Inside: Learning to make homemade pizza, proof bread dough faster, take life transitions as they come and embrace the future without fear. ~

I have 8,032 emails in my Hotmail inbox.

I learned this the other day when the desktop computer was running slow and I accidentally hit a wrong key. Fortunately, a little box popped up that asked if I really wanted to delete all the emails in my inbox.

Nope, I did not. Not at that moment, anyway.

Randy, who receives about 150 emails every day at work, strives to finish every day with zero emails in his inbox. When I texted him about the condition of my own inbox, his response was predicable:

“There are no words.”

Hopefully knowing this information about me won’t cause anyone to think less of me or suggest I need professional help. (I probably do, but not because of this.) The truth is, I knew I had a vast number of messages dating back to 2011, but I’ve never found a way in Hotmail to see how many exactly.

Now that I know, I clearly have some work to do. The process of deleting large chunks of email seems like perfect fodder for another blog post, so stay tuned for that possibility.

In the meantime, instead of writing about the usual Share Four Somethings categories this month, I’m going to focus on four early summer learnings.

1. Good-bye, What-Ifs; Hello, Possibilities

Rather than allow the fear of not being able to do something, the fear of a bad result or even the fear of what I might feel to rule my heart, I’m learning to approach the future—along with its potential problems—with curiosity.

As I shared in a guest post for my friend Donna over at Serenity in Suffering, this mindset shift isn’t a cure-all for worry or fear, nor does it happen overnight.

It does, however, “Remind us of our need for other people. It highlights the importance of asking for help. It gives us tiny bursts of courage to take chances and trust God for the outcome. It breaks generational strongholds and frees our kids from a heritage of fear. It even shows us that it’s OK dump an entire bowl full of ingredients in the trash and start over.”

Click here to read more …

2. What “All the Feels” Currently Feel Like

Molly graduated from high school last month. We had a great time celebrating her, both at a grad party with her best friend and at her actual graduation.

I’ve heard all sorts of stories about what it feels like for your last child to graduate, ranging from happiness and excitement to grieving the entire senior year.

So far, I land on the happy end of the spectrum. Molly finished high school well. She was ready to be done, and she’s looking forward to going to college in August.

I wonder, though, what it will feel like to drop her off at school. I imagine there will be sadness and even some tears. Maybe not on her part, but perhaps on mine.

I didn’t cry when Lilly went to college. I missed her, of course, but it was 2020, and my joy that she was able to attend school in person superseded any grief I might have felt about it.

Molly’s departure signals the start of a new season of life. I’m excited about what’s next—for all of us—but getting there involves change, and that’s not always my favorite.

That said, my overarching attitude—at least right now—is one of curiosity, not dread or fear. This transition will feel how it feels, and it will be OK. (Welcome to the new me.)

3. You Did What?

Randy gave me Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Table, Volume 3 cookbook for Mother’s Day. I’ve made the Honey Oat Bread twice so far, using a hack from my other favorite food blogger/influencer.

The hack? Proofing bread dough in the dryer.

This tip comes from Nagi at RecipeTinEats (who also has a new cookbook I highly recommend). All you have to do is turn the dryer on high for a few minutes, then put your covered bowl of dough inside.

Dough rises faster this way, so be sure to check it before the recommended time is up.

Besides saving time, it’s also kinda fun. Just don’t forget the dough is there or you might get an unpleasant surprise next time you do laundry. (I’m not speaking from personal experience, just an overactive imagination.)

4. Pizza Night

Speaking of dough, several weeks ago I decided I wanted to make homemade pizza for the first time in my life. My inaugural attempt wasn’t the best pizza ever, not by a long shot. But it lit a fire in me to keep trying, and I now have a new summer goal: find a pizza recipe the whole family loves.

At this stage in my learning, it’s all about the crust. My first try was too light and bready, while the second tasted like mediocre frozen pizza.

I used Joanna Gaines’ pizza dough recipe for my third and fourth tries. It’s good, but it’s a bit thick and lacks the yeastiness I’m yearning for. So the hunt continues.

Thus far, I’ve learned not to put raw mushrooms on a pizza (they make it soggy). I’m still trying to figure out how to keep the top layer of cheese from scorching while the crust bakes completely. And I don’t have a pizza stone, which some food bloggers say is of utmost importance.

My pizza making is very much a work in progress, but it’s been fun to experiment and get feedback from my crew each time I try something new. It may get worse before it gets better (see photo above), but one of these weeks maybe I’ll hit upon the perfect combination of toppings, crust and sauce.

Until then, I’m finding there really is joy in this leg of my culinary journey.

• • •

Now it’s your turn. Dare I even ask about your email-inbox management philosophy? If you have an empty nest, what was it like to launch that last child? Finally, if you have any baking hacks, pizza-making advice or a tried-and-true crust recipe, please share in the comments.

♥ Lois

P.S. I’m linking up this week with sharefoursomethings, #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.