February Recap, March Reset

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I was recently inspired by one of my favorite YouTubers to do a monthly recap and reset. I don't know if I'll keep it up, but here's the first one at least, recapping February and looking ahead to March!

Highlights

-My mom, dad, and brother spent a weekend with us. They got to go to N's belt testing for her orange stripe in taekwondo and one of E's basketball games.
-We had a Super Bowl party at our house! There were so many good friends, so much good food, the game was fantastic, and Rihanna...come on. When I was pregnant with my second child, I could barely stand up straight without vomiting or having an asthma attack. Riri is kinda making the rest of us look bad.

Crochet projects I finished

I didn't keep track in February, but I plan to do this going forward. This year, I decided that I'm not going to buy any new yarn until I use up my current stash, so it'll be interesting to see how much I can work through in a month.

Books I finished

Spare by Prince Harry. I still vividly remember that morning in August of 1997: It was a Sunday, and I was surprised to walk into the living room and see my mom glued to the TV instead of getting ready for church. She was watching news coverage of the car crash that had killed Princess Diana. Harry is only a few years older than I am, and I couldn't begin to imagine what that must've been like for him. I think that's part of what made this such a compelling read. Also, I know he had help, but Harry writes surprisingly well. Regardless of whose side you're on in the whole royal family feud, it was interesting to have a better picture of what life is like in that very small bubble. Personally, I'm a fan of Harry and Meghan. Harry is a second child, as am I. Meghan is biracial, as are my children. And their wedding song was "Stand by Me," just like Mr D and me. That pretty much makes us besties, right? :) It was also pretty cool to see how Harry transitioned from bad boy to philanthropist, and that his military service played a huge role in that.

Cultish by Amanda Montell. I know it might sound weird, but I've always been somewhat fascinated by cults. Perhaps it's the sociologist in me. Anyways, this book was supposedly about the language that cult leaders use to draw people in and what makes it so difficult for those people to get out. There was a good amount of information about that, but the overall tone of the book was soooo cynical and snarky. Just unnecessary. Also, I didn't appreciate the inclusion of Christianity as a cult, but if you only see the things the author seemed to see, I can see how one would arrive at that conclusion. And for a book about language, he had her own favorite phrases that she liked to repeat just as often as cult leaders probably use their chosen lingo. Someone should play a game where they drink every time they come across the term "love bomb" in this book. Just kidding, please don't do that; you will die.

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. Any iCarly fans out there? I'm not, lol. Not that I dislike the show; I've just never watched it. I'm from the Clarissa Explains It All generation of Nickelodeon, if that tells you anything. But I heard an interview that NPR did with Jennette McCurdy regarding this book, and I thought it sounded interesting enough. Oh my goodness. "Interesting" doesn't begin to describe it. I couldn't put it down. Not only was the material itself intriguing (I mean, her mom really was 🦇💩 crazy, you guys), but she is just so naturally funny, and that really shines through in her writing.

Suffering and the Heart of God by Diane Langberg. I'm not sure at what point I realized that this book was intended for people in the Christian counseling profession (not me), but wherever that point was, I was already in too deep to stop reading. I'm of the opinion that anyone involved in Christian ministry at any level should read this book. Too often, we fail trauma survivors by not interacting with them the way Jesus would, and this was just the refresher I needed. 

Shows I liked

Last Chance U. This show has been on Netflix for a few years now, but I never watched any of it until just recently. We're big college football fans around here, so a show about guys who leave Division 1 schools to go play football at junior college is a no-brainer. I find myself cheering for everyone on the show: not just the players but also the coaches, the teachers, the parents, the academic advisors, even the campus maintenance staff... It's seriously so good.

March goals

1) Post my new items on Etsy.
2) Prep freezer meals.
3) Have an out-of-the-house date.
4) New extracurricular activity for E.
5) Start composting.
6) Start saving for retirement.

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