all landing at about the same time . . . during the crazy stretch of being super busy. See #8. Story of my life.
19. Learning to rediscover and accept the super sensitivity I've had my whole life. This is different than learning how to parent a sensitive child, but they go together. Being ultra-empathetic is a special gift, but it can be so exhausting, and many people are quick to put it down. I am finding ways to embrace this part of myself and let it flow without being completely bowled over by overwhelming feelings. It's part of what makes me me . . . and as a dear friend once kindly told me, it's the way I can change the world in the smallest, most meaningful ways.
20. Summer bucket list . . . lots of little things, and the State Fair is coming up soon!
21. Lots of time with our parents and extended family, which is a beautiful thing. (See #18. We are so blessed and thankful for our family, near and far, and it's SO worth it. )
22. I know it might not seem like it, but I am really missing my girlfriends. This postpartum haze made it pretty tough for me to stay in touch the way I'd like--and that is tough for me anyway. Trying to find some more girl time and quick phone chats.
23.Gardening. Weeds abound. Our tomatoes are finally turning red!
24. Little house projects, and not just because we're hoping to move. We realized how much more we like the house when we put some effort in :). We've been treating it like it's temporary, but it's been 8 years!
25. Attempting to wrangle the baby book and photos from over the last year to two. Shutterfly is my enemy.
26. Summer is for indulging in food reality TV . . . Hello, Top Chef Masters, I've missed you. (This is therapy. Really, there are studies.)
27. Thinking too often of things I 'should' be doing . . . and practicing letting go of that word altogether. It is a useless word. I'm learning to be patient with myself. I've deleted it from this post a few times. (See #8. Again.)
28. Writing an article for a national breastfeeding group about the challenges we faced in the first few months. I was asked to write before, but I wasn't ready. Now that the haze is clearing, I see so much good that has come from our little struggle, and I get so proud of my little fighter just thinking about it. I hope that sharing the story can help even more people, the way other people's stories helped us.
29. Playing outside nearly every day. Toddlers are great for that. Nature is great for the soul, mind, and body. See #15.
30. Budget . . . mastering a functional budget system has been on our to-do list for ages. We have a budget-ish, but we want to do better.
31. Leisure reclamation project. Good grief, it sounds ridiculous. This is something perfectionist workaholic types do to kick the habit of turning everything into an obligation that requires hard work. Case in point: this blog. So forgive me for not writing, I'm cleaning up that boundary.
32. Thinking of my sweet babies in Russia who are growing so fast. Katya is going to school for 'parks building,' something very similar to what my sweet husband does. I am so proud of her and I'm praying for her every day. It's a tough road ahead of her, but I have faith that she can go far.
33. Spending time meditating in gratitude, for obvious reasons. I am so thankful for my little life.
I'll be back, when it's time. Peace and blessings.
0 comments:
Post a Comment