03.16

March was a very busy month for us! Here are a few highlights:

We went to a Mutemath concert with a couple of friends. It was such a great show! Josh and I had seen Mutemath twice before but it had been quite a few years. They have so much energy and it's obvious they have a lot of fun when they perform.

I saw Wicked with K.M. and S.W. It was so good! I had seen it about 6 years ago with a few friends and loved it. It was just as wonderful the second time! We also found a great soul food place to go to for dinner before the show and got some macarons!

We also went wine tasting twice! The first time we went with a group of friends and went to a few different places that we'd never been to before. The second time, Josh and I went by ourselves to a new place on our way to spend some time with his family.

Easter weekend was a busy but good one. We went to the Good Friday service at church (which was really good) and then had a few friends over for dinner and games. On Saturday, we spent the day with Josh's family at the campsite that one of his brothers and his parents were camping at. On Sunday, we went to church in the morning and then spent the afternoon with my family. It was a really wonderful weekend full of time with family and friends, and spent doing a lot of reflecting on what Jesus did for us on the cross.

I read The Last Girl with my BCBs. It was a very interesting read and I'm curious to see what happens next in the story.

My friend E.O. had her baby girl! She is such a beauty and I can't wait to cuddle with her someday!

I had a lot of release from my myofascial appointments this month. It's crazy to see the physical changes as well as to feel them. I notice all sorts of little changes here and there now. And it's always encouraging when my therapist tells me how much better things are looking in between appointments.

March was busy and fun, but it's hard to believe three months of 2016 have already happened!

A Post of Randoms

I was on a bit of a roll in February with posting...but obviously that didn't last long.

Life has been busy, slow, emotional, challenging, exciting, fun, interesting, boring, chaotic, and calm. A little bit of everything, but I definitely wouldn't trade it.

The weekend after our fun Disneyland anniversary trip, we went to the beach with Josh's family to celebrate his mom's birthday. My best friend's daughter shares my mother-in-law's birthday, so we got to celebrate her that weekend as well. It was nice to be able to spend some time away with family and friends, but it was a bit tiring after having barely come home from our previous trip. I was pretty worn out and exhausted that weekend, and I was definitely excited when we got back home. As much as I love getting away and doing fun things, I am definitely a homebody and enjoy being able to relax and spend time with my hubby in the comfort of our cozy home.

(The really nice hotel we stayed in. This was our view. We never could have afforded to stay there on our own, but we had a gift certificate)

(My brother-in-law Jeremy and my niece)

Since then, we've just been trying to get back into the swing of things. I've been trying really hard to spend more time with friends on my days off, or even after work. I can be too much of a homebody if I'm not careful, so at times I have to force myself to venture out. There's just something so wonderful about being at home and not having to get ready first thing in the morning. But I know I can't live my life selfishly every day, so I have to get my butt up and go.

(I have such a love for sea life and aquariums)

I started watching Call the Midwife on Netflix. I'm not sure which one of my favorite bloggers wrote about it a few weeks ago, but I was definitely intrigued. And since Downton Abbey is SO good, I decided to give another British show a chance...and I'm so glad I did! It just started last year, and the second series just finished in the UK. I hate how short each series is for these British shows, but they are so jam-packed with goodness that it sort of makes up for it.

(Brothers plus my niece)

(My sister-in-law and I with her daughter)

I really want to start reading more again. I have definitely gotten out of that habit. I've been pretty good about keeping up with all of the blogs I follow (which are WAY too many), but I haven't been doing a lot of book reading at all. I'm still re-reading Harry Potter, which I started doing last year, and I'm not quite halfway done with the Goblet of Fire. I have a couple of books sitting on my shelf to read, but I just don't bring myself to do it often enough. It's hard to be inspired to read something new after reading such good books such as Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, and my all-time favorite, the Divergent series. I can't wait until book number 3 comes out for that one!!

(The birthday girl! My in-laws)

(The hubs being silly)

I'm also really trying to be serious about this healthy eating stuff. I still haven't been able to maintain a regular workout schedule, but I am eating a lot more fruits and vegetables and hummus and Greek yogurt and all that jazz. I track my daily calorie intake on the MyFitnessPal app and I've been under my calorie goal every day this week! I'm also trying really hard to cut soda out of my diet. I had it three times last week, but only once so far this week. I'm trying to drink green tea for my caffeine kick instead. I love that I'm not adding any needless calories into my body when I do that, compared to the 140 calories my beloved Coke gives me in each can!

(The beach was a little cold)

(But oh so beautiful)

I'm also reading through the latest She Reads Truth plan on the Songs of Ascent. Every single day has hit me right where I've needed it. It's a quick read, but a great one.

(And the other birthday girl! I love my niece!)

As much as I never thought I would ever say this, I am glad that it appears winter is leaving us. I love winter so much...the warm layers, the blankets, the hot drinks, the snuggling...but I'm just ready for spring breezes and jeans with flip flops weather. It's been really nice this week and I hope it continues...I'm just not ready for summer...at all. 70-80 degree weather is fine by me.

Yay for the weekend!

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Spring Forward

I am honestly really looking forward to spring.

Coming from a girl who loves winter with a passion, that's kind of an unexpected confession.

Maybe it's because we haven't had much winter-like weather this year.

Maybe it's because both Christmas and my birthday just didn't have the magic that they normally do for me.

Maybe it's because my expectations have been unrealistic and far too high.

Whatever the reason, I am looking forward to a new season.

(via creamaricrea on Pinterest, pinned by me)

A season full of promise and hope.

A season full of new blooms and new life.

A season full of love, resurrection, and the promise of more.

Maybe getting older and experiencing life in a different light is causing me to love things in a different way than I did before.

Or maybe I'm just learning to let go a little bit more.

Whatever the reason, spring can't get here fast enough...

May

It is now officially May.
We had lots of April showers, so I am expecting some beautiful May flowers. In fact, I need some May flowers. Some pink tulips, and yellow roses, and white daisies. That would make things all better.
It's weird what spring does to me. Each year, when the weather starts shifting from the cold gusts of winter to the warm, gentle breezes of spring, I have this immediate flashback to every spring from high school until now. I remember nights at youth group, watching the boys throw the football. I remember going on walks around the neighborhood with good friends. I remember the time I tried roller blading with my best friend and falling into her neighbor's rose bush. I remember the text message Josh sent me that day at Delta when we met for lunch for the first time (with Kevin W). I remember the trip to Disneyland I took with Laura, Catherine, and Josh to hang out with our friends down there. I remember the smells of freshly made fudge at Hallmark. I remember the drives Josh and I used to take and the serious conversations we used to have on those drives.
But even though all these wonderful memories flood my mind, I can't help but feel a little sad. There's something about spring that does that to me. Maybe it is the fact that I will never be able to live those moments again. Maybe it is the fact that winter is over and I have to put away my sweaters and warm socks. Or maybe it is the fact that spring around here brings April showers, and they make me long for more of the sun.
Whatever the reason, spring bums me out more than it cheers me up. And yet, God still reminds me that He's with me, even through the spring. This is how He reminded me tonight:

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. -Philippians 4:12b-13 (NIV)

So tonight, in the midst of my blues, I am learning to lean on God more and more. I can do everything with God's help. I can conquer these spring blues. It is a new month and I am embracing it. I am looking forward to May flowers, May weddings, May birthdays, and May dates. I am going to be content in this spring and know that God is with me...and has never left me...