We Remember 9/11

We remember the victims and their families. May God continue to bless this great country and protect us from further terrorist attacks. Read more!

A flower for you...

Saturdays have become our yard cleaning days. Now what kid looks forward to a Saturday morning clean fest, eh? None that I know and I happen to know twelve. So when I created this new family tradition this summer, I decided that I would get up early and have a nice hot breakfast ready for everyone, with coffee and bacon smells calling everyone out of bed, instead of me with a cup of water poised just so over one's forehead.

So far - it has been well received and everyone enjoys the special ‘breakies’ I have been concocting, pancakes and fried ham on the side, or fresh bread toasted with eggs sunny side up - you get the idea. Right out of Little Farmer, by Laura Ingles Wilder, only not quite on the same scale. Same menu, only spread over several weekends, not served all on the same Saturday morning.

As some may know, I have been ill. Quite ill actually, so the groceries had really petered out and there was no juice to go with the hot breakfast I was planning on, so I slipped off with cash in my pocket and walked over to Ahmed's Gas Station. As I made my way through the crackly dry, freshly mowed field that lies between us and the gas station I glanced down at the bright yellow mustard flowers. Despite the heat and dryness of the season they were in abundance.

Suddenly I thought of Emma, my soon to be three year old. Actually I thought of all my children when they were of the flower bearing age - sidling up to me poesy in hand. I remembered the delight that always danced across their faces when I accepted this token of love with a smile and a thank you. I thought; ‘How fun it would be to give Emma a little token of love for a change. Children take so much delight in this; it must be so special to them.’ I chuckled mentally at the thought of her face when I surprised her with a little handful of flowers.

I quickly made my purchases of juice, greeted Ahmed and hurried back to the field where I carefully chose a few buds of yellow. I made sure they were long enough to put in a glass of water. When I entered the house through the back porch, Emma was sitting at the computer with one of her siblings playing a PBS kids game online.

"Emma," I called coyly, "Look what Mummy has for you."

She scrambled down off the chair and with her face lit with expectation she hurried to me. I showed her the flowers. "I brought you some flowers Emma." She drew in her breath; "For ME?"
"Yes - for you!"
Anna, twelve, asked her; "What do you say Emma?"

"Your Welcome Mummy!" she breathed as she started to show everyone her flowers before feeding them to Finnegan.

Hmmm, yes. Thank YOU Emma, I thought, YOU give me so much pleasure! Thank YOU! So really - her welcome was quite appropriate! Read more!

Thing One and Thing Two

Well - the puppies are growing. I swear they are double their size since we "adopted" them from the stranger that ambled up our drive that hot dusty Sunday afternoon. Since then they have been de-wormed, vacinated and eaten us out of house and home.

They have been learning how to sit and to "walk easy!" as well as to sit at the door before we open it. However, I have not been able to work with their training much the past two weeks between being ill, and still trying to keep the house going. So I have been worried they would forgot much of their training. But I never thought they would forget their names - or at least one of them forget.

Tonight my son Jonathan came out to the garage where I was hidden, working on the computer for the business. He said; "Madre - did you know we have two puppies named Zack?"

"WHAT?" I asked!

"Yup - tonight I called Zack, and he came bounding across the living room, but then seconds later Ares skidded around the corner, crashing into him. So I waited until Ares was distracted and chewing on a bone and then called him by his name. 'Ares....' no response, he just kept chewing on his bone."

Jonathan continued: "Ares, I called louder, slapping my thigh and clapping. Nope - no response. 'Zack?' I said, and he leaped up and tore across the room to me, with his tail whipping like crazy. So, I guess we now have two puppies named Zack."

I just stared at him in disbelief. But then it is no wonder, as almost none of the younger children get Ares's name right, They keep calling him things like Heiress, Areeeez, anything but Ares.

So, maybe they'll just be "Zack One" and "Zack two", they certainly cause as much trouble as Thing One and Thing Two!

My poor puppies.... I clearly need to get back to their training! Read more!

Lost keys... again!

Earlier this week my husband was once more desperatly searching for keys. Keys for a vehicle that, again, has not been driven for a while. But this time I did NOT climb on a chair and search through bottles and bottles of Baby Tylenol, Children's Motrin and other sundry medicines. I had already cleaned the fridge off, and it was quite empty, so I already knew there were no keys of any sort there.

I did not empty out laundry baskets or sort through the items that are stacked on the shelf over the washer and dryer. I didn't even ask my husband if he had looked in any of these areas - I just stared at my rectangular bruise and bit my lips. I said not a word - I was sure he would find them again without my help and... he did.

I learned this when he walked into the kitchen covered with sweat and announced; "I just walked three miles."

In this heat?

I whirled around to stare at him and asked, "Why did you do that?" He and I have been talking about excercising, but surely there was a cooler, and less busy time of day, to take a walk. Especially a three mile walk.

He wearily wiped his forehead off, with a look of disgust.

"Because the stupid blue van broke down three miles from here, that's why."

I didn't bother to ask where he had found the keys this time. I just called AAA and asked for a tow.

Anyone know of a Patron Saint for old vehicles? Read more!

I am stealing from Danielle Bean...

I am stealing a list of items needed by the Baton Rouge Saint Vincent DePaul Society from Danielle's Web Site. Like so many other's I want to do more than pray and wring my hands while I listen to the suffering that is still ongoing and here is a chance to do so.

Locally there was ONE location in a nearby city that was accepting donations between 10am and 2 pm for only TWO days... Doesn't really seem as if they want many doantions. And we have received a few hundred evacues here in NC.

Given I am still sick and unable to drive, these limited hours and a location more than an hour away kept me from being able to donate the toys my children have chosen to share. I also want to go through clothes we have and share these items as well, but I could not do it before those two dates came and went, so when I saw Danielle's posting I grabbed it to share and to use!
Here is her list and the address is below it:

• Infant Clothing/layettes
• Diapers
• Formula
• Bottles
• Baby wipes
• Children’s Clothing
• Children’s Shoes
• Socks
• Undergarments
• Washcloths
• Towels
• Toiletries
• Blankets
• Children’s Sleeping Bags
• Book bags
• Pillows
• First Aid Items
• Children’s Tylenol
• Baseball Caps to limit sun exposure
• Non-Aerosol deodorant
• Non-Aerosol Bug Repellant
• Coloring Books
• Crayons

Please list contents of all packages on the label. And please package clothing in separate boxes or plastic bags according to size and sex (example: Boys Size 6 or Women’s Size 12) and be sure these are clearly labeled as well.

Please ship packages to:
St Vincent DePaul Society
St Vincent DePaul Place
Baton Rouge LA 70802 Read more!

Check this out...

Here is a URL to a local Mississippi tv station. Here you will find articles as well as video clips of the devastation that the residents of the Gulf Coast have suffered!

http://www.wlox.com/

I have finally turned the news off and am not so focused on it today. I have done this especially for the children. Still, I feel so much compassion and horror for these poor people, that they are on my mind all day. There are whole towns gone, wiped offthe face of the earth. Because of the immensity of the problems New Orleans faced, it has over shadowed Mississippi's and Alabama's tragedies.

Today and yesterday my children have taken turns going through their toys and we will pass those on. Yet, I wish to do more. Because we travel so much, these are areas we know. In fact last summer we raced, I think it was Ivan, to gather up merchandise that was on the Kessler Base. We were afraid to wait until after it had passed in case we lost our purchases in the storm. While there my husband, Hugo, said; "Hey - we are only about 55 miles from New Orleans, why don't we take a quick detour and head over there." Tired and anxious to get home before the hurricane made land, I replied;
"Nah, New Orleans will always be there, we can check it out another time..."

Now we scour the tv screen trying to catch a glimpse of anything we recognize from Biloxi or Gulfport, and I regret not having gone to New Orleans. Who would ever have thought it would not always be there? Read more!

Where are the keys...

I had a fever, a sinus infection, an eye infection and my chest was hurting. Then because I was feverish and a bit dizzy I lost my balance while standing on a chair. I was trying to help Hugo find the keys to our van. This van has been up on blocks for WEEKS and we were finally ready to test drive it... but the keys were missing.

Earlier that day Hugo had turned his pockets out... I had turned my pockets out... he had dumped his laundry basket... I had dumped the big boys’ basket (and then picked it all up again). No keys.

Later the kids searched through the couch and chair cushions in the living room, and searched under these pieces of furniture as well. No Keys.

Eventually I called from my sick bed; "Have you checked the fridge?"
''Oh yes - several times.
"Humph - I thought. Sure you did. I know how well you check on there.

So... I went downstairs and began a through search over the fridge; moving bottles of Advil, boxes of Band-Aids, bags of dog treats etc, found missing nail clippers. And then I stretched a little too far to the right and the chair I was balanced on flipped over out from under my feet. I swung precariously through the air while holding onto the freezer door and managed to land on both feet, but not before banging up my left foot and right leg.

Sporting a gumball under the sole of my left foot, and a bruise 4 inches long and 3 wide on my right leg, I crept back to bed. There I quietly prayed for help from St. Anthony in finding the keys as obviously I was in no shape to keep looking.

I fell asleep and when I woke up the van was gone. THANK YOU St. Anthony I whispered to myself! When my husband got back from his test drive of the van, I asked him where were on earth had he found the keys???
"In the van.” he responded nonchalantly.
"In the van??” I repeated, staring at my black and blue calf.
"Yeah, they were in the ignition." Read more!

Happy Birthday Jonathan!

This month my first baby boy turns TWENTY!!!!

I will then have THREE kids in their twenties, but I still consider myself a “young” mother. As long as I have a child still in the single digits – I figure I can qualify as a young mother… At current count I have five children still in the single digits, but once Elsa hits ten – I will have to think of another way to define young. Read more!

Here is a most interesting blog dedicated to Katrina and her aftermath. There are photos such as you are not seeing on national tv, making it even more personal than the tv coverage has been able to do.

http://dancingwithkatrina.blogspot.com/

I have not checked it out in it's entirety, so I am not sure how graphic some photos might be. Therfore, I would caution allowing children to view this blog until you have perused it yourself. So far I have not seen anything I would not allow my children see but, as I said - I have not viewed the whole blog.

I continue to pray... Read more!

The Blessed Sacrament is the first and supreme object of our worship. We must preserve in the depths of our hearts a constant and uninterrupted, profound adoration of this precious pledge of Divine Love.
Saint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier
http://www.goodshepherdsistersna.com/Euphrasia.htm Read more!

SPAM Comments...

Because I have had what I consider a large number of SPAM comments for what I am assuming is a rather small readership I have added a verification step so that people will have to type letters that they see in a box before posting. I am sorry for that but I feel that it is unfair to everyone to have SPAM posted on our blogs. Has anyone else had this problem? I hope to eventually have my own website and possibly avoid this problem as a result.

I will try to remember to post my email address so that people can write to that if they prefer rather than go through the verification process. I hope it is not too cumbersome. I really enjoy reading people's feedback. If I forget to add my email address you can always roll down a little and find an older post with my email address.

I will republish this explanation for a while. I am sorry for this!

Blessings
mum2twleve@yahoo.com Read more!

How can we help the victims of Katrina?

I have been extremely restless the past week as I have had my ears glued to Fox News via our XM radio. I have been spared the horrific views of the pain and suffering, but my heart still cries for the hungry, the displaced, the babies, the mothers of these babies. I have listened to the frantic notes of Shepherd Smith’s voice, of FOX News, as he pleaded for help for the people surrounding him on highway 10 exit 235 a. As I listened to him describe fathers helplessly wandering up and down the pavement while jiggling newborns in their arms and describe a mother cuddle her desperately ill 3 year old, I itched to be able to fill my van with water and diapers and head to the highway myself. But this was neither feasible not realistic, but I want to help someway myself.

So I am listing here a number of ways that one can donate to the cause. Many people will have already have done so, but it you have not, and are not sure the best way to help – here are a number of Charities, some that President Bush himself has suggested we give to.

The two suggested by our President are the Red Cross , and the Salvation Army .

Here are some others:
Catholic Online
FEMA's link to many other valid charities

Where to help the pets of Katrina’s victims: SPCA

Please, please – keep in mind that there will many despicable folks, disguised as charities, out there trying to fleece others. It can not be emphasized enough that there will be a number of scams going on. I have heard on Fox News, that at this point, charities such as RED CROSS are too busy actually assisting the victims to be making phone calls soliciting donations. If you get such a call – it is most likely a fraud. Please do not make donations by phone. If you get a phone call ask the caller to mail you documentation so that you can confirm that they are legit. Tell them you will donate by mail after you receive confirmation that they are legit. If they are real – they will only be too glad to mail you this information.

In some situations people do not have the money to send to a charity – in those cases we can go through our closets, bookshelves and pantries and select pieces of clothing, shoes, books, children’s videos etc to donate to local charities to give to the hundreds of shelters for the victims.

We can also volunteer man hours to local charities to help sort through the donations and organize them for deployment.

And, of course, we can continue to pray.

God Bless America and, most especially, the victims of Katrina.

POST SCRIPT a link to FEMA's guidance regarding legit charites vs Frauds
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/tmarkg/charity.htm Read more!

One Person's Punishment is Another's Game...

Recently my nineteen year old was enjoying himself regaling tales of when he was little to his younger siblings. Somewhat along the lines of "I used to walk 3 miles in barefoot in the snow to get to school" he told of how he and the other three oldest children, would have to share a single can of soda pop.
"You guys have no idea how lucky you are - maybe once a month we would get to share a whole can of soda. Yep, Daddy might bring home one can of soda and would tell us - You can all share this - and we would be so exited. And you guys get a whole can each!!!" He shook his head sagely as he watched their eye get rounder and rounder. Eventually he switched from tales of treats and sharing, to the subject of discipline.
"Do you know what we use to have to do if we got caught running on the stairs?" Pausing for effect, he glanced around the dinner table as our "second" family stared mutely back at him shaking their heads no. One or two stole a sip from their cans of sodas.
"Oh Man - you guys have no idea how good you have it. We had to walk up and down the stairs the same amount of times as we were in age. "
One of the youngest piped up; "So I would have to go up and down seven times?"
He solemnly nodded. All that was missing was a long white beard for him to pull at while he continued. “And you had to walk up and down for that to count as one!”

This was punctuated with the arrival of eight year old Teddy as he landed with a thud at the bottom of the stairs. Unaware of the change in the subject he had flown down the stairs and cleared the last three in a single leap. Jonathan looked at me expectedly and six pairs of eyes fastened on my face. Struggling to keep my face straight I explained to Teddy he would now have to walk up and down the stairs eight times. Nathaniel, five, watched with wide eyes and then got up and came over to me. He pointed to Teddy as the other children counted the trips; “Four….. five….”
“Can I have a turn Mummy?” he chirped eaglerly. He grabbed Jonathan’s hands and said “Tum on Jonaten. Mummy said I can doe up and down too! Tum with me.”
Smothering a chuckle at how the tables had been turned on him, Jonathan joined Tanny Paul as he happily counted steps up, and then down again. What a game he thought it was, while Teddy wearily finished his count of eight. The rest of us started to clean up from supper, a few not bothering to hide our grins as Jonathan continued to help Nathaniel count his steps up and down, up and down and up and down. One person's punishment is sometimes another's game.

mum2twelve@yahoo.com Read more!

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!