Outside my window...
We're hitting 40's some days. Spring is on the way!I am thankful for...
Our dear beloved Holy Father. What a gift he has been- and will continue to be- to the Church! What a man of great humility and love. We are drenching him in prayer, giving thanks for all the ways he has blessed the world, and praying for our faith-filled cardinals as they move the Church onward and upward.I am thinking about...
The Papal resignation- isn't everybody?Also, Lent. My simple plans from years past needed a little tweaking. The plan is to read aloud from Amon's Adventure (new to us this year), mark the days with this chart from Pondered in My Heart, and pray the Stations of the Cross every Friday. We are each making our own personal prayer goals and sacrifices in addition to that, but I'm trying to keep everything very simple and meaningful.
In the Schoolroom...
We're shifting gears. What's happening in the Church right now is big, big, big- other studies can wait! We're going to celebrate the work of Pope Benedict XVI and learn all about how God calls a new Pope to the Holy See. I'm following Elizabeth's lead here. Books are ordered, pdf's are printed, and we're praying up a storm.From the kitchen...
I really admire people like Tracy, who manage to get an entire Lenten menu planned in advance. I'm not quite that organized. I am cooking again, though, which is improvement! Second trimester is bliss. :)
I am creating...
Posy's baby book on Shutterfly. But (finally) I'm not just talking about it- I'm actually doing it!
I am working on...
Daily prayer.Clicking Around...
Some helpful photogra-links:Learn to Speak Photographer :: Digital Photography School
The Exposure Triangle :: clickinmoms
Comparing at 20mm, 35mm, and 50mm on a Crop Sensor Camera :: Click It Up a Notch
I am reading...
Just finished The Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family by Mary Ostyn (because I'm pretty sure we are moving into "large family" territory. Ahem.). It was really good! Lots of good ideas and helpful hints- I'm glad I bought it so I can go back to it in the future. One thing I really loved about it was the author's emphasis on how much fun it is to be a part of a big family. I would find myself getting all excited and then Andy and I would start talking, all twinkly-eyed, about all the ways we are just going to rock this lots-o-kids business. You know, as well as we can while being fully sleep-deprived and slightly crazy. ;)Now I'm on to Large Family Logistics (you can tell what's been on my mind lately, huh?).
My Lenten reading is In Conversation with God. I have the whole set for all year round, but I've slipped out of the habit of reading everyday. Time to recommit. This is nourishing soul-food.
I am praying for...
The Holy Father. The cardinals. The Church.I am hearing...
Silence. Everyone else is abed.Around the house...
It's time to wash the windows, inside and out. Well, the ones I can reach, that is. We also need to start rethinking where everyone sleeps. With new babies on the way, some rearranging is inevitable.One of my favorite things...
The Read-Aloud Revival. You all inspire me so much; we are reading aloud like crazy. Last week we read almost six hours; this week we'll likely exceed that. Even on a busy day like today, we managed to fit nearly two hours in! Part of that, of course, is due to some great selections that we've had a hard time putting down: By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman (about the California gold rush) and The Prairie Thief by Melissa Wiley are two recent favorites.
A few plans for the rest of the week...
Pancakes for breakfast on Fat Tuesday. Friends over for dinner!Ash Wednesday mass. The beginning of Lent.
Haircuts for Tulip and me.
Valentine's Day!
School.
A picture thought...
What I was doing last Ash Wednesday:
Can you believe that was a year ago? I'm thinking no other Ash Wednesday will top it. And I'm thinking I just might cry during Ash Wednesday mass this year. Just....maybe.
You will cry on Ash Wednesday. .. I just may shed them for you too. ... so much goodness. So much joy. So much to be thankful for. XO
ReplyDeleteIt is the most moving picture I've seen.... may you be touched again by God's love as you receive the precious cross of ashes on Ash Wednesday. I'll pray for you and your loved ones at Mass.
ReplyDeleteOf course you will cry on Ash Wednesday :-) Love the book suggestions like always. So happy to hear you are all well. We are reading up a storm too! Love, love, love that sweet picture of Posy and Momma! So hard to believe it's been almost one year already.
ReplyDeleteWhy do I cry every time I read your blog? It's so moving. It's not because I'm pregnant again too. :)
ReplyDeleteCONGRATS! CONGRATS!! CONGRATS!!! Fourth babies are WONDERFUL! :)
DeleteOh my, holding a newborn with Ashes on your head...that needs to be on the cover of somecatholic magazine, because how cool is that! :-) I am interested to hear what you think of large family logistics.I really liked it.someone told me it was to basic. But I guess that depends on your skill level, lol.
ReplyDeleteSo far I really like it. I need all the logistical help I can get, though. ;)
DeleteBeautiful picture!
ReplyDeleteMy oldest daughter was also born on Ash Wednesday, but almost 12 years ago:)
ReplyDeleteIt was Feb 28. I did not have ashes on my forehead...spent the whole night laboring:)
Ah yes. I've done the whole-night of laboring thing, too. My sweet Posy was so good to me, though- I woke up at 6ish in labor and had her before 3 in the afternoon! The hospital priest came and gave my husband and I ashes about an hour before I pushed her out. Amazing. :)
DeleteWhat a beautiful picture! I had a baby on Ash Wednesday twenty years ago! (he was baptized at Easter!) And here you are at Ash Wednesday again and so very blessed!
ReplyDeleteWe enjoyed the Prairie Thief recently, and By the Great Horn Spoon is a favorite too (I remember when I first got it for that soon to be twenty year old, ha).
Posy was baptized on Easter, too! :) Love it.
DeleteI feel like I must be your most overly-emotional reader, Sarah. I either get chills or cry (or both) every time I visit here! What a beautiful image that is.
ReplyDeleteI love how you are immersing yourself in research to prepare yourself for your impending promotion!
Unlike other years, I think I am going to commit to more, and more intentional, internet use this lent. Less serendipitous, more purposeful. Daybooks are so wonderful for the writer and the reader. Thank you for sharing in this peaceful place.
Impending promotion! I love that! :)
DeleteAh, I just adore that picture. It speaks so so much.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your pictures but seriously, that picture is hands down my favorite! It could easily grace the cover of a book! Lovely.
ReplyDeleteDo no waste your time on large family logistics... i bought it with number 5...way too structured..especially for your philosophy of simple homeschooling which I love..better is holly pierlots book on managing home and catholic life it helps you find the rhythm of your home and go with that.
ReplyDeleteSarah, have you seen the large families on purpose blog? Her religious views are not the same, but she has some really, really great organizational information for big (and small!) families. If I recall, she has 9 children and they live in a 1200 sq foot home.
ReplyDelete~Tamie
I haven't! I'll look it up- thanks for the tip. :)
DeleteThe Sane Woman book looks interesting, although with four kids I don't feel like my family is that "large." Well, I'm at the kids' school I feel like we have a large family but amongst our homeschooling fiends, we feel like a small family. (Forgive all the recent comments. I'm catching up on your blog this morning. :-)
ReplyDelete