Girls Shopping Day!
I am back from a wonderful vacation with my brother and sister –in-law. I wish I could show you pictures of their 2 precious foster kiddos, but since they are in the foster system, photos can’t be posted online.
If a picture is worth a thousand words…I guess I will need a post 1,000 words + to share with you their cuteness! I am a head over heels, in love with these cuties, proud Auntie, that I could easily gush for at least 1,000 words about how ADORABLE, CUDDLY, GIGGLY and PRECIOUS they are but I will spare you.
Today, I am inviting you into my brain post vacation (scary!)…anyone else have a hard time leaving vacation and re- entering reality?
1. I have the world’s best husband!
We were on vacation during my husband’s birthday so I didn’t get a chance to share with you how wonderful he is! He lays down his life for me everyday, consistently sacrificing his wants and needs for my well being and happiness. One major way he has done this, over the past year, is letting me pursue passions (such as writing and ministry) that as of now bring in zero dinero for our sombrero.
He is my biggest encourager and believes in me. He also eats my cooking almost every night and never gets frustrated, when it is burned, charred or unrecognizable – and many nights he buys us take – out, so I can have a break. ( maybe he needs a break too?)
In our married small group we have been talking about Love Languages. I realized last night as we talked about “Words of Affirmation” (which is one of my primary love languages) how consistently (at least once a day, usually more) that my husband speaks an encouraging word to me. This is especially amazing because “Words of Affirmation” is not the primary way that he gives or receives love. Everyday, he is intentionally speaking “another language” to ensure my heart is alive.
Babe, you are kind, handsome, intelligent, and you love God and others well. I love you with my whole heart! Happy Birthday!
2. Technology is over – rated. During our week away, I rarely had my phone near me or checked my email or facebook. Instead I was chasing, tickling and playing with 2 sweet kiddos.
I didn’t miss any of it….
A few days after returning to the check-ins, updates, information zone I have felt:
– less joyful
-unable to focus on what’s in front of me
I am multi – tasking my day away with statuses and updates, and comments.
All of it creates an almost comatose mind, where I am foggy, unsettled and unaware of my present moment.
I don’t want to feel that way anymore, and I am struggling with how to keep technology in its rightful place, as a tool, not the master. Can you relate with this struggle?
The reality is I am a blogger and I want to keep in touch with family and friends across the country. Technology is an important piece of maintaining connection – but I can feel owned by it.
It like an extraneous ligament has attached itself to my abdomen and its tentacles are constantly opening apps, closing apps, checking in, checking out, and absorbing at a million miles an hour the news, events and emotions of each second that passes by. Some days it feels like my extraneous limb is taking so much of my energy and attention that my other limbs hang unused, unnoticed, unable to contribute to the life I am meant to live.
I have facebook fasted, and completely cut myself off from technology for periods of time, yet I feel like I have been unable to find a healthy everyday rhythm for using technology but not letting it use me.
I would LOVE to hear your ideas, (other than completely shutting yourself off from technology) What are ways that you stay connected to the online world and the real world?
3. Its Fall! Last night I lit a Mulled Cider candle, amidst protests by my husband that it is still summer, (Our thermometer which reached almost 100 degrees yesterday agreed with him).
However, in Texas you can’t wait for Texas to bring Fall to you, you have to bring Fall to Texas!
My informal survey last night of the ladies in our married small group, confirmed my sentiments. Several ladies informed me their houses have already been decorated for fall, and the rest were planning on pulling out their pumpkins and fall scents in the near future.
To celebrate the arrival of Fall, I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season, and I am wearing a sweatshirt (alright… its only because the AC is blasted so high in this coffee shop)
I am voting that Fall is here! What’s your vote? Are you already celebrating the arrival of Fall? How are you celebrating? If not when do you plan to start celebrating?
Love your blogs…I read all of them and this one was great! I can’t wait for the first snow to come where I live (possibly in a few weeks!), then I can sit on my couch with some hot chocolate and snuggle up with a blanket. I can get carried away with technology unless I have someone to hold me accountable…that person usually being Juan, since he knows my antics. His accountability partly comes naturally, though, because he doesn’t like me to be on the computer all the time anyway (I don’t have a smart phone…I guess that’s another way to stay off technology too much). Both of our love languages are quality time, so the time he doesn’t like me to be on the computer is out of love…just cause he wants some time with me! So it’s not too hard to get off when he tells me to.
Thanks so much for reading Lindsey! And commenting =) That is so fun that you will have snow soon…sigh…oh to be cold! That is a great idea to have your hubby hold you accountable for technology, I think I will have to work that into my “plan.” My husband’s love language is quality time, recently he told me, that when I am texting/checking email or fb ect…and he tries to talk to me, he can tell that I am really distracted – and that quality time to him includes giving him my undivided attention! Ouch, majorly convicting, I definitely want my husband to feel love more than staying current w/ fb or email. Thanks for sharing!
Ugh! I feel the same problem with technology and being connected. It feels like an “all or nothing” rather than a happy medium. I am so ashamed of the times where I realize I am texting instead of answering my toddler’s questions…oops! I also had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte this week! 🙂 Come on, fall!
Thanks for sharing Cat, glad to know I am not the only one who struggles with balancing technology =) Yay for Pumpkin Spice!!!!
This post totally made me laugh! It reminded me of when we both lived in La Verne and did all sorts of fall things even though it still felt like summer. I’m ready for fall, too. 🙂
Ha! Ha! Ahhh good times…wish we could walk to 21 Choices together and taste some Fall flavored ice cream!
Hey proud Auntie, thanks for loving the munchkins and us so much….I enjoyed your public gushing over them :). Just wanted to say you have such a gift and thank you for allowing God to use it with this blog…you are touching so many hearts. I love you much and keep up the great work! AND btw…I want fall to happen in Vegas. I miss the beauty of the northwest in the fall. I wish we could go crunch and kick and toss some leaves together.
Thanks sis for the encouragement! Yay, wish we could go crunch leaves together, because that would mean we were in the same place and the weather was colder where we were =)