Thanks long-time kindergarten connoisseur and reader of this blog (really nice of you, by the way) for the butcher paper tip. I should've helped Addie's coloring table sooner, but at least now it's a little happier, covered in butcher paper. We might have more coloring in our future now. ´
Happy weekend to you and yours!
I guess we have a wind storm headed our way coming from the States! Named Joaquin...
Happy fall! I know it's a little late but only now did I frame my pressed leaves and put them up with blu-tack.
I've been worried about friendship and our social lives for quite a while now, perhaps years. Last year I blamed trying to do too much (including my job) on not being able to meet regularly with people. As soon as I was finally "at home" a couple of months ago, I started worrying about it again, especially for Addie. Now that we were geographically further away from everyone, playgroups seemed a lot harder. I would see a mom at the park with a kid about Addie's age and wonder if I should pounce on her. Want to be my friend? Want to be my friend?
Wisely as always, my spiritual director kept telling me, "just wait. relax." And once I stopped worrying about it (and tried to trust God with it), opportunities arose. We joined a Catholic homeschooling group with kids Addie's age and interesting adults for us to socialize with (see pic above). We bumped into neighbors a block away with a girl Addie's age who invited us out to dinner (and we still haven't gotten around to going... oops!) I talked to and exchanged numbers with the mother of a girl born two days after Addie who live in our same apartment building. I was added to a whatsapp group of stay-at-home moms (even though I don't know them and feel kind of awkward talking to them...). Ah, and I joined a twice-monthly women's prayer group. Now I'm a little overwhelmed by social activities...! And our house isn't even "complete"!
This is just to say I keep learning I should really trust God with my worries and wait for his timing. Easier said than done.
Election day is Sunday here in Portugal to elect a new prime minister. Apparently it's a big deal (note my enthusiasm for Portuguese politics).
I noticed these billboards a few weeks ago for a political party called "people animals nature", featuring some smiley people, a dog, a pig and a butterly. Not just one in a rural place, but several in busy locations of central Lisbon. Their slogan is "all animals, all the same". I thought to myself, "how does this political party even have enough supporters to print this and hang it up everywhere? what a joke."
Alas, the next weekend at the beach a friend of ours... a normal, college-educated friend of ours, said he was going to vote for one of three parties, one of which was this PAN party. He was completely serious. We made an effort to also put on serious faces. Last week as I was driving home I saw three campaigners plus a dog on a leash walking around my own neighborhood with a PAN flag. Plus, it's the political party with second most "likes" on Facebook.
Last night we looked at some political parties online, one of which was PAN. One of their campaign promises is to push for "menstrual cups" in congress and educate doctors and nurses about them. So as to reduce waste. I don't know what a menstrual cup is nor do I want to know.
I have nothing more to say about Portuguese politics. Thank you.
PS My St. Therese world cake on Catholic Cuisine yesterday
I read a little bit about Padre Pio on his feast day last Wednesday (I'd like to read more...) and I've been thinking about him ever since. Especially these words: "Yet despite such notoriety, he would often say, 'I only want to be a poor friar who prays.'" (from CatholicCulture)
I found these words so decisive, so in touch with his identity. I kept thinking, what do I want to be? The best I came up with was "a poor wife who bakes". It sounds kind of ridiculous, I know. And we're not really poor... at least not in the Franciscan vow of poverty way. And baking and poor in the same sentence don't make much sense.
But still. It got me thinking. I also want to be a woman of prayer... which I feel very far away from. I had a new friend (and new neighbor) visit me last week who has eight kids and a busy life, but she was one of those people that you just say, "wow, she's a woman of prayer." That quality that reminded me of this priest I know, and the nuns "monjas de Belém" that make the beautiful artwork I've talked about, plus a few other people. They emanate peace. And they pray a lot.
Who do you want to be?
