For a long time, my newsletter was like this: me sharing a bit about my life and my thoughts and some thoughtful art/content I’ve recently given my time to. I enjoyed writing it but didn’t think I’d repeat it here, yet here we go! As I work on the million pieces I have in draft form, I hope you enjoy a little peek into my life the last month or so.
Highlights from late Aug/Sept
Wow, our days lately have been FULL. We generally try to keep scheduled things to a minimum, but it has felt very busy lately. And it’s okay. Here are some things that stand out in my mind.
Seeing my old nanny fam — After leaving teaching I nannied for a family for a few years alongside doing private tutoring. In mid-August, I got a text from them that they’d be in our area for a hockey tournament and did we want to meet up? We did, and it was amazing to see the kids I took care of for almost two years (ages 2 and 4 when I started) all grown up. 5th grade and 7th grade. It was a little emotional honestly — children are so sacred and it’s truly a privilege to care for them and watch them grow. It was a super fun and beautiful thing to reconnect with this beautiful family (and their third kid, too!).
Silent retreat — Our church offers women’s and men’s silent retreats each August at a gorgeous retreat center a few hours from where I live. I wasn’t able to go last year, but this year I made it happen! A weekend away with my own room, food made for me, inspiring teaching, and lots of time sorting out my thoughts and listening for God—it was incredible! I’m seeing the fruit of it in my life in very real ways. I’ll probably write a whole post about it at some point, and you can bet I’ll be going every year from now on if I can! Ryan actually went to the men’s one just this past weekend (solo parenting, whew!).
Tea party — This was another beautiful offering from our parish, an annual fundraiser for the Pro Ecclesia Sancta sisters who bring so much to our diocese. I invited my grandma and mom as well, but only my grandma was able to come. It was a beautiful event full of radiant feminine energy. We enjoyed dressing up “fancy,” sitting on quilts and blowing bubbles, getting our hair done with sparkles, arranging flowers, and of course drinking tea. I was so energized by it and the time spent with my girls and grandma.
Farm sale — I grew up on a farm near the town I live in. My parents have been in the process of retiring, and they made it final a few weeks ago with their big farm sale a few weeks ago! No one in my family is taking over our family farm — my brothers are both in medicine, and my husband is an engineer — so they sold it. The end of an era. It was a beautiful day hanging out with my brothers, my parents, and my parents’ friends and family. The auction went well, my dad was proud, and yes I got a little bit emotional. It was probably the last time I’ll ever set foot on the ground where I spent my whole childhood.
Regular playdate on the calendar with a friend — A friend and I got a weekly hanging out date on the calendar starting in early September. Our kids have grown to be really connected and it’s such a beautiful thing to watch! I love the rhythm of scheduled hanging out with people; it’s so easy otherwise to not happen! Got together with other friends for a potluck-and-let-the-kids-run-free this weekend, something else I’d love to do regularly! (If you’re local and reading, let me know if you’re game!)
Teaching — My job as an (part-time) elementary ELL teacher has been absolutely wonderful. We had conferences in mid-September and meeting the families of my students brought back a lot of memories of my work in Los Angeles and the Twin Cities. The 2 days a week is a great rhythm for where our family is right now, and I feel so lucky to get to work with these kiddos on their English language acquisition. They’re helping me with my Spanish, too! The other day I learned that “in your face” directly translates! En tu cara! Lol, thank you competitive first grade boys.
Sports — Ryan wanted Alice to play fall soccer and I felt like it was too much. He felt strongly about it, so I agreed to it under the condition that he does the work. He did. He coached, figured out all the details, got everyone ready, etc.—you know. And it was good. Alice scored two goals this season and is blossoming into a soccer player before our eyes. So fun. He’s now onto hockey so they may be playing that this winter (again, managed by him!), in addition to his elaborate plans to make a full ice rink in our backyard. Bringing that Minnesota energy of enjoying the winter. I like it. I need it.
Store closing — A lovely little children’s consignment store closed its doors in our community in mid-September. We spent some time getting our items that were on the racks and picking out some things for a final purchase. Small, local businesses closing their doors is such a bummer—they’re a big part of what makes a community a vibrant and fun place to be. The girls are really sad about it as we shopped there often, and I am too. I remain hopeful though and always try to shop local when we can afford it. I just bought some new flats for work at our local shoe place on Main Street!
Local pumpkins — In happier local news, a friend is homesteading with her family on a cute little acreage and they are on year two of an incredible pumpkin patch! We went out to enjoy time there and grab some beautiful pumpkins. People like her keep me hopeful that our community can become a more engaging, vibrant place.
Dishwasher drama — Our dishwasher went out and we had to get a new one. (The repair guy said he wouldn’t spend the money to fix it.) Dishes are my least favorite household chore, so this was a *whole thing.* Mary Ingalls Wilder would not be proud of me, but I really hate life without a dishwasher. We ended up getting a Bosch on sale, and I’m… obsessed. If you ever told me I’d be obsessed about a household appliance, I’d have laughed. Well, here we are.
New phones — Ryan and I recently switched cell providers (back on a family plan!) and got new phones along with it. We both upgraded… sort of. I’ve had an iPhone 6 for a very long time, so I was thrilled to upgrade to the 14 (?). It’s a whole new life having a phone that doesn’t die constantly or tell me the storage is full. And the camera. Wow. Ryan, however, upgraded to… a flip phone! I don’t mean a flip smartphone; I mean like an old-school flip phone, like with t9 texting. He’s been joking about it forever, but he actually took the plunge. He doesn’t want the temptation; he wants to be present with the kids and in his life in general. What a man.
All the babies — From friends to family, aaaaaall the babies are growing and being born and I am here for it. And holy cow, four is the new two! I love it. Alsoooo… do I want another baby? Oof, the struggle is real. I’m so tired, and a little old, but also the thought of not having another makes me… sad. I sat directly across from a woman at the aforementioned tea party who had three girls and then a boy at age 41. I was like OK GOD I GET IT. Lol.
Some things I’ve read/listened to/watched in the last month
I recently read Let Me Be a Woman: Notes to My Daughter on the Meaning of Womanhood (Elisabth Eliot) and The End of Woman: How Smashing the Patriarchy Has Destroyed Us (Carrie Gress). I’m re-reading Hold On to Your Kids for our book club! I’ll be posting about chapter 1 this week! Still reading The Chronicles of Narnia to the girls. I’ll be honest, we’re getting a bit stuck on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; it’s dragging for us. Trying to push through but I’m reading to a 5- and 7-yo, ha.
I normally listen to a lot of podcasts, but it’s been pretty sporadic lately, mostly because I had to delete my Podcast app because I needed more space on my super old iPhone. I’ll share a few things I’ve listened to lately… After my post about being a confused feminist, someone recommended this commentary from Catholic thinker Trent Horn. It made me happy to know the phrase “toxic anti-feminist” exists, because although I have issues with mainstream feminism, I also sometimes have issues with people who criticize feminism. It’s complicated. This was a good listen and I thank reader Jessamyn for putting me onto it! I listened to the New York Times podcast series The Retrievals, as well as this excellent conversation from the Radical Moms Union discussing it. I’ve been listening to the Wicked soundtrack on repeat. I pulled it from the archives a while back and kind of can’t stop. It’s just so good!
Watched, hm… MOPS (or now it’s MomCo I guess) started this month, and the first video was excellent. In one part Mandy Arioto was talking about how orcas get super unhealthy in captivity, even though they are totally safe and provided for: their life of ease actually makes them sick and mentally unwell. HMMMMM. Ryan and I watched Jim Gaffigan’s newest stand-up special, Dark Pale. I started watching a mini-series I’ve been wanting to see for forever called Mrs. America, which is centered on Phyllis Schlafly, a conservative woman who fought against the Equal Rights Amendment. We haven’t done any movies lately with the girls, but we have been on a Bluey binge again. (So good.)
That’s a wrap!
Hey, let me know if you enjoy these types of rambly, life update-y posts! If you do, I’ll happily continue them. Meanwhile, it’s bonfire and soup season here in the Midwest! Yeeeees!
How was the last month or so for you? Please feel free to say hello in the comments! I love knowing who’s here and reading (and how you’re doing!).
I love posts like this! Please keep doing them. 🤗
Amber you have to listen to the latest Maiden Mother Matriarch podcast with Inez Stepman of Independent Women’s Forum in reference to the feminism/anti-feminism sort of conversation. You will love it, such a intelligent conversation. I also just got a iPhone 14 after having an XR that required me to delete almost all my apps to run just one, and life on the other side has been sort of amazing I hate to admit ha! Loved reading this!