pretty happy funny real
I am Cheating Again: A combined {phfr} and 7 Quick Takes

As I sat down to the laptop and started to draft another edition of {pretty, happy, funny, real} I realized I had quite a few photos I wanted to share. Then I thought, Well, it’s been several weeks since posting a 7 Quick Takes, so let’s churn out one of those again. (Yes, hyperlinks ALWAYS appear in my thought bubbles.) Then I saw Dwija from House Unseen combined her {phfr} and 7QTs into one post here. If she can do it, so can I, right? And if memory serves, I’ve done it once before and didn’t get arrested. So let’s go for it!
Welcome to the World, Lydia Ann!

I originally set out for this post to be a birth story of sorts. But the would-be narrative about a most blessed and holy event is simply not going to happen here and now. I guess I’m running with C.S. Lewis’s advice here:
“Life is too deep for words, so don’t try to describe it, just live it.”
Right on, chief, right on. This little babe has brought new hope and true healing to our family — hope and healing I didn’t even know we (read, I) needed. So I’m not even attempting here and now to put words to all this spiritual goodness percolating within me. I’m simply trying to live, learn, soak it up, and hopefully continuing to grow into the mom God is calling me to become … the mom I want to become, too.
So for now, enjoy some photos of Lydia’s first hours of life — {pretty, happy, funny, real} style.
Unearthing the Contents of My First Communion Purse

A look inside the contents of the First Communion purse my parents gifted me on May 13, 1984 — {pretty, happy, funny, real} style. All just simple items, but because they found a place inside my First Communion purse, they hold sacred value and maybe even one day will be considered cherished family heirlooms.
Good Times!

Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life — {pretty, happy, funny, real} style. In this edition I share a photo of my daughter that reminded me of a 1960’s Kodak commercial, pictorial highlights from my Spiritual Friendship talk in Peoria, in search for a new profile pic that tells the world a little bit about me, and highlights of a recent “Benedict Bash” we attended in celebration of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s papacy.
A Virtual Pilgrimage to Holy Hill

Is a domestic pilgrimage in your future? While visiting family in Wisconsin last week, we made a pilgrimage to Holy Hill, a national basilica and shrine that has welcomed pilgrims since the late 1800s. The site welcomes over 500,000 pilgrims a year, making it one of the most popular shrines in the United States. In fact, Timothy Cardinal … [Read more…]
Is it cheating to combine 7 Quick Takes & {phfr}?
I enjoy linking up to the {pretty, happy, funny, real} series hosted at the blog Like Mothers, Like Daughters. And I also take pleasure when participating in Jen’s 7 Quick Takes at Conversion Diary. Is it cheating to combine the two popular series and post a 7 Quick Takes, {phfr}-style? Killing two birds with one stone? … [Read more…]