Rollin' baby

Sunday his first tooth appeared and today, he rolled from back to front, front to back, back to front, front to back.

The best part was the fact that I wasn't here to see it. I left B aka the condiment queen, in charge while little Em and I went to her appointment. I wasn't 5 minutes down the road when she called me.

"MOM!! He's rolling everywhere!! Wait, he's about to do it again!!" I had to remind her that I could not see him from the phone call...

It is such a beautiful thing that my 14 year old is just as excited about Brendan's milestones as we the proud parents are!

Newest Josephism

Today, while trying to push out the love seat to retrieve a certain coveted lost Lego, Joseph realized he was having difficulty moving the couch.

He yelled for me, "Mom, what's wrong with this couch? I can't move it!! I must have lost my super-powers!!"

I don't think he'll ever lose those...

Chicks with Chucks

The kids did their demo this weekend that they have been working on for a few months. It went very well! The day was beautiful, a bit warmer than we expected, but a great day to be demo'ing in the park!
More pictures to come during the week.

We have a tooth!

Santo Subito!

I plan to post my tribute to Our Beloved Papa later tonight. We have had quite the hectic weekend.

Please visit Moneybags' blog for a beautiful 4 part series on Pope John Paul II.
__________________________________________________________________

There are so many wonderful tributes to our Beloved Karol that I am not sure I can even begin to write anything nearly as good. But I will post my thoughts because he was such a special person and deserves all that can be said about him.

"Be Not Afraid!" That was the motto I will most remember my beloved Holy Father for. And he lived it until the very end of his life. He was an example of how to live holiness each and every day. He showed us how to pray without ceasing, to make our very lives a prayer.

From the time he was a very young boy, our dear John Paul was called to a life of extreme holiness. Through all of the apparent tragedy in his life, his mother's death, then his brother's, and finally his father's, he was left an orphan. Living through the Nazi occupation of Poland, surviving that which seemed impossible to survive. Determined to become a priest during a time when to be found out could have meant his life. All the while, the hand of God was upon him, calling him to the greatest vocation of all, the Vicar of Christ.

He was never afraid to live as God called him to. He was never alone as he continually called upon our Heavenly Mother to be with him. He was his absolute strongest when he was physically his weakest. He was a force of peace, hope and love that changed the face of humanity for all time.

He emptied himself out to the world the way that Christ emptied himself for all of us. He was an example of true devotion until the very end.

I had hoped to visit Rome while he was still amoung us, but that was not to be. Thankfully, Pope John Paul left us with many wonderful resources to draw on and learn from for the rest of our lives.
The Encyclicals, homilies,Books, and Poems that we can study for years to come which will continue to impact our Church for quite some time.

He was a hero to many people, including me. I pray that he is resting well in the arms of our Lord, but I know that he is probably too busy praying for all of us still here on earth.

He was able to accomplish so much in his 80 years not because he was a super hero, but rather because he had a profound faith, a sincere and complete devotion to our blessed mother, and a true love of Christ.

May we all learn just a small bit from his example.

More on MROL

Barb asked to continue the discussion on MROL, so I'll share a bit about what is going on here. As I mentioned yesterday, I have had the wonderful epiphany that I somehow missed the other times I have read this book, that I need to be carrying out my vocation, that which God has called me to, in service to HIM. Not too make me happy, not to bolster my ego when friends stop by and notice how wonderful my house looks, etc. I do what I am called to do out of Love. Pure and Simple. Well, pure, but not so simple, at least for me. I complicate everything!

Today, I was continuing my reading of Devout Life and relished these passages in the First Part of the Introduction where St. Francis discusses how our sinfulness keeps us from God. Also about how we must purge ourselves of sin and how our devotion to Him will overcome our sinfulness as long as we never, ever quit trying. Here are the awe inspiring passages I read today...

"We must not be disturbed by our imperfections, since for us perfection consists in fighting against them. "
This statement gave me so much peace because I am very guilty of letting my imperfections weigh me down. Hearing that the battle against them is bringing me into a deeper devotion to Him is very reassuring.

"Our victory does not consist in being unconscious of them but in not consenting to them, and not to consent to them is to be displeased with them."
This passage was a revelation to me. I have always struggled with trying to get RID of my sinful nature. This tells me that it will never go away, but my ability to control it will become stronger with practice. Wow!

"Therefore it remains that we should not lose courage." This is one thing that I believe prevents me from stepping out into faith. My lack of courage.

"Fortunately for us, in this war we are always victorious provided we are willing to fight." I am determined to never give up. I will continue the fight for the Love of Him.

Another happening today. I sat with my children at lunch after thinking about our schedule. It seems to be working fairly well, but there are a few gliches in it that are pretty glaring. Instead of my typical "take it all on myself", I felt called to ask for their input. Imagine that. Ask the others who are in this fight with me what their thoughts are... hmmmm

They made their suggestions, then I allowed them to make some decisions between a few of their suggestions and agreed that we would try it that way. They looked at me in complete amazement... Kind of the way I look at them when they pick up their laundry for some unexpected reason!

I need to find a way to explain this whole "rule" idea to them. We have studied about St. Benedict and other rules, but I need to find a way to apply it to them. I have started discussing the idea of doing what we must do because we are called by Him to do so. And that we decide to do it because we love Him. I think they have a better handle on it than I do.

Feel free to post any comments, suggestions, or struggles that you are dealing with. I am so enjoying this journey right now!

Mid-Lenten Reflection

I am always amazed at how rapidly Lent seems to pass me by. I spend what seems an awful long time trying to figure out exactly how I will prepare my soul for Easter during Lent and then once I do figure out what I should do, I get completely side-tracked, too busy, overwhelmed, etc., and get almost nothing done. Such is life, lent or any other time of the year.

This year is a bit different however. I am still finding the struggles to fit spiritual nurturing into my day, yet, each day, I remain committed to starting fresh and finding that special time to spend with God.

So today, it was in the "powder room" for lack of a better term. And it was good. Really. It was He, I, and St. Francis de Sales. I turned off the merry-go-round for about 10 minutes and allowed myself to drown myself in some wonderfully rich reading. (I joke about the over-head musak that runs through my home. It is the circus theme most often!)

Afterwards, I felt refreshed, centered, and a bit numb from sitting there so long. (As any mom knows, 15 seconds in the restroom could mean disaster on the other side of the door!)

Honestly, I wish I could steal more moments such as these.

I was viewing a biography on my hero, Pope John Paul II this weekend. He was such an amazing man. Even before he was Pope. I felt called to relish his life as we approach the one year anniversary of his death. In this video, former students of his shared how each of them knew that Father Karol required one to one and a half hours alone each day. To pray. I found that amazing. He gave of himself completely the rest of the day, but they all knew that he MUST have that one hour. I believe that this is what I have read about Christ as well. I am not sure if it was an hour that Christ would take, but He took what He needed and then gave completely of Himself to everyone around Him.

Talk about an epiphany for me. For years I have heard, "spend the first few moments of your day with the Lord." Or, "He deserves the first fruits of the day, not the last." I even tried it a few times, and felt the peace that it could bring.

After making the "connection" if you will between the spirituality of JPII and his time with the Lord, and how that possibly might do some good for me, I think it is time to committ to it and stick with it.

As some of you know, I have been attempting to implement my Mother's Rule of Life... again... This time, I have been trying to do so with a different motivation. Before, it seemed as though I was trying to make this schedule work so that I could feel more productive, more organized, more "together"... HA HA

Now, after reading the MROL book for the six or seventh time, I finally made the connection that I must do this for the LOVE OF CHRIST. Yeah, that's right... It's not about me anymore. It's about Him, and it's about time!

I figure, if it is important to Our Savior for me to accomplish that which I have planned for the day, He will see to it that it will get done, as long as I offer it up to Him because of my love for Him. And the ONLY way I can offer it to Him is to ... TA DA... OFFER IT TO HIM... during time with Him.

I know, I know, some of you are thinking, well, duh! You see, I am a bit thick. It takes a few hundred head bangings against the preverbial brick wall for me to get things. And boy, has my head been sore lately!

All of this is to say, that I am learning to put Christ first. I am discovering that time with God is not a nice thing to have happen, if I get the time. It is essential to my very essence as a mother, wife, and Christian woman. Doing things to make myself look good in the eyes of others or even in my own eyes does nothing for Christ. Doing what I don't really want to do because I LOVE HIM is.

Dying to myself. In little bits. It's a long, slow process, but one that I am enjoying. Most of the time.

Hair Dude

You may remember my post about the "hair dude" Joseph wants. I think he found it last night...

Rice changes everything

It's official. We like rice! And rice seems to agree with us pretty well. Except for the new diaper specimens we are receiving. ewwwww

Funny how with the first baby, we couldn't wait to start all the "firsts" with her. Now, baby number 6, we wait to start everything. "Do you really think he needs real food? He's so little still!" Well, yes, he is 5 months old and just about 20 lbs, man can't live on milk alone!

We are entering a new phase. And baby Bo Bear is loving it. Every single bite!

Some thoughts on this past year

Today is the day. One year ago today, Mom left her earthly body and went to the arms of her Savior. I have a beautiful picture I've created in my mind of her leaving her body, the one that had failed her and kept her from so many of her dreams, and gracefully, joyfully, flying into the arms of Our Lord. It was Easter Monday morning, about 4:45. I had wanted to stay that night before, but my pregnancy was getting the best of me and the nurses suggested I go home to rest. I guess that is what she needed. She needed to be left alone to make that final journey. I have often thought about this and how we all meet the Lord by ourselves. No one goes with us. We are on our own. Our own private, intimate moment with Christ himself.

For a long time after she passed, I wondered if she was afraid when she died. I wondered if she woke up, wondered where I was, and then died. It was a horrible feeling. Sometimes I catch myself dwelling on the negative. Then I am reminded that these thoughts are not from God.

Her passing causes me to pause often and reflect on a few things. This is what I have learned this year from my mom.

1. Love even when it hurts. When the love must leave, you will hardly remember the arguments, and you will wonder why you wasted time having them. Love is what Christ asks us to do. Not just when it is easy, not when it's convenient, not when it's pretty. Just love. I must admit that I did love. Even when it hurt. Even when I didn't want to. I did not always do it well, not gracefully, not willingly. But I asked for the strength to love, and it came.

2. Repair the hurts. No matter what you must do. Find a way to repair the hurt. You will feel so much more peace once you do. And there is a point that will come when you won't be able to do so. We never know when.

3. Laugh often. It eases the pain of illness. It cures the old hurt that still lingers even after the forgiveness comes.

4. Touch one another. Look at their hands. Drink in their scent. Study their eyes. Feel their skin. Embrace them fully. Remember that feeling when you do.

5. Take lots of pictures. Don't be afraid to look at them after your loved one has passed. Touch the picture. Feel the feelings. Rejoice in their happiness.

6. Journal. Write to your loved one. Write down anything you would want to tell them. Write to them on their birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day, any day. Tell them your troubles. Ask for their prayers.

7. Don't be afraid to talk about them after they are gone. The kids long to. It is sad at first, but it is getting easier and we are laughing at some of the things we used to do.

8. Ask all the questions you would ever want to know about your loved one. I never asked Mom about her first date, her first love. I really wish I had. I will never know that information now.

Matthew and I bought some Limon chips the other day. We talked about how Nana brought them to our house one day and we all tried them and thought that they were gross! We kept trying to eat them, because she loved them so much! Then she was told to stop eating them. They were bad for her heart condition. We continued to eat them. Now, whenever I get a craving for a chip, I can pull them out and visit with Nana...

Somethings that come up that I never thought about before she died that would remind me of her.

Seeing a new Mary Higgins Clark book. I got angry the first time I saw a new book come out! I felt like I should buy it just because...

Seeing a display of Winterfresh gum. That was Mom's favorite and she chewed it often while in the hospital. Seeing that display almost brought me to tears.

Smelling Estee Lauder. I found myself following a lady around in Walmart the other day because she was wearing it. I couldn't help but want to talk to her, but I refrained. I figured they'd lock me up.

Something else I've done this year is put a picture of her in my wallet. She always wanted to travel, especially to San Antonio, Austin, anywhere to see the sights in Texas. Her illness prevented this from happening. But now she is able to go everywhere with me!

As you can tell, I am still greiving. I suppose I always will. I can't believe that I can't pick up the phone and call her. I know that I will see her again in Heaven some day. Until then, though, I will hold her dear to my heart.

I love you mom.

a quick check in with a few Josephisms

Joseph and his daddy worked on some wood projects this weekend. They were able to complete a "hairplane" which Joseph painted all by himself. I will try to get some photos up tomorrow.

I keep trying to figure out why he calls his godparents his 'grandparents'... they really aren't that old!

Joseph is the first one to mention that we have forgotten to say grace. He'll simply sit and look at his food and when we ask why he hasn't eaten yet, he'll announce, "I think someone forgot to say graaaacccce!" We abruptly stop eating and begin to pray, at which point Joseph will dive in to the meal, leaving us to pray...

He is very keen to what is going on around him. He is a wonderful narrator
and right now is totally focused on the Passion of our Lord. Every day we have discussions about the 'men who killed Him'. I am a bit concerned because he loves to talk about killing and dying. I think this is a natural phase, but I don't ever recall Matthew going through it.
Of course, Joseph thinks that if Jesus could have had a light saber, He would have been able to stop the bad guys... always thinking, that boy, always thinking.

A year ago

A year ago, my brother Kevin and I had to make the heart wrenching decision to place my mother into hospice care and essentially into God's hands. We knew that the end was near and that she would not be with us much longer. We also knew that we were carrying out her wishes. It was Good Friday and we were able to witness the priest administering Mom her last rites. You can read more about it in this post that I wrote back in May.

It stills feels like yesterday. It stills hurts. It still makes me wish I could talk to her one more time. I probably won't be posting much as I approach the 1st anniversary of her death, (March 28th). I should be rejoicing for her. She is out of pain. She is with our Lord. But me, being the selfish daughter that I am, I just want my mom.

More Josephisms

Today while riding back from TKD, I handed Joseph his beloved Lego/Bionicle magazines. It got extremely quiet in the back. While looking at his sweet face in the rear-view mirror, his attention focused completely on the magazines, I asked him what he was doing. He said, "Mama, I'm reading my magazine." I asked, "Is it good?" He replied, "Yes, mama. I just want some quiet so I can read, ok?" I happily complied and watched his sweet face the rest of the way home.

Update for the Godparents and others who love me!

Look! I can grab my toes! I did this on my 5th month birthday!



Yesterday, I took my first few bites of rice cereal and seemed to like it pretty well.

And today I thought it might be fun to have mom turn around and see me doing this!



Of course the first thing mom did after she screamed was to grab to ol' camera, take the shot, and then move me to the floor where I might be in more danger from my brother, Joefish.

Sleeping has been better. I put myself to sleep a few times now, and if mom can be strong and let me cry for a few minutes, I'd probably do it even more often. Moms are so silly sometimes.

I really had a good laugh last night when daddy and Joefish were playing the game Trouble. Each time Joefish popped the popper, I laughed uncontrollably! Then I thought I'd lose my diaper when he said the funniest word I ever heard! He said... SIX!!! Isn't that funny!!


I also turned over from my tummy to my back. I don't know what all the excitement is about. I really just wanted to see the Veggie Tales better, but the tall people just stood over me (and in my way) clapping and smiling like I had brought peace to the world. Geesh... can we get a life people??

I enjoyed my first St. Patrick's day. Mom made me wear green and pointed out the red highlights in my hair as well as my fair skin and blue eyes. She has a complex about all of us kids looking like daddy and not her. We love her anyway.

All in all it's been a good week for me. Stay tuned, who knows what is next!

Another Josephism

"Hey Mama! That guy has a really cool hair dude! Can I make mine do that?"

Erin Go Bragh!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

For a history of St. Patty's visit here

Our wonderful new bishop has issued a dispensation for those who would like to indulge in a bit o' corned beef today. For those who intend to accept the dispensation, please be sure to abstain from meat tomorrow, as indicated by Bishop DiNardo.

My 1/2 irish children are completely aghast when I mention the other side of their heritage. I guess those Filipino genes are so strong even they have a heard time seeing it!

Here is a portion of an article from the Chronicle...

By BARBARA KARKABI and RICHARD VARA
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Patrick T. Sharkey, with typical Irish blarney, says he's been saved from damnation this St. Patrick's Day.

And just as importantly, the big St. Patrick's Day brunch of corned beef and cabbage can go on as planned, now that half-Irish Archbishop Daniel N.DiNardo has given area Catholics a special dispensation to eat meat on this Lenten Friday.

"We had counted on the archbishop's good blessings and dispensation," said Sharkey, who added that a lot of folks "would have trouble" eating the corned beef without the dispensation.

"I'm glad I've been saved from eternal damnation," said Sharkey, president of the Irish Society of Houston.

DiNardo is among dozens of bishops around the country granting one-day dispensations from rules that prohibit Roman Catholics from eating meat on Fridays during the penitential season of Lent.

But he's asking Catholics to abstain from meat either today or Saturday in lieu of Friday.


Many bishops offered the same deal the last time St. Patrick's Day fell on a Friday during Lent — in 2000.

The Archdiocese of New York has always extended a dispensation when the calendar lined up because St. Patrick is the patron saint of the archdiocese, spokesman Joseph Zwilling said.

John Flowers of Houston's Kenneally Irish Pub says about 90 percent of his St. Patrick's Day clientele are Catholic, but he doesn't expect to sell any more meat pizzas. A lot of his customers "forget" it is Friday during Lent, he said.

Still, he is grateful the new archbishop is allowing the meat dispensation.

"I think even the Catholics who give up alcohol for Lent should have a dispensation for St. Patrick's Day," said the pub owner, a lifelong Catholic.

Even though she was born in Ireland, Sister Marie Clancy of Mater Christi Convent said she never ate corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day and doesn't intend to this year despite the dispensation.

"I'll be at work. I'll eat whatever they're serving," said Sister Clancy, who works with a literacy program.

However, she said she just returned from a visit to Ireland, where she "had a great bit of corned beef and cabbage. Not for St. Patrick's — just for a great meal."



I think the kids and I will make some Irish Soda Bread (thanks, Danielle Bean for the recipe!)

Enjoy the day, no matter what your heritage! You are officially Irish today... yes, even you Deo!!

Happy Anniversary, my dear

To my wonderful husband,
For the past 15 years I thank you.

You asked me if you could show me what true love was like
and the Spirit moved me to accept your offer.

Thank you for not only showing me what it is,
but how to accept it, how to return it, and how to share it with others.

You are all of the strength I wish I was.
You are the reason I wrestle with myself constantly, because I long to be the wife you deserve.

I love you more each day that passes. I pray we have many more years to share together.

Thank you for all that you are. I praise God for you.

Just do it

After driving Brianna to her destination this evening, I had the pleasure of spending about 30 minutes in the car alone. Listening to K. Hahn's 10th of 12 CD's on the Mother's Rule of Life. The CD is very good, and I hope to have a complete review up soon, but tonight, something struck me.

I have been working on accepting the fact that my role as a mother is my vocation. Given to me by God. Destined for me by God. I have "known" this for years, and I am sure, on some levels, I had accepted it to a certain degree, but after studying Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot, and now listening to K. Hahn's talks, I must say, I think I finally get "it".

Doing the things in daily life that I do not want to "for the love of Jesus" makes it so much more bearable. Doing these things because Christ ASKS me to, because He entrusts these precious children to me so that I can serve Him more fully, attending to my wonderful husband, who never asks for anything, all because God calls me to do it! This is the path to holiness? And I am complaining?

It's not like I am serving the starving and dying in India or taking the place of another in a concentration camp. I have not been asked, at least not yet, to martyr myself for God. Just to get up, make my bed, and love my family, my neighbor, and God, and try to be nice while doing so. Hmmmm.... it's only taken me 15 years of marriage to have this epiphany!

I have been talking quite a bit with the kids about these things. Really just trying to make myself believe it, but how we need to do things because God calls us to do them. Explaining that God has placed them at this place in their life because He needs them to do whatever it is that He is asking them to do.

Tonight, Matthew, one of my easiest going children was given the task of taking up the basket of clothes for he and his brother and to put them away. Joseph, being only 4, was sent along to help. Well, we all know what help from a 4 year old can be like. Sometimes, not much help. More like more work! And poor Matthew was feeling that tonight. He sent Joseph downstairs, and I sent him back up. Matthew came to me with tears in his eyes telling me that he was so frustrated that he had to do so much of Joseph's work. That is was easier if he did it all alone without Joseph because, well, because...
I told him that I understood how he felt, but that it was our responsibility to help to train Joseph in how to do these things, even though it takes us longer to accomplish the task now, eventually, he will learn and then it will be Joseph's turn to help with his younger brother, Brendan. I reminded Matthew that his older siblings helped him to learn and now it was his turn.

Riding home, I realized that God has called him too! I plan tomorrow to sit with him and explain to him that God's plan is so perfect that he actually intended for Matthew to be Joseph's older brother and therefore his role model. I plan to tell him how much his helping his brother will help Joseph to grow into a fine young man. I plan to tell him how much help he gives to his father and I by doing what I ask him to. I plan to tell him how proud of him God is, because he is doing exactly what God wants.

Then I plan to tell myself the same thing. For the love of the Lord, I offer my "yes".

And now I know why the Angelus and the Divine Mercy have been so important to me this Lenten season.

Intercessions

I have been fortunate enough to have been given a copy of this month's Magnificat for my lenten daily readings.

Each day, I try to spend some time, before the day gets so busy and my mind wanders to the various tasks at hand, with the Lord. I find it so amazing that His ministry and particularly the gospels, are all still applicable to us in today's world. I should not be surprised as God's plan has been in existence for all time which I am sure included the current time we are living in. But still, I am amazed.

Today's gospel speaks right to my heart. It is talking about Christian love and how we should demonstrate it in our daily lives. I am finding that I am harshest on myself. My confessor tells me that I really need to "give myself a break!" I do admit that I am too hard on myself, but I struggle with how to overcome this. It becomes a vicious cycle for me because I am so terrible at this that I beat myself up for not being able to stop beating myself up. This is a perfect example of when I should be turning to Christ. For only He can save me from myself. Only He can help me to see that I am human, I will fall, and I can accept His forgiveness.

I remember as a teen, going through some rough times, and having a very dear lady ask me one question. She asked, "Do you believe that God forgives you for your sins?" "Of course", I answered. Her next line sent me straight to my knees. She said, "Then you must feel you are greater than God, because you do not forgive yourself. If God can forgive you, then why can't you forgive yourself. Do you have more power than He?"

That was one of the most profound statements I think I had ever heard. I think of it often and I have shared it with others who struggle with this same problem.

During the Lenten season, I hope to finally accept my humanness, my sinfulness, and God's forgiveness. I pray that I can also live the Gospel love that Luke speaks about in today's message.

The intercessory prayer in Magnificat today was very helpful to me

Yours, O Lord, are compassion and forgiveness!

You came to save sinners:
-we have sinned in your sight

You reconcile us to the Father
- we stand in need of reconcilliation

You bring us to everlasting life:
- we call to you from our sinfulness.

God the Father of mercies, you sent your Son to save sinners. Grant us wisdom and courage to know our sinfulness, and humility to beg your forgiveness, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Echo, echo, echo...

Guess what Brendan discovered last night? He learned that our Church has a wonderful echo effect and what better thing to hear echoed other than his own wonderfully sweet voice? Then he followed that up with his first official "raspberries" directed of course to all of the lovely folks that didn't appreciate his echoing voice!

I guess the days of sleeping through Mass have disappeared, make room for us in the Narthex!

Am I ruining my children?

This week while we were at Kid Potential, Emma's lesson consisted of giving the definition of certain words.

The trainer brought up the word "fast"

Emma's definition... the good Catholic girl that she is... "when you don't eat but pray a lot"

The trainer looked at me, er, should I say, glared at me. Inside I was screamingly proud of Little Em, but on the outside, I just smiled and said, "it's Lent and we're Catholic."

The trainer then proceded to give the "correct" definition of fast.

An open letter

An open letter to those who seem to think they need to ask me...

"Is this your last one?!"

First of, thank you for your concern. But honestly, unless I ask for your opinion regarding my family size, or if I come to you asking for a hand-out, to baby-sit, to do anything for me or my family, then your opinion is not that important.

However, since you asked, we are open to life. Brendan is the middle child.

Sorry, just had to vent. I am appalled at how many people feel it necessary to bring to my attention how many children I have and then ask the even more rude question of "is this the last one?"

Lent with the Trapp Family

I've been reading through the book "Around the Year with the Trapp Family" and came across this lovely morsel from the wisdom of Maria Trapp...

"We all should get together and work toward the
restoration of the meaning of Lent. People now-
adays see in it just a gloomy time full of 'must
nots'. That is a great pity, because Lent is a
solemn season rich in hidden mysteries. We must
also keep in mind that Lent is only part of the
great Easter season, that it is for Easter what
Advent was for Christmas, and that Lent taken by
itself would make no more sense than Advent without
Christmas at its end. Therefore we should let Holy
Mother Church take us by the hand and lead us-not each
soul alone, but the whole family as a group - away
from the noise of the world into a forty-day retreat."

I love the notion that Mrs. Trapp sets forth. A forty-day retreat. This finally explains to me why I look forward to Lent each year and though I rejoice in the Easter celebration, I miss the time of preparation that comes before it.

Yes, we should always be mindful of where we are in our journey, but somehow, the Church, in her infinite wisdom, sees to it that we set aside time twice each year to spend intensive time preparing ourselves for our Lord. Beautiful.

Reflections for the week

I noticed a few things around here, this first week of Lent. Several have decided to sacrifice the tv watching. I know, bad homeschooler, we watch tv!! LOL It has always been one of those "things" that irritate me, but I have really never been able to get dh on board with throwing the thing out the window, so we indulge, sometimes too much.

Anyhoo, Matthew and Emma decided they wanted to give tv up for Lent. I decided that I would help them out and give tv up as well, figuring we'd play games or cards or read while dad was watching the tube.

Well, as it turns out, my wonderful dh, has made it a point to not turn the tv on while the kids are awake because it is too tempting to have a glance at it. Now Brianna and Joseph have not given it up, but they have also not turned it on too often because no one can be in the room with them when it is on!

Some wonderful side effects that I witnessed this week as a result of this sacrifice...
1. The games are out of the game cabinet and not collecting dust.

2. Matthew narrating a wonderful account of Pearl Harbor, SPONTANEOUSLY to his father after completing his history book this week. Then he downloaded a printable book from Enchanted Learning on Japan and completed it, all without my prompting!

3. Legos on every square inch of the floor as the boys have been creating space ships that I think might just fly!

4. Laundry that is folded and put away!

I love Friday nights because it is our family night and we typically get a couple of 5.00 pizzas at Randall's, some Rootbeer, and watch Star Gate and Star Gate Atlantis. We are completely hooked on these shows. But now, during Lent, we will be attending Stations of the Cross, playing games, and spending real time with one another.

Who would have thought that sacrificing would feel so good?

Matthew's Haiku

Beautiful flowers
pine oak and maples, green grass
Ahh... Beautiful spring

a day with Joseph

And what a day it has been. We are working through some real "issues". That being his very strong will and disobedience and my fatigue and discouragement after listening to Mother's Rule of Life by Kimberly Hahn. I am wondering if I am really cut out for this mothering business. Perhaps I missed my calling to the religious life? Is it too late to apply?

After several trips to his room, a firm, but loving talk, and an old fashioned spank to the hindquarters, I told Joseph he would be having to talk with his daddy tonight about his behavior. Upon hearing this he informed me that he would be calling 911. (That used to scare me when the now 18 year old used to say it, now I welcome it... please take me away! I need a break!)
After stifling my giggle, I inquired as to why he would be calling the authorities. He replied "because you are so mean!" After which he promptly picked up the calculator and proceded to dial. No one was there. Pity. I was looking forward to having my meals cooked for me and having to keep only a 8 X 12 foot room clean. I could handle that!

I love my husband

Really, I do. I just want to have him move into the garage. I mean, it's only fair, right? No, I don't really want him to move into the garage, just sleep there.

Poor thing. He has been coughing for over a week now. I asked him this weekend if he thought he should go to the doctor. What do you think he said? Well, he is man remember and men don't go to the doctor. Nope, they cough all night and keep you awake so that you'll get sick and go to the doctor. uuuggghhh...

The best part of the day is when the kids are finally asleep and we have some time together to do neat things (like the budget) together. Nothing warms my heart more that to see him falling asleep on top of his laptop while I am talking to him. You see, he took some medicine to help him sleep and stop his cough. Well, he slept alright. Straight through the coughing. Baby and I, well we enjoyed watching the sun rise together.

I love you, honey. Really I do. Maybe I'll go sleep in the garage.

Josephisms

Some of the things he has said today...

Mommy, can we scoove the table (combination of scoot and move) so that I can jiggle the balls? (he means juggle, but who is going to correct him?)

In the middle of the day, out of no where he will drop to his knees and cry out... "GOD, PLEASE HELP ME!" I have no idea why, I am afraid to know actually. Is he planning some horrible act against me and begging for help to control himself??

The kid cracks me up. Tonight he was doing some funky dance moves after I scooved the table. I wish I had a video camera... I'd win the AFV contest for sure!

more reflecting

I was able to make it to confession this weekend and it was an eye opening experience for me. As God peels back these layers which I tend to hide under, I discover more about myself that I need to work on.

I truly need a spiritual director, but finding one has been a challenge. Each person I have asked, has had to refuse for one reason or another. I would prefer a priest, and have been told that spiritual direction should be done by a priest, but this is not at all easy to find one that has the time to do this.

Therefore, I use the blessed Mother as my spiritual director, of sorts. Her model. Her ability to love and to say yes, knowing how difficult life might become, but willing to go through it because it is for God.

How willing am I to get up and face the challenges that He has but before me each day? Sometimes, most of the time, I am not very cooperative. In fact, if I was two, I'd probably be guilty of throwing a temper tantrum, internally. Sometimes, it's not so internal...

In our Mother's Rule of Life discussion group, we talked about saying yes to God. As mothers our vocation is to care for our children, our husband, our home, but doing so all the while growing in holiness. "Yes, Lord, I will wash these clothes for you. Yes, Lord, I will clean the floor for you. Yes, Lord, I will be patient with my impatient 4 year old. Yes, Lord, I will get out of bed with little to no sleep, because I love you Lord, and I love the children that you have blessed me with."

After attending confession this weekend, I became acutely aware of how very easy I fall into sin. My thoughts alone wander at an incredible pace directly towards that which is not of God. I need some serious re-training, re-directing of my mind.

Lent is a wonderful season to do this. Daily sacrifices with daily prayer practices help greatly.

Right now, there is a huge chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting calling my name, VERY LOUDLY, in my kitchen. Not that this can even compare to Christ being tempted by Satan in the desert, but I feel the temptation. It is overwhelming. But I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Get behind me Satan... I am going up to bed where I can't hear that cake calling anymore....

casting off, shots in the legs, and other ramblings

Matthew was finally able to have his cast removed! Unfortunately, his arm is not completely healed therefore, he is bound by blood to keep his splint on at all times (except to shower) for the next two weeks. He is quite bummed as he was truly hoping to be able to perform his Double Bahng Mahng Ee form at the Demo April 1. Since he won't be able to practice it, he can't do the form.
On another note, he still doesn't have his full load of chores around the house!



Baby Brendan went to his 4 month check up and the boy is slowing down on his growth. He is only 17 lbs 3 ounces. I was sure he was 19 or 20 lbs! I guess it only feels like that when you are holding him all day... mental note, let the child's feet touch the ground once in a while.

Poor baby had to endure 3 shots and is feeling quite miserable. He's taking a nap right now, but we have Tylenol going in every 4 hours to keep him comfortable. He is so sweet, even when he is not feeling himself.

I only made it to the Y once this week, thanks to allergy medication keeping me too sleepy to get out of bed. Yesterday, I woke up at 4:45 am (15 mins later than I usually do) got myself together and drove out to the Y. I was looking at the clock on the way there and thinking to myself, "5:02!!! I'm LATE!!" Then I had to laugh at the absurdity of the scene. How is it that 5:02 am is too late to get ANYWHERE??? The only time I should be thinking that it is too late is if it is my BEDTIME! I know I am hard on myself, judging everything I do, feeling like I fail most of the time, but even I have to admit that telling myself "I'm late" at that time of the day is ridiculous, not too mention annoying!!

So it's off to confession in the morning. I've got lots to tell him this week. Hope the line isn't too long... if so, they'll be waiting awhile.

I was reading the scriptures for Mass this Sunday and spent some time with 1 Peter, chapter 3. I love that chapter. It is so encouraging to Christians living in a Hostile World. In fact, that is the name of the chapter! Funny how that works. If you need any encouragement at all to do the right thing, read this chapter. It will reaffirm your very existence as a Christian.

1 Pt 3:15-16 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give and explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.

One thing I have is hope, thank you, Lord!

The journey thus far

Going to Mass Wednesday was quite the surreal experience. I sat, well stood mostly to keep the baby content, with my beautiful family and felt the solemnity of the day. Father C.Y. reminded us to fast, not just from food, but from all that keeps us from God.

As I received my ashes and was reminded that I will return to dust one day, I could not help but think of my mom. She has been on my mind quite often lately. We are approaching one year since she has passed and I find myself reliving last year over and over again. Thoughts about what I was doing this exact day last year. Did I realize how short my time with her was? Did I honor her enough? Or did I let my selfish nature get in the way? I remember feeling angry that she was in the hospital so much. That I just wanted to relax at home with the kids. That I was so sick from my newly discovered pregnancy and I was too tired to go back downtown. I did spend most every day with her the last few weeks, but what was the spirit of my heart?

Lent reminds us to turn away from sin and return to the Lord. All of the things I am "sacrificing" are actually the things that take the place of Him. Instead of praying through a moment when I become frustrated or angry, I eat chocolate. Not the best for spiritual health nor physical. More importantly, not a very good commentary on my Christian life.

I am reminded by my mother's death that our time here is so short. She is gone and though it feels like she is only a phone call away, I must accept that she is not. Her cremated remains still sit in my closet because I am unable to let her go. She has returned to dust in spite of my will for her. She, as I knew her, no longer exists. I can hold onto her ashes for all eternity, but she will never return to them. She is not there. She is basking in the glory of God. She is sitting at the feet of Jesus, healthy, happy, and healed.

The last few days have been uncomfortable. I hesitate to say painful because during this time of the year, I am reminded that Christ endured the most pain of all. He withstood pain, hunger, thirst, and most of all temptation whilst He stayed in the desert for 40 days. He felt the pain of each of our sins in the garden of Gethsamne, so much so that He sweat blood. He even asked His father to spare Him the horrible pain that He knew He was to endure, but ultimately accepted His fate because of His love for us. He willingly took the crucifixion that you and I are saved by. I can not compare my discomfort with His pain.
I am choosing to embrace my times of strife with gladness. This is called joyful suffering and I am willing to endure it for the sake of our world. For the sake of my sins, for the sake of my Lord, I will walk through the valley.

For by His stripes, I am healed. Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.

Lent Begins

Tomorrow begins the season of Lent.

I always anticipate the beginning of Lent. What will I offer up as my sacrifice? What keeps me away from God? I also try to add in something to help bring me closer to Our Lord.

This year, as usual, I will remove sweets from my diet. This will be more difficult this year as it appears I have become completely addicted to sugar products. I do, however, look forward to turning this addiction over to Christ and letting Him turn my weakness into a strength that can be used for His Will.

I am looking forward to stripping away the things that keep me from my God. Therefore, tv will also be banished from my life. The exception to this will be during Holy Week when B and MC and I will watch the Passion of Christ together. It will be B's first time to see it, and at 14.5, I think she is ready. The other exception will be the Core Secret DVD's I've ordered to try to strengthen my body after this last pregnancy.

My computer time will be drastically cut. Email will be next to nil, but I will use the internet for some of my faith reading and possibly to blog my journey this year.

I am adding some elements to my day to draw closer to Christ. First off, we will be reading the scriptures each day. Secondly, we will be praying the Angelus and the Divine Mercy each day. And we will be doing more study of the saints.

I also plan to attend Stations of the Cross each Friday at our parish, but if we are unable to, I have some homemade stations that we will place in different areas of our home and meditate on them as a family.

Some of the children are too young to truly understand what it means to give something up for 40 days (which must seem like 40 years to them), so I will be suggesting that they make a daily sacrifice, something different each day. Give up gum for a day, give up ice cream another, give up veggie tales, give up the computer game, etc. While they are giving things up, I will be trying to explain to them how Jesus gave everything up for 40 days in the desert before He gave His life up for us on Good Friday.

The most important thing for me to do this Lent is to reconcile all relationships that I can. I am struggling very much with one in particular and can not seem to figure out what I have done to cause this person pain. I did nothing intentional, but that does not matter. This dear person is hurt by something I have said or done, and I am praying that before the end of this 40 days comes, we will have had the chance to resolve whatever it is and move forward in our friendship. I ask for your prayers in this matter, whatever God's will is, that I can accept it and grow from it.

I pray that each of you has a blessed Lenten season. If you are not familiar with Lent or it's practices, I encourage you to try something small. Offer up something to God and He will bless your efforts many times over. You will be amazed at the peace you will feel by Easter morning.

My Three Sons part 2

Good Morning, Hannah!

This is the view out my kitchen window each day

End of week summary

Today, Em went to Kid Potential and had another great session. She is doing so well. It is amazing to see the transformation in her skills. She should be starting the Master the Code materials very soon. It is such a thrill to go from the board/picture books to actual beginner chapter books! She is so excited. Her handwriting has improved as has her attempts to write.

This week I caught her putting something in the trash. I saw her look at me with those sweet brown eyes and then walk away from the trash. I couldn't resist going to see what she had thrown away. It was a little "poem" of sorts. I pulled it from the trash only to be kept in my secret stash of drawings, "mommy, i love you" notes, and the like.


i can by Emma

i can
Do enetheg (anything)
if i put my
hert to it
if i tire (try)


It is so sweet to see her positive outlook on life. It also is a wonderful opportunity to get a glimpse into how she hears words and then spells them phonetically. The hearing of the words is coming along. The odd "sound" of the words is most probably caused by fluid on the ear when she was in the language development stage. At the time we unknowingly had mold in our home and she was sick quite often.
The trainers at Kid Potential are very encouraged by her rapid progress, as are we here at home.

One thing this wonderful child of God has learned... perseverance!

My Three Sons

Sometimes you just have to laugh

Thanks to Danielle Bean for posting this on her blog. I needed the laugh!

A new day dawns

As I woke to feed the baby at 4:30 this morning, I thanked God for the gentle reminder to get up and get moving.

I returned to the Y for the first time since last March. Almost a year now. That is probably the last time I spent any real time in quiet prayer as well.

I usually work out for about an hour then return home to some dark, quiet time spent with the Lord. Boy, do I miss that.

Fast forward to today. I went for the work out, headed back home for a quick shower, then spent some time snuggling the baby, nursing him back to sleep. Then I retreated downstairs to break open the Word and found this responsorial psalm today...

"Throw your cares on the Lord and He will support you."

I just love how God gives me just what I need when I need it.

My main focus right now is to keep Christ in each moment of each day as much as possible. I want to feel Him when I am praying, but I also want to feel Him when I am doing the laundry, directing the children, cleaning bathrooms, etc. If motherhood and married life is truly my vocation, then I need to make each moment a prayer to Him. I need to offer my best to Him. Always.

I will throw my cares onto the Lord and I will allow Him to provide for my needs.

time for reflecting

I have been taking the last few days to really reflect on where I am at in many areas of life. I am finding that my spiritual compass is sadly spinning out of control and pointing no where fast!

Isn't it amazing how that happens? Neglect your prayer life, neglect reading the Gospels, neglect talking with God, instead of about Him, and you wind up where I am... not a fun place, let me assure you.

I know what I need to do. Now for the "just do it" kick in the pants.

I am finding that trying to be present with Him in the small tasks of the day is quite difficult. But it must be done.

I thank God for the opportunity to be present with Him at adoration which will start very soon. I am sure that this will give me the much needed quiet time I need to make my connection with Him again. Just in time for my favorite season of the Church year... Lent.

Memories

It is becoming more and more real to me that each day that I spend with my children, I am creating memories. I have heard this "notion" for years now, but not until recently did this thought truly click for me.

I am now wondering WHAT kind of memories am I making? WHAT kind do I want to make, and HOW can I be sure that I leave the children with happy, loving memories of their childhood.

The reason this became so apparent to me is simple. My son. Matthew. Brilliant at the age of 10. Actually, he's been brilliant for years...

I was talking with a new neighbor about homeschooling. She is very curious about it and interested in trying it for her family. I attempted to share with her what a typical day is like in our home. I thought I was being very honest and upfront about what a day is REALLY like. Baby crying, phone ringing, teens with "emergencies" (got to get to the mall to get the newest mascara for an outing next weekend... RIGHT NOW!!!)
I shared with her that I rarely get everything done on my "list" and my "list" rarely even gets made anymore, only because I haven't the time to scratch one out. I shared with her that I school when I can, that life goes on within the home and that one should not try to bring school home, but always remember that our "school" is a HOME first. I told her I loved homeschooling and prayed that I would never have to send my kids to school.
That's when Matthew pops into the conversation with this... "you don't seem like you like it"...

Need I say more?

So, here I sit. Wondering why I am so frustrated with myself for the last few months, when all I really needed to do was sit with my son and ask him. Like I said, he is brilliant.

I will be spending some time this weekend deciding exactly how I am going to re-prioritize my life, my daily life, so that my son and his siblings know that beyond a shadow of a doubt, I WANT to be with them. I WANT to homeschool them. I WANT to make GREAT memories for them as well as for myself.

I will most probably need to cut things out of my life. I will definately need to lower my standards around the house. As I get back into the joy of homeschooling, these things can be added back in if needed.

Timing is everything. God's timing is perfect. I am just finishing up Mother's Rule of Life for the second time. I guess it's about time to start implementing it.

1. Prayer
2. Person
3. Partner
4. Parent
5. Provider

Starting with #1...

Happy 8th Birthday Sweet Em!

When the angels came,
They left sweet Emma behind,
To love and learn from.

new pictures

His eyes are so blue, I just had to share them!

The sympathy he'll get...

All went well at the doctor's office, although Matthew was a bit disappointed that he didn't get to pick a color for his cast. All they had was white.

I relayed my broken arm story to him and shared with him how fun the old plaster casts were! Not to mention that I had mine up to my shoulder, during the summer, while I was a swimming instructor to 4 and 5 year olds who did not like the water much... oh the memories...

He spent the rest of the day collecting signatures on his cast. One from the barber, obviously visited AFTER this picture was taken, one from Mr. M at TKD, and lots from his friends and family. He was able to teach two classes tonight, though he did not feel up to staying for his own training. Hopefully he sleeps better with a more sturdy cast on.

Casting Call

We are off this morning to have the doctor don Matthew a cast. We'll post pictures when we can.

The swelling is down, but the pain is pretty severe at times during the day. Hopefully, the more permanent cast will relieve this problem.

Emma's First Reconcilliation

I am finally getting a moment to post Emma's picture from that special day. Here she is with her candle that she made to commemorate the event.

Quizno's Bob

Quizno's Bob has nothing on our little Brendan!!

And I had to share what three of my monkeys were busy doing yesterday!!

Broken Radius

My poor son Matthew fell of off his bike yesterday and broke his left arm. The radius to be exact. He is devasted as he has been intensely training for the weapons and sparring aspect of our upcoming tournament He has been in some pain while we await the swelling to go down so that his permanent cast can be placed later this week.

I tried to console him with the fact that he is still number 1! He is the first child to break a bone in the family. Hey, 6 kids, 18 years - 3 months and only one broken bone!! That's pretty good odds in my book! Of course JP has taken the cake on glass eating and 2nd - 3rd degree burns, and let's not forget the ol' hole in the heart! But broken bones... Matthew got the first place medal on that one.

Conversations with Fish

Mom: " Thanks for going with me tonight, honey!"
Fish: "I like going places with you, mommy!"
Mom: "That makes me feel so special!"
Fish: "Does that make your heart grow?"
Mom: "Yes, sweetheart, it does..."

Prayer of Parents for their children

O Jesus, Lover of Children,

bestow Your most precious graces

on those whom You have confided to our care.

Increase in them Faith, Hope and Charity.

May Your love lead them to solid piety,

inspiring them with dread for sin, love of work, and an ardent desire of worthily approaching Your Holy Table.

Preserve in them innocence and purity of heart;

and if they should offend you,

grant them the grace of a prompt and sincere repentance.

From Your Tabernacle watch over them day and night;

protect them in all their ways.

Grant that they may acquire the knowledge

that they need to embrace the state of life

to which you have called them.

Grant us a sincere love,

constant vigilance

and generous devotedness towards them.

Grant us all consolation on earth

and eternal reward in Heaven.

Amen.

Sanctity Sunday

Today is Respect Life Sunday. The anniversary of the tragic decision of Roe v Wade. Let us please pray for all lawmakers, medical professionals, and citizens who favor this decision to have a complete conversion. That they come to realize that each life deserves to live out its full life from the moment of conception until its natural death.

Let us also pray for those who have been affected by abortion, that they feel the healing power of Christ and feel His mercy in their lives.

Let us most especially pray for the Holy Innocents who have been lost through abortion. Those sweet souls that we will only meet once we get to Heaven.

Finally, let us pray stop assisted suicides, euthanasia, the death penalty and war. All life is precious and God's timing is perfect.

Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with Thee.

Blessed are Thou amoungst women
And blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen

Help!

I have Haiku-itis! I have looked at Haiku for years, never really able to come up with much and now, I wake up with it in my head... What is going on? Am I infected with a bug? Here are a few that came to me as I awoke this morning

Breathe in, Breathe out, Peace
Snuggle close sleeping child,
Breathe in, Breathe out, Peace



Chocolate brown, wet nose,
Secrets only she can know
Behind her soft eyes.


Colors piled up
Seems like work that never ends
Caused by gifts from Him


Filled with seed it waits
God's creatures flock and eat a bit
Joseph fills it up

Just what will he be
Filled with grace from heav'n above
Prayers prayed every day

I may need to start a new blog just for this!

She Can Read!

Little Em' is reading! It brought tears to my eyes! After only two weeks of the Kid Potential Program , she is able to read fairly difficult words that she never would have been able to tackle just a few short days ago. It is truly a miracle. One of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen, aside from each child's birth.

Little Em' can read
She can do it with such ease
And mom is so pleased

My attempt at Haiku

Thanks for the inspiration, Cindy!

Think of a short verse
Matters little if it rhymes
But nice if it does

For more inspiration, check out Haiku of a Homeschooler

Just wondering...

I know that there are more important things in life, but why, oh why do things like this drive me nutso...?

Why does my tube of toothpaste have 5.6 oz? Why not just 6.0?? Are the toothpaste generals feeling generous giving me an extra .6 of an ounce or or they being stingy not wanting to hand over the extra to make a nice round 6 ounces?? My face wash has 6.7 ounces. You'd think for what I paid for the stuff, they could make it an even 7 ounces!

I have had it with stupid people today. If one more comes my way today I might go nuts. In fact, there is no "might" about it. It's a breezy day, maybe some of these folks had their brains blown right out of their ears. That's ok, if they use 1.2 ounces of gum, they can stick themselves back together...

Bad day... don't ask... Lord, make me nice again, please?

I have an owie...

Actually, I have a few of them. I drug myself onto the TKD mat last night and resumed my status as an eternal white belt. The last time I was on the floor was almost a year ago. Unfortunately, pregnancy and TKD don't mix well. Honestly, my pregnancies only mix well with sleep, eating, and throwing up.

So the hips are a bit sore today. As are the knees, the feet, and the hind quarters. Ahhh, the joys of being 40 and a new mom. But that won't stop me from being "super Mom" able to leap mounds of laundry in a few bounds, able to climb the stairs multiple times screaming, ARE YOU COMING DOWN FOR LUNCH??!!!

The scariest part of last night... seeing myself in those horrible mirrors wondering... whose butt is that exactly?? Oh, mine? YIKES!

At least the kids look good!

Why do I Homeschool?

After watching John Stossel's 20/20 report on Schools in America, I just had to post this...

Thanks to Cindy, who got it from her friend...

Our World is a Bit Off

It's funny what happens sometimes when you have a larger family. I have 6 six, 18 - 12 weeks. On numerous occasions, my older daughters have been holding one of my babies and have been asked "Is that your baby?" by wondering folks. My oldest was completely freaked out by this telling me at one point that she would never hold the baby again in public because she doesn't want people to think that SHE had the baby.

The other day my 14 year old was holding the baby and she was asked the same question. Her reaction was pretty much the same.

But today took the cake. I was at an appointment with my youngest daughter who is 7. My 10 year old son came along to help me with the baby. While I was in the treatment room with Em, an adult in the waiting room approached M asking him if he was the FATHER of the baby!! As my son relayed this to me, I thought, surely the man must have been joking with him. However he also reported to me that the receptionist had to chime in telling the man that M was in fact the BROTHER...

Weirdest thing of all, he was there with HIS 10 year old son.

I have heard it all now... At least for today.

Reconcilliation Day

Today my sweet little Em' will make her First Reconcilliation. She is so sweet and so small, how could she possibly have anything to confess? She is the most obedient child I have ever known, with the exception of M who is just as obedient. Yet, she is fretting so about what to do, what to say, what will happen.

Our school day will consist of copywork, playing a geography game, and then reviewing what to do during confession. I'll have M play the part of the priest. He went to confession last week and swears he wants to go every week now. So does B!

All of these years I have worried if I have been doing enough to pass on the faith, then I discover that God is really the one doing all of the work. I just help Him. And I don't do it very well, but I keep trying. I try by being a living example. Some days better than others, but always trying.

I remember my first confession. It was with Father Shea in Holyoke Mass at Sacred Heart Parish. I was a nervous wreck. I was sure I was going to Hell, but he made me feel so comfortable. My confession was face to face. It was 1972 or so with Vatican II changes all around. I remember sitting at a table, nervous as could be and Father Shea holding my hand as we "talked". I don't recall what I said, or what he said for that matter, but I left my 1st confession feeling wonderful and knowing God loved me.

I wonder what happened to that wonderful priest? He knew me by name! He would make a point of giving me a big hug after each Mass, whenever Mom and Dad took us... that's another story for another day.

Please keep Em' in your thoughts today as she receives her 2nd sacrament in the Church.

Is he a Dunn?

Well, you all vote and let me know... Everyone says he looks like me, I say I don't really think so... Maybe my brothers, but not so much me. He is almost 20 lbs, 12 weeks old yesterday and is not able to fit into the 3-6 month outfits that have feet attached.

New things he's doing...
He is starting giggle. It is the cutest thing ever.
He wakes up by turning his head back in forth against the sheets in rapid succession achieving a nice bald spot on the back of his head. I'll have to get a picture of that.
He loves to hear his siblings voices. He smiles whenever he hears them. Even mid-cry, he hears their voice, he smiles, and then returns to crying.

On that note, crying never goes longer than 15 seconds because one of the said siblings runs to his rescue. This child's feet will NEVER touch the ground!

Mama was speaking Tagalog to him on Sunday night and he loved it! It was so precious to watch them interact!

He still sleeps quite a bit, but I guess when you are lugging around 20 lbs, you tire quickly... LOL

Welcome 2006

As I reflect on the past year, I realize that we have come through so much. The loss of Mom, the difficulties with A, the heart problems with the pregnancy, and the welcoming of our newest son. I am sad to see 2005 pass away. I have done so much growing within, it seems this year. Trials tend to do that to us.

Typically, New Year's Eve is a night I spend in quiet, setting goals and dreams for the next year. Reflecting on the goals and dreams of the previous year. Tonight, I will spend with family and friends and cherish every moment of it. I will spend some time in reflection tomorrow, though I do have an idea of some of my goals already.

1. Spend more time reading to the children and less time worrying about housework.

2. Spend more time with the Lord in Adoration and less time talking about doing it.

3. Spend more time listening to others and less time talking.

4. Spend more time praying for others and less time telling them what I think they should do.

5. Spend more time with my husband and less time whining to him about spending time together.

6. Spend more time counting my many blessings and less time wishing for more.

What are some of your goals? Happy New Year!

What am I doing??

The house is in shambles, the fridge is bare, the checkbook needs balancing, and I don't care! (Hey, my first poem!!)

Honestly, we are expecting folks over tonight and I need to get some food for the event. But the blog calls.

I am so inspired reading other blogs. I wish I had the brain power to put mine together, but with a 10 week old in my arms 90% of the time, it is difficult to say the least.

I wanted to share what Christmas in a home with 6 kids looks like... I forgot to take a picture of the amount of garbage that we through out, but suffice it to say that my family alone is the reason our landfills are disappearing at an alarming rate!

My dear friend MJ was witness to the probably 15 bags that existed outside of the trash can which probably held 10 of its own. She'll vouch for me. She's a great friend... she didn't turn me into CPS! She even helped fold the laundry and then took us to lunch. Thanks, MJ!! I love you!

Enjoy the pictures of my home... I must be out of my mind!

Happy 1st Day of Christmas!

Today is the first day of Christmas! Don't put away the decorations just yet. Enjoy them a bit longer, say until Epiphany??

Advent is now gone and the preparation that we have all just come through now ends with great celebration. For 12 days we should be enjoying the season of Christmas! Sing those carols, give gifts, send cards, whatever makes you happy. Christmas is not over, despite what the "real" world tells us... it is just beginning

Merry Christmas to All

I am off the blog for the next few days. I plan to enjoy the holiday with my wonderful family focusing my attention and time towards them.

Have a safe and beautiful Christmas, and may God bless you many times over in the New Year!

I survived one, five more to go!

Well, I can't believe it, but I have survived the raising of one child. My sweet Alicia turns 18 today. I realize that I will always be her mom, and that I will never truly let go of the "raising" of her, but officially, legally, my role as her guardian ceases today. Is this a relief or a time of great sadness? For me, it is both.

I will never forget holding her the moment that she was born. Still purple, screaming, and drawing in her first few breaths of life. It was a cold, snowy, Hartford CT. morning. It had been a long hard labor, and I was exhausted. Mom was there waiting to see me. She was worrying about her "baby". I suppose one day, I'll do the same for Alicia.

I recall holding this precious bundle sent from Heaven above on my chest. She was swaddled ever so tightly and as she breathed in, so did I. We were in synch. It was probably the last time, (LOL) but nevertheless, we were.

These eighteen years have flown by. Some moments seemed as though they would never end, but all in all, as the saying goes, I don't know where the time has gone. I pray for her well being each and every day. I pray that she learns from each experience that she encounters. I pray I don't meddle too much or back away too far. It is such a fine balance, an art really, this parenting an adult child thing. I really don't like it much yet. I imagine it will get easier with time.

I remember thinking about becoming a parent one day. How I would teach the child many things about the world. How I would love her/him. How I would raise them to be a great and wonderful addition to society. But a funny thing happened along the way. Becoming a parent caused me to change the most. I had never considered how the core of my existence would change. I knew things would be different. No more late nights out with friends. Changing our daily routines to accomodate for naps, illnesses, school schedules, work schedules, etc. But again, I never realized how I would change.

Almost everything I thought I knew, I found out, I didn't. God is funny that way. He must look down on us, especially me, and chuckle to Himself. "Karen, when are you going to get it?? You are NOT in control!! LOL" Well, Lord, I think I am beginning to understand that now.

I believe that God has sent these 6 beautiful children to me with a purpose. These wonderful creatures have been hand selected by Him with my sanctification in mind. Each child has caused me to look deep into myself and has challenged my very being. I have become stronger, more faith-filled, and more committed to preserving LIFE as a result of raising God's gifts to me. Thank you Lord for all that you have presented me with. I take the responsibility of raising these precious souls very seriously and pray that I can return them to You as beautiful gifts for Heaven.

To Alicia, Happy Birthday, Honey. You are my world. You are the one who made me a mom. You are the reason I continue to have faith. You will set the world on fire one day and I will be so proud. I AM so proud. I Love You!

Back to homeschooling?

Baby is 8 weeks old today. We have had every intention of getting back into to "groove" of schooling, but babies tend to create different plans for you... aren't they wonderful??

Brendan is a great baby. He is happiest when someone is holding him, and honestly, we are all happiest when we are holding him. So, not much official schooling is getting done. And that is ok.

We are in a preparation phase around the house. We are preparing for Christmas. I love the season of Advent. Almost as much as I love Lent. The time for reflection and preparation of our hearts and minds to receive Christ is a wonderful opportunity to deepen our relationship with Him as well as with the others we share our lives with.

The season goes by so quickly. I never seem to be able to get all that I want to done, especially in my prayer life. Somedays the only prayer I get out is, "God help me..." Amazingly, He does.

So I must stop and ask myself from time to time, what exactly my goals are for the children as we travel the road of homeschooling together. Of course, I want them to become well-educated, well-socialized, and upstanding citizens of our society. But more importantly, I hope and pray that my husband and I will be instill in them a deep sense of faith that helps to guide them toward good decisions throughout their entire lives.

I asked my middle two children yesterday if they understood why we attend Mass? They must have thought me crazy! Of course, mother, we go to Mass because we are supposed to and it would be a sin not to! I applauded their answers and then said, "but do you really understand why God calls us to worship Him?" Their reply was precious. They both talked about how important it is to attend Mass so that they can receive God's grace through Holy Communion. The younger of the two has not made her first Holy Communion yet, but she still understands the importance of this act in our lives.

I asked if they thought they would continue to go to Mass when they were older and not under mom and dad's rules. They both said that they would. And I pray that they do. I wish I had. I wish my eldest would.

Back to my goals for my children... Heaven. Attain Heaven. I pray we will all arrive there together someday.

Did I mention...?

That our "hotel" is under renovation? Yep, that's right. Our floor looks like a run down roach motel! The room isn't bad, but the hallways getting to it are nasty! The carpets in the hall are moldy, coming up, wrinkled... just generally yucky. The mold in the hotel is pretty bad. My head is killing me because I am allergic to it all.

There is an area on the front of the hotel that looks like its been blown up. Maybe something out of Bagdad? I'll try to get a picture tomorrow. I know no one will believe me unless I can show them the pictures.

We're off to see if we can find our way to the Riverwalk. Our hotel is supposed to be on it, but turns out, it's not... What a surprise!

We made it!

Here we are in the lovely town of San Antonio. We arrived around midnight and checked in to our room.

We thought we were getting a queen size bed, wanted a king, but hey, we'll take what we can get...

The oh so cheerful front desk clerk hands us the key to our room which has two double beds... EXCUSE ME??? Did I mention that this was our first get away in FIVE years?????

About 1 am, we try to turn the tv on, but to no avail. We get static with no volume contol and it is stuck on LOUD!

About 1:20, maintenance shows up to tell us after fiddling with the tv that it is broken... uuummmmm ok.... glad we have the expert opinion on that one!

Lights out. In seperate beds. If this wasn't my life... I'd be laughing hysterically!

Baby and I slept great. Heck, we had tons of room in our own bed! I am sure Mark slept well too!

I plan to head to the Missions today and check them out while he is in his conference. It's a bit overcast today, but all in all, looks pleasant. Maybe by the time we get back, our tv will be working!

PS I say most of this tongue in cheek. I am elated to be away for a bit, just to have some time to relax...

Off for the weekend, I think

My wonderful husband and I haven't been away in well over 5 years together. You might ask why, until you meet my 5th child, Joe-fish. Then you'd understand...

This little guy is all personality mixed in with a healthy dose of "creative explorative" qualities as well as some health issues that make me a bit protective of him... need I say more? Ok, you twisted my arm.

Before his 1st birthday:

Our wonderful pediatrician discovered a hole in his heart which was miraculously healed. A miracle it was indeed! Thank you Rosa Mystica!

He then developed a seizure disorder which it appears he may have finally outgrown.

By his second birthday he had the experience of TWO ambulance rides! The first was for his first seizure, the second was for the 2nd and 3rd degree burns he received on his chest when he reached up and pulled down a cup of hot tea onto himself. After driving him to the ER on my own, the doctors decided he needed to go by ambulance to Texas Children's Hospital for a possible round of plastic surgery for the extensive burns he received on his chest. Again, another miracle. When the doctors removed his bandages the next morning, his burns were merely 1st and 2nd degree. Everyone was shocked. We again were shown the power of prayer and Our Lady's special blessing on this child. His new skin grew in quickly and for the longest time, it looked as though he had an angel on his chest.

This is the year he ate glass as well... don't ask... he was fine.

He gets into anything and everything. If you say no, it's an automatic yes in his mind. If you say he's too little, he'll prove you wrong.

Don't misunderstand me here, he is the sweetest little guy you'll ever meet. He's very smart, very caring, and very loving. But he is opinionated, strong-willed, and goal directed!

Back to my weekend away. Mark and I have been battling sickness all week ourselves. He a cold, mastitis for me. As if that does not bring enough joy to our world, we wake this morning to our sweet little fish man having a 101 degree fever... UUUGGGHHH.... This is one of those, "I'm gonna ask God about this someday" moments.

So the whole day I try to discern whether or not I should go. Mark has to go, he is attending a professional conference. Fees are paid and will not be refunded. My dilema is whether or not I should stay home and take care of him, which really just entails dolling out fever reducing medication every 4 hours and wiping his nose from time to time along with cuddling up with him when he looks so pitiful. Or should I take the chance that his uncle can handle the task, take the baby, and hit the road?

By 5 pm, we decide that Fish is ok enough for me to go... Now the real challenge... telling a woman that she has to pack for the weekend away not just for herself, but for a 6 week old baby in a record 45 mins!! An impossible task you might say, but I did it!

Pray for us to make it to SA without forgetting something very important... like the Baby!

I'll check in later!