Skirts

Recently, I have become a skirt-wearer on a daily basis. In fact, as I sit here thinking right now, I realize that it has been over a week since I’ve worn a pair of pants—and you know, I don’t miss them! I always thought that the women who did wear skirts or dresses every day were overly romanticizing how easy it was to live your life in a skirt, but I must say that I have become a convert. I like how feminine I feel when I am wearing a skirt and being that I am in the South in the summer, a skirt is much cooler than the jeans I used to wear all summer long, since I am not a fan of shorts.

I know that for many women, the choice to wear skirts and dresses rather than pants is a religious one; they feel that that is God’s command to women. While I’m not disputing that, I will say that for my part, it is not a religious concern. Catholicism only requires that women dress modestly and does not mandate how that is to be done. For many years, I have worn pants and feel completely comfortable in them, but I have found that when I am wearing a skirt, I feel more graceful and feminine. I am a fan of long skirts, again not because I am concerned about the modesty aspect, but because they allow me to function more easily. I can sit on the floor to play with my youngest brother, climb up on a chair to reach a bowl or pot that is inaccessible, and lie on my bed to read without having to reach for a blanket first.

The latest book that I have finished is The Gift of Femininity, edited by Christine Muggeridge. This book tells the stories of twelve women who have worked in and for the Church for many years. All of them link back to Mary, the ultimate example of femininity. Each author points out that, like Mary, the way they discovered true femininity was by staying close to the Church and her sacraments, especially Jesus in the Eucharist. Without Him, all the rest is just frills—it doesn’t matter how graceful and flowing my clothes are or how well I keep a house—if I don’t have a close relationship to Jesus and frequently receive the Blessed Sacrament, I’m not truly fulfilling my role as a woman. It is through the Eucharist that we draw the strength and the graces to live out our vocations in the world; I know that mine is to be (someday) a wife and mother, so while I outwardly learn to clean, cook and sew, I also need to be developing my inner life through prayer, reception of the sacraments, and spiritual reading.

My summer apprenticeship is teaching me that there is so much more to domestic life than appears to the outward eye; this adventure is exciting, but challenging in so many ways. I wonder how I will be able to keep all this up when I return to school in two months. What will I have to adapt to stay on track with all of my school assignments as well as what will need to be done in our apartment? But I do know this: my prayer life cannot be neglected for any of the other thousand important things that need doing. For without prayer, without Jesus in the Eucharist, all this is and will be nothing.

Repurposing

Today I was going through my closet in an attempt to organize my fabric and sewing things. While I don't have a ton (yet!), I've realized that if I don't try to contain it now, it will soon get out of hand. As I was digging through, I found an old project: a white and blue double-sided duvet cover; one side is toile, the other checkered material. I have since (in the 5-6 intervening years since this project was begun) switched to a smaller bed, besides having received a lovely bedspread for a high school graduation gift, so this project was no longer needed. I ripped out all the seams--why I decided to double my seams, I have no idea--and am planning to use the toile for a summer skirt. However, the blue checks will make me look like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz... I don't need curtains (my room is a rose color anyways) and I probably have 5 yards of this material. I don't want to waste it, but I'm not sure what I should do with it... Any repurposing ideas out there?

The lovely thing about staying at home

is that a sick day isn't too guilt-inducing. I must have eaten or drank something bad yesterday, as I've been ill all morning. But my lovely mother offered to take over dinner for me tonight and told me to spend the day resting. So that is what I am doing.

My internship

I certainly have been a bit of a negligent blogger lately, but I've been so wrapped up in what I have begun to call "my internship" that I just haven't had time since I got home from school. I've taken over the cooking for my family (there are 8 of us with my best friend living at our home for the summer), as well as smaller projects like soapmaking and the lovely skirt I spent all of yesterday on. These past few weeks have been full of activity, but I've also had time to rest, something that's been sorely needed after my crazy semester. I'm headed off to the library, but I plan to post more soon (and often!)

I'm a senior!

9 days until the beach. I can't wait to lay on the hammock and read, take long naps for absolutely no reason, walk barefoot on the beach, spend the evenings on a porch swing with a glass of wine in my hand, laughing and talking with my family. Oh, summer!

One year later

I saw the professor I went on study abroad with today-like me, he is incredulous that it has indeed been an entire year since we left. Here's a mini-recap of the first week of my trip in photos (all taken by moi) 

"The Fate of the Children of Lir"-Garden of Remembrance, Dublin. This garden commemorates all those who gave their lives for Ireland's freedom and this statue stands at the end of the garden. The myth of the Children of Lir is a sad one: their father remarried an evil witch who disliked her stepchildren so much that she turned them into swans and cursed them by making them remain as swans for 9000 years. At the end of that time, they turned back into humans and died. 

Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. One of the major cathedrals of Dublin, it was once Catholic but now belongs to the Church of Ireland. A neat fact about this church is that years ago, an organ from the 1800s was being taken apart and a mummified cat and rat were found in one of the pipes. Apparently the cat was chasing the rat and they both got stuck and preserved in an unused organ. 

St. James' Gate Brewery, the original site of the Guinness factory. The factory has moved down the road, but the original building still stands as a museum to all things Guinness. At the wall where visitors can post messages, I wrote one to my daddy, who has drunk Guinness since I was a little girl; I posted it just before I went up to the Gravity Bar on the 8th story to drink my free pint and take in the panoramic view of Dublin. 

The Liffey River, which runs down the center of Dublin. I crossed the Liffey every day while we were in Dublin. It's a rather nasty green color, which (thankfully) didn't show up in this picture. One day, we saw people doing a charity swim to raise money for cystic fibrosis research. It was freezing just standing on the bridge watching, so I will spare you the pictures of old Irishmen in their speedos! 

I'm not sure who this gentleman is, but the first thing we did after arriving in Dublin was to visit the Book of Kells. The ancient manuscript is impressive, but I was more in love with the Long Room, which houses other old books, rows upon rows of them. 

Going back through these pictures makes me miss Ireland that much more. Hopefully I will be able to go back soon!

Be Thou My Vision

The following is one of my favorite hymns. It is an Irish song that dates from around the 8th century. I think that the imagery is just beautiful. Enjoy while I finish out the school year-2 more days of class, including today!

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight,
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight.
Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower.
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.