Quick Takes #254: Thoughts on Lent and Love

1. Crazy couple of weeks with Dr Daddy having a hospital heavy schedule and the kids having the 1st & 4th grade version of mid-terms complicated by schedules having to shift around many kids being out for illness and everyone in the area getting a day off to go the the Champions Parade.
2. We didn't go but with the aid of some favorite snacks the kids had a blast watching on TV and trying to spot friends in the crowd who went. 
3. In other sports news; enjoyed watching the Opening Ceremonies with the kids and seeing which sports catches their interest; so far figure skating and ski jump are the faves but am wondering what they will think of luge and skeleton.  Elisabeth observed that bi-atholon would be more interesting if they were using bow and arrow instead of shooting a gun. 
4. Valentine/Ash Wednesday was a fun balancing act. We observed Ash Wednesday by attending Mass and receiving our ashes and abstaining from meat for the day. We observed Valentine's Day with exchanging cards and other non-candy gifts of love.  
5. Plans for Lent include the Take Up and Read devotional, attempting a 40bags in 40 day purge, and focus on spiritual reads starting with The Interior Castle by greatly limiting reading fiction.  Lenten plans of Elisabeth and Liam are still in flux but are stimulating interesting conversations about habits that pull them towards or away from loving God.
6. Very much looking forward to a date night with Charlie tonight!  While somewhat in disbelief that we are celebrating 25 years together I am beyond grateful to have shared so many wonderful years with him. That at 19 years old a handsome guitar playing man of faith and integrity came into my world for me to love and loved me back continues to be an awesome and amazing blessing to me.
7. Speaking of love and marriage ~ couple of sites to share. Surprised by Marriage is a wonderful new blog filled with videos and fun posts about marriage.  Kirby of Under Thy Roof has been hosting a wonderful series on love languages and marriage. 

Please head over to Kelly's for more 7QT's!

Open Book ~ February '18

A Room With a View by E.M Forester was a fun, fast read about Lucy and her friends and relations who all mean well but whose petty snobberies occasionally trip them up.  Starting in Italy and then moving into the English countryside the descriptions are beautiful and the conversations amusing when not maddening.  A classic I've been meaning to read and am glad I finally did.

The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera is the story of a young librarian who takes a job in a small french village and all she learns from her employer and other villagers. The book while beautifully written raises a lot of ideas only to move on to another quickly.  I enjoyed the book very much but think it will take a reread or two to fully appreciate it.

Look to the Mountain by LeGrand Cannon is wonderful story about the settling of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Whit and Melissa are a young couple who marry and first by canoe and later hiking travel up to the shadow of Mt Chocorua and build a home. Set in the 1770's you also hear news of the Revolution travel up and how it is understood by those who have never used a stamp, or bought tea.  This was a reread for me, and I am biased as it was one of my father's favorites but I'm also a bit baffled why this book first published in 1942 is not better known.


Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book!