Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 4?)

By Reesa

Linking up with the reality T.V. star Jennifer Fulwiler for another EXCITING episode of Quick Takes Friday!!!

— 1 —

First, I’m sorry, but we need to talk about fashion. Specifically my fashion. And my baggage.  Not literal, but emotional.  Emotional fashion baggage.  Why do you read this blog again?

I have been suffering from sort of FASHION BUG lately where I find myself making OBJECTIVELY BAD fashion choices WITH THE FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT I AM MAKING THEM.

This is an amazing phenomenon! I have never HEARD of this before! Allow me to elaborate! My two favorite things to wear lately have been: printed tops and graphic tees.

GRAPHIC TEES PEOPLE.

— 2 —

Exhibit A:

My favorite shirt right now. There was about a month there when I wore it almost every day. Also, that happened to my first month as a married woman. No wait I wore it during the final stages of wedding planning too.  Two months!!

The shirt that I’m not allowing myself to buy. Because it’s RIDICULOUS. How could I go out in public in that? People will think that I think I am America’s dream girl!?! I would rationalize and say to myself, “Oh this? I’m just going to buy this to wear around the house!” but guess what? THAT’S WHAT I SAID ABOUT THE FIRST SHIRT.

Exhibit B: Printed Tops

I don’t know which is these two exhibits is more embarrassing. This latter trend is actually something we typically go through at, I don’t know, FIVE AND UNDER.

Don’t know if you can tell (which possibly mitigates the fact) but the top shirt has hearts all over it. While I desperately want to buy it to wear on Valentine’s Day I already bought a dress with hearts all over it, and I cannot justify having TWO heart-covered articles of clothing in my wardrobe. I just can’t.

The butterfly shirt may happen.

— 3 —

WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?

I really don’t know. Very rarely in my life have I made such poor decisions. However, I think it is a POSSIBILITY that my emotional fashion baggage stems from my recent transition into married life and that I am in some sense mourning my childhood/lost youth. Or I just hang out with a baby for way too many of my waking hours. Or this is The Next Big Thing and nobody knows it but my subconscious.

— 4 —

Phew, glad I got that off my chest. Honestly that’s the only thing I wanted to say in this post though. I just strung it out for three posts. I could probably string it out for seven. But nobody wants that.

I would spend the next three posts writing very important and deep things. Sadly, the baby will soon awaken. That baby being: not mine and Dan’s, but belonging to different parentage entirely, and entrusted to us for her health and well-being this weekend and none other.

So important things will have to

— 5 —

Last night I had a dream that Rachel dyed her hair blue. Then I woke up and remembered… that Rachel DID do that once! Our senior year of high school! Remember that Rachel?!

Not a good look for you if I recall.

BUT your hair just on its very own is an extremely gorgeous blonde.

— 6 —

One week from today is a very very special day. Two weeks from today is even more special. Those days are: my birthday and then Rachel’s. Rachel’s being second. Mine being first. Rachel’s mother being pregnant for one more week after the aforementioned myself had exited the womb. Reesa being the elder, and Rachel the younger, of the two Rs.

Which seems as good an excuse as any to post these gems, garnered somewhere along the way during the last TEN YEARS of friendship.

High school theaterrrrr

New Years…. 2008?

Assississi

Photographic evidence that I went to Les Miserables with her YEARS BEFORE THAT BLOG POST.

My face represents how we feel about camping; Rachel’s how we feel about not-camping

Bridesmaidin with the seesters

G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S

Six groundhogs together… yay?

Arm-in-arm after the worst fight of either of our existences

And pulled from the archives, our Disney Princess themed joint-sixteenth birthday party. Which may quite possibly still be the best birthday party I have ever had.

— 7 —

In the spirit of full disclosure I am channeling BooMama in my blog voice right now. A) because that’s how you develop your blog voice: imitate away and see what STICKS. B) Because she is HILARIOUS. C) In a shameless attempt to make Meredith read my blog more.

Also in the spirit of full disclosure, there will never be full disclosure on this blog. Ever. Ever ever. I have got to preserve my sense of mystery.

xoxo

Reesa

Seven Quick Takes Sunday (Vol. 3)

— 1 —

Usually this is more like Seven Medium to Slow Takes. Today it is really going to be Seven Quick Takes.  Because I, “Reesa” of “Rachel and Reesa,” am exhausted. And I do want to post this before Monday. So here goes.

— 2 —

When I was debating whether or not I should post my last entry (too personal? not analytical enough? very very boring?) I asked myself, “Self, is it really necessary that you post that entry?” at which point I answered, “Well no. Not really.  Such is the nature of blog posts.  If we only said what was necessary, well, there would be no blogs.”

Not so my friends.  Not so.  I have discovered a blog that is necessary to the existence and beautification of this world.  This Little Miggy Stayed Home.

— 3 —

If you read Jenn’s Quick Takes you may have already discovered it, as it was only one degree removed from the amazing blog she linked to.  But that’s a different story.  This Little Miggy tells the story of a family with two little girls, one with “a rare condition called Microgastria and Limb Reduction Complex. That is to say she has a small stomach (microgastria) and limb differences on all 4 limbs.”

The trouble I have with blogs (sometimes) is that they present life as very perfect.  Which is all well and good… but as a reader I have trouble with it. Maybe because I struggle with: an inferiority complex, or jealousy, or sassiness. I don’t know, but I do know that what I love about THIS blog is that it takes a completely difficult life situation, which many people in our culture might tell you makes your life not worth living, and shows how, in fact, it makes life utterly beautiful.

Some gems:

Miggy’s daughters. She calls the older one “Princess Sparkle Pants” and the younger one “Lamp.” As in… “I love Lamp.” Oh my gosh. Precious.

This is not Miggy. It’s another mother with her special needs daughter. Miggy also does “Special Needs Spotlights” on families of children with disabilities. She interviews them about what they love, what’s hard, what a typical day is like, what they’ve learned… it’s amazing. Positively amazing.

Sometimes if I spent too much time reading blogs, I get tired and depressed.  This morning I spent maybe an hour looking at this one and felt rejuvenated and joyful.

Meredith and Meaghan? I get the feeling you guys would particularly love it.

— 4 —

Speaking of gems

I get to see this one tomorrow.

Whenever I look at that last picture on the right, it reminds me of one of my old baby pictures.

That’s strange because I’m not actually related to this little girl. But I do spend 30+ hours a week with her. Oh nannying.  It’s confusing my little heart.

Don’t get me wrong though–it’s such a gift to have this little girl in my life.  I feel like this job was God letting me be a spiritual mother before I (someday) get to be a physical one. It’s been awesome not only because I get to experience some of the joys of motherhood a few years early, BUT ALSO because I get a taste of some of the crosses of 21st century mothers.  Jenn wrote such a helpful article about those struggles last week (eloquently titled, “A Meditation on the Shocking Idea that Maybe We’re Actually Not Just Lazy Whiners”). Love.

— 5 —

I start grad classes soon.  The theme of this semester is going to be: things-I’ve-been-meaning-to-read-forever-but-haven’t-had-the-wherewithal-to-get-through. Including but not limited to: Anna Karenina, The Brothers Karamazov, Ulysses, and At Swim Two Birds. Though I may have to borrow my friend Brianna’s brain for that last one. She gave a presentation on it our senior year at UD that made a big impression on me. Anyway, wish me luck and look for (I think) a more literary slant in this blog as the semester progresses.

— 6 —

Dan and I have been watching the BBC version of Sherlock lately.  Is it weird that I was making connections between Sherlock and Christ during Mass today? I hope that’s not blasphemous. Let me ‘splain.

Sherlock is fascinating to all who meet him.  He’s weird.  He’s charismatic.  He’s brilliant.  He says and does things that nobody expects and makes things happen that nobody understands.  People listen to him and follow him without quite knowing why.

I don’t think Christ was quite like this.  For one thing Sherlock can be a real jerk.  But there was one line in the Gospel today that made me think about Him at least SOMEWHAT in this light.  It was:

“Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.”

HOLD the phone. So they were his “disciples” before they “began to believe in him”? What a bizarre thought. How does that work? If they didn’t believe in Him, then why were they following Him? How on earth did they justify that choice to themselves? They’d left their families, occupations, entire ways of life to be with this man. And they didn’t yet believe He was who He said He was. Could He have been fascinating, captivating even, in sort of the same way Sherlock is? (Or am I missing something very important here because I took the story out of context?)

— 7 —

What I wore Sunday (Vol. 2)

I got the shirt on sale yesterday from LOFT.  Shoes are my wedding flats (Nine West), skirt is from Ross, watch is Skagen (a gift), bracelet is costume jewelry that belonged to my great aunt… nose is my Mom’s, eyebrows are my Dad’s. You get the picture : ) Whoop!

Seven Quick Takes Monday

Seven Quick Takes Monday! This is Reesa.

— 1 —

Isn’t it weird that Rachel and I share a blog? I mean, have you read our posts?? So different. SO different. And they attract, I think, very different kinds of readers

…Or at least they would. If the majority of our readers weren’t… our friends and family members (Hi, Mom!!)

But, whatever, judging by the commenters on Rachel’s recent Les Mis post versus the (less sizable group but still consisting of non-real-life-acquaintances) commenters on my recent Quick Takes… they would be really different.

And yet, Rachel and I feel it is entirely (if inexplicably) appropriate and not-weird that we share a blog! How can this be? How can I articulate this reality-of-the-shared-blog?? I guess I will have to be overly self-reflective and figure out what exactly makes it work… or not work?!

I’ll return to this in another post. Or Rachel will. Since, you know, we’re so simpatico.

— 2 —

I have an announcement! And let’s just get it out there: I’m not pregnant. Sheesh people. It hasn’t even been a month. That would be wonderful. But, it is not the case.

Announcement: My dear friend Meredith is in love, is getting married next year, and… has asked me to be her maid of honor. I almost cried when she did. I was all like, “Meredith… I can’t be your maid of honor. I’M MARRIED.”

Imagine this picture, but reversed!

SO Matron of Honor it is! Really though, I am so so so excited, and I did almost cry. Meredith is going to be a RADIANT bride, she has been such a good friend to me, and I am  so honored and happy to get to be with her on her wedding day.  Also I am excited to live vicariously through her, since weddings are so much fun and mine is O to the VER.

— 3 —

Speaking of pregnancy, my brother Joseph (age 8) has been pretty vocal on the subject lately. He keeps on saying, “Man, I’m going to be an uncle soon!” or, “Wow! I’m going to be an uncle by the time I’m thirteen!” This makes me very suspicious of what my parents say when I’m not around.

Also, when my sisters were in town for Christmas, Dan and I went over to play Apples to Apples with the fam. We were in the middle of a game when Joseph jumped out of his seat to run and show Dan and me the card he’d just drawn. It said: “Babies.”

Dude. Seriously. In God’s time.

— 4 —

Deborah asked me this weekend if I had any book recommendations that were “meaningful but not to heavy.” I came up with one:

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
By Donald Miller

Which has been my go-to recommendation for about a year now.  Jennifer Fulwiler wrote a completely fantastic review and endorsement for it in her article Living an Awesome Story.

My good friend Jenn (different Jenn) also recommended:

The Saints’ Guide to Happiness

which she described as a book instrumental in her re-conversion to Catholicism and re-commitment to being a more authentic person. It’s been sitting on my bookshelves, but I’m going to try to start it this week.

DEBORAH, DO YOU READ OUR BLOG?? I recommend this book, too.

Fun fact: I was looking for this book at Barnes and Noble, and I kept on asking for “The Saints’ Plural Possessive Guide to Happiness” (because that apostrophe placement is tricky). The girl who was helping me wasn’t getting any results online, because she kept searching for the title: “The Saints Possessive Guide to Happiness.” What?!

— 5 —

Moira (the teensy baby I am lucky enough to nanny) is taking a music class! This sounds crazy, since she can’t yet walk, talk, crawl (well)… anything. But: I LOVE IT. No talking allowed. The teacher makes us sing the entire class. So you have to sing, not say, any questions you have, e.g. “Whaaaaat page-are-we-onnnnn?”

I don’t like singing in front of people as a rule. But if those people are babies, it’s kind of nice!

— 6 —

Dan and I are trying to decide something important (SPOILER: not a baby) and would super appreciate prayers right now ifff you happen to have any extra room on your prayer list. Humility is key in this decision, so if you have a spot for that specifically it would be much appreciated thankssss!!

— 7 —

Possibly since we’re trying to decide something important (or, alternatively, because I’ve been reading too many Catholic blogs) I’ve lately been interpreting basically everything that goes wrong in my life as a form of spiritual attack. Had a bad dream? Spiritual attack. Lost my phone? Spiritual attack. Spilled my coffee? SPIRITUAL ATTACK!!!

I may be going overboard here.

What else is new.

Love,

Reesa