the Wednesday hodgepodge

 

Happy Wednesday, friends! It's one of my favorite blogging days of the week: the Wednesday hodgepodge that Joyce hosts. I always love the prompts that she gives us, and it's fun reading the others' posts each week. I'll jump in! 

1. The Hodgepodge lands on National Picnic Day...Will you celebrate? Do you enjoy picnics? Dining out of doors picnic or otherwise? What are three or four things I'd find in your picnic basket? I won't be celebrating National Picnic Day today, but I have always loved picnics, as long as it's not too hot outside. I don't enjoy the bugs that come once it gets too hot, and sometimes even the flies can be terrible. I used to make picnic lunches for my sons all the time; once Spring arrived, we were always packing something and heading to a park or to the zoo. Those were the days! I love alfresco dining when the weather permits! I love this time of year. I always have a good combination of foods in my picnic lunches: something cold (like cheese and turkey slices), something crunchy, something soft, and maybe a bite of something sweet. 

Here are some recent moments that I've picnic-ed or enjoyed dining alfresco: one Wednesday after work, I met Abbey, Everly, Asher, and Violet at a local park for a picnic lunch. It was the perfect day for a picnic! And then a few weeks ago, Marilyn and I ate at a local food truck for dinner before a dance class. This was us waiting on our street tacos from Taco-N-Ganas. They have the best food! 

2. When is a time recently that you felt "antsy"? Y'all, I literally feel antsy every night of my life when I stay home. I cannot be here at night anymore, or at least if I am, it can't be for too long. I get bored, and I literally feel like the walls are closing in on me when I'm here for too long! I have to be out doing something for at least a good portion of the night. I prefer to be gone until at least eight p.m., and often time I'll come home and shower and then go lay in bed to watch tv, talk on the phone, or scroll social media. 

I used to say that I turned into a pumpkin after nine p.m., but those days are a very distant memory. The old me is dead and gone; I don't even know who I am sometimes when I think of how much I've changed in less than a year! 

3. As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Do you like lemonade? When did you recently need to make lemonade out of lemons, figuratively speaking? I like lemonade, but I don't drink it much because of the sugar. I don't mind a diet version of that from Chick Fil A, though! The last time I made lemonade out of lemons that I'd been given is my very recent past. This wasn't a life that I would have chosen for myself, but now that I've been given this life, I'm making the most out of it everyday! I am living life to the fullest, which means that I'm enjoying all of the free time I have. I love being with my family and friends; I love not answering to anyone or checking in with a spouse if I go out at night; I love being independent in every sense of the word. I'm enjoying learning how to do things I've never had to do before, like on Monday when I had to go buy new windshield wiper blades for my car; the person who checked me out taught me how to change them myself when I replace them the next time. 

4. Recently, five celebrities made a brief foray into space aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket. Did you hear about this? Do you have thoughts about it? If money were no object, would this be something you would consider doing? My mom told me about this after it happened, otherwise I wouldn't have heard about it or even cared. I don't really pay much attention to what celebrities do or don't do, you know? I don't think it's relevant at all to my own life, which is why I just don't care. That being said, I am very much into pop culture and love knowing all kinds of tidbits about that kind of thing. If I had a lot of money, I would want to do something meaningful with it instead of spending it on an adventure for me, you know? I'd donate it to St. Jude, most likely. I have no interest at all in going up to space. 

5. What's your favorite thing about the "space" you're sitting in right now? I'm writing this on Tuesday night, as I sit in my living room. 

My favorite thing about this space that I'm in is that it's cozy. I love that it's warm and inviting, and people are drawn to being here. I have this sign that people see when they leave my home that says, "You are dearly loved." And it's true! I want people to come into my home and feel welcomed; I want them to dig through my pantry if they're hungry, or grab a blanket out of the basket if they're here and freezing. I want my home to be lived in and inviting. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. I recently discovered a new (to me) artist whose voice I love: this is Jamie MacDonald. The song is titled Who He Is; I love that she sings about the character of God; much of the song is straight out of Scripture. That's my favorite type of song! I hope you enjoy this one. 

Thanks for reading my blog today, friends! I can't wait to read your responses to this. I hope you have a great day! Love to all. 

Jenn ❤️🩷