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1.
The look of my Domestic Church – from the beauty and festivity of St. Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras –
to the simplicity of Lent
2.
I am always in awe of Rosie’s ability to make friends wherever she is! Last week I brought Izzy and Rosie to help set up for the Pre-Cana Day. The girls always enjoy helping with the table coverings and the flower centerpieces. Some of the other couples brought their daughters too and Rosie immediately engaged them in conversation. By the end of the evening, they were laughing and talking together over pizza and pop! I just couldn’t resist this little picture with my phone.
3.
Our neighbor and Izzy’s friend Tamera is coming into the church this Easter and I am her sponsor. Last weekend we did an official welcome at the door to the church. Father blessed her
and then as her sponsor I made the sign of the cross over her eyes, ears, mouth, heart and feet.
Tomorrow we head to the cathedral for some more initiation rites! This will be my first time participating in that so I am curious about all of it. Just hoping the snow holds off!
4. In 2010 I was asked to give the Girl’s Talk to the confirmation class. Here are some samples of that here and here. It’s kind of a hard talk to give for a couple of reasons. First, this is the talk that is supposed to focus on sexuality and purity. Secondly, I think speaking to that particular age group (8th graders) is challenging.
It’s also hard to give this talk as part of their retreat when they have been up the night before, sleeping on the floor in the pre-school or gym – it’s not like they are well rested. And it seemed my talk was always near lunch or snack, which is a difficult time slot as well.
I’m making excuses I guess, because I was not asked back this year. I saw the handwriting on the wall last year when I had to shorten my talk so that the girls could do a Q &A with the high school girls. That came about when some of the high schoolers mentioned that they didn’t remember anything about my talk except for something about the 4 Bs (breast, butt, belly, back – covered for the sake of modesty).
Last year I loitered in the back to listen to the questions and they were about starting high school, and peer pressure, and could they wear skinny jeans and be modest.
I peppered my own high school student, Izzy, with questions about the girl’s talk and what the girls themselves wanted out of it and bottom line is they want to hear from girls near their own age and they’re kind of more concerned with getting out of jr. high and facing high school.
Clearly not my area of expertise as I got out of Jr. high in 1973 and it all seems kind of hazy now.
It’s funny because I stepped out of a ministry last year, but circumstances made me change my mind. I guess I just picked the wrong one.
5. My other fall from grace this week was an actual fall. I was doing my routine with Kari Anderson: Push – Double Workout Challenge
I know this routine like the back of my hand and I love doing it. I was dancing along, kind of on auto pilot, when my foot brushed the step instead of missing it and I went right down on my butt.
The difference between falling in your 50s vs. your 20s is that in your 50s, you immediately start hoping and praying that you didn’t seriously injure something. I was pretty lucky. I only over stretched my right ankle, but as the week went on I had little aches and pains in my rib cage and back – sort of like when you’ve been in a small auto accident are aren’t really hurt, but just kind of sore and tender. I’m taking it easy this week but by the end of next week, I’m going to do this one again just so I don’t become afraid of it! It really is a fun workout.
6. My sister has often commented that she is living a life very similar to my grandmother. I’m having a grandma era myself. My grandmother was very sad and upset about my mother marrying and moving across the country to live in New Mexico. Here is one of her letters to my mother after her wedding.
This July, I am going to be in the same situation. Calvin is going to get married and then immediately leave for his new job in North Carolina. The difference I suppose is that he has to be in North Carolina in April so he will have been there a few months before the wedding takes place.
But I feel the bits of myself starting to close up and build walls, to gird myself and protect my heart from hurting too much.
He’s growing up, this is a great job, and I’m so proud of him.
It still hurts.
7.
Miss C. likes to color, which I think is pretty awesome for a 1 year old. And she only puts the crayon in her moth part of the time! Mostly she actually gets some color down on the paper!
