This is almost eerie. This article was actually written and published a few months ago. It could have been written yesterday or today.

We continue to pray and turn our thoughts towards all those who are suffering.


mum2twelve@yahoo.com Read more!

May God be with the people of the Gulf Shores!

My 19 yr old son personally has friends in New Orleans. He has heard nothing from them since Sunday night. As well, he has a friend in college up North whose parents live in New Orleans and he has not heard from his parents since Katrina struck. The last he heard was they were unable to escape due to huge gridlock that occured when people realized Katrina had become the much feared cat five. Understandably, this young man is feeling somewhat desperate for news.

How many others are in this heart wrenching situation - worrying about their loved ones and unable to contact them? Our family has been praying for all of these poor people. For those trapped within the chaos and disaster along the coast. For those who escaped, but now have no home to return to. And finally for those who wait, with hearts in their throats, to learn what has happened to their family members and friends who were unable to evacuate.

May God Bless them, and may His saving grace pour down on them all! Read more!

The verdict is in...

And... it is red hair. Yup, we have finally all concured that Elsa's hair is red, or well maybe strawberry blond, or possibly auburn. At any rate it has a definite red tinge to it - don't you think so?

mum2twelve@yahoo.com Read more!

Let us pray for those in the path of hurricane Katrina

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae.

Amen.

Read more!

The Blessed Eucharist is the perfect Sacrament of the Lord's Passion, since It contains Christ Himself and his Passion.
Saint Thomas Aquinas Read more!

No news yet re the AMBER alert...

Thank you, everyone, for praying. For now there is no additonal news - the amber alert is still active. It is very, very sad! We are so praying for a positive outcome, but as everyone knows - typically the more hours a child is missing, the less likely that there will be a happy ending. But one thinks of Elizabeth Smart and hopes!

Please continue to pray for this little girl. I intend to write to various members of government regarding the sentencing of sex offenders. In our small zip code there are SIXTEEN registered offenders alone. Many of them REPEAT offenders. It is sometimes a very scary world out there. We have reminded our children of the need for safety and caution as we live a very short distance from the highway. As well, we are just a jump, skip and a throw from one of the local gas stations where a lot of young men hang out washing their cars and it seems, sometimes imbibing in illegal activites.

It is a delicate line to balance on - keeping them alert to possible dangers without terrifying them. I fear that I err on the terriying side of things. It has been a terrible summer, whether there are really more abductions or just the media playing it up more - I don't know. I suspect the latter. Still - better safe than sorry is the old adage and I really prefer that my children be more safe.

My fourteen old has suggested that we add the safety, in this regard, to our prayer book that we read our intentions out of before praying the family Rosary. Out of the mouths of babes! Read more!

An Amber Alert here in NC!!!

Above is picture of a 2005 Hyundia Sonata.

I REALIZE MANY OF YOU ARE NOT FROM NC BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THE ABDUCTOR & VICTIM ARE ALREADY IN A NEGHBORING STATE... and I am trying to inform as many people as possible!!!

Formal Alert reads as follows:

"The Rocky Mount Police Department is searching for Jodie Renee Collie. She is a 12 year old white female, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 114 pounds. She has blonde hair and green eyes.The abductor, Phillip Daniel Denkler - a registered sex offender, is a 27 year old whilte male with straight, short, black hair and brown eyes.
They were last seen in a beige 2005 Hyundia Sonata, NC License Plate NMN-2630.
Call 911 if you have information on this abduction."

This little girl is from Rocky Mount NC. Please pray for her safe return!!! Please also share this info with anyone you might know that is, or will be, traveling and can watch for this vehicle.

God Bless
mum2twelve, including a 12 yr old daughter - so this really hits home! Read more!

Hermosa!

Babies are absolutely adorable. Yes, I think we can also all agree that babies are cute, sweet, beautiful and absolutely delicious to behold. Yet somehow we can't get away with being bald, chubby and toothless. How is that? Read more!

Be careful of the words you use!

You never know how seriously they will be taken...
Mummy; “I am dying for a book to read!”
Nathaniel (5) in a shocked tone; “You’re DYING, Mummy?”
Mummy; “Oh No, Tanny – I’m not dying, don’t worry!”
Nathaniel; (Sounding somewhere between questioning and making a statement) “Oh – you were dust doking?
Mummy; "Yes Tanny - I was just joking!" Read more!

A Little Favour to Ask...

Mum2twelve needs some help, a little input if you would. As you know Emma Louise Kathleen is pottie training and has been making progress. She loves to show me on a regular basis - her accomplishments. Whether I am on the phone, eating, or nursing the baby at any moment, I might have the pottie waved under my nose. Yes- right under my nose!

But while there is progress, I have run into a problem that I have never experienced in the toilet training of my previous ten children. As long as Emma is bare bttomed she will remember to use the pottie, but let us dress her in panties and she wets them and only then runs to the pottie to "finish".

Having had so much illness in the house along with just the normal 'heckness' of running a business out of the home - I must admit that I have not been a 100 % concentrated on her training. Still, my experience has been that once the child has gotten the idea of what the pottie is for - we could start using undies with few accidents. Right now, a pair of undies equals 100 % accidents.

My question is; "Has anyone else experienced this with their child and if so - how long did it take before the child could start to wear the undies with a "normal" amount of accidents?" Normal meaning possibly one accident a day, with them spacing out slowly until they are non-existant. And the time frame being a month or two. I am just flabergasted by the 100 % predictability of undies equals puddles! But bare bottom equals 100 % use of the pottie.

Here is the favour I am asking - would people having experience with this, or a having suggestion, leave a comment or send an email to mum2twelve@yahoo.com. I would so appreciate it.

Emma will be three in a month, and while I know every child is different, this is VERY different from my vast and varied experience! Still, I am sure others have experienced this. I probably should just be surprised it took to # eleven to have this problem.

Many thanks in advance!
Blessings from
a somewhat frustrated and puddle mired mum2twelve Read more!

Your Welcome...

Recently my daughter Anna was serving ice cream cones and Emma, who is two and a half, called out; "Tank ooh Daddy", as he was the one who had gone out to buy the ice cream.

She looked around the room and seeing that her father was not there - she called back to herself; "Your Welcome Emma!" in a deep voice. Satisfied that she had been acknowledged, she bit into her cone and wandered out of the kitchen, leaving Anna in a fit of giggles. Read more!

"Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you, for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart. "
Saint Therese of Lisieux Read more!

Oh yum....

Recently, while I was enjoying a well deserved respite with a cup of tea and a snack - Emma very proudly showed me the results of her newly learned ability! Emm yum! Read more!

The Power of a Mother's Prayers...

A few weeks ago my two oldest sons announced that they were going to go camping. Not the “cushy” camping that we, as a family, are accustomed to, in a campground with camp sites, bathroom and shower facilities and water spigots spread through out the campground. No, this was going to be “real” camping.

In preparation for this long weekend adventure, they went shopping and came home with roman noodles, some chicken, milk, rice, juice, cereal and all the ingredients needed to make s’mores on the nightly campfires they were eagerly anticipating. I approved their purchases while noting the lack of vegetables, but they were only camping for three days – they would survive.

All Thursday was spent packing the back packs, and checking, and rechecking their gear. They hauled all their groceries, back packs and the like out to the trunk of Jonathan’s old jalopy. They threw the sleeping bags and other assorted camping gear into the back of the car and finally, eager to be off, they called out good bye to the rest of us watching from the back porch.

After watching all of this prep through out the day I suddenly realized something very important.

“Wait!” I called; “Exactly WHERE are you camping?”

“The Linville Gorge.“

“The what? Are there are camping sites there?”

They stared at me like I had two heads.

“No.”

“Oh - so what are you going to do?”

“Camp, hike – eat – have fun. We gotta go now, Madre – we’ll be late. We agree to meet Don at three, and we still need to get Mike.”

“Ah, okay. You have cell phones – right? Don will have a cell phone – right?”

“Sure!” they called, as they waved good bye in the dust stirred up by their spinning tires. The last I saw was their grinning faces as they drove off carefree, happy and young.

A cold piece of ice gripped my heart as I thought about just how young they really were and that this was their first camping trip without their 21 yr old sister to keep them grounded. Heck, this was Miguel’s first camping trip, period, sans parents.

They’ll be fine – I assured myself. We can call them on Don’s cell phone.

Of course, Don’s cell phone was out of range and not reachable when later that evening I realized I had forgotten to lecture – er, remind them to be careful about diving into unknown waters.

“Oh Mary – please pray for these boys who believe themselves immortal, and with boundless luck. Please safeguard them if they go swimming – don’t let them drown or break their necks diving into too shallow waters. “ This was followed by several Hail Maries.

Friday dawned, and still Don’s cell phone was unreachable. Suddenly I experienced this horrible lurch in my stomach – what if they were to get lost in the Gorge. What if they had left the trails they were planning on following? How would we know? When would we know they were lost? Not till well after Sunday when they were to return at some indiscriminate time in the afternoon.

“Oh Mary – please watch over my sons, as well as Don and Michael – don’t let them get lost please. Help them stay safe.” I followed this with more countless Hail Maries all afternoon and throughout the night, neglecting to mention my fears to Hugo, thinking he would just chide my foolishness.

‘Of course they are fine – it’s just a short camping trip, just a few hours away. Relax. They’ll be back Sunday.’ I could hear my husband’s quiet, calm voice in my head and I tried to listen to those imagined words of advice, but continued with my Hail Maries regardless.

Saturday morning dawned and with my sons hopelessly lost in my imagination, another horror hit me – what if one were to step on a rattle snake while traipsing about lost and bewildered through the Gorge??? More fervent Hail Maries were uttered under my breath as I went through the day – cleaning, tidying, reading emails, answering children’s questions and planning Sunday and generally just trying to whittle the day away.

We prayed our evening Rosary. With the children settled down for the evening, I sat down before the computer, prepared to distract myself some more when a slight movement in the corner of my eye caused me to look to my right – just in time to see Jonathan, exhausted and rumpled, sink into the arm chair beside me. His bare arms were badly scratched; his face was sun burnt and very, very tired.

I glanced behind me expecting to see his younger, though taller, brother behind me. He wasn’t. My heart leapt to my throat! This was not Sunday – why was Jonathan home so early, and without his brother? Why did he look so disdraught?

I gaped at Jonathan, and startled him out of his reverie as I yelled at him; “WHERE IS MIGUEL?”

“I don’t know…”, he replied as he rubbed his hand over his eyes.

“YOU DON’T KNOW?????” I could barely breath.

“No – he’s around somewhere, maybe still in the car. I don’t know.”

A huge sigh of relief issued from my lips. Now I could relax and pepper him with questions.

“Why are you home so early?"
"Did you have fun?"
"Where is Don?"
"Is Michael still with you?”

Again, my son wearily rubbed his hand over his forehead.

“Don is home I guess, Mike’s in the garage and we got lost.”

“Lost? You mean as you were driving home or when you drove up?”

“No – in the Gorge. We got there late Friday night, and that's when we found out that Don had neglected to inform us that we were hiking in – everything had to fit in the back packs. So we set up camp for the night, packed up in the morning, leaving the chicken and milk behind and hiked into the Gorge. Within about an hour we were hopelessly lost. I almost drowned crossing the falls, but luckily one of the guys was holding onto my back pack and kept me from going over. They hauled me out of the water, and we decided to cross further down. Then Don almost stepped on a 5 foot rattle snake. Man – it WAS HUGE! We scrambled through underbrush for hours and hours – look at my arms. You should see my legs, they are worse! Oh, and some bug bit me on my back – hurt like the dickens. Can you check it later Madre? So, when we finally stumbled out back onto a trail we told Don we had had enough and high tailed it back to the car and came home. And THAT’S why we are home today instead of tomorrow. If you don’t mind – I think I’ll take a shower and go to bed."

I will never doubt the strength of a Mother’s prayers and especially those of our Mother Mary. Thank You Mary – for hearing my prayers and praying with me so that my boys and their two friends came home safe and sound!


Read more!

Is It FAIR??

Sometimes I question God's sense of fairness. Sometimes - like now for instance as I watch Nathaniel who, just yesterday was still lanquishing about on the couch recovering from the virus that had caused a fever to spike as high as 105 (41.2c), is now able to tear about today as if he had never been ill. Not a care in the world, nor any responsibilites beyond being cute and helping his sister rip the living room apart whilst building great railroads for the world to admire...

But I, the heart of the family, am still just limping along. Barely a fever, but aching joints and sore throat still plague me slowing me down to a crawl!

Where does all of that energy come from - or perhaps the better question is - where did it all go? I am tempted to tell Nathaniel to slow down and try to conserve some of that excess energy for the future - for when he is 40 something and feeling - somewhat tired. Yet, I know if anyone had told me that when I was five, I would have stared at them as though they had three heads and eight eyes. In fact I would have still stared at them like that when I was eighteen? Me - old? Me - tired?

Still, I can't help but wish that someone had warned me and that I had been able to save a little of that precious energy for days like today! Yup - it somehow just doesn't seem quite fair - does it?

mum2twelve@yahoo.com Read more!

Whose Living Room is It?

Do you ever do stupid things like getting mad again over something that happened a long, long time ago. And then lie awake for hours stewing about it - getting more and more incensed thinking about what you should have said and what you could say, if it were to happen again.

How about doing that until you finally fall sleep exhausted at 3 am, only to wake up to see that it actually has come to pass again!

Over the winter I was often frustrated and irritated by the fact that due to cold temps making the garage impossible to work in, my husband had to work with his equipment in the living room. Today - my living room floor was littered with projectors that my husband was testing, since he likes to use the white wall behind the couch as a screen.

While I sat there typing on the laptop writing a different story I intended to post today, I was expending much needed energy in ignoring this intricate design of silver boxes spread about the living room floor. Possibly reading my mind, my 19 yr old son ventured to ask me how I liked the current display? 'Padre spent hours designing it, I think he means it to be permanent.'

My husband sitting beside me snickered, and made a joke himself about it. I stared at him for a second before informing him how I had lost hours of sleep last night lecturing him mentally about all of this mess I had put up with in my living room all last winter. Now did my husband repent, and immeadiatly offer to remove these items?
No - he merely grinned and said;
"Well, there's your problem - if you would just think of it as MY living room instead of yours - it wouldn't bother you so much.... " Read more!

Thankful...

I am very thankful!

The past week we have had a virus spreading through the house - typical symtoms - heach ache from fever - usually running between 103 - 104 f or 38.8 - 40 c with either an accompanying stomach ache or sore throat. Most of the children recovered with in 48 - 72 hrs and a few had sore throats that lingured longer.

However my little red head, Tanny Paul, decided to go a slightly different route and scare the Dickens out of me by running a fever that spiked at almost 105 f - or 41 c. Over the past 22 years of parenting/nursing - I have yet to have a temp hit that high. So I was scared.

Nathaniel braved a tempid bath and the little fellow, who hates "hot" baths, actually found it cold. Still - the temp would not fall below 40 c. We thought we were out of Motrin and clearly the Tylenol was not cutting it. A call had already been made to the Doctor's office and an appointment secured for the little fellow. I finally remembered a bottle of Motrin that I thought was tucked away in one of our many travel bags for the numerous family business trips we make yearly and checked. YES - it was there!

Got him to swallow the sticky orange goo, and watched the clock while we waited to leave. We are now 45 minutes away, instead of 15 from the doc's and the a/c is NOT working in my older son's car, (The family van still only drive forward!) and I did not want to be too early for his appointment since it was the first after lunch break, and I was not sure the doors would be open.

We finally got there - late. I will enventually adjust to the longer drive and start arriving on time again! Steam was raising off the wet pavement, and heating our knees as we hurried through the parking lot, Gabriela with her God-daughter in her arms, and I with Nathaniel in mine. He was too weak to walk, but did not seem as hot to me as when we had left home.

Despite the lateness of our arrival we were seen quite promptly - perhaps some other mother was also late - caught in traffic in the sizzingly heat, about 89 or so, not including the humidex. The nurse asked the normal questions and soon our favourite Dr. came in and chatted with Nathaniel who stared at him with his blue owl eyes, sometimes nodding yes to his questions, and at other times whispering no. Clearly his throat hurt. When teh Dr learned how high the temp had hit he was concerned about menigitus, but thankfully Nathaniel was able to move his neck and head just fine. Next the temperature check.....

97.3

How much more normal can you get, than that??? Isn't that always the way?

As a precaution, our pediatrician ran a strep test and while we were waiting the results - Nathaniel had his hearing retested as he had failed his last test several months earlier.

HE PASSED!!!

I am so happy! AND he also "passed" the strep test - so we are dealing with a "simple" virus - no more, no less! AND he doesn't need hearing aids - just possibly some speech thereapy. I am so happy! And I am so grateful!

Thank you Jesus, Mary and Josef for prayers heard and answered! Read more!

Guardian Angels come in all forms...

In our case one came as a dog - a Bouvier des Flandres, by the name of Caila. Before she was even a yr. old she proved without a doubt that Bouvs make great protectors, whether trained to do so, or not!

One warm spring day way back when Noah, now 10 and a half, was just a newborn; we left all 7 of the children (ages 12 and down) in the van in the local strip mall parking lot of small town Perth.

My husband went to pick up a couple of items from the IGA, and I headed into the small privately owned pet store for… pet supplies! Typically on the occaisions that we did this, we always told the kids to lock the doors, but this particular time we forgot to remind them of this. So, of course, they didn’t.

Greatest on my mind right then was the possibility that Caila might have an accident while in the van as she had bowel problems that, as yet, we had been unable to resolve. This problem had resulted in our typically leaving her home on family outings despite her love for car rides. That morning she had jumped in the van as soon as she noted the crew all boarding together. Although not yet fully grown, she was big, heavy and determined. She is a Bouvier after all, and they are known for their pig headed manners. Anyway – my husband asked if I wanted him to pull her out, but feeling a little sorry for her, as well as in a hurry to get the day’s errands over I responded; “No – just leave her, and let’s all pray she doesn’t have an accident – poor thing!”

So while I was searching for cat food, litter and puppy food and my husband was searching the isles of the grocery store for whatever was on his list, the children sat chatting away waiting for our quick return. A few cars back, they noticed three teenagers, 1 girl and 2 males. These three were weaving in and out between cars laughing and joking together, as they made their way in the general direction of our van. The kids thought nothing of it as it was small rural town and generally peaceful.

Suddenly, however, the three teens came to a stop beside the side door of the van beside which my 9 yr old son, and newborn sat. As they continued to laugh and joke with each other, the tallest of the three yanked the door open. The children were shocked into silence while unbeknownst to the invaders, one “passenger” seated in her favorite seat, the driver’s, was alerted to the danger by the sudden tension that filled the air.

Up till then, the only training Caila had received was to sit, lie down, and GIVE (whatever is in your mouth to ME NOW). However – despite her sad lack of training in family protection Caila, swiftly and silently, moved from the driver’s seat to between the intruder and his prospective victims – my children. Now silence befell the three teens as Caila stared them down and then silently barred her teeth. She made not a sound, the children said and, in text book fashion, she warned these three potential criminals out of HER van.

The teens slammed the door shut, and the three of them made a hasty retreat and in high voices asked each other – “Did you SEE that DOG, Did you see those TEETH?? And then the comments that still today, leave chills down my spine;
“I’m not doing it, are you?”
“No – I’m not – are you?”
We will never know what “it“ was, Thank GOD and Thank Caila!! Ten years later, the oldest four still remember that day very, very clearly.

Dog books describe the protective and intelligent attitude of the Bouvier as follows. 'When confronted with an intruder the Bouvier will size up the situation, and apply force only as needed. At first the animal will silently bar its teeth. Then, if the intruder does not respond appropriately, the Bouv will growl and if that still does not cause the intruder to retreat, at that point the dog will attack.'
What amazing dogs, eh!?!
Amazing Caila! Read more!

St Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for you!

This prayer was recently posted on a Yahoo Catholic mom website/support group - I thought I would share it here.

Wishing everyone a peaceful Sunday!

mum2twelve@yahoo.com Read more!

Neck and Neck!

Well - I have to say that Emma, Zack and Ares are all progressing with their toilet training. In fact you could say they are currently neck and neck, with some days better than others. But I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel! Read more!

illness abounds...

I have not had time to post the last three days since in addition to the normal, (usually joyful), chaos that abounds in our life ,we have various children running temperatures from 39 - 40 c or 103 to 104 f. (I guess I really did have the flu last week, and not just an "allergic" reaction to puppies!)

I feel blessed that so far we have not had stomach heaves or any other complaints - just a general malaise and high temps. Mind you, I am keeping a close eye on Bethany, my 7 year old, who started with the fever last night. Last November, while my husband was on the road, and I was without a vehicle and did not have 911 activated on my phone yet... she had seizures as a result of a very mild fever! Praise be to God she survived with no lasting side effects, while I (alas) gained a few more gray hairs!

So far her body is dealing well with the fever and responding to the Motrin - but I am still keeping a close eye on her!

My cartoonist has just sucumbed to the fever today - but still a cartoon is in the making and will be posted later today or early tomorrow. She has been hinting lately for a raise - I really should consider doubling, or even tripling her salary, after all 3 times zero is still zero - no? On the other hand - a night out with mummy for an icecream, or a soda might please my artist!

With this new onslaught of illness I have just remembered one very important way to know when you are a large family...

When you have enough members in your family that by the time a virus ciruclates through, it has mutated enough that the first victim falls prey to it a second time and the party starts all over again!

I would also like to thank Saint Anthony publicly for prayers answered. We have been looking for some time now for bunks - the ones with a double on the bottom and we are being blessed with not just one set, but two! These will come in very handy as we are currently squeezed into a 3 bedroom home!

Blessings to all and please keep us in your prayers the next few days, esp Bethany!

mum2twelve@yahoo.com Read more!

Before you know it...

Before you know it the tables will be reversed.
Yes – before you know it, your 18 yr old son will be following you as you walk to the gas station, because he is worried for your safety.
Before you know it your oldest daughter will be sending you to bed for a nap because you look tired.
Before you know it, you are not needed to make dinner for Thanksgiving.
And then before you know it, one of your oldest daughters starts baking the birthday cakes instead of you…
And before you know it the oldest, instead of calling from the kitchen table - "Mummy - can you help me with this algebra question?" is calling you on her cell phone and asking; "what's the difference between a POS, an HMO, or a PPO insurance plan?"
Yes, before you know it – the oldest of the bunch are almost all grown up, and you feel misty eyed. Where did the time go? Wasn’t it just yesterday you were bandaging their knees, and changing their diapers?

And while you feel a little stunned at this reversal, you put your feet up on the coffee table and gratefully accept that cup of tea while you ask hopefully - "Are those oatmeal cookies I smell in the oven?"

mum2twelve@yahoo.com Read more!

Meet the boys...

Zac & Ares 12 weeks

Here are our little orphans that we "adopted" a week ago! Zac is on the left and Ares the right. I'm sorry to say that these two mites are doing much better at their 'toilet training' than Emma is with hers!

mum2twelve@yahoo.com Read more!

We have lost control...

“We have lost control” stated my husband helplessly as he stood there stunned by 2 yr old Emma’s determination to go to the store with him. Her happy little jog down the stairs in her cargo blue jeans, hippie t-shirt and good shoes was followed by a determined little shove past her daddy as she announced “Hey – I’m tumming!” in a voice that was irresistible.

He was standing in the doorway about to slide out hoping she would not see him. Already the little red head, who had quickly whipped his bathing suit off and replaced it with his cords and t-shirt was sitting expectantly in his boaster seat in the car. Emma having noticed him change in the middle of the living room (without his customary – “Hey duys – no lookin, I’m donna be naked!”) had immediately caught on that a trip was about to be made and had dashed up the stairs with a big sister in tow to help her change. In a voice strangled with laughter he stated; “We’re getting too old for this! It’s time to be grandparents!” (Please note however that I am NOT ready to be a grandmother!)
While Emma pranced down the front porch stairs, completely sure of herself, we choked back our chuckles and went out the back door to retrieve her car seat from the van. We know when we have lost, and this time the battle didn't even have a chance to get started.

mum2twelve@yahoo.com Read more!