7 Quick Takes: Happy Moments in a Busy Week

Dedicated to memorable happy moments from the last week.

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Have you ever had one of those weeks where so much is packed into it that you lose track of how much time has passed? This was one of those weeks for me. We played a wedding last night (yes, on a Thursday in Lent) and I happened to look at the music list lying on the piano, and got confused. It had “Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here” on it, and I thought, Wait a minute, isn’t that last weekend’s music list? No, Kate, no, it isn’t. You just practiced it at choir last night, that’s all…!

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 This wedding, incidentally, was celebrated by a visiting priest, who happens to be a man who did his transitional diaconate year in my home parish when I was in gradeschool–one of those guys the kids adored. We went early to talk to him, and when I walked in the door, he glanced over and said in his great booming voice, “Kate! You look exactly like you did thirty years ago!” (There’s the way to a woman’s heart. Especially one who’s finding more gray hairs every day! 😉 )

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Here’s a moment that’s more funny than happy. But it illustrates life with Julianna so well that it cries out to be shared. A few nights ago at dinner, Julianna wanted chips. “Chicken first,” Christian told her. Obediently she put it in her mouth…then asked again. “Chicken!” he said. This went on a few times, and he was beginning to get stern with her. “Chicken!” he said, and as she reached for another piece he said, “Eat what you’ve got in your mouth, Julianna!” But it was too late. When that piece went in, we were all wide-eyed at how much chicken was stuck in there. We sighed, and Julianna looked around the table with big doe-eyes and signed “Full!” The whole table cracked up. “Of course your mouth is full!” Christian said. “You’re not eating any of it!”

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Despite my loathing for play, I’ve been making a concerted effort to play with the kids during the day. When Alex realized this, he got all woeful-eyed. “I want to stay home from school one day and play with you downstairs,” he said. Sniff, sniff. So one night this week, I played Transformers (his newest obsession) with him. It wasn’t as bad as I feared. Especially because we took many tickling detours. 😉

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Wednesday night, we came home from choir practice and stepped outside, and heard…peep frogs! Spring is finally coming!

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I always keep busy, but somehow this week it feels more intense than usual. It’s all very good, and I’m so thankful…edits for more liturgical music for WLP, a sudden abundance of freelance gigs, finishing up my Lent book for Liguori…but it’s feeling a little overwhelming at the moment, too! It may be months before I get back to writing my novel!

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In the midst of this busy-ness, a FB friend shared this: a 16th-century Mass setting lost for centuries, rediscovered and newly re-premiered. And let me tell you, folks. This thing is…amazing. Alessandro Striggio: Missa “Ecco si Beato Giorno. 40 voice parts. Trust me. You need to listen to this.  When life is overwhelming you, put this on in the background and just disappear into the music.

Have a great weekend!