Hodgepodge – March

Joyce runs this fun Q&A Hodgepodge weekly, and while I’m not finding the time/space to do it weekly, I love reading other responses and finding some fun bloggers to follow! And this week I’m actually able to join in!

1. Did you mark the St. Patrick’s Day in some way? Wear green? Make a special meal? Watch or participate in a parade? 

I have complicated feelings about St. Patty’s Day. My husband is a police officer for a local city, and the university goes all out for St. Patty’s Day. It’s always all fun and games until someone (hundreds of someone’s) drink so much that they cannot control themselves, and then property starts to get damaged and people start to get hurt…and the police get called…and it escalates from there. Honestly, in his 8 years as a police officer, St. Patrick’s Day is usually one of the most dangerous days for him to work. So, anyways…my mind associates this holiday as a drunk day where drunk people get to do whatever they want without many consequences, and I don’t like that.

When I was pregnant with Orion, I was due on March 10. He went overdue and overdue and by March 15th I was so worried that he would be born on St. Patrick’s Day! I did not want that. Thankfully, we managed a birth at 8:50 on March 16th. Phew.

Soo, all that to say…we did not celebrate. I love learning the true history of who St. Patrick was and what did for the people of Ireland, but we aren’t big on celebrating the holiday. Although I did pinch all my kids because they weren’t wearing green.

2. Do you think luck plays a part in your life? Explain. 

As someone who believes in the sovereignty of God, when I stop and think about it, I don’t believe in luck. I believe it all happens for a reason, and there is a God who ordains it all. However, sometimes I do reflect on the unmerited favor of God in just everyday things- like being born in a first world country, having four healthy children, being healthy and able-bodied myself, having food in my pantry and running water in my bathroom. These are all things that came to me by no decisions of my own. And I don’t understand why I have them when some people don’t.

On the flip side, I also believe that hard work brings results. I didn’t have any control over whether my kids were born abled or disabled, but as I raise them, I work hard to give them a healthy home life- food, exercise, outside time, healthy emotions and relationships. I think sometimes we look at other people and think “they are so lucky to have this particular set of circumstances”, when in reality they have worked their tails off to get what they have.

3. Of the 15 green foods listed, which one is your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Any on the list that are a hard no for you? In general do you like fruits and veggies? As a kid did you eat them willingly or did you hide peas in your napkin hoping your momma wouldn’t see? 

Asparagus, avocado, broccoli, celery, cucumber, grape, green bean, kale, kiwi, lettuce, lime, 

pear, peas, pistachios, spinach

Let’s make this easier and list the ones I don’t like: celery, grapes, kiwi

In general, I like veggies and fruit. I am picky about my fruit- it can’t be overly juicy or “pop” in my mouth like a grape or blueberry. I also hate cooked fruit, so no pie or baked fruit muffins!

4. What’s something that makes you ‘turn green’? (with envy or with illness… whichever way you want to run with it)

With envy- I mostly feel envious of people who don’t appear to be working all that hard but have a lot of money. Or people who have their husbands working really flexible schedules so they can fit in a lot of personal errands or outings or hobbies while their husband stays with the kids.

I have emetophobia so anything related to stomach illness makes me feel ill!

5. Did you spend a lot of time outdoors as a child? Doing what? Do you spend a lot of time outdoors now? Doing what? 

I pretty much lived outside as a child! My parents were missionaries in a rural village in West Africa. We played outside, slept outside every night under just a mosquito net, and had year-round warm temperatures. I was probably a 2000 hours outside kid before that was even a thing.

I don’t spend as much time outdoors now as I would like, but I do try to be outside as much as possible from April-October. I run outside, I do any household chores I can outside (like folding laundry), and I do animal chores around our homestead on a daily basis. We go for weekly hikes as a family, and I am passionate about my kids playing outside as much as possible.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Our family is kind of in a waiting season right now. It’s not easy, let me tell you what!

We had such a wonderful Spring break, and then Monday arrived and things fell apart. I felt like the wheels were falling off the actual Hines wagon. I got a nasty cold, we received news of a big and emotional announcement affecting our school community, Orion fell and busted his lip, and one of the kids came down with a tummy bug. ALL IN ONE DAY. Hold me.

While that has been rough, I am proud of myself. I handled all of those things without any major meltdowns or panic attacks – which is typically how I would have handled a day like that just a few years ago. I’m thankful for the grace of God, and for the challenges in the past that have led me to a level of maturity that I get to live in now. But I wouldn’t complain if we had a slow, good day today- with zero “excitement” 🙂