Michael

7 Quick Takes (vol. 2)

/ Ashley / Leave a comment

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Better late than never, right?  I woke up this morning with the writing muses swirling in my head.  So many wonderful ideas were pouring forth, in that moment of calm before my preschooler was allowed to walk through the door.  But then life happened, and now it’s technically Saturday morning, and I’m determined to write something anyway!

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Good things this week: I am back in the gym post-surgery.  Ok, let’s be honest – it’s been much longer than a month since I’ve graced the doors of an athletic facility, recovery or no.  Being in the weight room is awesome.  But shimmying into workout clothes and walking out the door (even though a gym resides a mere 400 feet away from said door) is not so pleasant.  Luckily I have an efficacious husband who recognizes the value of exercise.  We made a deal last Sunday – I will workout three times a week if he puts it on the schedule during Michael’s bedtime.  Now I am very motivated.

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Efficacious (adjective) = capable of having the desired result or effect; effective as a means, measure, remedy, etc.: The medicine is efficacious in stoppinga cough.

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Bad things this week: Being woken up at 1:30am Wednesday morning to discover our country still under the tyranny of an anti-Colonialist, narcissistic president.  I might have cried and raged into the night for an entire hour.  That might have happened.  Then I succumbed to sleep’s siren call and healing powers.  All of Wednesday I pondered the election results.  How can so many of my country-men fail to recognize the terrible plight our country is in?  I was literally shocked to discover the veil covering so many eyes when reality is so black and white to me.  However demoralized my day began, the feeling just wouldn’t stick around.  It dawned on me that I don’t even really like Romney – and I’m actually glad he’s not going to be the one to step into the void.  I had put so much energy into supporting his campaign because there was no other option and, taking a step back, it’s clear that I swept quite a few concerns into the recesses of my mind.  Next time I want a truly conservative candidate.  I’m tired of lowering expectations to deal with the greater evil.  I am tired of settling for what the Republican machine spits out.  I don’t want a lukewarm option, or a slightly better than average option, or even a good option – I want a GREAT option.  And so I will trudge on for the next four  years.  But I don’t deserve what was voted into our country, and I refuse to accept it.

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On a lighter note, I’ve decided that pants are overrated.  Who wants buttons and zippers and the squeezing of internal organs?  Not me.  Oh no, sir, I prefer the comfort of a stretchy waist band.  Which is why I am considering going “pants”-free this winter.

What about yoga pants with the stretchy waist, you ask – aren’t those excluded from your options, being part of the pant family?

And I return the question to you – can we even categorize stretchy cotton and spandex as real pants?  They are the illusion of pants.  Is it not perfectly acceptable to pair a dressy shirt and cute shoes with black yoga pants and still maintain one is pants-free?   I might even be persuaded to combine leggings with boots and a long sweater (so long as my backside is well covered).  Because everyone knows that leggings are most certainly NOT pants.

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It is getting late and my husband is calling for me to shut off the computer.  Me thinks that is sensible, as I am no longer sure the last paragraph is comprehensible.

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A little treat from last week: Michael’s Halloween costume, Cat in the Hat:

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

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7 Quick Takes: Family Edition

/ Ashley / 1 Comment

As this is my first every Quick Takes (and a brand new blog), I thought it might be fun to introduce my family. Here goes!

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Our wedding was June 10, 2006.  It was the most wonderful, joyful day of my life when I married my best friend, Ryan.  You see, the two of us grew up together in the same small town, same Catholic church, and same group of family friends.  However, Ryan and I didn’t really become close until high school.  He was my best guy friend, the one who listened to all my teenagery woes – until he wasn’t just my best friend anymore.  We survived five years of dating, a year apart in college and 20 months of engagement before this happy day could occur.

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Ryan is a man of many hats.  Six years ago he started out in grad school.  I, the ever dutiful wife, followed him into student housing and bided my time until we were blessed with a child.  Four years ago Ryan applied for a hall director job at a nearby college.  We have been living in a dorm apartment ever since! (It was a step up from the student housing, let me tell you.)  Two years ago the stars aligned and Ryan began an app development company with two buddies.  Last January he decided that it was time to walk away from grad school and dive into his quickly expanding company.  Between his jobs as hall director, app developer and computer consultant on the side, my husband spends his remaining free time in husband and daddy mode.

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The second most amazing day of my life occurred when Michael entered the world, December 19, 2008.  I spent his first few weeks just holding him, staring at his darling face and wondering where in the world did he come from?  Michael was a super chill baby who I carted around everywhere with me.  He was an instant favorite with the college kids, grandparents and aunties alike (not terribly difficult when you are the only baby on both sides of the family).  I also noticed rather quickly that he tended toward a flair for the dramatic.  After nearly four years, that personality trait still holds strong.  So does his love of companionship…

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What do I do with all of my free time?  Ha!  When you are a stay-at-home momma for a quality-time child, there really isn’t a lot of time to spare.  I keep busy with the general household duties, pathetic attempts at homeschooling and a couple of ministries around campus.  I am also training as a catechist for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.  It’s so exciting to watch Michael experience the atrium while I am simultaneously learning the ropes as a future catechist.

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What is the most awesome part about living in a dorm, you ask?  Well, free rent and utilities definitely top the list.  Oh, and free babysitters – college girls love kids!  And there tends to be a lot of free food as well.  Free stuff.  That’s great.  Plus, if I want to get all serious on you, it’s so good to have easy access to daily mass and weekly Adoration.

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Since this is the family edition, I have to give shout-outs to our extended family too.  We are blessed to have a lot of our family living nearby.  Michael’s grandparents are all within an hour’s drive of our home – which means we get to see them a lot.  One of his aunties practically lives down the street (two more aunties did live across the street, but have since graduated from college and moved on).  Having extended family in town was a dream for me as a kid (everyone lived five hours away), and I am so pleased to make it a reality for Michael.

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Finally, our most recent family photo:

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

From the Mouth of a Three Year Old

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While reading together,

Me: Do you know what animal this is?

Michael: I don’t know.  Umm… honey badger?

***

Michael: I really want a jalapeno for my birthday!

Me: What? (thinking back through our conversations earlier that day) Do you mean a pinata?

Michael: Yeah, that’s it!

***

During a father-son discussion about Rescue Heroes and their roles,

Ryan: Do you know what a medic is?

Michael: Yes – a bandaid helper.

A Moment

/ Ashley / Leave a comment

He flew across campus on his little yellow bike, never pausing to look back.  He was a man on a mission at dinner time.  As soon as the last crumb of cheese cake stuffed its way past his lips, he darted between the dining hall tables and was out the door.  Again, I found myself several steps behind the blur of preschool legs bouncing up and down the hall.  Suddenly the chapel door caught his attention.  By the time I followed him inside he was deep within the sanctuary.

Then I noticed where his little legs had carried him – to the front pew.  Kneeling, with his sun bleached head bowed, he was quietly whispering prayers.  Only God knows what was on his little heart because not even I could decipher his murmurings.  I gazed at his still form, so thankful for this moment of peace.  Another moment later and the reverie was broken, his body on the move again, another adventure in the making.