oh web friends, we spent our second weekend with my family in indiana. i feel so blessed to be surrounded by the beauty and love of some amazing people. it’s still such a painful reason to be together but through it all there is laughter,  learning experiences and incredible things happening. a family is being strengthened and i’ve said “i love you” more in the past few weeks than ever before in my life.

the canvas with the quote belonged to my cousin. i adore it. the crosses were sent home from the orphanage where my cousin was working.

we’re headed back again this weekend for services and hard-core family time. is it so weird to say i’m looking forward to it? because i am. in the best possible way. for now i’m just trying to get things under control at the homestead. i’m anxious to move forward with purpose. i think that is what my cousin would want. i think she’s been there, whispering to me of  ways i could carry service work into my own profession.

i’ll leave you with the full quote which was the inspiration for my cousin’s canvas:

“Nothing is more practical than finding God,
That is, than falling in a love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings,
What you will do with your evenings,
How you spend your weekends,
What you read,
Who you know,
What breaks your heart,
And what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.”

~ Pedro Arrupe