Upcoming Chili Cookoff

This Friday, our parish hosts one of it's favorite events, the Chili Cook Off.  I can already tell that it is going to be a lot of fun and well attended.  Of course, I intend to win. :)

Our Young Families group is going to meet an hour prior to the event to Tailgate.  We'll have a few tables together where we can sit and hang out.  Bring an appetizer to share.  We hope to see you there!

Peace,

Jen Starks

Valentine's Day Dinner & Dance

It's a good thing people don't listen too closely to me.  Up until about a few days before this event, I thought it was actually on 2/14. I'm sure I will have to change this on our blog's calender, now that I'm thinking about it. It was not Friday but Saturday the 15th.  Our table was fortunate enough to share it with Fr Tom.  

It's been a long time since I've had a Polish dinner and while not so heart healthy, it was delicious.  The turnout was pretty good (I'm not sure how it compared to previous years) and I'd estimate around 150 people.  Mostly older married couples were present, it had the same comfortable and welcoming atmosphere that I always feel while at Little Flower.  OK, it also helped that I knew a decent amount of people there.  However, there's never a feeling of self-consciousness, of judgment, of competition or threat.  I can be myself and that is why I have fallen in love with this parish. 

After dinner, there was dancing with a DJ.  The DJ had one of those dance offs to show who has been married the longest.  Wow, Francis and Therese Raven have been married over 60 years!  If you've been in the parish awhile, you'd probably recognize this couple.  I'm on a new mission to get to know them better. This leads me to one of our new ideas for the group:

There's another couple in our parish who has been married 65 years.  This fall, I'd like our group to have a reception for their 66th anniversary.  Kevin, the other leader of this group, has suggested we invite and honor other couples who have been married 50+ years.  It is certainly something to celebrate and I believe will also bring our parish closer together as a community.

Unfortunately, our dinner and dancing was cut short with a call from the babysitter. It was the first round of the stomach virus and took out our family for the rest of the weekend.  :(  

We look forward to hanging out at our next upcoming event, The Chili Cookoff on 2/28.  Although if you are competing, be prepared for a challenge. :)

Peace,

Jen Starks