Little Blossoms for Jesus: May 2020 Wrap-Up

Hello, friends! I'm back with another update. I can hardly believe it's already June. March feels like years and years ago.... but it doesn't feel like 6 months since the year started... so weird. ;P

~ Happenings ~

// So one of the first things that happened this month was I locked myself out of my phone for three days and ended up having to reset it.

yeah.

It was pretty traumatic. XP

The good part is that I got new emojis!

// I participated in making a video on what knowing Jesus meant for me. Go watch it here. It is breathtaking.

(Unfortunately it can only be seen by those who have Instagram. Sorry. :( )

// I watched King George's speech for V-E Day in 1945, and then the Queen's commemoratory talk about it this V-E Day. (You can read the King's speech here, and the Queen's here. For some reason the name of God is not capitalized in the first speech--so sorry. It's from a newspaper.) I was in tears!!! Such an amazing, sobering moment.

// We were able to go to our rented church building on the last Sunday of May to livestream! it's amazing to be in a church that's actually a "real" church. :D We were in a storefront for years (and it was not the nicest place lol...).

// Okay. This maaayyyy have been the highlight of my month. BUT. I won a cover designing giveaway from Bethany @ CoverBook Designs. OH. MY. WORD. It was an amazing time--she was absolutely amazing with me, very patient and helpful, and the finished work was beyond my dreams.... this story is partly written but needs to be totally scrapped and rewritten. And I have no idea when that will happen... But when it does... :D

// I've been working hard on my copyediting certificate course! This week (June 7-13) is my last week. By this time this post goes live I'll be done college! ;D

So yes, we celebrated that with pizza & burgers. xD

// So this happened:

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.

And of course I had to make chocolate chip cookies.

And we ate them while listening to the rest of Rudolf Lutz's interpretation/introduction of Bach's Cantata Christ lag in Todesbanden.

// I've listened to Amanda's music on repeat most of the month. :D

Then my grandma introduced me to Fountainview Academy and I fell in love! There are a couple songs that need to be skipped, but for the most part, they are a.m.a.z.i.n.g.

// And I started a French branch of LBFJ. I'm not posting much, but... it's there. XD

// So I updated the wall above my office.... I love it so much!

// I pulled my Jane Austen colouring book out again! I love it so much and I really enjoy colouring, but I am not too constant about doing it. xP It's amazing to colour while listening to good music, though. Very relaxing.

// So I discovered this hymn this month when my sister requested it... <33

// In other news... Spring is upon us!!! Finally!!! I'm so happy.

Spring means lots of bookstagram pics. :D

// Also we had a heat wave for the last two weeks of May... not fun.

// And this month's episode of funny things the kids said...

Not a funny saying, but a funny story... we introduced the 4-year-old to the Typewriter Concerto and one Sunday he decided to pretend he was accompanying our singing on a typewriter. He was insanely good at his typewriter sounds and it was hilarious!

// Just really, really love this thing. ;D

// Kept up the Heart Findings. :)

Turns out I have a collection of heart earrings...

// I GOT A COMPUTER.

MY OWN COMPUTER.

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!

I've wanted my own computer for soooo long and I always wanted a Mac but didn't think I'd get one. Thanks to university... I did!!! Her name is Helen MacBook. (Helen for a character of mine + Helen Keller & MacBook for Scotland + Books. And yeah, I'm aware the computer is actually a MacBook for real). She's so prettyyyyyy.

// I reached 35k in Notes!

And then this happened.

I'm now at past 15k, have an idea for a second book, and am getting on like a house afire... and loving every second. :D

And I spent a lot of time working on the land of Kalsyia and creating it and the culture, which was insanely fun!

// The 5-year-old had a birthday and Lissa, the 9-year-old, & I made her cupcakes. :D It was so much fun! They're actually the cupcakes that the Royal Chef made for the Queen for her birthday. They're literally the best chocolate cupcakes ever. We had so much icing them!

// I also finally managed to KEEP TO A THEME on BOTH my accounts!!! I love this because it's varied but themed. :)

// I read. a lot. of good books. *nods*

One of the books I read dealt with a topic that really frustrates me. I was left really upset, & I didn’t want to tackle my next TBR because it also deals with a hard topic. So instead, I reread two Angie Thompson books that I needed to review. They both calmed my heart, & I decided to do a rereading binge of all her books. The thing about Angie’s stories is that almost every single one deals with hope/redemption & love. Each ones showcases sweet family relationships, great messages, excellent humour, & excitement/adventure, but each one is also filled with peace & calm. These stories make me cry & laugh & smile, but most of all, they satisfy my longing for an exciting, interesting, & powerful story that doesn’t leave me full of emotion. Somehow each story just brings me right back to peace because Jesus’ peace is so prominent that it calms my heart. 💙 By the way, Angie is currently giving away these stories for free! 💝

*Disclaimer: I was not asked to say any of this nor am I being compensated/paid in any way. 😉 Just sharing some favourite books with you!*

I also read a lot of poetry. <33 Classic poems are classic for a reason, guys.

// Honestly this month was a lot about finding peace and calm in the midst of everything going on... as you can probably tell if you've been reading my mini-devotionals. There were a few hard days, but for the most part I did pretty well, thank God. My biggest problem was stressing over school & all the things I had to do... or thought I had to do. I finally figured out that half my stress came from the fact that I expected myself to be able to keep doing all that I used to do on top of university... and of course that wasn't happening, and I was upset. I'm still working on figuring out how to balance all that.

(And also I've spent a lot of time being frustrated because this blog no longer sends out email notifications.)

Also there was this one day I was really having a bad day and my 7-year-old sister randomly brought me a card that said, "I love you, Katja. I hope that you love whatever you have to do in college." 😭 💙

// We had lots of house visits... a couple being last-minute. And since our real estate agent is an absolute gem, he brought us Tim Hortons doughnuts every. time. 😭

// I had fun doing a bunch of Instagram Q&As. :)

// I ended up with really painful wrists after using the computer so much... really grateful to everyone who wrote in with tips! I now lie washcloths under my wrists as I write so that my hands are the same height as my keyboard, and it really helps!

// So much fun binge-watching episodes of Fireman Sam & Country Mouse & City Mouse with the big kids this month!! There was this one episode of Country Mouse & City Mouse that was the most intense episode I've ever seen them do... it was gooood. And so much fun. :D (Note that for both shows, there is some skipping occasionally needed due to the music, besides the theme songs).

~Reading~

Books Read: 40.

1 star: 1 book.

2 stars: 1 book.

2.5 stars: 1 book.

3 stars: 3 books.

4 stars: 2 books.

4.5 stars: 6 books.

5 stars: 1 books.

5+ stars: 6 books.

~Favourite Blog Posts~

Time of Gratefulness | Choose Joy Day by Day