T.I.L.L. in May

Things that made a difference

Oh blessed relief to my ears, May was the month that the cicadas reached their utmost racket, but then moved on. I’m so happy I can sit on my porch again (as I am now) and hear myself think!

May was also the month of roadtripping to TN for a long-anticipated reunion with my mom’s side of the family. It was so special to spend time with them, and introduce Fleurie to some who hadn’t met her yet.

It was also the month of another celestial phenomenon: the northern lights, visible all the way here, in southern Virginia. Staring up at the faint pink and purple glow of the night sky, I felt an awe similar to what I felt at the solar eclipses I’ve seen: joy and wonder and adoration for the Creator. Short of His return, what other event can single-handedly turns millions of eyes to the sky? Amazing.

My flower gardens have burst into color, the David Austen rose and peonies showing off alongside the little loaded peach tree and fig bush that has six teeny fruits ripening. I’m SO excited for fresh figs! This month I’ve grabbed pockets of time here and there to putter around my garden, mulching and adding wood chips. My goal is a no-till patch and I’ve been wanting wood chips for a while but wasn’t sure where to find them. Then WALLAH, a light bulb moment when I remembered the piles of them that fell around the edges of the giant woodchipper that dismembered our neighboring forest last year (still sad about that).

I called the neighbor who owns the land and asked permission to pick up the chips for my garden. Procuring them is a slow process of driving the lawn mower and our little trailer over, scraping up shovelsfull of the wood chips, and then spreading them on the garden. It will take a while to complete, but I enjoy it the work. After so many years of my primary work being at a computer, I relish every chance I get to do something real and tactile, even in the blazing heat of summer.

Fleurie is, as my Wonder Weeks app predicted, “the sunshine of the house”. Even in the infamous 4 month sleep regression, she is such a sweet little girl, entertaining us endlessly with her expressions and motions. She’s rolling over both ways now, wants to stand all the time, and misses absolutely nothing with those big round eyes. I love being her mama and watching her grow by leaps and bounds these days.

Here are some favorite photos of the month:

the northern lights in southern Virginia...what a SIGHT! | I couldn't get over Fleurie in her wee jean shorts and pink headband 😁

Fleurie looooooooves a good foot prop.

First Mother’s Day with a baby in my arms 😭

Fleurie's first time at the pool | Hanging out with her dad, who she adores

I enjoyed a lot of things in May, but here’s a recap of the top 6 Things I’m Loving Lately:

1. This sermon by Tim. I had to go back and listen to it again after the Sunday he preached it, it’s just so good.

   “There is a battlefield…and where does Jesus say the battlefield exists? In us. It is not things or people outside of us that are sentenced with the sword, it is the battle that exists in all of us. We all know that the world needs to be overcome, but the world is not just ‘out there’ somewhere. The world, first and foremost, needs to be overcome in us.”

2. It Wasn’t Roaring, It Was Weeping, the new release by Lisa-Jo Baker. This has been on my TBR for a while and I listened to the audiobook version (via Spotify) this month. What a rich gift this book is. Lisa-Jo reads the audiobook version, which only adds to its poignant, lyrical, beauty. It Wasn’t Roaring, It was Weeping is a memoir about the power of family stories, and the redemption that healed generations of rage and violence. It is a hard book to read in places (CW for verbal abuse, some language, and accounts of racial violence), but one that left me feeling hopeful for the healing we are all capable of bringing to the broken parts of our family stories. Will probably be my book of the year.

3. Boon Nursh baby bottles. We’ve been supplementing Fleurie’s feedings with formula, and I love these bottles for it. They have a silicone cup insert that collapses as baby drinks and helps prevent gulping of air. The bottles also don’t leak, ever, which is a big plus. And if you ever wondered if baby bottles could be aesthetic, now you know. :)

4. This adorable little brown lamp with scalloped shade. There are lots of other colors and two sizes available. And it’s currently on sale!

5. My favorite essential oil diffuser blend currently is clary sage, geranium, and blue tansy. I do maybe 8 drops of each? The smell is fresh and reminiscent of a gentle spring rain. Ahhhhhh. I use Plant Therapy!

6. Tracking macros with the app, My Fitness Pal. Heidi Yoder inspired me to start tracking calories and protein in particular. I’m aiming for 150g per day, and it’s a fun little game to find ways to hit this goal without exceeding my total calories. Adding THM integral collagen is a game-changer for adding protein to things like smoothies, soups, etc..

What did you love in May?

✿Rae