January in Review

Looking back on a cold start to 2025

January skies promised frosty storms followed by easy blues to melt away the snow. It was a cold month. We spent most of the month staring out windows, longing to play outside, sipping on hot chocolate, and dreaming of spring.

As I look into February, I’m focusing on finishing what I’ve started, rather than starting something new (I’m looking at you Charlie in the Clouds). And I’m not sure if I’ve ever done something like this in January before

Here’s a simple snapshot of our season so far:

Watching: chunky snowflakes sprinkle our North Texas yard

Playing: catch, tag, and bike races

Listening: Teach Me To Dance

Learning: all about building a proper first aid kit

Writing: little love notes for Bryan’s lunchbox¹

Reading: The Companion Garden | Flippity Gilbert’s Cottage of Quirks by Emily Barnett | Jewel by the Sea (a friend’s WIP and I’m so proud of her!)

Trying: to let go of expectations—in motherhood, in daughterhood, as an American, as a Christian, in career, and in womanhood

Questioning: why is the French tuck or millennial tuck out of fashion? I love it too much to give it up

Eating: too much Tony Chocoloney

Sipping: a new tea

Calling: my niece, she’s now four months and the most adorable

Crafting: an embroidered hat for a friend in New Orleans

Loving: our weekend trips to the park

Loathing: texting with my left hand — it’s unavoidable and proven tricky. I’ve never had more typos

Discovering: God’s holiness in the little tasks

Enjoying: the slight hum in the early morning air

Finishing: a few gift boxes for some very dear friends

Considering: sharing exciting news with you, but I’m not sure how to go about it

Smelling: peppermint. We have squirrels in the attic, so to kindly send them on their way, we’ve drenched cotton balls with peppermint oil and scattered them around the attic. The house smells refreshing!

Starting: nothing new. I’ll be focused on finishing this year. Well suppose I am starting a garden.

What a season, what a life.

A few of my favorite things so far this month:

I want: to remember feeling this tired but this happy forever and always

I need: Seedtime app (basically plans the garden calendar for me)

To wear: looking at a pair of overalls

To read: Gifted by Grace

Is there anything that has really stuck out to you this month?

1. My husband— I’ve made him sound like a child, but he is indeed a grown man, currently climbing through our attack while the child naps on my belly.