Mini Pilgrimmage & Visiting Friends

What a wonderful Wednesday! An old summer roommate from college came down from NYC with her husband and little boy, Lex --who is one month younger than our boyo-- for a DC vacation. My best friend from college was also on her way through town on her way to a new job in CT (a friend who rivals me in Catholic Crunchiness, btw!), and so we planned a little lunch date. Except for Johnny's vocal reluctance to share his trucks with Lex, we had a lovely time!

Me, Crunchier Claire, and fellow Catholic College friend Andrea
(ps. when did we get so old? )


Mama, check out this kid's COOL shirt - he has airplanes!

Mama, did you SEE this shirt? And this plum?
Cuz, yea, I'm gonna need some of both!

Umm, excuse me? That is MY book you have.

Umm, I took it, thanks....
(also known as: "My Kid, the Jerk")

You can't have your book back,
but did you know that your shirt is really cool?

Alright, here, I am the bigger kid; here's your book.

After terrorizing the cafeteria in the American History Museum on the Mall, Claire, Monkey and I pilgrimaged to Mother Seton's Shrine in Emmitsburg, MD. I had actually been during my junior year in high school (yikes! ten whole years ago!), but teen angst combined with 12 years of poor catechesis made me rather unappreciative of such a wonderful treat. This time, we did arrive as the Daughter of Charity was locking the door to the museum/gift center, but we did have approximately 3 minutes in the Shrine Church (gorgeous! unfortunately, I was too occupied with the Boyo to take any pictures. Actually, not unfortunately, because he was SO excited to see Jesus and Mary and St. Matthew and Mother Seton and St. Joseph and the list goes on :) ) We were able to wander the grounds for sometime though before hitting the "bustling," "downtown" of Emmitsburg for dinner.

Soaking up Mother Seton's grace and enjoying the view from the "Stone House" -
the actual house (restored) in which Mother Seton began her community and school, and lived during that first bitter cold winter in 1809.

Mother of five and teacher of many,
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for me!

Lord, You blessed St. Elizabeth Ann Seton with gifts of grace, as wife and mother, educator and foundress,
that she might spend her life in service to Your people.
Through her example and prayer, may we learn to express our love for You in love for our fellow men and women.... Amen!