des moines, iowa and beyond

workflow & systems strategist

A Month of Tending

Lifestyle

As we enter the second half of the year (woah!), I cannot help but find myself reflecting on my word of the year – Rooted. When I chose that word, I was yearning for a more purposeful year. Days and months full of more intention and contentment in all areas of our life. Through focus and allowing myself to build in white space, I have found a renewed energy in most things. It was not until I worked at that, that I discovered what I was missing. I used to be driven by checking things off of a list and living for the list. I had it all backwards.

Are you Type A like that and always feel like you need to be moving or working toward something big? Friend, let me tell you, I totally understand! It’s still a struggle for me sometimes. When I filled out my Powersheets this month, I hadn’t started reading Cultivate by Lara Casey yet, but God was whispering to me to take action (and less) at the time. This past weekend I was able to read about a third of Lara’s wonderful book and I was, yet again, amazed and so grateful for how the Lord works in our life. The goals I set to work on, make steady progress on and focus energy toward were so different than months before.

June was a full and exciting month. Progress was made and some things marked off. We had a wonderful final wedding for the year and celebrated my 30th birthday! While July will also be full, it will be a different kind. I have felt a pull on my heart lately to really slow down. To step away from the huge lists, rest, be still and not push myself so much. Part of this is likely the pregnancy talking, but there is a deeper shift happening. I cannot fully explain it right now, but I am leaning in and enjoying the journey. So, what does that mean? You will still see wedding posts on the blog and dreams coming to life over the next few months, but we will be shifting focus to preparing for our munchkin this summer. That means one blog post a week, instead of the usual two. Also, lots of reading (oh, hi summer reading list) and hopefully painting. Things that I used to forego, in favor of the list. Each season in our lives if full of different things and this one for us is about preparing for our family to grow, dream up how we adapt to it and savoring these last months of ‘just us’ before we bring home our precious babe.

As I type this, it sounds so relaxing. (ha!) If you’re thinking that, the relaxing part is the goal for August! This month is about tending to all of the things we need to do around the house to prepare for guests next month (!!!!), getting our registry done, finding childcare, getting things set up with the hospital, catching up on HHE education from the year, re-envisioning what HHE will look like with a new family member, and so much more. The  ultimate goal is to spread things out, work little by little each month and be able to enjoy the family and friends, along with weekly white space for us to nurture our marriage and recharge. If I’m being honest, the part I have the most anxiety about are the changes for HHE. They are forcing me to dig deep, answer some hard questions, do some soul searching and do the hard, hard work. I have no doubt that the shifts and refining that I’ll be implementing will be better for our couples and our family next year, but change can be scary.

I don’t know about you, but I am notorious for lofty dreams, overcommitting and holding myself to a standard of ‘go-go-go’. Let me tell you, God, in His infinite wisdom designed pregnancy and all of its wonder to make us slow down. To change our hearts, as women and spouses, to be tuned into other’s needs more. To reflect on the type of life we want to lead with and for our children. I have dreamt for years what that will look like for myself and our family. In the past 6 months, that vision has gotten ever more clear. I am so excited to make the time in my schedule to focus on longer talks with Adam, read more, take more time to be still and to focus even deeper on my faith.

In order to do all of these things (as vague as they may be right now), I know that I must prioritize what matters and works for our family right now and slow down a bit. I have to get even more intentional than I have in the past, to ensure nothing is missed and that the quality time we crave and covet makes it’s way into our daily routine. White space is my friend, now more than ever, which is such a foreign concept for summers (typically busy season)!

If you are also entering a season of tending and preparing for new, big things, I want to encourage you and share these tips that I will be reminding myself of on a daily basis.

  1. Write it down and make a plan – Like any project or long term vision, I always break things down and make lists.
  2. Be flexible – don’t force it or get bent out of shape if things don’t go perfectly according to plan. There has to be an ebb and flow.
  3. Don’t over-commit – Leave yourself room to be spontaneous, take a break and recenter yourself.

Tell me in the comments what you are working on this month! How can I encourage you? Do you have any other tips for tending and patience in these seasons of preparation?

xoxo, Jenn

 

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