Counting blessings for a Friday Slice

A (safe) vacation is around the corner for us AND my iPad is loaded with new YA books I can't wait to read and screenshots of recipes I can't wait to cook (in a random VRBO rental; note to self: bring good knives!).

I baked a banana bread this afternoon, cheating with box mix, but shmushing in two browning bananas, with chocolate chips sprinkled in, too. Slicing a thick slice, steamy warm, with a glass of milk. Such a perfect snack.

An incredibly powerful shot of equity learning from Charles Payne, Nicole Williams Beechum, Howard Fuller and my friend Jennifer Husbands during a one hour lunch webinar yesterday. Left me itching with new ideas, thinking hard about my actions when facing systemic racism - real disruption work.

Wrapping up a project that hasn't been joyful. I know the work was good (the data shows high attendance & strong satisfaction; participants felt engaged, too), but my heart wasn't in it, which required me to bring extra energy to the project, which then left me drained and frustrated. Glad to be closing the project up, and thinking of lessons learned that can help me make better decisions about how I use my time.

Amazing news from two friends. Both heading to graduate school, as mamas of college students, chasing their dreams - no, no - not really chasing them - tackling them, with the full force of their brilliant brains and experienced hearts. So proud of them both - embracing change and modeling real commitment to self. Already planning some "care kits" to spoil them.

Five blessings, all there for the taking, the joy-making, the gratitude.
Breathing them in deeply (and gobbling at least one of them up, too!).

The banana bread!