Hello & happy Tuesday before Christmas 🎄

Today seems like a good day for a coffee date. My poor little blog (and blog friends) have been neglected this year. I’m hoping to change that in 2022. Let’s grab some warm mugs (coffee or tea- I’ve been sipping on both lately), add a little oat milk (trust me!), and catch up.

If we were having coffee I’d ask what your holiday plans are. I love Christmas time. I especially love Christmas Eve. Adding M to the mix has been magical, but jumbled. Between a new baby and then COVID, we haven’t had a “normal” Christmas in a while. We’re working on a new normal for ourselves and our families.

Speaking of Christmas, this is my third one as a mom and, ever since M came along, I’ve been very stuck on all the feelings Mary likely felt. I’d never thought about her role in the Christmas story until I understood what it meant to raise a human. Delivering a child in a loud, cold, dirty barn aside- it would break my heart to know that I had to share my perfect, beautiful, fragile child with the entire world. People would hate him, just because he was alive. It’s terrifying and soul-crushing. Not to mention being an unwed mother back then and paraded through the country as such. It’s just…. whew. What a woman. It took a very strong and powerful mother to raise the world’s savior.

(And then she had to watch him die. But those are my Easter-mom-emotions. Don’t get me started there.)

If we were having coffee I would ask about your plans for 2022. We’re scheduled to get our booster soon. My bff is moving back to the state(!!). M is starting dance class in January. My other bff is having a baby(!!).Those are the big moments happening in the first quarter. I think it’s going to be a beautiful year. I’m cautiously optimistic.

If we were having coffee I’d ask where all the bloggers went. I feel like the trendy thing is now tiktok… Is that right? It went from blogs to IG to tiktok? I don’t know. I’m not about to start tok-ing and I like my little space right here. Do we think Blogland will be revived any time soon? (Maybe I’m wrong- maybe it’s alive and well and it’s just me.)

If we were having coffee I would admit that I’m finding less to be more. I’ve taken a step back from my side freelance gig. I’m trying to wake up earlier (per my husband’s insistence). I always feel the urge to cut back and cut out and cut down toward the end of the year. I crave simplicity but struggle with it, too. Does that make sense?

And now I need to get back to work. We were supposed to be on a little trip right now- a much needed pre-Christmas adventure- but sickness spoiled the fun. Fortunately, it’s not COVID. Stay safe, everyone.

What would you like to share with me on our coffee date?

-Aud