Also, in case anyone was wondering, I did make it through Lent as a vegan. Easter turkey was delicious. And, although I didn't think I would ever say this, I got into a lot of good habits through that experience. I also learned some things about myself. Such as, dairy products actually make me feel very blah. I never noticed that until I stopped consuming them entirely. Now I pretty much avoid most unnecessary dairy, and I feel like I have more energy. Weird, huh? I also realized that I don't like meat as much as I thought I did. I've found myself reaching for garbanzo beans and veg-options a lot more since I went vegan for Lent. And I actually like it.
In fact, it was my vaguely vegetarian approach to food that led me to try something completely new whilst in New York this summer: eggplant. It's actually really good. Who knew?
But anyway, that's not what I was going to post about.
I was going to post about babies. Because I've suddenly found myself bookended by babies. My brother's wife had her first baby in October, and my best childhood friend just had her baby on my nephew's 3-month anniversary of life. I was suddenly reminded of how differently everyone handles motherhood. My sister-in-law is a very practical and no-nonsense sort of person, and her (very affectionate) relationship with Nick does nevertheless show that. My friend is a much more protective and passionate person, and her relationship with Eli certainly shows that. It's very interesting to watch.
Also, no matter who you are, you have to admit that having a baby fall asleep in your arms is a peaceful feeling.
I was also going to post about Christmas, because Christmas was crazy this year, and I feel like I finally discovered what most people go through on Christmas. My immediate family being so large, and my extended family so small (and far away), I've never traveled for Christmas. This year, however, the Boy was determined that I would meet his family.
Yikes.
And that involved three different trips across the state in order to be sure we visited each family at the right time. Apparently, people do this all the time. I was completely unaware. But, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Driving in the snow at night was actually kind of peaceful.
If you can't tell, I'm all about peacefulness, currently. My life has gotten harder in the past year, and it's been more difficult to find peace. So, I try to find those little things that give me peace in everyday life -- like a sort of holiday for no reason. Watching the snow fall, for instance, or just closing my eyes and listening to a worship song. God's pretty good at supplying little bits of peace when I need them.
Because sometimes, life is hard. And sometimes, you can't even get away from it in your own head. So, you sit back, close your eyes, and look for your own little holiday.
