7 quick takes friday (vol. 9)

It’s time again for Friday “Quick Takes.” For more, see Conversion Diary.

—1—

TULIPS WITH TEARS FOR TONY: My hope was to capture our backyard tulips in bloom, the spring sun at their backs, but when the rain came today, I had to settle for them folded upon themselves, raindrops dripping down. I was reminded that sometimes Plan B turns out to be the best plan of all. I love this glimpse of spring, rain and all. Come to think of it, the raindrops just might be tears for Tony, our 11-year-old nephew/cousin who died unexpectedly Tuesday morning. My kids often say when it is raining that God is sad. I know he is not sad for Tony, who is with Him now, but for those of us left without him. I shared Tony’s smiles yesterday in this posting. I hope you will take a look, and if you could spare a prayer or two, throw one up there for our family.

–2–

LOADS OF LAUNDRY CONTINUED…into infinity: I have to laugh at and to myself. Even after Tide washed about 20 loads of our family’s clothes as part of a humanitarian “Loads of Hope” event following area flooding, I’m still hopeless when it comes to conquering the laundry mountain in our home of seven. I still haven’t completely emptied the plastic bags of clean clothes, and my laundry pile is, once again, nearly sky high (sigh). Another laundry-related rant can be found on my parenting column in this week’s Forum.

—3—

MOM’S DAY CONTINUED: Since this shot came late in the day, I didn’t get to sneak it onto my Mother’s Day posting, so thought I’d include it here. Here’s Adam and the heart-shaped brownie surprise from Daddy and the kids. We saved it for the end of the day, and enjoyed it by the firepit out back.

—4—

AN EXORTATION FROM BRET LOTT (for writers): I’ve finished the writing memoir, Before We Get Started, by Bret Lott, and wanted to share the following conclusion by the author in a chapter called “Against Technique,” from page p.114:

“…go, and do not think. Disavow uninspired scholarship, timid ambition, scrupulous dimsightedness on your way to the discovery that awaits in the making of art. Let ignorance, inability and stupidity be the flag of the day. Pay attention recklessly. Strain to see through the window of your own artistic consciousness in the exhilarating and frightening and liberating knowledge that there is no path to the waterfall, and there are a million paths to the waterfall, and there is, too, only one path. Yours.”

–5–

YEAR-END EVENTS CONTINUED: Today, my kindergartener, Adam, took part in an end-of-year spring musical. The kids were allowed to wear something silly if they wanted — attire of their choosing. I loved seeing what they came up with. For Adam’s part, he chose to wear too-small, very un-cool Teletubbies pajamas, “because only little kids like the Teletubbies, right Mom?” he asked in a search for affirmation. He’s a big kid now, you know, the first five years of his life behind him as if they took place eons ago. He did such a great job, but had the difficult task of trying to keep the left, purple wing of Miss Butterfly out of his face the entire program.

See video below of the kids in action with their very vivacious music teacher at the helm.

–6–

DECOMPOSITION: Elizabeth brought this decomposed leaf into the car after school. Having survived the winter, it is a true survivor.

–7–

REGRET OF THE WEEK: I’m so sad it didn’t work out for me to travel to Mississippi to be there for Tony’s funeral. Instead, I’ll be here, racing from one soccer field to the next, being present at my girls’ piano recital on Sunday, and heading off to Thief River Falls, MN, with my daughter on Monday afternoon for a rescheduled Young Author Conference. The day after I return, I’ll be off again to Grand Forks to take part in a radio interview through our local Catholic radio station, 1280 AM. I’ll be discussing motherhood, writing and my faith.

Peace to you in the weekend ahead!