An Adoration Date

We are officially one week into the 2016 Lenten season and I can't help but feel that this has already been one of the most spiritually fulfilling ones that I have ever observed.

As I mentioned last week, one of my goals this Lent was to attend adoration once a week with Jackson (an idea that was given to me by the fabulous Jessica), which we did for the first time yesterday. Truth be told, I was a little nervous about taking Jax to his first adoration, especially since he is a toddler and the chapel itself is very small and quiet.

I have come to the conclusion that I am going to have a hard time with Jackson when he's a teenager because he is seriously the perfect toddler... he didn't make a peep the entire 15 minutes we were in the chapel and just looked around and pointed to all the crosses. (If you ask him to stop doing something, he normally does without making a fuss AND he likes helping out around the house... seriously, is this a dream?!) It was such a peaceful and special moment that I decided we need to continue these weekly "dates" throughout the year.

After leaving the adoration chapel, we walked outside and sat in front of the Blessed Mother, said a few Hail Mary's (I didn't learn the prayer until I was in junior high and want to teach him while he's young), and then headed to the car. In an effort to prolong our special day, we went to lunch at Chick-fil-a and shared some Cold Stone before running a few errands and returning home for nap time.

Part of me feels silly for feeling the need to instigate weekly "dates" with my toddler (especially since we spend every waking moment together), but I think that doing something out-of-the-norm together each week will benefit us both. I believe these adoration dates will do just that. 

During lunch, I decided that we will always go to either lunch or to the park after praying in the chapel, so that as Jackson gets older, we can sit and talk about Jesus, our faith, and what this time together means to us.

Even though my baby is growing up way too quickly, I look forward to him being able to talk and having meaningful, post-adoration chats with me... but in the meantime, I will continue to soak up these sweet days with my sweet boy! 

Organizational JOY

As I shared a few weeks ago, I decided to pick a word for 2016 instead of a single resolution...

...and that word, as you may remember, is joy. 

This year I am trying to live more joyfully by doing little things that make me happy (reading, indulging in candy from time to time, strolling the aisles of Target just for the heck of it, etc), as well as bringing joy into the life of others every chance I get. 

While picking my brain on December 31st for more small things that I could add to my joyful list, it occurred to me: being less stressed in 2016 would bring me copious amounts of happiness! But just how would I go about doing it?

If you know me in real life, you may know that I am an extremely anxious person who worries over the most mundane of things -- it's how I've been the last 25 years and is how I will probably be the rest of my life. Anyway, between being a mom and writing for a living, I have had many a restless night where I stare at the ceiling and think about everything I should be doing instead of sleeping.

I have state posts that need to be written.

Those newspaper articles aren't going to edit themselves.

What about scheduling posts for MT? I can't forget to do that on Tuesday and Thursday!

And the bulletin announcement for our mom's group at church... Did I really forget to submit it again?! 

You get the picture. 

Since I do all these things from home, I try to do them around Jax's schedule (because babies don't keep and I'd rather spend my time with him), which freaks me out even more because I only have so many hours in the evening to finish everything.

Ugh. Ugh. UGH!

Then it hit me: Get a planner, you dummy! So I did... and it's one of the best investments I ever made.

So much joy in one picture: My pretty planner, coffee, a candle, gummies, and chubby little toddler fingers :)

At the beginning of each week, I figure out what all needs to be written, what chores need to be done, which days we're meeting with friends, doctors appointments, play groups, conference calls, etc. and get it all evenly distributed over the 7-day period. Now, instead of thinking I have to vacuum, do laundry, clean bathrooms, write 10 articles, and go to the library with Jax all in one day, I can look at my schedule, see that I only have to write my OIYS posts, maybe schedule MammaTech social media from my phone, vacuum downstairs, clean the bathroom, and then spend the rest of the day building Legos and reading with my favorite little guy.

And the best part? Once I complete a task, I get to check it off my list :D 

Work to-dos on top; chores on bottom.

Ahh, sweet, sweet joy! 

Do you have a word you live by? I would love to hear it!!