Stitch Fix #2

I'm a little bit late updating on Stitch Fix #2 as it arrived around April 15 or so but better late than never right? I am still pleased with all of the items that came in my box and ended up keeping two of the items this time around! So here is what I received: 

1. Top left--Terry cloth beige and black striped blazer. I loved this. I really did. I came oh so very close to keeping it (ask my sister, I even called for her advice!) but I decided in the end that it's about to be too warm for a blazer AND I already have 3 others. I hope I don't regret it.

2. Top middle--Chevron striped cap sleeve top. This was by far my favorite piece. I love it. It's a great fit, great material, and super cute. Since I live in Alabama I'm sure people will claim it's "Auburn" colors but your wrong it's actually a deep pink and navy. So ha! I kept this one and have already worn it!

3. Top Right--Deep Orange (think coral really) cropped trouser. I thought I would hate these. Seriously. They have no zipper, they are sort of stretchy type material and you just pull them right on up. So I gave them a chance, and I ended up keeping them! They were a bit of a splurge but they are so unlike anything else I own. It was also the only piece that I would have NEVER picked out for myself.

4. Bottom Left--Eyelet dress. Meh. I'll be honest I didn't like this one that much. Sent it right on back.

5. Bottom Right--Black skinnies. These were cute but I really already have a pair that I love.

So I would say it was another success for Stitch Fix! Box #3 is set to arrive in May just in time for our big trip to Rio. If you still haven't taken the plunge, here's my referral link:

http://stitchfix.com/sign_up?referrer_id=3492278

You will not regret it! (and keep me posted once you get it...I love seeing what other folks get in their boxes)

Lent, the rest of the weeks...

(A photo from our Maundy Thursday service this year. We ended the evening in our courtyard as a representation of praying together in the garden. It was beautiful and holy.)

We failed pretty big time at our Lenten practice this year. 

But I suppose in some ways, that's part of the point of it all, right? That we try something new, that we experience sacrifice in new and different ways, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  

And I'm ok with that. 

So while we perhaps didn't actually keep to our list (turns out we do better with 1 task rather than changing it up every single day for 40 days), I think we did indeed still live in the darkness of Lent for a few weeks. We spent a lot time thinking about death and sacrifice as we said goodbye to our Maggie. But we also spent a lot of time reflecting on our belief that death does not have the last word. We mourned the pup that we loved so much, but we also celebrated the promise of new life as my sister and brother-in-law announced that they are expecting their first child. We spent time in our dead (for the winter), ugly, weedy yard and over the weeks have watched it slowly transform into the beautiful garden we know and love. We planted two new apple trees and have watched them root into their new home and blossom. We have watched, experienced, and felt the season change from cold and gloomy to days filled with sun and warmth. 

And so, yes, we did not follow our well intentioned list of practices. But I think that we still learned a lot during this Lenten journey about what it means to love and to lose, to trust that death is not the end, to cry and yet be at peace, and to live into the beautiful promise of resurrection in our every day lives. 

We hope you and yours had a very Happy Easter!