preparation: setting my lands in order

in the traditional catholic calendar, we have entered the time of Septuagesima, which means literally "the 70th day": that is, seventy days before Easter. it is a time of transition from the festivities of the Christmas season, ending on Candlemas or 2 February, and Lent: preparing our hearts to prepare for Easter. whenever i try to explain this to those unfamiliar with the traditional seasons of the Church, they typically respond with some variation of "that's redundant." i admit it sounds odd, and if you're not used to thinking that way, then yes, it probably does seem redundant. but i have come to appreciate it. and, really, you "novus ordo" Catholics end up doing it anyway, most likely: how do i need to grow this year? what do i need to prune in my life? how do i need to fast? what are my weakest virtues, my strongest faults? what can i do this Lent to increase in holiness and prepare for Easter?

and this year it hit me, rather strongly: this is life. i really need to get it together, to start setting my lands in order, in earnest. it's going to get crazier, not easier, and i need to stop being shell-shocked from the past year, or three years, or seven years, and start living the life i want to live! that means a lot of things: in most the most basic things, such as potty training Finn and getting more solid foods into Loshie, and to more intense things: i am doing major diet overhauling, again. we are cutting out all grains and implementing some of the GAPS principles (we meaning the boys and i. ryan isn't quite on board). i am trying to practice at least a few times a week again, really making that a priority and not a side-show. Finn and i started doing some French with rosetta stone--i am not sure how much is sinking in but he loves pushing the button on the computer, and he is recognizing a few words already. the documentary Buck on Buck Brannaman has inspired me to attempt some more serious training with my sassy girl, who is altogether too big for her britches and has even become the dominant one of the three-horse "herd". i am cutting out caffeine, which in just a few days has been hard hard HARD, but needs to be done.

and, good golly, little Loshie is almost a year old! he is not lacking in enthusiasm, no not at all: