Three Ways That I'm Starting Off the New Year

Merry Christmas, everyone! 

The Christmas Octave has been flying by, and we've been having so much fun. Between flying out of state (and back!), having a friend from out of state visit us in Oklahoma for an afternoon, and unpacking/cleaning our living room before relatives come over in a few hours, it's been an epic whirlwind, full of joy and lots of peaceful relaxation. And while I've been mostly absent from the internet, I noticed that many bloggers have been focusing on their goals for the new year. I don't have anything super profound on that front, but there are a few ways that I'm choosing to greet the year 2017. 

Children and the Mass

I love the Mass.

“The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated and the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord's body and blood.” (CCC 1382)

We come together as a community, and we are each invited to draw near to the Heart of Christ.

“…the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice is wholly directed toward the intimate union of the faithful with Christ through communion. To receive communion is to receive Christ himself who has offered himself for us.” (CCC 1382)

We adore, we worship, we petition, we offer thanksgiving. And we also forget.

Six Months and Counting

The other day, when I was reading Ann-Marie's blog, I realized that I haven't provided any updates about my little guy recently. Last week, he hit the big six-month mark! So, for those of you who like baby updates, here's a bit of a ramble :) 

Tough as They Come: A Review

When twenty-four-year-old Sergeant Travis Mills woke up on April 10, 2012, he did not realize how, within hours, his life would change dramatically. An IED (improvised explosive device) would go off, shredding parts of Mills’ body. In Tough as They Come, Sergeant Travis Mills recounts his story. He begins by presenting the seemingly normal “day off” as a soldier in Afghanistan, and then presents the scene of the explosion, which ultimately left him one of only five soldiers who survived quadruple amputee injuries in Afghanistan.

After presenting this shocking opening to his book, Mills reminisces about his childhood in the small town of Vassar, Michigan. He recounts his decision to join the army, the whirlwind romance and marriage to his wife, Kelsey, and the birth of their daughter. Then, after giving a clear image of his life and career, Mills continues to describe the impactful explosion of April 2012 and his subsequent recovery.  

We're Halfway There!

Rejoice! Today is Gaudete Sunday (as well as Bambinelli Sunday). The priests wore pink-I mean, rose-at Mass, and a jubilant mood filled the church. The Lord is coming, and we rejoice. 

At Mass on Saturday morning, the priest mentioned that we are at the halfway point of Advent. This fact hadn't occurred to me, and I'm glad that he brought it up. There are only two weeks of Advent left-this is both exciting (Christmas will soon be here!) and intimidating (are we ready?). So, since Father mentioned the whole "we're halfway through Advent" reality, I've been thinking about how this Advent has been going over here. 

On the Bookshelf: A Multitude of Random Books

I suppose this post could also be titled, "This is what teething does to me." My little guy has been very chompy, very drooly, and has bouts of crankiness. For many afternoons, over the past several weeks, he is happiest if he's nursing and/or snoozing in my lap. So, I've been unable to blog, but I have been reading quite a bit-and I've enjoyed a variety of books, both fiction and nonfiction. Let's talk literature! 

Six Disney Songs for Advent Dance Parties

I love the liturgical year, and I love celebrating according to the current season. So, during Advent, I really like to listen to Advent music. While Advent music is wonderful and awesome, a lot of my favorite Advent music happens to be chant. But, as much as I love chant, it's not my #1 pick for spontaneous dance parties while making dinner or cleaning the apartment. I happen to love listening to music from Disney movies, so I decided that I needed a special playlist of Disney music for Advent.  After all, if you're going to dance  while cooking pasta, why not put on music that can slightly fit some themes of the current liturgical season?