My Life in Verbs

Getting into graphic design with Canva. 

I discovered Canva recently, and love all the fun graphics I can create. It lets a non-design person like me make pretty things for my websites.

Learning to embrace my limits. 

Steve is gone on a 9-day trip, and in the days leading up to his departure, I nearly had an anxiety attack. I was so overwhelmed about solo parenting, particularly with our 3-year-old being so exhausting to manage. My mantra has been: embrace limits, ask for help, and let go of perfection. All of these things go against my perfectionist nature. But I'm trying! If there are other people out there working on embracing their limits, please talk to me. I need moral support.

Enjoying parenting humor like this blog post How to Raise an Excellent Toddler. 

When parenting my kids isn't all rainbows and puppies, it can feel like living in an insane asylum where everyone's screaming for milk. Funny/true perspectives on parenting with lots of f-bombs are super theraputic for me.

Writing a whole lot.

I've been working on various blog posts and resources for Spiritual Journey, my place to encourage and equip people in their spiritual growth. This kind of writing has been so life-giving to me, mostly because the words flow out of who I am and what I deeply care about.

Falling in love with my new Leuchtturm notebook. 

My journal gives order to my life. I use it for weekly calendars, goals, meal planning, brainstorming, reflective prayer times, and many different lists. The Leuchtturm is a high-quality, well-designed notebook that I love to use.

Eating all the lemon bars on brown butter shortbread I made the other day.

My kids love sweets, but decided lemon bars are not their thing. I am not fighting them on this. More for me.

Okay, your turn. What's going on with you?

My Life In Verbs

Trying: to relearn the ukulele. Now that we're back in Hawaii, I've been inspired to pick it up again. It's so much easier now after years of playing guitar.

Reading: more chapter books to my kids. Right now we're loving the zany characters and wild adventures in James and the Giant Peach. I've been surprised that they can sit through 4-5 chapters at a time. The book-lover in me is thrilled.

Realizing: it has been one full year since we moved from Los Angeles to Honolulu. We were packing up our lives into a 20-foot container, saying goodbye to friends, and searching for a house on Oahu. And now we're here, settled into a completely different life.

Watching: Scandal. We just finished "The Lawn Chair" episode, a powerful treatment of the real life issue of shooting deaths of unarmed black men. It was painful, good, and emotionally riveting.

Loving: the last few weeks of summer before the kids start school. We have lots of open days with lounging around the house, getting shave ice, and playing outside.

Feeling: so excited to see some old friends who are visiting from LA. Our three families knew each other before any of us had kids, when we were in the "young married" people stage. Our friendships have been through pregnancies, birthdays, job changes, and lots of playdates at the park. I'm grateful that these friends continue to be a part of our lives.

My Life in Verbs

Trying... to embrace the present moment of waiting for our little baby girl to show up. The due date is in one week, and we're pretty much good to go. We had a baby shower, have all the necessary infant gear ready, and are ready to welcome her. I waiver between fully enjoying our last moments as a family of 4, and getting antsy for the baby to arrive. 

Finding... some brief moments of writing inspiration. It's been a while since I sat down with my book manuscripts, but I've recently come back to a few of them to do some tinkering. 

Feeling... so tired all the time. I'm carrying 35 pounds of extra weight, and feel like a mama bear ready to hibernate. 

Wondering... if I want to participate in the 100-Day Project. I'm intrigued by the idea of creating something in bite-sized pieces and documenting it for 100 days. Crazy? Maybe. I need to think about what my actual project will be. It starts on April 6th - anyone else want to join me?

Loving... that we are surrounded by family and friends who offer so much love and support. People keep volunteering to babysit, offer help when the baby arrives, and generally remind us that we are not made to do life alone. 

Reading... Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, a compelling look at the isolation, social maneuverings, and trauma of a high school girl. I'm also reading a devotional guide Out of the Spin Cycle by Jen Hatmaker, which is perfect for this season of engaging with God in the midst of parenting.

My Life in Verbs

Trying... to decide on a baby name. Oh, speaking of our baby...it's a GIRL (not a boy like I originally said here). At our first ultrasound at 12 weeks, our doctor said she was 80% sure it was a boy. Fast forward to our 18-week ultrasound, when the doctor announced with more certainty that the baby is a girl. Haha. We were pretty surprised (and just as thrilled). Anyway, now we have to figure out a girl name.

Feeling... frumpy. With my 19-week pregnant body, all of my clothes feel ill-fitting or uncomfortable. Ugh.

Loving... our surprise party we had for my dad's 60th birthday this past weekend. My brothers, sister-in-law, and nieces flew in from California, and we had a big party. It was a blast. 

Reading... East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Good, classic American literature. Has anyone read Grapes of Wrath? Do you recommend it?

Anticipating... a trip to Colorado Springs for a School of Spiritual Direction intensive. For a WEEK. By MYSELF. I haven't taken a weeklong trip by myself in ages, and certainly not since having kids. To say I'm excited for this is a massive understatement.

Watching... the new ABC series How to Get Away With Murder. So good! I love Viola Davis, and this mystery-legal-thriller snagged me with the pilot. 

Hoping... for friends here on Oahu. We have lots of acquaintances, but no friendships with peers where we know each other deeply. I forgot how true friendships are gifts that take a long time to cultivate. I know we'll have this eventually, but the interim feels hard. 

What have you been up to recently? Share a verb or two of your own in the comments.

My Life in Verbs

Countdown to our move to Oahu: 9 days!

Our house is a disaster zone, I haven't exercised in weeks, and finding a few minutes to blog feels like a luxury I can barely afford. It may be a while till I get back into my normal groove of writing here, but until then here's a glimpse of what's going on.

Trying... to find a house to rent on Oahu. That's right...as of this moment we are 1 1/2 weeks from arriving in Hawaii, and STILL LOOKING FOR A HOUSE. Am I freaking out? Just a little. 

Feeling... sort of sick recently. That does not mesh well with needing to pack up a house and move. All my body really wants to do is lounge on the couch and sleep all day. Ugh.

Loving... last moments with friends. Goodbye hugs and tears have been so hard, but also a true reflection of how much we've had here in Los Angeles. 

Reading... Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, an engrossing love story set in the magic of the circus during the Great Depression.

Anticipating... a big camping trip this weekend with Steve's side of the family! So excited to be outdoors and commune with nature. We'll be on the coast of Santa Cruz, where Steve's family used to take annual trips. 

Hoping... that we survive the next few weeks of moving. I have my eyes set on setting foot on Oahu's beach, and eating a warm malasada from Leonard's. 

What have you been up to recently? Share a verb or two of your own in the comments.

My Life in Verbs

Realizing... there are far too many things to get angry/concerned about (hello, every article on FB). Sometimes usually it's okay to just choose to not get so worked up over every issue. Choose the battles, right?

Trying... to plan our Farewell Los Angeles party. Excited to throw one last big hurrah with our friends.

Loving... coconut water. I know, it's so trendy right now. But I love how refreshing and summer-y it is. 

Reading... The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I saw the movie years ago (liked it), and really love the novel. 

Anticipating... our final month and a half in Los Angeles. There are several trips, house projects, Aaron's summer break from school, our farewell party, and oh yeah, packing and moving. We're counting down the days!

Grieving... several friends who have recently died or had a family member die. The pain of losing people is awful. 

Enjoying... the beautiful outside. I love my morning walks, and afternoons at the park with my kids.

Hoping... to find the time to write. Things feel so busy, and it's been a challenge to sit down and do things that take brainwork. 

What have you been up to recently? Share a verb or two of your own in the comments.

My Life in Verbs

Realizing... that my thirties are the time to take really good care of my body. Everything is aging, and exercise, doctor check ups, wearing glasses, and eating healthily are important right now (not later).

Trying... to not cross my legs when I sit. Did you know that it's terrible for your back and posture? My chiropractor told me that many people's body aches would be eliminated if they were to simply sit up straight, with both legs on the floor. 

Loving... this Maybelline gel eyeliner. It's so much better than other eyeliners I've used, and only $8!

Reading... Journey to the Cross (a really great Lent devotional), Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes by William Bridges, and A Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty.

Anticipating... pausing work to be at home with our kids more. I am really excited to make this shift, and to have more space and energy to focus on parenting. It feels very much like the right change for our family and me, and I am so grateful that we can make it work.

Listening... to the Frozen soundtrack. I realize that I'm months late to the party, but we just saw the movie last week and fell in love. Even my 19-month old daughter is into the music: Alex Sings "Let It Go."

Creating... a new website. Thanks, Weebly, for your free, easy-to-use platform. Because of you, an average person like me can build a pretty good website in one day.

Wondering... how Aaron is about to turn 5. I mean, I know that we're all aging at the exact same rate, but what the heck? How is my kid nearly 5 already? 

What have you been up to recently? Share a verb or two of your own in the comments.

My Life in Verbs

Missing... Steve, who's been in St. Louis all week at InterVarsity's National Staff Conference. Solo parenting has been relatively fun and manageable, but come back to me, my husband!

Loving... my decision to return my Chromebook. Chromebook and I dated for a few tumultuous months, but now I am back with Apple, where I belong. Macbook Air is where it's at, and every single tap on the keypad and caress of the case is glorious.

Reading... Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown. A powerful book on shame, vulnerability, and how to live in the reality that we are "enough."

Anticipating... finally seeing the Book of Mormon on tour in LA. 

Wondering... at what point does "nice, long hair" cross the line into "hippie, elvish hair"? My lengthy tresses haven't been cut in 2 1/2 years. It's probably time for some scissor intervention.

Watching... Downton Abbey, House of Cards, and Orange Is the New Black on Netflix (thank you, all you who recommended it...It's so good!). Also, we've completely cut out cable TV from our lives. It is freeing.

Enjoying... downsizing our belongings. We are in serious de-cluttering mode here, with loads of stuff being given away, sold, and donated. If anyone wants pens or post-its, we're your one-stop-shop.

What have you been up to recently? Share a verb or two of your own in the comments.

My Life In Verbs

Celebrating... Thanksgiving with my family in Santa Cruz, CA. We decided to rent a house this year, complete with amazing food, Just Dance, and a hot tub. I cannot wait.

Reading... Looking for Alaska by John Green. It doesn't have quite the magic of Green's other book The Fault in Our Stars, but still really good. 

Hoping... we can wean Alex from her beloved pacifier without much trauma. Our pediatrician thinks it's time, and painful as it may be, we agree. She uses it when falling asleep, so we're hoping she finds other ways to self-soothe.

Loving... the cold rainy weather in LA this week. I reserve the right to change my mind about this and wish for warmer weather, but for now it is so nice to be bundled up in scarves and blankets sipping a mug of cider.

Enjoying... two rounds of preaching & teaching (once at our church, and another at USC). The fact that I actually enjoyed the experience is a true testament to God's work in me. For years, I loathed speaking to large groups of people, and would experience massive amounts of self-doubt and insecurity. But somehow I've emerged into a place of embracing my authority with confidence and joy. 

What have you been up to recently? Share a verb or two of your own in the comments.

My Life In Verbs

Celebrating... the arrival of Fall! This weekend we're taking a family trip to Faulkner Farms, where there is a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, hayrides and a corn maze. The season has also entered our home, where we are making Fall-themed crafts, eating homemade soups, and cozying up in blankets.

Reading... Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, a beautiful piece of American literature. Cookbook and chef memoir Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan and its sister book Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi, which are convincing me that I need to work in a bakery one day.

Hoping... our family makes it through this season without much sickness. Having two young kids multiplies the chances of the cold/flu entering our house by a thousand percent, but I'm crossing my fingers anyway.

Loving... my spiritual director, Sandy. She and I talk for an hour once a month about how I am and what God is doing in me. These times, though relatively short, are so potent with wisdom and clarity! I often enter with confusion and questions, and leave with a profound sense of what God is doing in my life. 

Wondering... where my wedding ring is. Yeah, that's not good. With the colder weather, it comes off easily. I am hoping it slipped off while I was asleep, and is lying somewhere under the bed. I've searched all over the house with zero luck.

Wanting... a date night with Steve. It's been ages since we went out, mostly because the last few months have been busy for us. We really need an evening out with each other. Hopefully he'll still take me, even though I lost my wedding ring.

What have you been up to recently? Share a verb or two of your own in the comments.

My Life In Verbs

Planning... a week of family vacation. We're doing a Southern California staycation, which will include camping near Pyramid Lake, CA, and a trip to Legoland. Any other family-fun things we should do around here? Let me know!

Celebrating... finding new and really great tenants for our houses. We own a property with two houses, living in one of the downstairs unit, and renting out seven other rooms. Some dear friends are moving out, and others are moving in (after several anxious weeks of searching for tenants). We're excited to continue fostering this cool living community in our homes!

Reading...Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I think I read part of it in high school, and totally did not get it. It's way better this time around. Also, I recently read Dragoon (the follow-up to Haven in the War of the Princes series) by my childhood friend A. R. Ivanovich. She is a great fantasy writer, and I'm excited to read more of her work.

Loving... a Free & For Sale Facebook Group I discovered. It's a group localized to the USC community where I work & live, and it is so addicting! I sold an old blender for $30 yesterday, and am on a mission to sell more things. Joy!

Creating... my new job! I am continuing to work in college ministry with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, but am moving into a different and newly developing role of "Partnership Development Director" (or something like that) for the Los Angeles Area. It will mostly involve developing partnerships between campus ministries and volunteers, alumni, and donors, and training and coaching InterVarsity staff. I'm really excited about the possibilities of the job, and have been borderline obsessive as I vision and dream for this coming year. 

What have you been up to recently? Share a verb or two of your own in the comments.

Life in Verbs

Enjoying... life without Facebook. I'm taking a little Lenten break from the FB, hoping to free myself from the consuming nature of social networking. While I feel less "in the know" with news and friends, I certainly have more time and brain space for other things, like writing, being present to my family, and reading books. Plus, I always have my news junkie husband to keep me posted on current events.

Celebrating... weddings of long-time friends and baby showers of new friends.

Wanting... pants that fit. Is it just me, or do others have this problem as well? I always seem to cycle through new pants that fit just fine in the store (Target), wear them for a few weeks, and then they inevitably end up too loose in the waist/hip area. Help me, people! Where are these elusive, well-fitting pants to be found?

Reading...The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. This is an incredible book for anyone with significant influence in a child's life - parents, teachers, social workers. It has great insights and anecdotes, and makes the science of the brain compelling to even the most un-sciencey people (me).

Loving... community dinners. We live in a community of 14 people (our family of four plus ten other friends living in two houses on the same property). One of the many benefits is that we have a weekly meal. Every Monday night, we gather for dinner. Meal preparation rotates among the group, and we get to enjoy regular time together. It is very counter-cultural to busy & isolated Los Angeles life, and so good for my soul.

Making... all sorts of things with our new Vitamix blender. We've been debating for months whether or not to buy one. Costco had the Vitamix on sale (yay!), so we went for it. I am so glad we did...it is amazing. We use it several times a day, and have made so many things with it - smoothies, blended cocktails, soup, almond milk, peanut butter. If you venture into our home, we WILL make something for you with our Vitamix and convince you to get one for yourself. Fair warning.

Life In Verbs

Hello. I am still here, I promise!

We've had so many things going on since the new year began. We traveled from Maui to Oahu to Los Angeles. When we returned to LA from our sabbatical, there was the unpacking from 6 months, moving back into our house, sorting through mountains of mail, getting reacquainted with work, settling Aaron into a new preschool, and learning how to do all this again with a second kid in the mix. It has been fun, busy, and crazy. 

Enjoying... seeing friends. Oh, how I missed our Los Angeles community of friends! I nearly cried on different occasions when reuniting with familiar faces. 

Wanting... more SLEEP. Alex, at 5 months old, has gotten into the habit of waking 3-4 times per night to nurse. I am a walking mom zombie these days, in desperate need of rest. Sleep training with our daughter shall commence soon.

Missing... beautiful Hawaii. I miss so many things about island life. The food, the weather, our church in Honolulu, being close to my parents. Also, the cold mainland weather doesn't help.

Wondering... how to celebrate my upcoming 32nd birthday. I'm thinking that I'll be satisfied with a free birthday Starbucks drink and early bedtime. If that sounds a bit sad to you, give me some ideas.

Loving... decreased expectations of myself. With so many potential tasks to complete (fix meals, unpack, laundry), there is the high possibility of me becoming very overwhelmed very quickly. As a preventative measure, I am currently operating with the goal of accomplishing one important task per day. Anything beyond that is bonus. Tomorrow, for instance, I am taking Alex to the doctor for her 5-month check-up. If my hair is a mess and I forget to shower, it's okay. Life won't fall apart. Right???