To me the hardest part of writing is always getting started. But here we are. Only eight months or so after my last post. Gah.

Eight months ago our baby was not yet born. Now she sits on my lap.

In order for this post not to be unbearably long and rambling, I’m going to stick to my tried and true ‘Monday Five’ format.

Here are five things that have been on my mind recently/that I’m excited about at the moment!

Monotasking.

One of the recent Art of Manliness episodes interviewed a gentleman who studies multi-tasking and how it affects us. As it turns out (surprise surprise), multitasking isn’t really a thing as much as it us trying to convince ourselves that we’re being “productive.” As technology has become more and more prevalent, we now have the opportunity to switch back and forth between tasks really quickly—and then say that we’re doing them all at once. This is actually making us less productive, more distracted, and more overwhelmed. Oopsies. While there are some things we can do simultaneously without too much damage, a lot of things are what he calls “mono tasks”, aka, they should just be done one at a time. Example: reading! When was the last time you sat and read a book for twenty minutes? Listening to this podcast made me realize that I probably need to face the reality that most of the time when I say I’m “multi-tasking”, I’m just getting distracted every five seconds. I think this will help me feel less overwhelmed and more present.

Morning reading.

Speaking of mono tasks…Recently Stephen and I worked a little bit on our office/library and it has since become a more pleasant space to be in (though it certainly still needs some more work). One of the most important features for me (other than the shelves, obviously) was having a comfy chair to sink into and a table next to it. For Christmas Stephen got me one of those nice candles that make the sound of a fireplace while they burn which I also put in there and the result is quite cozy. This has facilitated me coming in the office first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee and reading/praying while I nurse Monica. It has been a very peaceful way to start the day and I’m loving it.

Salads.

I know, it sounds super lame. And especially with the annual January “I must lose weight” craze, it sounds especially trite. But. My mother makes the best salads. They are so hearty and yummy and easy to make. I was reminded of that when she came to help us with Monica the week she was born and since then I have done my best to recreate them as often as possible. To make this easier, when I come home from the store with all my lettuce (I get heads of romaine or bib lettuce, not the bagged type) and veggies, I take about twenty minutes to wash and chop it all up so it’s ready to go when it’s grub time. My mom also taught me to heat up salami in the skillet until it’s a little toasted and wow, so good. I also add the crumbled goat cheese (such a game changer!), nuts, chopped dates, and boom. Delicious/nutritious lunch. With Stephen I do typically serve it as a side instead of main dish as it is what he claims to be “girl food.”

Babylon Bee.

I dearly love to laugh. It’s one of my favorite things. Some time in the last year I discovered Babylon Bee and man do I enjoy reading it! They are almost always hilarious and add some much-needed levity to a lot of the craziness. Probably everyone knows about this already since I tend to be late in the game but… better late than never, right?

The Privilege of Being a Woman.

When I was engaged, a friend gave me the book By Love Refined, which is when I learned about the author, Alice Von Hildebrand. She is a wise woman. And very bold. I wish we had more voices like hers. My Christmas book this year (Stephen and I exchange books on Christmas Eve every year in following an Icelandic tradition), was another book by Alice Von Hildebrand, The Privilege of Being a Woman. It was short but profound and so well-written.

Monica Thérèse.

Many more talented writers than I have already discussed the joys of motherhood, so I won’t elaborate too much. However, it is truly a joy; her innocence and dependence on us astound me daily. I can’t wait to see her grow up and I absolutely love watching Stephen be a doting father. She is such an incredible a gift, and while parenting is challenging, it is the most precious difficulty a person could ask for.

I realize this is a quick post for having taken such a long hiatus, but I figured it’s better to get something out than to keep waiting to post something longer/more profound. What are you excited about this week?

–Miranda