Thursday, April 17, 2014

quick takes from spring break & beyond

This Great Fast has been really, really strange. We had two different sets of family visiting for over a week apiece.This was awesome, but I'm not sure that we prayed and fasted well during all the fun. We finally learned of the specifics of my husband's transfer out of his first parish assignment and have been dealing with that loss. We are looking forward to building our micro-mission and not driving three hours every Sunday, but it is very bittersweet. We have been helping a parishioner with the illness and death of her beloved husband, an active church member. He will be missed. 
If I were poetic like Elizabeth Foss (yes- that is the address for this super-wonderful 'restore' workshop that I was so excited about- and then failed to sign up for...) or Ann Voskamp, I would rhapsodize that life is like the Roman mosaic above with little bits of joy and darkness, a vast tapestry, a puzzle that pieces sometimes don't fit together well....but I'm not poetic.
Daughter #2 takes a guitar class at this very, very bohemian arts studio. There are barrels of trash available to re-purpose as art. Here's Boy posing as Frida Khalo while his sister figures out the G chord.
It was lovely having one of my sisters come for our Spring break. She brought her husband and six children. Her husband worked on lots of projects (closet, storage, more storage, tool closet, etc, etc), and we got to run around with the kids and play. My kids were in cousin heaven! Their ages and temperaments correspond rather well, though their son who is six months older than Boy is reading The Hobbit with no problem. We are nowhere near that with Boy! Ah well, comparing is not a good idea, is it?

Sometimes it takes a sister to reveal the truth to you. We were busy during Spring break with touristy things, but almost all of our outside activities were on pause for the week (except Lego & Tae Kwan Do for Boy). And my sister said that our life is crazy. And it is crazy. I have got to simplify, but then I get ideas. I want to start a women's book group with The Little Oratory as our first book.
We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for some of our activities...Merry Wives will be performed in early may, the girls have their ballet/jazz/etc dance around then, too, Choir is be winding down....but really- Boy has to test for his yellow belt on Holy Saturday morning? I hope we can fit egg coloring somewhere in the schedule...
Here's a question out of nowhere (and it is not a fake question that blogger's do to try and get comments for the sake of comments...)
Does it bother you, dear reader, that I write semi-anonymously? Does it cause me to seem inauthentic? I do skirt around the ugly truth a lot for charity's sake, but everything I write, I believe to be true. I personally don't like random internet-surfers to know who I am, but I am thinking of revealing ALL (silly) to readers- except I think the readers who care or who were curious already know who I am...In any case, I will still be using the name 'priest's wife' in on-line usage because it is memorable (some people would say 'provocative,' but I am the least provocative person on the planet...) In any case, what do you think? 

6 comments:

  1. I have no problem with it. My wife blogs under a handle. I sign as Flambeaux because for 12 years online that's what I've done. Many know who I am IRL. Many don't or don't care.

    I don't think authenticity has anything to do with whether or not a person uses a pen name. And that's all an online handle is or should be.

    It's not "sockpuppeting"...that's using lost of different handles so no one can keep track of which comments are genuine and which are not.

    So, from my POV, keep on with where you are comfortable.

    Your family is lovely and your observations are usually quite timely for when my wife and I need a boost dealing with our growing brood.

    Thank you.

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  2. I do not think I have commented here before - rude of me, I know; please accept my apologies.

    other than thinking it might be nice to have a name to put to an identity (although 'Priest's Wife' is rather cute!), your anonymity, to me, is nothing other than protecting your privacy. The authenticity of your posts comes across every time. Most of us do not post the daily dirty dishes, or the never-ending (at least in my house) arguments between children because that is not what we choose to remember or focus on.
    Thank you for your blog - as a convert to the Roman Catholic Church (19 years ago tomorrow!) I appreciate the information about the Byzantine rite as it does enhance and enlarge my own faith.

    May you have a very blessed Easter
    Karen

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  3. I don't mind the anonymous blogging. It's a hard thing to be so public with our lives. They're are strange moments when people I don't know, know personal details of my life from my blog. You have to do what is best for you and your family. Anonymity might be what you need.

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  4. i don't blog with my last name so i think you know how i feel. :)

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  5. I have to ask: where's that beautiful photo at the top from? I love the design and architecture on it.
    Blessings on your husband's new assignment! It's hard to see a priest who's become a part of the parish family go. We experienced such a situation at our (Latin-rite) parish last month.

    Have a blessed Easter everyone! (For those who read French: Joyeux Paques!)

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  6. Dear "PW",
    Your blog is great and I don't think there's any need to post your name. Mom and I had a great time at your place. Just got back from your older sister's home which was also great. This Easter was our 30 year anniversary of becoming Catholic. Thanks be to God !!

    Love,

    Dad (but I'm commenting as the dreaded "Anonymous")

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