hannah ananas

I have so much work to do before Saturday, when people first will be coming over. I also have to mow the lawn… I think. Yes, I’m pretty sure I should do it tomorrow, so it has time to grow a bit before Saturday, but so that it looks nice and not overgrown, which is how it likely would look by Saturday if I didn’t mow tomorrow… that on top of everything for the inside of the house. Ugh.

I know I can do it. It’s just a lot of effort in a short period of time, and it’s when I’m already exhausted and just wanting to rest still. I haven’t even fully recovered from the sinus infection yet, which is its own suck. Now, add all the cleaning and tidying. Yikes.

Fortunately, my mom understands for once and is making an effort to support me in it all. Supposedly, she’ll come manage the baby out of the way for a couple hours in the morning, starting around 8:30 (depending on traffic). Hopefully, I sleep well tonight and am able to get loads done in the morning.

Also, my mom got mad today about how little I get updates from my husband. I think it makes me sad and I struggle with feelings of not being wanted or not being important enough to him for him to keep me updated on his life, but I don’t get mad about it. So, it was interesting to see someone so upset in a completely different way today. I don’t think he does it on purpose, not being in communication. I think he just genuinely doesn’t think ahead or plan ahead to consider what might make a difference for me. As I understand it, it is the case for many men that they are reactive to situations rather than planning ahead, and that they have zero focus or thought for things when they are not right in front of the man – that is, out of sight means out of mind. So, I get it from a logic standpoint. But it still sucks and it still makes it feel like I don’t matter very much.

Also, my daughter keeps being a night owl and pushing her sleep time later and later each night. Ugh. Literally as soon as I stopped getting us up at the crack of dawn for the livestock show, she started staying up later and later.

Post-a-day 2026

Raising a child is hard. At least, when you care about doing a good job of it, it is. And it’s even harder doing it almost entirely alone. I am grateful for this opportunity for growth. However, I still look forward to having my husband work alongside me again in raising our children. I miss him on many levels these days.

Thank you, God, for my family, Please, keep us safe and make us well and together. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2026

I made a bunch of food for this couple with a new baby. They live a handful of neighborhoods away from us, and the midwife mentioned to me that the mom seemed to be really struggling, so I reached out to see how I could make a difference. The irony of my making a bunch of food for them is that I barely manage to feed myself still these days. But my husband was home yesterday evening, so I had him keep the baby outside while he cleaned his motorcycle and worked on it a bit, and I made us both dinner and then made the huge stir-fry and put together a crock-pot stew for overnight for the other couple.

So, dropped it off to them today – oh, and we had a multi-hour power outage today, which was a bit wild, but the weather was okay at the time, so we were okay physically – and found some ties with them. Turns out they go to a Church I’ve wondered about attending. So, might end up going with them after Easter, which could be cool. The husband seems super nice and friendly. When I had met the wife, she seems angry and overwhelmed and just done with the world. So, I don’t know if she’s just always kind of negative and angry, or if she’s merely a happy person who is currently in the pits of postpartum depression and physical-body-suck and minimal sleep and exhaustion and wits end and mostly-solo-parenting disasters… perhaps time will tell!

If nothing else, I did a good thing for a new family.

God, keep us safe and make us well, please, my husband and daughter especially. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2026

My baby fell asleep in the shower tonight. Fortunately, my husband was actually home and able to help this time, so I didn’t have to set her on the ground, propped against the wall or anything… But it was just incredibly sweet to see them cuddled up in the rocking chair after I got out of the shower. I love when they get to sleep together, in whatever ways it may come about. There’s just something special about napping and sleeping with another.

Thank you, God, for this beautiful family. Help us always to be our best selves and to pursue and fulfill your will. Make us well and keep us safe and together, please. Show us your way for us. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2026

We went to a Stations of the Cross for children this evening, and it was great. Granted, many kids were loud and annoying, the microphone sound was not loud enough for the kids doing the readings, and there were loads of errors in the printed booklets (not to mention that the words were way too complex for little kids to understand in the first place, let alone read aloud with a group). However, as far as they were reasonably well-behaved, kids got to be kids while experiencing the Stations of the Cross. We didn’t have to walk out every time our daughter made a noise or got excited and exclaimed something. We got to stay in the sanctuary and just redirect her attention as needed, continuing to participate in the activity. For that reason, it was awesome. Yes, loads of room for improvement in the future. However, this was a great start for the event, and I’m so glad my daughter got to attend fully.

Thank you, God. Please, keep us safe, make us well, and keep us together. Guide us financially. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2026

My daughter started yesterday making sounds that she has never before made, sounds and intonations that are wildly similar to spoken English, and a touch of German. It would not surprise me at all if she suddenly started speaking clear words in a matter of days. It could also be weeks or months before she does, of course. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if she just whipped it all out within the next week, anyway.

Thank you, God, for our daughter. Please, keep my husband and our daughter and me safe, and make us well. Guide us kindly and encouragingly and clearly, please. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2026

My mom and I used to love going to the opera together. However, we both hit a point this year where we weren’t sure we wanted to renew our subscription next year. Now that next year’s performances have been released, we have no doubts: We are not renewing. We like the old stuff. We kind of hate modern opera, though. And there are loads of the old operas to explore. However, it feels like Houston Grand Opera has gone further and further into pursuing new operas while repeating the same dozen or so old operas throughout the years. This upcoming year, the only opera we haven’t already seen in Houston is a modern opera. So, we’re passing. Maybe we’ll get single-performance tickets in the future, but we don’t care to see the same operas again and again, nor do we care to see any more modern operas. Well just have to keep an eye out every spring to see if there’s something playing that we want to see. For now, we’ll try the symphony subscription that is child-friendly and see how that goes. I’m actually quite excited about it.

Post-a-day 2026

Today, My husband was unexpectedly off work (again!), so we took advantage of the opportunity to spend time together. Given that it was a Tuesday, after he got his tires fixed, we went to ride the carousel for free carousel day – thank you, Exxon! – and then went briefly to the zoo to see the sea lions – exhibit was under repair, so no sea lions, but our daughter loved running through the exhibit, nonetheless – and then to the museum of natural science to see some dinosaurs and to be in the air conditioning. Then we had our standard Costco lunch, where my mom and grandma surprisingly joined us, and finally fought the beginning of rush-hour traffic to get home and nap. (At least, the baby and I napped. My husband worked on things outside.)

We had lots of emotions today, but it was such a pleasure to get to do these things with my husband. I am beyond grateful. And I am glad he agreed and was up for the adventure today.

Thank you, God. Please, keep us safe and make us well. Guide us financially, please. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2026

Well, the baby and I both are ill now, I with my sinus infection and she with some unknown fever-inducing illness. They both suck. Poor thing has been very tired today, but still totally into her usual play and wildness. Just while also looking worn out a lot faster than usual. And I got to stay in bed late and go get a reflexology foot massage, but am still totally wiped and feeling borderline dreadful.

God, heal us both, please. Keep our family safe and together, and make us well. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2026

Today has been closing day for the rodeo and livestock show this year. We went every day for all 21 days, doing all the kid stuff and more each day. I am exhausted, but it was totally worth it for me for my daughter’s sake. Tonight, we had dinner at a steakhouse to celebrate the closing. At one point my daughter started mooing next to me. I looked right at her and saw that she had her head kind of thrown back. Just in case, I turned and looked upward to where her eyes were focused. Sure enough, there was a bull mounted way up high on the wall. She wasn’t just randomly mooing, but was mooing at the correct animal. Wild and hilarious.

Thank you, God. Keep us safe and make us well, please. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2026