Look Back. Look Forward: March Tending

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This month, we traveled to a big city, met lots of great people, researched air pollution (eekkk– watch out for yo’ lungs), went on a day hike, and realized we have been eating spoiled bacon bits from Costco–#expatlife. You enjoy import foods SO much that you don’t even realize when they are moldy. Hey, they still tasted good. But we did throw them out. Sad day.

Favorite memory: Completing a 1/2 marathon with my hubs

Choosing grace over guilt about: not being able to practice driving our massive stick shift vehicle (that I still need to learn how to drive)

Goals that are growing well: Showing up for language learning every. single. day (and doing full fledge GPA)

Verse of the Month

I have loved Acts 2 this month, especially verses 37-38.

Also, my friend helped create these prayer cards (sold on Amazon.com) and gave some to me. They are awesome! On one side are prayers for you as a wife and on the other side they have prayers for your husband.

Adventure of the Month

Running a half marathon together. We were pleasantly surprised that the race started on time –since pretty much nothing starts on time here. It was an absolutely perfect clear morning with crisp mountain air and not a cloud (or smog) in the sky.

Started running at 7:15 AM.

Elevation gain: 2,000 feet. (definitely a mental game since the first 6.5 miles was one giant hill and then the way back was obviously one long decent)

Max elevation: 5,600 feet

Time: 2:17 (not a PR but I wasn’t shooting for a PR either with the cray cray course. Just happy to finish)

Favorite Foods or Recipes

I’m not sure if we were just oblivious last year or if strawberries just didn’t make it to our city but it had been a long time since we had even seen strawberries. When we suddenly saw them for sale on the side of the street, we pretty much lost it.

Valentines Week Sabbath Breakfast = Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls with coconut whipped cream. I used this Cinnamon frosting since we don’t have cream cheese.

Our other monthly favorite was Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Poppy Seed Dressing. It had been a while since I’ve made spinach salad because of the time consuming cleaning process. There are also many times throughout the year when we just don’t buy spinach due to mud (and who knows what) covered spinach.

instead of pecans—- roasted sunflower seeds with honey
onion
spinach
balsamic poppy seed dressing
strawberries

Books I Read or Listened to

If by Carmichael – inspiring book that draws you back to the Father

“If I covet any place on earth but at the foot of the cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love.”
“If I forget that the way of the cross leads to the cross & not a bank of flowers, then I know nothing of Calvary love.”
“If I fret inwardly and do not welcome his will, then I know nothing of Calvary love.”
“If I refuse to be the corn of wheat that falls into the ground and dies (is separated from all in which it lived before), then I know nothing of Calvary love.”
“If I am surprised when the way is rough & think it strange, then I know nothing of Calvary love.”
– Amy Carmichael

Creative Outlet

Finished our Malaysia mini travel journal. Woohoo! Anytime we want to reminisce, we can grab it off the shelf, read about what we did each day, think on our top 10 highlights, and look through all the photos. Currently up to 4 travel journals now.

Revisiting my February Tending List

monthly

~~go camping~~ (umm… might have been indoor camping cause of air pollution and rain storm)
~~finish Malaysia mini travel journal~~ (yes! Love these tiny books)
~~Face Time date with siblings at least once a month -miss you sistas!~~ (yes! So thankful)
nationals over for dinner at least 2 times this month ~~(once this month)~~
~~implement Growing Participator Approach with language learning and stick with it~~ (Yes! I’m a huge fan)
~~plan dinner club and invite girls~~ (a sweet small group. 3 of us but so much fun)

weekly

go to a coffee shop and study language (nope- but still got a lot of lang hours in)
~~create containers of easy grab and go produce, meals, snacks~~ (homemade hummus with carrots and cucumbers)
practice driving the car with the hubs (eek…tiny mountain roads, right side of the car, stick shift—I’ve got this) (not yet)
~~implement block scheduling and text mentor my schedule for the week~~ (didn’t do this perfectly but def more focused with my time)

daily

~~prioritize hormone cleanse (veggies, take supplements)~~
15 second kiss for purposeful married life 😉 (not as much as I wanted)

March Tending List