Friday, February 28, 2014

What I Learned In February

Jumping on board with Emily again for her "what I learned" series.

I forgot that February was short, because February felt SO FREAKING LONG. It wasn't my best month, so I'm glad it's over; if I'd had to deal with another week of February I dunno what I would have done.  0.o One week I was sick,the next I was extremely busy (while sick), then this week was just one of those where everything that could go wrong did. So fun. Yay that it's over!


1. I always get sick at the most inopportune times. 

Always. Pneumonia 4 days before my service club's biggest event of the year? So fun. I spent Valentines weekend in bed, with very little human interaction. It was part glorious and part miserable. Two weeks later, I'm still coughing.

2. Never underestimate the power of bake sales. 

We raised a fairly decent amount of money with a bake sale and t-shirt sale. I was floored. People like baked things apparently.


3. Sitting in the student center at said bake sale everyday for 2 hours drove my introverted self in a tizzy (especially while still sick!), but it was perfect for people watching. 

Especially since it was 60 degrees almost all week, and EVERYONE was outside. IT WAS PERFECT, Y'ALL.  The introvert in me loved all the people watching. Crazy things happen when you sit in the student center for hours on end. (In a related story, I never want to sit in the student center that long ever again).

 I did sneak out some to sit in the sunshine, and man, it was wonderful. And now it's back to freezing and snow warnings and someone please make it stop. Please!

4. Baking is a really cathartic stress reliever. 

I already knew this, but I baked a lot this month, and this couldn't have been more true. Baking gives a sense of control to me when everything else goes haywire. And the rewards are glorious (though my rewards went to the bake sale and not to me, haha). My baker of a mama has apparently trained me well, my tagalong brownies were a hit. Mmm so good.

5. Poetry involves a lot of math.

Between figuring out the syllables to figuring out the meter, it made my head hurt. Any type of writing that requires math is NOT for me, I know that much.

6. My English professors would make very good theatre people. 

Seriously. So much theatrics! Especially Dr. Reed and Dr. Garrett, they are so dramatic in class. I love it. Dr. Reed particularly, she is downright adorable.

7. Sky High probably gave me my best workout ever.
Wall to wall trampolines, including a trampoline dodgeball court? That was a blast. I wanna go back!
  In other news, my pneumonia-sickly lungs still haven't forgiven me.

8. I am in dire need of quiet and rest. 

Sleep doesn't come til 1-2am most nights, and then I toss and turn so restful sleep rarely happens. Blah. I've  been going, going, going, ALL month long, and it wore me out bad, both physically and spiritually (the latter primarily).

 I've been good about quiet time this school year, but I've been slipping this semester. It's a struggle to make time, especially for someone like me that needs to do everything but be still and rest. Such a struggle.
 I need to take better care of myself, both spiritually and physically (cause obviously me getting so sick again is NOT an option. DO YOU HEAR ME IMMUNE SYSTEM?!?)

9. I love the Lenten/Easter season. (and NOT just for the Jellybeans.)

Okay the jellybeans might be part of it. Especially the starburst ones, though they are my favorite candy ever (don't judge).

But really, the Lenten season IS my favorite season of the year, spiritually speaking. It's so important and reverent and lovely. I love Easter and springtime coinciding, showing us literal rebirth of nature as we prepare and celebrate the resurrection. How poignant and fitting, right?
I'm still working on what I'm giving up and adding on for Lent, but I can guarantee you it'll have to do with #8 above. :)

10. Adding a new dog to the family after losing our boy is incredibly bittersweet. 

Losing Sebastian so suddenly and unexpectedly sucked. It's been so freaking hard; even three months later it takes everything in me not to cry when I think about it or look through pictures. Mom and I both knew we needed to add a new member to the family, to help ease the heartache of losing our bay Bastian. We knew it wouldn't replace or fill the hole he left, but we needed a source of some happiness back that we lost when he left.
So, when one of Mom's customers told her about a pug that needed a new home, Mom went for it:

This is Lola. I swear her face resembles Grumpy Cat's, but I digress. She's pretty darn cute. She's 2 1/2, so she's still in the puppy stage a bit. I haven't met her yet, but I'm hoping I can go home before Spring break to get some pug snuggles.  Mom calls her a hyper little diva. I love it.

Part of me is comforted and happy, part of me looks at her and wants to cry because I want my boy back so bad. I'm beyond happy my Mom has a new pug to love and snuggle with, I can already see a huge difference Lola has made in her. She's been ten times the wreck I've been since Sebastian died; while she won't bring him back, she does bring a bit of him back home, and for that, I'm happy.

As much as I love and miss my boy, I absolutely love our new little girl.

11. March is destined to be a great month. 

I'm calling it now!! Hear me, God? It's gonna be awesome.

2 weeks from tomorrow, I'll be back with these beautiful babies:



                             


 And man, I  cannot wait. 


So here's to leaving February behind... and embracing March for the beauty that it's bound to bring. 

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