Bopril

Thanksgiving 2020

After much contemplation and planning, we ended up traveling to Charleston for Thanksgiving so that we could be there for a while in advance of my brother's December wedding. It is beyond difficult to navigate the dynamics of the holidays and travel and the realities of COVID against the importance of family and the need to be present for milestone life moments. In the end, we decided to go, incorporating every safety measure at our disposal along the way. 

The travel itself was straightforward and seamless, the planes as clean and efficient as I've ever seen them. Airports were not overly crowded, and we felt safe throughout the day, able to carve out spaces away from others.

Once there, we settled deep into the heart of family and celebrated the holiday alongside the normal cadence of our recent days, homeschooling from various spots in my parents' house, setting up to work remotely in other available nooks and crannies. BJ cooked the entirety of the holiday meal as he is overjoyed to do (I think of Thanksgiving as his super bowl), and it was delicious. I offered a prayer that I love and that has never felt more relevant or true:

For food in a world where many are hungry.

For friends and this treasured family in a world where many walk alone.

For faith in a world where many live in fear.

For these and infinite other blessings, we give you thanks, O' Lord. 

I am grateful for so much this year, but the ability to be together, to be healthy and to celebrate important moments with those I love the most top the list. 

We are back in LA as I type this, finishing up our quarantine post travel to be extra safe, although it isn't terribly different from what all Angelenos are doing, given we are in the throes of another stay at home order. I am praying for a light at the end of the tunnel for all of us as vaccines loom on the horizon. I'm offering up my thanks to our healthcare heroes who give it their all day after day to fight for the most vulnerable among us. I'm praying for peace and unity to trump anger and division, for us to remember that our similarities really do outweigh our differences. I am eager to welcome a new year, but I'll close the door to this one with a grateful heart, eyes open and aware, spirit welcoming and humbled. It was a lovely Thanksgiving. I'm grateful for that, too. xo 

 

Halloween 2020

This holiday season is certainly different from any other, but we've managed to keep traditions in tact and the holiday spirit present and eager. 

Halloween was a quiet affair, gathered with our small group of treasured families that we've bubbled up with to weather the remainder of this epidemic while giving our kids some semblance of social normalcy. 

The costumes were terrific, the food and company even better. And the smiles on the kids' faces as they swung at pinatas and played together were a great reminder of resilience and of what really matters. They didn't get to trick-or-treat, but in the end, I don't think they even noticed. 

Such strange times we are living through, but I am grateful for the ability to celebrate the good stuff with my family and will never again take for granted the immense joy of a holiday gathering. 

Rowan's First Communion

Rowan received her first holy communion a couple of months ago, and it is the sort of thing I want to document, so I find myself here playing a bit of catch-up. 

The event was supposed to have happened in May, but was caught up in the COVID onslaught, like so much else. We waited patiently for it to be rescheduled, the weeks and months of prep she and her classmates had done fading quietly into the background. And then, it was here. And I didn't know what to expect, but as always, I was blown away by the beauty and grace and thoughtfulness of this church community. They made it beautiful and special and in spite of all the world was enduring as we sat in the courtyard that day, I know I'll always remember it for its joy and peace and poignance. 

Rowan was a vision in all white, mask included, and eight years kept playing on a loop in my mind and heart as I watched her receive this special sacrament. I'm left to wonder where the time has gone from her first white baptismal gown until now, but mostly, I am just so grateful for her beautiful spirit and the privilege of guiding her into each new life stage. 

Rowan Marie Carretta received her first holy communion at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church on Sunday, October 4th, 2020. It was our honor to stand by her side and bless her as she took another important step on her spiritual journey. It was a beautiful day, chock full of blessings. We love this girl with all our hearts, and we thank God for entrusting her to us. 

Congratulations, my beautiful girl. xo