Embracing Spring: A Season of Renewal and Change

Spring in the PNW has finally arrived. Along with the expected rainy days I see the tulips and daffodils starting to bloom, and the trees near our house are turning a beautiful pink color I can see evidence that a new season has really begun.

I heard a term this week called “Lifequake.” Have you heard of it? The definition is, “a major transformative life event, whether planned or unplanned, positive or negative, that causes significant upheaval and necessitates major changes and a period of transition.” Our family has certainly weathered quite a few “Lifequakes” in the last several years; two children went through divorces, another experienced several pregnancy losses, and then Mike was diagnosed with throat cancer. But now, things are looking brighter…

My oldest son’s wedding in Vegas last month was delightful and he’s working his last day on the Boulder Fusion Academy campus as he prepares to move to Franklin, Tennessee next week to join his new wife.

(Yes, they’ve kind of been apart the last several weeks.) Somehow Mitch also fit in a flight last weekend to Los Angeles so he could run his fourth marathon.

In early March we got to celebrate our California daughter and son-in-law’s baby boy who is expected to arrive in late May. We held an evening shower and it was so special to gather with family and friends to acknowledge this much-prayed-for little one. 

Sweet baby Dori is going to have quite a change at her house in a couple months when she becomes a big sister! We can’t believe we’ll have five grandchildren by Summertime!

One of the most noticeable changes around here is Mike’s health.. His energy is coming back. He’s doing some workouts at the YMCA, and working in his home office each day for Pro Nexis and Wingman. We get to go to church together, and even had a couple date nights. He’s now my designated driver since wine tastes terrible to him.

As I write this, Mike is getting his port and feeding tube out. I remember that day back in August when the port was put in. It was my birthday and it was a day full of fear. Seven months have gone by and he soon will return to playing in the hot tub with our granddaughter Gracie. The feeding tube was put in during October. I’m so proud of him relearning how to eat/get nutrition without the shakes in his feeding tube. It’s frustrating that his taste buds have changed SO much and things just don’t taste the same. (Sort of like long Covid?) 

We are trying to be patient and looking forward to a trip to Arizona we have planned next month.

We are so thankful that Jesus has been our firm foundation and we are experiencing a Spring full of joy!

Check out the song and lyrics Firm Foundation (He Won’t.)

In His Grip,

Jane

Life Lately

Sweet Gracie enjoying God's world.

Happy Earth Day! I hope this finds you well. In our little corner of the world, it is raining today. It's pretty much the first rainy day we've had all month. The local weatherman said it's one of the dryest Aprils on record. I'm not excited to take a rainy walk but I am grateful that the pollen is getting washed away.

Here are some things I've been learning lately:

Earth day is having its 50th anniversary. I didn't know Earth Day existed until I was a freshman in college at Ball State University. Apparently, I was introduced to more than just beer and sorority life. Oh, and my elementary education classes.

The dog I rescued seven years ago really thinks she's a therapy dog. Sydney, our Australian Kelpie, never leaves my side. Like NEVER. When I get up to use the bathroom, she comes with me. When I go downstairs to do laundry, she follows me. If I go on the back deck, she wants to come too. If I'm sitting on the couch, she's under my feet or beside me. The ONLY time she isn't by my side or behind me is when we go on walks. Then she leads me. 

Sometimes it drives me crazy that she won't leave me alone. (I bet some mamas of littles can relate.) Other times I appreciate her loyalty and remember that she thinks it is her JOB to make sure I am looked after... Sydney reminds me of a scripture verse that is a good one to remember during this pandemic.

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

I'm thankful God is always with me and I want to walk in trust just like my cat Thor does on our skinny railing.

Sometimes you just need to turn it around. Literally! For two weeks I thought my sewing machine was broken so my mask-making project screeched to a halt. It turns out, I was putting in my new needle backward. Ugh! If we're grumpy or discouraged, maybe we can flip our mindset around, "Pollyanna-style." Let's try to be glad and look for the good! 

CURRENTLY:

Reading- Secrets of Willow House, the first in a series by Susanne O'Leary. I recently finished The Stories We Tell by Patti Callahan Henry. It was SO good!

Watching- "Murdoch Mysteries" on Amazon Prime. We're on season one and there are 13!

Photo source

Needing- My diffusers going and candles lit. I'm going to need to order more Young Living essential oils soon and another citrus soy candle from Target. My Anthro-candle-diffuser-oil recipe was not a big hit with my husband, so I'm not using it, but maybe you'll enjoy it.

I really wanted the "real thing" so I went onto the Anthropologie site to possibly order a Capri Blue Volcano candle, but after shipping it would be over $40!! I just couldn't do it. 

Creating- I am finally working on photo albums. I will have to write a whole other post on that.

Loving- Playing games and laughing with my adult kids on Zoom (hopefully once a week.) The other thing I'm loving is our new downstairs bathroom color. We Mike painted it a pretty pinky-peach called Embrace. It looks a bit like pink grapefruit and goes good with the new shower curtain I picked from Target. 

Thanks for stopping by to read "See Jane Learn." I hope you're safe and well and making the best of this STAY AT HOME season. 

In His Grip, 

xo Jane

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

Proverbs 16:24

What I Learned This Spring, 2019

I'm linking up with Emily P. Freeman and other bloggers to share what we've learned over the past three months. I feel honored that Emily allows novice writers like me to attach our posts to her amazing, talented, thoughtful writing. If you have not listened to her podcast, Do the next right thing, you must! Her book, by the same name, has been released and is fabulous. I have the audio version and I bought the hard copy for my oldest daughter. She says she's hi-lighted a ton and it's helping her as she navigates her summer move down to San Diego.

Here are five things I learned this Spring:

1. Blonde Coffee looks lighter, yet has more caffeine.

I might have blond hair, but I don't enjoy the "blonde roast" coffee. It has quite a lot of acidity~sort of why I don't like IPA beers. I assumed light meant light-in-flavor and low caffeine content. Although some coffee aficionados suggest there isn't a big difference in caffeine content, most agree that after the beans crack open the second time during roasting, they develop oil on the bean surface which changes the color and flavor. Let it be noted that most West coast coffee drinkers and Europeans enjoy a darker roast. That explains why I do too! I had my DNA tested and I'm a combo of Great Britain, Norwegian, French, Scottish, and German. Oh, and I'm a Midwest girl transplanted in the Pacific Northwest.) I might not enjoy a blonde roast, but I love going on adventures with my blond friends!

My hubby gifted me with a Mini-Keurig this Mother's Day and my favorite thing about it is I can choose a different blend every day! I've been rotating through Italian, French, Pike Place and Breakfast Blend pods.

2. Soy is an ingredient in almost everything! 

Due to a digestive issue, my Grandbaby's doctor forced my daughter to go on an elimination diet for a while. (No dairy, soy, eggs, nuts.) Every time I would grab a product that came in some sort of container (jar, can, box) rather than fresh produce or animal protein it seemed to contain soy! Why? Well, I looked it up... Here's how soy is explained by allergicliving.com: 

"Their consistency allows them to be transformed into oils and flours, as well as dairy and meat substitutes. Importantly, isolated soy proteins are used to emulsify fat and bind water, which keeps many products' moistness without affecting other ingredients."

Thankfully products must have an easy-to-read "contains soy" label since it's the 8th most common food allergy in the world. It might blow your mind to read a list of common food sources. The best substitute we found for actual Soy Sauce was the Coconut Aminos sold at Trader Joe's.

3. You can be sad from a distance.

It goes without saying that the day the Notre Dame Cathedral burned it caught the attention of the world. It was tragic to watch the gorgeous, historic landmark being destroyed by flames. It was so painful to watch on television; I can't imagine the horror that Parisians felt watching it happen in person. I am one of the fortunate people who got to visit Notre Dame on a trip years ago with my husband. It was magnificent!

Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt |  AFP | Getty Images

4. Parenting lessons can come from the news.

When I heard about the college admissions scandal when the story broke in March, I couldn't stop thinking about the mothers. It might have had to do with the fact that this Spring I binge-watched ALL the seasons of the Hallmark series When Calls the Heart, which starred Lori Loughlin as Abigail Stanton.  I just couldn't connect the kind character she played with her real-life mama decisions... I felt like I knew her. Then I remembered she was acting.

Emily P. Freeman's podcast episode 75 explained why she couldn't get it off her mind either. You need to read it or listen. Thank you, Emily, for describing what I couldn't put into words. 

"Doing the next right thing happens one step at a time. So does doing the next wrong thing." and "Today, as you make decisions about your own life and on behalf of those you love, be willing to admit the false stories you’ve been telling yourself." 

I remember when my four children were applying for college. It was a stressful time for a couple of them who missed the scholarship requirement by just a smidge. Thankfully they were still able to attend the University that was their first choice (Yay, Whitworth! Boo for loans.) Their life stories would have been different if they had gone to other schools, but I know God would have been with them down that path. In my brain, I believe it is a parent's responsibility to allow our children to succeed and fail without interceding on their behalf.  In my heart, I often see myself trying to "fix" things. I wrote a blog about my need to fix things. You can read it here.  Lori, I am really sad for you, but you crossed a line...

5. I was born to be pale.

If you read my last blog post, then you know I just had another bout of skin cancer; my second Melanoma. When we've gone on vacations to Florida, Arizona, Hawaii, and California, I love laying out in the sunshine reading. It's been my FAVORITE part of our get-aways besides enjoying the warm weather, scenery, food and drinks, and time with my man away from home. 

I now know that I need to spend more time in the shade and more diligence in coating myself in sunblock.  Life is more important than looks, so I will learn to embrace my fair skin and/or apply self-tanner like a superstar. I will protect myself like I'm a tender baby.

Thanks for taking the time to read See Jane Learn to find out what I've been up to in my little corner of the world.

What have you learned this Spring?

In His Grip, 

xo Jane

Some Favorites Right Now

Happy Weekend!  This little sweet pea had to wait 9 months, but Hazel finally cut her first tooth! Her infectious smile is one of my favorite things! Below I've listed some other current favs.

We kicked off the weekend with a fun date night; pizza at our local Tides Tavern, followed by live music by Luke Stanton at Kimball Coffeehouse. Last night we had some good friends over for dinner and my live-in chef whipped up Tuscan Salmon and Bananas Plantains Foster. Tip: don't use Plantains-too chewy! Our day was spent doing yard work, housework and being grateful for the Spring sunshine!

Here are some of my favorites this week:

1. Shopping Discovery:
"Mighty Leaf" Green Tea Tropical is available at Target! I used to buy it occasionally at the Nordstrom Coffee stand after discovering it while eating lunch at the Cafe'. It was over $10 for a box. Target's price was $6.99 in-store and online I discovered other spots to order it from that are even cheaper.  Still a bit spendy, but you get 15 pouches and it is a delicious treat hot or cold!

2. Listening to the Dais Podcast by Rachel Hollis
Y'all, Rachel's book, Girl Wash Your Face, made the New York Times bestseller list this week! I'm so excited for her and I highly recommend you read it! She has done lifestyle vlogging for years and just recently started doing business-themed Podcasts. Although they are especially geared to women entrepreneurs, I feel that anyone will benefit from listening. Perhaps Rachel Hollis will convince me to become a businesswoman someday?...

3. Stitch Fix leggings for the win
I haven't done a "Stitch Fix" box for months. (Remember, my hubby was unemployed for 5 months.) I've talked about their personal styling before and how easy it is to return unwanted items. As I was updating my profile (I no longer need retail-job clothes, I need Nanny outfits and cute date tops.) I was surprised to discover this was my 14th "fix." What?! Guess I've been receiving shipments off and on for the last seven years.

I've never purchased all 5 items at the reduced rate but I always buy one or two things. This time the only keeper was a pair of legging pants; cute and comfy. The tops she picked out for me were either too close in color to what I already own, or just not pretty enough to justify spending the money. I will be even more specific in the future. Note: they really apologize if you don't LOVE it all...

Here are my tips if you've never tried Stitch Fix:
1. Be very truthful about your style and SIZE when filling out your personal profile.
2. Make a Pinterest board of favorites so the stylist can see what you love.
3. Write a detailed note on each order of what you need or hope for. Ex. Once I said sneakers and a cross-body purse, once I said ALL tops, once I asked for cute summer dresses.
4. If you love what your stylist sends, ask for the same person by name for future boxes.

If you use my referral number you will get a $25 discount. By the way, they now have fixes for men and maternity too!
Here is my referral Link: https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3186352?sod=w&som=c

4. I'm Hooked on a new TV series:
I binged on the new NBC show called Rise. It's about a high school drama teacher and is WAY more realistic than "Glee" ever was... It has the same producer as "Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood" and stars Josh Radnor who you'll know if you were a fan of "How I Met Your Mother." One of the lead High School singers was the voice on "Moana." Check it out, but be prepared for some heavy situations.

5. I stumbled onto a New Skincare Line, "Farmacy"
While at Sephora with my daughters last weekend, my cute daughter-in-law introduced me to the "Farmacy" line of skincare products.

Here is the company's description:
 'We harness the healing powers of farm-fresh ingredients with cutting-edge science to create clean formulas for naturally glowing skin!

I wanted ALL the products, but I could only purchase one, so I chose the "Dew it all" eye cream. I love their packaging, smell, and affordable price.

Do you remember the story of The Princess and the Pea? My husband often refers to me as a princess and it's not always a compliment... Well, now I am sure I am one! The other day I was kneeling with baby Hazel at her house and I felt a sharp pain in my knee. See if you can discover the reason in the photo below:

Do you see that tiny little un-popped kernel hiding in the carpet? It felt like a ROCK to my old knee. Yep, I must be a princess. I do know I am the daughter of the KING.

"And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:18

I have my laptop back 24-7 so I will attempt to write and post more often.
(I mentioned earlier this week that I no longer had to share my MacBook with my husband...)

Thank you for stopping by "See Jane Learn!" Enjoy your week!

In His Grip,

xo Jane

Friday Favorites: Pink Trees, Beaches, and Other Things

Happy Spring! While we were in Florida last week, our town "bloomed!" The Harbor had warm, sunny weather and Florida had... WIND and chilly temps. The sun did come out all but two days though, and we bundled up and enjoyed the beach and private pool.

Around my town are gorgeous pink blossoms, yellow daffodils and other signs of new life. Even though the Northeast is being blasted by snowstorms and we've had chilly rain and sleet, we can be assured that Summer is coming.

While baby Hazel takes her afternoon nap, I gathered this week's list current favorites:

Favorite new worship song: 
"More Than Anything" by Natalie Grant. The lyrics hit home as I watch friends going through hard medical issues. "Help me want the healer more than the healing..."

Favorite new vacation spot:
Have you heard of Anna Maria, Florida? It's a bit South of Tampa on the Gulf side. Our friends invited us to escape the waiting, and so we flew five hours and discovered a BEAUTIFUL beach.
We stayed in a rental home called "Serendipity" and once you see the pictures below you'll agree with the name and why it's already booked out for the next year...

I wanted to move in! It was amazing and I was in love with the decorating. Four Master Suites, chandeliers in every room... worth about four million. Golf carts are allowed on the island roads, and we also enjoyed riding cruiser bicycles to the shops. What a blessing to share a week here with friends! Thanks again, Gardners!

Favorite Florida Food:

Perfectly-made sweet tea! Fried shrimp! Fries! Breakfast burritos! Cinnamon rolls as big as our faces and donuts! I ate shrimp twice~the last night I had Coconut Shrimp before toasting another perfect sunset with my favorite frozen vacation drink; a Miami Vice! (I still can't understand why those are basically the only things I enjoy that contain coconut.)

On our last morning in Florida, I had breakfast on the sunny front deck; coffee, bacon, and a Mimosa. Perfect! We may or may not have eaten LOTS of Oreo cookies also... because they were there and we never buy them at home. YUM!

Favorite Non-fiction Book:

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis, is fantastic! Make sure to buy the hard-copy because you are going to want to ear-mark pages and underline sentences. I KNOW I will be rereading this often and doing a lot more hi-lighting. There are so many good chapters and messages it's hard to pick one, but I was crying during the one about parenting. 

"Mom, you should parent in whatever way works for your family and spend less time worrying about other people's perceptions of how you're doing."

I've held onto guilt about mistakes I made raising my four children for years. It seems like my battle with self-confidence and people-pleasing has been going on for way too long. Time to let that go. I am 58 for goodness sakes!

Another favorite quote:
 “A confident woman doesn’t crave other people’s approval because she already has God’s. When we know we have His approval, our craving for other people’s approval decreases." Lynn Cowell Proverbs 31 Ministries

The waiting appears to be over! My guy received good news on the job front, and it will be official on Monday. Thank you for hanging with us during this time of uncertainty and unemployment. God's timing is perfect.

Easter is coming!

As always, thank you for stopping by my little corner of the world and reading, "See Jane Learn!" Enjoy your Palm Sunday and have a good weekend!

In His Grip and Choosing Joy,
xo Jane





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What I Learned This Spring

Lots of lessons learned and things discovered this Spring:

1. Graduations, kitties and babies bring family and friends together. 
My #3 graduated with his Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy (T.J. is in the photo at the top, along with his sisters Sarah and Allie.) so we headed over to spend the weekend in Spokane, WA. While there we had lots of time around tables of food, met the newest kitty in the family (Layla) and bumped into a friend from our former church small group while visiting a newborn baby. 

2. We had the wettest weather in 122 years here in the Pacific Northwest. 
I really didn't need the news to inform me of this fact; I lived through it! SO not fun. SO sick of rain. SO realize that the East Coast was hammered with snow and there was horrible rain last month in the Midwest. BUT... we had relentless wet, gray days. UGH. We've finally turned a corner and had a warm, sunny Memorial Weekend!

3. Seattle's Governor passed a bill allowing sunblock to be allowed in schools without a doctor's note. 
Did you know this was an ongoing battle? Did you know that sweet kids often get sunburns at recess or field days because teachers haven't been allowed to apply sunscreen without a doctor's note because it is considered a pharmaceutical? As a fair-skinned blond who has had skin cancer twice, I say "good job!" I do think it's ironic that Washington is the State to issue this, considering our lack of ongoing sunshine. I am not sure if other states have passed similar bills.

4. Talking honestly about beauty and insecurity gets a lot of reactions. 
My little blog doesn't have many subscribers so I normally post a link on Facebook where I get much more "traffic." Back in March I wrote a post entitled Let's Get Real: About Beauty. You get check it out here. I got SO many people giving it a thumbs up or thanking me for being real. Golly, guess we all have a bit of insecurity. And then I remind myself that God looks at the heart... 1Samuel 16:7

5. Spring Break Get-Aways with adult daughters are so fun!
Between the desperate need for warmth and sunshine, plus wanting to spend time with my two daughters who teach on the other side of the State, we were excited to head South to San Diego. I wrote a three part series on our trip including food, what we did and where we stayed. Check out Part One, Part Two, and Part Three. Looking at all the pictures makes me want to go back!

6. One of my favorite Bible Study teachers/authors, has a famous Dad.
I am just finishing up the study "Armor of God" by Priscilla Shirer. It's SO good! I also enjoyed Priscilla as an actress in the Christian movie called "War Room." I watched it at our church's Women's Retreat. 

I did NOT know until page 127 of my study, that her father is Dr. Tony Evans, a well-known Pastor. That explains her passion and quest for knowledge and sharing the Gospel. I think it's impressive that she doesn't bring up his name or identity unless it's relevant. He was the first African-American to earn his doctorate in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Here's one of his quotes that I love:

"Faith is acting like it is so, even when it is not so, so that is might be so, simply because God said so."

7. My Ancestry DNA results weren't quite what I'd hoped for...
My sweet husband gave me the kit for Christmas. All I had to do was spit in a little vile, send it in, and WAIT. I waited three months (they claimed a big Christmas rush) and finally got the email with the little pie-chart diagram of my origins. Here's what I got:

•  75% Great Britain
•  8% Scandinavia
•  5% Italy/Greece

No offense Princess Kate, but I was really hoping for WAY more Norwegian to show up vs. Great Britain. Meh. I do have a tiny bit of Irish and Scottish blood, which is good! The results also concluded that my genetic communities settled in the Ohio River Valley. Yep, I was born and raised in Indiana. Would I recommend the DNA test? Well, if you're really curious and interested in your ancestry you might get more exciting results than I did. It was kinda pricey. I believe about $90. 

8. Mystery foot injury causes weight gain to dog (and me!)
I woke up a couple months ago with my foot throbbing. I might have strained it on a bench press machine at the YMCA. An X-ray didn't show a fracture, but I continued to limp and wasn't able to work out or take walks with my dog for about two months.  I finally began P.T. at the beginning of May and after three weeks of therapy I am much better! Due to my mysterious injury, not only did I gain five pounds, but my puppy dog is chubbier too! I am starting to take Sydney on walks again, and we're BOTH on diet food.

I almost forgot about our dreadful Winter weather over the Memorial weekend since we enjoyed three days of summer-like warm temps and sunshine. When it is pretty here, it is one of the most beautiful places on Earth!

 "I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Psalm 121:1-2

Thanks for reading about my little corner of the world. (At the end of each season, I link up with Emily P. Freeman from "Chatting at the Sky" and other bloggers to share what we've been learning...)

What did YOU learn this Spring?

In His Grip,
xo Jane