It’s been a minute months since I’ve written here. There are reasons for that: the holidays and family situations and time away and just ordinary life. With other things on my mind and heart, writing publicly didn’t seem like what I should be spending my time on. So I didn’t. And that’s the great thing about this wonderful life: we get to choose how we spend our time.
Now I’m feeling compelled to write and share, so here I am. I am going to ease back and start slow and easy: What I’m Loving in February. While I don’t feel ready to share more about this season of my family’s life just yet, I anticipate wanting to share more in the future.
If you’re reading this, I want to thank you for being patient, for continuing to read my words, and for your love and encouragement over the years. I am grateful.
What I’m Loving in February
A Change of Scenery
Like we have the past few years, our family is currently wrapping up some time away. We have ridden bikes, dreamed, ate way too many burgers and not enough vegetables, watched as many sunsets as we could, and grew together. We have discovered this time away is sacred for our family. While it may seem strange or extreme, it’s something we will continue to prioritize because it matters to us.
Not everyone has the dream to live somewhere else for an extended period of time. But, I challenge you dear reader, to dream. What is something you wish for you or your family? What is something that seems out of reach, but your heart just can’t let go? What do you want to do with your one big, beautiful life?
Ten years ago, living somewhere else seemed impossible for us. Out of reach. Unattainable. Impossible. However, we kept dreaming. We made a plan, made gains on our dream, failed, made gains, failed more, and kept at it. And by the grace of God, we were able to make our family’s dream a reality. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. I hope this encourages you that a dream, big or small, can be accomplished with some planning, perseverance, and loads of grace. I would love to know, what is your big dream?
Dressing with Less
Travel always reminds me how little we need. We drove a small-er car 20 hours south with little room for loads of suitcases. So, we packed with less. Each of us (minus Kevin) had four outfits, including the one we traveled in, and a couple of swimsuits. If I’m being completely honest, even my minimalist self was a teensy bit nervous about this. Would we have enough? Would a kid have to wear dirty clothes to dinner? Would I be kicking myself a week into the trip? And the answer to those questions (in order) is yes, yes, no.
Each of us absolutely had enough clothes. Yes, there was a time or two someone’s hoodie had a ketchup stain on it, but it wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t really give clothes a thought much of the trip. I was doing laundry everyday, but that is the norm for me. Having less clothes meant less laundry clutter and loose things hanging out around the house, which made the time away that much more enjoyable.
Dressing with less away from home inspires me to pare down our wardrobes even more when we get back. You can bet I will be putting some things away in our closets to make our lives a little bit easier in the coming weeks.
Walks by the Water
I’ve got a few more days walking by the water each morning before sunrise and I will not waste one minute. The waves and vastness of the ocean are therapeutic for me and I don’t take this opportunity for granted.
Shelf Cooking
I recently listened to a podcast about Shelf Cooking, a term coined by Jordan Page. Shelf cooking seems obvious, but Page argues most of us don’t cook this way. Basically shelf cooking is using what we already have in our fridges, pantries, and freezers to make meals at home.
This concept has worked well for me while traveling and cooking in a kitchen that isn’t mine. We only buy what we need and use what we have. I am anticipating using this method at home, using what we have in the freezer and pantry to make meals. With the rising costs of groceries, there isn’t a better time to begin Shelf Cooking.
Reading Again
This time away has allowed me more time to read. Some reading comes in the form of actual books in my hands, some in the form of listening with ear buds in my ears. Either way, it’s been nice to make space for something I enjoy so much. And it doesn’t hurt that reading can help reduce stress by up to 68%. Yes, please.
Some favorites: There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather, Teaching from Rest (read for the 3rd/4th time?), The Gift of Failure, and Rules of Civility. One of my friends told me about a challenge she did this fall that involved reading 10 pages a day. I decided I’m going to do that throughout the month of February and hopefully carry it into the rest of the year.
February is here and while it may not be the most exciting month of the year, there is much to love about it. What are you loving in February?