#7QT: Hey Jealousy

Apparently it is Friday... I am losing all track of the days. Thanks to Jen, Cari & co. for keeping "it" going! (psst, look at Cari's awesome post about her awesome book)

ONE

Okay, I am giving myself 15 minutes to write this post as Will paces back and forth with Miss Fussykins, a.k.a. Grace Harriet, the newest member of the Baldwin Bunch. (Birth story here for those late to the game!)

Yawn.

This morning, I woke up with the newest emotion to add to my "new mom emotion spectrum": jealousy. I was wildly jealous of how Grace just plopped to back to sleep after her morning feedings because "someone" kept me up till 2 a.m.

Instead of getting mad, I sang this song instead:



I saw them in concert a few years ago with my cousin Sarah... it was free, and awesome. Grace and I also jump in the car, but the cops don't chase us around. I also thought his song was "Hey Jessie" growing up, but we all know Rick Springfield already tapped that for a title.

TWO

If you want delicious reads to appear in your inbox each day, may I recommend subscribing to Prufrock: Books, Art, Ideas by Micah Mattix via The American Conservative? Just lovely. Subscribe here!

THREE

In college, my Latin professor loved telling us that at school, you could study, sleep or socialize - that is, pick two out of those three. I hated that advice, but maybe because my socialization usually fell through the cracks - clubs, newspaper writing, Kappa, eating, etc.

Now that I am an adult, I wonder: what are the three things one can do in a day, and then pick two of them? I've decided it's clean - write - take care of baby. (Coffee, eating and sleep are non-negotiable!)

What are your three?

FOUR

In honor of Blessed John Paul II's feast day on October 22:

FIVE

If someone told you they were considering converting to Catholicism and asked you to weigh in, what would you say? A friend asked me this week. Now, I've been blessed to have a couple friends convert and talk me through their thoughts, and pray with them, and pray for them. But every person is different, and so my answer is never quite the same... but it always comes back to the Eucharist for me. The whole of life stems from that, what it means, and our physical encounter with Christ.

Perhaps that is why my favorite part of mass is, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed."

SIX

In a fit of exhaustion earlier this week, after finally settling Grace down for her nap, I threw myself on the bed and my glasses broke. Join me in mourning the loss of my dear friends.

I know Grace; I'm really sad too!

SEVEN

Annnnnnnd Grace is still sobbing. But here's a cute picture of her to go! My friend Kate got her a "Future Senator" hat.

Her dad doesn't want her to go into politics; I think she looks smashing in pink!

Oh! Oh! For those who live in places where it is perpetually summer, how do you celebrate Fall?? I miss the leaves changing colors...

Happy weekend!

30 Days Hath September

"Sweet Summer Days" by Dennis Caraher


The summer sun is nearly done
Frost will follow soon
Asters and chrysanthemums
Light up the afternoon


The dew is on long after dawn
Mornings are a haze
One swallow's song is holding on
In these fading sweet summer days.


We flew across the ocean
Some fell into the sea
God will choose what we will lose
Though we may disagree


We come here to be mended
That we may find our way
We pray that there's redemption
In these fading sweet summer days


Summer months comfort us
The sun comes with sustenance
We live for its lingering light


Days slip away from us
Katydids and crickets hush
We drift into lengthening night.


We were once our children
Too soon they will be us
All they ask, a simple task:
"Remember how it was".


We hold them close, we let them go
We watch them fly away
And if we trust, they'll come to us
In these fading sweet summer days


Stars they are innumerable
We'll never know them all
But nature's not immutable
Every star will fall


And one day, I'll return to thee
And all that will remain
Is the beauty and the certainty
of these fading sweet summer days


Today is firstly the newly engaged Julia's golden birthday and secondly, the first day of fall, thanks to the autumnal equinox (when sun is directly above equator and the length of day and night are equal). 


It's also the feast day of St. Padre Pio, the first priest in Church history to bear the stigmata. He died on this date in 1968 and over 100,000 people attended his funeral. He said, among other brilliant things, "Humility and charity go hand in hand. The one glorifies, the other sanctifies." and "Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer." He was canonized in June 2002 by Pope John Paul II.


“Why does this age seek a sign?” - Believing even in darkness by St. Padre Pio


The Holy Spirit tells us: Don’t let your mind succumb to temptation and sorrow, for joy of the heart is life for the soul. Sorrow is no good for anything and causes our spiritual death.


It happens sometimes that the darkness of trial overwhelms your soul’s heaven; but this darkness is light! Thanks to it, you believe even in darkness; the mind feels lost, it fears no longer being able to see, no longer understanding anything. But this is the moment when the Lord speaks and makes himself present to the soul; and the soul listens, understands and loves in the fear of God. So don’t wait for Tabor to “see” God when you are already contemplating him on Sinai.


Progress in the joy of a sincere heart that is wide open. And if it is impossible for you to keep that happiness, at least don’t lose courage and keep all your trust in God.

Happy Thursday, friends!