Share Four Somethings-February 2023

Ah, February. The shortest month. The month of love. Well, it felt like the longest month ever, and funnily enough, I am surprised it is not over! Usually, at the end of the month, I am like "how did we get here." This month I am like FLEE, be gone! February has been a looooooooooooong month for us. It wasn't the month of love, it was the month of sickness. And, in a lot of ways, the month of missing out. Matt went on a work day trip February 1. On Friday, Feb. 3, he found out he had been exposed to Covid. He was told to work until he got symptoms. At 11 am he was headed home with a runny nose and sore throat. He was hit hard on Sunday, February 5. He was really sick. He finally went back to work Wednesday, February 22, and was headed back home at 11 am, he just didn't have enough energy. Around 10 that same morning I started feeling "not well" by 3:30pm it was obvious I was hit with a nasty stomach bug. By that evening I couldn't even keep water down. I went to bed at 6:15 pm and slept the better part of the next 35 hours. Awake long enough to drink and I ate a little bit Thursday evening. Matt ended up staying home Thursday and Friday to take care of me. I can guarantee if he had not been home on Thursday I would not have drank or even ate anything. There was no way I would have made it up and down the stairs. Friday I was on the BRAT diet, but my stomach still felt weird and my energy wasn't great. Today, my energy is not 100% but I am thankfully on the mend. With all of this, one might wonder if I can come up with anything to share about this month. I enjoy looking back over the month and  will be linking up with Jennifer to share my Four Somethings. I will be sharing things I've loved, learned, read, and ate!

Something Loved

This might be odd to share here, but I am loving my job. They are the sweetest family to work for. They have been SUPER understanding about all the days I have missed this month. I have worked 5/14 days this month because of mine and Matt's illnesses. They did not complain (at least not to me), or make me feel guilty in any way. Obviously, we can't help when we get sick, but I felt guilty anyway. So, Friday, the family dropped off a picture in my mailbox that the 2-year-old had colored for me, which was so sweet. But they also sent a video from him, and you all, it was just the sweetest! It totally made my day. Elijah was having a bad day and the video made his day too! Usually, I am always like "book mail is my favorite" and it is, but super sweet coloring sheets or personal notes is also my favorite type of mail 😀I am super thankful I was able to take care of Matt, then stay home when I was sick. But I still felt bad that I couldn't be there for them! I also loved/am super thankful that Elijah and I did not get Covid, and Matt and Elijah did not get my stomach bug. To God be ALL the glory!! Praising His name!!

Something Learned

I started working on a shawl for my MIL in December for Christmas. But, with our move, and the complicated pattern I chose, I did not get it done on time. I was determined before Matt and Elijah went back to NC for Elijah's Feb. orthodontist appointment, that I was going to have my MILs shawl completed. I found a different, less complicated pattern and finished it (technically learned how to make a shawl). It is hard to see the detail in the pictures, so I am showing one zoomed out and one zoomed in. I was very pleased with it and if I ever make a shawl again will go with that pattern.

Something Read

I think I said last month, I am always reading a fiction and nonfiction book. I read fiction faster and last summer I started listening to audiobooks, which has also helped me to read more books. You can always see what I am reading on my book blog or my Goodreads page. Here, I will share my favorites from the month of February. One thing you should know about me: I am NOT a re-reader. Yet, here we are. Three of my favorites are re-reads. Book Love by Debbie Tung is a book EVERY book lover should own and read, often, LOL! It has ALL the book vibes for true book lovers (it's like a graphic novel with bookish memes, like the new book smell). Emma St. Clair has quickly become my favorite RomCom writer. She writes hilarious, clean (closed door romance, no cursing), romantic comedies. I read The Buy-In and The Bluff last year, and this month I listened to them both in audio. I LOVE them (her books are usually free if you have Kindle Unlimited). On Valentine's day I decided to download The Phony Valentine (also free on Kindle Unlimited) to honor the day. Matt was still quarantined in the basement and I needed a light read (I had just finished a heavier read and knew my next one was going to be somewhat heavy too). I am glad I did, I loved it. It was so funny and just what I needed, it was kind of like a warm hug. Finally, What Happens Next is a contemporary read, with a mystery of a missing person. It brought out ALL the feels. I read other genres this month as well, but trying to be brief 😂 (I could talk about books ALL day long, which is why I started a book blog, LOL), and only highlight my favorites.

You can click on the title of the book if you are interested in reading all my thoughts on the books. I don't give spoilers and all of these are clean reads. 

Something I Ate

Hmm, this is very hard this month since we had so much sickness. Nothing stands out, so I will just say we ate, LOL. I know I made a homemade chicken soup, the perfect sick "remedy."

"To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Philippians 4:20

 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

 

To see what other bloggers are sharing this month head over to Jennifer's blog.