Welcome to my blog.

My name is Katherine Fawcett Ruch.  I spent my formative years growing up in Brazil with missionary parents, lived in Europe for a year after high school, and then attended Wheaton College, receiving a BA in English and Secondary Education with a lot of extra theater classes.  Then I went back to Brazil where I taught in an international school for three happy years, living around my parents and siblings.  Upon returning to the United States to get an MA in English at Northwestern University, I re-met Stewart Ruch, who became my best friend and husband.  In my early married years, I taught English at Wheaton Academy and spent time doing theater projects.

Those are sketchy facts, but my life has been shaped by communities.  One of those rich communities was the Brazilian one, complete with a mix of Brazilian friends and missionary aunts and uncles; the other has been our church community, Church of the Resurrection, where my husband is the senior pastor. This community has expanded to include a regional diocese, as Stewart is now Bishop of the Upper Midwest Diocese for the Anglican Church of North America (http://churchrez.org). 

But certainly the community that is shaping me the most right now is the community of our home, where I am mother to six children and spend a great deal of time homeschooling them and creating a rich place where, in the words of Charlotte Mason, we always have "something to think about, something to do, and something to love."

I am also involved with the church community with some conference speaking and teaching, with the arts, with supporting my husband as he leads the church.  Now my life is allowing more time for writing;  so I hope to share through this venue and encourage all who intersect here to find perspective and food for the journey of life.

And what do I love?

Jesus, the Church universal and following the rhythms of the church year, reading at night, strong coffee in the right mug, stimulating conversation, music from classical to world to bluegrass, finding local food from farms and coops, living as naturally as possible, walking in nature, beautiful tiles, fun and unique jewelry and scarves, working with wool and fabric, watching soccer, finding treasures at resale shops, writing poetry, children's literature, teaching, directing theater, engaging with my children, time with my family, and always time with Stewart.

And what do I wish I loved?

intentional exercise, housework, weeding, a stinky 15 passenger van with nuts all over the floor, organizing, and packing.