at the foot of the cross

This past Sunday, John was asked in to work for a few hours, so the kids and I took a drive over to the Maria Stein Spiritual Center for a "nature walk." We LOVE it there. It's been almost a year since we were last there to walk the rosary path through the woods. It's good to see the constant improvements/additions. They have new benches and grottos along the paved path now, and have added a new pavilion near the pond/cross with tables for picnics. We'll definitely be planning that into our next trip. And of course our walk always ends at the foot of the cross. It's just AWESOME and inspiring. I love how the various statues and symbols, even the new plaques along the path for the rosary mysteries lead to such wonderful conversation and questions from the kids. This trip's hottest conversation had to do with the St. Michael the Archangel statue along the circle drive that leads to the parking lot. There's something very fascinating about a sword and shield toting angel conquering the serpent...little boys LOVE it!

soups on.

Today I tried something new. Something outside my comfort zone. I packed up the 5 little kiddos and attended our parish Soup & Bread luncheon. It's something the lovely ladies of the Mission Commission host each lent, and something I've wanted to attend in years past, but just figured it wouldn't be a great fit with little ones in tow.
Wow. Am I glad I went.
The guest speaker was Linda Thieman (from Mercer County ways...St. Henry to be exact) and she was speaking on her many (50+?) mission trips to Haiti. Awesome to hear her stories...I could have listened much longer.
There were several great points she mentioned, but a couple jumped right out at me...

1. "If someone asks for one, they probably need two." (this was a lesson her mother/father taught her as a young girl. Often local nuns would come to their family farm seeking a bag of grain...her parents always had two ready for them.)
What a powerful statement on giving more than is asked, or giving more than is expected. I should work harder to inspire my own children with great lessons such as this.

2. In commenting on her many trips to Haiti, she mentioned that she learned early on that her calling was not to build schools, or provide medical care, or other large projects. Rather, her calling was to "open hearts/eyes" of folks here...the many numbers of students and adults that travel with her. She brings the unfathomable reality of extreme poverty to life...and puts names to faces...that others might find a way to lend a hand as well. So often I feel like my very minimal donation to Food for the Poor or some other charity certainly can't be doing much, and yet she recognized her part in this body of Christ...and encourages others. Truly inspiring!

What a wonderful opportunity to hear her, to chat with others over a great meal...one that provided food for nourishing both body and soul this Lenten season.

As a side note...I laughed with John this evening, that aside from my kids I was probably the youngest person in attendence...then I remembered my sister-in-law and her kids were there. But in general it was largely attended by the retired members of our parish. What a shame that so many more young'ns weren't there. I know there are plenty of other stay-at-home moms and maybe even dads who would have thoroughly enjoyed this, shoot even college age kids lookin for a hot meal and some fellowship...perhaps one of St. Augie's best kept secrets. I'm doing my part to spread the good word for next year...you must come.

Oh, and if anyone knows who made that Creamy Chicken Tortellini soup, I'd LOVE the recipe.

lenten schmuck

Okay, so I'm humbled by the effort that my kids are putting forth this lenten season. It makes me feel like a real schmuck though. I didn't officially give anything up. I figure my noncommitance to anything makes it impossible to "cheat." It's win-win for me, right? Meanwhile my older kids have refrained from sweets and unhealthy snacks, Rosie's trying desperately to give up sucking her thumb (or at least not while I'm looking.) She came up with that sacrifice all on her own, and it makes me want to cry at how huge that is. Charlie hasn't stolen any beer (that I'm aware of) and some of the kids are even keeping television at a minimum...wow. Meanwhile...schmuck mama nibbles between meals, eats chocolate...caving to cravings left and right.
I am trying to be more aware though...appreciate more, pray more, say "thank you" more, argue less (the kids may not agree?) I keep thinking that despite the fact that time moves at warp speed, there's lots of time left...plenty of moments, anyway...for practice/improvement. Afterall, I don't want this transformation to last just 6 weeks. I hope to find the tools to change, to draw closer to Christ for the long haul---beyond Lent, through ordinary time and beyond.
I pray you all are chugging along nicely.

someone reassure me this is nothing to worry about...

Last evening over our dinner, the kids chatted about things they were giving up for Lent. There was a lot of mention about the usuals...no sweets, limited tv time, etc. Out of nowhere (and in all seriousness) 5 year old Charlie mentions casually that he'll "quit stealing beer from Mom and Dad" this year.

I nearly snorted my soup out my nose in laughter/disbelief, but a glance over at his Dad assured me I'd heard correctly. He was holding back tears of laughter as well.

Where does he come up with this stuff?!

Lenten Prayer

I posted this one a few years back. Think it's worthy of reflecting on again.

Fast from judging others; feast on Christ in them.
Fast from wanting
more; feast on being thankful.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from worry; feast on trust.
Fast from complaining; feast on enjoyment.
Fast from negatives; feast on postitives.
Fast from stress; feast on
prayer.
Fast from anger; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from fear; feast on truth
Fast from
discouragement; feast on hope.
Fast from gossip; feast on silence.
Fast
from fighting; feast on peace.
Amen
~Adapted from a Lenten prayer by
William Arthur Ward in Take Out, Family Faith on the Go.

To begin this Holy Season of Lent...

Ashes
We rise again from ashes,
from the good we've failed to do.
We rise again from ashes,
to create ourselves anew.

We offer You our failures,
we offer You attempts;
The gifts not fully given,
the dreams not fully dreamt.

~lyrics to a popular lenten hymm

I used to have the feeling that Lent was a time to "hole up," that is "go inside ourselves," drop off the map of all things "good" for a few weeks. Eat nothing, sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice. Mostly a negative thing when I'd stop to think about it. And while sacrifice and self mastery are a good part of what's required, this song reminds me that it's more about self-transformation. It's about rising up, shaking off the dust of what's holding us back from a loving relationship with Him. It's recognizing our failings, and attempting to break free of them. This is a time to humble ourselves, to become more Christ-like in all we do. It's a time to wake up, shake off, sacrifice, serve, and give more of ourselves to others for the sake of our Lord who loves us so much he paid for our freedom with His life.

My prayer today is for a Holy, transformative journey called Lent.

Lord let me keep my focus on you and the love that you have for me. Help me to listen, and hear what you desire from me in this life, that I may serve you well.

Peaceful, holy Lent to you all!

and a bit of ironic humor

We ran out of milk with dinner tonight, so I needed to run to the grocery one more time today. I went alone after the kids were all settling down before bed in their pj's.
While there, I ran into another mom of many who was out shopping by herself and she chuckled "Isn't it therapeutic...just 5 minutes of silence in the grocery store?"
She had no idea, I thought to myself, after today's earlier experience.
I said something silly like "Yep, better than the bathroom...nobody's knocking to get in!"

It had me wondering in the car ride home where other moms find their "5 minutes." Exercise? Prayer? Grocery shopping? A good book? I was imagining the start of something new...like mall walking...only friends meet at the grocery to pick up the essentials, walk a few laps around the store, and catch up over a cup of hot coffee. Hmmm. I might be on to something. Practical, multitasking at it's best? perhaps not. It really is the silence I crave. It's when I can actually hear myself think...better yet, hear what God's thinking.

heart still pounding

As I tucked her in tonight, kissed her soft forehead, and prayed our nightly "Angel of God" I shook again remembering our close call today. The "what-if's" can be paralyzing if we allow ourselves to dwell in them.

Praising God for his mercy and protection...that baby Anne is just fine.

Another prayer, recalled from childhood...

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray thee Lord, my soul to keep.
On waking with the morning light,
I ask thee Lord to guide me right.
Amen.

shopping with kids; and getting more than I bargained for.

I'll start by (guiltily) admitting that I don't typically take my small kids to the grocery with me if I can help it. It's one of the few "outs" that I get nowadays, and I look forward to the peaceful aisles of the store as I shop for the things we need. Here lately it's just been too cold, too snowy, too icey...whatever...to bundle everyone up anyways. Today the weather was warming (melting things nicely for the next snowy blast) so I thought it would be nice to get my errands done with the kids, and not have to go this evening. I love our local Dollar General for "short lists" cause they have a little of everything, including toys to entertain the kids while I shop.

Everyone was in good spirits, begging for EVERYTHING in sight, but not terribly disappointed when I said no to the majority of it. (cause I'm the meanest mom in the whole world, right?) Little Annie was sleeping soundly, buckled in her carseat in the top of the cart. We managed to get everything on our list (and then some) and were heading for the register, when my active helpers gave me the scare of a lifetime...

(and here's where I backtrack...about 5 years, to when Charlie was about 10 months old.)

I had him contentedly buckled in his pumpkin/carseat ready for an outing, but needed to run to the back of the yard to talk to John before we left. I set his seat on the little tykes picnic table for a moment while I walked back to the garden. His bigger sisters Grace and Mary knelt on the benches to peek in closer and "love" on their little brother. In an instant, his carseat was upside down in the grass, and he was screaming at the top of his lungs. A little scratch on the forehead, but he calmed quickly and seemed fine...mostly. The next day I took him in for a check to find he'd broken his little chubby leg. OUch. (That was one of my many nominations for Mother of the Year award.)

Before you're panicking (cause I did enough of that for all of us today), there are no broken bones here today...that I'm aware of. But boy did I get more than I bargained for at the Dollar General.
As we (myself, baby Annie dozing in her carseat, Charlie 5, Frank 4, Rose 4 and Lucy 3)headed for the checkout, I paused one last time to look at a "Clearance" sign that caught my eye. We were at the end of an aisle and Charlie (anxious to get his bubble gum to the checkout) took it upon himself to keep steering the cart onward. All the planets were aligning...as at that same moment, the other 3 jumped on the side of the cart, while the front wheels were caught on the display. The whole cart went toppling in the blink of an eye...I saw it in S L O W M O T I O N as little Anne's carseat toppled out onto the floor. turning her enire seat upside down, and nearly missing the edge of the metal display shelf. My heart was pounding in my chest...as I grabbed for her, but couldn't catch in time. Thank God the carrying handle was still up. Thank God she was still buckled in. Thank God she was okay. She was crying and startled, but not a bump or bruise in site. (and trust me, I've stripped her down a couple times already today just making sure.) She cried and instantly, Charlie was in tears too. Broke my heart, as I knelt down to show him Annie was okay, and remind him how quickly accidents happen. That mom doesn't give instructions/ask him to be careful, just for the fun of it. I was still shaking at the checkout as I held Annie (whose gummy grins and giggles helped to reassure us all that things were more than fine.)

As we drove away in the van, and I was reminding Charlie of his fall years ago, I remembered too that the same thing had happened to one of the other kids at Walmart years back. Can't remember anymore who was involved, but it was in the checkout line...baby buckled in a carseat, and wild kids climbing on the cart...pulled it over. Yep, it's coming back to me... Gosh, how many times could I have let this happen?!
Did you know they have a "Code" for things like that at Walmart. I remember being horrified when they announced a "Code something" over the loudspeaker system and paged a manager to the register. As if I didn't feel guilty enough...they were letting the whole store know about the screw-up mom on check-out 12. Ugggh.

There must be a lesson here for me somewhere...leave the kids at home? no, not possible. Perhaps just a simple reminder of the blessing of life/health, and how completely out of our hands those things are, even when we're trying our best. Perhaps a humbling reminder that as much as we think we have things under control, accidents happen. We can be grateful to God for his gift of guardian angels.
Thank you Lord for watching out for baby Anne today. Certainly the guardian angels here get no rest whatsoever!

our bedtime prayer:

Angel of God,

my guardian dear,

to whom God's love

commits me here.

Ever this day,

be at my side,

to light and guard,

to rule and guide.

(and protect us as we topple from high places.)

Amen.

Ahhh... R&R. Vacation. Good family, Good food, Good fun.

Yep, we just returned from a 4 day weekend in the beautiful Smokey Mountains of Tennessee with my parents, siblings and all our children. It was wonderful! We all shared a "little cabin" in the hills and forged many great memories for all of us. It was wonderful to disconnect from the everyday hustle-bustle and reconnect with the ones I love.

I wanted to tell you all about it as I was packing/preparing last week, but my parents didn't think it was wise that I should announce to the whole blogosphere that we were all leaving town, homes unattended for the weekend...you know, cause that's mom...and she worries about stuff.

Anyways. We're back. And laundry continues, life goes on. And the snow day today was welcome. I'm so grateful that we got a bonus day to ease back into our routine.

Lovin my crazy family!

Mom and Dad,brother Jim & Judy, and daughters Jenna & Jamie, brother Joe & Kristen & daughter Madison, and my whole gang. We were also joined by Jenna's beau Jean Francois, and Judy's mom who aren't pictured.

my little rose

as I fumbled through little sleepers and onesies for Annie the other morning, I asked Rose (who was propped up next to Anne on the bed) for her opinion.
"Hmmm. What should little Annie wear today?"
"Ummm. Hot dogs?" Rose replied.

I couldn't help but giggle.

Bet you'll never guess what Rose responds everytime I ask her what sounds good for lunch.

finding joy amidst the laundry

Annie cries out "Help! Someone throw me a sock and pull me out! Mom nearly lost me in this heap of folded jeans and jammies."

I say...they're never too young to learn about Laundry.

happy birthday mary & john!

SEVEN?!?! are you sure? ( I really asked them this morning.)

there I go, blinking again.

Thank God for the gifts of you!

You remind me to stop and smell the roses,

and of how important it is to pay attention,

and that the best things in life are not always the easiest,

and should never be taken for granted.

I love you both VERY much.

How blessed am I that you should call me Mom.

i blinked.

...and just like that, my tiny precious newborn grew into the big girl sitting here, smiling at me with those sparkly eyes and gummy grin.
I can't believe she's nearly 4 months old already!

Sweet Annie Therese

the real secret about that groundhog...revealed.

I'm beginning to understand why that groundhog decides to crawl back in his hole for 6 more weeks of winter. It has nothing to do with his shadow afterall.

Today, anxious to see the sun shining in, I peeled open all the blinds. All of them...even in the bedrooms which rarely see daylight. (We still have nappers in each of the kids' rooms, so I just leave blinds closed all day.)
Anyway, that beautiful sunlight pouring in with all it's might quickly revealed layers of dust...everywhere! Uggh. It was a tough decision to weigh out...Do I pull all the blinds and wait till spring, or do I buckle down and get to work?? I actually had to think about it for a minute, but the sun won out, and I dusted my way through the down stairs bedrooms knocking away dancing cobwebs from the corners, and layers of winter dust. It was good for the soul.

But, I'm seriously understanding why some days that groundhog decides that it's not worth the effort. She realizes too that sometimes, the dusting can wait. 6 more weeks of winter isn't an ETERNITY. And then some years the sun wins, and working through the dust is necessary to appreciate all it's beauty.

By the way? What did that ol' groundhog decide this year? I was too busy watching that catastrophic storm sweap across the country to notice.

calamity over make-up days.

I received a call from Charlie's preschool teacher last evening. I could instantly feel a lump in my throat, and my heart raced for a moment, as I could only begin to imagine what he had done.
She called to inform me of an incident that occurred during "calendar time." (oh Lord, what happened...my mind was racing.) Then her voice cracked in laughter and she assured me it was nothing wrong.
She went on to say that they were discussing the recent bad weather, and the days missed from school. They talked about how the plan to have a long President's Day weekend, was going to be changed to allow for a "Make-up" day. As she talked on to the class about make-up day for that Friday, she noticed Charlie's hand go up. His voice was one of concern and hesitation, as he spoke very seriously..."But Jackie, I'm from Minster, and I'm a boy, and I don't wear make-up." She said she and the other teacher could barely hold back laughter over his misunderstanding of "Make-up" day, and thought it even funnier that he had to clarify where he was from, as if boys from other towns might wear make-up.
She couldn't contain her laughter on the phone either.
Neither of us could.
And I couldn't resist asking Charlie about it when we hung up. I told him his teacher had called about makeup day, and asked him what color eye shadow he'd like to wear that day...in a most defeated look, he shrugged "Blue I guess. That's a boy color."
Poor boy.
He couldn't figure out why his dad and I were nearly in tears with laughter.

Yes, I did finally reassure him there was no make-over/beauty school, only a day to take the place of the one missed...he's still not certain about it all.

out of the mouths of babes

"It's Grandma's birthday today!" I tell the kids after breakfast.
"How old do you think she is?" (a totally loaded question for a group of preschoolers, I know.)
Charlie: "300!"
Frank: "I don't know? Ten?!"
Lucy: (holds up 10 fingers and giggles)
Rose from the other room, hollars: "70!" (ouch.)

I would never be so rude to say for sure, but Rose minus Lucy...you do the math.

I remember Dad helping us to order black tipped carnations when she turned 30. (I was 8 then.) She seemed so OLD back then, and now...she's more like the sister I never had. Funny how our own age changes our perspective. 30 was nothin!

Happy Birthday mom!

You're another year younger.

Love you.

rockin the sweatpants.

I know I mentioned my "rut" last week. I do appreciate all your helpful words of encouragement. I know many of you have been there/done that (maybe even bought the tee shirt.) It helps to know we're not alone in this crazy world of dinosaur chicken nuggets. (We wouldn't actually buy those if we didn't have kids, would we?!)
Anyway, I wanted to follow up (for those of you who were ready to have me committed for more serious "help")...I'm doing better each day. I started the next day, by convincing grandma to babysit for an hour so I could get my haircut. Wow! Is that therapeutic?! Turns out I haven't worn a bobby-pin in a whole week! (Why did I ever think that could be considered a hairdo? If you're currently wearing one, and you're under 70...and it's not holding your tightly coifed bun in place...take it out! It's not a style. It's a cry for help.) Unless of course your a teenager, in which case all style rules are out the window.
Even greater therapy than the hairdo though, was buying a new bra. OMG! The elastic in my very old worn-out nursing bras was probably past it's expiration 6 kids ago. I can't tell you the psychological value of having your "girls" up where they belong. I'm just saying. I was singing out loud when my new bra arrived in the mail. Who new nursing breasts could look "perky" again. Not I. It makes me want to sing..."Love lifts us up where we belong!" or something.
Oh, and I should definitely mention the whole "gratitude" thing. It really is the most basic form of prayer, don't ya think. If we can recognize all the good things God has provided, it makes us want for less, content with all we've received. My life is VERY good. Our God is VERY good. My morning offering reminds me to live in the moment, and make each one count...for love of Him. Being "present" for all the little moments the day has to offer, makes me happy...not a fleeting, worldly happy, but a profound joy in knowing I am a child of God...and I've got work to do...for me, for the kids, for hubby, for HIM. Life is good.
I Feel good.
(BTW~ I'm still in sweatpants. Got work to do there. But I'm rockin' em now. Even splashin on a little eye make-up some days...keeps the kids guessing where we might be going. I want them to know they're the most important "job" I've ever had, and I think our day is worth looking "pretty" for. Even if it's just a little pink strawberry lip gloss borrowed from my 4 year old.)

God Bless ya girls!

who am i kidding?!

We're gettin' a little nutty around here...Emma fancying herself to be a mime...Frankie jumping on beds. Another school day cancelled already for tomorrow. Someone send help...or chocolate?! Come sip coffee with me, and tell me everyone's gonna be alright...

hollering from the hill tops...

WE (we, we...) LOVE (love, love...) SNOW DAYS!!! (days, days...)

We are enjoying day 2 of our "crippling, catastrophic, storm of the century" as described by the weather channel. Fortunately in our area, none of those descriptions fit. We did get plenty of sleet, a little snow, and wind to stir it all up a bit. Just enough to keep us at home and out of school. Oh, and are we enjoying our busy "lazy" days.

Yesterday the kids kept busy most of the morning playing school (of all things.) The older ones set up stations in various rooms, herding the younger kids from "classroom" to "classroom" for such activities as media (library time) with stories read aloud and other books laid out for kids to check out later; gym class with exercise balls and obstacle courses in the basement; social studies; language arts; music (with recorders and harmonicas for all); even art class in the kitchen where the kids created drawings of our town...all taped together now and hanging along one long wall in the basement for display. Very cool. We wrapped up school by lunch time and later enjoyed playing in the snow. Of course we had a new puzzle to put together...500 pieces, on a card table in the tv room where we'd all take our turns sitting and fitting a few pieces throughout the day. We had it completed by bedtime last night. Wooohooo!

Today we baked a cake to celebrate another day at home. And more snow play...this time with forts and neighbors helping out. Chocolate milk warming in a pan on the stove becconed the kids back in...with marshmallows of course.

Yep...we're loving life here these days. Enjoying the "lazy" days and grateful the weather wasn't all it was predicted to be. No power outages (although, my washer/dryer hasn't run in 24 hours...cause mom's takin' a snow day too!), no downed trees or power lines here. We're safe and snug...happy for the change of pace the weather brings.

high-five.

Thanks for letting me vent a little girls. I appreciate all your positive comments and advice. I hear the first step in recovery is admitting the problem. I woke this morning feeling like a weight was lifted already. I dressed before breakfast (a rarity...and yes, still sweatpants), got my bathroom cleaned right after the kids were out the door, and even recruited the young ones to help with some vacuuming and dusting. (So it wasn't perfect...but it felt good to be on my game before 9am.) I shared a little mommy and babe time with Annie while the others played. And today, when my mom stopped by for coffee and chat, I asked her to watch the kids for an hour while I snuck out for a haircut and some groceries. We didn't really need much from the store, but I picked up a few of John's favorite things. He's been going straight from work to bus driver recertification classes this week and getting home late, and I wanted to do something nice for him too. The icy trees were gorgeous outside, by the way...something I probably hadn't noticed if I'd stayed holed-up all day.
It's true, when mama's happy...we're all happy. God is good.

Today an egg exploded in our microwave....blew the door clean open. There were egg bits EV-ERY-WHERE!!! God must have noticed the rut I was in, and decided to shake things up a bit here. Don't get me wrong, I'm still wearing sweatpants, and a bobby pin to hold back my much-in-need-of-a-trim hairdo. But we've got something egg-citing to talk about here this evening.

Did I mention I'm in a rut?! Physically, emotionally, spirtually...I'm a mess. I know it's the post-partum thing, combined with the fact that my entire closet of clothes (besides 2 pairs of sweatpants) are for a woman that weighed 35# less than the one posting here now. Uggh. Oh, and nursing little Anne is going wonderfully. It really is. That means, I go nowhere...except to the grocery store and doctor appointments for the kids...oh and church on Sunday. But I get very little out of Mass these days with baby wanting to nurse and 3 other little ones wanting to poke at her and fight over her the entire mass...while I'm trying to nurse. Ugg.
I'm not complaining though...it's all good...and when I get too far into the funk, a good shower and leg-shaving does me good. Oh, and I offer it up. Small sacrifices in the grand scheme of things. And I know soon that spring will come around. Stroller wheels will be turning, and the breeze blowing through my hopefully-trimmed-by-then-hairdo will feel like heaven on earth. For now though, I'm grateful for egg-splosions in the microwave to keep me on my toes; wonder at the endless possibilities of another crazy day in the life.

(yes, I know...11 healthy beautiful children...wonderful hubby...warm house...food on the table (well, except for the eggs)...get over it Jamie. I'm just sayin. I'm in a rut.)

100% recycled material.

The oldest girls and I had a nice chat the other night about my recent visit to St. Sebastian, my prayers for Emma's healing, and all the events surrounding my visit there. It was nice to be able to share with them how God wants to have a relationship with us, and how He is there for us always. He comforts us when we need it most, and showers us with blessings.
As we chatted, it reminded me of another story I'd written/shared long before this blog ever came to be, and involved my oldest daughter Alice. It was my first attempt at writing anything since college days. A little lengthy, but hope you enjoy it.

My Angel Story (written December, 2002)
I’ve read several books about angels lately. You know the kind...people giving personal accounts of their experience with the heavenly hosts. ( Easy reading to help pass time working the night shift.) Over and over the books tell me that all of us have probably experienced the presence of angels, however may have not allowed ourselves to notice or accept their true identity. I wondered about this. I racked my brain and still could not come up with any past experience in which I’d mistaken one of these Divine beings. Although, while pregnant with the twins I was sure that the Schwann’s man, delivering that chocolate chip cookie dough I so loved, was in fact a messenger from God! But no, I had no solid evidence. Anyhow, I made a mental note to try to be more open to the idea that I too, could one day be graced by their presence.
After reading the passages in these books, I began to think more and more about my angel and how he or she would appear to me. Would I wake up from a deep sleep to be greeted by some glowing, winged beauty? Maybe while I was driving along the road to work one night, I’d pass some stranger standing in the side ditch who would wink at me and I would just know this was a signal that my angel’s there watching over me. I started looking for an angel peering over my shoulder, or standing in the corner of the living room as all 3 kids were screaming “Elmo!”, “Pee!”, “Bah, Bah!” The cries come out in unison. No angel. Apparently they too have a sense of humor.
Anyhow, I’ve recently discovered that angels don’t always appear to us as something witnessed in a beautiful Michelangelo painting. Sometimes God sends us a messenger of hope in the form of someone we already know, who happens to be in the right place at the right time, comforting us with answers we desperately needed to hear, making it all to easy to believe that it must have just been coincidence. I don’t think this was. This is my angel story.
I think the fear that a mom experiences when her child is sick or hurting is one unlike any I’ve ever known before. It intertwines the same selfish fears we have for ourselves, with worry for the health and safety of this miracle you’ve given birth to. It can be difficult to maintain the strength it requires to keep the household running smoothly without letting everyone and everything become affected by what’s going on. I mean if mom “loses it,” how can anyone else be expected to keep it all together.
This was my situation when just weeks before Christmas 2001, we found that our nearly 2 year old daughter was spotting blood in her diapers. This was something she’d gone through earlier in the year, and something we thought had been resolved, when in August she had surgery to remove a cervical polyp. The final report then had been “benign.” Doctors had told us that this was a “fluke” thing that would not recur and gave us no reason to worry any further, until now. Suddenly holiday planning was put on the back burner, so we could go through all the same tests and more, to determine what was causing the bleeding this time.
The same surgery was planned to determine if there was in fact another polyp, and to remove it if necessary. Our doctor’s office staff made all the necessary arrangements, but unfortunately scheduled it for the wrong hospital. While her previous surgery had been done at Kettering, we thought from our heart, that she would receive much better care at Children’s, where they were more in tune to kids. (While at Kettering for the first surgery, the nurses seemed quite unprepared to deal with a baby. They admitted to us that they were expecting an 18 year old instead of an 18 month old. They had trouble getting her vital signs with the equipment available to them, and even fudged a few numbers to get there reports completed prior to surgery.) It wasn’t a problem to schedule it at Children’s, we were told, as our doctor did procedures at both facilities. On Wednesday before Alice’s surgery, I called the office to see how the rescheduling process was going. I was shocked and very disappointed when I was told by the nurse that, without reason, the surgery had to be done at Kettering. The doctor insisted it be done there. I hung up the phone.
Angry, confused, disappointed, baffled really, I didn’t know what to do next. Did I trust this doctor enough to keep our appointment at Kettering? We’d only dealt with him a few times, and had no personal referrals to him. He was, after all, a urologist and we weren’t even sure if this was the best place to be for this kind of problem. (Originally doctors suspected Alice’s bleeding was kidney-related, which led us to this man.) All the worst scenarios of what could go wrong kept spinning through my head. All the self-doubt and fear that we weren’t doing the best thing for our daughter just tore me apart. So while the kids were napping and John was at work, I finally lost it. I sobbed and prayed for what turned out to be an hour or better. All I could do was ask God to let me know we were doing the best we could. Should I insist on Children’s Hospital? Should I look for a new doctor who understood my concerns? Should we be seeing a different kind of specialist all together? Is there such a thing as a gynecologist for children? I kept thinking that sometimes we only get one chance to make the right decisions, and I didn’t want to look back on this years from now and say we should have done things differently. I didn’t want something to go terribly wrong and feel like we could have prevented it.
I can’t say I had any revelation as to the right answer. I never became completely comfortable with our decision to stick it out as scheduled at Kettering. Nevertheless, we kept our appointment and hoped it was the right thing to do. Looking back, I realize that when you give things up to God, he always comes through.
Alice went through her surgery as expected. (Kicking and screaming the whole way!) The nurses tell me that she was awake from the anesthesia before she even arrived in the recovery room. I’m not sure how they expected her to act when she woke up, but she was immediately hollering for her “Momma” and “Daddy” and would settle for no less. They allowed me in to hold her and try to calm her wild screams as she slowly became oriented. While rocking her, I was surprised to see a very familiar face coming our way. Dr. Lisa (Bohman) Egbert had heard Alice’s screaming and thought she might be able to help. She too seemed quite surprised to see us. We chatted a little about what brought us in, and she apologized that she had to meet with a family about one of her patients.
Back in the outpatient surgery department, and finally out of the recovery room, we were pleasantly surprised again to see Lisa, this time with our doctor, when he came to discuss the outcome of Alice’s procedure. Lisa had sought out Alice’s doctor, consulted with him about the case and his findings in her surgery, and confirmed his opinion about what he had found. After our doctor left, she stayed a few more minutes and gave even more insight into Alice’s condition, reassuring us that things would be ok. How lucky, I thought to have a second opinion in the case.
It wasn’t until our ride home that I realized it was much more than luck that brought Lisa to us. As we drove home that evening in the dark and rain, it hit me like a brick what a miracle had just taken place. This was the angel I’d been waiting for. Although Lisa might disagree, I have no doubt in my mind that she was there in that recovery room, at that exact time, by the sheer grace of God. She was there to answer every prayer that I’d asked of Him on Wednesday. How else could it be explained that we would run into a doctor friend, someone we trusted, an OB/GYN no less, at a hospital we weren’t supposed to be at. And that she would, unbeknownst to us, seek out our doctor, consult with him, and provide such comfort to us with her words. The diagnosis would have been the same whether she had been there or not, but it was the reassurance she provided that is what God knew I needed. Many would say it was good luck to see Lisa there. I might have thought that not so long ago too, but I know in my heart that God’s ways are not so mysterious, if we allow ourselves to be open to them. Some might call it coincidence, I don’t think so. I think this is my angel story. Thank you Lisa for following your heart to that baby’s cry.

how do you spell success?

(4th place Emma, 3rd place Alice, Champion and 2nd place spellers)
My two oldest girls did their momma proud tonight when they competed in the Minster Middle School spelling bee...and fared quite well. Competing against the top spellers in 4th through 8th grade, they finished 2nd and 3rd runners up. Alice will be moving on the the County Bee in Wapak later this month with the other two winners, while Emma stands ready as an alternate. Alice joked she'll plan to sleep with one eye open for the next couple weeks ;)

What an exciting evening to see not only one but two sisters wind up on top!

Way to go Alice and Emma!!!

imagine that

Yesterday I watched two little boys (Charlie and Frank) entertain themselves for nearly an hour with nothing more than a broken plastic slinky and their imaginations. I was in awe of how they went from one story/character/circumstance to another, and when it broke into more pieces, they had more ways to use it. I can't wait to see what they come up with for entertainment today...the world is at their fingertips.

humbled by her invitation...

Monday was shaping up to be "one of those days." There was a scheduled trip to Celina in the morning for Anne's immunizations, and an unanticipated appointment in Dayton mid-afternoon for Emma's orthopaedic consult. Throw in lunch for the kids at home, a baby who still wants to nurse every 2 hours, a stop to gas up the van, and a few e-mails/phone calls to keep John and grandparents in the loop, and my head was starting to spin.
As I was returning home from Celina with my sweet Anne sleeping soundly in her carseat, I was reminded of a recent dream I'd had about a sweet parish in sleepy St. Sebastian, OH. A tiny church in the middle of farm country. Population... a dozen or so? I had thought about visiting that church several times since, but really never had the time or energy to swing by...mostly the time. Today for some reason, I couldn't resist the urge. I argued in my mind that today was NOT a good day...too much to do, too little time. And yet, for some reason before I could resist, my van was pulling into the church parking lot. I gave myself 10 minutes. Just 10 minutes wouldn't throw me too far off schedule. It was as if I could feel the Blessed Mother calling me in.
As I entered the quiet church (one I've never visited before, by the way...except in a dream...weird, I know) I was surprised to find the Monstrance on the alter, Christ present for Adoration. In our area, with clustering of parishes, and so many small beautiful churches often closed for lack of priests...I couldn't believe it. There was one other woman there, praying quietly and she welcomed me with a smile as Anne and I entered. I sat quietly in prayer for those 10 minutes, humbled that Mother Mary should think to invite me in to spend time with her son. Who am I?
And yet in those 1o minutes with thoughts of the recent gospel readings still fresh in my mind, I realized that we are all invited in, aren't we? Through the waters of Baptism we are each personally invited to a closer relationship with Him. Yet, somehow in our crazy busy lives, we tend to put that relationship on the back burner. At least I find that I do. I had called mom to tell her about Emma's appt, texted my Dad, e-mailed John at work, called school to let them know I'd be taking her out early. Did I ever stop to ask Jesus to be with her? I'm not so certain I did, aside from prayer before mass on Sunday. I feel so blessed, and grateful for the gift of our Mother in heaven, who took a moment to pull me aside, invite me in, to help me remember the relationships that are most important...the One who wants to share in our daily burdens...her Son. I am most grateful for the time, even just 10 minutes of time spent solely with Him. It was beautiful and encouraging and uplifting. A blessing. I bet you got your invitation too...have you RSVP'd?

parents, don't let your kids try this at home!

Snow fell in our area today, leaving a nice white coating on everything...just enough to have the kids begging to go outside and play. (Of course you can!)
We spent what felt like an eternity getting them all bundled into snowclothes and out the back door, only to have one of them trekking back in just moments later.
Turns out Emma, too anxious to wait for the local snowhill, attempted snowboarding down the slide of our swingset in the backyard. Reports indicate it was a beautiful ride until she got to the bottom and failed to anticipate the drop off, at which point she crash landed onto the frozen ground. Yep, she stuck the landing alright.
Four hours in the Urgent Care, confirmed she indeed broke her wrist. They splinted it for her, and we'll follow up with an orthopoedic surgeon early in the week.

She's tolerating the pain tremendously well. Worst hurt seems to come from the disappointment in having to give up her Y basketball for the season...first game and team picture are tomorrow morning. Big bummer.

How many times do I have to repeat..." measure twice, cut once." (or maybe, "look before you leap."...or was it "A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush?") Not sure, but I think there was a painful lesson learned. (poor girl.)

Happy Birthday Grace!

Grace n. gift from God

(yep we think that definition fits just right.)

Happy 8th Birthday little angel!!

Christmas in the bigs

Had to chuckle at Grace (age 7) this Christmas.
Older sister Emma unwrapped a new gym/duffle bag from her Godmother. Without hesitation Grace blurted out, "Awesome! I call dibs on your old red one!"
It's win/win for everyone in a big family Christmas.

Annie-mation

Hello world!

(meet our little Annie...2 months old already!)

backtracking...

A merry Christmas morning...my still sleepy-eyed, jammie-wearing bunch. It's hard to get a picture with everyone looking anymore as someone's always keeping an eye on Anne. This time it was Lucy's turn to watch. (and poor John up front is just wondering "when can we stop saying 'Cheese' and start opening presents!)

Hope you all are having a blessed Christmas season!

I spent this entire morning on the phone. Yuck. I despise trying to make phone calls during daylight hours...and then to have a whole list of phone calls...ugh! I had seven or so calls to make and the kids at home were in rare form for sure. With the older ones back at school today, it was a new sort of free-for-all as the little ones regained their top-of-the-totem pole status. They tested all the rules again...from trying to swipe snacks before I even had the breakfast table cleared, to jumping on older siblings beds, climbing to new heights (atop the fridge) for access to dad's flashlight, and on and on. Of course Lucy is 3 now, and has to have at least a minor meltdown or two while I'm telephoning away. That's par for the course right? The nurse at the health department where I called to schedule Anne's 2 month immunizations surely scheduled us for his day off! And the secretary at church where I called to line things up for Annie's baptism beleived me when I said we really needed to get this scheduled (it sounded like all the kids were posessed as she kindly took my information...and probably sprinkled holy water on her phone when we were done.) Oh the lady at the hospital who needed some updated insurance information was very gracious when I firmly commanded "I can't peel an orange right now!" followed by a "Get down from there right now!" and "Oh my Lord, what did you do?!" (She probably suspects I have Turrets, and most definitely should not be in charge of a daycare.) I remind myself that the noise at my ankles is a good thing...it's the silence that I have to be most worried about!
I made it through my list though..and felt quite pleased with all I managed to accomplish despite the tugs at my legs for attention. I'm reminded often to enjoy these times, cause all too soon these little buggers will grow up and move away, and I'll be left wondering where the time went. Perhaps I'll give them a call, and hear the sounds of my screaming grandchildren and barking parents and smile remembering when...

I must admit, I've been very bad...

Even the man in red said so. Can you believe he left me nothing more than this Lump of Coal (and the griddle I purchased and wrapped for myself)?! And trust me...this Lump was aweful, just aweful. Blechk!!

I'd like to blame my absence from the blog on new baby, Christmas chaos, holiday overwhelm...but truth is I just haven't felt up to blogging. Period. So bad of me, I know. For lack of a better advent plan though, the silence for me has been nice. With several of our children born near Christmas and just after, I've enjoyed a special connection with the Blessed Mother over christmas' past, and found myself "preparing" right along with her. This year was a bit different though. Instead of preparing, I felt more in tuned to her "quiet years" in Nazareth. Those hidden, interior, ordinary times in her life when her days were spent keeping house, preparing her son, and building her marriage.

Many days over the last couple months I've felt as though I'd failed somehow in my spiritual life...making less time for prayer (aside from the frequent "Dear Lord help me!"), and getting from one day to the next without actually appreciating the ordinary. (shoot somedays it was an accomplishment just to get a shower!) Yet I'm reminded when I think of Our Blessed Mother, and her "ordinary" days here on earth, how she shows us that wherever we're at in life is exactly where God intends us to be. I'm certain I've shared before, a line (paraphrased) from one of my favorite books (The Imitation of Mary), that "Our current state is not a barrier to holiness, rather it is our pathway to holiness."

Certainly these past weeks of silence have helped me to realize what blessings I've been given, and allowed me time to appreciate my current wonderfully ordinary days, as I try to see one moment at a time as an opportunity to grow in holiness.

Thank you all for your prayers and patience as I attempt to share the good news of His works here on earth through the blessings of our beautiful, crazy, ordinary, chaotic days of raising 11 children.

Yes, I do commit to trying to post more frequently here. I've missed connecting with you all, and appreciate knowing that you've not given up on me totally.

Peace to all in this new year! ~jamie

Annie speaks out...

It's obvious by the look on her face, that she's got something serious to discuss here.

She bent my ear last night (in her throaty little gurgles and deep sighs) about a very meaty topic, Nature vs. Nurture with regards to the love/hate relationship brothers and sisters share. Are siblings born to argue...or is it something that develops over time...She's sure it's nurture. Or lack of.

You see she liked her brothers to begin with...

those big loving boys in all their sweetness...

Until they pulled a bonehead stunt like this...


"C'mon guys, seriously...static balloons. Give me a break." ~Anne.

still here...

My mind is swimming with great little stories to share...all the way back to little Anne's arrival (3 weeks ago!!!) Unfortunately the best of intentions along with a buck might get me a cup of coffee, and that's about it.
I find myself celebrating small successes these days...like showering, eating dinner before 7, wearing clothes with zippers & buttons again rather than stretch knit, and of course sleeping. Sleep is a good thing. Fortunately Anne likes her sleep at night too...I won't tell you how much, lest I jinx it. But as much as I'd like to stay up a few minutes later each night and share with you some little snippet of our day...I still choose to fall into bed just behind her, readying for the next early morning feeding.
I've been snapping away with the camera though in preparation for a few spare minutes to tell you things like Anne's first visit to the laundry room (never too young to help sort whites and colors, right?!) or our recent trip to the automatic carwash (simple entertainment, I know.) or even tell you how exciting and panic-inducing it is to see the older kids growing up before my very eyes as they take on more chores, venture out into the world of jobs that pay...like babysitting, and dog-walking on the weekends. Oh my. So many changes to embrace and celebrate.

Random side note: (cause my postpartum mind is still struggling to organize thoughts and make sense of a lot of things.)
Just thinking back to mass this past Sunday, and singing one of my favorite hymns..."We Are Called." The refrain gives us such inspiration...for us parents wanting to raise our children up in Christ...simple advice we can all learn from and share with our kids:
"We are called to act with justice.
We are called to love tenderly.
We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God."

It's a sunshine day...

...everybody's smilin'. ~the Brady kids.

How gorgeous is this unseasonably warm weather?!

We managed to get out for a walk to the park this morning, and even strolled on over to the Middle School after lunch to visit the older sibs at recess. They've been begging for me to bring Anne in for show-n-tell, but thought the teachers might appreciate an outdoor-playground meeting instead. Charlie, Frank, Rose and Lucy LOVED the attention from the older kids who pushed them on swings or included them in a kickball game...it was great fun for everyone.

Thank you Lord, for this Indian Summer we're having. Wish it could stay just a tiny bit longer...like say, till December 18th or so...just in time for a white Chritmas?!

you say tomato, I say tom"ah"to.

If there's one thing I've learned through the course of writing this blog (and should have anticipated with my last post), it's that when it comes to child-raising, we all have our opinions. Fair enough. I never claimed to be an expert. In fact, something else I've learned over the years is that every child is unique (thank you GOd!), and just when we think we know what to expect, one comes along to break/change all the rules. I bite my tongue and cringe a bit when someone asks for advice, cause truth is...we do what works best for our children, our family, ourselves at any given time. And that changes.
Annie's little pink toes had very little to do with her, and everything to do with a "girls day" together. While the boys busied themselves playing Legos, the older girls and I enjoyed an afternoon of hot rollers and hairdo's, finger nail polish, and other girly things that I'd just not had the energy for in some time. We all had our turns snuggling and bonding with new baby sister, and it just seemed natural to include her in our fun for the afternoon. She wasn't aware of the pinpoint size dabs of color on her nails as she slept, and she certainly can't reach her toes to her mouth yet, so there are no safety concerns.
I'll admit, I would have never considered painting any of the other girls' nails at this age, but then thats the beauty of big family/older siblings in the house...we just roll with the changes and find new ways to include everyone in our special moments.

We thank God here for the gift of Little Anne, as she brings out the best or at least "better" in each of us. All of the kids are responding to her with great love, and the gifts they have to share in building up our family unit have just been amplified. Perhaps the newness will wear at some point, but for now no one seems to mind giving more of themselves as we welcome her in. She is certain proof that love is truly multiplied, not divided!

our seventh daughter

I don't talk numbers often, so it's easy for me not to really think about having eleven kids...I just don't get caught up in the count. I couldn't help but smile though as I heard John mention several times over the last week how blessed he felt (and perhaps overwhelmed to think about) having "seven daughters." It was sweet, and humbling the way he mentioned it.
I smiled though, and thought to myself "Wow that's a lot of girls " when I caught this picture of him with his girls one of our first evenings home with little Anne...

On the topic of many girls...this was bound to happen sooner or later, right? Big sisters were home from school today, so they gave little Anne a "spa" treatment. Bath, lotion, and pedicure.

Anne's prayer

She's inspiring us already...letting her little Christ-light shine. I'm in LOVE with this little miracle God has blessed us with, and this is just one of a million reasons why:

Monday was our first morning "back in the routine" of daily living. John was up and off to work by 6am, alarms were ringing at 7am for me to get my hiney in gear, and get the kids off to school. I was really nervous about how this was going to work out, and yet I knew I didn't have to go anywhere...just had to see that they dressed, ate breakfast and were out the door on time. Anne was up at 6am to nurse, so we finished just before the alarms rang...it was perfect timing. The kids were anxious to get back to school and talk about life with their new baby sister, saving me from my usual Monday morning prodding/nagging. It was all good.
As they finished their breakfast, earlier than usual the kids joined us in the family room to sit and relax...and gaze again at baby Anne who was barely awake on my lap. Her distant gaze and heavy eyelids signaled a little cat-nap was near. She lay there so sweetly across my legs, hands folded as if in prayer, beckoning the others to stand near and just soak her in. Little Charlie commented "Look Mom! Annie's praying." I smiled, and whispered back "Yep, I think she is, and she would love it if you would join her." Without hesitation, several of the younger ones made the sign of the cross, and began their morning offering. (Kleenex anyone?? I could have used on at this point.) The exact moment they finished, her hands relaxed to her sides, heavy eyelids finally caved shut, and she grinned one of those larger-than-life toothless grins...talking to the angels indeed!
Thank you sweet Anne for inspiring us all to a closer relationship with our Lord...and thank you Lord for the perfect miracle of our sweet little Annie!

yes...SHE'S here.

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our newest little miracle...

Anne Therese

born Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

at 11:16 am

8# 1 oz., 19 in. long

Thank you for all the prayers and well-wishes. There are so many things to share with you, from the circumstances surrounding her birthday (the tornado sirens ringing as she was delivered), and cute reactions from the other kids. But as you can imagine...spare time is difficult to come by in these early days. And, all I really want to do is just soak it all in as I hold her and gaze at her (and try to keep Lucy from lovingly poking her perfect little eyes out.) I'll try my best to keep the posts coming.

What a miracle we've been blessed with. God's handiwork is just amazing to witness. As you can see...she's another perfect 10!

“From the fullness of grace we have received one blessing after another” - John 1:16

oh, almost forgot...

It's become a tradition of sorts to dress the kids in matching tee shirts when they come to visit at the hospital. They've ranged from the traditional "big brother," "big sister" shirts done with puff paint to clever cartoon stick characters as our family grew. One year (when Frank and Rose brought our numbers to 9 little tikes...enough to field our own baseball team) we had our own team insignia designed on baseball tees. It gets difficult to come up with something clever, and maybe once or twice I've failed to do any, but this year we had fun with the seasonal Halloween/Trick-or-treat theme to welcome our "Newest Little Pumpkin." The kids had fun helping to choose their cartoon character/costume. The clan will be wearing them tomorrow, with plans to visit mom and baby at the hospital in the evening. Oh, I can't wait to introduce them all!!
...and of course the little pumpkin needed something to wear too.

Polls are still open...

Laundry's caught up (for today), floors mopped, bathrooms cleaned, family room vaccumed and dusted again, kitchen is tidied, lists for grandma jotted, groceries stocked, trick-or-treat costumes assembled (from previous years pickin's, thank goodness), bag nearly packed...and polls have officially opened. The kids tallied their votes for whether new sibling is a boy or girl, and how big baby will be. (Frank was cute when asked how big the baby would be...rather than a number, he first raised both hands in the air and spread them about "yeah-far" apart. Funny.)

I've had babies of all sizes here...first and smallest twins were 4 weeks early and weighed in the 5# range, singles ranged 8# 9oz to 10# 2oz. And my largest twins were a combined 15# of baby. Wow. Thank goodness they were 3 weeks early!!

The name game continues and the most recently suggested include Luke Skywalker or Aniken Skywalker, Clyde, Robin Hood, Angus Radiohead, Jack, Phineus, and Frank's constant favorite "Mr. Goldenbutt." As with each child that's come our way, we checked the church calendar for Saint's feast days for the week, and can't say I'm feeling super inspired by anything there. We'll just have to wait a fuzz longer to see this new little person, and pin the perfect little name on him or her.

I'll try to post one last time in the morning...that traditional sleepy-eyed, caffeine-deprived, chubby belly picture taken before leaving the house...all for posterity sake. I'll try.

Oh, and most definitely thank you for all the prayers and well-wishes. I can't wait to share the news with all of you!!

simple saturday

I slept in past 8:30 this morning. (sigh.) It will be the last time I do that for a long time, I know. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. John was up early and off to work. And the kids took turns climbing in next to me...first Frank and Charlie, until they heard Sam flip on Saturday cartoons. Next Rose and Lucy...until their big sisters were up. Two by two they came and went, snuggling, giggling as my alien-like belly would kick and roll against them. We'd chat a bit about the new baby (just 3 more days!) and point to the empty bassinet ready at my bedside. Oh, it was a blessed Saturday morning.
Even our cleaning schedule this morning was lighter than usual...toys had been picked up already in the basement, so just some vacuuming and dusting...and some bathrooms to wipe down. I may have given up on the whole "nesting" thing, but I have managed to keep up with the day-to-day stuff, making today even more enjoyable...and lazy.
Now the kids are busying themselves with a few new packs of play-doh, while others lounge in front of a movie and wander back and forth. It's not supposed to rain today, but the sky is just gray enough to keep them in and together. It's nice. John will be home for lunch and we can plan something (or nothing) for the rest of the day. A perfect weekend to have nothing going on.
I can't express enough how truly excited I am (we all are) for the arrival of this new little miracle. I know I've forgotten how exhausting the first months will be (it's a special grace that we should "forget," I'm certain) and yet I'm so looking forward to it. The snuggling, cuddling, nursing, the attention that only momma can give to a newborn...forcing life to just "happen" around us as our attention is focused on this new little life depending on us. It certainly changes us, changes our perspective of what really matters...what we really "need" in this life. It's a good thing...a gift.
I'm so grateful for this laid back, simple Saturday as we wait.
peace~


~Matthew 18:2-5
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,"

To Idaho, With Love.

Dear Mr. Idaho Potato Farmer,

I can't tell you enough how grateful I am for all that you do to ensure that folks over here in my parts have a wonderful crop of potatoes to purchase and cook with. As I dumped 5# of your delicious produce into my sink, the smell of dirt overcame me, and I felt connected to the very hands that planted, grew and cultivated this wonderful staple crop. As I scrubbed, and peeled and cubed...I thanked God for you and your place in this world.

Cheers to you, dirty potatoes, and the Ham and Bean Soup they are to enhance.

God Bless,

Jamie

And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. ~Genesis 1:11

gratitude, and my recent lack of it

It dawned on me this morning, as I drove to my weekly ob/gyn appointment, what an ungrateful schmuck I've been here lately. The Holy Spirit was fair in pointing that out. Silent car rides graced by God's gorgeous fall scenery are the perfect time for prayer/reflection...don'tcha think?. And today...I was remembering 11 years ago. I was 7 or so months along in my first pregnancy...and grateful for every moment (good and bad...and trust me there was plenty of bad in those early months) because it meant just that...I was pregnant. After years of prayer and petitioning (and whining and moping) God had entrusted us with the miracle of new life. Every bout of nausea, every ache and pain, every sleepless night was a beautiful reminder of the lives growing inside me. And I couldn't have been more ecstatic and excited! I remembered going into the hospital for routine outpatient IV treatments on the OB unit (suffering from horrific Hyperemesis), and sobbing with joy as one of the nurses treated us to an ultrasound of the little babies growing inside...the first time we could see hands and feet and all that we had been hoping for...God is good!!
And now, as we count down the days till we can hold our newest little one...our 11th here with us...I grump and whine about the discomfort of it all. How ungrateful, Jamie. Truth is, I do find myself taking moments for granted. Forgetting at times how truly magnificent a gift we've been given yet again. I am humbled by God's goodness, despite my inadequacies. I feel privelaged to participate once more in the miracle of creation, and am thankful for the Holy Spirit's hand in reminding me again. Just 6 more days to go (or less.)
I announced at dinner this evening, there will be no more nonsense nesting, no more urges to do more or accomplish more than necessary. Rather mom and baby are going to be "resting up," focusing on the miracle, centering in the here and now, and just appreciating these moments before the arrival. Life is about to change again for all of us here, and I'll be glad to enjoy the simple times of more one on one play with the little ones at home...reading books, playing playdoh, snuggling with them for a movie. Lucy's only my "baby" a few more days, I want to soak that in as well. Scrubbing floors and stripping beds...I'm over that...at least until Monday...the day before "D" day when I do a major laundry marathon to get everyone caught up for a few days while I'm gone. That's only reasonable.

Peace to you and yours this week...

jamie

this nesting is for the birds...

It's completely psychological, I'm certain. I know for a fact that I would much rather be laying on the couch, resting. Afterall, I spend the entire night anxiously counting contractions until I finally do fall asleep, only to be awakened every couple hours to pee (or get report from someone else who has.) Geesh. What part of me should want to be scrubbing floors, showers, toilets, moving furniture to vaccum under, and stripping bed sheets to launder all day?! And yet...that's exactly what I'm doing. Each day finds me feeling the need to accomplish some major housekeeping undertaking...just to fulfill that psychological urge to feather the nest. Oh, and the baking and cooking! I've frozen soups, and sandwiches, and cookies. I've made casseroles, and baked brownies like there's no tomorrow.
I can only pray, not only for a safe delivery, but for a soon delivery. This nesting is wearing me out. Can't wait to just relax with the little bird-to-be, and watch the dust settle around me again.

Did I mention I'm soooooo... anxious to meet this new little him/her wiggling around in my belly?!?!? Soon, Little Bird, soon.

Prayer for Safe Delivery

Just 9 more days to go!! (My very sweet doc agreed to induce labor on October 26th...seeing as how I typically carry babies that want to stay snug much longer than necessary...and seeing as how we grow 'em big here...oh, and planning for a babysitter for the kids at home, rather than calling someone at 3am is a good thing!)

I thought today would be a perfect time to begin a novena for the safe delivery of this new little one. As I searched for one online, I was reminded of St. Gerard and found several prayers for his intercession. (We prayed to him often as we stormed heaven with prayers in those early years...struggling with infertility and desiring to start a family.)

Thought I'd share this prayer, for those of you who may also be expecting (or know someone who is) or if you'd like to join me in prayer as we count down the days.


A Prayer to St. Gerard for Safe Delivery
O great Saint Gerard, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator of your meek and humble Savior, and devoted child of Mother of God, enkindle within my heart one spark of that heavenly fire of charity which glowed in your heart and made you an angel of love.

O glorious Saint Gerard, because when falsely accused of crime, you did bear, like your Divine Master, without murmur or complaint, the calumnies of wicked men, you have been raised up by God as the patron and protector of expectant mothers. Preserve me from danger and from the excessive pains accompanying childbirth, and shield the child which I now carry, that it may see the light of day and receive the purifying and life-giving waters of baptism through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.




...and a little history of the saint, who's feast day just happened to be yesterday.

Patron Of:
Expectant Mothers, Falsely Accused, Mothers, Unborn


Profile:
Son of a tailor who died when the boy was 12, leaving the family in poverty. Gerard tried to join the Capuchins, but his health prevented it He was accepted as a Redemptorist lay brother serving his congregation as sacristan, gardener, porter, infirmarian, and tailor. Wonder worker.

When falsely accused by a pregnant woman of being the father of her child, he retreated to silence; she later recanted and cleared him, and thus began his association as patron of all aspects of pregnancy. Reputed to bilocate and read consciences. His last will consisted of the following small note on the door of his cell: "Here the will of God is done, as God wills, and as long as God wills."

home brew

I've been cookin' up my own "homemade" laundry and dishwasher detergent for a couple months now. I wanted to give it a good try before posting about it, so I could tell you how it's working out.

As for the laundry soap (a dry powder), I love it. I thought for certain I'd be missing that "spring fresh" scent that I usually get from my store-bought Tide or Era. And, I was also a little hesitant about switching from liquid to a powder...especially with the HE machine we have. But it's working out great...with one minor glitch I'm still working on...and that's dull-looking whites. The soap recipe I use (and I'm going to say it's the Fels Naptha bar soap) leaves a simple "clean" scent that I'm in love with. There's not been any residue in my washer, nor any musty smell to the laundry since switching (some of you with HE machines might know where I'm coming from when I mention that.) But still, not completely satisfied with the whites. Does anyone else out there use homemade detergent? or have any advice on an adjustment to my recipe, or add-in for washing whites to make them brighter? I always add bleach when washing whites (and eliminate the Vinegar rinse cycle on those loads now)...that part hasn't changed. Would love some tips here...

I discovered this recipe from Em over at Modern Cottage where there are plenty of comments/Q&A's to get your mind racing...


Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder

1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated (with a cheese grater...kids love this job!)
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda
¼ cup OxyClean (optional)

Mix all (may appear clumpy). Use 1 Tbsp for light load, 2 Tbsp heavily soiled or large load

For those in this area, all of the ingredients are available here at our local IGA, and quite inexpensive. I also found everything but the Fels Naptha at our nearby Walmart. It seems that local "hometown" grocers are more like to carry them, or if you ask...order the ingredients for you.

In liew of fabric softener:
I use simply 1/4 cup white vinegar. (though not in the white load when I'm using bleach.)

No, it doesn't leave a vinegar smell, but if you're worried, you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for a different scent. I haven't felt the need to bother. The vinegar softens, helps to rinse residual soap, and even sets in colors to prevent fading. It's a good thing. I haven't missed my Downy one bit!

In the dishwasher, I used some of these same ingredients already purchased to mix up this recipe:

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
½ cup Borax
½ cup Washing Soda
¼ cup Kosher Salt
¼ cup Citric Acid, food grade
Mix/shake well. Use 1 level Tbsp per wash cycle.

plain White vinegar in the rinse cycle (instead of jet dry)

The course kosher salt helps to knock off the stuck on foods, and the citric acid is apparently to help prevent the residue left behind on glasses. Warning...once you mix this stuff...the citric acid causes major clumping. I made a double batch right away that turned into one solid chunk in the jar...had to chisel it out, breaking the jar, and causing much-o frustration. But once I chiseled it apart, it hasn't reclumped since. Weird. Now I keep it in plasticware. Again, I'm loving the results. We don't have fine glass or china...so I can't speak for how that turns out, but we do get baked on foods, and some nasty gunk on our plastic dishes which cleans up beautifully!!
(I found the citric acid in the canning section of our local IGA...make sure it's food grade, this was for canning tomatoes.)

My initial reasons for trying this was financial...I thought I could save a few cents for all the laundry/dishes we seem to do around here. And, I'm sure I'm saving a few cents. In hindsight though, I love that I'm doing something "cleaner" (and by that I mean...less harsh chemicals) for my family. It's easy to mix up with ingredients I plan to keep on hand, and I'm amazed at how much I like it. There are a million other uses for the Washing Soda, and Borax and Fels Naptha too...of which I'm sure I'll be tinkering around with since it's here and available. I'll let you know what I come up with.

ketchup

Finally finding the time (and energy) to "ketchup" here on the blog. Sorry...I couldn't resist.

I've recouped from a wonderfully exausting, full weekend of Friday night football, Saturday shopping with friends, and a family gathering to celebrate my Godson's sixth birthday on Sunday. By Monday, I could barely move from the couch. But man, was it worth it!

One of our oldest (and least likely to ever choose to become a cheerleader), Emma was chosen in a raffle at school to cheer for a few minutes at Friday night's football game. Needless to say, there were some rather jealous cheerleader-wannabe/girly-girls in this house...but they were supportive, none-the-less. For me, it meant finally feeling guilt-free about getting a babysitter and attending the football game with my good lookin' husband. It was beautiful weather, and I was thrilled to sit next to him in the stands, and while I'm not much for paying attention to what's going on the field...I cheered when he did, chatted with him and other friends sitting nearby, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. And I never once complained (or even dwelled on the fact) that it was really uncomfortable sitting in the bleachers for that long...fortunately my butt was numb by the 3rd quarter...and there was leg room in front of me, to try to give my belly-full-of-baby more room to stretch out.

On Saturday afternoon, I joined a few friends for a day out of shopping, dining, and laugh till our bellies hurt fun. My goal was to get a jump start on Christmas shopping, since it's quite possible I won't be up for the traditional day after Thanksgiving shopping marathon. I didn't get much of a start...but boy did I have fun trying.
I have to note a few highly annoying habits that seemed so much funnier in the company of other "been there-done that" moms...

1. punch bugs. (it makes me nuts when the kids are constantly calling these out and slugging from the back seat.) For some reason it was okay with friends though...and only a couple of us came home with bruised arms.
2. Tweeters and PT Cruisers. More van-shenanigans. Do you know how many yellow vehicles are on the road these days?? or PT cruisers for that matter? My kids can spot them from a mile away, and feel the need to "call" everyone! Will the insanity ever stop?! We had fun with it Saturday though.
3. The last squirt of ketchup. My kids think the fart-noise it makes is hilarious. I usually don't see the humor...but out to dinner with other moms, we nearly laughed till we peed in our pants.
4. Waiters that ask the same question repeatedly. For some reason it wasn't as annoying in the company of friends who were due for a good laugh as much as I was.

The gang even suprised me by paying for my dinner, and presented me with a gift card to shop for some fun new baby things. How sweet was that?! I am so blessed.

Sunday had us going to mass together as a family again. For the most part, that's getting a little smoother each week...although someone is usually "traveling" in the pew. John and I sit at opposite ends, and the younger one's like to go back and forth. I had to laugh when Frank walked out of church and cracked a giant smile as he realized and shared with me..."Mom, I did good today! I didn't even hate anything!" I chuckled outloud at that one. I mentioned in the past that he had a phase of "hating" everyone and everything, and while he's left that phase for the most part, it still sneaks in during his grumpier moments...and mass is often one of those times.

After church, we had a quick brunch, and then headed off to New Albany to celebrate my Godson's sixth birthday. It was a beautiful day for playing outdoors. My sister-in-law had lots of fun games lined up for the kids, tons of good food, and as always...they were great company. We got home late for a school night. By Monday, I was pretty much useless...except for a few spurts of energy that had me catching up on laundry again, and grocery shopping. Oh, and I did manage to bake up a few place-and-bake cookies since the oven was on for lunch anyways. Lots of rest in between though...which was a good thing.

Today. I must be nesting. After dropping Charlie off at preschool, it was shopping for a few household essentials, cleaning the kitchen, scrubbing the bathroom and shower (which did bring on a few nice contractions, but nothing to write home about yet) and vacuuming the living room (including inside the couches...eww.)

The kids are due home from school anytime now, so I best get moving.

A blessed week to you all!!

Iced Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin's a vegetable (speaking in culinary terms).

That's my story, and I'm stickin to it!

I found several pumpkin recipes online yesterday that I'm anxious to try...I'm so glad I went with this one first. I found it over at Cookie Madness. It was a wonderful dessert for supper last evening, and even better this morning with a cup o' Joe!



Iced Pumpkin Muffins

2 cups all-purpose or white whole wheat flour ( 9 oz)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice**
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 heaping cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips

Icing:
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup powdered sugar (approximately)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons of milk or as needed

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 12 muffin tins with flour-added cooking spray or line with paper liners.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, brown sugar, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and chips. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined.

Divide batter among the 12 muffin cups. Bake until a wooden pick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes, then remove from muffin tins and let cool completely.

Mix the melted butter and powdered sugar together, coating the sugar with butter as best you can – mixture will be thick and lumpy. Stir in the vanilla. Add 1 tablespoon of milk and stir well. Continue adding milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you get an icing that’s thin enough to drizzle but not so thin it will spread out when drizzled. Drizzle the icing over the cooled muffins. I sprinkled extra chips on top.

Notes: I made a couple substitutions right off the bat to suit what I had on hand...I used light brown sugar instead of dark. I made my own buttermilk (1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar and enough milk to make one cup) cause it's something I don't keep on hand. I used salted butter, and regular size choco chips. I doubled the recipe right away, which made 2 dozen regular size muffins. They actually baked closer to 30 minutes.
These were moist, rose beautifully, and mmmm. mmmm delicious!! Enjoy. I think these would make a beautiful loaf of bread as well...perfect for a gift.