I Am Thankful For:
Christmas presents wrapped
Family gathering together for Christmas Eve
Quiet Christmas morning
My new Fitbit
Watching Christmas movies
Soft cozy bathrobe
Christmas leftovers
A new gratitude journal for the new year
Having my husband home for a week
If I'm honest, I feel as if this blog lost its sense of direction and identity somewhere along the way. It started at a place of transition and change in my life and along the way, it's had a difficult time keeping up and has just been meandering for a while now.
As this year winds down and the new one begins soon, I have a goal to bring the blog up to speed with my life. I guess you could say that it's time for a blog makeover. Not so much a "new year, new you", but more like "new year, more you".
As a result, I will be focusing more on life as a middle-aged woman. The things that matter to women in our (my) age group. Health and wellness (keep an eye out for more menopause-related posts!), faith, family (with grown children and grandkids), resources for midlife, etc.
I'll also be dropping a few polls on my Instagram in the coming weeks to find out what YOU would like to read more of on the blog. So, stay tuned for that.
I've got my guys home this week, so I'm relaxing and not setting any big goals for myself. Those can wait for next week when we're starting 2022.
I Am Thankful For:
Not running out of gas
Cold mornings that turn into warm days
Books
Frost on the grass
Inspiration
Christmas cards
Clean laundry
Peace and quiet
Pink clouds at sunrise
My Christmas tree
Vaccines
Christmas carols
Cookies
Dark and rainy days
Breakfast for dinner
Crochet and a movie
Not crying
One of my favorite Christmas specials/movies is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". I don't know about Christmas - but that ol' Grinch certainly did steal my heart. Especially when his own grew three sizes that day!
I think we all have a little grinch in us. Even if we do manage to bury it way down deep most of the time. But something about Christmas can really bring it out in us, can't it? We get overwhelmed, stressed out, exhausted and suddenly we are acting much more like the grinch than one of the citizens of Whoville.
Maybe you get short-tempered. Maybe you snap at others. Or isolate yourself from them. I'm not proud of it - but I find myself doing all of the above.
Maybe you just get sad at this time of year. It happens to a lot of people. It can be tough when it seems as if everyone around you is celebrating and having just a holly jolly Christmas time but your life is less than perfect.
Give yourself - and others - some grace . We can't do it all. It's ok if not every little thing is perfect. Or even if some things don't get done at all. It's more important to be present, to be happy and peaceful, and actually enjoy the season.
I have along list of things to do this week. I need to wrap gifts and get some things ready for our family celebration on Christmas eve. But I also get time with my grand son. And I plan to do some baking and crafts with him and watch some Christmas movies together. Even if it means some of the other doesn't get marked off the list.
How will you be spending this week before Christmas?
This post is meant to share what I have learned about menopause based on my own experience. It is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new healthcare regimen. Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking help because of something you read on this website.
No one warned me that menopause can stink! And I mean that in the literal sense. Sometimes it can be quite smelly. Pe-yew!
Perimenopause and menopause can bring on hot flashes, night sweats, and anxiety. All of which can result in increased sweating. All kinds of sweat. I now sweat in places I'm not sure I ever produced sweat before. Besides underarm sweat, there's now back sweat, thigh sweat, boob sweat. I'm not entirely convinced that even my hair isn't sweating. And increased sweating means increased body odor.
To make matters seem worse, we often have a heightened sense of smell during this season of life. So, we are more likely to notice an aroma when others around us don't. But, if you're like me, that knowledge isn't going to stop you from worrying that you're offending the olfactory senses of everyone around you. (aka: grossing everyone out) And no one wants to be THAT person. I have spent more time in the past year or two trying to casually sniff myself than I ever did in the entire rest of my life.
The good news is that there are things we can do to help ease the funk. Ones that don't involve drowning ourselves in perfumed body sprays or avoiding going out in public.
- I now use a combination of two antiperspirant and deodorants - a clinical strength that I use at night and right after showering, and a "regular" strength that I apply every morning. I also often swipe some under my breasts if I know it's going to be an especially warm day. Many women also carry gentle cleansing wipes with them for a quick refresh.
- Taking steps to help minimize hot flashes can help to reduce the amount of sweating we do in a day (see: What No One Told Me About Menopause: It's Hot)
- Stay hydrated. When we're dehydrated, our sweat can become more concentrated and smell just that little bit stronger. So make sure you're drinking plenty of fluids.
- Avoid or limit foods such as garlic, spices, alcohol, red meat, or those high in sugar that can contribute to the body odor or increase sweating.
Have you noticed that you seem to have a stronger smell as you entered perimenopause or menopause? Or do you feel that you smell different than you used to?
I Am Thankful For:
Joy
Ginger ale
NOT vomiting
Cute dog pictures
Getting my appetite back
Berries
Christmas shopping completed
God's Word
My Etsy customers
Being able to laugh at myself
The Man picking up dinner
Imagination and creativity
Family
Warm December mornings
Watching "old" movies
My husband's laugh
My grown "children" are friends
Peppermint
This is my busy week. The week that could cause some feelings of being overwhelmed and stressed out. If this were a movie or television show - this is where I would cue the holiday over load montage.
I have to complete all my open Etsy orders and ship them by the end of the week so that they (hopefully) arrive before Christmas. And there are more than I would like to have still to fulfill at this point. I need to get my Christmas cars addressed and mailed. And I also need to wrap and ship some gifts for family that lives out if state. Plus all the usual - clean, laundry, cook, shop,care for dogs - stuff that is always on the to do list.
The good news is that it's just this week and then it is over.
once I get through the busyness of this week, I can relax and enjoy the Christmas holidays. Next week I get to spend time with my grand son. I get to wrap presents, watch Christmas movies, and maybe even do some baking.
I just have to get through this one busy week.
I have reached a point in the holidays where one minute I feel as if I am ahead of the to-do list and doing well, but the very next minute I feel overwhelmed by all that still needs to be done. It's a strange place to be.
In all honestly - I really am on top of things. Most of the shopping is done. The decor is all up and looks beautiful.
I think the issue is that most of the things that I still need to do are the things that feel more like "work". The wrapping of presents, addressing the Christmas cards, shipping packages, and fulfilling orders for my Etsy shop. I am looking for ways that I can relax and try to enjoy those tasks. Maybe brew up a cup of peppermint mocha coffee, put on a Christmas movie or some music, and get things done.
I'm trying to mark a few things on the list one day, one week at a time so it doesn't pile up on me and leave me rushing to get it all done at once.
On this week's To-Do list:
How are you doing with your Christmas and holiday preparations?
It's already December y'all! The holiday season is well underway and the year will be over before we know it!
The last few days of November and the first days of December were a blur. The good thing is that I've been busy - decorating the house, working on Christmas orders for my Etsy shop, and getting most of my Christmas shopping done. And hopefully, that means I won't feel so overwhelmed and rushed as we get closer to Christmas!
Working On: Christmas orders for the Etsy shop. I'm also still in the process of planning and making goals for the first months of 2022.
Celebrating: It's pretty obvious this month! Right? Of course, besides the holidays - my oldest niece had a birthday yesterday. And my middle sister's birthday is at the end of the month.
Wanting/Needing: Other than better time management skills?
Eating: Popcorn. You know those ginormous tins of popcorn that are in all the stores this time of year? Well, I bought one. Mostly because they make me think of my youngest sister and I've been missing her. That was probably a mistake. The Man of the House opened it Wednesday night while we were watching television and I think we ate about half of it in one sitting!
Loving: All the Christmas decorations. We got a new tree for the living room this year. My coffee station is all decked out for Christmas and the lovely pencil tree I got last year for the dining room makes me so happy. And we put lights on the back porch (which faces the main road in our neighborhood). I also enjoy seeing the outdoor decorations that other people put on display.
Goals for December:
I Am Thankful For:
My husband
My daughter and her family
My son
My parents
My sisters
Help with fixing dinner
Time to rest
Food on the table
A glass of wine
A new dining table
The grandkid is feeling better
Leftovers
Christmas lights
Homemade soup
I had an entire long weekend to plan and prepare, and yet - here I am - already running behind for this week. Which is why this should have been my Monday post, but instead, you're reading it on a Tuesday.
It seems to happen to me a lot lately. I get distracted so easily. Or I just completely lose my train of thought and end up doing something that wasn't part of my original plan or to-do list. It's a whole thing.
Speaking of things that don't go as expected. Our Thanksgiving was smaller than expected. The weekend before our daughter thought she was getting a nasty cold or a sinus infection. On Monday she tested positive for Covid. And then, the grand kid started displaying some possible symptoms. So, she and her family weren't able to come for dinner on Thanksgiving.
The grandkid was able to get an appointment for a test yesterday and he was positive. So, even though he is already feeling better, he has to stay home from school this week. His mom on the other hand has felt pretty terrible for an entire week. Headache, congestion, no sense of smell or taste, exhaustion. But fortunately, no fever, and her breathing has been ok. Hopefully, she starts feeling much better soon.
We decorated the house for Christmas over the weekend. Finally! If it had been entirely up to me, the tree would have gone up the day after my birthday earlier this month. Sadly, the Man of the House and our son kept fighting me on that. So, I waited not so patiently until Thanksgiving had passed.
Have you decorated for the holidays yet?
I'm taking a break from the usual Thankful Thursday post to prepare for and celebrate Thanksgiving with family. But you can still join me in my Instagram stories to see the daily gratitude list I am sharing each day this week. I hope you enjoy your day!
It's Thanksgiving week! Who else is excited?
As you probably know, gratitude is a big thing for me. I keep a daily gratitude journal. Every Thursday I share some of the items for the past week in my Thankful Thursday posts.
I've said it before and I will say it again: No matter how bad things seem, there is always something in your life to be thankful for. Even if it's as simple as that the sun came up for another day or that you're still breathing. Sometimes it's just a matter of changing our perspective or attitude towards our circumstances (Read That Thing You're Complaining About for more on this)
The day we call Thanksgiving comes only once a year. But the act of thanksgiving, the practice of gratitude should be an everyday occurrence. Let's make this week the beginning of a new habit of thankfulness. Let's help each other do just that! Join me in my Instagram stories this week, and let's share something we are thankful for each day.
I Am Thankful For:
Today
My air fryer
A big order completed
Cute puppy pictures
A clean and organized pantry
Getting to pick the grandkid up from school
Cozy evenings
An autumn drive
A day with the grandkid
A healthy dog
A new plant stand
The energy to clean out both freezers
Learning new things
Movie night at home
Running errands with the Man of the House
Clear blue skies
Bright red autumn leaves
Sunday morning
Christmas music
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I would even go so far as to say it is my absolute favorite. I enjoy seeing history come to life in a work of fiction. And I love it, even more, when a novel introduces me to a historical event that I knew little to nothing about before I opened the novel. This was the case with The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin.
"The New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator's Wife reveals a little-known story of courage on the prairie: the freak blizzard that struck the Great Plains, threatening the lives of hundreds of immigrant homesteaders--especially their children.
The morning of January 12, 1888, was unusually mild, following a long cold spell, warm enough for the homesteaders of the Dakota territory to venture out again, and for their children to return to school without their heavy coats--leaving them unprepared when disaster struck. At just the hour when most prairie schools were letting out for the day, a terrifying, fast-moving blizzard struck without warning. Schoolteachers as young as sixteen were suddenly faced with life and death decisions: keep the children inside, risk freezing to death when fuel ran out, or send them home, praying they wouldn't get lost in the storm?
Based on actual oral histories of survivors, the novel follows the stories of Raina and Gerda Olsen, two sisters, both schoolteachers--one who becomes a hero of the storm, and one who finds herself ostracized in the aftermath. It's also the story of Anette Pedersen, a servant girl whose miraculous survival serves as a turning point in her life and touches the heart of Gavin Woodson, a newspaperman seeking redemption. It is Woodson and others like him who wrote the embellished news stories that lured immigrants across the sea to settle a pitiless land. Boosters needed immigrants to settle territories into states, and they didn't care what lies they told them to get them there--or whose land it originally was.
At its heart, this is a story of courage, of children forced to grow up too soon, tied to the land because of their parents' choices. It is a story of love taking root in the hard prairie ground, and of families being torn asunder by a ferocious storm that is little remembered today--because so many of its victims were immigrants to this country." (synopsis courtesy Goodreads.com )
The Children's Blizzard, or Schoolhouse Blizzard, hit the Great Plains on January 12, 1888. The days preceding had been brutally cold, but this morning dawned pleasant and mild. As a result, many left their homes without their usual heavy winter clothing and coats - leaving them unprepared for the storm that would unexpectantly arrive during the late afternoon. The blizzard suddenly began just as children were being released from school for the day. Teachers (many of them still teenagers themselves) faced the life or death decision of whether to send out into the storm or try to wait it out in school houses ill-prepared to provide shelter through such a vicious storm. Hundreds were caught out in the storm. It is a riveting and tragic story.
Unfortunately, I found many of the main characters lacking in dimension and unlikable. While well written, the story drags in several places, especially when focusing on the non-relevant personal dramas of the characters rather than the storm and its aftermath. However, if you press through those portions of the novel, it is an interesting - although sad - story.
⭐⭐⭐
I made a pretty big mistake last week. I got busy last weekend and didn't prioritize making a list of goals and tasks to do for the week. And, as a result, I was pretty much all over the place every single day. I couldn't seem to focus or stay on task with anything I tried to accomplish.
Fortunately, I still managed to get several things, such as completing an order, cleaning and reorganizing the pantry, and cleaning out both freezers. But other things never happened, like writing blog posts or rearranging the dining room.
I found out the hard way that I really need that visual list of things I want to complete to keep myself on track and accountable. Without it, I drift through the days without much sense of direction or urgency. Lesson learned.
Not only does keeping a weekly (and daily) list of goals and tasks help me to stay focused and organized, but it gives me a nice sense of accomplishment as I check items off the list. Without it, I often find that I feel like I didn't get much done - even though I really did.
And since we're talking about my list for the week. Here it is:
I Am Thankful For:
My birthday month
The crescent moon in the dawn sky
Birthday presents
The scent of fresh coffee
Lunch with my dad and his wife
Goals reached
Podcasts
A week of birthday surprises
Yarn ball winder
The first cold weather of the season
Cute dog bandanas
A stunning sunset
French toast
Phone call with my mom
When the time "falls back"
Meal planning for the week ahead
I Am Thankful For:
A cup of hot tea with honey
Autumn blue skies
Nyquil
Feeling a little better
Fall colors
Sherbert
God's grace
Forgiving others for hurting my feelings
Trying new things in the air fryer
The scent of dinner cooking in the crockpot
The dogs making me laugh
Chocolate
Colorful pens
Laughing so hard I can't catch my breath
Jack o'lanterns
Spending an afternoon with my daughter
Watching scary movies with the Man of the House
My son going to the store for me
New monthly goals
Have you ever read a book that was just completely messed up and insane - but in all the right ways? For me, that book was The Quiet Girl by S. F. Kosa.
Happy Birthday to me!! Yes, today is my birthday. Which one, you ask? Well, I don't mind telling you that this makes me 52 years old. Although, I usually tell people that I don't have birthdays. We just observe "Celebrate Beckey" day on November 1st. That way, I don't get any older, but everyone can still acknowledge me and give me gifts if they want to do so.
Remember when people in their 50's seemed so old? I don't know, maybe you're young enough that they still do seem really old. Trust me. we're not. I may be 52, but (almost) every single day I still feel exactly the same as when I was 25. A little wiser. My back and hips hurt a little more often. But otherwise - the same. Sometimes I actually have to remember how old I am and it takes me by surprise.
My birthday always gets me thinking about goals and plans for the next year. Evaluating how I have been doing with previous goals. Considering where I want to go from here. Do you do the same thing?
Working On: Already thinking about goals for next year and first quarter plans for the blog and my Etsy shop. I'm trying to be a little more proactive instead of waiting until the last minute to make plans and goals (like I was doing this weekend for November)
Celebrating: This week is all about my birthday. Yep, that's right. I get a whole week of birthday celebration. From an afternoon with my daughter this past weekend, to lunch with my dad and his wife tomorrow to celebrating with my husband later this week. Later this month we will celebrate our 29th anniversary and immediately afterward there's Thanksgiving.
Wanting/Needing: To clean out our chest freezer in the basement. I can't find anything in there right now. And while I am at it - the pantry closet is well overdue for a good purging and reorganization. Both of those things are on my list of goals for this month.
Eating: I recently came into possession of an air fryer. At the moment I am obsessed with using it to cook fish! In the past two weeks, I have tried swordfish (good!) and mahi-mahi (even better!) I can't wait to try salmon, and maybe some cod or tuna.
Loving: Thinking about the upcoming holidays. I am getting excited about decorating the house for Christmas. I am already planning how I want my coffee station and mantle to look this year. (spoiler alert - it's very much like last year)
Goals for November:
What are your plans and goals for November?
I Am Thankful For:
My dogs
Finding a tutorial for cleaning my washing machine
Healthy breakfast
Getting a lot accomplished
Phone calls from my daughter
Repeat customers
Funny stories
Pumpkins
Halloween costumes for my dogs
Catching up with the grandkid
Sunshine
Dinner and a movie with my husband
A free movie theatre popcorn
Sangria
A new top
Decongestant
Tissues that smell like Vicks
Having nowhere to go
White chicken chili in the crockpot
I have read a lot of good books this year. I guess perhaps a year of quarantine was good for authors and for getting the creative juices flowing. But, I am going to say that in my opinion, The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz is one of the best of the entire bunch.
"Jacob Finch Bonner was once a promising young novelist with a respectably published first book. Today, he's teaching in a third-rate MFA program and struggling to maintain what's left of his self-respect; he hasn't written--let alone published--anything decent in years. When Evan Parker, his most arrogant student, announces he doesn't need Jake's help because the plot of his book in progress is a sure thing, Jake is prepared to dismiss the boast as typical amateur narcissism. But then... he hears the plot.
Jake returns to the downward trajectory of his own career and braces himself for the supernova publication of Evan Parker's first novel: but it never comes. When he discovers that his former student has died, presumably without ever completing his book, Jake does what any self-respecting writer would do with a story like that--a story that absolutely needs to be told.
In a few short years, all of Evan Parker's predictions have come true, but Jake is the author enjoying the wave. He is wealthy, famous, praised, and read all over the world. But at the height of his glorious new life, an e-mail arrives, the first salvo in a terrifying, anonymous campaign: You are a thief, it says.
As Jake struggles to understand his antagonist and hide the truth from his readers and his publishers, he begins to learn more about his late student, and what he discovers both amazes and terrifies him. Who was Evan Parker, and how did he get the idea for his "sure thing" of a novel? What is the real story behind the plot, and who stole it from whom?" (description via goodreads.com)
I enjoyed this novel so much!!
It was unique and refreshing. It brought up a lot of thoughtful internal debates with myself about intellectual property, the theft of ideas, and plagiarism. I loved the characters. And maybe I also sort of hated them. But those are some of my favorite kinds of characters, the ones you love and hate all at the same time.
Maybe I was slow to get on the train, but I did NOT see the twist coming in this one. Which, usually I have at least some sort of an idea or at least a guess.
This story kept me awake late into the night while reading it. And stayed in my thoughts for days after. I still find myself thinking about parts of it. I am quick to name it if anyone is brave enough to ask me for a book recommendation. And it has me adding more of the author's works to my To Be Read list.
When I was a young girl in Girl Scouts, we used to sing a little song about friends. That song popped into my brain a couple of weeks ago, as I was driving home from spending some time with my life-long friend.
"Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, but the other's gold."
Are new friends a good thing? Absolutely! It's amazing when you're able to find someone you can really connect with. It's exciting to get to know each other as you build that trust and camaraderie over time.
But nothing compares to "old" friends. The friend that you share decades of history and memories with. They are more than just a friend, you consider her family just as much like the one you were born into.
It's the long-time friend that makes you feel safe. She's the one you are always comfortable being silly around. The one you can trust with your feelings.
I am blessed to have a friend like that.
We've known each other our entire lives. She was born just a few weeks after I was. We never attended school together. But we went to the same church and would get together to play when I would visit with my grandparents. She knew me in the awkward middle school years. Through the braces and bad haircuts. In the years when there was no email and we lived states apart and would write actual snail-mail letters and cards to each other to stay in touch.
Even though we still live in different states and haven't seen each other in a few years (thanks Covid), it always feels like no time at all has passed as soon as we're able to get back together. I look forward to hearing all the details of her life that I have missed out on over the months or years. And quickly we are swapping stories and discussing everything from the mundane to the philosophical.
Those "old" friends truly are one of life's great treasures.
I don't know about you, but I have found that when I go out in public and have to wear a mask - my lips get dry very quickly. This means that as soon as I get to the car and take the mask off, I am usually looking for some lip balm.
Waaay back in 2019 (Remember 2019? Seems like a million years ago) I told you all about my favorite lip balm. I shared how much I enjoyed the Smith's Minted Rose lip balm and how it reminded me of the little tins of lip balm that I fell in love with as a little girl.
Well, let me introduce you to My Favorite Lip Balm: Part Two!
In my Christmas stocking last Christmas, I found a tin filled with Smith's balms. The original, my favorite minted rose lip balm, and a strawberry lip balm.
Y'all... that strawberry! Oh. My. Goodness.
The first time I lifted the lid off the little round tin, I was mentally transported back to the early '80s and that lip balm I loved back then. Talk about a blast from the past!
This stuff is delightful! In fact, it's everything I didn't know I was missing. The strawberry is just the right amount of strawberry, without being overly sweet or perfumey. It has all the rich moisture I loved of the minted rose variety. It's a pale pink color in the tin, but once applied it's clear.
Am I giving up my first love - the Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm? NO way! But the Smith's Strawberry Lip Balm is a lovely addition to the family. I always have one (or both) on my nightstand and one in my purse.
By the way, this is not an ad or sponsored post. I don't receive any compensation of any kind from Smith's or anyone else for this post. It's just me, sharing something I have discovered that I think you might also like.
I Am Thankful For:
Each new week
Extra time in the afternoon with my husband
Ice cream leftover from birthday celebration
Getting the light and fan in my office fixed
Halloween costumes for the dogs
Max chasing falling leaves
Lunch with a friend
Coffee and conversation
Bookstores
Productive days
Texts from my grown children
The mums are blooming
New throw pillows
My air fryer
Saturday morning coffee
Dinner at my Dad's house
My husband's love
The dogs let me sleep in a little
Early football games
The male offspring making dinner
If you're looking for a feel-good, happy ending sort of book, We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker isn't it. However, if you're in the mood for a novel filled to the brim with loss, remorse, revenge, redemption, and love - then you've found it!
"Walk has never left the coastal California town where he grew up. He may have become the chief of police, but he’s still trying to heal the old wound of having given the testimony that sent his best friend, Vincent King, to prison decades before. Now, thirty years later, Vincent is being released.
Duchess is a thirteen-year-old self-proclaimed outlaw. Her mother, Star, grew up with Walk and Vincent. Walk is in overdrive trying to protect them, but Vincent and Star seem bent on sliding deeper into self-destruction. Star always burned bright, but recently that light has dimmed, leaving Duchess to parent not only her mother but her five-year-old brother. At school the other kids make fun of Duchess—her clothes are torn, her hair a mess. But let them throw their sticks because she’ll throw stones. Rules are for other people. She’s just trying to survive and keep her family together.
A fortysomething-year-old sheriff and a thirteen-year-old girl may not seem to have a lot in common. But they both have come to expect that people will disappoint you, loved ones will leave you, and if you open your heart it will be broken. So when trouble arrives with Vincent King, Walk and Duchess find they will be unable to do anything but usher it in, arms wide closed" (synopsis via Goodreads.com)
I'm still not sure how I felt about this book. It was an intricate and compelling story. But, it is also incredibly sad.
There were many characters, and sometimes it could feel like a bit much to keep them all straight and figure out what was going on with who and what part they might be playing in the main storyline. Duchess is a 13-year-old girl, forced to grow up and take on far too much responsibility at a very early age, leaving her angry and closed off from others. Her mother, Star, is a woman lost and unable to take care of herself or her two children. Walk is the chief of police who seems bound and determined to take care of everyone except himself. Vincent is constantly going to extraordinary lengths to punish himself for a horrible mistake from his youth. And that's just a few of the players in this tragic tale.
This novel had my emotions in a twist. I was as angry as Duchess as I read one page, and then as full of hope as Walk on the next. And sometimes I was just confused.
Although it starts slow, and a more than a bit confusing at times - once it starts rolling, it's a novel well worth the time.
Last week, I came across a quote by Henry David Thoreau that had me thinking about ants.
"It's not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" - Henry David Thoreau
Obviously, humans and ants are very different creatures. But perhaps there are some lessons we could take from the tiny insects. Especially when it comes to work and reaching the goals we set for ourselves.
Every ant has a specific job to do that contributes to the good of the colony. Some gather food, some build the homes (nests?). Some care for the queen. Some care for the young. And by doing their specific work, they are all taking care of each other.
I seriously doubt that you would find any ant stuck in a cycle of comparison. I can't imagine an ant wondering why someone else gets to gather food, while they are stuck defending the nest. Or feeling envy because another ant brought home a bigger picnic crumb than they did. Ants don't worry about how anyone else is doing. They are too busy taking care of the task assigned to them.
Ants are always focused on the work. They stay on task. If you see a line of ants marching along and you place something in their path - they don't give up, turn around, and go home. Sure, there might be some temporary confusion. But eventually, they will go over the obstacle, or around it and get back to where they are going.
So, maybe that's the lesson. Keep your eyes on your own work. Don't compare what you are doing to others. And when you face a challenge, find a way over it or around it and keep on going.
"Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!" Proverbs 6:6 NLT
Just when you think you're starting to figure out this whole perimenopause/menopause thing... WHAM! It throws new and exciting surprises into the works for you.
For example, you may discover that you now spot for days and days before your period starts. Or for several days as it ends. Spotting around ovulation (whenever that might be) is also common.
Shorter cycles. Longer cycles. Cycles that are of no discernible pattern whatsoever.
Recently, I had a cycle that was sixty-three days from the start of one period to the next. I'm not gonna lie - I was kind of excited to go so long without a period and hoped this meant that things were finally starting to wind down.
Then... I spotted for ten days. Yes, you read that right. Ten days! Then nothing for a couple of days. I left for vacation thinking it was all over with. Only to be hit on the second day of vacation with one of the heaviest flows I have ever experienced. Because nothing says "happiest place on earth" like making an emergency run to Walgreens and having to make a bathroom stop every one to two hours.
When that finally ended, I thought "ok, at least I shouldn't have to deal with it again for a while".
Wrong!!
Because from the start of the spotting to the start of my next period was twenty-four days. Which if you're counting (I hope you aren't), means I had exactly seven days between the end of that period until the next one started!
That cycle lasted a whooping nineteen days. And that gave me a total of three periods in about a month and a half.
This latest cycle is now on day twenty-four. And who knows what's going to happen with it. Will it be ending soon? Will it go on for another month?
It's anybody's guess at this point!
I Am Thankful For:
A day with the grandkid
Realizing some things about myself
Rainy mornings
Ideas for writing
Making lunch plans with a lifelong frienbd
Mom getting the "all clear" from her surgeon
Cute, comfy tops
Lunch with my dad
My husband
The rain finally stopped
Birthday cakes
Sushi dinner with the family
Beautiful autumn days
My grown children
Having dinner brought to us
Watching football with the family
Falling leaves
Safe travels for the Man of the House
Clean sheets
A comp!eyed to-do list
Tissues with Vicks
Phone calls from my husband
Starting a new book
Texts with my daughter
Birds flocking to my feeder
Morning showers
Cute finds at Marshall's
October
Flu shots
The Man of the House making dinner
Pops of yellow in the trees
A good sleep
Hot chili on a rainy Sunday
Stuff happens. Every single day things are happening. Every month. Every week. Every minute.
Some of it is good. Some of it is not so good. And some of it is just... stuff that happens.
Some of those things we can prepare for. They're expected. Some of them are even inevitable.
But some of it takes us by surprise. Whether it sneaks up on us, or comes swooping in and knocks us off our feet, taking our breath away. There are always going to be things we can't plan for. Things we never see coming until... there they are.
My mother didn't expect to hear that she had two large tumors when she went in for a routine exam. But there they were. She didn't expect to be having surgery less than 3 weeks later. But she did. I didn't anticipate her living circumstances having to change without warning and her staying with us during her recovery period. But here we are.
Stuff happens
All these recent events have had me thinking a lot about how and why things happen. Especially things you couldn't plan for or didn't anticipate. Even things you certainly wouldn't want to happen, like my mom's surgery.
I'm seeing a lot of evidence that sometimes that unexpected or unwanted event can turn out to be exactly what you needed. Or it can lead to something better than you would have thought in the beginning.
There's a Bible verse that speaks to this: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28 NLT)
Y'all... I am here to tell you that I believe it!! I've seen it at work recently.
That thing that you don't want to go through, that tough time, that unexpected news. When things aren't going according to plan. I know it seems gloomy at the moment. But hang on... cause the outcome might be exactly what you never even knew that you needed.
