Four Somethings in February

Reflecting on the month is a great way to see where you have been, what you have accomplished, how you messed things up and how you can do better next time. My writing friend, Heather, has created a space to reflect on the month in her Share Four Somethings link up. Even better, she has a list of four specific things to think about.

(P.S. This post has some affiliate links. That means, if you click through and by a book I’ll receive a tiny kickback.)

Something Loved, Said, Learned, and Read

Something Loved: Adoption Parties

Two years ago a dear friend was the attending Pediatrician at the hospital where she worked when a three-month old infant was brought in. The baby was malnourished, underweight, and had suffered physical abuse. This amazing woman knew right away that her family was going to save this baby. They quickly became foster parents and it wasn’t long before the baby was thriving.

Two long years of court dates, social worker visits, long conversations with attorneys, and heartache when they finally got the call that the long wait was over. The court date to finalize the adoption was set.

On a cold February morning, a small county court room was standing room only with all of the people who had supported and cheered this family on. We held our breath and wiped our eyes as the judge presided over the court room then asked the big brother to bang the gavel and make it official. That night, once again, we all crowded into their home to celebrate the adoption.

Raising a glass never felt so sweet.

Something Said: Mr. Rogers

Did you know that last week was the 50th anniversary of Mr. Rogers being on public television? With that in mind and because she woke up from her nap too early, I introduced my two-year old niece to Mr. Rogers.

He closed one of the episodes by reading a book and telling the viewer that no one is exactly like them. We are all unique and special but most importantly, we can love and be loved.

“Each one of us is different. But each one of us can love others and have others love us.” – Mr. Rogers

Age two or ninety-two, this lesson rings true.

Something Learned: Cream Puffs

I. Love. Cream puffs. You know those tubs of cream puffs you find in the frozen section at Sams or Costco? I could eat the entire tub in one sitting. When I see someone has brought them to a potluck or some sort of function, my heart gives a little leap and I quickly figure out how many passes I can make past the buffet table before people realize I have had more than my fair share.

For Christmas a friend gave me Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She even marked pages of recipes that she felt like I should start off with, one of which being cream puffs. I thought about it for a while and then forgot about it, because of Sams and their delicious ready-made cream puffs. Then I happened to see a YouTuber make a batch with her son and she made it look so dang easy.

Guess, what? They are dang easy to make. In one month I’ve made them three separate times. Start to finish, I can make two dozen in thirty minutes. Bam.

Something Read: Present Over Perfect, Deidra Riggs, and She Reads Truth

I finished Present Over Perfect by Shauna Neiquist this month. Shauna is the author of Cold Tangerines and Bread and Wine (both of which I adore). Present Over Perfect is an essay style book about Shauna’s struggle to maintain balance between being a successful author and home life. The struggle quickly became more than she could handle and she had to figure out whether she wanted to be present for her family or perfect for her audience. I’ll let you guess who won that battle.

I discovered author and blogger Deidra Riggs this month through a podcast interview. Something about her outlook on life intrigued me so I read through several of her blog posts. I found this one she wrote over a year ago titled I Almost Voted For Donald Trump And Didn’t Tell You About It. For a black woman to admit to her readers that God asked her to vote for Trump was both crazy and courageous. The lesson she learned has been pinging around in the back of my head all month.

For Lent I purchased the She Reads Truth Lenton journal. It has daily bible readings accompanied by devotions and places to journal. The SRT Lent journey doesn’t require the book as both the scripture and devotions are available through their website and app, but having the book in hand makes following the discipline to daily meditation and reflection easier. This year SRT is following the Israelite’s liberation from Egypt and then subsequent forty years of wandering the desert. I know the story but have found nuances that I hadn’t previously noticed in re-reading it with the intention of reflecting on my own forty day journey.

What have you loved or said or read or learned in February?