Waiting for Patience

Welcome to My New House (again)! Well, I've been back in my house for a week now, and it's so fantastic!  Since I wrote about the saga here on the ol' blog, figured I'd take you on a little photo tour!  The entire place is great, but my two favorite rooms are the Living Room and my Bedroom ... although I really love being able to put my personal style on the entire place! I'm glad most of the downstairs was done by the contractor, that sewage backup was a blessing in disguise.  After painting my bedroom, I'm not sure I would have survived the rest of the downstairs.  Apparently, I'm not the biggest fan of the brush! The Living Room The Mantle (with Our Lady)  The couch looks great with the paint, rather than this ! A little reading nook, all it needs is a lamp! The best view in the house! The Hallway A Lovely Van Gogh Upstairs a gallery of some amazing Katie Originals Guest Bath A little bright, but the pictures rea...

--- 1 --- I am driving to Pennsylvania today for my grandmother's 90th Birthday Party!  Can't believe I have two people in my close family who have reached 90!  Aunt Hy will actually be 98 on October 7th (same day as Baby Shep turns 1). --- 2 --- As I drive, I'm listening to this book I got free from audible. Seemed like an appropriate time for the 13 hour unabridged version - while I'm in the car AND can practice the principles and information he presents!  I'll share what I learn - am excited to read/listen to after Modern Mrs. Darcy's recommendation a few weeks ago. --- 3 --- Yesterday I went to a Pregnancy Center's fundraiser where Matt Maher  was singing.  I met him one time before actually after a concert at a local CharlotteONE event.  It was fantastic! Now I've seen him again!  What a great night with good friends, amazing music, and a great cause ! --- 4 --- This picture is now my happy place  when wor...

Years ago I read part of this book, 20 Something Manifesto , and the one thing I remember was her discussing what she called Expectation Hangovers .  She defines them as a "group of undesirable feelings that arise when a desired result isn't met." ( source ) We'll I'm having one this weekend.  I wrote on Friday (ie: Thursday evening for 7QT) about how my house was supposed to be done on Friday and today I would be super ready to move back in, having floors to walk on downstairs, curtains up, furniture in its place, and everything!  Well, welcome to the hangover. They began to lay the floor and then I was called to the house in a state of panic because it was looking like this: It's hard to see, but the finishes are different on the boards - so when the light hits it and it goes all the way down the hallway, it will look, well as Ben (the contractor said), "not terrible...".  UM... we're going through this whole thing I want my floor to ...

--- 1 --- I was looking for a dance floor on amazon.com today to purchase for our big festival and this was on my amazon homepage.  Apparently I viewed  some men's sandals and now they are suggesting these other items and even these men's running shoes.  And amazon thinks I'm a coin collector.  Who's been searching in my amazon.com account? --- 2 --- Speaking of funny things.  The contractor for my house, Ben, called on Wednesday to tell me the floor install was going to be delayed a few days because they had to put down leveler  to even out some bumps in the foundation before they glue the wood down.  This (writing on Thursday evening) morning I text him "After they put the leveler down, so I have to stay off the entire floor?  Checking if I can do something upstairs tonight?"  He says "Just where the leveler is."  So I head over to the house before work to pick up the dirty blankets that have been hanging out on my b...

Do you ever feel like you are irrationally afraid of things?  I do! Almost six years ago during my first Advent in Charlotte, Father Pat gave a great homily about being afraid of all the wrong things.  It was so good, I remember it to this day almost word for word - and don't worry, I'm going to share it with you!  He began: Did you know that more people are killed every year by champagne corks than poisonous spider bits? Um, Father - NO I did not know that! The point of the homily was that we are more concerned with if the cookies will be made and the presents purchased and wrapped than if our hearts are prepared to meet Jesus on the day of His birth.  All of the cookies and pies will be baked, but if we don't prepare our hearts, we won't be ready for Jesus. I think about this all of the time when I get a little afraid of flying and remember that statistically more people are in car accidents every year than are hurt in plane crashes.  And my college r...

Back with the Not Alone Series  gals this week! Oh, so chivalrous! Chivalry should not become a lost art and we, as women, ought to step up to the plate a bit more and encourage men to treat us as women, thereby respecting them as men. Do you have tips, ideas, or stories to encourage men to be... men?! Open doors for us, initiate dates, honor us as women, etc? Let's chat! (Thanks to Sarah Thérèse !) My thoughts on this topic are varied and a little confusing even for me, but I will try to articulate it without sounding like I am complaining, which I am not. I think chivalry is a lot about how it makes men and women feel, perception, and realizing we are all connected in this crazy world instead of living for ourselves.  I also think chivalry is not just about men doing things for women, but human beings taking care of human beings.  All that being said, here's a story to bed illustrate my thoughts. About a month ago my friend who was recently ordained a prie...

I went to New York to visit my brother and his GF over Labor Day weekend - we had some fun times ... so below is a post of pics in a random/backwards order! The Hammock Grove on Governor's Island Riding a Surrey in the rain ... best Sunday afternoon! The view from the Brooklyn Bridge Park Roller Skating - Just a Typical Friday Night A Moulin Rouge Themed adventure on skates The four of us on the Surrey My brother and I in Central Park A great view of the city flying home A garden rocking horse in Rockefeller Center Who knew the beautiful view from the roof of the MET Saint Patrick's Cathedral - I mistakenly thought that the scaffolding had been taken down... NOPE!  A Panorama from the top of the MET over Central Park  Van Gogh ... love this sky! Central Park!  Beautiful Blue Skies! Nate's 25th Birthday! Prospect Park Zoo - Be a Turtle! What a great visit that included a visit with S...