A Few Links for Wednesday

I don't often pass along links, but I save them a lot. Facebook is a place where I find a number of them. If you're on Facebook, did you know that you can save links? It's super easy. Just click (or tap if you're on your phone) the little arrow in the upper right hand corner of the post containing the link and select "save link." It will add the link to your "Saved" page. Then you can go back and look at your links at your leisure. I use this all the time when I run across something that looks interesting, but I don't have time to really read it or look at it right that moment. You can also use this feature to save pictures, videos, and posts (yours or others' posts) to look at later. I love it for all those yummy looking recipe videos that are floating around on Facebook. Anyhow, here's a few links that I've found recently that I thought you might enjoy having a look at. It's a hodgepodge of stuff, but life is a bit of a hodgepodge as well, right?

1. Catholics routinely make the sign of the cross at the beginning and ending of prayers, during Mass, and as a part of other rituals and rites. If you don't understand what it means, it can seem an empty gesture, but the reality is that it's full of meaning. This short video (only 2 minutes, 35 seconds) explains three awesome things that this gesture means.

If you're interested in learning more, this article "21 Things We Do When We Make the Sign of the Cross" from Catholic Exchange is a great list of things that the sign means. Even if you aren't Catholic, I highly encourage you to give either the video or article a look. It's really interesting stuff and will give you a greater understanding of this beautiful gesture of Catholic faith.

2. Since I have quite a few friends who, like me, have kids, I've seen this a few times, but it is really neat. It's a video that shows you how to make your own watercolour paints! Seriously. That is SO cool! I haven't tried it yet, but I really want to give it a whirl and see how they come out. It looks really easy and involves ingredients that most folks already on hand in their kitchen. I could see this also being something fun for grandparents, aunts/uncles, babysitters, or teachers to try. Crafty!

Homemade Watercolors
Posted by Skillshare on Tuesday, February 2, 2016

3. I am an unabashed Anglophile and Hibernophile. This means I really, really love most things that are British or Irish. :) Tea is one of my favourite things and it is so perfectly British and Irish that it might as well be a part of their collective DNA. It's so ubiquitous that they sometimes don't even bother saying "tea" at all, but will instead say to you, "Let's have a cuppa. I'll put the kettle on." Many British offices have tea trollies which are a cart that's pushed around the office so you can grab a cuppa and a biscuit (that would be a cookie to us Americans) for your break or to enjoy at your desk. People drink it black, with lemon, white (with milk), and with or without sugar. A particularly British thing is what many Americans refer to as either "afternoon tea" or "high tea." These are used interchangeably, but did you know they're not necessarily the same thing? This brief article highlights the similarities and differences. A word of caution though: it's likely to make you crave a cuppa and some scones! Here's the Difference Between Afternoon Tea and High Tea!

4. Because I love a good recipe, how about some Samoa Brownies? Om, nom, nom, NOM!!! A friend posted this on FB and I had to save it. They look so delectable and like they'd be pretty easy to make. Here's a picture of the finished product, courtesy of the blog Incredible Recipes from Heaven:

And of course, the link to the recipe! The blog post has step by step pictures to make it easier to see what it should look like as you go alone. Mmmmm....

5. And finally, but, I think probably the most important link of all, this link of a letter "To the Husband With the Wife Who Has Depression" If you don't look at any of the other links on this page, please give this a read. It is written from the perspective of the wife struggling with depression to her husband. I could have written every single word. As I read it, I found myself getting teary-eyed and choked up. So much of the thoughts in it resonate with me and my experience. It expresses not only how hard things are for the wife, but what she needs from her husband in the way of support and understanding. One thing that is different from my experience is that Gray actually knows all of this. I am so incredibly grateful that he does, so I posted this to my FB timeline and tagged him. I also added the following note to him:

I love you so much for knowing all this, for holding me fast through the darkest hours, for helping me grow beyond the place where I stay silent all the time, for being my safe place to fall when I do find reaching out hard, for all the sacrifices you've made for me both big and small, and for loving me mind, body, and soul with the love of Christ. I could say all this a thousand times a day and it wouldn't be enough to adequately express how grateful I am that God joined us together or how deeply I love you. You are my heart and my beloved. Always. xoxoxo 

Hope you've enjoyed one or more of these links! I'll share a few more another time. Have a great Wednesday!

Daybook Online Journal -- Week of March 10, 2015 (late)

Welcome to my weekly Tuesday post where I remember the ups and downs and big and little things of daily life for me and my family. I call it my Daybook Online Journal and it's an idea I found via fellow blogger Jenny at her blog, The Littlest Way. Thanks for the inspiration, Jenny! The prompts are a combination of several I've found as I've been researching this particular way of chronicling daily life. Come on in and reflect with me!

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Outside my window... It's rather overcast today as it's been really rainy in the last 24 hours and the rain isn't quite gone. Not weather related, but the last couple of days have seen some random flocks of birds descend into our yard. Lots of twittering and tweeting sounds from the trees and bushes. Yesterday it was a really neat sound mixed with the gently falling rain.

 

Highlights from the week... 

• This week I shared my heart and my struggles with major depression and suicidal thinking with a much wider audience. I broke my 25+ years of silence by posting about it publicly on this blog and then sharing it with a very wide audience. I invited others to share my post and the response was overwhelming. I have no idea how many people have shared it, but based on Facebook's stats, as of the writing of this, it has reached 1,538 people. I am so humbled that it has made such an impact and I hope it will continue to do so.
• Unfortunately, Gray got my upper respiratory bug. He started feeling poorly toward the weekend and wound up going to the urgent care clinic on Sunday to get checked. Thanks to some medications and decent rest, I'm happy to report that he's doing better as of the writing of this, although still feeling a bit on the tired side.
• Our littlest bear, GB, is another story. As I type this, she is snuggled up next to me on the couch and feels a touch on the warm side. She went to the doctor yesterday because I suspected she was not well and it turns out she has an ear infection. She got some antibiotics, but I have a feeling it's going to be another day before she's feeling more like herself. Poor little dear!
• M2 and AB had Monday off from school and it also happened to be the day before my birthday, so we (along with GB) met up with my mom for breakfast and a day of shopping and fun together. 
• Got a few new items for my wardrobe which was a very good thing as it's been looking pretty ragged and thin of late. My favourite is a really fun retro sort of swing dress that is a baby pink with tiny black polka dots and a matching black lace trim that is attached to the skirt lining and peeks out from beneath the skirt hem. It's so cute! I also got a few tops -- one of which is this really pretty teal blue floral print that looks fabulous with black slacks or jeans.
• My new tea maker from Teavana and the tea I bought to go with it -- YUM! This was my birthday present to myself and I can already tell it's going to be something I use almost daily.

 

 This week I am thankful for...

• The overwhelmingly positive response to my Breaking My Silence post about my struggles with major depression and suicidal thinking. I cannot express how grateful I am that so many people shared this with others and the way this post has already reached a number of people. My prayer is that God will continue to use it to help others.
• Modern medicine -- yet again. The older I get, I think the more thankful for this I am. I include in this not only diagnostics and pharmaceutical medicines, but also mental health care.
• Email -- for allowing me a way to keep in touch with certain people and also as a means of setting up appointments, meetings, and fun times.
• The vast expanse of the internet. I received some more detailed information this week about exactly where the Out of the Darkness Overnight walk will start in Boston and the hotel that we get a discount on if we stay there. I was instantly able to look up the location, the hotel, and a whole host of other information on the area. I've also been using it lately to check rates for flights and do comparisons between originating cities and different carriers.
• The Voxer app -- something I really enjoy using to chat with my friends Jae and T. 
• The ladies in my online NFP group who have been such good friends to me for almost a decade. I love all these ladies for so many reasons and feel so blessed to be part of this community and even more blessed to have met quite a few of them in person. I can't wait for the next retreat in 2016!!! :)
• Five Minute Friday -- both the #fmfparty on Twitter on Thursday nights and the community as a whole -- lots of inspiration, support, and just great folks all the way around. 

Praying for...

• For all those who are participating in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Out of the Darkness Overnight Walks in Dallas and Boston -- for their fundraising efforts, training, and the people who will benefit from their support for this cause. I am so blessed to be a part of the Boston walk this June!
• My friend P's husband B who has been in and out of the hospital with sepsis and a badly infected leg. She has been through the mill with hospitals not giving good care and has been dealing with her hubby's illness on top of caring for her three kids.
• My friend A's son L who had an accident at home recently and is now having some scary medical issues.
• My friend Jae and her needs
• My bestie Sif and her new situation and rejoicing with her over WonderBoy's recent achievements.
• For M2 as she continues to prepare for her First Holy Communion and in thanksgiving for her joy over receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time (and again a second time this past weekend at her request!).
• For Gray's and GB's health as they continue to recover from their illnesses.
• For all those who are being persecuted for their faith, especially for those who are facing certain death for their beliefs.
• For a good and holy Lent for all those who are in the midst of it and preparing for Easter and in particular, for those who are preparing to be received into the Catholic faith at the Easter Vigil.

 Reading...

• Today's daily Mass readings -- Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9; Psalm 147; Matthew 5:17-19
  
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling -- continuing my re-read
• The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig 

Listening to...

• Called to Communion and Open Line podcasts on the EWTN Radio app
• Gently falling rain outside 
• My baby girl's soft snores

I am learning... to be totally open and honest about my struggles with depression and suicidal thinking and that it's okay to do so.

 

My favourite quote of the week...

"I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I know. It has no decency, respects no law or convention, shows no mercy. It goes for your weakest spot, which it finds with unnerving ease. It begins in your mind, always...so you must fight hard to express it. You must fight hard to shine the light of words upon it. Because if you don't, if your fear becomes a wordless darkness that you avoid, perhaps even manage to forget, you open yourself to further attacks of fear because you never truly fought the opponent who defeated you."

-- from Life of Pi by Yann Martel 

 Picture of the week... 

This is a picture of my new tea maker. Well, this isn't my actual tea maker, but a picture I found online of it. I bought it at our local Teavana for my birthday along with some Blueberry Kona Pop tea (SO tasty iced!). I've used it twice so far and absolutely love it. It makes tea making dead simple. Just add tea and your choice of sweetner to the mug and pour hot/boiling water over it. Allow time to steep and when it's reached the desired strength, sit it atop your favourite cup or glass and the tea streams out of the bottom of the brew mug. I foresee a lot more tea in my future!

 

See you next week!!

Getting to Know You!

Lately I've been having a bit of writer's block. A lot of it has to do with my particular struggles with depression. I keep coming to this page where I have this gigantic white screen full of nothing and just can't find the words to write. So....to that end, I've decided I need some help. I have a Pinterest board that I keep with ideas for blogging and figured that might be a good place to look. As I was looking, it occurred me that a good way to spend this month might be by using a few prompts to tell you a little bit more about me. This is my birthday month, so it seemed rather appropriate. My first prompt from a list I chose off my Pinterest board is...

Some of you reading this may have read my "about me" page, so if you have, I apologize. There might be a few repeats. To that end, I'll try to keep this to some bullet points for ease of reading and hopefully so I don't duplicate as much :) Here's a few basics:

• I am a Roman Catholic Christian. This was not always the case. 
• I am happily married to my beloved Gray (a pseudonym, as all names on my blog are) for almost 10 years now.
• I have three beautiful daughters, ages 8, 7, and almost 2.5. They go by M2, AB, and GB.
• I grew up in the Southeastern USA and still live there to this day. I have a love/hate relationship with my place of birth and residence.
• I am a sci-fi/fantasy geek and fangirl. Doctor Who and Harry Potter are two of my biggest fandoms.
• I am a book nerd and have been since I began reading at around age 3. I almost always have at least three or more books going at once.
• If you've read my 31 Days series, you will know that I struggle with major depression. It has been a fact of life for me and something I have had to figure out how to manage for over 25 years. In the last two years, it has been a constant companion with almost no relief. That is the main thrust of my 31 Days series. Depression is also one of the reasons that my writing isn't as constant as I'd like it to be.
• Speaking of blog series, I am a mostly regular participant in the Five Minute Friday blog series hosted by Kate Motaung at her blog Heading Home.
• I am rather short and Rubenesque and I love my naturally curly brown hair. Currently, it's just past my shoulders which is about the length I like it best -- not too short or too long.
• I love chocolate and rarely go a day without having a little chocolate of some kind.
• Coffee is essential for life. Seriously. I am not a morning person by nature and coffee ensures that I am able to function in the morning even when I don't feel like it.
• Tea is also something I love and have since my first sip of it as a child at a tea party. I do not like iced tea -- sweet or unsweet -- unlike most every other Southerner I know. If I am at a gathering where I've been given iced tea as a drink without being asked what I'd like, I will actively look for water or ask if there is water or some other beverage available. 
• My mom swears that because of the above, I cannot be truly Southern. I also do not like coleslaw, pimento cheese spread, or vegetables that have been cooked within an inch of their life (the one exception being green beans which I will eat unless they are super mushy).
• I do not have a pronounced Southern accent. I cannot tell you the number of times someone has heard me speak and they've said, "Now where are you from?" and then looked astonished when I said, "I'm from here. Born and raised." Non-locals and friends from other parts of the country laugh when I say this because they hear a Southern accent, but then a lot of them have never been exposed to the heavy thick Southern accent that a LOT of folks have in these parts.
• I have a tendency to pick up and unconsciously imitate the accents of people I'm around for any length of time. I'm sure some people may think I'm doing it intentionally, but it's really a weird reflexive thing and I don't usually notice I'm doing it until someone points it out.
• I have a single tattoo on my upper left thigh. It is a rather recent acquisition as I've only had it for a little over a year. I absolutely love it. I never thought I'd ever get one, but there is a story behind why I did and what this tattoo means. Perhaps I'll write about that during this month. 

I'm sure there are some other things, but I think that's all for now. If you click any of the words highlighted in the text above, you can read some of my other entries on those subjects. Hope you enjoyed this little post about me. Feel free to leave questions in the comment box below! I love hearing from those who read my blog.

O City, My City!

This is a continuation of my previous entry London Calling! about my love for and my experiences in the UK and more specifically, my beloved London.

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When I got on the plane in Atlanta to fly to London for the spring semestre in 1997, I had no idea what wonderful adventures and experiences awaited me. I had, of course, heard the stories of previous study abroad students, but nothing could have begun to prepare me for what awaited me when I got off the plane at Gatwick Airport that brisk January morning.

We arrived in London and took a coach from the airport to the study center where we would be living for the term to get settled into our new digs. I was excited to see all the famous sights I'd seen pictures of, but as Gatwick is about 30 miles outside central London, I was forced to wait a little bit as we trundled along in the coach. I nibbled on the Cadbury's chocolate that our program director had given us as we arrived and watched green fields, houses, petrol stations, shops with unfamiliar names, and the flow of traffic on the left side of the road instead of the right.

Yummy, yummy! An assortment similar to what we nibbled on that first morning.

A Reflection on Tea

I'll admit it. I start my day, every day, almost without exception, with a nice big mug of coffee. It is my eye opener and brain defogger and to be quite honest, I'm probably at least mildly addicted to the stuff. Despite this though, I am drawn to tea.