John and Jenny's online Wedding Album

John and Jenny's Wedding album is online for a few weeks and then in late August, people will be able to view by invitation only.

If you wish to peruse the album, please click here: John and Jenny June 23 2007. I would also like to thank Paul Tomas again at this time for sharing his wonderful talent with our family on this joyous occasion and enabling us through his fantastic photographs to be able to review those special moments over and over. Again, here is his website, Paul Tomas Photography. Paul has a special from now until October 31st, for wedding photo sessions. If you know of anyone in the NC area planning a wedding, please share his website with them so they can see first hand his talent at catching those special moments.

One last request, those who visit the online album please respect Paul's copyright of the photos. He has very generously allowed our family to freely use his photos, if you should use them for any reason, be sure to give him credit and if possible refer to his website. Read more!

Random treasures...

...or otherwise known as Pearls of Wisdom from the mouths of babes.

We were preparing to leave out pew and so I reminded Emma about the need to genuflect:

"Emma, don't forget to say good bye to Jesus" and I nodded towards the Alter where Jesus had just been placed in the tabernacle.

"But Mama," came 4 yr old Emma's quick reply. "You don't need to say good bye, Jesus is ALWAYS with you!" Read more!

Wedding photos...

I have been wondering the past few days when and how to go through the awesome wedding photos and pick out which ones to share with all of you. There are so many beautiful ones. However, I think I have found the solution.

The photographer who took the wedding photos has finalized the last details of his website and here it is. Paul Tomas Photography If you check out his web site you will see many beautiful photos, and not just of the wedding.

I promise though to share more of the photos but in the mean time check out Paul's website. Read more!

ITS A BOY!!!

Thank you to all who prayed...

Details are sketchy, this is all we know at this point...

C-Section last night at 5.27


8 Lbs 21 IN

Mommy and Baby doing well. He is nursing great! Read more!

NO news is good news...

...or so they say. And so far I have no news regarding our friends and the expected birth of their baby nor how mum is doing with her BP. Please keep praying. And thank you!!! Read more!

Sisterly love

Said by 14 year old Anna as we were drawing up to the front door after being out for several hours.
"Is that Bethany by the door? Oh, good it is. I have to give her a hug!"

and before I could comment on how sweet this was, her statement was followed by an evil giggle and:

"She HATES hugs!" Read more!

Yet another prayer request

Please pray for a very beautiful couple K. and E! They are expecting their first baby in ten days, only one short year since their wedding last June.

Unfortunately, several weeks ago I noticed that K's feet were very swollen. Very Swollen. We chatted a bit about that and some ideas for helping to reduce swelling.

Sadly today I received a phone call. accompanying K's swollen feet for the past three weeks has been swollen BP figures. Today those numbers reached a critical high and K has been admitted for induction. Please pray for her and her baby and her husband. K is at risk of going into seizures. I am very worried for her.

I will let you know how all goes and if I get permission I will release the first names but for now I will stick with initials. Please also keep K's very frightened mother who is traveling a long distance alone by car to be with her daughter, son in law and new grandchild.

"Mary we ask you to place your mantle of protection over this new little family. Pray for the grand mother as she travel to her daughter. She is full of concern and love for her daughter much as you must have felt as your traveled to Elizabeth with no thought for your own comfort but instead, full of love and concern for your cousin.

Please, through your prayers of intercession protect this grandmother from reckless, careless drivers or anyone who could harm her in any way. Protect her from mechanical failures of any sort, or running out of gas. Pray for her to a careful and observant driver herself.

We place them all in your tender care Mary and ask your son, the greatest healer, to place His loving hands over our dear friends and gently guide this new life into the world.
Amen!" Read more!

Pool time = Prayer time

With summer time comes pool time. With pool time comes water. With lots and lots of water, comes puddles. Oodles and oodles of puddles.

Add to this equation, summer wear like, oh, flip flops and you have skids and ... falls. Now bad enough is the skidding and sliding about like a baby giraffe trying to balance herself the first time on her spindly legs. But worse are the bruises that come to doing it twice within a few hours of each other. Then not only is the body bruised, but so is the ego.

But while the ego bounces back fairly quickly, not so the spine that feels more like a twisted pretzel than a malleable but straight nerve center. At fourty-five, I don't deal as well with these falls as I used to. So please feel free to throw a few prayers this way. I think I will be needing lots of them. That or the pool, and its puddles, will need to go! Read more!

Christmas come early.

I feel as though I Have been handed a Christmas gift. In less than three weeks I will begin to add two weekly appointments to my busy schedule.

Aha, you think, sarcasm abounds. You could not be further from the truth though, if you are thinking that.

But how is it then, that a woman who finds it difficult to find time to brush her teeth, would be excited to add two regular weekly appointments to her already hectic schedule.

Because, they are speech therapy sessions for Nathaniel Paul whose speech is severely impaired. We have struggled these past years, since his hearing returned, trying to understand him.

Our delight, and his, is almost indescribable. We been told to expect quick results. I will keep you posted about his progress. Read more!

A moment of gratitude

Tonight while out on errands, my husband had our 4 year old, Emma, with him. As they were driving home they were talking about the yummy things we would eat and my husband said and "we will also have lots of hugs and kisses."

"Lots of hugs and Kisses?!" Emma repeated

"Yes, we are suppose to give children lots of hugs and kisses because they are so wonderful."

To which Emma replied:

"You know something Daddy, I am so happy with the family God gave us. God is so good and kind" Read more!

Dryer Update

After waiting for about three hours for the same load to dry and even after removing half of it and stringing it across the line on the porch... nine year old Bethany finally came to me with her tale of whoa.

"Mummy - I fear your dryer might be broken. What will we do? My clothes are still not dry and not even the towels I hung on the clothes line on the porch are dry. "

Small wonder given the humidity we are suffering these days.

Now my faithful machine has been grumbling of late, in a high pitched sort of way. Something reminiscent of the whine of racing car tires on hot pavement until it slowly settles into a low rumble that fades away. Every day - it takes just a little longer for it to fade. So when Bethany broke the news of the lingering damp clothes that were just refusing to dry I resigned myself to the idea that the dryer was finished, capoot, DEAD

Well - I decided to pull out the dryer and make sure nothing had fallen on the vent. Lo and behold - it was crunched up so tight a spider would have been challenged to get through it never mind pounds of hot air trying to escape to the great wide outdoors.

I rearranged things took a deep breath and turned the dryer back on and presto - dry clothes 40 minutes later. So to all who opted to pray that my dryer would miraculously repair itself - thank you. To all who were praying that I am somehow able to miraculously afford a new set of stackable front loading environmentally friendly laundry machines, please feel free to continue in that vein. After all, one never knows when my poor old loyal dryer actually will give up the ghost.

God Bless you all and all joking aside - thank you very much for your prayers. Read more!

Oh no... say it ain't so!

I

think

my

dryer

might

be

broken

Feel free to join my howls of dismay as well as in prayer
for a new set of machines, maybe like these ones.

Sniff

Sob

Whine

Sigh

In the mean time, any body know where my clothes pins are?
The last few I saw were littered across the porch....

Read more!

Grateful...

I am very grateful to Jesus for the wonderful opportunity I was recently blessed with. A few weeks ago I received an email from Tom Bengston, the editor of Family Foundations the magazine for the Couple to Couple League. He wanted to know if I would be interested in writing an article about the challenges of parenting a large family as well as what advice we would give to new couples about how to discern what is the right sized family for themselves.

I was so very happy to oblige Tom! Before the weeks end of his request, I had my article written and emailed to him. This month the article was published in the July/August edition of Family Foundations together with our family picture that was taken by photographer Paul Tomas of Cary, NC on Mother's Day this May.

At a later time I will publish the article here on the blog, but for now I wish to leave it as fresh reading for the readers of Family Foundations, a few of whom who may pass by here on occasion. This week as well as receiving my first cheque for a published article I also received a complimentary copy of the magazine. I enjoyed reading it very much and I especially enjoyed the article "Dad's Not Perfect by James L. Johnson. It is a wonderful essay about the challenges of being a dad to a large brood. Even as a mum I was able to identify with much of what he said. If you have a chance, take a peek at this magazine - it is filled with wonderful articles and columns. It's so good I am considering subscribing to it again as it has been a few years since my first subscription to it ran out. Read more!

Awesome News!

Our Catholic culture has much to offer and I think it just got better. While I have, on occasion, enjoyed participating at Life Teen Masses complete with guitars and drums, I have always lamented that it has not been so easy to also expose my children to the older Latin Mass complete with its reverence, beauty and tradition.

The first Mass that I ever attended in small town Saint Andrews, N.B. Canada was still being celebrated in Latin in the early 70's. While I had not a clue what was being said, the incense mixed with the chanted Latin replies spoke to my inner soul of something deep, mysterious and well beyond myself and my human limitations.

Many years passed before I actually converted to the Catholic faith, but I do attribute that first Mass, in no small part, as being responsible for my first hearing Christ's call to me to come home to the Catholic Church. And this was despite my not being able to understand a single word of that Mass.

So imagine my delight when I discovered this on a 'new to me" blogspot: I have to Sit down by SIMCHA.

What exciting news. While I do not have a problem, per say, with Vatican II or the Novus Ordo (circa 1970) Liturgy of the Mass, I have certainly found the sung High Mass to be without comparison in the Post Vatican II Mass that has almost entirely replaced the Tridentine Mass. That this rich Mass credited with stimulating "the spiritual life (of) very many saints in every century of the Christian age"as well as stregthening "the virture of religion of so many peoples" is to be freely offered again, I find wonderful news indeed.

(quotes are from the unofficial translation of Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Letter.)

(Be sure to click on the bold red links to be taken to other blogs, articles as well as towns!) Read more!

Cathechism from a four year old

Two Sundays ago we were attending Mass in a church that is new to us. It is a small simple building that actually looks like a church, both inside and out. Lining the walls are the Stations of the Cross. Not the modern kind where it is difficult to distinguish what exactly is being depicted. Instead they are detailed and there is little doubt as to the suffering that is happening. Nothing gory, but nothing hidden either.

Four year old Emma was distracted by the one closest to our pew. Jesus has fallen and the soldiers are beating him, rather than helping our poor suffering Lord back unto his feet. Emma asked the inevitable question.

"What are those men doing to Jesus, mummy?"

"They are pushing him, sweat heart."

Her deep brown eyes meet mine, filled with sorrow.

"But why Momma, why are they hurting him?"

How to answer a four year old such a question, especially when needing to whisper during the Mass...

I wondered how to explain such a complex idea - Jesus was preaching the Gospel, the good news and the leaders of his religion felt threatened by him and so they arranged to have him executed.

As quietly as possible I whispered to her that Jesus was teaching the truth and the leaders of his religion did not want to hear this truth so they asked these men to kill Jesus.

"But why didn't they want to hear the truth Momma? Why?"

"Because it meant having to change and people do not always want to change because it is hard to change. Changing how you live can make you afraid. "

Emma sat pondering this and so did I. I didn't feel I had answered her well. I felt I had dodged the real truth of the matter - Jesus was dying for us and he was taking on our punishment. We are doing this each time we tell a lie, treat someone rudely, choose to skip Mass. We are the ones hurting Jesus in this picture, not just the leaders who wanted him condemned or the men actually carrying out the orders to crucify Jesus.

Emma stared into my eyes once more and I explained to her gently, this idea of how when we hurt someone else, we are actually hurting Jesus so it is important to remember that Jesus is living in each person and to be nice to every one we meet.

She was silent and I turned my attention once more to the Mass, hoping my words had been the right ones.

A few seconds later she interrupted my thoughts again.

"Mummy - who do I kiss?"

"Kiss? Why do you want to kiss someone?"

"I want to kiss JESUS Mummy. So who do I kiss?"

"Oh," I replied. "Well, you can give one of our statues of Jesus at home a kiss and Jesus will get it in heaven. Or you can look up into Heaven and blow Him a kiss and He will get it. "

"If I kiss a statue at home, I will kiss his feet 'cause Jesus does not always like kisses on his cheek. "

"No, Emma, you are right, he does not always like kisses on his cheek."

She stood up on the kneeler and leaned forward and blew a kiss in the direction of the crucifix and then blew a kiss to His Mother to the side of the alter. She smiled at me and stepped down off the kneeler. "I gave them both kisses, mummy!"

I smiled back and then once more directed my attention to the alter, not a little touched by her love for Jesus and his mother. Suddenly though, I was distracted again. Emma's head had disappeared and I suddenly felt a little peck on my ankle. Emma's brunet head reappeared and she smiled shyly at me.

"I just kissed Jesus' feet Mummy. Do you think he is happy now?"

What is it Jesus said; We must be like little children??? He was so right. Read more!

Photo update....

Wedding photos will appear as soon as we receive them from the photographer, Paul Tomas of Cary NC.

Until then, like my readers, I await impatient... err I mean patiently. I believe they are almost ready and Paul hopes to mail us the CD soon.

Thankfully I am more closely related to cats, than dogs and so have nine lives to work through while my curiosity to see the final product almost kills me. I see you smiling Michaela!!! Read more!

The Honest Truth...

Even with only three small ones at the table - it was still a rather loud dinner taking place. Bethany, before leaving to go on an errand with her daddy had decided to bequeath her harmonica to Elsa, her 2 year old sister.

After a few minutes of sucking and blowing on it and getting little return from her efforts, Elsa tossed it aside and moved on. Emma and Nathaniel pounced on it, wrestled over it and Nathaniel being the stronger of the two won first dibs on it. I have to say, the boy has talent.

The grilled cheese sandwiches on homemade wheat bread was ready so we sat down at the table and tucked in to the simple but delicious meal. Every other bite, however, was punctuated with Emma's constant whine;
"Pleeeeease Tanny, can't I have a turn?", sometimes alternated with "I can't I have a turn to make some mucus!" (Read music for mucus...)

Knowing that her talent with a harmonica is about the same as most four year olds, I tried to turn a deaf ear to her pleas. Finally unable to bear it any longer, I sighed:

"Please Emma, would you stop your whining about the harmonica!"

To which she replied:

"But Momma, if you would just give me the harmonica - I wouldn't whine any more." Read more!

PUMPLES!!

Two days before the wedding a few of us were indulging in chocolate chips; dark chocolate mind you but chocolate none the less. And we all know what chocolate can do to your complexion if not eaten in moderation. As one of the girls sought another small handful of the luscious chips I quipped, ‘best be careful or you might get pimples. “

I turned my attention back to the flower girl basket that I was working on and as I sewed another stitch on the ribbon for it, I heard a loud gasp and Emma leaped into my line of vision.

“PUMPLES!” she exclaimed. “Chocolate can give you pumples? “

She continued as her little hand stretched out searching for the bag chocolate chips.

“I better put some of dese chocolate chips back if they make pumples. Actually I will put them ALL back!” she declared as she hurriedly stuffed her tiny handful back into the yellow bag.
“I don’t want any pumples for the wedding. I want to be beautiful for the wedding!”

…and she was as you will be able to determine from the photos once I receive them from the photographer.

It was a fairy tale wedding, with a few bitter sweet tears but many more joyous tears shed throughout the day and evening. Thank you to all who prayed for our eldest daughter who had many difficult memories to face that day. She got through it very well, like the trooper she is. She has also been physically very ill, and we are so grateful that she was able to celebrate this day with us.

I have many sweet and funny memories to share as well as loads of photos. However, my camera is missing and so I must wait until our photographer sends the photos onto to us.

In the meantime please keep the new couple, John and Jenny, in your prayers while they travel in the west on their honey moon.

PS Any of my readers who enjoy the photos we often post, please join our prayers to Saint Anthony that through his intercession we will find my camera.

Read more!

Here are a few peeks we have been given of the many hundred photos taken throughout the day. However, like me, you will have to wait to view pictures of the bride and groom and the actual wedding. Read more!

A few teasers....

Two of Las Tres Amigas...

My feet hurt and the dancing hasn't even begun!

Read more!

Proud daddy of the bride...

Here is the handsome man I married almost 27 years ago, watching his (second oldest) baby girl dance to " The Luckiest" (by Ben Folds) with her husband. Personally I think he is as handsome now as when I married him, if not more. I think maybe it is I that am... the luckiest! Read more!

Simple Math...

12 Children
1 Wedding in 10 days (still double digits for 14 more hours)
6 roasts to order for hubby to cook for reception
11 children participating IN their sister's wedding
6 children starting new curriculum in 14 days
3 hours worked as secretary for home business
24 hours full time mum
10 pumpkin loaves to cook for reception
5 cups of dulce de leche to make... for reception
1 head dress left of three to make
4 baskets to stain and decorate
1 missing diaper bag located in West Virginia, ships home today...
+ X number of unknowns yet to be discovered

= brain dead and little to no blogging these days.

So my apologies to my faithful readers. You will be rewarded with the equivalent of THOUSANDS of words when I post wedding pictures.

In the meantime, keep this brain dead mother, who keeps calling the ring bearer the Flower Boy, in your prayers.

(P.S. My husbands doesn't think I should tell the bride that the above mentioned ring bearer CUT his bangs last week. WHAT do you think?) Read more!

What was the occaison?

Now where and why did we gather for this almost complete family picture? Well, we were all together in Belmont for a few reasons.
One) It was mother's day and
Two) we were gathering together there in Belmont instead of at home so as to allow a family friend who will be doing the wedding pictures an opportunity to see the beautiful church where Jenny will be married in just NINETEEN days from today!

But there was another reason for taking this family picture which is sadly missing our oldest daughter. I have been asked to contribute an article on parenting large families and discerning family size for the Family Foundations magazine, the membership magazine for the Couple to Couple League. In their July/August edition and they wanted a family picture.

So voila! Our family - sans our oldest who still resides in Boston.
Read more!

Read more!

a few more pics

...have been posted below. Blogger sometimes does not really want to load picures and the evening I was trying to get that post on the day at the park was one of those times. Look for more pictures later as we took lots!

In the meantime, please keep those prayers coming our way. We are wading through some tough times, armed only with our prayers and our faith.

Blessings from mum2twelve
aka Christi Read more!

Has it really been 11 days???

... since my last post.

Time really flies when you are.... busy!

I have a favour to ask of my faithful readers. Please offer up a prayer or two for our family. We have come to a cross roads and what did my husband do - but pray for "more faith". As I heard those fateful words cross his lips - my eye brows raised- about an inch and he looked startled.

"What?", he asked defensively.

"Faith? Should you maybe try asking for graces instead?" I quiered.

And then import of what he had said struck him and his eyebrows went up as it sunk in.

"Oh.", he replied flatly.

And the Lord has been quick to answer my spouse's plea for a growth in faith. I can almost imagine His grin at the invitation to stretch our faith.

And so I ask you to join us in our prayers for the graces to face the immeadiate challenges in front of us. In particular we need many pieces to fall in place quickly as well as people in two different countries, as well as different provinces, to all co-operate in order for all to come about in a quick manner. Suffice to say, things have not yet begun to fall in place and our nerves are stretched thin enough to twang a song on them.

Still, with all that is going on health wise, financially wise and spiritually we took some well deserved time off and I will share the results below.... Read more!

just a few photos from a day at the park...

Even a six year old looks tall from the right angle!




Ooops - caughtcha on the camera!



Hey Mama - Look at me!


New Skills practiced on...


A quiet moment to reflect by the water's edge.



Brother and sister quiet time... with the fish.




Bye bye - come again soon! Read more!

Silence is golden...

...unless you are a mother. Typically silence means trouble as when I visited my neighbour the other day and ended up helping her scrub her two little ones off once we discovered why they were so silent. She was down one tube of diaper cream, they were up a whole load of fun terminated in a bath and shampoo each.

Today I was lulled into ease by the giggles coming from the three youngest, after all it is only silence or high pitched screams that require immediate investigation. Right? However, the background of water and splashing should have clued this vastly experienced mum into realizing something was amiss. Alas - I ignored the clues and continued deep cleaning my bedroom.

Finally I needed to take something to the bathroom where I discovered my error in assuming the giggles were the result of some simple game being played together. This threesome had decided to wash their feet... and about 6 inches of bubbles made me very suspicious. I can not, no matter how much I beat the water, get that many bubbles with a reasonable amount of shampoo or baby wash. One glance at the cupboard where a very soapy bottle lay innocently in the toothbrush basket did little to allay my fears. A quick handling of the bottle told all. The once full bottle was feather light and e.m.p.t.y.

After scolding them for such waste I stripped them down and tossed the three into the tub. After all there was little point in wasting all of those bubbles and I was able to get about 20 minutes more cleaning done resulting in squeaky clean children and a very tidy bedroom. It seems that 1.99 is a small price to pay for so much cleanliness... not to mention a tubful of fun. I guess the bottle of bubbles was not wasted after all. More importantly I now know to check for the cause for giggles; when accompanied by the back ground music of running water. Read more!

Veggie Tale Viewers beware!!

The majority of our family are meat lovers. Spare ribs, steak, sausages, ham, bacon, turkey; you name it - we love it. There was one lone family member that from a tender age was not overly fond of meat and to this day prefers a good salad to a ham sandwich. Strange, I know but there it is.

However, one of our natural born meat lovers has been watching movies such as "Chicken Run" as some of you know. Add in movie previews from the likes of "Charlotte's Web" and "Babe" and you run into a problem as evidenced at the dinner table the other night.

Four year old Emma politely refused a serving of meat and watched the others being served. Her eyes fastened on her older sister Gabriela who had been serving. Gabriela sat down and cut into her meat. Emma leaned forward and hissed to her "Do you know you are eating ANIMALS?"

The retelling of this story to me leads me to ask: "Should I be cutting back on the Veggie Tales?" Read more!

Better late than never... is my motto!

Remember our Easter tree last year? Well this year, with the sudden deep freeze that hit us - there were little flowers left and the zero temps (32 f) made it rather chilly for the angels who were bringing the tree back to life. The little ones still enjoyed devouring the chocolate eggs hanging from it, regardless how limp the flowers became or how lopesided the tree was.

But there were many beautiful moments caught on tape and I have finally taken the time to share some of them with you.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. And yes! I will try to change the poll soon!!

GOD Bless Read more!

Easter finale

Read more!

"The baby ... the baby!!!"

The day was warm and the sun was out and we were experiencing some pleasant short sun showers. Miguel and I had just returned from dropping off packages at the local UPS store and he entered the house while I headed to the neighbors to see the dress she had been sewing and wanted me to look at.

I heard our front door open and close again and it was Miguel who joined me as a different neighbour stopped us and asked if we could help her mover her freezer and a few other belongings to her new home around the corner. She and Miguel headed over to her house so he could get an idea of the amount of things she needed to move and I turned back to my friend's house.

The sun was warming my shoulders and the odd drop of rain was falling on my face and nose and the contrast was striking. Suddenly, as I reached the front door step I heard a male voice calling from across the street "Baby" I paused only briefly conjecturing I really did not want to see who was yelling Baby at me, or anyone else on the street.

Again the male voice boomed out, this time with a real note of desperation in his voice.

"The baby!" he yelled. Noting 'the' I turned and as I did he yelled again; "THE Baby!!" I caught in the corner of my eye Elsa's curly red hair and her pink plaid sun dress.

She was hesitatingly crossing the very busy road we live on. She was almost half way through our side of the road and coming on that side was a car. Her gaze was intent on the other side of the road and on Miguel who was already too far away to do anything but watch helplessly. My mind went into a blur and everything around me shut down while Elsa's tiny body and uncertain steps crystallized in my mind. I was tearing towards her without even knowing I was running. My breath was hoarse in my throat and my arms stretched out to grasp her to my chest, enclosing her warm body next to my heart. She felt the fear in my body and melted into me whilst looking into my face, my terror reflecting in her eyes.

With the car closing in behind me, my feet meet the grass and then our red brick path. I continued running until I was on our door step and gasping I pulled open the front door. She did not move, but clung to me as tightly as I was hugging her. Her curls were pressed under my chin and I called out as I entered the house; "Who left the door open, who left the door open?" and then I burst into tears.

Elsa tenderly reached up and touched my cheeks saying: "Don't cwy mummy, don't cwy!" Then Emma, also concerned by my tears, attempted to force feed me french fries. (Clearly the child finds comfort in food.) We were quickly surrounded by the family all of them anxious to see Elsa and know that their darling baby sister was okay. She was and is. Thanks be to God and a young man whom I never saw but only heard who, whilst frozen to the spot, had the presence of mind to cry out the only thing he could think of; "The baby... The baby!"

I love my children dearly, but something like this really reminds one just how precious they really are to you! In the twinkling of an eye their life can be robbed from you. We never know when that moment will come and while I do want to live in fear of the loss of a child, I would do well to remember this and to guard against having regrets should I someday actually experience the loss of a child. Read more!

Borrowing from a fellow Blogger

Chelsea from Wise is She has written a wonderful post on NFP. She has done a wonderful job of expressing the beauty of such a natural means of controlling one's fertility. One of the things that I love about NFP is that one can reverse the process and use it to become pregnant. If only more Doctors would embrace this wonderful means for a woman to come to know and understand her cycle as well as her body.

I immediately asked Chelsea if I could post her article on my blog and she very generously agreed.
Unfortunately I have taken forever to take her up on this! But at last, here it is: Read on and enjoy. If you like her writings be sure to check out her blog and see what else she has shared about NFP. Oh and by the way, Chelsea is Lutheran.

Embracing Natural Fertility

The other night as my husband of five months and I were cleaning up
after dinner, we started talking about our experience as Natural
Family Planners. Natural Family Planning is a natural alternative to
synthetic forms of birth control. It requires observing patterns in a
woman's cycle in order to determine times of fertility and
infertility. During our discussion it struck us what a blessing NFP
has been for us, in so many ways.

One of the most appealing things about NFP is that it is exactly what
it claims to be; natural. NFP is free from devices and chemicals and
side effects. It empowers women by teaching them the nature of their
fertility cycle, helping them to understand why things happen and at
what time. It allows couples to unravel the mystery of conception and
get a glimpse of how God creates life from love. Its very nature is
open to life, although it allows you to exercise a certain amount of
discretion - discretion that takes into account the health and well
being of the mother and father. God has given us minds and hearts to
consider such important things.

Another benefit is that NFP is a two person decision. Not controlled
by one or the other, NFP encourages two as a couple to communicate
continually with honesty and love about whether now is a good time to
avoid or achieve pregnancy. Using NFP has encouraged my husband and I
to communicate openly and often. It has taught us patience,
anticipation and what it means to be open to life. It has taught us to
pray and to ask God what His plan is for us. It has reminded us that
children are an integral part of marriage and a gift from God. And
that is only after five months!

The path to accepting NFP has been a long road for me. The idea of
managing my fertility naturally was, in theory, appealing. However, I
was scared about what this would mean for my life. Would it be too
restricting? What if I have 14 kids?!? Will I have to abandon study?
Are you sure it works? Ever since my first sex education class I had
assumed that contraception was the way to go. Every sensible person
recommended it. As for the Catholics, well, they were just 'ultra
conservative' and 'out of touch.' Yet, the more I considered these
things, the more my conscience was stirred. Maybe the Catholics were
on to something after all? Interestingly enough, our ancestors seemed
to share similar views. I wondered what had made them change their
minds?

In my search for answers I came across a book called 'Good News about
Sex and Marriage,' by Christopher West. This book speaks about the
marriage act being one of total, self sacrificing and life giving
love. This means not withholding anything from your partner. Not even
your fertility. This is the stuff I wanted to hear more about.

After a long time of praying and reading and talking about this
all-too-big-and-scary venture into NFP, God replaced every fear with a
blessing. This should not surprise us as we know the character of our
God. When we put our trust in Him, God helps us to order our lives. He
puts meaning into things that seem meaningless and he gives peace
where there is unrest. For some this means the challenge of six
children, 5am breast feeding and 40 loads of washing. For others, this
means coming to terms with the fact that they could only have one
child, even when they prayed fervently for a second. Then there are
those for whom God grants peace, and purpose, when he has not granted
conception at all.

At our congregation we have a beautiful young Sudanese woman named
Ajulu. Ajulu loves talking about her children and hopes that God will
bless her with many more. On days when her children Ter, Ruon and Deng
are behaving, she even talks of wanting nine. What perplexes Ajulu is
that people in our country have so few children. In her home country,
children are considered as one of the greatest gifts from God.
Children are a vibrant and vital part of the community. These
communities grieve when they cannot conceive. Knowing the sadness that
comes with infertility, the Sudanese community embrace marriage as a
union that is open to life. Where God will grant life, they will
receive it.

What is it in our culture that leads us to prevent pregnancies from
occurring? What does this mean about how we view our bodies, most
especially our fertility? A doctor only prescribes medicine to ill
people. Is fertility something we need to be protected from? Is it a
disease? Why are we excited and relieved when a new form of
contraception hits the market and is -- wait for it -- even more
effective than the pill!? Finally, no more 'unwanted' pregnancies.
What a major contradiction this presents; that one of the greatest
gifts from God might be a burden for us. What a major contradiction
that one of God's greatest gifts is 'unwanted' or a 'mistake.'

Ajulu has been a beautiful reminder to me what it means to let God
permeate every aspect of your life. Every aspect of our life is in His
control, even the things as personal as our fertility. Let us find
comfort in the fact that He never gives us more than we can handle.

Read more!

Laugh of the day...

One son walked in the laundry area and as I was setting up yet another load of wash he asked me;
"What is the definition of eternity?"

Thinking to myself - he must know the answer to this by now but whatever, I answered him.
"Forever. eternity is forever."

This brought a chuckle from him.

"Yeah, well, it's four blondies in four different cars at a four way stop."

My chuckles blended in with his and then another son poked his head in the laundry area.

"I don't get it."

"Huh?", I responded.

"I don't get it, eternity is four blondies at a four-way stop?"

Chuckling a bit louder I explained the joke.

"Oh! I guess that makes me a blondie too - since I didn't get it. "

Actually - not to give away who this was, but he is the only blond in the family. Co-incidence??? Read more!

Don't apologize... PLEASE!

We all like to teach our children the nicities of society and this includes saying you are sorry. You know, 'I'm sorry I broke your toy when I threw it in anger 'cause you wouldn't share it with me.' and the 'I'm sorry I called you a name when you spat in my soda pop cause the name I called you was worse than you spitting in my pop...' and the just plain "I'm sorry I bumped into you and made you spill your coffee!" apologies.

But teach an almost 2 year old to say "I'm sorry' and you create a monster because suddenly she can get away with anything, and I mean anything, when she looks at you with her big round brown eyes peeking out from under her mounds of red curls and lisps "I'm Torry Mummy!" and then smiles her adorable smile.

Throw flour all over the table and dining room floor because the addle brained cook (read mother) left it there while baking a shower cake... just smile and lisp "I'm Torry!" Add in a throwing of arms around mummy's neck and she's done for.

Find the water fountain in the church hall, stretch out on your tippy toes and create a water fall with your hand out stretched and when you see mummy bearing down on you. No problem, just flirt that elfish grin and lisp sincerely... "I'm torry Mummy."

Pour your big sisters tiny blue beads all over her bed and then lisp... "I'm Torry" when mummy catches you rubbing them all over the sheets. Done!

Yup, teach a baby to say 'I'm sorry' and you will live to rue the day you did. Read more!

National Prolife T-Shirt Day 2007

What an awesome idea. Wish I had heard of it earlier!

Want a t-shirt to wear on the 24th of April go HERE. It's not too late, I hope!

Here is the website that tells all about this peaceful way of excercising your right to free speech.

This website has several links such as how to promote the day. Or if you are a student wondering about your rights to be allowed to wear a t-shirt - they have a link about that too. Want to check it out - click HERE.

Please pass the word and twll everyone you know about this day!

If you do not have a prolife t-shirt, again you can go HERE to buy one OR, are finances tight? Can't afford t-shirts for all of the children or maybe your youth group? Then buy white t-shirts from a local store be it a Super store or an arts and crafts store. You should be able to find them quite cheap there and then design your own t-shirt with fabric paints or even with iron on transfer kits. (I do not know the cost of such a kit so I might not be suggesting a cost effective alternative with that idea ,but it might be time effective if you can not receive one from an online source before the 24th of April.)

Femminists for life also sell prolife shirts. Click HERE to find them.

Remember April 24th is THE day.... but any day you can proclaim this message of peace and love for the unborn is a good day to wear a prolife t-shirt.

(The Moses image above is one of the many prolife message found at Christianshirts.net ) Read more!

Woman Deserve Better t-shirts

Here is the website that originally sold these shirts. Click HERE. However the t-shirt my daughter was wearing does not appear to be in their shop any more. However they do have bumper stickers that proclaim this message, and a new t-shirt that stipulates that Peace begins in the Womb.

I don't care for the t-shirt that they now have that proclaims "Women deserve better" because it stops there and does not continue with "than abortion."

I plan to write and ask them to reproduce the original t-shirt and if they can not, than I will ask permission for me to create something similar to sell. It is an AWESOME message! Read more!

Catch phrases of the toddler stage.

Elsa has mastered walking. Elsa has mastered climbing.
Chairs
Beds
Stairs
Cribs
...and is now working on gates. After all what is a baby gate for, other than to climb and catch our little pinkies in?

But the muscle in her body commonly referred to as the tongue is also mastering much. She has almost conquered the English language. Along with "NO! MINE!" and WEEEEESE (Please) she has also learned 'Doan touch dat!' 'No tank ooo!' "EMMA do dat!!" (accompanied with emphatic thrust of her pointing finger!) "My turn." You turn!"and she has a few spanish phrases down pat - the most important being PECHO, by which she means 'I need to nurse, NOW!'

But my favourite of all her catch phrases is, by far, her newest one;

"I lub you whole, whole bun Mummy!!"

While I sometimes tire of hearing some of her other oft repeated phrases, I will never, ever tire of hearing that.

And Elsa honey, if anyone is reading this to you: "I lub you a whole, whole bun too!" Read more!

Whazsup with us???

It is almost Easter and our Lent, as usual, has been eventful and full of stress. However, as the temperature rises, the flowers begin to bloom, our dogwoods become laden with blossoms and the grass grows greener by the day it has struck me more than ever the wonder of Easter blending with spring.

It is so appropriate that as we throw off the shadows of winter and welcome the warming rays of the spring sun so too are we emerging from the long days of Lent and entering into the wondrous celebration of Easter.

Given the long bout of illness that our family has suffered from since mid December, it feels as though our family, as a whole, is emerging like a butterfly from its cocoon. As Easter draws closer we are gaining in strength and energy and I feel hopeful that when Easter Sunday dawns we will be almost, if not completely, healthy. All except my 20 year old son, who is continuing to take heart medication in slowly increasing doses. It is hoped that these meds will increase the strength of his heart until we can begin to reverse the process and begin to wean him off these meds leaving him with a fully functioning heart.

I would like to ask people to join their prayers with ours for the success of this treatment.

We, as a family have been working on many goals. Both my husband and I began a lifestyle change in regards to our diet and exercise. As a result my husband is only a few pounds short of his target weight and looking very buff. I am ten pounds closer to where I want to be and fitting into clothes I could not wear since the birth of my beautiful Elsa who turns two this month.

We really believe that this new year in the church is also going to coincide with big changes in our life. The past year with all the suffering, challenges and difficulties that we have faced have taught us much, made us stronger and also given us a humility that comes with self knowledge.

If things go as well as we are planing, and praying for, than I will soon be able to turn more of my attention to writing again, including the blog here as well as my movie and book review blog.
So stay tuned... and in the meantime, I pray that you and your families have a prayer filled, joyful and peaceful Holy Week and Easter.

GOD BLESS
Christi aka mum2twelve Read more!

Thought Provoking Shirt

Anna and I were out running errands today and a woman stopped, backed up and leaned into our isle and whispered to Anna; "I like your shirt!"

My head swiveled towards Anna as she replied in a surprised tone "Oh, thanks!"

What shirt did she have on today anyway, ran through my mind. Then I smiled as I read the message on the front of her shirt.

WOMEN DESERVE BETTER
THAN ABORTION

Later as we waited in line for our fries (medium size only and first taste of a fry in weeks!) I noticed another woman staring at Anna in a peculiar way, this time Anna was facing away from her. Already having forgotten the message t-shirt Anna was wearing I was a bit taken aback by the hostility on her face. I glanced back at Anna and there on her back of the t-shirt was the following.

ABORTION IS THE
ULTIMATE EXPLOITATION
OF WOMEN
Alice Paul
original Author of ERA

Students for Life of America
StudentsForLife.org

Feminists for Life
FEMINISTSFORLIFE.org

Aha, clearly this woman did not care for Anna's choice of fashion. And possibly does not care for Anna's opinion about a woman's choice either. However, I love Anna's t-shirt and I think I might get one for me!

Read more!

Good friends...

Today I heard a knock on my door and Emma's little voice called through it to me.

'Mama?'

'Yes Emma...'

'Can I tell you how much I love my new friend?'

'Of course, Emma - how much do you love your new friend?'

Deep breath followed by: 'As much as Jesus loves me!'

'Wow,' I replied. 'THAT'S a LOT!'

And isn't that what we are asked to do, to love like Jesus, even if it hurts. I'm so glad that at four years of age, Emma is already beginning to measure her love in this way. Read more!

Pipen, 2004 - 2007

Sadly, the day before Bethany's birthday, one of our beloved pets has passed away. We have not yet broken the news to her as she will be devastated but we will have to tell her soon before she notices the empty cage. This picture was taken in October of 2006 by Josef Noah. Please say a little prayer for Bethany, she takes the loss of any of our pets really deeply and this will make her birthday somewhat sad. We are not sure what happened to him, although his cage has been knocked over once or twice by one of the cats. He enjoyed tormenting the cats by tweaking their tails as they sat on his cage day dreaming of what, I imagine, must have been bird pie.

Sadly our household is now down to two cats, one dog and no bird. A few years ago we had a bursting household of three dogs and five or six cats, fish, one guinea pig and a bird. I must say though - it is more peaceful with less cats and dogs. But once the tears are dried, we will look into adding a new bird to our dwindling menagerie.

Read more!

Note to self...

...when posting drafts that are several days old or in some cases weeks old, remember to correct the date so item shows at top of page instead of in February's posts.

Oh and remember to pick up more gum for those sugar cravings! We were up a pound for a day or two. I'm back to the original five pound weight loss, but at this rate I will be wearing Hugo's dress pants to the wedding! Read more!

Theological Observations During the Rosary

The other morning our recently passed beloved Pope, John Paul II, was leading us through the Rosary in Latin on the CD my husband recently rediscovered in his office at the warehouse. Suddenly Emma's voice piped up over the sonorous vibes coming from the speakers.

"Mama, where does Jesus sleep?"

"In your heart with you, Emma."

Emma gleefully crowed across the couch at Nathaniel.

"SEE Tanny! Jesus does sleep with people. In their heart!"

"Well, well, well, he doesn't sleep in Heaven, Emma." argued Nathaniel.

''That's because He's a STATUE'', declared Emma closing the discussion with a nod to our Infant of Prague statue on the mantle. Read more!

Whoo Hooo!!

Tired of my whining about having to wear his dress pants when I wanted to look nice and equally tired of my complaining about how fat I felt, my husband finally took action. He did research on diets and then gave me the paperwork on various options he found.

Now - I do not believe in "diets" in the old fashioned sense of the word. I do not believe in restricting your calories, counting every calorie and weighing every piece of food before it passes your lips. Diets, in fact, are very unhealthy as well as counter-productive to the very goal you are trying to reach - weight loss. Permanent weight loss, that is.

Research has shown that when we starve, err diet, our bodies go into crisis mode as the body is designed to realize when we are experiencing a famine and it adjusts the metabolic rate accordingly. However, once the famine (or in this case, the diet) passes the metabolic rate does not readjust back to what it was. Instead the body packs on more fat in preparation for the possible next famine.

All of this was forefront in my mind as I perused the options my husband gave me. I discounted one immediately as following this particular "diet" required one to buy your meals from them. So I thought - what happens when you want to start buying your own food again - is that even an option or would the weight pack back on if you did this. No, I wanted a diet that was going to effect a permanent life style change in regards to the food I ate. The amounts I was eating were not the problem, it was the combinations I was choosing as well as the poor choices I was making for snacks and desserts, Sugar, sugar and more sugar - typically refined sugar. And while I knew this, I simply did not seem to be able to find the will power to change it.

I wheedled the choices down to two diets or, as I prefer to call them - life style changes. Of the two I was leaning more towards the one that styled its recipes and food choices on the Mediterranean cultural as I liked the various options I could combine in my meals and have for snacks. I loved this idea of subscribing online to a "diet" as I was able to peruse their recipes, print them off, get daily emails with the food choices I had selected and, in short, have an online cheerleader as I struggled through the first ten days of striving to eliminate my sugar cravings.

Best of all - when the first pound and a half fell off through seemingly no more effort from me than to avoid sugar and eat healthier choices at meal time, I was ecstatic and charged to keep going - no matter how much visions of chocolate and more chocolate danced through my head.

So in answer to Lisa's question (wifeforlife) - how is the weight loss going I have to say FANTASTIC!

Drum roll please...
in the past ten days
I have lost
FIVE pounds.

I am so excited about this. I fully expect this weight loss to slow down, but this is such a boost to me and best of all I really love the changes we are making to our diet. I also feel more energetic and healthy as a result of these changes. Look forward to more updates as I continue to work towards my goal of losing approximately 40 lbs without a time date, other than I hope to have lost the first twenty before our daughter's wedding in June. Fifteen to go for that goal! And I owe it all to my husband who loved me enough to help me take the plunge and perhaps is hoping that in the process he will get half of his wardrobe back?

Thank you Hugo!

Read more!

Beware - the homeschooler in your neighbourhood!

Especially if he has a kind face and goes by the name of Tim!

Click HERE for a good laugh...

Read more!

Bethany Rose... March 22

Read more!

birthdate and a pic...

for Miss Bethany will follow soon so that readers may honour her request that people be happy on her birthday! It would be lovely if readers could post the happy thing they did on that day - so we can share them with Bethany, who recently slipped a five dollar bill from her hard earned savings into her daddy's pocket. Why did she do that?

"Because someone stole 100 dollars from Daddy's business. This way - it's only 95 dollars!"

And yes - someone stole... a little over a hundred dollars from us... by using a stolen credit card to buy something from us! Still, it is the victim whose credit card (and possibily even his identity) is the one who has possibly suffered the greater financial loss and stresses. And sadder still, the thief.... has lost even more - his or her moral compass. Please pray for them both, this victim and the thief. Read more!

Just when I think...

... that I am enough on top of things that I can pick up daily blogging again, life throws me another curve ball! Typically Lent is always an especially difficult time for us, a time when our family starts out with great resolve to make this Lent a particularly good one. And invariably we always feel that we have failed. This Lent has fared a little better than usual despite the continued battle with the influenza that has had us in its arm hold since January.

I can not tell you the number of times we have had children sent for tests that left us almost dizzy with worry as we awaited the results. One year our son Noah, now 11, had to wear a Holten heart monitor for a period of time to determine is he had heart problems as he was often disturbed by palpitations of the heart. Thankfully, his heart checked out just fine.

This Monday, I dropped my 20 year old son off for a physical and when I greeted him after the appointment he nonchalantly handed me some doctors orders - one with a cardiologist for a sonogram of his heart.
"Why this?" I asked.

"Well, you know how I have been short of breath for so long, well, the Doctor doesn't think it's asthma and wants to check out my heart for abnormalities."

"Oh", I said, "Take care not to lose the paper work then."

We got in the van and headed back home and talked news, politics, music and just the norm. It was not even until the day before the test, that I even thought to ask others to pray about it. I was so calm. I wondered at the calm I felt. I guess because he is 20 years old, six four and 200 lbs and always in good health until recently, I just thought him indestructible. Somehow - having a 4 year old sent to a cardiologist is more frightening than a twenty year old because such a young child does not yet have a proven record of health - anything could be lurking about, waiting to jump out and catch you off guard. But a twenty year old, who has never been sick more than the typical cold or stomach flu, can't be hiding a heart condition, can he?

This exam was this morning and from the Cardiologists, we headed to the hospital for x-rays of my son's lungs. By noon we were finished with all of the tests and Miguel was exhausted as he had been up all night ill to his stomach. Possible diagnosis for these latest symptoms - salmonella food poisoning. remember those Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut butter jars recalled... well we had three jars, all half eaten, in our cupboards. By 4pm, we were back at the family physician's office because Miguel's symptoms had us all just a little worried. A friend of his in college has mono and the possibility of spleen problems weighed on my mind.

When we left the office at 6 pm, an hour past closing time, we had in hand a four week supply of heart medications. My son has developed viral myocarditis - a viral infection of the heart. We are still waiting for the results of his mono test, and he must begin a round of antibiotics to treat the sinus infection he is battling on top of everything else. He is too ill yet to start his heart meds. Monday, if all goes well he starts them. In the meantime, I would like to ask you all keep us in your prayers! Most especially, please pray for Miguel and thank you in advance for your prayers. We will need them to persevere through this Lent as the health problems continue to mount against us. I have not even touched on my husband's pain levels from dental issues that keep taking a back seat and tomorrow I suspect I will be making the medical rounds again, this time with one of my asthmatics! Read more!

LOOK!

"LOOK!" Emma bellowed in my ear!
Her bellows became a whimper as she pointed to her arm.
"LOOK what Tanny did to me!"

I stared at the elbow proffered for inspection.

"Oh," I murmered sympathetically. "What did Tanny do to you?"

Emma's face went blank. "Ummmm, Tanny - what did you do to me again?"

Tanny Paul hurried over and scrutinized her elbow and then helpfully pointed out a small, nay, miniscule week old bruise.

"Here - I did dis!" he said with a flourish. Emma, relieved at the rediscovery of her wound, whimpered once more - "YES! See, see what he did!"

"Ahhh, I'm sorry!" I replied trying unsuccessfully to hide my grin. However, satisfied that her tale of woe had been acknowledged Emma happily left... with Tanny Paul cheerfully in tow.

All I can say is that they clearly have memories like an elephant! Read more!

All I want for my birthday...

Darling Bethany turns nine this month and recently there was a birthday list floating around that was very elegantly written up by Anna as it had been dictated by the future birthday girl. I caught only a glimpse of it the first day of its creation so when I was reminded of the current count down to the big B day this morning I asked where this beautiful list had disappeared to.

Bethany responded that she did not know where it currently was but she had put a new one up on the fridge for all to see. Aha, thought I, a wise way to ensure a good haul of loot!

Later today I checked out the list. Here it is in it's entirety!



All I want
for my birthday
is for peapil to
be Happy.
And I'll be Thankfull.


Bethany (with a heart drawn beside her name) Read more!

How is it....

... that at nine when it is time to pray and we have to turn the movie off, it is a life crisis for my four year old but when we are able to take a break and turn it back on - coming to see it has become a chore. Our announcment that "her" movie is back on is met with a sigh that could beat a piece of lead in its weight and she wearily responds with "ooookaay...."

Whatcha wanna bet though that if I turned it off - we would have another nervous breakdown on our hands.... Read more!

Sugar Bugs and four year olds...

Recently I introduced to Emma the concept that sugar, if not brushed off your teeth, can cause sugar bugs. It has not produced the result I was looking if her recent comments and questions are any indication.
----------
"Mamma, I need to feed my sugar bugs. You know the ones in my mouth."

"Mamma, can I have something to give to my sugar bugs."

"Mamma, I think my sugar bugs are hungry, I need to give them something right away."

"Mamma, can sugar bugs fly?"
-----------
I wish Honey, I sure wish they could just fly away! Read more!

Has your vocaulary changed?

Have the past two weeks caused a change in your vocabulary? It has mine.

Where I used to ask, if I wanted to listen to the news:
"Would someone turn the radio on?"
I now say;
"Anybody care to turn Anna Nicole on?"

Anyone else out there experiencing a similar change in vocabulary? Read more!

I think we need to review...

...the meaning of the word sacrifice with Nathaniel.

Bethany: What are you giving up for Lent Tanny?

Nathaniel: Spicy stuff. Weally spicy stuff.

Bethany: But you don't LIKE spicy stuff.

Nathaniel: I know. That's why I'm giving it up. Read more!

Okay, so I can't spell!

Student; "Mummy, it says in my document that seminarian is spelt wrong, but I spelt it the way you had it."

me; "Oh, maybe I made a type o."

student; "A typoe o? But you wrote it, you didn't type it. "

me; "Oh!" Read more!

What do you do...

...when to your wondering eyes should appear a beautiful, somewhat large, wild brown bird with sharp eyes and an equally sharp beak. And it is on the mirror of your dresser. And in front of the dresser is.... one of your cats. The one who is particularly good at hunting mice.

However, this bird is clearly out of your cat's league as the devastation that slowly meets your eye professes. The dresser is all but cleared of its decor, and the prayer basket filled with bible and notes is upturned beside the bed. Milo sits there in the midst of the pillage, tail switching not willing to accept defeat.

To add to the stress of the moment, the 22 month old wanders in. Clearly it is time for decisive action. So what did I do?

Scooped up cat and baby and unceremoniously dumped both outside the bedroom door and slammed door closed before they had time to react and leaned against it, and eyeballed this 10 inch sized brown bird. Sensing a foe more to its equal, said bird panicked and dive bombed me before landing on the door frame. I hastily retreated to the middle of the room and had a light bulb moment.

Quickly I pulled up the venitian blinds and opened the top window where there was no screen. My lovely guest felt, rather than saw the opening as fresh cool air flowed into the room. He swooped about searching the source of the temperature change and suddenly he was gone, free as a ... bird.

Guessing that nobody would believe this adventure I had the wits to capture a picture of my guest on his favourite perch. My mirror. And if you don't believe me, see for yourself below! Read more!

Read more!

A Lenten Project...

We have a grapevine wreath that we have filled with round tooth picks that replicate the thorns that Jesus' head was pieced with. Within the crown of thorns are flowers.

Throughout Lent when someone in our family does a kind deed (act of charity) or does says some extra prayers, they may remove a thorn from this crown and place it on the cross which will be next to our crown of thorns.

This cross will help us to focus during Lent on how Jesus died for us and took our sins upon himself. Slowly throughout the fourty days of fasting and prayer that our Church will be engaged in, it is hoped that we will completely remove all these thorns from the crown and by Easter perhaps the Cross will be filled with them, and Jesus will have a beautiful crown of flowers. Each thorn that we remove is replaced by a flower that represents the act of charity or perhaps an act of penance that we have completed.

To help inspire us as to what kind of things we might do as acts of charity or penance we have two decorated jars on the same table. One is labeled with Corporal Acts of Mercy and the other Spiritual Acts of Mercy. Within the jar of Corporal acts will be chores that not done on a regular basis such as wash the white wood work on the stairs. Wash the two door frames in the dining room. Within our jar of spiritual works of mercy will be various prayers that people can pray as well as suggestions of people to pray for; perhaps a friend who is ill, someone we know who is looking for work as well as the many priests we know.

Once it is completly set up, I will update this photo or post a second photo, so drop by again soon.

I pray you will all have a Holy lent.

Read more!

Oh say it isn't so...

Not yet two, Elsa now responds to most comments and requests with ...

WHY?

It's time to change your diapers, Elsa.
Why?
Because they are stinky.
Elsa gets up to change diapers.

Elsa, lets go eat.
Why?
Because it's time to eat.
Elsa gets up to go eat.

Elsa, put your book up please.
Why?
Because I want you to.
Elsa puts book on shelf.

Thankfully she has not yet advanced to Emma's level of why...

Emma: "Momma why is that boy crying?" She points to the little boy behind us in the check out line at the doctor's office.
Momma: "Oh, I guess he is sick."
Emma; "Oh, why is he sick."
Momma: "I'm not sure. I guess he got some germs."
Emma: "Oh WHY? WHY did the little boy get germs Momma?"
Momma: "Ummm, maybe he didn't wash his hands?"
Emma: "But why didn't he wash his hands Momma?
Momma: "I don't know Emma, why do YOU think he didn't wash his hands?"
Emma: " I don't know Momma, Why, why didn't he wash his hands, why is he sick Momma?
Momma: Sighs heavily and wishes little boy had washed his hands and was not sick and was not crying and trys to change subject. "Look Emma, there's a picture of pretty girl with some kittens."
Emma: "Oh she is pretty. Why does she have three kittens Momma. Why?

Now that I think about it, I guess I know why Elsa now says why to almost everything I say or ask... she is spending too much time with her big sister Emma. Read more!

What makes Momma a nice momma?

Emma: Momma, can I have some candy pleeeease? Pleeeease Momma?

Momma: Emma! No! It's too early in the morning. You still have to eat your breakfast. What kind of momma would I be if I gave you candy before breakfast.

Emma: A nice momma! A really nice momma!

I was tempted... very tempted. Read more!

Have I become disposable?

Recently Elsa, not quite two, climbed up on my lap and wrapped her arms around my waist, leaned into me as if to cuddle. Then she quickly rubbed her face back and forth rapidly. She stopped, flashed a grin at me and then quickly rubbed her face back and forth once more against my shirt. Seemingly satisfied with this quick cuddle she slid off my lap and was off to play once more.

Puzzled, I wondered if perhaps she liked how soft the shirt was that I was wearing. Then I glanced down and all was revealed. I had simply been used as a kleenex... Read more!

This afternoon as I addressed an envelope with notes, drawings and some stickers that one of my younger children was sending to some friends of hers in a nearby town, I thought to myself 'why don't I surprise their mum with a note'? After all, the kids are enjoying receiving mail in the mailbox; why should they be the only ones to enjoy this? Of late, my children have been receiving mail from friends who live in various states and that satisfying rip of the envelope simply can not be reproduced by clicking the mouse and seeing a number representing how many emails you have. Then I thought why stop at one friend, I have a few friends that might enjoy that nice feeling of a thick envelope that does not bear the address of the local utility company. And why, I asked myself, should my pretty snowflake stamps be wasted on only bills? Why not also use them to grace an envelope bearing good cheer and happy tidings?

I pulled out a stack of unlined paper and searched my desk for the pen that had just been there and began. There was a very satisfying feeling as blue letters flowed across the page and I found myself writing:

"I decided to write to you the old fashioned way, with ink and paper" and as I wrote that a thought struck me. How can this actually be so old fashioned when only a few short years ago this was still the principle means of communication, after the phone of course. Following this was another thought - will it soon come to pass that relatives will no longer find bundles of letters tied with a faded ribbon, forgotten in an old desk that had belonged to Grampa? Will instead our descendants find lost and damaged hard drives kicking around in the dusty corners of attics or basements, with only the most intuitive relative thinking that there just might be communications saved on that ancient piece of machinery. And, if they are able to retrieve anything at all off that hard drive - will they be letters, or saved emails and chats?

I love this era of emails and instant messaging, as well as the ease of being able to backspace when I realize I have left off an e, or missed a word entirely. I was not able to easily remedy these mistakes as I wrote my notes to a variety of friends this morning. But while I appreciate the wonder and practicality of this modern means of communications, it has dawned on me that if I do not make an effort to send the occasional "snail mail", and unless I save and print off most of my emails to my children, extended family and friends a valuable piece of family history will be lost.

Not even this blog is assured of perpetual existence. Thankfully I have saved most of my articles that I have written, but already this piece of our family history is divided between two hard drives. Should I print them off, tie them with a ribbon and stick them in the far corner of a desk drawer? Or perhaps I should download them onto a CD and carefully preserve them this way? And unless I label the CD and the jewel case carefully; should a great granddaughter find what will surely seem, to her, to be an 'ancient' means of keeping information, she might decide throw this useless old CD out.

However, if I print off the essays and articles I have written, even if the ink has faded and the paper yellowed and the dust causes her to sneeze uncontrollably; that faded ribbon will signify to her to that something of value is wrapped within. Read more!

Mid Week Post!

Elsa: "Heavy breathing as she reaches up and grasps mummy's neck. Grunts with effort to heave herself up onto mummy's lap. "
Mummy: "Feels like Mount Rushmore, eh? Getting up here!"
Elsa: answers with a breathless "Yeah!"
Mummy: Wonders if skipping the bike ride this morning was such a good idea after all, given Elsa's quick yes! Then quickly comforts herself with the thought that a 22 month old does not know, after all, what Mount Rushmore is. Read more!

How goes your day...

...when the majority of your children become ill and you have not yet managed to route them all through your new doctors office that insists on "well check ups" before your children fall ill.

Mine goes something like this:

Wake up squeezed between coughing, hacking babies and roll quickly out of the way of the one gaging on the mucus in her throat.

Get partially dressed, opting to stay in jammie bottoms to save time.

Organize cleaning party with those still healthy enough to clean, so as to clean up from supper last night since everyone was too tired to clean up last night.

Blow a kiss good bye to husband as he escapes to the office.

Call and cancel visit to friends house, realizing that bringing this plague to their house would be a good way to wreck a blooming friendship. Promise to pray the Rosary at about 2 pm when we would have been able to pray together.

Smile admiringly as proud son shows you the large bowl of pudding he has just finished whipping and then swallow back sarcatic remark when the bowl flips over and out of his hands. Whince as he lifts the bowl up and try not to think about how much milk is sitting there in that large dark chocolate mountain, slowly ebbing from the kitchen floor out onto the dining room floor.

Chase down 20 month old and with help from other kids wrestle her to the ground so as to change her and while you are at it - clean her nose.

Plug cell phone in so it can charge while you wait for the Doctor on call to call back - for your 20 year old son. You haven't dared call the pediatricans office yet to try and determine which of the ones who have not yet had their well check ups can actually be seen.

While in kitchen spooning up jello and pudding for those too ill to swallow anything thicker than liquid you miss cell phone call from Doctor because somehow the setting on the cell phone has switched to auto voicemail after 2 rings. Maybe the fact that the 20 month old is forever pushing the buttons on the phone can explain this mysterious change in settings?

Call office back and ask if the Doctor would mind calling again...

Chase down 20 month old again, and with help from other kids wrestle her to the ground so as to change her and while you are at it - clean her nose - again. Jump back when she gags on mucus....

After fielding second call from a very patient Doctor, you get a call from your husband asking if he should still go into the hospital for his out patient proceedures scheduled for Monday as his throat is starting to hurt. You pull out paperwork and look up reasons for postponing - there in bold letters is "fever, sore throat, cold symtoms."

Sighing, you offer to call the hospital for him and several calls later the surgeon decides that your husband should continue fasting and call in the morning if he is not feeling better, at which time he will call in antibiotics in case he has Strep like the 20 year old son does... but please, if possible, do not call during church hours... Hmmm, I actually liked that, so I asked what time he attended church and duely wrote it down.

Chase down twenty month old and beg her to eat just a little of the chocolate pudding you have served her. She looks at it and than looks at you and says "catpoo!" You offer her butterscotch pudding and meet with success until she gags on more mucus and decides she is full.

Later, much later, you remember to call husband and tell him to keep fasting. Your 20 year old reminds you that his prescription is still waiting to be picked up at the pharmacy. Thankfully you remember, as you grab the keys off the mantle, the decision you made early this morning as a time saving mechanism and go change into a pair of pants before leaving...

So how was your day? Read more!