Around here, I have been:
telling the kids lots of memories about my grandmother. Since the baby is such a horrible traveler and the kids needed to be in school, I wasn’t able to make 10-hour trip to the funeral. So hard, but I tried to make up for it by baking chocolate chip cookies (one of her favorites) and sharing lots of funny stories about growing up with her. I’ve been trying to put into words what she meant to me, but I only seem to come up with a feeling: the overwhelming feeling of being home. She was a strong lady who loved with her whole heart. I hope to live my life much like she did hers.
celebrating two big projects getting checked off the list last weekend. We had a junk removal service come and take a bunch of random over-sized crap we’ve been piling up in our garage for months. It was gone in 10 minutes and we now have our garage back! We also managed to sell our old bed on a Facebook yard sale site, so we’re just a little bit richer too. (Hah, just kidding. It’s going into the groceries fund.)
reading a handful of books. For my Lenten reading, I’m slowly going through Scott Hahn’s Lenten Reflections from A Father Who Keeps His Promises and St. Josemaria Escriva’s The Way. I’m also reading The Precious One for book club and then a random library pick called Black Friday.
gathering supplies for a re-emergence of snail mail. I think a part of my “Year of Slow” should be about making the time to collect my thoughts and hand write them to friends and family. It’s also a great opportunity to practice a little creativity – I can use up a bunch of scrapbook/paper goods that have been collecting dust! I finished my first letter on Wednesday and can’t wait to make letter writing part of my weekly routine. (P.S. Let me know if you want to be penpals!) A few fun links I discovered this week:
+ Write 30 letters in 30 days in April
+ Bring Back Snail Mail Challenge
+ Pocket Letters
+ the #snailmailrevolution hashtag on Instagram
+ 1000 Postcard Project (I want to do something like this! Maybe for 100 Little Things list vol.4?)
rediscovering one of my favorite Catholic bands from when I was a teenager….like 15 years ago. (How did I get so old?!) Crispin was funky, fun and still devout. Fun fact: I learned how to pray the Memorare from their song, Ave Maria. I also love their version of Were You There? A fun trip back in time.
Big White Farmhouse notes:
+ Meal planning menupads are 10% off, no code needed!
FAVORITE PICTURE BOOKS OF THE WEEK: an attempt to read more to my little ones
The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party
RELIGIOUS TRUTH TO PONDER: a piece of my faith to think about or put into practice
“But faith is not an isolated act. No one can believe alone, just as no one can live alone. You have not given yourself faith as you have not given yourself life. The believer has received faith from others and should hand it on to others. Our love for Jesus and for our neighbor impels us to speak to others about our faith. Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I can help support others in the faith.” (CCC 166)
THIS WEEK’S MENU:
m: bacon-wrapped chicken strips, salad
t: tacos
w: breakfast for dinner – waffles and fruit
th: honey dijon garlic chicken and asparagus
f: tilapia and roasted potatoes
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Ashley, I am so very sorry about your grandma passing. Sending you love and peace. Grandmas are such an important part of our raising up. I always make sure to let me kids know whenever I'm thinking of my grandparents (all four have passed) or when I'm doing something that they taught me. Just the other day while my son had a sleepover at our house with a friend, I overheard him say, "My mom makes the best french toast, she learned it from her grandma that's why it's so good." and I knew my grandma was smiling down that her memory (and cooking!) lives on in her great grandbabies. xxoxo
And! your photos this week!! they are all such creative yet meaningful angles and moments. xxox
Funny you mention that story about french toast because I've also been thinking about how many memories are surrounded by food! It's really given me new eyes to dinner making and treat baking…these are little, seemingly insignificant things that my kids will hopefully someday remember.
I love the picture of #5 & #6. Swoon!
I, too, am so sorry about your grandma, and that you couldn't attend the funeral. I am sure that your grandma is watching over you and sending you lots of love. What a sad, hard loss.
While it's hard to believe she's gone, it's also really great to think of her in heaven. So thankful to have another prayer warrior looking out for me!