Calah Alexander interview

AVE MARIA, FLORIDA: AN INTERVIEW

Julie Machado | Oct 25, 2013 | 

I wrote about the small town of Ave Maria, Florida last month here at CatholicStand, but I was still curious about a lot of things I couldn’t find online.

Calah Alexander, who blogs at Barefoot and Pregnant, was kind enough to answer some questions about the town, which she lives in. Here is a peek into Ave Maria, Florida from Calah...

Keep reading at:

http://catholicstand.com/ave-maria-florida-an-interview/

An (orange-sized) announcement!

So... 

the people at the retreat last weekend left us a little surprise on our breakfast plates one morning...

 

Why? Because we're pregnant!!! haha..!

With a little baby that is supposedly the size of an orange now. It's due March 29th... that's right: nine months after the day we got married. Double haha...

We are very excited/terrified/happy! It's a very emotional and intense phase. It's nice to have everyone touch my belly and give me chocolate whenever I feel like it. 

We don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, and we haven't thought of any names. By the way, if you have any suggestions of names that have the same spelling in Portuguese and English, please leave them here! 

Weekend retreat

This weekend we went to our 7th in nine total retreats that make up the youth ministers' training for the diocese of Lisbon. Even though we currently don't have a youth group... sniff sniff. Although it was very tiring, the schedules are ridiculous and they don't let you rest, it was an overall good experience. We went as a way to connect with the general diocese and we definitely feel more connected. 

It's amazing how much I used to judge normal parishioners here in Portugal, and how meeting these 30 young people (from ages 20-40) has changed my perspective. They are playful, silly and loud, but also deep, genuine and really spiritual. I really enjoy being with them. 

At a morning prayer...

The surroundings...

Our "waiting times" in the meeting room...

At a mass...

On an outing with part of the group...

To Kneel or Not to Kneel?

[ 0 ] October 16, 2013 AD | Julie Rodrigues

                To receive Communion… that is the question. I was recently confronted about this, at a parish I will be teaching religious education through my job this year. At this parish, all children are made to kneel in order to receive Communion. When the explanation behind this was a speech given by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 and my obedience to the Pope was called into question, I began to feel a bit uneasy. I knew both forms are allowed, but did the Pope really call to kneel for Communion? Am I being unfaithful when I don’t kneel?

                I decided to research a few questions about kneeling and the Eucharist. Feel free to add your thoughts and findings on the matter also.

Keep reading at:

http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/10/16/to-kneel-or-not-to-kneel/

You put your right foot in...

Considering my job consists of painting autumn trees and singing the Hokey Pokey (teaching kids English), it sure gets tiring. 

I find myself trudging through the day and especially trudging through the week. Where does all my time in the evening go? And how do you keep a job from taking over your life? 

My beautiful classroom art...

One of Us

I participated in a Portuguese March for Life last Saturday that is part of a larger European initiative to protect the human embryo called "One of Us":

http://www.oneofus.eu/

About 500 people marched down downtown Lisbon's main streets and it was fun to march along with them. Unfortunately, my lovely husband was working, but I met up with several pro-life friends and we marched away. Here is a post in Portuguese with more pictures about it:

http://o-povo.blogspot.pt/2013/10/caminhada-pela-vida-2013-one-of-us.html

Homemade oreos with white chocolate filling

After several failed attempts and different changes, I finally have a homemade oreo recipe I'm sticking to. They are on several blogs, but the original I think is from Smitten Kitchen. 

Here you go...

For the cookies: 

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup (140g) unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg

Mix together all the ingredients, roll out with a rolling pin and cut small circles with a glass or cookie cutter (or just flatten dough balls as flat as you can). Bake at a high temperature (375F) for about 10 minutes. 

For the filling: 

100g white chocolate
2 tablespoons butter

Melt in microwave and spread on cookies to make sandwiches. Enjoy!

Home life

This weekend was one of those cozy, raining outside and warm inside weekends that are perfect for welcoming fall. Our married home life has been hard to get under control. At first we had no furniture and were sitting on pillows in the living room. Now we are slowly getting into some cooking, cleaning and general routines that make life a lot cozier and lovelier. 

The rain outside, our hot chocolate, lasagna for one of our first lunch guests (the parish priest), and his beautiful housewarming gift to us (the Mary and baby Jesus statue)...