7-Quick Takes

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1. As my children were playing in front of the house this week, a lady pulled up in a van and gave them a dozen roses, courtesy of my local grocery store – in appreciation! They were beautiful!! I can only think that we must have passed the gazillion dollar mark in grocery purchases over the past 25 years or so!

2. And how nice that they arrived just in time for the Feast of the Assumption of Mary!

3. Since Izzy is now a high school student, I am having her keep track of the hours she spends baking so that we have a good idea about how much time she spends so that she can earn a credit for her transcript. This is her effort for the feast day!

3.  The feast day in the middle of the week was a bit of a challenge.  I suppose in times of yore, when the peasants needed a break from the field, these holy days of obligation were truly  blessing.  But in the 21st century they are a bit of a trial.  Our parish offered mass at 7 p.m. for the vigil, and then 9 a.m.  and 7 p.m. on the actual feast day.  And what time was cross country practice?  7 for Rosie on both days, and 9 a.m. for Noah.

So on the night before, Rosie went to her 7 p.m. practice.  The next day I took Noah to his 9 a.m. practice, then home to shower and change, mass at a downtown church for mass at 12:10, and then practice for Rosie at 7 p.m.

Then finally a chance to sit down to our “white” dinner (white chili!) and Izzy’s delicious cake!

4.  Not that going to mass itself was a trial.  Once we got there (found a place to park, put money in a meter, walked up a steep hill for a block to get to the actual church) the church was calm and restful and the focus on Mary’s assumption was spirit lifting.  I often wonder how Mary would handle the situations I face as a wife and mom?

5. For example, two of my sons are moving out this fall – and not under ideal conditions.  Would Mary be silent? offer advice? go check out their places? express her concerns? What is the right way to handle this?   When I know Mr. Pete is going away for a few days, like he does every spring, I find myself shutting down and closing off to him for a few days before that. It’s a way to protect my heart and also to help guard my tongue from saying something hurtful.  I am finding myself do the same thing for these boys right now  – a pleasant demeanor on the outside, but only small talk on an as-needed basis.  Maybe it’s just my way of getting ready for the time when they are actually gone.

6. Noah is running his first cross country meet with the local public school today.  It was two hours away and we couldn’t go because of other obligations, but I am so proud of him. Thanks state of Ohio for finally making THAT possible!

7.  Pilgrimage ya’ll!  Tomorrow we get the last stamp on our passport!  Not sure when we will get to the cathedral though.  Cross country meets start the Sunday after that. Then all of the school kids, public and private will be back and all the activities start in earnest!