Día Número 23

Today, I had the marvelous surprise of your postcard!

It's dated from day 7, which is something like day 10 or 11 in this blog's calculations, so please note that Spanish mail takes about 2 weeks to arrive here! Thank you for the glory of that image and it's caption... what a treat...

The sun came out in Duluth today, and Jesus seemed intent on answering all of my whining that it was cloudy and that volunteering had been difficult to set up, etc. etc. When I woke up, the sun was already brilliant, the volunteering was set up easily after a phone call, I finished a book that I had been putting off to discover that it contained precisely the answers to questions I had been asking when I had started it (but neglected to finish it until now), and I began reading Pride and Prejudice (again), and so I'm summarily delighted with everything. Did you know that Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice (under its original title "First Impressions") when she was only 21 years old? It has since been (rightly) proclaimed the first great work of modern literature, and she has both heralded the new era and surpassed it! I believe myself even more taken with it than I was before. Lizzy, though portrayed with all the affection her fans have for her in the movies, is absolutely bull-headed in the books in her refusal to allow Darcy even a shred of decency and her commitment to upholding Wickham's character, though she is met with continual cautions and pleas to reverse her opinions. She is absolutely blinded with hatred for the man, which all began with her perception that he had a disagreeable countenance and that he refused to dance with her on their first meeting. #somuchpride #somuchprejudice 

To conclude, before I am taken in with raptures about León, I also had a lovely bath:

The picture, unfortunately, does not do justice to the open air flowing in through the window, nor the scent of the incense sticks that I had lit, nor the delightful humidity of the hot bathwater. It does, however, sufficiently portray that two candles that were a gift from my sister and the beloved book sitting on the table. 

León is a magical sort of place, it seems, and I am so glad that you get to visit, even if it's only for a bit. The cathedral and basilica are both magnificent works of architecture and devotion, and, though I realize a visit is out of the question, they boast a stupendous and new modern art museum called the MUSAC. Perhaps, though, you might recognize simply walking by the bright colors that paint the facade and note to your companions that it is home to the latest innovations in art (acknowledging, of course, that it is nothing close to the greatest works of yesteryear, yet (I maintain hope for modern art)). Close by, hopefully along the route you are taking, are some red mountains called "Las Medulas." I'm not sure if you will see them, but I hope so! They're beautiful, but also intriguing. Basically, the Romans dug up and the replanted entire mountains to get the gold inside, so the mountains still resemble something turned inside out with their red-clay coloring and unsteady soil. 

Furthermore, it's supposed to be excellent for food! Rumor has it that some bars will give free tapas with a drink, but even if not, the region is mostly known for their meats. I am partial to the lighter fare of southern Spain, but the weird looking sausages of León ("botillo" and "mortilla") have their merits, too. I think special attention, though, should be devoted to the fact that you are in SPAIN and I am so glad that you are there! 

Puedo escribir en español si que te ayude practicar la lengua. Es buena práctica para mí también, pero comprendo si es más difícil para ti. Te amo. Estoy rogando para ti. Siempre. 

Ponder love today. 

Día Número 22

I finished Anna Karenina today! What a stupendous (and very long book)! The last 80 or so pages are just the epilogue. Imagine that. 80 pages of post-action wind down. Levin converted in the end and Anna (poor Anna) jumped under a train. Her last moment, though, full of emotion as she was, she prayed that the Lord would forgive her everything, and then she died.

Dark as that was, it's the kind of book that will stick with me, and it reminds me over and over again that what we would really like when we've done wrong is punishment or an assurance that it didn't really matter. We don't really want mercy. To be forgiven is harder than to forgive, in many respects!

Now, I'm curled up with Pride and Prejudice, my favorite. I hope to read it all tonight, but no guarantees. I'm trying to go to bed at a reasonable time, and it's already 10pm. Last night, I tried to correct my sleep schedule by getting into bed at 6:30 (when I was sick) and I feel like I didn't sleep at all! At the very least, I rolled around for hours. Nonetheless, I was alert enough today to find this gem while cleaning out my drawers. It's an article for Catholic Studies from the year before we were freshmen describing a day on the Catholic Women's Floor... Can you guess who wrote it??

It might be too small for you to see, but that is Lizzie Schmidt in the flesh. :) She notes at the end that she will never forget the girls who were with her through that year, and I'm inclined to agree with her. In fact, I'm writing across continents right now just to stay in touch with one of the girls from my year on the floor!

I hope your day after the rest day went well and that Alex is feeling better! I hope that you are able to start engaging with your soul just as much as with your body! And I hope that you are having just the right amount of good and bad on the trip of a lifetime! Mostly, though, I pray for you. I need to be better about praying, but I always pray for you. 

Tomorrow, I'll try to post some details about León! My research indicates that the tapas there are fantastic and often come free with a drink! :)

Ponder love today.

Día Número 21

Wow. Day 21 of you being gone! Three weeks exactly!

I hope your rest day went well. Mine was interesting, which I credit to the fact that I told Jesus last night that I would work out today in offering for you not walking today. That did not go according to plan, to say the least.

I woke up this morning at 10AM, then went back to sleep until 12:30. Groggily arising from bed, I walked downstairs where my mother informed me that I had slept through all of the sunlight. Apparently, it had been bright and warm that morning, but clouds had blown in during the afternoon. My dad, neglecting the weather report, was confidently outside mowing the lawn when the first torrential downpour began. Within 20 minutes, the sky had gone from sunny and clear to dark and thundering, and my dad walked inside drenched. It did clear up for a little bit in the afternoon, but continued to alternate in about one hour cycles between storming and sunny. Not that I'm surprised: Lake effect weather is real!

However, just as things were looking up, my sister and I headed outside with a frisbee. I was attempting to take a break in the midst of cleaning my bathroom, so I left it with bottles of lotion strewn across the floor and piles of hair ties littering the counter. (I was confident that I would have plenty of time tonight to finish cleaning, but alas, t'was not to be.) Anna and I tossed around the glorious disc for 20 minutes, which was just enough time for her to wreck several of father's new flowers and my stomach to decide it was done for the day.

Rushing inside just in time, my porcelain toilet was graced with what I can only say was an onslaught of the worst sort. I thought I was done after half of an hour of sweat, moans, and diarrhea, but my attempt to rise from my fetal position was met with a secondary onslaught. As I lay there, I considered my diet, which was a few slices of bell peppers, some fontina cheese, and a cookie (plus my daily coffee), aka a light combination entirely unable to account for the wretched state of my stomach.

Finally forcing myself to rise and shower before Mass, I hobbled to the car and prayed for an hour of relief so that I could go to Holy Communion. Luckily, a surprise of a different sort awaited me in the church, so let me give credit to the grace of your pilgrimage when I say that I didn't even blink upon the discovery of Kelly and Nick in the back pews. In fact, it was so ordinary-feeling and un-panicky that I wouldn't mention it as an event, except that three weeks ago my calm demeanor would have only been possible with a miracle. This time, I didn't even feel the need to mentally note where she was sitting, nor did I think of her during Mass. My primary concern was making sure that I didn't empty the remaining contents of my stomach into the aisle (which became a real risk as the Gospel was read) and I am still doing well now!

I came home to a magnificent dinner of grilled chicken with avocado, potato wedges, corn, french bread, and strawberries. I only was able to eat a little, and I left the table longing for a little bit more, but now, I'm curled up in bed for the night. I never got to hear whether being cold was an issue for you; I hope not by how tan you looked! But I am still a bit chilly wearing socks, two layers of pants, a long sleeve shirt under a sweatshirt, and tucked in under my covers. Probably a stomach bug or something, but at least I am treated to a delightful view as I wallow in my sickliness:

I love you, too! Ponder love today.

Día Número 20

AHHHHHHH.

So.

We got to talk to you today...

So Anne is going to write this blog in celebration!

(Laurel just passed me the computer...cool Laurel...I thought this was a group effort...)

HIIIII!! WE JUST SAW YOUR SMILING FACE!
Hope you got some decent shut eye and enjoy your day of rest.

After Skyping with you, Laurel and I took Sparkles for a nice long walk...and by long I mean one block...actually I don't think we even made it a block but it was a great effort! She pooped...and then pooped AGAIN! Laurel was not pleased, but also pleased because poor Sparkles hasn't pooped in days....Talking about all this poop reminds me of Colleen...

(sly transition...)

Colleen is making a dress! I think we said something about it on Skype, but here it is:

So I asked Laurel, "how is she making this dress" and to be honest, neither of us have any clue. Is it a tank top and a skirt? Did she make it from scratch? No clue, but we should be proud. Yay for Colleen! Also, speaking of her digestion, she made sure to text both Laurel and I the other day about her decision to eat ice cream with her sister to which her sister said "Cheers to the shits!" Lol, Laurel said I could swear on the blog, but as we all know, Grandma Marge says Shit is not a swear word so...I'm going with it. 

Speaking of other wonderful people (my transitions are on today) LAUREL'S MOM bought Laurel the perfect gift:

That right there is a Wine Connoisseur's Gift Set. It is OFF. THE. CHAIN. Or as Laurel would put it "off the chart." Laurel can now vacuum seal her wine bottles and pour her wine through an aerating spigot like a champ. 

So Laurel and I had some pizza with her momma and Annes. Pizza was de-lish (ate an extra slice for you) and continued to discuss Marshall athletics and see baby photos of all the Eyer-lings...some nudity was present but we were all adult enough to handle it...just kidding, it was HILARIOUS! (I'll get the one of Laurel from Anna later ;) )

As my tummy rumbles from my second pizza today (yes, I had pizza for lunch on my quasi-date...ha ha ha Anne went on an awkward date) I will soon be heading home to my abode to watch Law and Order with me madre and off to bed. Laurel will like be snuggling with Anna Karenina til she falls asleep. 

We both need some Vitamin D. This no sun thing is drivin us CARAZAY! Maybe we'll just hop on a plane to Spain. I'm sorry, that was mean. We will not be doing so so don't expect it. But we will walk with you in spirit, maybe even actually taking a walk here when summer rolls around in July, but any-who...

We love you SO much. We are praying for YOU. We thank you for all the prayers and time you are offering for us and so many others. You are a strong, beautiful, independent woman who has already walked 250 miles!! Woot woot girl, look at you go! Until next time...

Ponder love today.

Día Número 19

All caught up again.

That's about where I'm at with life, too. I just cleaned out my room and unpacked, so now all of my baby pictures have been replaced on my mantle with a nerf gun and a shrine to Mary. My room looks a lot more like me! I even cleared off all of the odd paraphenalia that my dad gets us when he goes on trips (like a jar of sand from Hawaii and some wooden giraffes from Africa or something), and replaced them all with my books, which have been sorted into secular:read, secular:reading, religious:read, and religious:reading.

As I was cleaning, though, I came across innumerable tokens of your love! Notes left in the margins of my Newman books and folded letters colored in crayon... I love you, too.

Hint: if the handwriting doesn't immediately give it away, then check the spelling of "thEn" ;)

I also came across a treasure trove of little Laurel photos, which I now deign to share with you. In case you were wondering, the thug life did indeed choose me. 

If that wasn't enough to satisfy your craving (please note the Ferby costume again), perhaps an image of the entire coven will help...

Sarah is doing her own thing, Anna is cute as ever, and Maddie and I are recovering from our recent stint as Mormon sister wives.

Kidding. But I should go. I hope this brightened the Camino enough to help you through another day. Right now, I'm in my bathtub with a glass of wine and some mint chocolate chip ice cream, so I will leave you with the further assurances of my love and prayers. Keep truckin. 

Ponder love today.

Día Número 18

MEA CULPA!

I forgot again! Technically, it wasn't entirely my fault, because I had asked Anne to send me some pictures, and she didn't get around to it, and I was waiting for the pictures to write the blog.

Alas. Well, since I have to do two today, let me recap for you the compelling pages of Anna Karenina.

The book opens with Anna coming to the aid of her sister, whose husband has been unfaithful and plans to leave him. Anna, with heroic grace, saves the marriage and leaves the family in peace. However, while she is there, she encounters a man, Vronsky, who is pursuing her niece, Kitty. Vronsky is an amoral sort, entirely unaware that his attentions to Kitty ought to result in an honorable proposal, and falls in love with Anna on sight. (Anna is married to a dull politician.) Vronsky follows Anna back to town, where he pursues her for months until she consents to the adultery (to the devastation of Kitty, who had turned down the proposal of another man in order to marry Vronsky, who never proposed). Anna and Vronsky's affair becomes rather public, to the mortification of her husband, the politician, whose first concern is how badly this will reflect on him. Anna, discovering she is pregnant with Vronsky's child, confesses everything in a rage toward her husband, who she has learned to hate. However, as she brings the baby to term, she becomes very ill, and on the verge of death, calls back her husband and begs for his forgiveness, to the dismay of Vronsky. Even more to Vronsky's shame, her husband returns, and seeing her deathly ill, forgives her from the heart in the first selfless act of his life. Vronsky returns home and shoots himself in humiliation, but misses and ends up surviving! Anna, in the meantime, recovers, and is distraught to find herself back with her husband, who loves her generously, hating him for his virtue! She finally runs away with Vronsky and uses her societal connections to force her husband to get a divorce against his will (he doesn't want to ruin her name or force her into the streets, but is willing to take the blame of adultery onto himself in order to spare her some shame). He is left miserable in his goodness, and she leaves ecstatic in her sin, but soon, Vronsky begins to grow tired of her and their love begins to wane. In an ironic twist, Kitty reconnects with the man whose proposal she turns down, Levin, and they get married! (She spent the year rehabilitating from her loss at a wellness spring, where she encounters the ill and invalids and learns Christian love.) The pages are artistically woven together so that you are reading of Anna's corrupt love for Vronsky at the same time as you read of Kitty's love for Levin, and the author uses the same words to describe both. The last page I read noted sarcastically how opposite it all seems, because at the start of the book, Kitty was miserable and unmarried, while Anna was married and loved (and stole Kitty's happiness), but now Kitty was happily married and Anna was miserable and nearly divorced. Fate twisted so that Anna's affront to Kitty actually saved Kitty from misery and made Anna miserable!

Well, that's only the first 1400 pages (I left a lot out) and I still have another 500 or so to go! I imagine it will all become far more dramatic as the end nears.

I love you and was so grateful to see your email! I hope you are doing well and I'm praying for you! I imagine that around this time, the novelty of being outdoors and walking the Camino is starting to wear thin, and the difficulties of the road are starting to mount high. I hope that grace is felt in all of that, but if it isn't, be reminded of the goodness of your journey, and the prayers that you brought with you! You can do it! (Philippians 4:13) Stay tough, buddy.

Ponder love today!

Día Número 17

Ello there beloved!

Here come some childish dimples to cute to quantify:

Jes ma'am! The one, the only, Anne Down-With-Dan Tracy!!! (I'm told move-out was successful and HayHay was very chill!)

But wait! There's more!

That's right! Glen Coco Vaughn has deigned to make an appearance on the blog-o-sphere! Isn't that nice? Well, not quite as nice as that jacket, but that's neither here nor there! (Coco has found a place via AirBnB to live for June and maybe July, and then hopes to sign a year long lease with Mariann!)

What else, you ask? Ladies and Gentlemen (and Lavalla), I proudly present.... FLORIDA (in brief):

Those are indeed dolphins, m'lady. But wait, what's that? Someone else wants to say hi? Who could it be???

Ah yes! The UPS tracker confirming the arrival of the package to the Sisters of Life! Hello to you, too!

Certainly, by now, that must be ALL of the photos, right? WRONG! TWO MORE very special people wanted to say hi...

AND HERE THEY ARE!

Everybody, put your hands together for BURT and THE REBEL!!!! :) Though neither were able to be present with us here today, they asked that special greetings be passed along to the pilgrim!

Alright, that's enough! I'm cuddled up here in my bathtub with a spot of tea and I think that's plenty of blogging for the day! Wait a second... Before I say "that's all folks," one more very special person is here, having composed a rap in honor of our pilgrim! Certainly, nothing can compare with the Social Worker's Spoken Word, but let's see what he has prepared...

;) Ponder love today.