goodbye february//hello march

my favorite place to sit and think on days I have a few minutes to leave the clinic and take a walk at the lake

Another month has come and gone, and we are inching our way towards spring! 

.    i         l   o   v   e       s   p   r   i   n   g    .

Really, I do! It is such a symbol of hope and new beginnings. The flowers and plants that the winter frost threatened to snuff out are restored and release their fresh fragrances. The barren branches of trees begin to bear fruit and vibrant leaves. All that was thought to be lost is now being reclaimed. And if you're ever so quiet, you may hear an eager spring bird's song in the early dawn, promising warmer weather approaching ever so soon. Oh, Spring, you really got m

So, on the this first day of March, I want to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring!

hello to new beginnings and a fresh start.

hello to tulips, daffodils, and other spring flowers

hello to jogging on puddle-less traills (oh, right… that is wishful thinking in the PNW!)

. . .  and with a new month comes new goals! I'll start with my February goals and then list March's goals. Overall, February was busy and a bit chaotic. It was, in short, beautifully messy. I took a six-day trip to SoCal to visit my BFF and enjoy some sun and surf and I worked like a mad woman to make up for the aforesaid vacation. This led to a less-focused and not-as-intentional month as I had anticipated a month ago. As I review my goals, I am tempted to see this month as unsuccessful, but then I remember the sweet joys of this month amidst the busyness and spontaneous moments. I think it is ok once in a while to have seasons that don't look as neat or put together as you'd like. These seasons last longer for some. As I transition into this new spring season, I want to be more accepting that life does not fit neatly in a to-do list. Some months may look rather unproductive on paper, but in reality, vital life lessons were learned, precious conversations were had, and beautiful moments will be treasured. 

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February Goals

++ read one book [started Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by James Ford]

Result: YES! LOVED this book! I need to do a book review soon, because it is a must-read!

++ get back to hitting 3 miles 1-2/week by the end of Feb 

Result: Sadly, did not have the opportunity to run very much this month. 

++ organize paperwork and do taxes by the end of Feb

Result: I organized the paperwork but have yet to do the actual taxes with TurboTax

++ hang out with "little sister" that I mentor

Result: Due to my crazy work and vacation schedules this month, it did not happen :(

++ meet with one of my brothers for dinner to get to know him better

Result: I had dinner with a few siblings after seeing Son of God, but not one-on-one
++ spend 1 hour each week reviewing journal articles and notes on nursing-related education

Result: Nope :(
++ wake up earlier than my usual time so that I can start doing morning devotionals instead of leaving them for nighttime. I have been waking up the last 1.5 weeks before my alarm clock and have started doing devotionals in the morning and what a difference that makes!

Result: I think this occurred the first half of the month and I have switched back to leaving them at nighttime most days.

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March Goals
++ Read 1-2 books: I am 2/3 done with Desiring God [by John Piper] and have just started Open Your Eyes [Jake Olson].
++ Finish taxes
++ Meet with my "little sister" that I mentor.
++ Plant flowers on my balcony
++ Take my sewing machine out of the box and actually use it!
++ Learn at least 2 new crock-pot recipes
++ Start a new series on stories behind well-known hymns
++ Get back into posting at least twice a week. I slacked last month.

What are you saying goodbye and hello to as we roll into March? Link-up at Nestful of Love!