sabbathing together.

As we've transitioned into life here, we've been able to set aside one day a week of sabbath, where Mark and I unplug from the world and simply be together. We learned the hard way that spreading ourselves too thin caused us to not only get frustrated with each other, but also ourselves, our quality of work, and basically the rest of the world. It's something we constantly have to check ourselves in, as busyness is always a temptation...especially in New York. We found that one day of intentional rest is enough to refuel us for the upcoming week.

I have been pleasantly surprised at how sacred we keep these sabbaths. Mark and I seem to be on the same page about not letting any other plans or circumstances get in the way of our one day. And as a result, they have been so fulfilling, so fun, and quite honestly, the perfect way to prepare for the newest addition of the Ratto clan. By turning off our emails, our Facebooks, and our Instagrams (that's not to say, we don't take lots of photos and post later), we have an opportunity to be fully present, which results in a lot of silliness and gasping-for-air laughter.

Naturally, we love to discover new places, so our favorite thing to do is go to a new neighborhood of Brooklyn and, simply, walk. Not only has it made us absolutely smitten with the diversity of Brooklyn, but it gives us an excuse to try out new restaurants ice cream shops. On rare occasions, we'll venture into Manhattan and do something really touristy, like go to a museum, or we'll hop on a train to the beach for a few hours. Then, we typically head home for a yummy home-cooked meal and a loving foot massage for the pregnant mama, who usually doesn't wear the right shoes for all that walking. We end the night with a movie, a favorite TV show, or (as of late) a Dodger game. Here are some photos of our recent adventures:

The Met

[I had to creepily snap a photo because of this woman's fantastic orange hair!]

[A pregnant lady means always having snacks on hand, like blueberry pancakes.]

[A lemonade stand near Central Park.]

Prospect Park

Brooklyn Bridge Park

Rockaway Beach

[Maybe I should do a photo essay of my burgeoning belly 

in various locations. It can be titled, "I Promise I'm Not Naked."]

And some obligatory selfies along the way...

I know not everyone can afford a full day's sabbath. And our definition of sabbath may very well change when the baby arrives. Full-time parents, people who work seven days a week, the list of "exceptions" go on and on, but I don't think the key here is the amount of time; rather, it's the intentionality behind it all. Even if it's an hour or two, that time of intentional rest does wonders. Try it & lemme know how it goes. :-)

Until next time...

Elysabeth