Chelsey Chats #3: March 2025
A quick note to say that the section on books that I’ve included in this the last two months will now be its own post, coming on Monday, March 31. There is just too much to talk about!
I’m three months in, and I haven’t gotten tired of writing. I have had to make sure to block off time to keep up with the schedule I set for myself (posting at least twice a week), but I never regret the time I spend writing or brainstorming ideas.
I did add a new section to my website called “My Story” where I’m adding in all the posts that are about my life. If you ever wanted to go back and see how I got here, eventually, you’ll be able to.
The most popular post this month was by far Chelsey’s 39 Favorite Things. I also love a good list of random stuff so I’m not surprised.
I’ve also been excited to hear how many people are trying out some of my 20 favorite fiction books. One friend was a little disappointed at how dark Parable of the Sower was, although I did warn her. She told me that all of her favorite books have happy endings, which made me laugh, but also, I did warn her. So far I have had friends try Parable of the Sower, The Half Moon, and Room. If you try any of the books on the list and enjoy them, I’d love to hear about it!
Looking Ahead
My plans for April include another roundup of new books that I’m interested in, my 20 favorite nonfiction books, how I use ChatGPT, and also a weekly check-in related to our grocery budget. My goal is to keep our grocery spending below $1000 for the month of April, and from my previous life on Instagram, I know this is something some of you are interested in. I will be sharing these posts on Wednesday, so it won’t mess with the normal schedule (and you can skip them if you want!).
March was a full month. We had two birthdays in our family, plus a church women’s retreat and various other events.
The first weekend of March was our church women’s retreat. We had 15 ladies down on the Georgia coast for a weekend of games, food, and spending time learning more about the Lord. I taught two of the sessions on the theme of “How to Seek the Lord when Life is Hard.” It was my first time planning anything like this and, with the help of some lovely ladies from our church, it all went really well. We have already booked the same house for next year!
The following week, our daughter, Zoe (7), was the first place winner in a county-wide competition among public school second graders. The event was called the “Quick-Think-a-Thon” and the kids had to explain what to do in various safety scenarios. Zoe was cool, calm, and collected in front of the judges and we were so proud of her! She even got to be on the local news for a few minutes and also appeared on her school newscast. She won a huge trophy and a bike and will be riding this high for a while. For those who know me well, it should come as no surprise that my daughter is very safety conscious. Her grandfather, who is an insurance underwriter, is also very proud.
On March 11, the baby (Noah) turned 5! We had a chaotic birthday party at the church with a bounce house and lots of Minecraft-themed items. I am not yet attempting to process the fact that our youngest child will be entering kindergarten next year. Noah is the very best five year old I know, and he continually surprises us with his creativity and kindness. I am so grateful for him.
Noah and I celebrate our birthdays exactly one week apart—he was essentially my 34th birthday present. The weekend before my birthday, Christian and I got to go out on a long date. We went to the movies, walked around Costco, had delicious Korean BBQ for dinner, and then finished it up at our favorite ice cream place. Sadly, this local ice cream restaurant was closing that weekend, but I’m so glad we got to go one more time. They serve only Blue Bell ice cream (see my 39 favorite things) and I’ll be sad to miss out on some of the seasonal flavors that we can’t get at the grocery store.
Another highlight this month was doing pre-marital counseling with a couple from church. They got married last weekend and Christian performed the wedding. They kept it very simple and low-key and honestly, it was beautiful. I think every wedding and reception should be like this. It was a joy to see two 20-somethings covenant together in marriage and get to be a small part of their preparation.
Two of my close friends also took me out for the day for my birthday this past weekend, and it was a relaxing day of coffee, food, Target, a local bookstore, and talking for nine hours straight. On my actual birthday, I made a list of all happy things that happened:
My friend AS called me from The Virgin Islands to say happy birthday
A fellow pastor’s wife, HT, sent me some of the markers from my favorite things list
My friend NL said very kind birthday messages on a Marco Polo
My mom and dad both called and I got to talk to them, and my dad sent me a birthday gift
My mother-in-law gave me an Amazon gift card
I put together a Lego typewriter while watching a movie while the kids were at school
I played Plants vs. Zombies with Noah
My friend BC sent me an AI-generated clip of Nicolas Cage wishing me a happy birthday (IYKYK)
I got a free sandwich from Chick-fil-a
I went to Hobby Lobby for supplies and then worked on a sewing project
CJ, SJ, JB, another JB, ANOTHER JB,1 DS, and JR—all dear friends—all sent me birthday texts
Christian gave me $40 worth of my favorite candy (in addition to the gifts he’d already gotten me)
I don’t watch a ton of television, and most of it is in the background or with Christian in the evenings. I decide what to watch next almost entirely as a spur-of-the-moment decision. I’ll be linking to each show on the app/website ReelGood, which is a great place to figure out which streaming sites have which shows and movies.
I do want to say that my tolerance for cursing in television and film is very high, so please do your own research before watching any of these. Also, I don’t mind watching things that contain blood and gore and/or where people die. Keep this in mind before you take my recommendations!
After I finished Apple Cider Vinegar last month, I was hankering for another television show about a successful woman who scams people for money. This is another show based on the true story of a woman named Anna Sorokin. I don’t want to spoil anything, but this was worth watching. Chelsey’s rating: 9/10.
I wanted something funny and mindless to have on in the background when I’m doing other tasks, so I started this show. It’s like a less mean version of The Office or Parks and Rec. I fell in love with the characters almost immediately and am working my way through Season 2. Chelsey’s rating: 8/10.
I stumbled upon this and decided to watch it because it had such a high score on Rotten Tomatoes. I absolutely loved it. There are only two seasons, and I liked it so much that after I watched it I made Christian watch it through with me. (I almost never rewatch a show so that is a sign of how much I enjoyed this.) The premise: A guy named Mo(hammed) immigrated to the US from Palestine via Kuwait as a child, and for 22 years he and his family have been trying to get political asylum. Chelsey’s rating: 9/10.
This show came out in 2012 and new seasons are still being made. There are 13 so far, and Christian and I are in season 12. I never get tired of it. I found out recently that my mom has watched the entire show three times through. It will forever be one of my favorite shows. I will say that I don’t think I could have watched it when I was still actively birthing children. What’s really incredible is how cast members change over the seasons (although a few have been there the whole time). You get super attached to someone and then they leave the show and you’re sad but then you grow to love their replacement just as much. My favorite nurse/midwife ever is Barbara, but Lucille comes in a close second. I cannot choose a favorite nun, so please don’t make me. Chelsey’s rating: 10/10.
I don’t usually watch this many movies, but I spent a lot of time doing mindless work this month and Christian and I also went to the movies once.
This is Hugh Grant at his creepiest and two Mormon missionaries at their dumbest, at least at the beginning. This is very much a horror film and not for the faint of heart. The best part was hearing Christian argue with Hugh Grant when HG started attacking the foundation of Christianity. Chelsey’s rating: 7/10.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
I have a little gag going with the husband of a close friend in which I keep telling him how much I hate Nicolas Cage. He has persistently contended that NC is a good actor. I finally watched this movie, and while I still don’t enjoy watching Nicky C on the big screen, this movie was hilarious and I have a lot of respect for someone with self-awareness. Also, I will watch anything featuring Pedro Pascal. Chelsey’s rating: 9/10.
Christian and I went to see this on my birthday date and I was REALLY confused because I somehow got the idea it was going to be about people’s luggage getting switched. That is not what it is about, but I did enjoy it. It’s a lowkey thriller with a slow burn. Chelsey’s rating: 7/10.
I turned this on to play in the background while I was working. I saw the words “serial killer” and “police blockade” and thought it was worth a shot. Once it started, I realized the main character was the guy from Pearl Harbor, which is the last movie I had seen Josh Hartnett in. This movie was not good. I finished it only to see how bad it would become, and it exceeded my expectations. Chelsey’s rating: 1/10.
Just in case you missed any of them, here’s everything I have posted in March! It means so much to get your feedback on what I write, so if you haven’t had a chance to check any of these out, I’d love to hear from you.
March has been a bittersweet month for the past several years. In the same way that an anniversary or a holiday after losing a loved one is painful, what it felt like we lost when we moved from South Carolina to Columbia was very much a death. It was the death of a dream that my husband have; it was the death of many relationships. And while not all our relationships ended, many of them changed merely because of distance. This year I felt like I was able to enjoy the good gifts we have as well as grieve that loss, without falling into a pit of despair.
I continue to deal with pain in my foot. This pain began in the fall when I was running, and in mid-October I took a break from running hoping it would heal. The pain continued until I finally went to the doctor in early January. I spent all of February non-weight bearing and then got assigned a walking boot and physical therapy. I don’t have my follow-up appointment for a few more weeks, but I think I am seeing progress. It has very much been a case of two steps forward, one step back. Quite honestly, the thing that has made the most difference has been strengthening my glutes, which ironically was also what helped my quad injury last year. This has been a test of my patience and my perseverance, as I waffle between just acting like I can be on my feet with no consequences (I can’t) and/or halting any exercise because I can’t do my favorite exercise (running or even walking). It is a daily battle with discontentment.
One of the books I read this month was Waiting Isn’t a Waste by Mark Vroegop. In one of the chapters, he makes a list of statements to take to heart:
Waiting is normal and hard. I shouldn’t be surprised.
God is in control of the events of my life. I can rest.
There’s a lot I know to be true about God right now. I should think about that.
This uncertainty pushes me to dependent prayer. That’s really good.
I can draw upon the Lord’s strength. He promises to help me when I wait.
All of these are really hard for me in my current foot situation. I don’t like waiting for my foot to be better. And ultimately that reveals what’s true about my heart: I want to do what I want to do. I don’t really believe that God sees me and cares about me. I don’t really think praying will do anything. And I think I can just figure it all out on my own.
I can’t. And that is a good thing, because it makes me turn to Jesus. My prayer as this month comes to a close is that whatever you are facing, whether it is relatively minor like an injured foot or something more serious, you will feel Jesus in the midst of your waiting.
Why do I know so many people with the initials JB?
If that picture is current you and Christian are both aging in reverse. Y’all look at least 5 years younger than y’all did when we met you.