Entering the most important days of Holy Week.

Tomorrow we will celebrate the beautiful liturgy of Holy Thursday, when Our Lord washed the feet of his disciples and gave them the first Holy Communion.  On Good Friday we will try to follow on the way to the cross, and then wait by the tomb for the glorious resurrection.  This is a beautiful summary of the meaning behind Good Friday and Easter.

I was not raised Catholic, and only became one in my mid 20s.  One of the things I have appreciated the most is the timeless cycle of liturgical seasons.  The most important three days are the Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil on Saturday night.  I never appreciated the joy of Easter until I experienced the liturgies that lead up to it.  The silence and solemnity of observing Good Friday really makes the victory of Easter much more meaningful. 

A must-read for adopting families

This post by Amy Eldridge is really helpful.  I want to have realistic expectations about what little Therese may go through during her transition.  I've thought a lot about the impact that being taken from familiar caregivers and handed over to a strange looking Mama with a big nose could have on her, and not so much about the difference in facilities.  Going from an orphanage to a 4-star hotel is quite a change in itself.

The difference between girls and boys

Today at lunch, Catherine was wearing a new dress, pink with a sparkly butterfly on the front, with a tutu-style skirt.  She wanted Mr. B. to see her dress, and said, "I have a butterfly on my dress--isn't it pretty?"
Thomas replied, "I have a tank on my shirt. BAM!"