August: A Month for the New.

A peek at what I was doing last August: bridal portraits!  I wonder what this one will bring

Photo credit: John Crouch

Maybe I shouldn't say August is a month for the new, but for renewal.  After a summer filled with travel, heightened emotions, and getting used to newlywed life, I'm looking forward to a fall with a little more calm.  A little more reading, writing, running, and cooking.  More Jesus and fresh air and pumpkin treats (oh, October. Please come quickly).  But first, August.  At home, August is hot and humid.  North Carolina Augusts meant getting relief from the heat with the salty air of Wrightsville Beach, a dip in the Atlantic, frozen yogurt, wet kisses from Gracie Lou (our family golden retriever), and the charm of Carolina's campus filling up with students for the fall.  This is my first August in Indianapolis, and I think it's going to be a little bit different from my North Carolina ones.  It's hard for me to believe that I'm approaching my one year anniversary in Indy, but there it is.  November 8th marks a full year.  So what will my first August look like? Let's look at some goals for this month.

1. Finish a book. Or 3. It's been a while since I've actually finished one.  In my last post, I mentioned that I'm reading 3 right now.  My goal is to actually finish all of these books.  I'm close with one, halfway through another, and 3/4 through the third.  I mentioned my long distance book clubs in my last post but never explained what that looked like.  Basically, everyone reads a book, writes notes and love letters inside, and mails it off to the next person.  Here's to finishing my books and mailing them off to the next lucky reader this month!

2. Write a detailed outline for my book.  I've actually changed the direction of my book completely since I first started writing it.  I've done a little research from other writers who have my kind of writing style, and I've realized that what I was trying to write wasn't me at all.  It sounded like a horrible self-help book.  So I deleted many many pages and decided to try again.  This month, I want to write out a plan for my book and pick up writing again.  I am not really planning on pursuing publishing the book or developing a strict timeline of any sort at this time.  I want to get it bound to give to my closest friends, but I don't think it'll ever be something I pursue on a larger scale than that.  It's more that I want to be able to take my love for writing and do something bigger with it than I have so far.  I love blogging and sharing thoughts and dreams with friends and family, but I also want to know that I did something else with my these words that gets translated to something you can hold in your hands and read before you fall asleep at night.

3.  Make our desk a workable space.  I used to do so much at my desk (which is one of my most-loved possessions.  I found it on sale at World Market when I moved into my first apartment in college and haven't wanted to part with it since): studying, writing, reading, crafting.  I decided not to bring my desk chair with me to Indy because it was hot pink and not really "cool" for an apartment with a boy, but I haven't looked for one yet since I've moved up here.  With Scott studying so much for school and boards and me needing to study for my Med/Surg certification, I think it's time for us to have a workable desk space.  So goal: find and purchase a desk chair, clean off the desk (currently covered in disorganized papers, old bills, wedding cards, etc.), and open it for business.  This goal is falling under an umbrella of home projects I'm going to be starting this fall.  Home projects can only go so far when you live in a rented one bedroom apartment, but I'm going to do what I'm able to in order to spruce the place up a bit and try some fun crafts and projects.  Coming soon: wall collage projects with honeymoon and wedding photos (once we have these!), painting a room in the apartment, styling coffee tables and bookshelves, and refinishing/staining our coffee table.  That's just a small taste of what's to come, mostly Pinterest and Young House Love inspired.  (I also am interested in hiring Fancy Chancey, former roommate and dear friend, to come be my professional organizer for a week in Indy.  Dear Fancy, if you're reading this, I'm for reals.  Come play and teach me your ways of organization.  I'm so angry that I never took advantage of learning them while living with you! I was too busy building leaning towers of dishes in our drying rack and using too many cups to drink out of!)

4. Join a gym.  I already know the gym I want to join, the same one that Scott goes to.  I was supposed to join after we got married, but life got a little chaotic and I didn't want to pay for a membership when I knew I wouldn't be able to commit to go.  So, goal for August: join the gym and make a workout schedule that is realistic.  I know with night shift that I will not go every day.  So maybe come up with something realistic, 3 or 4 days a week to start with, and see where I can go from there.  I lost a lot of weight my summer after graduating from college, and I feel like since then I have let bad habits seep back in and have let things slide that I shouldn't.  I feel soft and like I've lost all tone.  I would love to be able to get in shape again, not just for looks, but to feel strong and healthy.

5. Get my Indiana driver's license.  I've been flying under the radar up here with my North Carolina license for 9 months, but it's time to make it official.  Indiana, you're my state now for however long we are here for, and I've decided to make the commitment to you.  Hoping to knock this goal out next week!

6. Change my name.  Facebook will tell you I'm Cristina Davis, but my legal documentation all points to Poveromo still.  Because we booked our honeymoon flights under Cristina Poveromo, by TSA regulations I had to remain with this name until July when we made our trip.  Now that the trip is over, I have to get used to saying I'm Cristina Davis, Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Ronald Scott Davis.  Farewell, Cristina Poveromo.  You were fun for 23 years-- I loved hearing people butcher your pronunciation with Provolone, Povermo, Pover---how do you say this? And I loved the instant recognition by others that I was Italian.  But Cristina Davis is the same lady, just flying incognito with a somewhat simpler name.  At least our kids will be early in the alphabet with their last names; I was always so jealous of such kids when we had to line up for anything by last name!

7.  Seek Jesus.  This wasn't meant to be last.  I think it's the most important thing I want to do this month, actually.  Before our honeymoon, I had started a She Reads Truth study of Ruth and felt like I was learning so much from this Old Testament book.  Now that we are back, I want to dig deeper and spend more time praying for those around me.

I think 7 goals are enough for this month-- I don't want to overload myself to the point that I can't actually accomplish my goals! I also need some time for fun things this month.

Lots of love.

C.