A Look Back on January... aka What I'm Into - January 2018

I saw my friend Barbie do a Reflections post last week and it reminded me of the olden days when I used to play along with the What I Learned link up.

I always loved those posts because they were fun and (mostly) lighthearted and because they invited me to look back over a month or a season and really reflect on what we had lived through and learned.

I've stated it plain, over and over. Last year was hard. I'm sure we learned ALL KINDS of things... but I was not really wanting to dive into the past when it felt like we were just barely hanging on.

But with this new year, and the return to committing to sitting here at least twice a week and sharing my heart, well - I feel a shift and yes.. even a bit of Joy in the pondering.

So let's go... Let's reflect a bit over January and see what we were into!

I think since this is a new link-up for me, I will go about it a little differently... 

What I'm Reading:
Ah yes... what am I reading? Well - it's January, so obviously that means first and foremost, I'm in the Word, right?

I mean - I am... but this year I am not following a Bible reading plan or a chronological list... (Not that there's anything wrong with that! For real --I did that last year and LOVED it!) However, this year I am starting out in the Book of Proverbs and I am reading it S-L-O-W-L-Y... as in, I am in Proverbs 4 right now. Yeah. Slowly. And I am loving it! 

I'm doing a bit of Art Journaling or Word Art or whatever you want to call it in my 'regular' journal as a verse really grabs hold of me. I love the practice of writing it out and really spending some time with it as I do this! I also am reading several plans via YouVersion and I'm enjoying those as well!

As far as what ELSE I am reading, well... I read The Dream Of You by Jo Saxton (You can read my book review here.) and loved it!

I also re-discovered the local library in an attempt to read more fiction this year. I devoured The Little Book of Hygge (--turns out, we pretty much live this lifestyle already!) and I dove into The Invention of Wings and oh my goodness, I need to go back to Charleston soon! I loved it... (and hated it... and needed it!)

And now, waiting for me to have just a few minutes to jump in, is this little treasure:

I LOVED this book as a kid... and now, with the movie coming out in March, it felt like it was time to officially revisit it!

I am also on the Launch Team for my friend Gingers' new book Holy in the Moment and I am super excited to start reading that, as well!

What I'm Watching:
Obviously - the movie I can't quit is The Greatest Showman. If, somehow you have missed all my gushing, you can read my (first time ever, I think?) movie review post about it here.

Yeah... I keep needing to see this over and over. 

And play the soundtrack. Loudly. Over and over.

Other than that, I am also obsessed with watching This Is Us!
In fact for the month of January we fasted TV during the week, allowing ourselves a little Netflix on the weekends if we wanted --as well as watching This Is Us on Tuesday nights! 

We are in love with this show... the writing, and the cast with their high level of excellence in acting out these characters who we tend to forget are not real. Not since Parenthood have we actually remembered the day and time a show has been on! 

As far as Netflix goes, we are loving Somebody Feed Phil. (Although not as much as the original I'll Have What Phil's Having.)

What I'm Listening to:
As mentioned above, clearly it is the soundtrack to The Greatest Showman on repeat around here. But also, in the car it's been TSwift just for fun and in the house it's been (still!) Rita Springer Battles and Brian and Jenn Johnson After All These Years and a little Lauren Diagle as well as some Bethel Worship services streaming through the computer or my phone.


What I'm Eating:
I think the best thing I ate last month was an appetizer at a newer restaurant here in our small town called Provisions. Everything on the menu is amazing, but the Fried Brussel Sprouts with Brown Sugar Bacon and a Soy Chili Glaze was my favorite! (The Chicken and Goat Cheese Brick Oven Pizza with Basil Pesto, Roasted Red Peppers, and Kalamata Olives was pretty stellar as well!)

A close second? Our traditional splurge when visiting Walla Walla, WA:

The Wine Cordial from Brights!


What I'm Buying:
Well, since I have rediscovered the library, I have a little more wiggle room in my budget! I went to my first live in person party for LuLaRoe and ended up buying a couple of dresses and a wrap. (The pieces have names of girls assigned to them, but I am new and I can't help you with that!) 

I'm also saving up for a new camera hopefully soon. It's time. Mine works great, but I have used it a LOT and I know I will need to buy an upgrade before I actually NEED an upgrade, ya know?


What I'm Loving:
Again, if you are around my little corner here or anywhere else online, this will come with ZERO PERCENT shock value:

Her... I am loving HER!

No one told us! I mean - sure... I'm certain they tried! But it's not something you can fully explain - becoming Papa and Mimi! As hard as 2017 was for us... and as much of an unexpected surprise she was, man - this Lil Miss was the highlight of the year and it just keeps getting better!


What I'm Changing:
Well, my weekly schedule has shifted around a bit because of this:

Since this Lil Miss has a Lil Mama doing online school, I get to help out twice a week so they both head on over to my house and spend the entire day with me! I get to play and love on this cutie while her Mama studies and does schoolwork! (And sometimes we are distracted and we talk... because, you know... we like each other! But mostly she works and I cuddle!)  This means the rest of my week needed to be rearranged a bit, but clearly I am not complaining!

What I'm Missing:
There are days that I do miss my Introverting Mondays... but then my grand girlie falls asleep on my shoulder and I find that fills me up just fine! 

I'm also still walking with my Dad twice a week, but due to sickness and a tiny bit of weather, we had been a bit more hit and miss last month and I am missing the regular routine of working out --not just with Dad, but also a few extra days a week, too! I'm working on making space as I rearrange my schedule and find a new routine! 

I hate to brag, but we have had a VERY mild winter here, so the days are warmer and the skies are blue and full of sunshine and my absolute favorite workout involves a long walk with a friend, and maybe holding a coffee in my hands!

I'm missing my Art space. It's still here, somewhere..under piles of other things and half-done projects and I haven't painted in months and I am itching to get my hands in some acrylics and see what happens on a canvas! It's hard to create when you are in a hard season... but it's so vital --in any season! I have "Clean Off Art Table" on my bossy list for next week!

Lastly, I hadn't realized how much I missed blogging and all of you until I made it a goal to sit here twice a week and pour out again.  I feel more me when I can sit down and share what He is showing me!


What I'm Praying For:
Continued health and healing in our house... as in, in our actual home AND in our church, Dad's House! This winter, although the weather was mild, the attacks on health were brutal and we are so over it!

We are also praying for new direction and clarity in what that may look like. We feel a lot of things shifting and while there is a lot of uncertainty, there is also a bit of hope and joy! We didn't realize how short a supply we had of that until it started to bubble up again!


What I'm Looking Forward to:
The IF:Gathering is happening this month and I ALWAYS look forward to that! The livestreaming Gathering in Austin is happening this weekend, and then I am attending a citywide IF:Gathering at the end of the month with Jennie Allen and Christy Nockels live.

PLUS THE OLYMPICS!!! Yeah... I'm like that. I love me some Olympics and yes, I watch sportsy things that I would never watch at any other time... because, I love all the stories!!!

We also have a baby shower this month and surely we will plan a trip to the beach soon, because of course!

So what about you?  What were you into last month?  I'd love to hear!



I'm also linking up with the lovely writer community linked below:

leigh kramer for #Whatiminto

LORI SCHUMAKER FOR #MOMENTSOFHOPE

ANITA OJEDA for #InspireMeMondays