Five Faves: Pirates Three, Handy stories, Going in circles, Victory for life, Christ of the Abyss and a Family Retreat

Linking up with Hallie Lord with Five Favorites this week. Thank you for hosting, Hallie!

~1 ~ The pirates three.  This crew is not always as united as they appear. We've had quite a few scuffles aboard the ship this summer, and Mommy herself has offered to walk the plank. But dressing up helps. And turning on fun music. And resigning to ignore housework and choosing to flop down on the couch to read stories together. I'm learning that building unity really builds peace in our family.  And housework just has to wait sometimes. 

~2~ Scholastic videos on youtube.  My resourceful friend Stephanie mentioned to me that Scholastic videos were on youtube. I never thought to look for our favorite stories there before! We watch other educational segments on you tube, but these are handy to bring up on the laptop when I'm cleaning up lunch and setting the boys up with their quiet time activity. I'll let the littlest watch one until we can sit down and read a story together and it really sets the stage for nap time nicely.  His favorite o' the month is a classic you may remember well!
                                                 
~3~ Praying with Your Feet. A gentle reminder to be patient with ourselves when we feel others are moving forward when we're still going in circles.  

~4~ Planned Parenthood closings in Texas.  This is huge. I honestly can't believe it. I am sad to admit that I did not think this sort of victory for life could be possible in our culture today. I am thankful to be proven wrong!!! I feel that the focus now must be better support and care for women who find themselves in crisis pregnancies. I pray churches will come together and work together passionately and peacefully to this end. I am thankful for my beautiful friend Lauren, and so many others, who work tirelessly to protect and defend life at its most vulnerable stage.  Please be with us Lord, as communities navigate this new territory together!

~5~ Christ of the Abyss, beautiful statue somewhere deep in the Mediterranean sea.  The beauty of the idea of Jesus raising His arms in celebration of creation in the ocean just moved me.

And last of all...we attended our first family retreat this month with the Focolare movement, and it was the best possible gift we could have given to each other in our marriage and to our children. I wrote about it here if you would like to read. The Mariapolis.  Thanks for coming by, and I would love to hear from you!