Joyful Daybook

Outside my window.....

It ought to be summer. Summer begins in proper tomorrow. It really ought to be summer. But it's not. 'Tis drizzly, 'tis cold and 'tis awfully windy. 

I am thankful for.....

• A lovely trip up to Auckland with my Mama to see Mary Poppins! It was spectacular!
• The fact that my end of year exams are finished. I have the holidays to recuperate before diving headfirst into my final (!) year of high school.

I am thinking about......

Advent. I'm so excited for Advent this year. So inexplicably excited. I'm thankful for this little seed of joy that the Holy Spirit has planted in my heart. I can't wait to begin preparing for our Lord's birth. HE is coming!!!!!!! Especially thinking about making Advent a time of sobriety, simplicity and holy contemplation. I plan to write a bit more about this next time I blog. 

Learning all the time.......

Latin (roughly). Charlotte gave me an absolutely beautiful missal from the 1950s which has English and Latin translations of the mass and other prayers, and combined with the Latin hymns we're rehearsing in Nuns choir, I'm picking up quite a few phrases!

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen

I'm also learning new skills for my job. So far, I'm able to crimp electrical cords, make cardboard boxes, file tax invoices, assemble sinker packs, put stamps on envelopes and get a painful blister on my righthand ring finger. Ah, the life of a working girl!

On my nightstand......

• The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp. I read it a few weeks ago to help understand Maria's character better, but I loved it so much that I keep rereading it. She's written a lot of beautiful theology in amidst the story, and I find her quite an inspiring role model.
• Roman Missal (the aforementioned beautiful one. I fairly certain its cover is of mother-of-pearl, its page are gently worn and it is filled with the incredible, timeless words of our Lord's mass. What could be more beautiful?)
• I'm struggling to find good books to read at the moment. I didn't get anything out from the library when I went (which may be a first for me!). Any recommendations would be most appreciated! And if anyone has a copy of Anne of Green Gables (or subsequent novels) which I could borrow, please let me know! 

I am creating.......

New reflections, prayers and song lists for our Advent wreath. We've been using the same booklet as long as I can remember (since I was born?), and it's getting a bit old and childish.

A new Advent wreath. Because it's rusted through.

I am praying.....

Renewing Total Consecration! Yay! 

My new morning and evening prayers that I wrote a few days ago! Yay!

I am singing.......

The Last Rose of Summer (for vocal lessons)
Weep You No More, Sad Fountains (from Sense and Sensibility)
Dixit Dominus, Morning Hymn, Alleluia, Amen (for Nuns Choir S.o.M.)
The entire Sound of Music soundtrack. Constantly.

One of my favourite things.....

My little notebook in which I'm constantly penning down every thought which strikes me. Thus far I've  written a multitude of prayers, planned my wedding in its entirety, listed an inventory of everything I own and drawn many different house plans.

Plans for the rest of the week......

I'm astoundingly busy at the moment, which is especially unusual in the first week of summer holidays. Between work, rehearsals for the show (so exciting!), service projects and trips, I've barely got a free day for a fortnight (except for Sundays, because they are God's day, of course!!)

A picture I am sharing with you.......

HE's coming!!!! 

With Peace and Joy,

Kate

AMDG