hello Monday

 

Happy Monday, friends! How was your weekend? I'm linking up with Holly and Sarah to talk about mine, backing up with Wednesday of this week. I'm starting there since real life took over and I didn't talk about any of this thing on Thursday's post; I was out to late that night to blog on Friday, but that's to be understood, right? 

Okay, I'll jump in...

My friend Kendra invited me to go with her to her friend Melissa's house for a pre-watch party; the movie of the night was Practical Magic. This was so much fun! We had pizza, snacks, sweet treats, and Midnight Margaritas! IYKYK. I was grateful to have something to do for two nights in a row after a rough start to the week. Then on Thursday after work, we all went to dinner, and to see...

Practical Magic 2! This time, Marilyn went with us. This was such a great movie, I'd easily go see it again. 

Friday was a full day! It was a field trip day for fourth grade; we went to the high school and saw the play, How to Train Your Dragon Jr. It was so cute! My little student loved it, and it made for a spectacularly fun Friday. That afternoon, I went home to rest for a while, then changed and picked up Marilyn for a birthday celebration. Mallory (Drew's girlfriend) and Meredith (her twin sister) turned 26, so we met them all at a restaurant called Hog and Hominy in Memphis. 

It was a fun night!

I love that they also invited Marilyn! This was such a fun night, and these girls kept all of us in stitches. For the rest of the weekend, I stayed home and cleaned my house. I skipped over that last weekend, so it was much needed! I went to Marilyn's house for a while on Saturday night, and we ended up working on our blogs while we watched Sleepless in Seattle. I went to church on Sunday, then I ran some errands before going back home after lunch with Mom and Bill. 

I'm anticipating a better week! I'm grateful that real life trumped my blog this week, and that I was so busy that I didn't have time to write for Friday. I love that! Did you do anything fun this weekend? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all!

Jen 🖤

happies from the week

Happy Thursday, friends! I thought I'd share an uplifting post today, since mine have been kind of sad all week. I know you understand, and I love you for that. I'll jump in!

• good phone conversations that go on and on
• random text messages from people checking on me or telling me they just prayed for me
• seeing all of my sons on Sunday, though at different times
• a short week
• fun Wednesday night plans (tonight too!)
• good coffee
• God's new morning mercies
• fresh days
• a really great night of sleep 
• the friendships I have at work and the midday laughter they bring
• seeing students in the hall and hearing their sweet/hilarious greetings ("Good morning, ya cutie!" from the kid who called me Ms. Loyal all of last year)
• getting to know the kindergarten babies who drive me bonkers in the line each afternoon as we wait to exit the building for dismissal
• distractions that help me when I'm at home for too long
• my social media algorithms...it's all dogs, food, fashion, and grief
• knowing that I get to go back to the counselor today for my weekly appointment
• fun plans after and a weeknight trip to the movie theater (more on these things tomorrow)
• my job that I love and the sweet little girl I get to watch over...I taught her the sign for "I love you" yesterday and then she proceeded to sign that to me all day

What's something you're thankful for this week or something that brought you some joy? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. I'll see you back here tomorrow. Love to all!

Jen

the Wednesday hodgepodge

 

Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm linking up with Joyce for today's hodgepodge post. I'll jump right in!

1. Are you ready for some football? On a scale of 1-10, how much of a fan are you (ten is team never miss a game and 1 is here for the snacks)? Who is your team? Theoretically, I love the thought of football and love it being on in the background for noise. I don't follow it super closely or anything like that, but I do like to have it on and watch on occasion. I'm not a die hard fan or anything like that, but I live in the South, and these are the rules. I don't make them, but I follow them. I suppose on a scale of 1-10, I would fall around the 5 mark. I don't really have a "team" of my own; I like SEC teams, though. I'll always pull for one of those, or I'll choose my own hometown team of the U of M Tigers. I follow a lot of these teams on Instagram, so it's fun to watch them from a different perspective.

2. What's something you currently have a game plan for managing? I'll choose to talk about everyday life here. When something traumatic happens in your life, it seems as if time slows down. People step in to take care of you and feed you, and it's honestly a wonderful thing to witness. But when that stops, you realize that life never stopped moving, it's just that you did. I feel as if I'm waking up from a dream sometimes, and then I remember it's real life. I'm taking things a day at a time and being easy on myself as much as I can, but I do have a game plan in place for managing my life again. Baby steps, right? 

3. Do you like chicken wings? Hot, mild, or any other flavor? What's a must have food item for you on a tailgate menu? This is something that I'll eat at someone's house (Bill, I'm talking to you) that I enjoy, but I never order this out. I would say that I definitely prefer the mild flavor of wings; Chris loved chicken wings and ordered them all the time when we went out. I would always eat one or two of his. A must have item for me on a tailgate menu would be chips and dips. 

4. Teams typically have strict playbooks they follow. What is one unwritten rule or piece of advice in your "life playbook" that you think everyone should know? My unwritten rule of life is to leave a place better, or at least as good as, I found it originally. 

5. This is the week we remember and mourn all that was lost and changed on September 11, 2001. I always include a spot for bloggers to share about 9/11. Share as much or as little as you'd like. It's hard to believe it's been twenty five years since that day. I wonder if we knew then the changes this would mean for us going forward. Everything has changed since then, security wise. And understandably so! It's something I'm grateful for: the men and women who protect us.

6. Insert your own random thought here. I had a mental image yesterday of Chris looking down from Heaven, and it just about took me out at work. I could almost see myself running to him the minute I saw him, and he wrapped his arms around me. I know that this isn't theologically correct, so please keep unnecessary comments to yourself. (Talking to you, Anon.) It's almost like I was dreaming, but I was awake. I'd just watched a video from a grief counselor on TikTok, and it just about took my breath away. I was a wreck for the rest of the day. I came home and laid down, and I cried on and off all evening. 

I'm so glad I have plans tonight and for the rest of the week/weekend. I need to be busy again! Between that and my sweet friend Sarah from work texting me, and it was just a very emotional and long day. I know that this is all just a part of mourning the loss of someone I loved, but it sucks. There are no other words that will describe it as accurately as that. He wasn't perfect and we had our struggles that we had to overcome, but I miss him so much that it hurts. I feel a dull ache at all times, and it feels fake when I laugh and seem like I'm having a good time. 

I keep ending these posts on a sad note. I wish I could say that it'll change, but I don't know when that will happen. Thanks for still being here to read and encourage. I appreciate it more than words can say! Please keep praying for me, I still desperately need them. Thanks, friends. Love to all.

Jen 

fashion files & some ways I'm taking care of myself

 

Happy Tuesday, friends! I'm talking about more things I'm saying yes to this week. I'm also linking up with Amy for the weekly Fashion Files and Joanne for Tuesday Talk. I'll jump right in!  

I think I shared this one already? I wore this one day last week; I kind of forgot that I'd purchased this skort thing from Old Navy over the summer! 

I'm missing a day of outfits...I don't know why or how I did that, but there was one morning last week when I was running later than I like. That's probably why. I went back and forth between the skort, dresses, and leggings/button downs last week, because of events going on at work. I'm so ready for different weather when I can vary my clothes again! I have to stay cool, and the only thing that keeps me that way is a dress. 

This was for Saturday brunch...

...Sunday church...

...and then for an afternoon spent poolside. 

Our weather isn't changing this week; we're still experiencing extremely hot temps, so this means indoor recess and more of the same outfits. Maybe next week it'll change? I'm hopeful!


And now for the second part of this blog...

I thought I'd share some ways I'm giving myself some love lately. Yesterday marks one month since Chris died. I wasn't sure how I'd feel on that day, but for the most part, I was okay. I cried on the phone with my Missy when she called to check on me, and then I moved on with the day. I played on my phone, I worked on my blog, and I watched TV. At one point when I went upstairs to make my bed and put on real clothes, I decided instead to crawl into my still unmade bed and take a nap. When I woke up and hour and something later, I took a shower and washed my hair. This felt amazing! I was kind of sad when I was laying in my bed; I was glad that I hadn't made plans to do anything that day.  

One thing I love to do for myself is take care of my home. I love for things to be clean and organized; I spent some time doing that yesterday in preparation of my work week. It feels so good to be able to get things cleaned out and ready for the work week. It's a place that I love to be, so it brings me joy to take care of things here. I love it all...the mundane and the frivolous. 

On the days when I'm at home, if I turn on the TV and start watching a show and feel myself growing sleepy, I succumb to that and will take a nap, even if it's a short one. I know that my body needs extra rest right now, so I try to listen to it and do what I feel in that moment. I don't always watch TV; sometimes I will choose music over that and actually prefer it, honestly. I'm listening to a catchy playlist as I write this on Monday morning. Other times I might read or scroll on my phone. 

I take my lunch breaks one day at a time at work. Some days I eat in the lounge by myself; while I do that, I read. Other days, I will sit in my friend Sarah's classroom since she's not busy when I eat. I let each day be different; she understands the need I have to be quiet sometimes, which is what I did last week. Sometimes I don't want to be alone; other times I feel like I won't be able to talk without crying. Each day is a little different, so I try to take it easy on myself. 

I'm taking care of myself. I treated myself to a mani/pedi on Saturday, which felt amazing. 

I never do that those two things on the same day, but it felt luxurious to be able to do that over the weekend. The pushing point was that all the polish came off my toes Friday night, and I can't stand to have them bare. Ha! 

I'm saying yes to people; dinner after work, weekday movie nights, birthday celebrations that last all weekend long...I'm saying yes to it all. I'm also saying yes to staying at home on the nights when I just don't have it in me to go anywhere else, or when I'm absolutely and utterly exhausted from work. 

I'm trying to take it easy on myself; sometimes this is easier said than done. It's been a long month. It does feel a little easier each day, and the new normal has set in. I am still hopeful of my future, and I'm starting to get to the point where I'm excited about things. It's very minimal, but it's there, nonetheless. I find myself being extremely grateful for the small things in life: time spent with people I love and even the most mundane and minimal of plans, and the offer of emotional support that Chloe consistently offers me. This is me trying to keep on with life to the best of my ability. 

Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all.

Jen 

hello Monday

 

Happy Monday, friends! How was your weekend? I'm linking up with Holly and Sarah to talk about mine. 

Friday was a work day for teachers and staff, but the kids were out. I loved this day! I had made the decision to sit in my friend Karen's room that day, since I didn't have anywhere to be or no meetings to attend. I had told her I would help her come up with an organization system for student work, so that's what we did. I started our day with iced coffees for us; Dutch Bros has a cookie butter latte that is to die for. This was the best way to start a special Friday! I just loved being in the room with her; I miss her so much now that I don't get to work side by side with her everyday. I still make time to visit everyday, though, and go in there from 3:30-3:45 when I have a small break. A group of us went to lunch together and then we finished the day talking. By the time we left at 3:30, there were five of us in there talking and cracking up. It was actually a great day, and one that I got paid for basically just to sit. 

That night I went to Marilyn's for dinner. I picked something up for me and we ate together at her place. We just sat and talked for a long time, then we finally got up and went to walk around Costco. That was fun, since I hadn't been there in about two years! I got a few things on her membership, since I was there. I'm grateful to spend these Friday nights with her; it's a fun way to kick off the weekend, and even if we don't do a thing, I love that we get to be together and catch up. I'm so glad that our lives work out to be able to do this! I stayed at her house for a little while after we got back, then I came home to shower, wash my hair, and lay in bed. It had been a long day, and it didn't take me long to fall asleep! 

I thought it was funny that we were both in our green shirts that day. 

Saturday found me sleeping in until seven thirty! That never happens, and it felt amazing. I loved the leisurely morning at home; I started laundry, and just lingered over coffee. It was so nice! My friend Kendra picked me up at ten, and she and I went to brunch together. It was nice to sit and catch up, because it had been a while since we had done anything. After our brunch (complete with a mimosa), we went over to Ulta so we could both pick up a few things. I needed more of my lip gloss and some new mascara. 

After she dropped me back off at home, I came in and discovered I'd left my phone in her car. Friends, I hate to admit this, but I was just about near helpless for a good bit. I had no way of reaching out to her (or anyone else), because I don't have numbers memorized or written down! Thankfully, Jonah pulled up Life 360 and helped me track her through that app, and we were able to text with my Apple watch. For some reason, I could only text him, though, and nobody else. I would have texted Kendra or Marilyn if I could have, but I couldn't. I found her back at her apartment, and after I had my phone back, I realized some things. 

First, I need to write down some numbers and put them in my wallet in case this ever happens again. I'm ashamed at how I don't know numbers for people, but it's not something we have to know anymore. Secondly, I had a bit of anxiety over this. My phone is everything, and I depend on it for so much! I don't think this is anything unhealthy, but as a single woman, this thing is life. I was sharing this story with Marilyn, and she completely agreed with me on this. There's something about not having anyone else that makes you realize the importance of certain things you depend on it for. My bank information is there, my insurance coverage and information is there, not to mention it's my line of communication. 

For the rest of the day, I was at home, then I went back to Marilyn's for a little while. I went to church on Sunday, then I went to swim over at Drew's and Mallory's. That was a fun afternoon! 

 

I had so much fun on this afternoon! I met up with Drew, Mallory, her twin sister Meredith, a friend of theirs, Jennifer (Mallory's mom), and Marilyn. We stayed in the pool for a few hours, then we went to change and to dinner. I visited my Graham before I came back to Collierville...he's been sick, and I needed to put my eyes on him. I just sat and talked to him for a little while, then I did a few small things for him before I left again. After that I stopped by Marilyn's again before coming home, because why not? She's literally on my way home. I love that we're so close! I came home and watched tv for a while before turning in for the night. 

It was a good weekend, and I am grateful! It's normal for the weekends to feel long now, and I was kind of dreading this one because of that. I'm so glad that I'm saying the opposite is true this weekend. I'll see you back here tomorrow, friends. Thanks for reading my blog! Love to all. 

Jen