7 QT 29: Wedding bells, running outside, and library returns
We're so close to the weekend, we can almost taste it! But before you bundle up and head outside, let's take a few minutes to look back on the week!
1. Winter weddings (and reception pictures, of course)
I sang at a wedding last weekend for some friends from college. The wedding was beautiful and it was so good to sing again. We were able to sing from the choir loft - which I love. While we were in the loft, we happened upon this gem of a sign, and couldn't resist to kick our reception pictures off a litte early.
Here are a few of the other pictures from the reception (these spoons look like they're real silverware but they're actually plastic. It's a magical world we're living in, friends)!
These doors politely were requested to keep shut. But they were open, so an obvious random photo opportunity.
2. Every Sacred Sunday
Last year, Joseph and I heard about the Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal on Kickstarter. Now, the journal has become a way that we prepare our hearts for Mass on the weekend. It was a huge dream of mine to sit down with Kassie Manning and Christie Peters, the creators of the journal. Sunday night my dream came true, and Kassie and I's conversation is in this week's podcast - 'A Letter to the Woman Who Is Bored at Mass". Give it a listen and check out the Mass journal here!
3. But this gorgeous running weather, though
After weeks of negative degree wind chill, Wednesday was a gorgeous 50 degrees. 50 degrees! That's basically summer. I didn't even wear a coat. So I threw on my running shoes to knock out a four mile run. But what I loved even more than the run was the chance to see other people out doing the same thing. And smiling. And waving. And saying hello. Most of them also owned gorgeous, fluffy dogs. My heart was so full.
I thought to myself, "This is amazing! I should do this every day I'm off work! I should do this at least three times a week!"
Then we had freezing rain the next day. Welcome to Kansas.
4. A book to add to your winter reading list
Wind chills, negative temperatures, and ice on the streets making you want to stay inside? Me too, friends. Me too. Even though the weather has left quite a bit to be desired lately, it's given me a lot of time to knock some books of my reading list.
One of the books I've loved reading is The Marian Option by Dr. Carrie Gress. In the book, she write about how Marian devotion is the answer to a lot of the problems the world is in right now. Find a copy at your local library, Catholic bookstore, or online. And then listen to Dr. Gress talk about her book and how Marian devotion helps her live out the feminine genius in our episode of Letters to Women in February! I'm pumped.
5. I'm not a library fugitive
Speaking of books and libraries, let's have a heart-to-heart about borrowing books and late fees. I'm not the best at remembering when to return books. I may or may not have had my library card in my hometown revoked because I forgot to return a book (answer: I did). So when we moved to Kansas City last year, I promised myself I would take full advantage of my clean library-borrowing slate and not forget to return what I borrowed.
IT HAS BEEN A YEAR AND I AM NOT A KC LIBRARY FUGITIVE. I have returned every. single. thing. that I've borrowed and (gasp!) sometimes earlier than the due date. Let's see if I can keep this track record in the 2018 year. I have high hopes!
6. But where to put you?
This winter, I'm reading the Harry Potter series for the first time in my life. I've had the books on my to-read list for a while, and everything has settled down enough for me to spend some time getting to know Harry Potter. Or at least, know him better than the Harry Potter puppets video. Because you know I watched that twelve times on repeat already.
I'm currently reading the chapter about the sorting hat, and couldn't help but think of the connection between Hogwarts houses and personality type tests. Then, I listened to this episode about exactly that on NPR's Hidden Brain. So good - if you have some extra time during your commute and want to listen, you can find it here!
7. Brunch is always a good idea
I love starting my morning with the Blessed Is She daily devotional. Tomorrow morning I'm headed to a Blessed is She brunch and I'm so excited! I'm bringing coffee, of course. I mean, what else would I bring?
Have a wonderful weekend!