Nine things I learned in January 2014

 

It’s already the end of January.  The kids have been out of school more than in school, it’s been so out of the norm COLD here in the south, we’re getting cooped up yet this month still seems to has gone by quickly.

It’s also the end of the month which means (when I can), I share the list of things I’ve leaned each month. So here goes it for January 2014.

1)  Now that its Super Bowl time: A few weeks ago I took my daughter to lunch – just the two of us – to good ‘ole Chick-fil-a (which really is the best fast food place with In and Out a close 2nd but unfortunately that’s on the other side of the country.)  Instead of taking home the “prize” in the kid’s meal bag that will just get thrown in the toy box and forgotten, she took it to the counter to exchange it for ice cream.  While she was gone, I started reading the bag her meal came in and I learned this tid-bit of information:  The biggest football stadium in the world holds 109,901 fans.  If each fan squeezed one lemon, it would be enough to make 2,555 pitchers of Chick-fi-la lemonade.  Now you know.

2)  I don’t know if I’d call it a new hobby, interest or adventure.  My husband and I were able to get away for a couple of days just the two of us.  We went somewhere we had never been – New Bern, NC.  I fell in love with my husband even more while we were there and fell a little in love with that place too.  We stayed in the historic district at the Aeire Bed and Breakfast.  I thought,  “How much I’d enjoy traveling to different places and stay at different B and B’s.”  I don’t know; maybe we can.  But we so enjoyed the one we stayed at, that if other B and B’s are just as lovely, I surely would like to do that again.  It was such a good get away for the two of us and was overdue.

 

3) It’s still fun to tell our honeymoon story.  We got to share it while we were at the inn in New Bern.  The others staying there were so surprised to hear the disaster that it was.  How fun it is to see the mouths drop open and expressions on people’s faces.  The inn keeper even emailed a week later and said how she’s still thinking about it!

4)  While on our trip we learned some NC history from the Civil War at Fort Macon in Atlantic Beach, NC.  Some may think it’s boring, but this really is interesting.  I wasn’t taught this in history class at high school – or maybe I wasn’t paying attention because I was concentrating on passing a note I quietly tore out of a spiral notebook to give a friend.  But back during the Revolutionary and Civil wars, when a battle was about to take place, the enemy would wait to charge and start the battle until all the women and children had left the fort or battle ground area to protect their lives.  Wow - what respect that’s now disappeared.  At least that’s what the tour guide told us.  We learned several other real, eye-opening stories that day.

5)  We also learned some more history when the inn keeper took us for a ride in an old Model A Ford around historic New Bern.  He said the corner lots were a hot commodity. If someone wealthier than the family who lived in a house on the street corner lot, he would arrange the house to be physically moved to a different lot so he could build his house on the corner.  A corner was a top dollar back then.  Have things changed much?

6)  I’m beginning to figure out how to use WordPress.  That’s right, figure out.  (with a little bit of help from an expert!)  It’s a lot of clicking buttons and really having no idea what it’ll do.  But when you figure out how to use a feature that you like, that “ah-ha” moment is pretty enjoyable.

7)  And speaking of WordPress, the reason is because I’ve been part of a team with a super-cool friend for a super-cool church to launch a new blog that wants to focus on women’s stories and how God has something to do with them.  It’s a brand new experience and excitement to have an idea (or dream) really start to happen.  And then when it does, it kinda scares me.  I was so nervous clicking “publish” for the first time. After I clicked that button though, I offer it all to the One who really is who made it happen.  It was not me.

8)  I learned that finding out about the first meeting for high school registration and orientation brings a parent a big wave of crazy emotions.  Our oldest child is already preparing for high school!?  High school.  Only 4 more years until graduation.  It kind of blows my mind.  Wow.  Where has the time gone?

9)  Sometimes when you’re wrestling with questions in your mind and heart, and you tell someone that you’re trying to figure it out - all of a sudden in your trying explanation, the words will just unexpectedly pour out of your mouth that actually answers your own question. 

 

That’s what I’ve learned this month…this first month of 2014 that seemed to speed by.  Being grateful for the opportunities to learn them. 

 

What’s something you’ve learned this month?