Happy Monday! Today, I’m determined to finally finish the shopping list. We didn’t get to the Christmas cards last weekend. Honestly, I’m not sure how that happened. I just completely blanked on them. Of course, the moment I sat down here in the office, it all came back to me. Hopefully, we can get them done sometime this week and check that off the list.
We kept last weekend pretty low-key. The biggest accomplishment was getting back into working out both days. My body is definitely feeling it now; everything is sore, but in a good way. It actually feels nice to be moving again and easing back into that routine.
I also got a head start on dinner today. I have two roasts going in the slow cooker. I seared the pork first, then placed it on top of potatoes, carrots, and onions. Even just from searing it, the kitchen already smells good. Dinner should be ready around 5, since I started early and set it on low.
My thoughts feel heavy today. I’m not particularly sad, but there’s a weight I can’t quite shake, an underlying sense of heaviness that lingers in the background. With everything that’s been happening in the world lately, it’s hard not to feel a bit hopeless at times. I’m trying to stay off social media and be more intentional about what I let in. I’ve been keeping my spirits up by playing Christmas music and leaning into small moments of comfort like a cup of hot tea. I don’t want to ignore everything that’s happening in the world, but I know I have to limit my exposure. Staying informed is important, yet protecting my mental and emotional well-being matters too, and right now that balance means stepping back when it all feels like too much.
Yet I think this happens every year during the holidays. The weight of bad news feels heavier, almost amplified by the season itself. When everything around us is supposed to feel warm, hopeful, and full of light, the contrast makes the awful parts of the world seem even more unbearable. It’s as if the holidays shine a spotlight on everything that’s broken, making the sadness and uncertainty feel more intense than at any other time of year.
I get a daily email from USPS that shows what’s arriving in the mail. Today, it looks like the girls and I have a Christmas card coming from my mom. I can’t help but wonder if my aunt managed to get in touch with her, since my mom is notoriously hard to reach. She just doesn’t care to answer the phone. I don’t think it’s personal at all, she simply doesn’t like talking on the phone, maybe even more than I don’t. The girls did manage to talk to her briefly on Thanksgiving, though.
I’m not entirely sure where I’m going with this, other than to say: we have Christmas cards on the way, and that feels like a small, quiet holiday moment worth noting.
I’m going to get back to studying and coding for a bit, then tackle putting the clothes away. I did laundry this morning, so it’s waiting for me. I think I’ll also make myself a cup of tea.
Alex is trying to figure out how to get his old desk into the girls room because apparently Alexis has claimed it. I will tell you how this goes later. Right now there is a desk blocking the hallway. Sigh
