In January I suggested we “write a book together” in 2024 and pitched the idea of assigning each month a chapter title.
So far, I’ve had:
- January – Steady: Finding Solid Ground After a Year of Drowning
- February – Busy (with Intention): Making Time for Things that Provide Joy, Energy, and Thrill
- March – Up and Down: Trying to Enjoy the View from Life’s Rollercoaster
- April – Spring Cleaning: Unpacking My Bags and Tidying Up (Oh, and Look At Those Pretty Flowers!)
- May – Reflection: Another Trip Around the Sun – Let’s Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
- June – The Murky Middle: Saying Goodbye and Looking Ahead
July took me by surprise. Despite a lot of planning, pneumonia threw us a curveball (again); we had one of our best-ever family vacations but that was followed by news of a tragedy.
Many things that we planned did happen. Camp – so much camp! A sunset, an anniversary dinner. And the unavoidable reality that life includes plenty of confusion and challenges and surprises.
July – Unexpected: When Plans Go Awry, Life Still Provides Happy Moments
Your turn. How would you label Chapter Seven (July 2024)?
Header photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
mbmom11
My July : Green Mountains, Sunny Days, and White Cars on the 401.
Really, how you Canadians can survive the highway through Toronto amazes me. I never knew it was the most congested road in the world! And given that we had driven through Chicago traffic the day before (#2 most congested road), it was a little disheartening. Otherwise, no new tragedies this month, which is a nice break. Long rainge anxieties still present, but it’s nice that summer kept them in abeyance.
Elisabeth
Green Mountains feels like such a breath of fresh air!
I’ve never been a driver on the highways around Toronto, but even as a passenger they FREAK ME OUT. No thanks. That’s a lot of traffic in two days.
NGS
This is so fun! I’m already looking at some of my chapter titles from earlier in the year and it’s a fun exercise.
January: It Happened
February: CBBC, Tornadoes, and Snail Mailpalooza
March: SAD Lamp Needed
April: Denial…It Ain’t Just a River in Egypt
May: On the Road Again
June: Rainy Days and Rainy Nights
July: The Hospital and The Olympics
July has kind of been terrible, but it’s ending on a high note with the Olympics, so I’m going to focus on that!
Elisabeth
Engie, you have had a brutal 2024 and I so admire your courage to look for the bright moments. Of course I’m glad that Dr. BB is home and your hospital experience is behind you…and thank goodness for the Olympics! What a nice reprieve from the negative news cycle.
sarah
That’s a great title for a challenging month. I blinked, and July is OVER. I don’t even know if I could name it because that’s how fast it went.
Elisabeth
I actually feel like this July felt like the longest of any we’ve had. So much happened and it seems like we did enough things that could fill a whole summer AND WE STILL HAVE A MONTH LEFT.
I think August will be over in a flash for us though. Usually I can’t wait for September, but I think I might have a little angst that summer is over this year? But then again, maybe not, as our kids are now with us 24/7 for over a month 🙂
Jenny
I like Sarah’s idea for a title- July: I Blinked, and It’s Over. OR, I could also call it- July: Will This Ever End? “This” referring to my calf issue of course. Let’s just move right along to August!
Elisabeth
Argh. That darn calf issue (which I know from today’s post) has reared its ugly head again. I hope the trip to Waco is amazing and a nice reprieve from the frustration of your injury.
Ally Bean
July: A Return To Sanity, I Am Transformed
Elisabeth
Love it!
Lisa's Yarns
I don’t even know what to say about July. It was my heaviest travel month in awhile which was not what I expected. So maybe the title would be “July: Not what I expected”. All in all it was fine? The 4th of July holiday feels like it was a looong time ago, though.
I know July was rough for you so I am glad there were some bright spots to offset the other crud.
Elisabeth
You had a rough July (2024 to be honest). All that travel, the flare, and parenting young kids. I am so excited for your August – no travel and SOME TIME HOME WITHOUT THE KIDS.
July was amazing in some ways and then brutal in others, but I’m emerging with a smile on my face.
Gigi
July: Happy Birthday! And other random things.
Elisabeth
Happy Birthday <3
San
What a rollercoaster month! And yes, the unexpected always lurks in the corner, doesn’t it?
I think I’d call my July a bit of a rollercoaster too.
Elisabeth
Sigh. Life really is a rollercoaster. I guess it means we have to be extra diligent about enjoying the “ups?”
ccr in MA
Before I read this (and the comments), I thought about what I was going to say about July and came up with “July: Blink and You’ll Miss It.” So seeing others say the same in their comments is really cracking me up! How is it August already? My July had its good moments and its heavy ones: I hope August does a little better, as this is something I would prefer to be unbalanced towards light.
Elisabeth
I think the consensus is that July was in the rearview mirror in a flash!
Onward and upward in August…
Stephany
July: Spending Less, Doing More 🙂
Kyria @ Travel Spot
It sounds like you have had a busy summer! I remember talking to a friend about the difference between good busy and bad busy and it sounds like you have had a little of both, but hopefully more good than bad!
I missed June, so here is my whole list again, including my last two new ones!
Chapter One – January: Everything Must Go!
Chapter Two – February: The Life Changing Event
Chapter Three – March: A New Beginning
Chapter Four – April: An Unquenched Hunger
Chapter Five – May: The Next Province
Chapter Six — June: From Freezing Snow to Burning Sunshine in Three Days
Chapter Seven — July: The Path Less Taken
Elisabeth
The Path Less Taken, indeed. What a perfect chapter title for July. And what a year you’re having. You really SHOULD write a book about this experience.
Daria
January: Chapter One: Rest and Relaxation.
February, chapter 2: spring awakening+more energy
March, chapter 3: anticipation and je taime Paris
April, chapter 4: garden and community
May: overwhelmed + busy
June: convalescing and camping
July: rest for me, camp for kids