Time Spent Alone

I'm learning the value of time spent alone. I used to have a lot of it; now I don't have enough. Now I have to schedule it in and make sure Adam is home to watch Lily. I have to find something to do outside of the house, and hopefully it's something that doesn't cost much money, which requires some planning and ingenuity.

Thank goodness I have my camera.

This morning I wandered the grounds of a nearby monastery. I scoured the gift shop and its many relics, prayer cards, and crosses. I talked with the women who worked there, who suggested I go to the chapel next. I sat in the chapel for a long time, looking around, wondering about all the saints, reading every stained glass window. I looked for a bible or a prayer book, but couldn't find one. I knelt and prayed and sat in silence. I'm grateful for a little rest.

Right Now

I like . . .

Gin and tonic. Not sure if it was all the Mad Men I watched recently or this post about the delights of g&t, but Adam and I have been sipping on them all week. Goes great with a porch swing.

My church family. This week was Pentecost. Lots of talk about community. Lots of people showing me that they really love me. And for me, lots of reading 2 Corinthians 4.

Downtown Chic. 9 by Design is one of my favorite shows. Robert and Cortney Novogratz own their own design company and live in NYC with their seven children. It's inspiring and fun and they seem to embrace the chaos in their lives rather than fight it. With seven kids, I guess there isn't much choice. But watching the show and reading this book has reminded me that I need to lighten up and enjoy my life. And have great style.

This little video. Seriously, we should all be so thankful.

How We Operate

Operation Decorate | Includes but is not limited to:
:: painting bookshelf (see blue above)
:: painting dresser (see yellow above)
:: making curtains for the kitchen window
:: purchasing this poster
:: sewing pillow covers
:: framing photos (and ordering a few more from Snapfish)
:: making this wreath to hang above the fireplace
:: rearranging the living room furniture

So far, the bookshelf is almost finished. I have a lot of work ahead of me.Operation 5252 | I'm a bit ahead of schedule, having read two books already. But I'm spinning my tires a bit with Considering the Lobster. I just don't really like it and fear I may be the only one, as I've heard nothing but good things from people about David Foster Wallace and this book in particular. I'm also making my way slowly through Walking on Water, treating it more like a devotional and taking in only small chunks at a time.

Operation Sleep | This is not going so well. I've been having trouble falling asleep and I'm falling down tired. I have no idea what's going on.

Operation Church | We had lunch with the pastors (a husband and wife) of the new church we've been attending. At a pub. It was great -- football, greasy food, great conversation.

One thing in particular: The wife is a former wedding photographer who still dabbles in photography. She told me about a photography club in town, and we're planning to go to a meeting together.

Also: We really love this church. I don't know that I've ever been so excited about church before.

A Loaf of Bread

This bread was given to us Sunday morning, when we attended a new church. We have not been regular attenders of any church this year. Between Adam's rotating schedule and having Lily, the church going was pushed aside. Add in the disillusionment of visiting a handful of churches that are all carbon copies of each other (and not in a good way), and you have our church story for the past two years or so.

We toyed with becoming Episcopalian or Catholic, but it just didn't feel right. And we've been to more mini megachurches than I'd care to admit. We decided we wanted some tradition, some structure, and that we just needed a place to call home. So Sunday we went Presbyterian. In fact, we went to a church that is literally around the corner from our former residence, a church we've walked by at least a thousand times (no joke).

We found ourselves not in a sanctuary, but a small room with round tables and a small stage for singers and musicians. And as soon as we walked in, we were welcomed by a half dozen people and offered coffee. We took Lily to the nursery (where she would proceed to pee through all of her clothes and, of course, Mommy hadn't packed an extra outfit) and returned to sing Christmas carols and old, old songs I haven't sung in years. I got quite choked up when we sang "There is None Like You."

I looked around and saw the biggest bunch of misfits -- a few homeless people who had walked in from the street, some handicapped, and smattering of less-than-hip-ly dressed folks. In fact, the entire service was slightly imperfect, but in a wonderful way. Afterward we talked with just about everyone in the room, and one woman brought us this loaf of bread and told us she was thankful we were there.

This morning, I sliced the bread and ate it while I drank my coffee and thought about how I'd really like to go back.