Advent: Ready or Not
You know you won’t catch a break when it’s Tuesday evening, you’ve been to urgent care already this week, and you realize another visit to the pediatrician or urgent care must be made tomorrow.
Such is life as a mom. I need some coffee. Or hot cocoa with kahlua.
Good news? I found a box of new Advent wreath candles today, so I’m ready-ish for the change of the liturgical year and season. Truly, I’m ready. I have candles. We have a wreath. My journal to study and pray with waits on the shelf. And then there’s the sweet bundle of materials to help me–even in my brain-dead exhausted stupor–provide a meaningful experience for my family during the season. (PSA: go look for your Advent wreath and candles now, so that if you need to order any, you have time!)
It’s hard to keep living that photo-worthy liturgical life when the actual crosses of my life demand an ounce more than I think I can give. It’s not that everything is awful. It’s not awful. But our family life is naturally busy, and then there are the “typical” unexpected issues that come with family life. We’re busy, and handling our crosses. I haven’t cultivated much of a liturgically enriching experience for my family in quite some time. We get to Mass weekly, on time (most of the time), and in clean clothes. That’s how we’re doing with Catholic family living lately. It’s not much, but we are trying! We are showing up.
The daily crosses tap out my mental limits, and beyond our regular homeschooling, I have nothing left to think about our domestic church. I’m so glad that some amazing Catholic women joined together and gifted their genius ideas into the Catholic Mom Bundle for Advent. Their ideas are going to save my brain during this exhausting season. If you can relate, raise your hand.
Did you raise your hand? Glad I’m not alone. 😉 So let’s talk about the creative genius in this bundle. Some of my favorite items are Advent activities for kids. I’m printing out the Christmas Countdown, which not only has a cute star-themed “path” to the Nativity for my littlest boys to color each day, also has a set of works of mercy and acts of kindness to perform each day. We love those kinds of daily challenges, which add meaning to the season as we do just a little extra in our daily life to spread joy.
Another item I just peeked at tonight and am SO excited to print and use is the 2018-2019 wall calendar from Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families. And when I say I’m going to print it, I mean that I’m going to email the file to my amazing local print shop and ask them to print it for me. 😉 It’ll go on the fridge, where my kids love to look at what saints’ days are coming, count the days until their next day off from the charter school, and generally look ahead to the next “big thing” in our lives. This calendar is illustrated, has feast days, room to write… it’s just darling.
If you’re looking for some ways to enrich your Advent, and the year to come (because not all of the 20 products included are strictly for Advent!), I highly recommend this bundle. It’s also a great gift idea for your friends or sisters. *hint hint, great for the lady who has almost everything
Get all the details and order it here!
My own “Love, Mom” guide to journaling is in this bundle, too! If you’ve already bought it but also buy this bundle, email me somedaysaintsblog@gmail.com and I have something for you. If you buy the bundle through my link (which I appreciate so much, as I receive a commission from sales), send me a message and screen shot of your purchase. I want to thank you with this free printable.
**Gift idea: print it, frame it, give it to any woman you love. Or, transfer it onto a bag, tea towels, or a t-shirt (psst–I hope to have a tutorial on that idea soon!).
Read more about “Love, Mom” here.
Some gift ideas I’ve started compiling are here.