Lately 01: Of Hiatus, Holidays, & Home Life
Hello 2019 and hello new blog!
Let's cut to the chase, shall we? I have some updates so let's get right on to it.
Hiatus
This has been an extended radio silence from my end. I had issues with my former hosting provider which took me a while to resolve.
I've rebuilt my site, yet again, and hopefully this time I won't have to do it all over again. It's not a lot of work per se, but it's easy to push it aside in favor of other things.
Now that's been said, I'm happy to report that I am pleased with my new hosting provider and will recommend them in a heartbeat. They have reasonable rates, excellent customer service, and a user-friendly interface. (Go check out Bluehost if you're planning to move providers or are looking to start your own website)
Holiday 2018
We spent our Christmas holidays in the Philippines! It was such a thrill for me seeing Eli enjoying the sun, sand, and beach. Because the family home is in the province, she also got to enjoy the wide expanse available to her. She saw a lot of animals (and befriended some) while at the family home. She enjoyed mooing with the cows, following along with the rooster's crow, running after chickens, and trying to pet the cats and dogs.
It's my family's first time seeing Eli, except for my mother who came to Germany to help me on my first month of birth, and so I relished the opportunity for them to get to know her and vice versa.
We also spent some time in the city where we went to the Crocodile Park. I'd say that they have improved the facilities over the years and found the small farm excursion quite pleasing. The highlight for Eli was seeing a tiger (the sound she can already make) in flesh and playing with the koi on the pond.
Away from the conveniences of the first world, we did our laundry by hand, experienced multiple black outs, and sorely missed the selection of bread, pastries, coffee, and spreads. Other than that, I think it is a valuable experience for Greg and Eli. I've also picked up a few lessons that I'll bear in mind next time I prepare for a family holiday in the Philippines.
Home Life
With an active toddler and a growing belly, it's getting challenging to keep the house in order! I sometimes miss the quiet evenings my husband and I used to have and how late we used to stay up and out. It's definitely a different season in my life. On the outside, it looks like slowing down but really there is so much going on inside. Building a family, raising children and keeping a cozy, loving home requires a lot of time and effort. Aber das Leben ist harte Arbeit. And really, c'est la vie.
I've come to accept this new season and found joy in the pockets of time that I have to listen to an audio book while working on a crochet project and doing some small paid work on the side.
Looking Ahead
Just taking it a day at a time, really. Tó be better at planning ahead and focusing on getting things done - that's what I want to hone this year.
Specifically, I want to further improve my German, be less sporadic in my blog updates, and keep my sanity while managing my home and raising kids. All of that while making time to have quiet, tender moments with my husband and building something that's just mine.
It's a long list, I know. Let's see how this year goes.
Bis zum nächsten Mal!
Credits: Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash