Hello March!!

Just like that, February says goodbye and March waltzes in.  This year has barely started, but yet it feels like it's headed towards the finish line in turbo mode.  Slow down!!!

Matter of fact, I think slowing down is what we all need to do.

Does anyone else feel like everyone around them is rushing and busy and constantly on the move?  I used to feel like I had to keep up with everyone else, but lately, watching the flurry of movement around me, makes me want to slow down my pace, take it easy, enjoy every day to the max.

The sun is starting to rise earlier, and it makes me so incredibly happy to see.

The grass is starting to turn green, and the baby birds are coming out in force.  All signs that Spring is before us.

So the past week I've been digging deep into my homemaking and other activities that I used to love, like reading.

I've been devouring books, reading through at least one a night, and I know that's completely insane but I've always been a fast reader, and if the book interests me, then I can read it two or 3 hours.

My bookshelves are full of books I've purchases over the years and never got around to enjoying.  See that's the thing, even if my excitement for reading was gone, the excitement for collecting them never left, and I think that's a good thing because now I have shelf after shelf, filled with just the kind of books I enjoy.

The current one I'm enjoying is this one by Mark Batterson, called Whisper, How to Hear the voice of God.

And oh my word, oh my giddy heart, I started it last night and had to put it aside because it was pretty late and I still wanted to read through my Devotionals and pray before falling asleep.  Yes I'm one of those that sometimes feel so exhausted that I fall asleep in the middle of prayer.

But back to the book, I'll do a review on it in the next few days, I want to finish it (I'm halfway through), and take it all in before I share with you my thoughts.  I'm learning so much thought, and it's opening my eyes to a plethora of tools and thoughts and emotions that I'm finding quite overwhelming at the moment.

Anyway, between books and reading, I'm cracking on with the crochet.  I'm determined to finish this Elements CAL by next week.  Even if I have to block it YET again.

By the way, if you work with Acrylic yarns like I do, you might want to try Steam blocking, it really seems to be the only blocking method that is cooperating at the moment.  The first steam blocking I did, didn't work 100% but then I think a lot of it is due to the nature of the pattern itself.  I'll give it another Steam block sometime within the next few days and then we'll see where we are.

My kitchen is once again my save and happy haven.  Baking has taken over many days, cooking is something I'm once again in love with, and not just the process of making the meals, but taking pictures and updating the food blog and all of that. 

I also made my mammogram appointment, this year they are super booked in advance and can only get me in on the 10th of April.  It's not too bad since my last one was March 23rd of last year so I don't feel like I'm too behind on that.

Making that appointment raised my anxiety slightly, I really need to manage this especially since I've been doing very well, not worrying, not stressing, not living fearfully, but it still manages to creep up once in a while.

One of the devotionals I'm reading talks about how the minute we get closer to God, or start working on strengthening the bond between us and Him, how the enemy immediately attacks and I'm certainly feeling that way.  All these anxiety and panic attacks really reared their head the minute I made the decision to get back into daily devotionals and daily time with God.

The enemy will use what you are most afraid of to distract you or get you off track, and he knows exactly how to set me off.  First step to getting around it is to see it for what it is, which I do, and then removing it completely from my thoughts.  That's the trickiest part isn't it?  Not always as easy as we think.

Anyway, I'm doing well, I'm staying strong, and I'm NOT budging on this.  My bond with the Lord is getting stronger every day and I really am feeling amazing.

So yeah, that's what's been going on around here.

Now I need to get on off and start working on dinner.  I'm so thankful it's Friday and the weekend is upon us, even though we will need to be up at 5am to take Jasmine to the airport as she's off to visit her boyfriend and his family.  And no, it's not her ex, she has found herself a very sweet, kind, respectful and God loving young man which we are very happy about.

But I'll tell you more on that tomorrow, I'm going to take my camera and snap some pics here and there.

Have a wonderful Friday night friends :)