8:05 am | Mornings around here. Even though Chloe has lived here longer, Willow definitely rules the roost. The end of the couch is her favorite spot so she can rest her head and look out the window. She will absolutely squeeze between Chloe and the armrest or completely push Chloe out of the way to get to her spot if she needs to.
12:41 pm | Balloons at work! We had a little event going on at work and these guys were bouncing around above my computer screen. I don’t post a lot about work here, but I’m glad to be a tiny part of helping Veterans buy homes.
5:21 pm | The pups are always waiting at the door when I get home and sometimes we have to go outside to burn off the energy that gets stored up while they wait for me to come in. So thankful for a space for them to run around safely.
6:32 pm | Our favorite Columbia spot – Flat Branch. A friend received some exciting news, so we met up for dinner and drinks to celebrate!
8:32 pm | I walk and talk on the phone with my mom about five nights a week. It’s an amazing time to catch up and normally the dogs walk with me. We’ve been doing this for over a year now – one good thing that came out of being at home due to the pandemic. We had a particularly beautiful sunset after a day of gorgeous weather.
9:52 pm | Wrapped up the book Radical Candor which I’m discussing with a friend at work. It was a good one and I’m thankful to spend time growing and chatting about leadership with others.
8:30 am | Today I used a half day of PTO for a doctor’s appointment that I didn’t have until mid-morning. This meant that I got to wake up slow, cuddle with the dogs, and take my time getting ready for the day. Willow is clearly hating every minute of our extra time together.
9:57 am | With having a more curated capsule wardrobe of maternity clothes, I definitely notice when there’s laundry that needs to be folded. I’m pretty routine on getting the laundry done, but I could be better about putting it away in a timely manner.
11:28 am | Kevin and I snagged a selfie in the elevator after our appointment today. Baby is doing well and we got a few questions answered. I also signed up for a few classes to prep for baby’s arrival – it gets more real every single day. These appointments are pretty quick, which allowed me to pop on over to work after grabbing a bite to eat.
5:37 pm | Heading home for the day. My kanken backpack (complete with my mama bear pin Kev gave me for Mother’s Day) is my current staple during the week. It’s so much easier to carry everything on my back, so I’m definitely leaning toward a backpack style diaper bag as well.
6:22 pm | We’ve been doing Hello Fresh off and on for the last couple months, and I have to say that we’ve set our groove for things that we enjoy – both making and eating. It’s a fun way to mix up what we’re eating and try some brand new meals/foods, too. Tonight was the “Fully Loaded Pork Taquitos” and it did not disappoint. Tomatoes have been my jam and also my downfall *queues heartburn*.
7:50 pm | Spent some time studying Missouri’s Real Estate Business Conduct and Practice for an upcoming test. I’m sure this won’t be the only time it pops up this week. Peep those sweet pups snuggling on the couch in the back ground.
7:24 am | Since being pregnant, I’ve been sleeping in a little later. Throughout the week, Kevin typically gets up to let the dogs out and then they come snuggle back in bed with me until my alarm goes off (or let’s be honest – a little after my alarm). It’s one of my favorite parts of the day. I’ve always been a hop out of bed person, but pregnancy has really opened my eyes to the perks of the snooze button.
8:02 am | I started using daily contacts this year and it’s been a game changer. I had the bad habit of sleeping in my monthlys before (don’t judge) so getting to put in fresh contacts daily really is truly a luxury – and so much better for my eyes.
8:20 am | Today I let the dogs out before I headed off to work. Of course, they got their paws all muddy thanks to the recent rain which means that they also got foot baths when we came in from outside. Thankfully they know what to do when I tell them to “get in the bath” so it only takes us about 5 minutes.
5:40 pm | On my way in from work, I stopped to check on my peonies. Every year, I anticipate the blooms and never have I been disappointed. We’re getting close.
6:01 pm | We recently got the dresser all set up for the nursery. I am beyond excited about how it is all coming together and am super thankful to Kevin for taking some time to put it together.
6:30 pm | Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about slowing down and what it looks like to experience things at a speed that they were meant to be enjoyed – not rushing through, but also not going so slow that you’re wasting time. I think it’s a fine line. I spent some time hanging outside, enjoying the 60 degree weather and all the plants that are currently in bloom. There is so much gratitude for this day and this project that’s allowing me to spend time looking at my life in a way that will certainly be different in a few months.
As a side note, I’ve been doing this same project off and on for a few years. In 2018, we did Week in the Life in May and while I would say my life probably hasn’t changed much since then – I would certainly be wrong. If you feel like taking a trip down memory lane with me, check out these posts:
I’ll be sharing photos like these every day this week with Ali Edwards’ Week in the Life project. It’s not too late to get started if you feel like following along. Thanks for stopping by!
I am twenty-three weeks pregnant and feeling good. I’m currently only fitting into the maternity clothes I’ve been buying over the past couple weeks and the bump is starting to really pop out.
We are loving the Dispo App lately. Kevin and I are both working on cutting down our social media time, but both enjoy taking photos and documenting our daily lives. I love the way that this app filters photos and makes you wait for them to “develop”.
I ate the best crostinis of my life at Pappo’s.
We got our rocking chair delivered, thanks to my parents! Still a few items to move out of the room, but we’re making progress. More to come soon on the nursery!
The weather was the absolute best and we definitely enjoyed lots of time outside.
It’s hard to believe that a year ago, the world completely shut down. One night we were out to dinner for our anniversary and the next we were making plans to start working from home. What we all thought was going to be two weeks to “slow the spread” has turned into a year of unknowns with a small light that we’re all hoping and praying is the end of the tunnel and not another mirage.
It’s been a crazy year, to say the least. I don’t want to downplay the destruction and sadness and loss. In a world where that hurt is everywhere you turn, it can be hard to even look back on. For me, there has been so much growth that’s happened here. We’ve had to pivot a thousand times, try new things, think outside the box, ask for help, and have gratitude for the little things (like having toilet paper, pups who are happy to have you working from home, and curb side pick up dates with Kev).
When talking with a friend recently I mentioned that quarantine reminded me of an intense Sabbath. And as I dig into that, I know it doesn’t all line up, but the quiet, the sitting with yourself, family time, fresh air, and reliance and faith in God truly refreshed my soul in such a weird and lonely time. As we hope to emerge into the other side of this pandemic life, I’m sure it will be easy to fall back into the habits that look more like the other six days of the week, which for me always prioritize productivity and busyness. Another friend recently encouraged me to write down ways that I want to continue living out this Sabbath lifestyle post-COVID. While we’re definitely not out of the woods yet, here’s what I hope to remember:
I never want to take for granted feeding people around our table. It doesn’t matter how messy our house, how crazy the dogs, or how simple the meal. This is a place for people.
I want to continue treating my body like it’s loved for what it is, not what I want it to be. I spent a ton of time outside exercising and walking the dogs and I want to continue the rhythm of including that in my day.
I want to wear clothes that are comfy. If working from home and not seeing people without a mask on has taught us anything, it should be that we can go out in public in a groutfit.
I never want to take for granted fountain soda or eating inside of restaurants. Sorry not sorry.
I never want to take hugs for granted. Social distancing has done a number on our personal bubble. Let’s reduce it for our family and friends after COVID.
During COVID, Kevin launched FinalVibe to focus on legacy and the way we spend our lives which lead to a lot of amazing conversations about our lives and the future. I hope to continue living intentionally and numbering my days.
I want to continue pursuing my relationship with God in a way that recognizes my need for Him, and the reality of my lack of control (despite how I sometimes feel).
I never want to go a year without some kind of travel. You know the feeling when you want to do something just because you can’t? Wanderlust just hits different in 2021. I can’t wait to look up Cayman Islands flights and finally go on a vacation.
Don’t take for granted plans that aren’t cancelled. I had entire weeks and months crossed out in my planner, I hope that never happens again.
If you’re reading this, I hope you’ll take time to think a little deeper about the ways that COVID has changed you, and all the things you never want to take for granted when this is all over. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’re up to sharing them down below. ❤️
Rhythms have been on my mind a lot over the last year, especially moving from my intention of rest to my intention of open. I’ve thought a lot about my own rhythms – what mine are and why I have them – as well as how those compare to the things that are naturally occurring around me. It seems that this is made evident to me the most in the fall, as the leaves begin to change colors and lose their leaves. It sometimes seems hard to be aware of the changing of leaves budding in the spring, to being full and lush in the summer, to changing colors and falling in autumn, to the bare trees of the winter – and again and again each year without fail.
Rhythms are a regular reminder of times to speed up and slow down, work and rest, and inhale and exhale. I love rhythms over routines because they’re softer. They’re less like rules and more like encouragements. Rhythms are a way of saying that something is important without saying it’s a non-negotiable. It’s a way to show up for the projects, emergencies, and most urgent while still getting the day to day tasks done. Part of my daily rhythm right now is to make sure that I track my food and exercise daily but if something or someone needs me, that’s where I’m going to show up first. I will give up my exercise streak on my Apple Watch so that I could hold my best friend’s new baby and enjoy some extra sleep on a weekend away. Rhythms mean that I hit the exercise and calorie goal most days but that I’ll always get to prioritize my people over anything else.
I was excited to see that the Magnolia Journal’s fall theme was rhythms. After reading so many good things, I decided I wanted to memorialize their piece called An Essay on Rhythms:
Nature dances to a rhythm: In the way the sun rises and sets. In the birds’ song at sunrise and in the crickets’ chirp at sunset. In the way each season moves us along throughout the year…the annual cadence of a rainy April, giving way to a hot July, giving way to a crisp October, giving way to a cold January, and the thousands of little orchestras that follow the tempo of that grand symphony. The flowers move to the rhythm of the seasons: sprouting and budding and blooming and dying.
Humanity dances to a rhythm: in the holidays we celebrate the order in which they come. Costumes and candy give way to turkey and football, which give way to carols and gifts wrapped under the tree. We find rhythm in our daily commute, in the voice of the DJ’s morning report, in the stoplights and exits, in the pleasantries exchanged with the coffee shop barista. Rhythm comes with bodies that must be fed three times a day (give or take), with daily prayer and weekly meetings and monthly girls’ nights and yearly Super Bowl games. We create bedtime rhythms: We bathe our kids, brush their teeth, read them a story, tuck them in, and sing a song.
There is peace in rhythm. There is security and predictability. Not a stagnant sort of predictability, just enough to make us feel like everything is going to be okay, just enough to give us something to look forward to. Because while there’s a lot of rhythm, there’s also a lot of chaos. There are unexpected bills to pay, relationships to maintain, natural disasters, an ongoing to do list that will never be completely finished, flat tires, bad moods, burnt dinners.
But then there’s the sun, rising again. And then there’s our lungs, exhaling again. And then there’s Thanksgiving, right around the corner. We’ll take our afternoon coffee break. We’ll say a prayer. We’ll look up and see ducks flying south for the winter. We’ll cross the next thing off our to do list. We’ll get a new winter coat. We’ll plan a summer trip. We’ll go for an evening walk.
And we’ll tap our feet. We’ll sway back and forth. We’ll clap our hands. We’ll lean into the rhythms of our lives because they give us a sense of place in our story, clueing us in to where we’ve been and where we might expect to go next, offering us familiarity in the midst of a chaotic world – like our lungs filling with air and then emptying themselves and filling up again, like the ocean tides and the morning cups of tea and the annual harvest festivals: We embrace the rhythm of the season, and we find peace in the way it moves us.
An Eassy on Rhythm // The Magnolia Journal, Fall 2020
