Winter Time 2021

PHOTOS & MEMORIES

• The time came. We  got sucked Downton Abbey and spent many a night grieving over all the people who died and laughing at the Dowager. 
• Really connected with Advent and felt like I belonged in the liturgical season that we were experiencing, like that what I felt in my life and heart made sense given the time of the year. 
• Also enjoyed Saint Nicholas Day with my dear husband, making my 2nd annual advent wreath, trying to do daily scripture readings and celebrating Gaudate "rite" with a pink snack board. 
• Organized a facemask activity (like, the beauty kinds of facemasks) at a get-together and thoroughly enjoyed seeing not only my husband, but also my friends' husbands in their facemasks. 
• Just as I had intended in the fall, I got aggressive about achieving health which led to a marathon of doctor's appointments in the winter season. At worst, I had 6 appointments in 7 days, but altogether I had about 30 from December until March. It was exhausting and expensive, but I'm happy to report good success! Most excitingly, I've gotten to a place where my chances of miscarrying have been drastically reduced and I am ever so pleased. I can also carry babies again without pain! Yes!!!! 
• This was the season of new initiatives! I wanted a better, healthier, fuller life and went for it. I started walking and getting outside regularly. I started reading. I started a chore-chart. Started meal-planning. Started learning Spanish again. Re-started therapy. Started socializing more. Started taking vitamin D. Haha.
• On that note, I blew myself away by reading 14 books in 3 months, also started listening to Fr. Mike Schmitz' Bible in a Year podcast, decided that Good Reads is my favorite app. Ha. 
• Served my second 5-course meal for 6 guests and it was a great joy and a smashing success! I learned a lot about planning with my first meal and that made this little party go unbelievably smooth. 
• Spent a long weekend at a cabin in Onalaska for no reason, made pancakes that sort of flopped and was super cruel towards my husband and made him go outside with me when it was freezing 
• Went back to therapy & loved it, started clearing up some friendship problems and figuring out how to actually have healthy relationships. 
• Had my hair cut by a professional for the first time in 5 years and, just as I expected, it was traumatic. I have another in the spring. Pray for me. Lol. 
• Sang in a choir for a wedding for the first time (which, strangely enough, ended up being for an old college classmate) and really loved the challenge of Victoria's Missa O Magnum Mysterium and singing with some very talented friends in a beautiful church. 
• Spent a few afternoons with my favorite niece (haha) and sadly, watched her develop opinions and eventually come to dislike me. So rude. ;) 
• Exchanged a lot of silliness with my husband. He is my best friend! Silliness included celebrating 3 years since our first meeting and 6 months of marriage, getting Subway quite a few times, and quarantining together for 10 days, going on quite a few walks while the weather was nice in Dec., Jan., and March, and rediscovered margaritas. I guess those things don't sound so silly, I guess you had to be there. 

Overall, a better season than we've had in awhile. There's always a cross on this side of Heaven, but I'm trying to remember that the suffering is only meant to be temporary. Suffering is for now but the Resurrection is forever. Let that be our hope and our reason to keep going.