St. Monica, pray for us.

This mama knew a thing or two about dealing with a rebelious child...and how prayer is the key to conversion.  I'm guessing her son (St. Augie) gave her a gray hair or two, being the "free spirit" that he was...right up until his conversion on her deathbed.

Prayer for the Return of a Loved One to the Church.
Lord Jesus, I know that you give everyone the grace to seek and to find you in their lives; so I want to pray for someone who is very dear to me, someone who was in the church but who has turned away.
Grant your grace to this person, Lord that he (she) may come back to full union with you in the church. Grant him (her) the eyes of faith to see that only in your true church the fullness of life can be found.
Let my life and the lives of all the faithful be so truly Christian that they may be a sign and an invitation to reconversion for this person and for all who may have fallen away. I ask this, Lord in you name and through the intercession of Mary Immacualte, Mother of the Church. Amen.

coffee chat

All the kids are still in bed this morning, save two.  Emma, whom I just delivered to catch the bus for her first Jr. High Cross Country meet and Anne, who's moving furniture as I type.  I'll be brief.

I just wanted to try to spill out quickly how proud I am of Emma and her efforts/hard work these last months.  She's literally run the souls off of a pair of running shoes since June.  All this training...distance running, sprints, core exercises, and stuff I don't even know... boiling down to a two mile race on a foreign course against girls who want to win it just as much as the next one.  She was frustrated to wake up with a runny nose/sore throat...variables she couldn't have factored into her training regimine.  Life does that, doesn't it.  We can do all the right things, but in the end most of it's out of our control so we just do our best.

Her team "locker buddy" left her a note of inspiration yesterday...typical for their age group..."Go get 'em!  You can do it" stuff.  But at the end of her note she added,  "When you start your race......GIVE IT ALL TO GOD!"   How cool is that.  You can run all the miles in the world, eat all the right foods, hydrate all you want...but it is God who gives us strength and truly nourishes.  All glory to Him, our living bread.

With friends/teammates like that, I think she's already won.

Let us run with endurance the race that is set out before us   Hebrews  12:1

Go get 'em Emma!!

(she doesn't actually run till closer to noon, so we'll be loading up the fan club and heading out to cheer her on later this morning.  This is new to us as well, our first of many more meets to come.  I don't think we'll paint our faces for the first one...maybe lay low and feel the vibe.)

Here's your sign.

Our pile of junk mail today included an offer from Highlights magazine...a sales pitch for kids magazines/fun pages that attmepts to real us in with free stickers!

While I will not be subscribing (as usual.) I will be graciously accepting this token gift of stickers as a SIGN FROM GOD...a direct order if you will, that today is a day to chill out. While Anne is napping away, Lucy and I will snuggle, color, stick stickers, read a book or two...and just hang out.

Operation: Clean & Organize This Crazy House is on hold.   It's been replaced by Mission:  Stop And Smell The Roses.  For now, junk drawers and clutter, dustbunny lairs, hard water stains in the shower, and lost Lego dudes looking for Barbie shoes in foreign places can wait.
We've got more important things to take care of.

Thank you Lord, for your subtle reminder of what is most important.

2 more out

Frank and Rose heading out for their first afternoon of kindergarden.

The nest is growing quieter, seeming larger/emptier by the minute. Oh my.

after the tears...

...reality sets in.

 1st day of school!!!

Little Rosie caught me celebrating...hee, hee.

(never mind my pale belly flab peeking out...I think I've earned it.)

Sent 7 of my babies out the door this morning for their first day of school.  Two more will be joining them later for afternoon kindergarden. 

9 kids in school.

Lucy will start preschool next month...just a few afternoons a week. 

That will leave Anne and me. 

(sigh.)

I cried as I read this post on facebook...not sure how far it's already traveled, or who originally posted it.  I had to share.

"Here we are again, Lord. Their backpacks are loaded and their faces are scrubbed and their lunch accounts are full. And I know you'll walk with them, Lord. You always do. But a mom still has to ask. Will You walk with them? Will You whisper to them what they need to hear, when I'm not there to whisper it? Will You please, oh please, cover their school with the protection only You can give, and will You keep harm far away? Will You make their minds strong and ready to learn? Will You help them understand that hard work honors the One who created them? Will You guide their teachers, giving them patience and wisdom and creativity and even more patience? Will You bless them for their efforts? Will You love all those children there, the ones whose lunch accounts aren't full, the ones who feel alone? Will You teach my children to be kind and unselfish and to love those who are different from them? Will You point them back toward home just as soon as you can? Lord, I give them to You today and everyday, trusting them to Your care. Amen."
 

Crying again as I repost it.
Blessings to you and your families as we roll with the changes another school year brings.

Alice & Emma- 7th grade, Sam- 6th grade, Grace- 4th grade, Mary & John- 3rd grade, Charlie- 1st grade.

 

eggs and JAM

(far from silent.)

I'm gonna miss mornings like this when school starts...breakfasts that last much longer than they should. 

Music.  Magic.  Memories to last.

 It started with Alice, rehearsing for her upcoming "Chatterbox" performance...she's working on "moving" and working the stage.  She had instant groupies!

 Little Anne did the mic check...too bad mom's terrible with the camera.

Even the boys joined in with percussion...crayola markers for make-shift drumsticks, Mary working her tambourine, Rose and Lucy joining in on strings...and Emma helping to keep the younger ones content by fixing broken strings/setting up "drum sets" etc. 

My coffee cup runneth over...(sigh.) 

Thank you Lord, for the start of another beautiful day.