I’m writing this intro while sitting outside at my favorite coffee shop and it feels SO good. This morning, Dave essentially kicked me out of the house for some alone time–my first time out of the house solo since Azelie was born, and my first time physically into a building (other than church and the pediatrician’s office) since quarantine started. Is it possible for a sidewalk bistro table to have the same effect as a spa? Especially over the last year, I’ve come to love and appreciate the way fathers not only have a great responsibility to their children; they also have a great responsibility to their wives. Especially in the season we’re currently in of pregnancies, births, breastfeeding, postpartum hormones, and so on, I don’t know how I would get through anything without Dave by my side. With Father’s Day coming up this weekend, I asked him to pop in for a guest Love List today, and I hope you enjoy reading his current favorite things as much as I did!

Wishing a very happy Father’s Day to all dads out there, especially to my own dad, who is one of my most avid readers and a frequent visitor to the comments section :) What would we do without you?

Hot dad alert ;) My favorite picture of Dave ever, from Azelie’s newborn session by Ally & Bobby Photography

In Conversation with God series: I received this set as a gift a couple of years ago, and now, it’s a central part of my daily morning prayer. The meditations are short, poignant, and challenging. Exactly what I need in my prayer life! (The full set, covering the whole liturgical year, is pricey, but they also sell the books individually for each season.)

AllBirds tree runners: I’ve been wearing AllBirds wool runners for a few years now–they’re great for walking, hanging out, or chasing kids, and I like that I can throw them in the washing machine to give them a refresh. I just got the tree runners and love them for summer.

“Reconciling the Body of Christ” video: These weeks have been challenging for us as we figure out how to best react to the blatant affronts to human dignity that we’ve seen in the news. One of the best, most honest conversations I’ve seen is between Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson regarding race and faith. These two brother priests share their thoughts about faith and race relations, and I so appreciated their unique Catholic perspective.

Splash pad: We just bought this backyard splash pad, and even though it left me with a few more bruises than I had bargained for, it provided hours of entertainment for me and Charlie alike.

Prescription sunglasses: If you wear contacts, you know there’s an experience of panic when you discover you are on your last pair and your prescription is expired…especially if you’re in the middle of a pandemic-induced quarantine and can’t get to the eye doctor. Enter prescription sunglasses from good ol’ Warby Parker. I’m loving not needing to worry about contacts, and having sunglasses to throw on when it’s a bit sunny for a glasses day.

CNA Editor’s Desk podcast: After being introduced to these two canon lawyers by a good friend (also a lawyer), I’ve made their insightful conversations about Catholic news and faith a weekly listen. Great for those of us who thought about going to law school then chickened out.