Advent Plans in 7 Quick Takes Fashion

How is it already almost Advent!? Ahhhhh! This season is just so, so busy for us this year and both Thanksgiving and Advent have completely snuck up on me. I don't know that we'll do much different than we did last year during Advent, but I thought I'd share our plans here. Since Advent is a time of expectant waiting on baby Jesus, I think I do want to focus a bit more on my relationship with Mary this Advent as I expectantly await my own baby. I always hear women talk about how much closer they grew to Mary during pregnancy and, while I've experienced a bit of that, I have just been so busy that I haven't focused on it as much as I've wanted. What better time than Advent!? I was thinking about this book, but it looks like I've missed the boat since I'm nearing my 3rd trimester (though a friend told me it is week by week so I guess I could just jump in!). Any ideas?

On to our more solid plans and also a semi-cheating kind of quick takes:

• I started early and did Advent activities with the child with special needs that I work with in faith formation. See, I work with 2 kids, one preparing for sacraments and one not. And the calendars for them are different. So I got all confused thinking it was the last class for non-sacramental child until the end of January, when in fact it was the opposite way around! So I came prepared with all kinds of cool Advent coloring and writing pages to do before Thanksgiving, not realizing until after the class that I'd see him again when it actually IS Advent! But that's perfect, because I ordered these Nativity sticker sets, and after thought it was a waste since I wouldn't see him again. But since I will, we can have MORE Advent fun! I've never done much kid-related Advent stuff, so this helps me get in the spirit in a more child-like way! 
• We'll be decorating this weekend, preparing our house for the coming of Jesus. It's a bit early for us, but with how busy December is (house guests the first weekend and our out-of-town shower the next!) it just made sense for us. So I'm going to try to focus it on Advent as much as I can!
• I'll dig out our Advent calendar and, as tradition has it, we'll fill out little slips of paper with activities ranging from simple prayers, to date nights, to cuddling and watching a show together, to reading the Bible together. We put them in the boxes of our Advent calendar and then each day we do an activity that brings us closer as a family, as we think about the Holy family. It's only ever tricky on the days where Steven closes so we don't cross paths during the day, but then we get 2 fun activities the next day!
• Our Advent wreath will be set on the table. Last year, we did a prayer each Sunday as we lit another candle, and then just lit them for the dinners in between. We'll see if we can't do a prayer nightly, but no promises ;). 
• We have not 1, not 2, but 3 Advent devotional books that we received this year. We'll have to settle on one and then have a nightly devotional. Hopefully the other 2 can be saved for next year!
• Advent reconciliation service. Services are easier for me, but I haven't figured out why. Something about the busy-ness maybe and not just being the one single line waiting for the one single priest? I don't know, but I like it so much more! There are 2 churches really close to us so we'll definitely attend the service at one of those this season. 
• I really, really, really hope to get to Taize prayer this month! They usually do it every Monday night of Advent at the Cathedral. Normally I'm teaching faith formation on Monday nights but we're out the last 2 Mondays of December, so I'm hoping that lines up well with the Taize schedule. The chants, the lights off, the candles.... it is seriously one of the best prayer experiences I've ever had! 

So those are our plans; we'll see how well we do! What are you doing this Advent? I especially want to hear about those of you with littles, since that will be us next year (though Penny will only be 9 months old so not sure we'll add much more than a few Advent picture books ;) ).

Bonus: Here's me and my little turkey on Thanksgiving!

Link up with Jennifer at Conversion Diary for Quick Takes!