jamiehudson24@gmail.com

May 18, 2017

The Sweetest Thing

I knew it was going to be exciting, but one of the sweetest experiences of my life? I’m not sure I was prepared for that. As I lay on the table simultaneously watching our little miracle wiggling on the screen and my husband reaching for tissues from the side table, I’m certain my heart swelled to five times its normal size.

It’s our 20-week ultrasound, and I’m mesmerized by the scene in front of me. A baby—OUR baby—moves on the screen while Ty leans in close, all smiles and tears. I feel extremely present in the moment; there’s nothing I want more than to be right where I am.

The gel is warm on my stomach as the technician’s hand glides smoothly across its rounded surface. As if out of nowhere, image after image of our sweet babe pops up on the screen. My heart leaps and husband beams. Pure joy.

We stare intently at the little screen for a good 35 minutes, taking in every feature, every bone, every single inch of our little blessing. We look away when she checks the baby’s gender—we’re going to find out, just not today.

I melt a little bit when, toward the end of the ultrasound, the screen reveals our little one sucking his or her thumb. It’s one of the most natural things in the world for a baby to do, but somehow I can’t get over it.

I find myself not wanting the appointment to end. It’s as if we’re being introduced to our baby for the very first time, and I want to keep the meeting going. I know that this is but a foreshadowing of what’s to come, but I’m amazed by the sheer sweetness of it all.

It’s first thing in the morning, so when we walk out of the exam room the office is quiet and peaceful. The technician hands us our printouts, as well as a CD, and we walk to the car, our smiles doing most of the talking.

It’s a memory I’ll hold in my heart forever. But I have a feeling I better make room—my suspicion is that there are a whole lot more of these to come.

May 1, 2017

Oh, Baby!

Twenty-seventeen has been a pretty great year so far, and this is the biggest (and best) reason! We are so excited to share the news of our Little One, who is set to join us this fall. We are a soon-to-be family of THREE, and we couldn’t be more thrilled!

January 15, 2017

Tidying Up

We’re tidying up around here. And I don’t just mean the house.

Twenty-seventeen has ushered in a clutter-free mentality. I find myself with a strong desire for the orderly and well-kept, especially being fresh off the holiday season as we are. Christmas + the end of the year tends to constitute an overall sloppiness, in the diet and the budget and in sleep patterns and cleaning routines.

And that’s why it’s no surprise that we often find ourselves more than ready to press the reset button come January. I know that’s certainly the case for me. This month we’re all about “tidy” in the Hudson household, but not just in the traditional sense.

This year (and this month, in particular), I hope to be more intentional about what I put not just in my house, but also in my mind and my body. I’ve started the year with a 30-day fast from social media, and even though I’m only a couple of weeks in, I’ve already found myself being more intentional with my free time and more focused on myself (rather than what everyone else’s weekend looks like). I also have the goal of reading 25 books this year (two a month, plus one extra). Currently on my nightstand are The Magnolia Story and In Defense of Food, and I’m working on my list for the coming months!

On the eating front, husband and I are more committed than ever to considering the food we put in our bodies. It was around this time last year that Ty landed a part-time job at an organic produce farm in the area, and while we’ve always been a fairly health-conscious couple, this made us extremely aware of how often we eat things without knowing where they come from or how they got on our plates or in our grocery stores. This past summer we were part of a CSA share for the first time, and getting our produce box quickly became one of our favorite parts of the week. Receiving local, organically-grown greens and vegetables on the regular definitely created within us a desire to someday be able to grow our own food (something that seems like a luxury right now, considering we’ve been in downtown apartments and suburban townhomes for the past six years).

Yet another aspect of life we’re attempting to “tidy” a bit is our bank account. Because we’re not big spenders to begin with, we don’t expect this little experiment to result in hundreds upon hundreds of dollars saved. Nevertheless, we have embarked on what has been deemed “No Spend January.” Other than absolute essentials (groceries, rent, utility bills, gas for vehicles, etc.), we have agreed to not spend any money. For us, this mostly means cutting out our Starbucks and Chipotle runs, occasional trips to the movie theater, and our monthly dates in the city (I think that one hurts the most!). It actually hasn’t been that hard at all so far, and I have a feeling the spirit behind this experiment may actually continue into the coming months.

Overall, our hope for 2017 is that it is more about purging than splurging, more about simplicity than striving to keep up with everyone else. Per usual, we’re taking inventory of our lives, hanging on to what matters most and letting go of the less important things. We definitely have that renewed sense of intentionality that the New Year tends to always bring. The real trick is seeing just how long we can make it last.

Here’s to you, t w e n t y – s e v e n t e e n!

December 22, 2016

A New York Christmas

Visiting New York City at Christmastime has long been on my bucket list, and this year we made it happen. The Big Apple is one of our favorite getaway destinations and a place that never gets old for us. This is partly due to the fact that our love for cities runs deep, but also because you get a different New York every time you visit. Ty likes to say that the city doesn’t wait for you—it changes with the culture, moving on without your permission or stopping to care what you have to say about it.

This time around we definitely experienced her like never before. NYC at Christmas is a truly magical scene—one that I will long remember!

| This time around we stayed at the Arlo Nomad, a newly-opened boutique hotel in midtown |

| A slow start on Friday morning at Nickel & Diner in Lower Manhattan |

911 Museum | Not necessarily something you “want” to see, but an important visit nonetheless

| The Brooklyn Bridge & Washington Square Park |

| On Broadway… |

| Snow fell for the first (and only!) time on Saturday morning, so I ran around to snap a few shots |

| The Great Tree in all her glory |

| Brunch at Jacob’s Pickles on the Upper East Side |

| The Met |

| Vegetarian Tapas at Ladybird |

| Radio City Music Hall & the nearby window displays were just so magical! |

| Miscellaneous shots from around town… |

If I could sum the entire trip up in one picture, it would be the one shown below. This trip was an early Christmas gift to ourselves and a great one at that. Now it’s off to Ohio to spend the rest of the holidays with those we love most. Merry Christmas to you & yours!

November 11, 2016

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

As I sit down to write this, I’m caught up in a pre-Santa stampede at my local Starbucks. The Big Man In Red is set to make his first appearance of the season in just over an hour, and it seems the whole town is determined not to miss it. Red cups are flying left and right as harried baristas fight to keep up with the ever-growing line of coffee- and cake pop-addicted parents and kids. The evening will commence with the lighting of The Great Christmas Tree and will conclude with a fireworks celebration to honor those who have courageously served our country. The air is fraught with equal parents anticipation and caffeine.

It’s only November 11th, yet it feels as though the holidays are already in full swing. I admit to my part in (perhaps prematurely) ushering in this special season. Just this afternoon I pulled the boxes of Christmas decorations out of the closet with every intention of decking our halls this very weekend.

Maybe it’s the election season that has left us hungry for peace and joy and all things holly-jolly. Or perhaps we’re just that eager to see the magic of the season reflected on the faces of both young and old. December is, in my opinion, the most magical month of the year—and I suppose we’re all a little excited to get the happy holiday train rolling.

Despite the mounting chaos, I can’t help but smile. Amidst shouts of “Grande Chesnut Praline Latte!” and tears from toddlers growing more impatient by the minute, there are people gathering all around me to share in the start of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

And yet, at the same time, my mind also can’t help but be drawn to a line I read recently in “Living the Christian Year.” The author discusses the tension that surrounds December as both the season of Advent and a month of consumerism and chaos.

It’s the balance of sharing in the fun festivities while still allowing yourself to sit still long enough to feel the weight of this terribly broken world and the mess that surrounds us at every turn. It’s the longing we have for Christ to return to set all things right and the struggle of learning to live in this “not yet” reality. It’s Mary and it’s Martha. It’s you and it’s me. It’s our never-ending journey of sifting through the sun and the sorrow, the tears and the terror, the celebration and the joy.

I feel especially attuned to the tension this year. I don’t know why, but it seems that everyone I talk to shares the same sentiment about 2016: it was a tough year. Whether the problems were personal or professional, health-related or Hillary-related, the majority seem eager to move ahead into the New Year. But instead of rushing past the pain and ignoring the obvious, I’m trying to force myself to sit in it long enough to actually feel it.

I often feel disconnected from things that are happening on the other side of the world—or the other side of town for that matter. But that homeless family I pass on the streets of Chicago? They really won’t have a home over their heads on Christmas morning, let alone a tree full presents. The Syrian refugee crisis we’ve been hearing so much about lately? It’s really happening. Families are being ripped apart, and mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers are being left to die in the streets if not first ruthlessly murdered.

Considering such things is not fun. It’s uncomfortable at best and can leave you feeling heartbroken and guilty. My intention is not to foster guilt (in myself or others), but rather to perhaps illicit action, whether that be in the form of a donation, a visit, a prayer, or some other sacrifice. Even more so, my hope is that this greater consideration of the world around us would cause a longing in our hearts for Christ’s return in a way like never before.

“…And then, just when everything is bearing down on us to such an extent that we can scarcely withstand it, the Christmas message comes to tell us that all our ideas are wrong, and that what we take to be evil and dark is really good and light because it comes from God. Our eyes are at fault, that is all. God is in the manger, wealth in poverty, light in darkness, succor in abandonment. No evil can befall us; whatever men may do to us, they cannot but serve the God who is secretly revealed as love and rules the world and our lives.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I pray that these words would find a home in your heart and settle into the cracks of your chaotic life in the month ahead. Because Christmas is coming—and with it, the greatest news we’ve ever known. In that sense, this truly is The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

« Previous Page