About Me


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.

And what do I wish I could do?

this blog without my teenage daughter's help.


16 comments:

  1. That picture of your family is fantastic. Kudos to M for helping you get this going! I look forward to reading more.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Katherine. I have enjoyed reading your blogs. So glad to see you are doing well. God Bless! Larry Pereira

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Larry, it is a delight to hear from you. I think of you with such warmth and still tell PACA stories. What a blessed season of my life. Please email me an update on your family.
      Hugs to all! Katherine

      Delete
  3. Katherine,
    What joy filled my heart when I heard (via Margie) that you had a blog. Hallelujah and hooray from those of us several seasons behind you in the journey. His peace and Spirit abound in your home and heart, always. Love to the whole Ruch family, from the whole Smith family.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So glad to hear you are doing well! Like the great food for thought on your blog!
    Nelly Whitfield-Getz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nelly, I am thrilled to hear from you. How are you? Please email me an update on your life!
      Beijos--Katherine

      Delete
  5. Kathryn:
    Do you remember a Brian Entz from PACA? Well, I remember you in any event. And your family. I remember Johnny making it to the big spelling bee in the states and dropping out on the word "vichyssoise" (and yes, I had to look that up). You look wonderful and your life seems full. That's good to see. I share your love of strong coffee in a mug and theater. I seem to remember you coming over to my house for a play date once. Mark Swedburg forwarded me your blog link. We've been catching up a little. I'm afraid my strongest memory of you is a rather embarrassing one that maybe I'll share later - or maybe not. Mostly good ones, though. I hear through my folks that your folks are still living in Brazil and will probably stay there. I'd love to go back, though I know it has changed. But then, haven't we all. :~)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course I remember you, Brian! it is so great to hear from you. Now I am intrigued to hear your memories...Why don't we try to connect via email. Could you send me your information? It will not get posted; don't worry. I would love to hear where your life has gone for the last 35 (??!!) years. Blessings, and hope to talk to you soon.

      Delete
  6. If an old friend wanted to correspond with you and get caught up via e-mail, where should he send his correspondence?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark, I am so glad you have gotten in touch with me. The easiest way is to send me your email via this blog (I will not publish it); then I can email you directly. I'm sure there is an easier way, but I am not very technologically adept...so...please do contact me. I would love to catch up. It has been a LONG time since we were kids growing up in Brazil. Blessings!

      Delete
  7. Ditto of Mark's comment above. This is Steve Rohrer from WCF, still in Japan. Am I supposed to put my e-mail address in a message like this? Or is there somewhere I can find your e-mail address?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Steve, I saw that your daughter is at Wheaton College! Does that mean you are in town sometimes? Yes, send me your email by commenting, and I will not publish it; then I will send you mine. Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi, Katherine! I have been trying to locate you. I asked Darcy via facebook if she had any contact information for you. She sent me the address to your blog. It is wonderful to see that you are doing so well. I often think about our elementary days when the three of us would pretend to be hiding out with Corrie ten Boom. Sweet memories! ~ Lori Shoaf Smith

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lori, it is so good to hear from you! Thank you for tracking me down. I would love to hear from you via email. I have added a "Contact Me" feature at the top of my blog; so please contact me with information about your life. I would love to hear where you are and what you are doing! I had forgotten that we were hiding from the Nazis--how creative we were! :) Look forward to hearing from you, Lori.

      Delete
  10. I was introduced to this blog by my friend Annie Erhardt Reed, but with the Brazil/Wheaton background and the maiden name Fawcett, i have to ask if you have a brother, Nathaniel? and let's see perhaps an uncle or family member of some sort that worked the library at Wheaton College. i forget his name. In any case, thanks for your thoughts. It seems hard to find clear thinking well articulated these days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! I have a brother, Nathanael and my other brother, John, who passed away seven years ago, worked at Buswell library. I'm assuming you knew Nathanael at Wheaton? Thank you for your comment. Blessings!

      Delete

If you want to leave me a message, feel free.