What I Learned: September 2015 edition

Linking up again with Emily for her "What I Learned" Series.  I know I learned more than what's below this month...I should probably start writing them down throughout the month as I think of them.

1. Twins are fun! Cate and Callie are just awesome and I'm so happy they are part of my family.

2. Move over, PSL! I don't care for you anymore. It's true.  I have a new fall favorite at Starbucks.  Everyone should check out the Toasted Graham Latte.  And my "local" store needs to get the fun cups in stock.

3. I'm not the overachieving student I once was. After 6 years off, it's been difficult to get back into the routine of reading for class, doing homework, and writing papers.  It also doesn't help that for my current class, the professor didn't give us due dates - everything just needs to be turned in on the day of the final exam.  Hopefully this improves or the next two yeas are going to be rough.

4.  Section 504 is some serious stuff.  I had to go to a training last week and by the end my stomach and head hurt.  I need a lawyer on standby.

5.  I'm an Obliger....which isn't good for my personal health.  I've recently listened to several podcast interviews with Gretchen Rubin promoting her new book, Better than Before, about developing and maintaining habits.  She says that there are four main tendencies of habitkeeping and offers a quiz on her website to help people figure out which one they are.  Check it out here.

I took the quiz to confirm what I had already quickly realized from listening to Rubin's summary: I am an Obliger, meaning I conform readily to external expectations but don't take my own inner expectations seriously.  I'd rather hurt myself than others.  While there are certainly positives to this, I'm currently trying to eat better and exercise more (an INTERNAL expectation) and I'm not doing well.  I desperately need accountability, which is why my most healthy year ever was my senior year of college when I had a group of friends I exercised with daily and roommates that meal-planned with me.  My goal for October is to figure out how to create that environment in my current situation.

And now I must run to the grocery store to get emergency supplies (i.e., wine and cheese)....thanks a lot, Joaquin!

Baby, Baby

Two weeks ago today we were blessed with these identical beauties.

Catherine Elizabeth (left) and Caroline Grace (left) - two five pound masterpieces.

Truly, I can't understand how anyone can look at these perfect miracles and not believe there is an Infinite Creator.  Something this incredible couldn't have come from a pile of goop.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

What I Learned in August

This month I am linking up with Emily on Chatting at the Sky in her “What I Learned” series. I’ve enjoyed reading these for a while and thought it would be fun to try.  Here are some things I learned in the past month, in no particular order.

1. I love middle school. Seriously - middle school is my jam.  It is so perfect for me.  I don’t think I’ve ever been happier at work. Yes, there is drama. Yes, I stay busy.  But, I don’t feel my blood pressure rising throughout the day. The tension headache that had become commonplace by 2pm hasn’t happened in the last two weeks.  I leave work feeling content and energized, not beat up and frustrated.  I’m sure this is still a honeymoon phase of sorts, and I don’t have it all figured out, but this job change was most definitely the right choice for me.
2. My dog is neurotic.  I refinished my bedroom furniture this summer.  Because I rent a mostly furnished home, all my bedroom stuff is in the guest room.  Once I finished setting up the room I decided I wanted to sleep there instead, so I moved out of the master.  Apparently I should have asked Finn first, because moving from a king bed to a full has very much upset him.  So how does he solve this problem? Well, most nights he gets in bed with me in the new room but as soon as he thinks I am asleep, he hops off the bed and I hear him prance down the hallway and jump up on the kind bed.  He stays there, gloriously stretched out, until my alarm goes off in the morning. Then he slithers back to me, curls up in my arms, and acts as he’d been there all night. Hilarious.
3. There is such a thing as too many tomatoes.  I never thought I would say it.  Tomatoes - especially home grown ones - are one of my favorite foods.  But with the production of my little garden and the contributions from my crop share, I simply cannot bear the sight of them anymore.  I’m sure the feeling will pass quickly.
4. My HOA is stupid….and I’m thankful to be renting.  I do love the townhouse I’m renting...so much so that I’ve entertained the thought of buying in the neighborhood.  Not true anymore. The HOA doesn’t notify anyone in advance of any work done on their property, does not allow people to lock their own crawlspaces, and allows contractors to use electricity and water from any house without prior authorization and notification.  It’s a lot of fun to come home from work and see a busted lock and a hose that isn’t yours taking water down the street.  Sure, I’d love to pay for the water to take care of a communal lawn.  Not a contract I’d ever agree to sign.  For the love.
5. Everything I know is wrong.  My worldview is just being rocked lately, especially when it comes to racial issues in the United States.  The more I learn, I feel like the less I understand.  I’m trying.  Eventually I may start writing about it.  For now, I *just* pray.
6. My aunts love me something fierce.  It’s September 1, and this month I will get to meet my twin nieces, who are expected to make their arrival sometime in the next three weeks.  From the moment I learned about their existence on March 7, I have loved them (well, back then I guess I only loved one of them).  I have woken up at night and prayed for them.  Then, on June 3, I found out that this theoretical baby was actually two beautiful girls. And then I REALLY LOVED them.  I am obsessed with these babies.  I would give them a kidney right now.  Family is so precious, and I am now blessed with the opportunity to love two more family members.  I am going to know them and love them the rest of my life.  It’s so obvious but such an amazing gift.  And I can’t wait to tell them about Jesus. And then I think about my own aunts and I wonder, is this how they thought of me? Wow. I should strive to be a better niece.
7. The opposite of shame….I guess like #5, I’m still learning this one. It first struck me while listen to Annie Downs’ podcast with Emily Freeman.  The two of them discussed shame and its opposite.  Annie said that for her, the opposite of shame was family.  At first, it didn’t make sense to me at all.  It’s stayed with me for a couple weeks.  What is the opposite of shame? It’s got to have an opposite, right?  Esteem, honor, respect.  What is it? Annie says family.  That’s beautiful.  I’m still not sure what the opposite of shame is for me.  A few days after hearing that, I read Acts 10 in which Peter has a vision from the Lord.  “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Other versions say not to call it “common” or “unholy”.  In Christ, there is no room for shame anymore.  I am free.  I am clean; holy; dear loved.  I am not impure, unclean, common or unholy.  I am honored and I belong at the table because He says so.  Maybe Annie’s right.  The opposite of shame is belonging.  

And that’s all I got. This was fun!  What have you learned?