February survival tactics and internet goodness

fun, food, and friends

While January unexpectedly flew by against all logic of January, February has felt like a slog. It has not been harder (or easier!) than January—the year has started out good but difficult— but I am yearning for spring in a way that I was not in January.

I don’t count February as a fun month, but I have started trying to have fun in February. Of course, this might have been more helpful if I had shared these ideas at the end of January, but I did not. Make some notes for yourself for next year.¹

A friend and I went on an almost-eight-mile hike. We went 3.88 miles up the side of a mountain and then came back down. 

I flew to Atlanta to meet a friend and we saw Hamilton at the Fox Theater. Yes, the show was spectacular. Yes, the theater blew my mind. No, my fun February things are normally not this big, and, no, I do not want to live in Atlanta. Ever.

I attended a Souper Bowl party with four other women. Three of us brought soup, one brought bread, and one brought dessert. 10 out of 10 stars.

Justin and I have been on lunch dates. I’m reading a delightful fantasy series and bought a novel for when I finish. I’ve worked. I’m finishing week 8 of seminary and registered for class for the last time. February will end. February has been good. February has been hard. I’ve looked back through my pictures and see so much delight and, at the same time, my one-line-a-day journal records so much struggle. 

I’ve learned to appreciate memory keeping in photos as well as words. Writing this has made me want to print a small photo journal of each month this year.² One of my favorite things about looking back at the years the boys were little is seeing our life captured in tiny moments; I think I’ll still enjoy that in ten years.

The Bible Project is still trekking through the Sermon on the Mount. This article is excellent.

I found not one, not two, but three articles about writer’s block that were playful and imaginative.

Justin and I made this after the boys were in bed for Valentine’s Day. It was simple and delicious. I subbed spinach for the zucchini.

Prompts for the new year. Sometimes it takes till spring to come alive.

There’s a woman in ETS leadership!

Are you watching Caitlin Clark play basketball? You should be!³ Looking that up reminded me to show my boys this video.

A friend introduced me to Olivia Dean’s album Messy. I’m especially enjoying the short song, “I Could Be a Florist.”

This podcast with John Mark Comer is deep. I’d like to listen to it again. The part about the gap between our desire and our ability articulated something I’ve been thinking about for a while.

I’ve bought a couple new coats of different kinds and they have been worth the money. Something about winter and wearing them everyday. If I were buying another, it would be this one.

I still love, love, love a good outfit post.

Have you had February fun?

1. For me, that would mean assigning a task to my October calendar to make plans for February. I would not remember otherwise.

2. Along with using the 1Second App that I love so much.

3. Unless you don’t like basketball, in which case, I’m sorry.