Welcome to In a Word, a newsletter that cultivates thoughtfulness, one word at a time. If a friend forwarded you this email, click here to subscribe:
Thank you for opening this email amidst the flurry of “sale on sale!” emails and other year-end digital detritus. A quick refresher on who I am, after a full year of inbox absence: I’m Jacey. I live in Charleston, SC with my husband and our two children and golden retriever. Writing is one of the ways I make sense of things; this has been somewhat of a nonsensical year, so maybe it tracks that I haven’t written much.
Last you heard from me, I had a weeks-old baby who is now a human Labrador puppy tromping around with the gap-toothed grin of a midcentury moonshiner. Parenting two children is somehow exponential the amount of work, rather than double. I passed my comprehensive exam at the end of last year, and I am one year closer to my graduate degree in clinical counseling.
So that’s me. In this single (!) newsletter of 2022, I’m sharing my highs and lows from the year, as well as some favorites that you might enjoy.
Highs
Seeing my first therapy clients for my first field placement!
Creating structure to ensure I regularly connect with friends (standing appointments are gold).
Seeing my family multiple times (including a solo trip to visit my sister in Nashville).
Focusing our minimal travel around relationships (visiting friends, or traveling with friends).
Finding the right seizure medication and dose for Betsy
Finally getting a night away with Mike without kids (the asterisk on this is that I ended up having the flu so it didn’t go exactly according to plan)
Audiobooks and podcasts were a lifeline
Both kids are in excellent school and care situations
Getting back into running (finding a secondhand jogging stroller was key) and strength training
Lows
Mike rang in the new year at the children’s hospital with Betsy (I was home with our infant) after the first of what would be four seizures this year.
Replaced social media scrolling with online shopping/browsing as my time waster/distraction mechanism.
House shopping (unfortunately taking this one into 2023).
Lice. Twice.
The hair-pulling madness of instability stemming from the illness/hurricane/school cancellation/childcare industrial complex.
Feeling the responsibility to be the emotional stabilizer of my family depleted me on many levels.
I wrote less than I have in years (both privately and publicly).
Chronically sleep deprived, yet never made an early bedtime a priority.
And now for the favorites!
Ilia lip wrap is so good for winter, Naturium Vitamin C Serum and moisturizer
e.l.f. Wow Brow has replaced the more expensive versions for me.
I got the Get Mom Strong app this year and love it. If you like home workouts, it’s very accessible and appropriately challenging, and is designed to protect pelvic floor muscles postpartum (and in pregnancy). Big fan!
I love my Vuori joggers so much I ordered a second pair secondhand during my hospital stay after giving birth. (Mine are in charcoal heather and a dark maroon they don’t stock anymore.)
I ordered the Girlfriend Collective Luxe Leggings during the Black Friday sale, and they are a really nice legging. Resist lint/dog hair, good compression and weight, look “nice” for a legging. Only downside is no pockets.
I wore the Athleta skort (in white) multiple days a week all summer. (I got a Madewell one in black on sale this week that isn't quite as good but hits the mark pretty well!)
I ordered a pair of the Nike Daybreak sneakers secondhand and they are so comfy and reasonably attractive. The swoosh on mine is rose gold, which I don’t think they make anymore but they have lots of fun colors.
My favorite place to look for secondhand stuff is Mercari! (This link good for $10 off your first purchase.)
Nonfiction: Hunt, Gather, Parent and The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness
I read Laundry Love in January and implemented a lot of his strategies, particularly the stain removing ideas. The Laundress’ bleach alternative, stain solution, and soap bar were all well used this year.
I got the Day One Journal app to use for audio journaling and while I wish I had used it more consistently, I really liked it. It allowed me to process and reflect the way that journaling does, but I could do it while on a walk.
And could I, a mere mortal, have kept up with the formula, puree pouch, toilet paper, and endless snack needs of our family this year without Target Drive-Up? The real MVP.
TV: The final season of Barry (HBO), The Sex Lives of College Girls (HBO), final season of Better Call Saul (can purchase on Amazon), Bad Sisters (Apple TV), White Lotus season two (HBO), Insecure (all seasons, HBO).
Podcast episodes: We Were Three (series; intense content and trigger warning for abuse, but very impactful), Teen Mental Health (Pantsuit Politics), Snake Draft, Mid-Life Crisis Edition (The Popcast), The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, Heavyweight #37: John
Plan to Eat continues to be excellent for meal planning and grocery shopping.
Dinner: Sweet Potato Salad with Pepita dressing and Sheet Pan Feta with Broccolini became dinner staples. (Second link is a NYT Cooking link, which requires a subscription because I can’t figure out the gift link; we have absolutely loved this subscription and use it daily, FWIW).
Drinks: We made a batch of this Apple Cider Old Fashioned for Thanksgiving and loved it. Orange Vanilla Polar is my long-standing favorite seltzer.
A few things we loved for this second time around a baby’s first year: Mushie bibs and placemats, Baby Bjorn bouncer, Little Unicorn sleep sacks and bedding, Bibs pacifiers (we probably should have gone with a less bougie option, but he’s hooked on these now).
Books: Bear Came Along, The Pout Pout Fish, Odd Dog Out
So much love to you and yours as we round out a year that has been.*
* I came back to this after starting it a couple weeks ago, and couldn’t remember if I just left the sentence unfinished, or meant for it to end this way, but “a year that has been” felt perfect.
Cheers!
Jacey
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