finding joy in the ordinary
the sunday bulletin 007: spring into summer, church activities, and live laugh loving life
somehow i blinked and may ended, and it’s nearly summertime. time is going by so fast, but at the same time i feel a sort of intentionality rooting me to the spot, and life feels so sweet. i’m not someone who typically loves summer, even though i am a summer baby and i do, in fact, love my birthday, but this year i feel excited about all that this season, and all that life, has to offer.
here’s what i’ve been up to!
📚 reading
may reading wrap up:
homeseeking by karissa chen: a beautiful, heartbreaking story about the strength of human connection, the power of love, the fight for your homeland, and the past versions of yourself that deserved so much more. a phenomenally crafted debut that reminded me why i love reading.
into the blue by emma brodie: this book took social media by storm in the last month or two, and unfortunately i was on the side of not quite loving it. i found the main character to be so deeply irritating and unlikeable that it took away from other elements of the story that i did enjoy—impactful and emotional writing and the tethered bond of the acting—but i will say the last 50ish pages were superb.
no matter what by cara bastone: this type of romance was so beautiful and refreshing to read about—years long history and context and inside jokes and reasons to really believe in and root for their relationship. they felt like real people going through and overcoming real trauma and grief, and the ending felt so earned and satisfying.
the road to tender hearts by annie hartnett: this felt like being told the world’s strangest, most heartfelt bedtime story. flawed characters, second chances, and love in every page.
love by the book by jessica george: i resonated so deeply with this as a late 20s woman going through a decade-long friendship breakup while also breaking the ice with new friends. an endearing, thought provoking, and ultimately hopeful love letter to female friendship, found family, and what it means to live a full life amidst a changing world.
“Do friendships end when someone stops being of worth? Or maybe it’s comparable to romantic relationships, where after years together, it’s less about trying to replicate what you once had and more about growing alongside each other, and allowing the other person to change. Maybe the answer lies in figuring out how we maintain what we have with distance and new priorities between us?”
evvie drake starts over by linda holmes: ‘sleepy seaside town’ couldn’t have been more accurate. some sweet and thoughtful moments, but overall kind of forgettable.
stay tuned for an upcoming summer reading guide featuring specifically curated recommendations and some of my highly anticipated reads!
📺 watching
off campus: my self control left the building when i binged this show in a day and a half. granted, it’s only eight episodes, but i was hooked. it was funny and cute and so entertaining. i don’t care for spice, so there was a fair amount of skipping for me, and i enjoyed the show (more, probably) without it. and as someone who didn’t read the books and doesn’t plan to, i was pleasantly surprised at the amount of depth and ‘real’ things the characters were going through, which also made me enjoy it more.
invincible: i started watching this with my husband (who has already watched it once) because he couldn’t stop talking about it and it piqued my curiosity. an animated superhero show isn’t entirely off brand for me as a marvel girly, however, this is is on a different level. it’s pretty violent and gory, to be expected to some extent, but the family dynamics, character arcs, and intergalactic politics make for a very plot-twisty, bingeable, and emotional watch. we’re on season four and yeah, i get it now.
👩🏽🍳 cooking
meals / snacks / drinks on rotation in our kitchen lately:
skinny dipped dark chocolate peanut butter cups
hard boiled eggs
triple berry bubblr
homemade pizza
boulder canyon kettle cooked chips
chicken quesadillas
sub sandwiches with fresh fruit
strawberry vanilla olipop
homemade chocolate chip cookies (just tried this recipe for the first time, so yum)
🧩 entertainment
once again, seasonal (bucket) lists! really want to prioritize time outside / in the sun / by the water this summer
volleyball! we joined our church’s summer league and it’s already been so much fun
monopoly deal
crossword puzzles (sudoku next?)
nyt games
daily walks
haven’t colored in a while but including it here as a reminder to start a new page this week
💌 connection
date nights / intentional time together: this is something my husband and i are always trying to implement more of, but especially in the season of life that we’re in. we went on a picnic over the long weekend, which is a small thing, but it’s something i’d been talking about wanting to do for a long time. we put together a little lunch of sandwiches, fruit, and chips, brought a game and a book, and laid in the sun for a couple hours. it was so relaxing and such a fun, easy way to spend quality time together. we also love going on daily after work walks and talking about our days, watching our show or playing board games with no distractions, and more occasionally going out to dinner and reminiscing about how much our lives have changed and what we’re looking forward to.
church!!! just in general, i love it and everyone there so much. but more specifically, i recently took a ‘job’ as the ministry co-coordinator for putting together small groups, and as someone who loves lists and organization and admin, it feels like a perfect fit. there are a lot of moving parts and ongoing projects left to work on, and we’re so excited about how it’s coming together.
buddy reads and weekly facetime calls with my long distance bestie <3
✨ little joys
early sunlight through the windows
a brand new notebook
cookies fresh out of the oven
warm weather
bunnies in our backyard
new friends
fun bev while making dinner
new music
big sweatshirt warm from the dyer
falling asleep on the couch on a friday night (is this too niche?)
thank you so much for reading!! until next time,
zara <3
sorry one last thing, I wish I could comment line by line like we used to on Wattpad. how do I get hold of the substack ppl to suggest an update
also me laughing seeing eggs on your list since we are now in the ick stage