Día Número Treinta!

Ok.

So, because I'm too lazy to sign out of your gmail every time I go on youtube, and because this blog won't let me post unless I'm logged onto your gmail, your recommended videos have an unfortunate amount of soccer highlights. My bad.

Some of them are great, though, and Iceland is the smallest country EVER to qualify for a major soccer tournament. They tied Portugal (aka Ronaldo) 1-1 today, and looked great while doing it. That's a huge deal for a country whose population is only slightly larger than the city of St. Paul. Perhaps a better perspective would be to say that if you are Icelandic, male, and between the ages of 20-40, you have a 1 in 2000 chance of being on the national soccer team. Furthermore, 8% of their entire country showed up to watch them play (27,000 people); if England had that percent show up, it would be 4.2 million people.

More significantly, I need a retreat, or a job, or some sort of conscious time. My days are spent running errands for Mom, entertaining Anna, and watching soccer and reading on the couch. It has been thunderstorming for days now, and I need sunshine and exercise and a goal, which are all impossible from inside my house. I'm restless and almost never recollected and my period is coming any day. If my luck holds, I'll get it just in time to spend the night in a cabin for Lizzie's bachelorette party with 10 other excitable females.

So, yeah. Mostly, I need a retreat, but there will not be one in the foreseeable future for me.  Drat. Hopefully, the soup kitchen later this week will be a good way to invest my summer, but that will only work if Anna decides to be semi-social and the kitchen has substantial volunteer slots. Please, Jesus.

Perhaps closer to what you'd like to know is that Anne and I hung out today at the UMD farmer's market and I got a book on wine tasting. Colleen and Marianne went to the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art) for FREE tonight, and Amy Johnson is hanging around Duluth this week.

I checked the weather, and it looks like you might be getting some thunderstorms, too. If so, I pray that it's the kind of rain that you love and not the miserable kind, and I pray for a lot of sunshine, perhaps selfishly. The idea of walking 500 miles right now sounds absolutely lovely with the concentrated effort it would require, and especially some quiet time seems like it would be prime. Take advantage of all you can get for me, and

Ponder love today.

Día Número 29

You've been gone almost a month. Wow.

In that month, just so you know, both the Copa America and the Euro Cup have started, which means almost daily, talented soccer games. In addition, I get to watch the Annies play often and tonight she scored a beautiful goal (her team won 5-1). However, that means I am tired, because I spent almost 6 hours in the car to get to Becker. She has another game in Blaine tomorrow, so I expect to be tired then, too.

Regardless, I have not neglected my prayers and I am thinking of you and your walking every time I discover something to offer up. If you think of it, a prayer for the Thompson's would be good, too, because they had to put down one of their dogs (Minnie) today. I hope the knee is still holding and the soul is growing.

Ponder love today.

Día Número 28

Hey!

I'm definitely starting to lose steam on these, not because I don't love you and pray for you everyday, but because it doesn't feel like it fits into my routine here at home, and you can only have an anomaly in your schedule for so long before it either becomes a nuisance or a normal part of the routine. Since this won't be a normal part of the routine for too much longer, I'm having to fight to keep it from becoming "that thing that I remember when my head hits the pillow and so I have to get out of bed again and stare at my laptop screen until I have written a satisfactory amount." As such, know that it only takes as long as my remembering how much I love you for me to jump out of bed at night to write them, and that I am so glad to have the ability to remain with you in spirit and in blog as you walk the Camino.

Sarah graduated today and it was wonderful (we took a "Class of 2016" picture with her on my back). Maddie and I talked for a couple hours before she heads out tomorrow morning. Anna and I are making plans for a great summer. Mother made fajitas and she, Dad, and I all watch an episode of "Elementary" together every night. Dad's gardening has been extensive and beautifully realized. Lots of other lovely things, too. I know you don't get to see your family, and I wonder how much you've been missing them on the Camino, or if your mind's absorbed elsewhere so that you don't think of them? I included them in my prayers tonight, and I personally can't wait for the next time that I get to see Evelyn. ;)

Since I'm feeling sentimental today, and since I think you'll enjoy it, here's a picture of me and my sisters wearing summer hats. I'm on the far right, the graduate is in purple, Maddie is on the left, and Anna looks like a monkey.

I love you. Keep on walking. Keep on loving the people that you're with. Keep on praying. And...

Ponder love today.

Día Número 27

I love you.

Today, in an adorable moment, my mom was joking about how odd it was that I drank the most in the family, considering that I was going to become a nun. Anna, who only learned the difference last week when I mentioned it to her casually, quickly responded, "No, mom. She's going to be a religious sister, not a nun."

Sarah sang in a four-part quartet ("How Can I Keep From Singing") today during her baccalaureate ceremony, and I spelled baccalaureate right on the first try. Maddie successfully met with indigestion of a particularly smelly kind during dinner at our restaurant and head to be rushed home, so I guess you could say that we've all had a great day.

I hope your day was good, too, and I'm praying for you everyday.

Ponder love today.

Día Número 26

Wow. Those numbers are getting high! You are walking an incredible distance!

Maddie arrived today (for Sarah's graduation) and I've been doing an enormous amount of homework, because she has a summer class on Greek literature. Anna and I went out to lunch to celebrate her finishing school and passing all her classes. Sarah graduates on Sunday, and my dog is very tired. I am also tired after watching Messi score a hat trick in 19 minutes in the Copa America with the family, and I'm ready for bed.

Since my words are brief and lack suitable encouragement, here's a picture instead.

Keep walking, and keep praying, bud!

Ponder love today.

Día Número 25

Hola, mi amiga.

Como era León? Estoy tan entusiasmada que estés en España. Te quiero mucho.

Okay, enough practice for you. I am delighted to report that the 5:00pm daily mass at St. Michael's Church did not kick me out today for wearing sweatpants, and, what's more, I offered it up for you. I hope that since my prayer has been more diligent I might be spared any more stomach flus ;)

I'm definitely tired again.

I also miss Burt...

So, either I'm getting my period soon, or I'm wearing down altogether.

I hope you appreciate that last one. I decided gifs would be easier than writing when I'm tired. I'm reading a lot, but work at the soup kitchen doesn't start until next week, and that's is a long time away. I hope I don't have to linger like this all summer.

Maybe you are tired, too. Maybe walking another day doesn't sound very pleasant and the emotional energy to interact with your large group all day is starting to wear you down. Maybe your body is still occupying more space in your mind than your soul, and maybe even your knee is bugging you. If yes, if no, know of my prayers and keep on fighting, buddy. The Camino is definitely not for the idle or the pusillanimous. Amidst the tired, amidst the hurt, amidst the darkness, "Behold, I am making all things new." (Rev 21:5). 

Ponder love today. 

Día Número 24

Hey! I love you!

So I realize looking back at what I said about León that I said zero helpful things. I probably should have talked a bit more about the Gothic and Romanesque beauty of the Cathedral and Basilica, respectively, and mentioned the famous convent there, too. Even a tidbit about the interred remains of St. Isidore, who is a very important saint in Spain, would have been nice. However, having chosen to talk about the things that you may or may not see, I hope that you simply enjoy the city. Heck, I hope you simply enjoy all of Spain.

Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy a brief clip of Scout the cat catching a moth today (assuming you get enough wifi to load a whole video!

If not, perhaps a photo of me and my dog would be better.

That was me finishing up Pride and Prejudice in the sunroom. 

I offered mass for you today. Anna is very stressed out about a chemistry exam tomorrow, so if you think of it, could you say a prayer? I found her a bit ago in her room on the point of tears, but refusing to admit any emotion except annoyance. She kicked me out with a glare, and though I'm sure she will ace her test, I would hate for her poor attitude to keep her in a bad mood longer than necessary. Sarah just finished up her Senior Project as well, and she is graduating on Sunday! Maddie texted me yesterday, too, saying that she had had a terrible day. They could all use some prayers. 

I probably could, too. Not that I'm in bad shape, but I'm exhausted. There's absolutely no reason for me to be tired, because I'm living in daily luxury, but I am already worn out. I'm probably about to have my period or something, but now I need to go to bed. 

Ponder love today.