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?

What I Read in August

Is it wrong to be posting this on the last day of the month? I suppose in theory I could read another book before minute, but it's really not going to happen.

I surprised myself by reading 9 books this month.  Granted, in terms of page counts, they were much shorter reads, but seven were nonfiction, which I tend to read more slowly.  In fact, on August 15th I'd only completed 2 books! Somehow I caught back up.  It's nice having met my goal already - I don't feel the pressure anymore.  This is all bonus.  I even stopped reading a book halfway through (not listed) because I just didn't like and didn't want to waste my time.  I could have powered through to add a book to the list, but I honestly didn't care to find out how it ended.

Also, I think this is the first month in which I haven't read something set in the 1940s.  Go me.

And so here they are....latest in bold.

Non-fiction:

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty

Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

7 by Jen Hatmaker

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger

Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain)

The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner)

Jesus the King (Timothy Keller)

A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet (Sophie Hudson)

He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado)

Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Laura Bates)

Sabbath (Wayne Muller)

Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis (Lauren Winner)

Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling)

In Cold Blood (Truman Capote)

Yes Please (Amy Poehler) 

Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson)
Brown Girl Dreaming (Jacqueline Woodson)
United: Captured by God's Vision for Diversity (Trillia Newbell)
Nobody's Cuter than You (Melanie Shankle)
Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times (Jennifer Worth)
Something Must be Done About Prince Edward County (Kristen Green) - talk about conviction. This is a true story about a county not too far from me that SHUT DOWN their public schools in order to avoid desegegration. This is several other books this year are causing me to question my worldview.
For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards (Jen Hatmaker) - A breath of fresh air. Relax and laugh at yourself. We are all broken and Jesus died to save us. I wish Jen was my friend.
The Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have to be Perfect to be Beautiful (Myquillyn Smith) - this is a home decorating book of sorts.  Really, it's about contentment. Recommend.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (Marie Kondo) - I'm all for purging. I've done a lot of it this year. But my possessions are not people so I am not going to look at my socks and say, "How would you like to be folded?" or at my books and say, "Which shelf would you like to call home?"  For the Love.
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to be and Embrace Who You Are (Brene Brown) - this is a book about courage, vulnerability, and wholehearted living. I love Brene's style and point of view.  She's also a sociologist (my first love).  I plan to read more of her work.
Between the World and Me (Ta-Nehesi Coates) - Coates writes a lengthy letter to his son about being black in America. This was hard to swallow, but important for the sake of empathy and understanding. There is so much I cannot understand, but I want to for the sake of reconciliation.
Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life (Shauna Niequist) - I adored this collection of essays.  The author truly finds the beauty in the mundane and has cultivated a life of gratitude.

Fiction:

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)

Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)

The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)

The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley)

Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty)

Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline)

The Things we do for Love (Kristin Hannah)

Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury)

A Red Herring Without Mustard (Alan Bradley)

The Next Always (Nora Roberts)

The Rosie Project / The Rosie Effect (Graeme Simsion)

The Outer Banks House / Return to the Outer Banks House (Diann Ducharme) –

Summer Island (Kristin Hannah)

Attachments (Rainbow Rowell)

Speak (Lauren Halse Anderson)

The Last Anniversary (Liane Moriarty)

Chasing Sunsets (Karen Kingsbury)

The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins)

Bridge to Haven (Francine Rivers) 

If I Stay (Gayle Forman) 

Her Husband’s Secret (Liane Moriarty) 

Eyes on You (Kate White) 

The Lost Wife (Alyson Richman)

The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah) 

March (Geraldine Brooks)
The Other Boleyn Girl (Philippa Gregory)
Cutting For Stone (Abraham Verghese)
Life after Life (Kate Atkinson)
Still Alice (Lisa Genova)
The Dressmaker (Kate Alcott)
Covenant Child (Terri Blackstock)
What Alice Forgot (Liane Moriarty)
The Royal We (Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan) - In a word: HYSTERICAL.  This is basically Will and Kate fan fiction and I loved.every.page.
Afterwards (Rosamund Lupton) - This author came highly recommended to me but I'm not sure I picked the best book to start with.  Didn't love it.

Total as of August 31, 2015 -- 73

What I Read in July

Another month has come and gone and I've exceeded my 2015 goal.  For a few days I entertained the notion of trying for 100 books this year, but  I've decided not to press my luck.  The rest of the year will just be my victory lap.  I'm starting a new job, getting two nieces, and going back to school to earn my school administration endorsement (maybe some textbooks will end up on this list) -- I might not be able to keep up the pace.

Here's my list, newest in bold (as always)

Non-fiction:

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty

Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

7 by Jen Hatmaker

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger

Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain)

The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner)

Jesus the King (Timothy Keller)

A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet (Sophie Hudson)

He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado)

Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Laura Bates)

Sabbath (Wayne Muller)

Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis (Lauren Winner)

Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling)

In Cold Blood (Truman Capote)

Yes Please (Amy Poehler) 

Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson)
Brown Girl Dreaming (Jacqueline Woodson) - Love. Love. Love. A memoir in poetry form. Just read it and practice walking in someone else's shoes.
United: Captured by God's Vision for Diversity (Trillia Newbell) - I read this (very short) in a couple hours, hoping for a how-to on racial reconciliation.  It's not - Newbell is just sharing her vision for what she hopes will one day come to pass, but it's beautiful.
Nobody's Cuter than You (Melanie Shankle) - One of my new favorites.  Shankle is hilarious and this is a precious book about friendship.  I laughed, I cried, and then bought it for a friend.
Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times (Jennifer Worth) - this memoir is the basis of the BBC series with the same name.  I watched the first season of the show on Netflix and found it boring but the book was great.

Fiction:

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)

Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)

The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)

The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley)

Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty)

Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline)

The Things we do for Love (Kristin Hannah)

Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury)

A Red Herring Without Mustard (Alan Bradley)

The Next Always (Nora Roberts)

The Rosie Project / The Rosie Effect (Graeme Simsion)

The Outer Banks House / Return to the Outer Banks House (Diann Ducharme) –

Summer Island (Kristin Hannah)

Attachments (Rainbow Rowell)

Speak (Lauren Halse Anderson)

The Last Anniversary (Liane Moriarty)

Chasing Sunsets (Karen Kingsbury)

The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins)

Bridge to Haven (Francine Rivers) 

If I Stay (Gayle Forman) 

Her Husband’s Secret (Liane Moriarty) 

Eyes on You (Kate White) 

The Lost Wife (Alyson Richman)

The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah) 

March (Geraldine Brooks)
The Other Boleyn Girl (Philippa Gregory) - For some reason I find the whole Henry VIII saga so fascinating and this did not disappoint.  I know this book is old news (and so is the movie) but I'd not read or watched it.
Cutting For Stone (Abraham Verghese) - This was another audiobook for me.  It's the story of identical (formerly conjoined) twin brothers growing up in Ethiopia during the 1950s and 60s.  The book reads beautifully and balances the story with an in-depth look at the political and cultural climate of Ethiopia during that time.  I feel smarter now.
Life after Life (Kate Atkinson) - I highly recommend this book.  I don't want to give much away - it's unique.  I will say that like most of the books I've read this year, it's set during World War II.
Still Alice (Lisa Genova) - I read this in Italy.  Another book turned movie but since I apparently never watch movies I of course haven't seen it.  It was just a tearjerker...
The Dressmaker (Kate Alcott) - I checked this one out from the library because it was about people on the Titanic.  Then, I almost didn't read it because it was about people on the Titanic.  Spoiler alert: it sinks.  I wouldn't necessarily recommend the book, but I did enjoy it and learned a few things.  The bulk of the plot focuses on the congressional hearings following the survivors' arrival in the USA.  I also appreciated that the "unsinkable" Molly Brown played a role in this book.
Covenant Child (Terri Blackstock) - another one that I think I've read before.  I like this author but this book isn't her best.
What Alice Forgot (Liane Moriarty) - Hilarious. I am continually impressed with the way Moriarty addresses difficult topics in a way that is funny, upbeat, fanciful, and thought-provoking all at the same time.

Total as of July 31, 2015 -- 64