Five Favorites: Bossa nova, ceviche, an unusual rosary, cradle to grave siblings, baby birds and my post for ACNM

~ 1 ~  Bossa Nova.

                                                             Bebel Gilberto, think I could pass for her? 

This genre of music speaks to a part of me deep inside that I can not explain, as if it is summoning ancestors from beyond who awaken deep nostalgia in my blood. While I can not claim Brazilian blood,  I do have Portuguese ancestry on my Indian side of the family, my maiden name is actually Portuguese in origin.  I grew up in South Florida which is beautifully blended with New Yorkers, Latin Americans, Europeans and everyone in between. I loved growing up in a city which taught me about other countries and cultures. And I love this song, by Bebel Gilberto, daughter of Joao Gilberto, called Samba da Bencao.  Their musical relationship reminds me of Ravi Shankar and his daughter Norah Jones, another father/daughter favorite pair of mine. Here are the words in English.  Listen here.   It feels like the world is full of possibilities and dreams when I hear this song. Do you love it??? You must!  I don't think I'm cut out for the samba, but maybe I could pull off Flamenco, I certainly have the temper for it. But my love of Spain is a post for another day.....


It's better to be happy than sad 
Happiness is the best thing there is 
It is like a light in the heart 
But to make a samba with beauty 
It's needed a bit of sadness 
If not the samba can't be made 

To make a samba is not like telling a joke 
And who makes samba like this is worth nothing 
The good samba is a kind of prayer 
Because samba is the sadness that sways 
And sadness is always hopeful 
Of one day not being sad any more 

Put a little love in the cadence 
And you'll see that in this world nobody wins 
The beauty that a samba have 
Because samba was born in Bahia (Brazil) 
And if today it is white in it's poetry 
It is very black in it's heart 

~2~  Ceviche

Flowing with my spanish theme, my friend Josie Gutierrez  who now lives in Austin with her beautiful family, introduced me to Ceviche. Have you ever had it before? It is usually prepared with crab meat, but we made it with shrimp. It's is a perfect light summer food, and goes very nicely with Bossa Nova I might add. Serve it with cheese quesadilla wedges and your husband won't say "this is all we're having for dinner?" (oh yes he did!)  Recipes from SkinnyTaste like ceviche and buffalo chicken lettuce wraps have been helping me lose weight slowly (after 2 painstaking years of looking like I ate my former self)  Myfitnesspals tracks it all for me, and many skinnytaste recipes are compatible with Weight Watchers point values and already listed in the database! 

~3~  Lego Rosary

We are making strides in preparing for First Holy Communion weekend.  Banner has been made, suit has been bought (but still need a jacket and shoes).  We are going to pick up some food and a cake on the way home from Mass and have a sweet little family celebration. Dominic's Godparents live in Oregon now and can not make it out, but we have some proxy godparents willing to stand in. :)  We bought this lego rosary for him that came recommended by Catholic Icing, because I couldn't resist.  It's not the forever keepsake rosary, but I think the godparents will help on that one. :)  We are very excited for our first child to receive the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist. We have been talking about it for so long, I can hardly believe the day is almost here!

~4~  Happy Siblings Day

Okay so this is 8 years ago. I think this is how I will always remember my siblings though, looking this way.  I can't live without these people, even when they drive me crazy. I read once in one of my sociology classes that of every relationship, only a sibling relationship lasts over the course of one's entire life. We only know our parents half of our lives, we only know our children for half our lives. But our siblings go through it all with us, cradle to grave. May God watch over us and always keep us close, no matter what happens! 

                                      

Speaking of siblings, check these ones out.  We found these baby birds in a watering can. We're afraid to move the can, even though it's precariously tilted sideways hanging out of our backyard bin of outdoor toys.  St. Francis, please watch over these baby birds! 



~5~  What I wrote for ACNM  this week. 

                                                            The Old Guitarist, Pablo Picasso

What to say (and not say) to someone who is depressed.  I know I've mentioned the book "Never Give Up: My Life and God's Mercy" before.  At least a few (hundred) times? :)  This book is revolutionary and turns our cultural values on their heads, in that it gives dignity to people who suffer with mental illness and feelings of worthlessness. Not celebrating mental illness, or glorifying it, but acknowledging the pain of an "invisible disability" as part of God's saving plan for those who suffer.  I wrote this article as an introduction for friends, family members and co-workers who want to understand more compassionately, and hopefully be able to reach out with more confidence.  The article got nearly 700 views and over 200 facebook likes, and the author personally commented on it with thanks! I was floored!!! I pray it can make a difference in someone else's life as I know it has made in mine! 

Doris and I in Austin when she was completing her Ph.D dissertation at UT this Fall. We're hanging out on the Zilker Zephyr, cuz that's how we roll!

And one of my forever favorites, Happy Birthday, dear Doris! Doris is a kindred spirit, sister of my heart, forever friend from my hometown in Florida, and proof that you can truly can find your forever favorite peeps in public school. Doris and I used to be mixed up often in grade school, and I could make her burst into laughter (and sometimes tears) with a single look.  Fellow band geek, fan of literature, art history, world cultures, classic films and all things 80's, we were always sure we were separated at birth somehow. Currently she is in Chile, where she can be found when she is not living in South Florida or Austin, with her chef extraordinaire husband Patrick.  I hope I will get to see her again soon! Love you, Dor. 

                                 

        A few of my favorite Florida peeps, birthday girl is to the right of me. But a very important one is missing, Khania, a post for another day! 

Come and share your five favorites from your life at MoxieWife too!