Quick Takes Friday

1.
It feels as if I have been busier this week than I have for the last two years. And I can't even put a finger on any discernible reason for it. I do know that we are changing the rhythm of our days. This is partly the result of another school year, but that can't be all that accounts for it. Somehow in the shift and flow of family life, we are coming to a new way of doing things. I'm not sure if it's good or bad yet--I feel out of pace with myself. I imagine we will settle soon, and I'm sure it will be good then.

2.
Does anyone else feel a hint of melancholy in the air? For three weeks, in the dog days of summer, I could feel autumn in its native wistfulness coming on. I fought it in August, but I see a change in decor coming on. Back then, my beautiful airy clouds and glitter hearts were perfectly whimsical. Now that September is here, they feel a bit flimsy. I think we need a bit of visual gravitas.

3.
The Latin-speaking Harvard valedictorian has been getting a lot of attention, but we have our own dear friend in this group of new members of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. I'm not going to identify her because she's still so much a young daughter in my eyes that I still feel protective of her--how very incongruent now that she's gone to be a bride of Christ! We wish her well--and we miss her presence in our community already.

4.
I am wearing a white skirt with white sandals today. One of the last days before Labor Day, you know.

5.
I have the sweetest children in the world.

I know you would say yours are the sweetest, and I would sympathize, but no, really, mine are the sweetest. And they each have their own brand of sweetness. You'll just have to take my word for it, but to whet your appetite I will offer this and this and this. And another sample coming up; check back later.

6.
Speaking of my sweet kids, they have all spontaneously taken an interest in making rosaries. I am so pleased; I was going to introduce this as an activity in October, the month of the Rosary, but I just can't see holding them off until then. I made special rosaries for the older two, who are already regular communicants, and I am planning to make them for the two who will be receiving First Holy Communion soon. But now everybody wants to make their own, and since I have plenty of supplies they have been choosing beads and giving ideas and begging anyone who will to help them with the assembly. I don't know if this will last, but before it's over they are all going to have a rosary they have invested themselves in, which I think will really help deepen our family prayer time. I have already seen that it encourages them in personal prayer time.

7.
This lady cracks me up:



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