What's Up Wednesday: February 2020

What We're Eating This Week

We've got High School baseball tryouts all week and that means dinner time depends on the ever-changing tryout times and the weather, so we've been on a Trader Joe's kick. Trader Joe's frozen section is a life-saver during these seasons because we need quick and easy. Our go-to favorite dinners are the Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry, the Mandarin Orange Chicken, the Chile Lime Chicken Burgers and the Cauliflower Gnocci with Pesto Sauce.

What I'm Reminiscing About

All of the Facebook memories that have come up in the last few weeks have brought up pictures of Kyle's senior basketball season last year. The season was a prototypical Cinderella story - one in which our team, which started the play-offs with an unremarkable regular season record - ended up powering its way through 8 play-off games to remarkably end up in the state championship. It was one of the most fun experiences our family has ever had. I'm missing watching my boy play since he graduated, but I'm loving watching his former teammates as they make a run for it again in the High School play-offs this week. They had a monster win last night and will head into the Region Semi-Finals Thursday and I simply cannot stay away. There are so many talented players on this team and they are so fun to watch. If you're in the area, head to Freedom High School on Thursday night at 7:00 pm. A win gives the boys a ticket to the State tournament again.

And although I don't get a front row seat to watch my former #2 play, he and his fraternity brothers are apparently tearing it up in Intramurals at the University of Tennessee. I have a feeling the competition is not quite as intimidating and that there is likely a whole lotta hacking going on, but I'm so happy he still has a chance to keep shooting. :-)

What I'm Loving

I saw that Harry Smith on the Today Show had done a New Year's challenge to do 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene. For the most part, the only exercise I've done for the past 15 years is running. That's great except when it's cold and/or rainy which is seems like it has been for the past eleventy thousand months. I know that I need to mix up my exercise routine and I have done yoga at my gym occasionally - you might recall the time I went to Hot Yoga and was certain that I was about to meet Jesus earlier than expected. The Today Show piece made me think that perhaps my re-entry into a yoga practice should be a little calmer and gentler this time. And at home. Near my bed. I'm on day 5 and I'm really loving it so far.

What We've Been Up To

We visited Joe in State College last weekend and had the best time. We were able to go to THON which is a 46 hour Dance Marathon run by the Penn State University Students to raise money for pediatric cancer patient support. It is an incredible event which takes a ton of planning and effort to pull off and I was mighty impressed. This year they raised a staggering $11 million. Do not doubt that our future is in good, capable hands with this next generation. We also went to a PSU hockey game where we sat just a few rows below Joe and his colleagues who were doing the student radio broadcast of the game. Penn State came back from being down 2-0, so it was a really exciting game. Honestly, I don't think I stopped smiling the whole weekend. My soul rests easier when I get my eyes on my boys. I felt incredibly blessed.

What I'm Dreading

Nothing. Pass.

What I'm Working On

Seems like a lot of fear is seeping into my head and my heart lately. I suppose it's this stage of life with worry about parents, young adults, teens, a future empty nest, blah, blah, blah. So, I guess I'm working on choosing faith over fear and that is involving a lot of scripture memorization. Replacing lies and worry with truth and hope is the best remedy I can choose right now. As all the cool kids say, "If you're picking up what I'm putting down", then I'd suggest a bunch of verses in Isaiah. There's a heckuva a lot of hope and truth there.

What I'm Excited About

It seems kind of weird to say that I'm "excited" about Lent as it really is not the happiest of seasons, but I am. I ordered Erin Moon's Lent and Holy Week guide, Every Broken Thing, and I'm really looking forward to reading it during Lent. Last year, her devotional, O Heavy Lightness, was such a blessing to me. You can purchase and download a copy of Every Broken Thing here, but you have to do it by midnight tonight I think. PS I went to Office Depot online, downloaded it and paid for it to be printed and bound and it was ready only 15 minutes after I did it. I heart technology.

What I'm Watching

I had watched the first couple of seasons of Jane the Virgin which is sweet and kinda corny around Christmas time. Then I took a break from it to watch You which is dark and kinda creepy, so now I'm back to Jane. It's all about balance.

What I'm Reading

I haven't been reading much lately which always means that I've been on my phone too much. I still haven't finished Sarah Bessey's Miracles and Other Reasonable Things: A Story of Unlearning and Relearning God, so I plan to get back to it this weekend. She is such a gifted writer.

Soon after that I will read Melanie Shankle's new book, On the Bright Side: Stories About Friendship, Love, and Being True to Yourself, which just came out yesterday. Melanie is one of my favorite authors. Reading her The Big Mama Blog was one of the reasons I was inspired to write my own blog. Melanie has a gift for finding humor in the every day and bringing light into a dark world. I can't imagine a better title for her book. 

What I'm Listening To

I recently listened Jen Hatmaker's interview with Max Lucado titled The Beauty of Disagreeing Agreeably on her For the Love Podcast and I was clapping my hands and nodding my head and saying "Amen" aloud like a weirdo. It was a such a great episode. You can listen or read the transcript here.

What I'm Wearing

I've been spending a whole lot of time in pajamas lately because it's winter and also, it's a free country. I got these black floral printed pjs for my birthday and I love them so much. The fabric is so soft. I tend to button all of the buttons on the top unlike the model, but again, free country and all that.

What I'm Doing This Weekend

I am hoping we'll have a High School basketball game to attend, but I'm not thinking about that yet because we are only allowed to think of the next game. I also will be attending our Women's Winter Retreat at my church. If you are in the area check out more information here. We'd love to see you there!

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

Both college boys will be home for Spring Break so I can't wait to have a house full again. They will only overlap one weekend, but I'll take it.

What Else Is New

This week I have a new piece that I wrote about the ways that Baseball sneaks up on us when we're not quite ready yet over at The Northern Virginia Travel Baseball League. Take a look if you want some advice on handling those days when you're begging for someone - anyone - on either team - to make the last out before you turn into an icicle.

Well, that's all that's up this Wednesday. Have a great day!

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