Taking Stock

It's been months. That's just the way things are going right now. But here is a little bit of what the past few weeks have been like. 


Making: Things with yarn. I just finished my first ever knitting project for myself. It's a deep blue cowl and it will keep me warm all winter in Toronto. Other knitting projects on the go: my first pair of socks, repairing Shira's scarf that she "accidentally" pulled apart, and a hat for me.

Cooking: This week is my fall reading week at school and I have big, big cooking and baking plans to help me stock up for the rest of the term: this granola, squash soup, bran muffins, chickpea stew, pumpkin bread, and challah. And apple sauce.

Drinking: So much coffee. Returning to school this term has me face-to-face with one hell of a coffee obsession. I am trying desperately to throw some tea in the mix of my day to compensate for all this coffee, so I'm also drinking Earl Grey Rooibos and Mint Green tea. What can I say, I like hot drinks.

Reading: I found myself with hours to kill in the ER earlier this month, and I was lucky enough to pick up Lena Dunham's new book. Have you read it? She tells stories much in the same as she tells them in Girls. Just when you think she's being ridiculous she gets you in the gut and you start to cry. It was just the thing I've been wanting lately. I'm also mostly reading my physiology and pharmacology texts for midwifery school. 

Wanting: Midwifery school to be free! Tuition and childcare is frightening.

Looking: At October, obviously. 

Playing: Many, many rounds of Uno with the girlies. 

Deciding: What I need to do to make me feel healthy again.

Wishing: To go out dancing with my friends. Ridiculous, sweaty, send all your cares away dancing. Simultaneously wishing that I had enough energy to stay up late enough to actually go out dancing.

Enjoying: My midwifery school friends. What an amazing group of women.

Waiting: To start my first clinical placement in January!

Liking: How hard I've been studying. In spite of a nasty midterm last week, I know it's paying off.

Wondering: How my girlies will adjust when I begin clinical placement, on-call for almost four months.
Loving: The Fall.
Pondering: 

Considering: Exercising. I think all those people might be on to something.
Watching: Re-watching the first season of Grey's Anatomy and trying to ignore Izzie. #teamCristina
Hoping: To come to terms with work-life balance and its elusive nature.
Marvelling: At Shira's, dare I say, smooth transition to kindergarten. She's a natural! We never believed it would happen.
Needing: To miraculously find a way to cut some of our fixed costs. It's hard to budget and save when it doesn't feel like there is any wiggle room to do good. As I mentioned above, wrangling money for tuition and childcare is not easy for us, so the financial stress of returning to school full-time is starting to make us worry. In the words of my pharmacology prof, we'll just have to just keep swimming.
Smelling: The chocolate chip cookies I baked this week. I never really follow a recipe when it comes to the add-ins for cookies (the best part), so here is what I included: dark chocolate chips, salty pretzels, chia seeds, flax seeds, and coconut. Just what this Tuesday needed.
Wearing: A floral skirt that needs to be retired but I just can't. It's too good.
Following: No news. I'm hibernating with my head in the sand while I try and learn all the things about bodies and drugs and birth and babies.
Noticing: That I use language about bodies differently than many other people. Yesterday I was walking home from school with the girlies and informed Alyce that a pregnant friend of ours is growing a boy baby. She asked how the doctors could tell if the baby was a boy or a girl. I said, "The doctors could see his penis because they took a special picture of this inside of her uterus." The man standing next to me looked more than a little surprised by my directness. His jaw was on the ground, but he laughed as well, so nice one.
Knowing: Not enough pharmacology for my midterm this Wednesday.

Thinking: That it's a little embarrassing that I sometimes have to hide my head under the covers at night to protect my ears from being licked to oblivion by one tiny kitten. Did I mention we got a kitten? More on that another day.
Feeling: Many sore and tight muscles that are in need of a good month of yoga classes (and my chiropractor).
Admiring: Shira's ridiculous looking cast. Did I mention she broke her arm? I haven't mentioned much of anything lately it seems. Short version: Our Shira tripped on a twig while she was walking home from school. The result was two buckle fractures and a tiny cast for a tiny arm.
Sorting: Through my daughters' room to sneak out a bag or two of old toys and clothes.
Buying: Not very many things. See above note re: high costs of tuition.
Getting: Much almost-birthday love! My mum gifted me an early birthday present of an incredible warm down winter coat, and Matt has ordered me a beautiful necklace (we can't keep anything from each other and are embarrassingly bad at surprises).
Bookmarking: Bread recipes mostly.
Disliking: How many times I have been sick this year. I would like my immune system back, please.
Opening: Many new midwifery textbooks.
Giggling: Whenever I think about Jack and Liz. I never get tired of that show.
Snacking: Cookies and apples, from our recent apple picking trip.
Coveting: Confidence.
Wishing: That I could help my daughter with all her six-year-old anxiety.
Helping: My grandmother navigate the healthcare system. There are some mighty long wait times for specialists in this province.
Hearing: An incredible October thunderstorm!

Be well!
xo