You know this old familiar tune

Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb... Mary had a little lamb and its fleece was white as snow.

For some reason 6 yr old Emma thinks this is Mary - Jesus's mummy...

Hmmmm, there is a certain logic there, no?

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Father Corapi

How sad in the month of Mary - a famous Catholic college is blatantly ignoring the dictum of our Bishops to Catholic colleges to not honour pro death/anti life speakers by inviting them to speak on their campuses. We all know that I am speaking of Notre Dame and not only its invitation to Obama to speak, but to also confer upon him an honorary degree. It is an open slap in the face to our church and her prolife stance.

Father Corapi addresses this in the video below.

Please share this video and message. It can also be viewed here. I would also suggest that students attending this college or planning to attend to seriously reconsider this decision through prayer. Sadly the most effective way today to send a message - is with your dollars. If you really believe that this college is dishonoring GOD and His church through ignoring a clear directive from SEVENTY Bishops to not follow through in its invitation to Obama - you must decide whether you will support this college with your college funds and attendance. Go to Jesus and ask Him what would HE do?


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MARY's month... is MAY!

We are already heading into the second week of May - Mary's month. Do you remember this video from last year?


Well - here is the new one.



I'm not sure which one I like best. Neither can my kids. We like them both a LOT!

Anyway - I thought it was a good time to remind everyone that this is Mary's month. Do you have any special family celebrations planned for this month? Any family traditions you would like to share that might inspire the rest of us? I did not grow up Catholic so I am always happy to hear about new customs and traditions we might want to incorporate in our family celebrations.

Please feel free to link and share this post to spread the videos as well as to promote the opportunity for people to share their ideas of how to celebrate this month in a meaningful and fun way!

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ADOPTED!

Whew - Such a relief! We got all three puppies adopted and I am pretty sure they all went to good homes! For some reason I could not log into my Craig's List account so as to delete the ad - so I wrote another Ad with DUKE ADOPTED in the title so that hopefully people seeing both ads would not email me to see if he was still available. So this morning I open my email and low and behold what do I have but an email from a lady with a 6 month old beagle/Russell terrier mix. Her older dog apparently is not happy about the new adoption and the continuous fighting is driving her crazy. Would I be interested in rescuing her puppy....

Maybe - if, like her, I did not have a lot of children underfoot. (She has 3 under 4rs) The relief I felt when I waved good bye to Duke - as much as I liked him and as cute and cuddly as he was... the relief was immense! This was not a good moment to ask me to take on another puppy. Seriously! Not even a crate trained UTD on her shots puppy! Nope, not right now. Uh uh - NOT happening. Really. I sent her some rescue links.

I'm just glad she did not attach a photo! I'm a sucker for cute faces... as you can all attest to.


(Will add a picture of Duke later, but his pics are on another computer.)


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Blaze has a sleep over...

Blaze and Duke get along better than Blaze and Bella did. Sharing the crate was not even an option with Bella!

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Photos to substantiate Sundays Post

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Pandemic Crisis

This is what happens when you promise someone that only a pandemic crisis will prevent you from attending a function she has arranged, and that you really want to go to. Although I am not sure a broken water pump on one's van qualifies as a crisis, but it sure does "dry" up any possibilities of a long drive until it is repaired.

So Saturday found Hugo surrounded by tools, oil, grease, radiator and the a/c, along with other bits and pieces of internal engine organs vital to our van's health. It only took about 3 hours to get to the offending pump and would have taken less time to put it all back had a 1$ part not broken. As our only working vehicle was sitting in pieces all over the front lawn... he had to walk to the closest auto parts store to get the replacement.

The plan at the time I am writing this post is to get it all back together in time to attend Mass tomorrow so we can go to Charlotte and pick up TWO more puppies. One is being adopted by another family in our parish and we have a potential home lined up for the other. The family from our parish is coming with us and we will have a Picnic lunch up there. It should be fun.

Assuming Hugo can remember where all of those hoses, tubes and screws go, that is. I'll let you all know!

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Emmm..... Barbecue...... charcoal?

"Now," Benjamin said as he walked in with his freshly barbecued sausages "don't get mad 'cause this was my FIRST time making sausages on the grill AND my first time not supervised.'
"Hmm" I murmured, "they are a little uhhh..."

"Crispy? " he filled in.

Yeah - thats the word I was looking for - Crispy, black ... and.... uhhh - crispy!

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Nap Time

Where else would one want to nap on a hot summer day but in a light airy hammock?

Okay, so it's May and therfore technically spring, but the temps here are in the 80's
(or 27 - 31 c) which in my mind - equals SUMMER!

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Fine dining

What does any self respecting mother do when she walks into the dining room and finds her 11 yr old daughter setting up a "photo shoot" as she called it, with the puppy at the dining room table, complete with place setting?
Why she suggests adding a colourful napkin, of course!

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NO EXPLANATION NEEDED

April 27, 2009
The Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President
University of Notre Dame

Dear Father Jenkins,

When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. I treasure the memory of receiving an honorary degree from Notre Dame in 1996, and I have always felt honored that the commencement speech I gave that year was included in the anthology of Notre Dame’s most memorable commencement speeches. So I immediately began working on an acceptance speech that I hoped would be worthy of the occasion, of the honor of the medal, and of your students and faculty.

Last month, when you called to tell me that the commencement speech was to be given by President Obama, I mentioned to you that I would have to rewrite my speech. Over the ensuing weeks, the task that once seemed so delightful has been complicated by a number of factors.

First, as a longtime consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president an honorary degree. This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops’ express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions “should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles” and that such persons “should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution’s freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it.

Then I learned that “talking points” issued by Notre Dame in response to widespread criticism of its decision included two statements implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event:

• “President Obama won’t be doing all the talking. Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, will be speaking as the recipient of the Laetare Medal.”

• “We think having the president come to Notre Dame, see our graduates, meet our leaders, and hear a talk from Mary Ann Glendon is a good thing for the president and for the causes we care about.”

A commencement, however, is supposed to be a joyous day for the graduates and their families. It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame’s decision—in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops—to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church’s position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.

Finally, with recent news reports that other Catholic schools are similarly choosing to disregard the bishops’ guidelines, I am concerned that Notre Dame’s example could have an unfortunate ripple effect.

It is with great sadness, therefore, that I have concluded that I cannot accept the Laetare Medal or participate in the May 17 graduation ceremony.

In order to avoid the inevitable speculation about the reasons for my decision, I will release this letter to the press, but I do not plan to make any further comment on the matter at this time.

Yours Very Truly,

Mary Ann Glendon

Mary Ann Glendon is Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. A member of the editorial and advisory board of First Things , she served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican from 2007 to 2009.

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Con Permiso...

... we would like to introduce our very own God Father Corleone!




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Over the moon...

...crazy happy because my PENATEN diaper cream finally arrived! I have tried everything to get rid of this nasty diaper rash that Cecilia had developed over a month ago. Nothing was doing it. I switched diaper brands, changed wipes, wished I had clothe diapers on hand, or some Penaten.

I used to be able to buy Penaten in Canada but have not been able to find it here and a friend from Germany, where Penaten originates from, is not planning a trip there any time soon - so ...I went online, googled it and voila! Found several online sites where I could order it.

Three applications and the rash is almost gone. I knew it would be! Penaten was always my stand by for stubborn rashes. The only downside is that if it should get left in the reach of little ones who might decide to paint your walls, rug and bed - it stains. Not that that is something I know from personal experience. Ahem! I am too organized for that to ever happen.

I love my Penaten!

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Crazy life

We have been going crazy here for the past two days. Are you wondering why? Well - we brought home one of Blaze's siblings to find her a home and keep her out of the pound. In the process we also found a home for her blond sister with my best friend in our parish.

We are still working on finding the last puppy, a blond and brown male, a home. So not a lot posting, schooling or much else has been happening the past few days and for some reason I feel really tired!

So chuffed, though, that we have found two really good homes for two of the puppies.

Here is our temporary guest who left this morning - in tow by her big fur brother,
a lovely Golden Retriever.

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I'm in a love hate relationship...

...with Cecilia's growth! I love the many changes that are happening almost daily - but I hate how fast they are happening.


Then:





and now:


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First Confession

We have titled this photo of Cecilia with her God Father as "First Confession" as she looks as if she is whispering in his ear and he is listening intently.

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Grateful...

My children are HEALTHY. My children are ALIVE. We have our problems, bills not paid. the stress of being self-employed. No insurance... I could write quite a long list if I cared to but instead I will be praising Jesus ALL day that my children are HEALTHY and my children are ALIVE and my stresses are so small compared to what Kayleigh's family is going through and what Stellans's family has been through. I could list so many families whose babies are suffering and so they are suffering the worse pain a family can suffer. Please keep both of these families in your prayers right now. I can not even begin to imagine....

Pray for Kayleigh

Pray for Stellan!

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repost...

When you check this olde post out - keep in mind it is from FOUR years ago so those numbers have increased - including number of days pregnant. Click here to enjoy some fun numbers!


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What am I doing?

O n e ........ t w ooo ..... t h r e e ...... f o u r ...... f i v e ......

What am I doing? Playing a game obviously. I am playing it while I sit in my rocking chair, resting my sore back, cuddling the most delicious 3 month old.

Here is how it goes. I point to something out of place to Emma, something to Tanny and Elsa sits and watches. Wisely I don't point out anything to her.

"So Emma and Nathaniel", I slyly say, "I am going to count to twenty see if you can put that away before I get to twenty. " Elsa watches as they scurry to beat me. Usually by 11 they are back, eager for another challenge. Before too long Elsa wistfully asks if I'm going to give her a chance to pick something up.

What do I call this game? Why 3 pm chores, of course - but don't tell them that, ok? That's our little secret between just you and I!
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Hmmmm

I am wondering how successful dinner was the other night when Emma Louise looked at the homemade soup steaming in my huge cauldron pot and suggested to the other kids that they play 'orphanage' while they ate. I had to wonder "Does my lentil & ham soup look that bad?"






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