November 2021

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:

“Be strong... and do the work.

My Spirit remains among you.  Do not fear...

The glory of this present house will be greater

than the glory of the former house.  

And in this place, I will grant peace."

~God, Haggai 2:4-9

NOVEMBER GRATITUDE LIST

• Baking and cooking with my new electric range
• Lunches with Sarah and Katherine Claire
• Getting Ruby Claire back after a month+ driving rental cars
• Dad's generosity + my new car, Ginny the Genesis!
• Going to my first Bedlam football game with Kristin + an OSU victory!
• Two fun Friendsgivings (with the Fosters group and the Wilsons group)
• A wonderful family Thanksgiving
• My new Betsy Johnson pink purse and sunglasses
• Seeing the best girlfranz in the world!

What was life-draining this month?

• Seeing the aftermath but being unable to shield my niece and nephews from the emotional pain and inner trauma that comes along with high-conflict divorce and family brokenness
• Occasional frustration over feeling unheard/undervalued

What was life-giving this month?

• Feeling more connected all around -- to God, myself, family, and friends!
• Reminding myself that my presence in the group actually matters, and I have the power to change the atmosphere... which led me to suggest us all saying what we were thankful for, which led to more good talks and changed the phone-focused mood and tone of the family conversation on Thanksgiving
• Praying for people as they come to mind and entrusting them to God
• Walk/jogging at Crescent Park or through Mom and Dad's neighborhood
• Steven Furtick's Haggai sermons on 11-7 and 11-14
• Being contacted by a birth mom from Iowa who liked my adoption profile!
• Building deeper trust/confidence in God's timing on the adoption process!
• Family time reminiscing and sorting through stacks of old photos
• The entire gratitude list above. ❤
  

HAPPY LISTS

I Read:  

• Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (CEB translation)

I Listened To:

• More music and fewer audiobooks than any other month this year =)
• All my usual favorite podcasts!

I Watched:  

• Bull season one on Paramount+
• Cody Rigsby on Dancing With the Stars
• Hawkeye on Disney+
• King Richard (the Venus and Serena movie) 
  

I Made:  

• 2022 Goals using my Cultivate What Matters planner
• Thanksgiving desserts (Oreo balls, peach cobbler, and chocolate cake!)
• A short list of my favorite baby names! =)
• Happy Christmas cards to mail out soon
• Crossed over 18K Peloton minutes for 2021!
• Final edits and additions to Jon and Kristin's adoption profile book
• Progress in recognizing and recovering from low-level gaslighting/narcissism in a core past relationship
• Progress in letting go of anger/comparison as I remember that God has my back and is always with me and for me! ❤

*This recap was inspired by Emily Freeman's The Next Right Thing Journal, and I'm writing one for each month of 2021!