{SQT} March for Life 2020

1. Sick

I am grateful for how many months we went without so much as a cold because we've been very sick. There is much about a bout of sickness for which to be grateful!

• When Mama gets very sick, she gets to appreciate her own worth by seeing just how much she does typically.
• Mama can appreciate the many opportunities to see areas for improvement within the family (e.g., when Mama isn't constantly cleaning, do children naturally step up? or does the house fall apart?) and to see virtue in the family (moments of tenderness and worry toward sick family members, taking initiative to clean the kitchen). 
• Mama can feel great joy appreciating such small moments normally ignored: standing in the sunshine, drinking a cup of coffee, cleaning my own home, driving for the first time in seven days.

2. Grocery Shopping

When the Flight Crew arrived home first, we managed to go grocery shopping "just to pick up a few items" (which turned out to be an overflowing basket) before I fell sick by that night.

3. Joseph's Birthday

Due to various people's cycles of illness, Joseph's birthday was celebrated in snatches of time. I was proud of him for being joyful about it and grateful regardless! His actual birthday was while we were in Nebraska, but he was on the road. He got to open his gifts on Sunday morning before he got sick a few hours later, ate no special dinner at all--because none of us were simultaneously eating much all week!--and enjoyed his cake on Tuesday night.

Telescope

Glider plane

Book

New (used) bike from Mom and Dad

4. Reading Aloud

When I was most sick and too weak to read aloud, I noticed that Chris took over and began reading dad-style . . . but instead of continuing to read the children's literature, he began reading aloud economic essays from "Freedom Philosophy." The kids actually really enjoyed listening to the famous "I, Pencil" and Davy Crocket's "Not Yours to Give"!

5. Benign Neglect

When I was sick and then when I was recovered but spending days catching up on house management, I allowed much benign neglect, which I was pleased fostered creativity! (And, truth be told, I allowed much TV-as-Babysitter, too!)

Latest artwork from our 8-year-old from her favorite art study book:

All the children built so many block creations!

So proud of his tower

Gigantic paper airplane, which got much use

6. Indoor See-Through Garden

Joseph received a see-through vegetable garden kit from Grandpa for his birthday and the kids really enjoyed planting it this week and seeing the first sprout already emerge.

7. March for Life, Washington D.C.

The three people intended to go to Washington, D.C. were healthy, so on Thursday Chris, John, and Mary rose at four in the morning to head to the first March for Life in its 47 years which the sitting president of the United States would attend in person.

Mary's cute packing job . . . a little person

Dinner with friends Thursday evening

Car spotting game from the tenth floor

On Friday morning, Chris and the kids attended a pontifical Low Mass said by Raymond Cardinal Burke, assisted by the Institute of Christ the King.

At noon, I gathered the children around to watch live the historic speech by President Trump.

Tired girls

The family ran into our beloved Cardinal Burke along the march route!

For more 7 Quick Takes, check out Meditatio this week.