a new year

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2022 and I’m EXCITED! To be alive and to be able to plan out some fun thangs ta do. Ps. It’s been a HOT minute since I’ve written anything on here. But I’ve got the motivation today and am so excited to return to one of my dearest loves: writing.

And planning. And being excited about life! Lol

Okay, soooo I got married in September 2021! Tomorrow is our four month being married anniversary! Yaaaaaaay!

It’s so much fun being married to the cutest, sweetest, most adorable husband in the world. (But I guess you wouldn’t know that since there’s only one of him?!!!)

Lol some a y’all out there are like “yaaaaaass hunny just wait. it’s comin’ for ya”. As if the big, bad, scary reality of how terrible marriage is is finally going to settle in soon. But I disagree. I don’t think it has to be that way. I believe that you get what you put in, and if both parties are working on having a wonderful relationship, then you’re gonna thrive. Not survive, thrive.

I’m still caregiving in 2022 – entering into my seventh year! – and loving it. God has been SO faithful in my jobs all of these years since I moved to Virginia and I couldn’t be more thankful. The people I’ve helped have helped ME so much and every relationship has truly been God-ordained. Wow.

I switched churches almost two years ago and have been absolutely LOVING our new church for its’ amazing pastor. Each week I continue to feel at peace that I’m in the right church home. I hope to become a member soon and —- YO I just paused mid-sentence to look up when the next member class is and it’s FEBRUARY 6TH! Putting it on the calendar MEOW

actual picture of my planner lol

Ps. I have the best planner ever. It’s an HOURLY Day-planner. Aka, there’s a full page for each weekday and a half page for Saturday/Sunday. And the time stamps are marked for every other line starting at 7am and going through 8pm! I love it!! If you’re a planner I highly recommend this planner! I got it here.

So. Where were we? Ahh, yes. New members class. That’ll be cool. Maybe I can start serving in the church in some capacity. Worship team? That would be awesome. Makes me a little nervous because it’s a big church. But I think it would be really fulfilling. Lord would have to sing through me though! That’s for sure.

A New Year. What all with 2022 bring! Besides working, continually learning how to grow in my relationship with God, my husband, work hard, save money and pay off debt. And maybe a couple mini trips to a couple places… πŸ˜‰

Also, SURFING. I want to get back into surfing this year! 2020 was the year I started learning how to surf and then BAM 2 injuries within two months. HOWEVER I’m doing a lot better now! I realize that eating white flour makes my knees ache, so I gotta ease back up on that. I never ate much white flour my whole life except for pizza once a week or something, but lately I’ve been eating more of it because my husband loves white pasta. Gotta switch back to wheat, as much as I don’t want to! That’ll help my surf game.

So another thing I plan to do these next couple of months is be building up my endurance to swim/surf. I was weight-lifting in 2020 and I think that really helped me. I want to get back into that in a way that won’t jack up my knee. I was doing weighted-squats before but unfortunately that’s not a great option for me anymore πŸ™ so I will have to modify my workout. Or just completely come up with a knee one. I have some resistance bands that I could use.

The thing about surfing is it’s NOT a walk in the park. It’s EXTREMELY vigorous and requires strength, swimming skills, balance and core strength and agility. I have been basically a pancake for a year, so it’ll be interesting to get back into working out. lol #2022 here we come!!!!!!!

September 13, 2020

What are your dreams and goals for the year?!!? What you focus on EXPANDS! Think good thoughts πŸ™‚

xoxo

V <3

Slow learner (and pretty photos)

Seriously?

I have an ice pack on my groin.

Y’know why?

Cuz I just went surf-skating.

And uhh

I didn’t warm up.

Unless you count bombing down a hill for 15 seconds before jumping off the board so I didn’t die and then pulling a muscle in my downstairs.

Yahhh cool beans.

First of all.

Umm.

I really wanted to skate. And I only skated for 15 seconds.

Cuz I’m old.

And pulled a muscle in my groin-space.

After 15 seconds.

Yeah.

I’ma keep this on the down low.

HAHA JK IM GONNA PUT IT ON THE INTERNET!

facepalm-ness. lol

Guyz. I had an icepack down there.

TOO COLD

Okay. I’m done talking about that aspect. More importantly, this:

when am I gonna lean? To ease into things?

GOSH my haste makes waste. KNOWN DIS

lol why is it so easy to act impulsively?

without thinking of consequences.

lol

slow.

learner.

sometimes it takes me soooo many times before I learn a lesson. Golly

I know my punctuation is harrible. I am also spelling some words wrong because I think it’s FUNNEE

but the slow learning part? Not too funny :/

Anyway, maybe this pain will teach me a lesson.

WARM UP PROPERLY

Everytime.

Yeah. Take it from me folks. Ease into things in life.

Don’t rush in. For real. Whatever it is. Job opportunity. Relationship prospect. New church. Meal in front of you. Dawg. Take your time and enjoy.

Better yet, take your time and mull things over. Ease in. Breathe in between steps, bites, thoughts.

What on earth is the rush? She asks herself.

Yeah. Still trying to figure that one out.

K, love you guyz

V

“Too much prep”

“Too much prep”

IMG_20200723_152136_045

He said as he saw me scraping the old wax off this board and starting to rewax it. “That sport requires too much prep.” Hey buddy, it’s not for everyone… but I’m not gonna trade it for a few minutes of TLC.

Though there are SOME things in life that can definitely feel that way. Laundry? Dishes? Cleaning? Can I get an Amen?! Lol like can these things maybe do themselves?!

Everything we have requires maintenance. Tangible things like our bodies, houses, cars; and intangible things like relationships with God and other people. If we neglect maintenance, things break and fall apart. God didn’t make us to sit around and be idle. He created us to work! Prepare. Care ❀️ bear burdens.

Not to say there’s not a time to cease. Pause. Delight. In fact, resting, delighting and remembering is extremely VITAL. And I’ll do that when I get out on the water πŸ™‚ but in the meantime, maintenance is required. And I choose to view it as investing in future opportunites to delight even harder. From a unique oceanic viewpoint πŸ˜‰πŸŒŠΒ #workhardΒ #workhardplayhard

xxx

<3

V

The Summary of Surfing

“So like, where are the waves?”

Was the question running through my mind yesterday afternoon. The answer soon came from this summary of surfing: Surfing is 80% paddling and 20% surfing. πŸ˜‚Β #patience

Patience on the water seems easier to have because you’re anticipating that next perfect wave that will be both challenging and satisfying. And you get to enjoy God’s beautiful creation simultaneously 🌊 the glittering sunlight in the water… The beautiful people surrounding you. The wind over the water. Maybe an occasional dolphin or whale 🐬

Patience off the water can seem so frustrating. Being in a slow-moving line at the grocery store or in traffic or wondering why somebody in your life just “doesn’t get it” when you think they should have by now. It’s SO incredibly easy to take on the “let’s GO!” mindset of hurrying and being busy. So I have a challenge:

Will you join me in living a life of hopeful expectancy? That the waves (whatever “waves” you’re hoping will come) will come? That you’ll be able to ride them out and enjoy them?

Sometimes God puts us in a place of waiting, and it can seem like the thing will never be resolved or will never come around. I’m here to encourage you to wait, patiently, and enjoy what’s around you while you’re waiting πŸ™‚

& coming from that mindset of gratitude and grace, you’ll then be able to ride whatever wave comes your way… Strongly and satisfyingly πŸ’™ and encourage others along the way πŸ™‚

❀️ If you’re with me!

xxx

V

First time surfing

Well. Okay, yes. This will be my first OFFICIAL surfing lesson.

I tried “surfing” a few weeks ago which was really me attempting to stand up on a surf board on flat water for 2 hours. It went over about as well as it sounds like it might.

To sum it up in one sentence for you I shall share this short anecdote: a 6 year old asked me if she “could try” after my hundreds of failed attempts to stand up on this thing. On her first try she managed to stand up and say how “easy” it was.

Thank you child. I shall return to my floppy misery now. Only joking. I enjoyed getting up and trying again and again. Falling and getting back up. It was actually a pretty sweet metaphor for life. πŸ˜€

ANYWAYZ. I’m taking a legitimate lesson tomorrow with a friend which will be FUN! And then hopefully we can go surf other more legitimate places together! Teehee!!!!!!! My summer dreams coming true. <3

I will update y’all tomorrow with how this thing goes! Follow me for more adventure posts about running, biking, hiking, rock climbing, swimming, skiing (it’s been a minute but ayy), salsa dancing, bachata dancing………… and whatever other opportunities come my way!

Cheers to life and God and all of His wonderful creation!

xxx

<3

V