hannah.ananas

Time for school

Or, well, work, I suppose. Whatever the case, tomorrow is the first day back at school for me for the school year. Yippee! And also a touch of boo-hoo. In-service can be great and can be terrible, for one thing. And summertime can be addicting with the full-on daytime free time and all.

But I think I am ready for it this year. Nervous? Yes. Scared? Yes. A touch terrified? Indeed. But ready? Also a yes.

Dear God, please guide me clearly and powerfully. In your name, I pray. Let’s do this. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

A strained refrain – Refrain the strain?

When did the cute stop being cute?
When did the adorable
Become annoying?
The laughter that once
Filled the days and the nights,
When did it turn
To rude quips,
To snaps,
To frustrated sighs?
And when,
Oh, when
Did the shivers of delight,
Utter excite (ment)
Turn to crying at night
And wanting just to walk
Away,
So I stop causing
Such strain,
Such hassle,
Such pains?

But, really,
The question isn’t, “When?”
It is, “Why?”

And the answer
Is that I deCIDED.
I cut off all chances
Those wonderful things
Had at surviving,
Let alone thriving…

And,
While that is so sad,
So terrible to hear,
What’s wonderful about it
Is that I</> decided it all…
And so I</> can let it all go,
And choose sonething new.

I can create new life.

Post-a-day 2022

P.S. Happy birthday today to baby Grace!!

Simon and Schuster

Thank you, Simon and Schuster, for delivering so many wonderful books both to the world and to me personally. I thoroughly enjoy what I have been able to read from your offerings, and I am so grateful you chose to take them on. Without you, many of them might never have reached the public and/or me. So, thank you for saying yes to them. Woohoo!

Yay, books! And yay to good publishing companies! Woohoo!

Thank you, God, for all of it. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

That was easy

Not…

My man did the morning workout today, while I went to work the karate tournament way far out. Then, he worked in the yard from about 9am to 1pm. Then we rode together on his motorcycle to the joint yoga-workout class that was a collaboration between our gym and a yoga place. It was ridiculously hot, starting at 97°F, and only getting hotter as we went along with a room packed with people. It was yoga to start, then about thirty minutes of cardio-type work that also used muscles, then a touch more yoga and rest to finish it off.T

hen it was like a party. We got free fancy foam rollers and snooty cookies that are actually delicious, plus sparkling waters and some complimentary chiropractic work. But we had to wait a while for the chiropractic work. It was totally worth it, though. We both got some good spots with our muscles sorted out better, and we got to experience cupping – a first for us both! It was weird but cool. It felt like someone rubbing a muscle and pushing in on it, but just not stopping. And then they came up with a slurp suction of sorts, and the muscles felt even more released and relaxed. It was quite cool.

Then we rode home, change clothes quickly, stopped at HEB for some specific chips and some bananas as the birthday present for the two-year-old birthday party we then attended. I can almost guarantee she will love the present. Her mom and dad agreed. 😛

I kid you not, my man slept almost the entire birthday party… on the sofa, passed out. and nobody minded in the least. We were the only people who weren’t family, but they truly didn’t mind at all. Everyone kept encouraging him – though it wasn’t like he heard any of it – saying how comfortable that sofa was and how they all always napped on it every time they were over at the house, too. Plus, they knew what he had done so far today. It was quite funny, really. Then he woke up at one point, and asked, “Could I have some cake, please?” He ate it and the ice cream I brought him, and then promptly passed right back out. He got a good nap.

Now, we have stumped home and are getting to sleep as soon as possible…

Goodnight, all.

Post-a-day 2022

Get out

Whenever I find myself spending time with repeated thoughts and ideas and conversations in my head, especially somewhat negative ones, I must remind myself: Get Out! Now! That is all… Thank you for listening.

And, you know, it is one of the best things I ever do for myself.

I’ve spent too much time in my head lately, dwelling on some of the same conversations and ideas, leaving myself feeling small and in-the-way and a problem for others and a failure for myself. It’s quite depressing, really. No joke. I’m letting that all go tonight, though, giving it up to God, and giving myself grace and respect. I am capable, and I am worth it. Period. So, let’s keep on improving as we have been doing, pursuing the path on which God has been calling us. We can do it.

I pray your name in gratitude, God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

What would you do-oo-oo…

… for a Klondike bar?!

William Isaly created the Klondike bar back in 1922. That’s a hundred years ago. One-double-zero. Years. He named them after the Klondike river up in the Yukon (in Canada), supposedly because he wanted the name to elicit a sense of cooler-than-cold cold. They were a local item for years and years, sold in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and originally six for $1.49. Eventually, they turned massive, though.

And they’re still famous today.

What is one big part of that fame, you wonder? In my opinion, it was the branding. Sure, they’re delicious. But why do we have some in our freezer right now? Because my man started whistling the jingle the other day, and we haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since. What’s more, they’re a blast to eat, because I feel so snooty and fancy every time I open one up with that fancy foil wrapper. Mr. Isaly knew what he was doing, wrapping them in foil. And Mr. Whoever-it-was was the same when he added the jingle in 1982. Thank you, both!

And thank you, God for such a silly and delicious treat! Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

Plenary

I think we are finally starting to get involved in some of the really cool learning stuff for Roman Catholicism. We read each night from the YouCat, the youth Catechism of the Catholic Church. That’s been a good start. But it has been a lot of low-brain topics so far. This week, however, we have found ourselves truly talking about whatever is presented from the YouCat topic, actually looking up further information on lots of it. And it is awesome.

Tonight, in an almost-bizarre twist, we ended up on the topic of plenary indulgences (Just look it up – it’d take me too long to explain them here now!). We even called my mom for her input and read from multiple online articles and dictionaries! What a fascinating topic! And, in doing that research, we got into the topic of how to address clergy properly. So, I found a fun Wikipedia article on how to do all of that for the different clergy (Yes, that, too, is a bit complicated, by the way.)! It was a very good time tonight.

Thank you, God, for this oddly fun surprise. Keep it up, please, and keep us with you. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

Alas

We had plans to go to a dance class and small social tonight, and we were excited about it. It’s just down the road, not even five minutes away, and one of my good friends was going to go with us. But, after getting home after the afternoon workout – how many times can I use “after” in a phrase??? – my man and I both realized that we really just wanted to stay home for the evening. We both have a long list of things we want to accomplish after all the activities this past weekend, plus all the stuff we already had on the lists. And I start school stuff in another week. So, the pressure is on – I want to get a foot handful of this all handled before then, so I’ve to step it up and get crackin’ big time this week.

Anyway, we stayed home tonight. And I just say that I truly believe we both got a good chunk of stuff handled this evening, and we both are glad and grateful that we chose to stay home this time, even though we had been looking forward to the dancing. Thank you, God, for the discernment.

God, give me the way, the will, and the strength to get it all done this week, please. Bless us both with your grace and power in our endeavors. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022

P.S. What, it isn’t 2023 yet? We just had Christmas on Monday. It must be time for the new year now, right?!

Get your head in the game

But, sometimes, the head really hurts when we get too much into it all. Sometimes, we just need to have some cool water and pass out in bed.

God, please, grant me rest-filled, healing sleep tonight. In your name, I pray. Amen.

P.S. Happy Christmas in July!! Guess it is just like the holidays for some folks! 😛

Post-a-day 2022

Better, but… so, butter?

Today was better, but still tough. We were both on edge a decent amount, which was bizarre for us both. I think the fact that, because of other people, our plans were pushed back yet again, limiting us significantly on timing with things where we had intentionally scheduled free relaxation time, really threw us off. And we hadn’t yet recovered for its having happened already so much this weekend.

So, today was really good, but also quite tough for us both.

We’re still exhausted, though we finally got to sleep last night. Hopefully, we can do better and better about getting enough sleep as we move forward these next couple weeks. I have school stuff starting on the third, and then school the following week, O believe, so I kind of need my sleep schedule sorted out by then…

Dear God, please, give me exactly what I need to be my best self such that I pursue your will fully. Help me to let go of all that was in the way of pursuing you and your will. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2022