As the spread of coronavirus dwindled and the number of people vaccinated increased, so did social gatherings. June has been my favorite month this year, and all the invitations have made my heart smile and received an immediate yes.

My remote work situation turned hybrid on June 1, and it felt a lot like the first day of school. I had dreaded it a bit, but it felt so good to see my team in person. A couple weeks later I got my second dose of the Phizer vaccine, and the social butterfly in me began to soar as I attended a birthday celebration followed by a baby shower followed by a trip home to Louisiana.

The visit started with a celebration of one of my favorite beings – my dad -- for Father’s Day. I then spent most of my time in Baton Rouge where I worked remotely from my oldest brother’s home because my dad refuses to get wi-fi. ;) The first weekend after my arrival we took a family road trip to Houston, TX, and I met my newest nephew, Braive Preston, for the first time in person. He is so precious, and I didn’t want to give him up.

The next weekend was full of wedding festivities for my cousin, Darian, who tied the knot with her forever partner. I was honored to be a part of the celebration as a bridesmaid. Before heading back to Southern California, I spent quality time with my family during Independence Day festivities. My love tank is still full. :)

As we move forward into the second half of the year, it’s a great time to reflect on the last six months and plan for those ahead. Continuing the tradition from my Q1 Update, I’ve shared some of my highlights so far this year below.

FAITH

One of my goals this year was to spend more time with God though prayer and fasting. The first six months of the year was full of it, and I’m always grateful and renewed with each moment I spend in God’s word. I also completed my first Rooted Session as a co-facilitator and continued co-leading and serving with the ladies of my Life Group. We completed an awesome study by Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore and Kay Arthur titled “Annointed, Transformed, Redeemed. We are now in the middle of C.S. Lewis’ classic – Mere Christianity.

HEALTH

Although on average I complete 10K steps, take my vitamins and stretch or participate in a yoga session daily, I also started a new health-centric hobby. Playing Tennis has been fun and challenging. To avoid developing bad habits I decided to drop the racket until I can afford lessons from a professional.

In addition to trying tennis, I also, as I mentioned earlier, I also prioritized my health and got the COVID-19 vaccine. On Memorial Day I started a challenge that I first tried in 2020. I’ve been strengthening my abs and building definition by completing 600 ab exercises every day. Wedding Day was the only one I missed, and I am extremely proud of myself. Throughout the end of the year, I’m planning to reach my goal of prioritizing cardio and/or HIIT three times per week.

PERSONAL LIFE

Other highlights of Q2 include the celebrations of Mother’s Day and my five year bloggerversary, a surprise spotlight in my alma mater’s Alumni Magazine and a crawfish boil hosted by my pastor who is also a Louisiana Native for other Louisianans. Although I’m a country girl at heart, I spent more time at the beach than I have since I’ve lived in Southern California or any time prior in my life. As my love for beach life grows, I’m excited to move closer and closer to the end of my laser hair removal journey. (This posts goes live on the day of my third session, click to learn about sessions one and two. If you have any questions please ask away and I’ll include them in my next update.)

There were several other blessings and memories I could share from Q2, but these are my highlights. I hope you enjoyed hearing about my experiences and that you’ll connect with me in the comments or on social media @JASMINECTATE to share some of yours. I look forward to it.

Hugs & Handshakes,

Jasmine C. Tate