March Goals

In the snowing and the blowing,
In the cruel sleet,
Little flowers begin their growing
Far beneath our feet.
– “March” by Mary Mapes Dodge

A thin carpet of green catkins covers the pear tree outside my window as I write to you: spring is here. My daffodils and great-grandmother’s jonquils are blooming, the bluebirds have returned, and the smell of mulch is better than any Parisian perfume. I love this season of new growth!

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February highlights:

– A trip to NYC with my friend, Shunta! We saw my long-time CMU friend, Leslie, in Purlie Victorious on Broadway, and it was incredible. I was so grateful to have this special time with Shunta! Highly recommend from this trip: The Equinox Hotel. See a video of our trip.

– After reading My Side of the Mountain five or six times through with the kids (clearly a family favorite!), I’ve long dreamed of taking the kids to Hawk Manor Falconry. It was one of the coolest things we’ve ever done! Highly recommend. Chip was so knowledgeable and kind. The kids loved it!

– Josh started violin lessons.
– Grace started our seeds!
– Sarah started a new school. This was the biggest update of our year—perhaps the last 8 years—friends. After years and years of praying for the right education for her long-term growth and trying literally everything (public, homeschool, private, forest school – some of which were wonderful), God finally showed us his beautiful plan for her. It’s a small school for exceptional kiddos, and aside from the learning methods and support for her needs, they have chickens, a garden, morning hikes, and… two therapy cats! 🙂 She is the happiest camper, and so are we. After all these years of my nervous system being ramped up, trying to help her to feel safe each day, we’ve all taken a big deep breath. I’m just two weeks in and I can’t tell you how much this has done for all us. PDA and Autism can be complicated in a school environment. Now, Sarah is in a place that celebrates her and builds her up as a leader. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
– I made some progress writing the books. I’ve almost completed a rough draft of one of them.
– Loving this month: breakfast. As of late, I’ve enjoyed eggs, peppers, sauerkraut, avocado, and a big shake each morning. 1 scoop of Equip Chocolate Prime Protein, 1 scoop of Equip Chocolate Collagen, water, ice, and some chia seeds. It’s so good! It tastes like dessert. Use code LARA for 15% off.

What I read in February:
— Good Inside. This was an intentionally focused month. I gained so much from this read that I decided to go through it twice. I wanted to be sure I implemented all the strategies she shared, and I benefitted immensely from a second read. This took most of my reading time in February.
— The Common Prayer Daily podcast.
— I also took time to read over my 2024 Goals and mark my next action steps. Reading my goals and seeing how much progress has added up from small steps forward was so encouraging. Little by little adds up. Praise the Lord!

What I’m looking forward to in March:
– Planting seeds!
– A trip to Charleston for a women’s retreat
– Our 18th wedding anniversary
– Starting the new Gratitude Journal. I also got Grace a copy and hope to start a daily rhythm with her.
– Planning our Passover Seder with friends.

My March PowerSheets goals grew from my 2024 Goals here.

Your turn! What habits are helping you so far this year? Any new things you’re trying? I’d love to hear!

P.S. Looking for my favorite healthy things? I’ve gathered them all for you here.