Quick Takes • The I Can't Believe it's Already Monday Edition

Really, I should have written this last Friday. Life seems to be moving at lightning speed right now, and today is the best 'Friday' I've got right now. Here goes.

1. Today is the feast day of St. Lawrence.
   Thomas and I said a special prayer at Mass this morning for Grandpa Lawrence, his namesake. St. Lawrence was an early church martyr, under Pope Sixtus II.
2. We are in recovery mode from the weekend.
   Three photo shoots, a night at the melting pot with a few of the gals from the Estrogen Militia (I realized it had been 17 months since I'd been able to enjoy fondue and a martini with them, without the Wee Ski!), dinner at Mom and Dad's with the Brownrices on Saturday, and Mass on Sunday. Busy, but fun.
3. Loving the movable Eglu.
   Each time I move the chicken run (every Saturday), blue jays and bunnies come to feast on whatever chicken scratch is left behind. Looking forward to this fall when eggs should begin production.
4. I crossed another 'never been done before' thing off my list.
   I used a shop vac. I learned the valuable lesson of not blowing off instructions as recommendations. Seems that when something called for a super large front loading washer, you shouldn't assume that your standard size one can do the trick. The bonus? I got to spend some quality time cleaning out the garage.
5. Found a fabulous post the other day that I've been reading on and off: 9 Tips for Spiritual Dry Spells.
   As Jonathan and I have been preparing for this fall, we've gone through periods of frustration - both physical (from lack of sleep) and emotional (from impending change). After pushing through and redirecting our focus, we're finding life to be returning to a 'new state of normal'. Recharging our batteries and moving forward. This post is a good summary of ways to overcome spiritual dryness as it hits...because most times, it manifests emotionally and physically as well.
6. A second great read: A Quest for Excellence
   As a new mom, I re-learn daily that I know very little. It's helped me to see the exceptional pressure that I often put on myself to succeed in whatever I'm doing. Often times, I begin comparing myself to others and how they do things...only to see that I am in a comparison game which I will never win. I match my weaknesses up against others' strengths, and in them always find the lose-lose proposition. Jon Gordon makes a great point in this blog post:
   
   Success is often measured by comparison to others. Excellence, on the other hand, is all about being the best we can be and maximizing our gifts, talents and abilities to perform at our highest potential.
   
   To me, I found my own strength today in quickly recovering from my garage flood (which I caused myself), reconnecting today at Mass in the quiet before it began, and helping soothe Thomas this afternoon when he was beyond worked up...as I had a list a mile long of things to do. It's a very different list than I was working from a year ago, or two years ago, or five years ago...but it's where I'm at right now.
   
   And it's a good place.
7. I just love this photo of Austin.
   Right after he made his trek in my kayak to the other side of Henderson Bay and back. I'm betting there might be a blog post about it over here soon. :)
   
8.