January 2022!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:

"You make known to me the path of LIFE;

In Your presence there is fullness of JOY;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

~Psalm 16:11

JANUARY MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• Kristen Harris letting me know about a potential adoption situation (it didn't pan out, but I'm grateful to know people remembered my end-of-year post about adoption)
• Lindsay encouraging me to message Brooke (done)
• Getting a voicemail from David just one day after messaging the Sheriff's Department
• Sending an email to help connect JB with Barbara and Leslie - exciting!
• Sharing the biggest loaf of cheesy bread with Tiffany at Andolini's (an early birthday dinner for her)
• Laughing with the fam and having a nice private room for Mom's birthday dinner at The Ranch!
• Learning that Rachael, Triston, Jace, Chet, Karli, Parker, Lindsay, Nikki, Londyn, and Mark all had COVID... but everyone seems to be recovering or well now!
• Jaywalking to Valero with the niece and nephews lol
• Helping Mom fix up Babah's room at The Veraden
• Jace hoverboarding over to me with both arms up saying, "The graduate himself!!" the first time I saw him after finishing eye therapy. lol
• Reconnecting with Joan after sending her some encouragement
• Peloton's Eminem ride with Dennis!
• A good talk with Kristin W about how we picture things in heaven over Olive Garden dinner and dessert last night!

HAPPY LISTS

I Listened To:

• Hero on a Mission: A Path to a Meaningful Life by Donald Miller - probably the best/most important book I'll read all year, so great!!
• A Cloud by Day, A Fire by Night: Finding and Following God's Will for You by A.W. Tozer
• The Fire of God's Presence: Drawing Near to a Holy God by A.W. Tozer
• The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation: How Knowing Ourselves Can Make us More Like Jesus by A.J. Sherrill
• The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
• Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits by Reese Witherspoon
• Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the beginning of Acts
• The usual favorite podcasts, with the addition of Typology (an Enneagram podcast with Ian Cron)

I Watched:  

• Cobra Kai, Cheer, Maid, Holidate, He's All That, and Red Notice on Netflix
• Encanto on Disney+
• The first few episodes in the final season of This Is Us

I'm Celebrating:  

• Being on track with all my goals and daily habits for January!
• Going back to church regularly!
• Getting back on track with Peloton and loving it!
• Writing privately in a way that's been emotionally cathartic
• Composing five important, carefully-worded messages that took courage to send this month! ❤

January is historically not my favorite month, and this one got off to a rough start and contained a grief anniversary on the 26th.  But as it went along, there were a lot of good things: connecting with God, connecting with friends, feeling hopeful about adoption, writing 30 out of 31 days, reading several fantastic books, and getting into a good groove with exercise habits!  I'm thankful for God's daily grace, and very ready to step into my favorite month tomorrow!! ❤