How exciting! Advent is finally here! The time when we prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of our Lord and Savior at Christmas! And it's the first day of the new liturgical year!
I'm hoping I can go to confession today (with the new baby and finals coming up getting there on Saturday has been pretty near impossible). It just seems like the perfect day for a nice clean slate and a fresh start. It's rare that I've actually felt my soul long for this particular sacrament (usually it's more of a "sigh... I need to go... but I'd really rather not" sort of thing) but today is one of those rare days apparently!
This year I decided to make my New Year's Resolution list and begin with Advent. It just seemed more appropriate. And I've begun working (for about a week now) on a Rule of Life to help life move more smoothly once more.
Last night I also managed to reorganize our home altar, find space for our "advent wreath" (kind of), wrap 24 books for advent, and paint the last few doll orders that came in on Thanksgiving weekend.
You might notice that the left side of the mantle is empty. That is exactly how far Mae can reach when she climbs up there. For some reason, so far, she prefers the left side of the fireplace (the right side would actually be easier to climb with the couch, so I guess it's because the left side is more of a challenge).
And here's a close up... the "wreath" is actually a nativity candle holder that I found months ago on sale at Hobby Lobby:
And here is the latest collection of saint dolls ready to go out into the world!
As part of our advent this year I'm planning on giving our girls a saint each day during Advent and then learning about the saints during the week.
The books, which you can see wrapped to the right of my most recently created dolls are actually all Christmas books that we already had. I didn't want to spend money on wrapping paper, and I have two boxes of packing paper from the move left, and so Sadie and I used that paper to wrap the books. And despite insisting on helping me wrap (there were tears in her eyes and the words: "but I just want to help you mama..." when I tried to do it on my own) she's pretty gleeful about unwrapping them... despite the fact that she helped me pick them off the shelf!
I didn't actually finish getting the Jesse Tree out yesterday (or figuring out where it can possibly be safe from Mae), so there's still a bit to do later today.
My plan is to have the girls unwrap their saint dolls and a book each night and then we'll read the book before the family rosary. Then we'll put the Jesse Tree ornament on the tree and then light the candle for the night and sing (that ought to be especially special in our family of tone deaf non-singers).
That's the plan at least!
Have a wonderful start to the new year! Happy Advent!
Beautiful pictures; wonderful plans! Blessed Advent to you and your famiy.
ReplyDeleteI see my Holy family! :) Very exciting!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering why there was a little one wearing a straight jacket... and then I realized it's my baby Jesus when I made the picture larger.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed playing "name that saint!" with this picture. :) I see my two in there!
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