Let me introduce my family - or at least a few of my dozen!

(This is a picture from Thanksgiving 2004. Two children are missing, the book ends, Amanda and Elsa. )

This post is orginally from June of 2005, when I started my blog... enjoy!

Hi – my name is Christi and I am ‘mum2twelve’! A nice round even dozen, and as my son who is eighteen, recently pointed out - my children are trans generational. They spread across three decades, the 80’s, the 90’s, and the 00’s. I had four between 1982 and 1987. When first married and asked how many kids we wanted - I would always say; “I want two girls, and then two boys; or two boys followed by two girls, whichever way as long as they are born in groups of two so they can have playmates. (And I want four, God.) However, I forgot to tell Him that I meant 4 children spread over 6 or 8 years, not crammed into just over 4 yrs! So when the fourth was born, and I was asked if he would be the last, I responded that at 25 I was not ready to answer that question.

However, thyroid issues ensued, so it took four years before baby number five joined us. Gabriela Elizabeth is a miracle baby. Not only should I not have been able to conceive her because of such low thyroid levels, I should not have been able to carry her to term. Contractions started in her fourth month. She was the first of our 90’s babies and was born on her brother’s 4th birthday. We continued on to enjoy another feast of babies during the 90’s, giving birth to 5 in that decade. By the end of that decade we had nine children, and we really didn’t think there would be more. However, in 2000 number ten, a delightful remake of our 18 yr old son, was born. Same Roman nose and curly red hair, only Tanny’s eyes are blue and he has a dimple! Temperament is not quite the same as Miguel’s either. Both are very handsome and that’s not just my opinion either. According to Tanny Paul, he is “han umm” and all other males in the family are “dood lookin”!

In fairly rapid succession Nathaniel Paul (Tanny) was followed by two sisters. Emma Louise Kathleen, and Elsa Marie Bernadette. Emma is currently 2 and a half and a huge burr in Nathaniel’s life. To such an extent, that he actually cried for three days when he learned that the sonogram showed that his next sibling would be a sister. He was devastated! I am sure in his young mind he visualized Emma’s tortuous twin being born ready to walk, talk and able tease him in conjunction with Emma. However – he is in love with his darling baby sister, now 9 weeks old and definitely not a tease. (Yet…)

The oldest four children are all busy with their young adult lives, but still very involved with their younger siblings. The oldest, now 22, lives in NYC but only for another 7 short days at which time she will move to Boston where she has obtained a wonderful job at Harvard. Amanda Caroline is delighted to be a faculty assistant to two professors in her favorite department, Literature. And better yet, these Profs specialize in British and American Literature, as well as poetry – all great loves for Amanda. As she recently posted – God is good. In Boston she will attend First Day meetings at Friends Meeting at Cambridge. This daughter has left her Catholic heritage behind, and joined the Quakers recently. While this greatly saddens all of our family, we pray that her journey with God will be blessed, and maybe one day bring her back to our beautiful faith.

My second child – also a girl (God got the pattern right for the first eight babies and then He got bored with it!) is only 14 months younger than Amanda and is currently interning at Room At The Inn , a home for unwed mothers. I saw it recently and it is a lovely home beautifully decorated, and very, very peaceful! A rather joyful place for a young mother in need of support to pass those wondrous, but difficult months of pregnancy, and then to begin her recovery from birth and journey to independence with her new baby. Jennifer Alicia, typically a 4.0 student, is also attending summer school while also waitressing in the evenings. She is a bubbly personality and full of energy, but sometimes I worry about burn out for her. But then that is part of a mother’s job – worry.

Our two sons Jonathan, 19 and Miguel, 18 are giving their summer this year to our family business. We are at crossroads and determined to make it to the next level, and hopefully begin to bring in sufficient profits to support our large family without requiring outside assistance, beyond prayers that is! We are praying hard for success. When my husband lost his job three years ago due to lay offs, he immediately turned a part time hobby into a full time business. We have sacrificed our home, taken our sanity to the very edge and back and still we are not quite there – financially. But I think our family is somewhat stronger from the struggles of the past three years. Definitely we have learned the need for prayer, the need for family and, most of all, how much we depend on God to get from day to day – even minute to minute.

Jonathan, when not working for us – is a student at Belmont Abbey College which is where Jennifer also studies. This fall Jonathan will be a sophomore, and Jenny will be a senior. Where has the time gone, eh? Miguel, because of a few learning disabilities will continue to pursue his high school diploma from home. In 2006, if the family no longer needs his help with the business, he will either leave for college, or perhaps the military. My heart stops at that thought, as every mother’s does! Another area requiring prayer as my son seeks to know God’s will for him.

Well – I am off to bandage one of the many invisible ‘ouchies’ that only a “band-aid” will fix. I wonder if the fellow who first invented the band-aid realized the miracle cure he was offering to mums across the world – sometimes surpassing even a mother’s kiss in its magical ability to make it stop hurting!

Another day – perhaps tomorrow, I will catch you up with the younger crew. Until then – adios. Read more!

The Weather Pixie...

I am having a lazy day. So far I have only rearranged the dining room so as to be able to fit in a play pen for Elsa and the rest of my time has been largely spent focussing on Emma who is really not feeling well, so her ability to cope with even small stresses is next to nil. She is most happy when sitting on my lap as I read through the various blogs up for vote on Catholic Blog Awards.

Well, on The Cafeteria is Closed blog I found the little weather Pixie. I decided to add two of them to my blog, and if allowed maybe three. One for North Carolina's weather, one for Argentina and another for Canada's weather. I chose the lady with the cat for NC because of my love for cats... when I chose her it was almost 20 Celcius here in NC and she was dressed in a knee length dress. What I did not realize was that as the temperature climbs - so does the dress... Ahem. I am hoping the dress does not climb up much further, or I will either have to drop the Pixies altogether or switch to a guy pixie and hope they keep their clothes on!

Two days ago I made another discovery - this was a kind of 'DUH' discovery! How could I have not realized this sooner but EWTN TV can be viewed LIVE through the internet. This is one of few lamments I had about giving up cable, losing access to EWTN TV. (More about that later!)
Recently my husband made the comment about how polically savy we are and wouldn't be good if we were just as savy in our faithlife. He was not referring to knowledge of the faith but to our actual spiritual well being.

Of course, the main reason we are so politicaly astute is talk radio. (Namely Rush Limbaugh, but also Tony Snow, a fellow Catholic.) This lead me to try and see if we could maybe download some of the audio files on EWTN so that we could listen to them on road trips when we make especial use of talk radio. Tada! There it was - EWTN live TV, the daily Mass, the Divine Chaplet at three and also the cute cartoons my kids used to enjoy in the afternoons at the old house.

This afternoon as I sat with Emma searching the internet I had EWTN on in the background and On the Rock was playing. I had the window shrunk and was only listening. The host of this show was interviewing a wheelchair athlete who had no hands and no feet. My 19 year old wanted to see this athlete so I opened the window. We sat watching as they closed the program with an artist whose music I had never heard before. It was Tony Melendez who is also missing two limbs. His arms. Yet he plays the guitar - beautifully. His love for God as expressed through his music left a lump in my throat. You should check him out and if you haven't checked out the live TV and Radio live stream on the internet and do not have access to EWTN through your local cable - you should check that out too!

Now back to my sick chillies. Poor babies! Read more!

Ungrateful Children....

The past month, in the name of economy, I have been baking. Many a morning, of late, my children have risen to fresh out of the oven biscuits or muffins baked the afternoon before. Homemade bread either from the oven or piping hot from the bread makers has been teasing their noses. Okay, some mornings it’s been peanut butter cookies with an apple but what’s the difference between that and toast with peanut butter, I ask?

Despite two bread machine 2 lb loaves of raison bread however, yesterday’s pickings were rather slim, as I had been once more gobbled up by the business and my baking ingredients had begun to wane drastically. Sadly - I had to face facts. A grocery trip was in order. I detest buying groceries. But sacrifices must be made in this world so I grabbed a pencil and set to work making my list. On my menu plan, I scratched out cream of carrot and potato soup and replaced it with roast beef sandwiches as I knew I would have little energy left to make dinner from scratch after my marathon grocery spree.

When I left the sun was still shining, but by the time I returned lugging a van full of groceries in with me – the birds had gone to bed and the warm air had just a tinge of chill in it. As the children hurried to help me haul in the goods I heard one child yell; “Sweet!”

My ears picked up. Had he discovered the raisons I had purchased for more yummy bread? Or maybe the maple syrup for the yams we would have this Sunday with our ham dinner? What had elicited such an excited reaction?

“CEREAL guys – Mummy bought Cheerios!” To which arose resounding cheers!

Ungrateful wretches!

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Children and Teddy Bears alike are all ill...

Given we have been over run with a new virus and I am currently surrounded by sick children and their accompanying teddy bears (also ill of course), I do not have a lot of time for posting today so instead I will introduce you to a very inspiring and thought provoking writer whom I have been enjoying through Sister Pat’s Joy Notes .

Her name is Sister Janet and she is with the Vatican Radio and has a new website of her own, Pause for Prayer . So far I have enjoyed everything I have read from her. Here is Sister Janet’s addition to the Peace Card that Sister Pat sends out daily. I hope that you enjoy her writings as much as I do. If you wish to read past ones, click on the Joy Notes link above. To read today's Joy Notes click HERE.

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The young girl was whining to passers-by of her hunger and destitution when a well-dressed woman turned back and offered her a chocolate-covered sponge cake made by a famous chocolate manufacturer. The girl might have been hungry, but on seeing food rather than money, she scowled as her benefactor left St. Peter’s and this morning’s General Audience.

The begging youngster reminded me of a time when one of my Community had left a charity reception where a buffet meal had been served. The surplus food was distributed amongst those who had helped to organise the event, a plate of special sandwiches being given to my Community member. On the way home, she saw a young man begging on the steps of a church so she decided that he was far in more need of the food than the rest of us. She handed him the plate of sandwiches. One by one, he opened them and then returned the whole selection to her. “I don’t like lettuce”, he declared.

This morning’s young beggar outside St. Peter’s also reminded me of a man who banged at our gate in Lusaka one Sunday lunchtime, looking for money to buy a coffin in which to bury his child. There was only one problem: he was accompanied by the wife whom, only the previous Sunday, he’d claimed had died.

There are many rich and poor in this world, but just as “all that glitters is not gold”, so all those who are found declaring that they are poor, homeless, unemployed and the parent of several children are not always telling the truth. It is intriguing, for instance, to see the difference between one elderly “widow” when she is begging in front of St. Paul’s Basilica, when she is bent double and crippled, at St. Peter’s, when she also suffers from Parkinson’s disease, and on the bus, when I can see nothing wrong with her… unless advancing age is a disease.

There will always be some people who will play on the goodness of others for their own ends. As the saying goes, “there are those who will use things and love people, and others who will love things and use people”. Sad, but true.

Years ago there was a popular poster placed in strategic places. It declared simply, “Fragile! People are easily broken. Handle with care!”

Each and every one of us is in need, even though we don’t all resort to the streets and other public places to look for a response. There are those who are lonely, fearful, sick, worried, sad, discouraged… Sometimes we hide our poverty, perhaps at the very moment when it ought to be made known. I cannot help you if I don’t know that you are in need. You can’t help me if I am unable to tell you that I’m desperate for a listening ear and a loving heart.

We build communities of love by giving and receiving. Do I love you because I need you or need you because I love you? There’s a difference.

God needs us because he loves us. That’s amazing! God needs me!

God bless, Sr. Janet

Vatican Radio - Web Outreach and Development

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Update on Operation Barbie Storm

I wimped out.

I was too tired.

My back hurt.

These were the excuses I made, but in truth I had images in my mind of Emma’s face the next morning when she discovered them ALL missing. Morning dawned and we were again confronted with the endless barrage of costume changes. Much to everyone’s relief, Emma finally decided to move all her Barbies upstairs. However, after a short time, an argument broke out; the subject of which I was not yet party to. But we ALL heard Emma’s screams of anger.

Miguel, our 6 foot 3 inch 19 year old, decided to take matters in his own hands. He was close enough to hear that what Emma was enraged about was the Barbies. In the midst of her tirade at Gabriela and Bethany he strode in, picked up the nearest plastic container and scooped up all of the Barbies, (all fully dressed for once) slapped a lid on and left the room.

Operation Barbie Storm accomplished in one fell swoop. I could only imagine Emma’s astonished face.

In the meantime, I was enjoying the sudden silence as I continued my preparations for a study unit on the Solar System. Miguel presented me with said plastic container, tersely explained why he had confiscated them and left; returning to his duties in the packing shed. As I typed on the computer and searched for interesting pages on Pluto as well as other planets, the bulky white container sat at my feet.

Eventually Emma repented of her sin, but I guess she did not think that she could plead her case adequately enough as an advocate arrived to beg on her behalf. She chose well. Bethany with her big, brown, soft, doe eyes appeared at my elbow.

“Mummy, Emma says she is sorry for yelling at Gabriela and me. She wants to have the Barbies. Can she?”

I stared at Bethany, and her eyes stared back sorrowfully. (Yes, Emma had chosen well.)

“She says she's sorry, Mummy.” Bethany pleaded on behalf of the little one who had just been screaming at her. I continued to stare at her as I weighed the wrath of Sergeant Miguel V.S. Emma’s ability to cry f o r e v e r . The thought of Emma’s fortitude won out, and I relented. The white box was pulled out from under my desk and carried gratefully upstairs by Bethany. As I watched her little back disappear up the stairs, I resolved that I must develop a back bone and rid the house of those pesty Barbies with their insatiable need to change their worn and faded ball gowns every twenty minutes.

However, so far my back bone has not strengthened one iota. Not one. The Barbies still rule…

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My Apologies...

...to those who were subjected to this morning's post about books with its numerous errors and type os! I think I blushed when I re-read it after a spot of tea and a little more on the brain. In my defense, I will admit that I had a 3 year old on my lap while I was typing and that was slightly distracting. Still - I do apologize for such sloppy writing! Read more!

Gabriela and I have a date tonight...

We are planning on raiding the closet and hiding ALL the Barbie Dolls and their clothing. Every single piece, every strap, purse and esp. any boots. I think there will be mayhem if any of us have to dress a Barbie one more time for a certain little three year old who must sped her day undressing them faster than we can get the clothing on these 'fashion plates from H E double hockey sticks'! Even my 19 yr old has become immune to the naked dolls being shoved in his face with the command; "Dess her pease! I want DIS on her HEAD."

Today her father was snaggled into it, and when she saw his absent minded obedience she quickly gathered every naked body she could grasp in her chubby little arms and heaps of clothes. His mind suddenly snapped to and she was sent scurrying off to me. It was then that I whispered my dastardly plans to Gabriela.

I am not a huge fan of Barbie dolls, but they seem to have become a passage of rites in this family of seven girls and each one of the older girls have gone through this phase but really THREE is simply too young. I have decided to fall back on my old adage - "If you can't dress 'em - you're too young for 'em. " Normally my girls have not had access to Barbies at that tender age. But when you have four girls of such varying ages holed up in one bedroom - I guess it was ineveitable. However, the two oldest are not really into the Barbies anymore and Bethany played with them because they did. So I whispered to Gabriela as we both eyed this little monster who was seeking another victem, err assistant to help with yet another costume change for Barbie: "I don't think it will hurt Bethany to be without the dolls for a year."
To which Gabriela said; "I don't remember anyone helping me dress them, I had to figure it out myself. But then I guess I was much older."
"Exactly" I hissed back! "You were not playing with Barbies when you were THREE!"

Well - I need to go. Apparently Barbie has decided to change from her solid blue and lace confection to her light blue 'parkly dess. But that's okay I can handle it, after all, it's only two more hours to Operation Barbie Storm. Read more!

Books we are ploughing through this semester...

Anna and I have been tackling some of Austen's books - often fighting over who gets the copy of the story we are reading. We have now both read Pride and Prejudice and I have (for the second time) finished Emma. I finished first only by claiming seniority and therefore the right to read first, when ever I wanted. Sometimes I am a very selfish mother.

We gave several books from the Redwall series to the kids for Christmas and I am the one currently reading them. They are quite fun and exciting, and I think I will begin reading the first in the series to the children in the evenings. Miguel has picked up the ine I have just finished and, even though 19, is enjoying it immensely. So far his favourite character is Brother Hugo.

An old favourite that was just re-read here in the family is The Little Princess. Noah is has begun the Narnia series and is currently consuming the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. (We have the original series from the BBC on DVD and have watched it a few times this month.)

Teddy and Bethany have been devouring the Beverly Cleary books. So far, Teddy’s favourite of them is Henry and Beezus and Bethany’s can’t choose between Henry and Beezus or Ramona Forever.

Gabriela is hoping to read Freckles if we can find a new copy as ours has been worn completely out! She is also waiting for Anna to finish with Emma so that she can have a crack at it.

I have begun the daunting task of reading The Story of Britain , in hopes of using it as the basis for a history course on Britain next year. This semester for our history course we are going to watch a series of DVDs I have chosen from NetFlix. We have received the first one on my list, but we have encountered a slight problem. I assume, in the name of economics, the maker of our 50 dollar DVD player has manufactured it so that it can only be controlled by the remote control.

The remote has been dropped one time too many.

So either we need to find a universal remote that will work with this brand and model of DVD player, or we need to buy a new player. I’m voting for a new player as the remote will probably cost almost as much as a player.

Well – the timer has gone and recess is over so watch for the list of historical DVDs later.

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BIG NEWS!!!

I have some awesome stupendous news to announce! (No - I am not going to have to change my blog name to mum2thirteen, although that would be cool awesome stupendous news too!)

A friend has stepped forward... and offered to help my husband and I build a website for our business, and this weekend we got together to discuss the needs for it. Thank you every one who has offered suggestions, help and prayers for us. I think I really owe a big thank you to St. Isidore and to Kathy who took the time to find him!

I will let you all know when our business site is up and running and, of course, if I am ever able to get my own site up for my works of fiction... I will post that link too!

Thank you EVERYONE!!!

God IS Good! Read more!

PRO LIFE SEARCH... again!

I posted earlier about a new search site called prolifesearch.com As I mentioned I checked them out, squeezed their link onto my tool bar, but what I did not mention is that I registered with them. In return I received a free e-Book written by Sister Angelica of EWTN, and I get emailed updates on their progress.

Here is the most recent progress report:
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Hi again...to start the weekend off right:

We just passed $9,000 in donations!! God Bless You All.

The following donations were made this week:

- In name of Katie, Missy, DJ and Janie Patton (to EWTN)
- In honor of Bishop David A. Zubik and in memory of Susan Zubik (to Population Research Institute)
- In honor of Pope John Paul the Great (to Human Life Alliance)
- In memory of Elizabeth J. Harvey (to Project Rachel)

Thanks again for making these donations possible.

Yours in Christ,

Jack and Joe
ProLifeSearch.com

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Please be sure to spread the word and get as many people as possible using this search site. I don't call it a search negine as it is hosted by google but pehaps I would be more correct to call it an engine. At any rate - lets all help make this a success!

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Out my window...

Photo Credit: Benjamin Teodoro, age nine
Occaision ~ Abuelo's Memorial Dinner

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What a Difference Nine Months can Make...

Ultrasound of a baby at five weeks gestation.
(Not our ultrasound as my scanner is offline, will replace later with our own ultrasound)

Elsa Marie Bernadette, nine months since conception - April 23 2005

Nine months since birth, 18 months old!

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Over the weeks as I have been watching some of my younger children gain new skills, and become more proficient in others, my thoughts have again been drawn to God and my relationship with Him, and the lack thereof that I have suffered through at times in my life.

As Elsa struggled with learning how to crawl I was drawn to the memories of my first baby, also a daughter, learning to crawl and I was struck by the difference in my feelings about the two achievements. Amanda actually learned to stand before she learned to crawl and I was so amazed that I grabbed my camera and posed her again, so I could photograph it for posterity – my first baby – already standing. I was such a proud mama!

Now, as I watch Elsa crawl away from me towards a toy – my pride is mixed with a tinge of sadness as I now know that this progression is also the first steps to independence. Soon she will be a toddler and then a child and before I know it she will be packing her bags and leaving for college and adventures unknown.

My little tinge of sadness as I watched Elsa crawl away made me wonder how God feels when we first start to toddle away from Him. It caused me to realize how different, in this way, our relationship with Him is from us with our children despite the frequent comparison of God as Father that is made with us human parents.

As an earthly mother, it is my job to raise my child to independence, but God is actually continually calling me back to Him and telling me to never forget that I am dependent on Him for everything. He will ‘allow’ (not make) evil to fall my way – so that I might find good out of it – namely, my need for Him.

These past four years, I have been continuously reminded of this through our severe needs and trials. Even when we came to the very precipice of despair over the fear of losing everything, God came through, showing us over and over that we only needed to lean on Him and all would be okay. Not easy, not necessarily fun – but okay. We began to be able to still feel peace – even when three months behind in the rent.

I remember how as a child, walking to school I would always chat with Jesus, my constant companion since I had been introduced to him when I was 9 by the Gideon Society who had brought New Testaments to school. I shared with him my problems, especially my troubled relationship with my mum. I told him when I was happy, when I was worried and especially when I was angry. That ten minute walk to school was very fruitful. I would arrive at school, refreshed and my problems forgotten until I returned home in the afternoon. Then I became a teenager and my attention was drawn elsewhere. I still had one eye on God, but no longer both on Him, and it made a difference.

Because my parents did not have a strong faith life at that time, I was not taught that as my dependence on them lessened, my dependence on God needed to grow and not decrease. Had I been taught this most valuable lesson – I might have been spared much heart ache. It is a lesson I have resolved to share with my children. I want, as my husband and I ultimately rejoice in the maturation and development of our children, that God is not saddened by it but instead is able to celebrate a corresponding dependence on Him.

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Another Post - three in one day?

Well - a reader has asked me if I would post this. She is one of Danielle Bean's readers and, like me, was impressed with Danielle's post on PROLIFESEARCH.

I have already dropped into my toolbar on my browsers home page. It is wedged right between Goodle and my favourite email site. I have actually started using it. Here is their URL:

http://www.prolifesearch.com/

Apparently when ads are clicked on, or purchases made through the ads on the side of this search site - donations are made to the Prolife cause. What an easy way to help a very important cause!

Check it out and if you like it - make sure to add it to your tool bar! And now I need to stop pulling a Sister Pat and stop distracting myself with my email and posting, and get some actual work done. Now that I have vacumed the living room, washed the dishes, fed the baby, run the washer and dryer a few times, exchanged Cinderella for Veggie Tales - it is time to start printing shipping labels in beween reading tutorials on Java Script and HTML!

Thank you everyone who has been praying. I can feel the difference! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
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St Isidore - I ask for your heavenly intercession for this important project that I am working on so as to assist our famliy make a much needed transition in hopes that we can enjoy a much less stressful life! Read more!

St Isidore

Thank you to Cathy who left this following comment in answer to my question as to whether there was a Patron Saint of Websites?!

"Cathy said...

I googled "patron saint Internet" and found St. Isidore

http://www.scborromeo.org/saints/isidores.htm

Here is part of what it said:
So, how does Saint Isidore of Seville become the patron saint for the Internet? The Observation Service for Internet, who drew it's mission from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, researched the Internet and related technologies to select a patron saint that best reflects the concerns and ideals of computer designers, programmers and users. The saint chosen by the Observation Service for Internet was Saint Isidore. "The saint who wrote the well-known 'Etymologies' (a type of dictionary), gave his work a structure akin to that of the database. He began a system of thought known today as 'flashes;' it is very modern, notwithstanding the fact it was discovered in the sixth century. Saint Isidore accomplished his work with great coherence: it is complete and its features are complementary in themselves."

And thanks again Cathy - I was in too much of a tizzy to think of something as simple as googling!

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Now THIS is my kind of education about web building...

... simple and to the point!

"Quick and Easy Learning" says w3schools!

This is followed by the statement:

"Because time is valuable, we deliver quick and easy learning.

At W3Schools, you can study everything you need to learn, in an accessible and handy format."

They finish with:

"Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything" --- William of Ockham (1285-1349)"

Better yet - these tutorials are FREE! Thank you Matt for suggesting them.

Armed with a cup tea to my right and a sleeping baby on my left shoulder, Cinderella playing in the background as children watch a movie instead of doing their math, I am ready to dive into the world of explanations of HTML, XML forms and why I need to back up and read about HTML forms before I can study up XML forms...

Now all of this is in hopes that these tutorials will edify for me what the buttons on my web building program can do.

Wish me luck, or better yet - say a prayer. Anyone acquainted with a patron saint for website builders? Read more!

So simple a child could do it...

I am about to beg, even grovel at the feet of my readers! PLEASE, can anyone help me discover a book that can explain to me the basics of web design in the simple layman’s tongue? And is, preferably, recent enough to acknowledge that Windows XP and Firefox is in existence.

Are there websites, along the same manner, that one would recommend?

You may ask why I make this desperate plea.

It is two fold. First – my husband and I must make the leap from selling strictly on eBay to having our own website and using eBaymore as a means of driving customers to us. The reasons for this are many, but chiefly what we sell on eBay could be sold for five to ten times more than what we get on eBay, if sold on a website.

If we could accomplish this, we would not need to sell the volume that we currently need to sell to just barely keep our heads above the water. We could specialize in certain items and give up the big heavy items we often have to sell along with the smaller merchandise. I wanted to cry when I saw my son, barely 19, with his back hurting so much that a sneeze almost brought him to his knees. He tries not to complain – but it is obvious that even his 6 foot 3 frame is beginning to fatigue under the heavy work he and my husband are forced to do to forge out a living for us. It is not that they, either of them, are afraid of a hard days work, but rather, they are both very worn down by this very hard labour that is required of them all the time. 24/7

We know from research and advice from others in the same business, that this is the direction we need to take. But my husband does not have the time to invest in building a website, and we do not have the money to pay to have one designed. So I am endeavoring to develop a website for our business.

I have downloaded a click and drag program – so simple a child could use it. Obviously I grew up a looong time ago and no longer have a child’s mind as while I have managed to down load a template and drag some buttons into place – I have come to a complete stand still. There are these lovely buttons on the side that will allow me to compress files – but what files do I want to compress? I can click a button and drag a banner out and across the top of my page, but while it was easy make it nice and pretty, I could not discover how to change the type on it that says sample banner… I can click on another button and create a gallery – but where do I put it afterward? There are forms for emails and marquees to insert, but I have no idea how to use either.

Although I have managed to unlock my domain name from the website I parked it in last November, (my biggest accomplishment today after 5 hours of work on this website) I have not felt this stupid since my grade ten algebra class. I may have to lock this domain name down again as it could get snatched by another parking lot if I do not get it settled in with my new hosting company, who will not let me sign in with the password they sent to me use with this 'oh so simple a child can use it' program!

I went to Amazon to search for books only to discover that even second editions were referring to the latest edition of Windows as being Windows 98…

Now, if you recall – I mentioned that there was a two fold reason for trying to do this. It is my great desire to use this sought after new skill of website architecture to also build a website for myself. One where (having freed myself from my husband’s business by building HIS website) I will spend all this new found time on my hands that I will have – to write and write and write. If I have my own website I will have so much more control over it than I have here on blogspot. I will be able to place photos where I want, add buttons here and there to send you, the reader, to comics Anna has drawn or to a children’s story I am writing, or to that gallery I don’t know where to place yet.

Okay - so I won't really have a lot of time to write and write and write. But if we can successfully develope a website, I will have more time which I would use to just be a fulltime homeschooling mum who writes in her spare time, and maybe even makes a little spare change doing it.

Read more!

Here is Pope Benedict XVI's first Encyclical . It is called Deus Caritas Est and is about Christian Love.
Read more!

What is in a name

Yesterday while I was out, running errands, some enterprising children were investigating the meanings of the names we have chosen for our children.

The most significant discovery made may have been that Emma’s second name Louise means warrior maiden. This could explain a lot of the difficulties between her and Nathaniel (which means gift of God.) I guess he is our warrior’s gift from God for her to harass and tease. Her third name is also very fitting.

Kathleen Celtic little darling

While very much a warrior, Emma is also a little darling!

If you have time to spend and care to unlock some of the mysteries of your child’s behaviour go here and just type part or all of your child’s name in the search box.

You may be surprised just how apt the meaning of your child’s name is. The question is – does the name make the child – or did God lead you to the name? Read more!

Emma's Rampant Imagination!

Emma has an incredible imagination and sometimes I use it against her. Like the other day when I could not get her to put her socks on. Suddenly I wagged my toes and tickled hers with mine. I said in a falsetto voice, talking for my toes:

“Oh Emma’s toes! You look cold. Please cover yourselves up.”

Emma jumped right in and as she wiggled her toes back, she replied in just as falsetto a voice:

“Oh yet! We are cold. Pease cover us up!”

Mission accomplished - the socks went on just fine with no more ado.

But occasionally Emma’s imagination back fires on us.

For instance, the other day when I made silver dollar sized pancakes and Hugo made the mistake of offering Emma some baby pancakes. Her mind was off to the races and so were the babies on her plate. Those “babies” danced and sang to us all through breakfast. Thankfully Emma’s appetite finally took over and she suddenly bit the babies’ heads off and then laughed as she ate them all up – one body part at time.

Then last night, Emma absolutely did not want to eat supper. She was ‘full already’. In truth she was overtired, and as we are weaning her off her baba and only allowing her one at bedtime, she was fairly desperate for bed by 6:30. Supper just was not in her plans.

“Pease mummy, make me a baba! Pease!”

“No Emma – you must at least eat a little first.”

“Mummy, pease I tired! Make me baba. Peeeeease!”

Suddenly I remembered the success of my toes talking to hers. I tickled her tummy, and a little voice called to out to her:

“Emma – this is your tummy. I’m hungry! Please eat the biscuit!”

A smile danced across her face and her eyes lit up.

“Okay!” she said, and with little bites I tempted it into her tummy. But as we came close to the end of the biscuit her eyes suddenly sparkled mischievously, and Emma’s tummy suddenly announced;

“Mummy – Emma’s tummy wants a baba, peeease!

Read more!

Father Jonathan

Let me introduce to you a new blog that I found last week. Father Jonathan asked me if I would spread the word and so I am. Father’s blog is posted through Fox News and he is usually on Fox about twice a week, at different times throughout the day, to discuss the ethical and social elements of ordinary news. He does the same in his blog. Here is a link to his post on suffering . Check him out, and if you enjoy his writings be sure to spread the word. It is important to have a Christian spin on all things and to have one available about the news is, I think, especially important.

To read more of Father's posts you can go to Fox News and once there, scroll over Opinion and the option to go to Fox Blogs will appear.
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Please Pray...

... for my friend Ann, who is having surgery today. Please ask Jesus, our heavenly Physician, to place His gentle hands on this mother of five, that she may be healed quickly and be able to return to her motherly duites soon. Guide the hands of her caregivers.

God Bless you Ann! Read more!

A time of need...

I won't bore you with the details, but I will tell you that there are days that I feel that I can not sustain life like this much longer. It is so incredibly difficult and I just want to cry out to the heavens and beg them to help us. I can't stand it at times. And this is one of thoes times. I feel much like a 3 year old in that I just want to throw myself down on the floor and kick my heels and scream at God to STOP and LISTEN to ME and FIX everything. NOW!

There comes a moment every once in a while when I feel as if I am in a trap with the walls closing in. I feel panicked and as if I can not stand it one more minute, nay, not even one more second. But what can I do? I can't just stop breathing. There is nothing to do, but keep plugging on. Hoping and begging that God will soon change things for us. Give us a job, give us a business loan. Just DO something to stop this miserable existence of barely being able to pay our bills, no dental or health care and on and on! The most difficult cross is the heavy burden of feeling that no matter what or how much I do – I feel as though I can never do enough. I know my poor husband is also carrying this same cross. And I never know when this sense of desperation will hit me like a bolt of lightening.

I feel stretched in so many directions as I wait patiently for the graces I need to cope. And while I wait, I make my bed, read to someone who needs my time, make sandwiches for lunch, solve a fraction problem with someone who has forgotten how, sooth an irritated customer, act as referee repeatedly, call Pay Pal to complain about their lousy service, make another meal. And if I can find the mental strength and physical energy - bake a triple batch of chocolate chip cookies for a chocolate fix. Baring that - I search the cupboards for a lost Canadian Crispy Crunch and have it with a cup of tea and hope it is not late enough in the afternoon for the caffeine to cause Elsa trouble falling asleep at bedtime.

Ideally, I should take my favorite prayer, find a quiet spot somewhere in this noisy house and cry on God's shoulder. When this bolt of negative emotion bears down on me – I need Christ to lift me, and carry me until it passes. But sometimes I have not the strength, or even the will to do this. It is at those moments that I turn to my friends and beg their prayers. This is why the church is referred to as the body of Christ and why I turn to you today and ask for your healing prayers. It is amazing sometimes how uplifted one can feel and not know why, only to learn later someone was praying for you.

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Sounds of Silence

Two years ago I met a lovely lady, the same generous person who is currently dedicating her Fridays to teaching Theology to my children. A year ago the friendship began to deepen when we invited her, along with other acquaintances, to join our family on Friday mornings to pray the Rosary. After the Rosary, she would often stay and help with the children or just to sit and chat while enjoying a cup of Canadian tea with us.

On one of those mornings the question of favorite music came up as a topic of discussion and the children had a number of favorite songs and bands to list for her. Then it came her turn to tell us of her favorite music and her answer gave me much to ponder over the following months. She told us that her favorite music was silence as she could better hear God in it. Of course, she added, we often have the radio on or the TV when the children are home, but when I am alone at home, or in the car – I prefer to have silence.

This reminded me of one of my children’s God Mothers. She had been an apostolate at Madonna house at one time and in listening for God’s will in her life was eventually led to the man she was to marry and have a family of five with. She too said that she craved silence and as a mother, her greatest cross was in dealing with the noise that children just naturally generate. (Their family was limited to five due to serious health issues – not the noise level!)

After my friend left that day it did not take me long to forget her comment, but it obviously left a mark on my conscience as on the rare occasions that it is silent here I would find her words rumbling about my head. Especially as I found that more often than not, I would quickly attempt to fill the void. I did this, usually, with talk radio.

I started to ask myself why. Why did I feel this need for noise? Why did I find silence so loud? And empty? Was I trying to avoid being alone with my thoughts? This led me to more questions. One in particular was – how did the constant background noise affect the children. Was their home as peaceful as it could be, especially given we are so many in such a small house. So I began, when I found myself in those uncomfortable moments of silence, to substitute music for the talk radio. Sometimes I chose more lively music such as Jars of Clay and at other times, I opted for the Gregorian Chant.

I noticed that when we did this during chore time, it went more smoothly and cheerfully with many of us often dancing about as we washed dishes, vacuumed and swept. Even I joined in with the dancing. Still, when I went to my room for a break, I would automatically turn on my radio. My excuse was that the sound of hosts talking helped drown out the noise that sifts through the floor and my door. But I began to wonder how true that excuse was. The best answer that I came up with was that it was a habit. Simply a habit.

A week ago I surprised myself when I realized that I had been listening so little to the radio that I no idea what was happening out there in the world. I did not know which politician had recently insulted another, nor sadly did I know if the sole survivor of the first mine disaster had come out of his coma yet. But that was okay – I could always check the internet if I really wanted to know this and truly, I think my children are probably the better for not knowing so much of the news esp. when much of it is so negative. Besides, if we keep dancing as we do our chores, I just might be able to fit back into my pre-pregnancy clothes again.

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memorial

Last night at about 11:35, the phone rang in the darkness and I struggled to reach over the baby before the ringing woke her, while also trying not to wake her myself. I wondered briefly as I stared at the letters UNKNOWN CALLER flashing on the face of the phone if the culprit for this late night call was perhaps another customer on the West coast, forgetting that because it was 8:30 pm his time, this did not mean it was still 8:30 pm here on the East coast. I clicked the answer button, and heard a male voice just trailing off with my nineteen old son answering; “Un momento “. I then heard his foot steps heavy on the stairs, our door open and saw his shadow begin to pass me a second phone.

Realizing this was likely a call from Argentina, the one we have been expecting and dreading for months, Hugo took the phone instead. It was his brother-in-law David who, after announcing who was calling, said to Hugo:

“Don Erico no es con nostros nada mass.”

Don was a title of respect reserved within the family for only Hugo’s father and was used by much of the community whether talking to, or speaking of him. He was a man who commanded respect and was, if not loved by all, deeply cherished. His loss will be sorely felt, and I suspect his funeral well attended. Sadly Hugo will not be able to return to Argentina for it, and it is in this regard that we grieve most for Hugo while he grieves alone without the comfort and support of his 6 siblings and mother. They will have each other to share the memories and stories of Abuelo and the familiarity of the daily routine without his presence t0 acclimatize them to their loss. Hugo will not.

We did not have the fortune of meeting Abuelo due to the distance and expense of traveling with such a large family. We have spoken to our family in Argentina by phone, exchanged emails lately, as well as letters and photos but we have come to know Abuelo more though Hugo’s memories and stories than by correspondence.

Don Erico Teodoro Luis was the husband of Lidia for over 50 years, the father of 8 children, 7 surviving. He was the grandfather of 29 grandchildren and I am uncertain of how many great grand children. He was a tower of strength and worked hard providing for his family until his very last years. And in those last years, he suffered much, but silently, an example to all. I will be forever sad not to have been able to meet him in person in this life time.

My one comfort that I hope to be able to share with our children is that with his passing on, we can now speak to him all the time, at any time. We may not be able to hear his reply, but we can be assured of his hearing us and praying for us. In this way, he is more present to us now than he was in life. God rest his soul.

Don Erico Teodoro Luis ..... November 8, 1915 - January 30, 2006

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"It MINE!!"

This morning as I was dressing, I overheard Emma and Nathaniel discussing a most important issue. Being three and five, neither read yet.

Emma flourished the ticket stub in front of Nathaniel’s face and in a haughty tone pronounced;

“See, dis is MINE. It tays Emma wight here!” and she pointed at the bold letters of MADAGASCAR on the front.

“Humph, no it doesn’t! Hee – it hays Movie Theater on the back!” and he gleefully pointed to the back of the ticket where it stated Cinematic Theater.

“No, it DOEN”T” retorted Emma. “It MINE!”

After a night in the company of our whole 2000 collection in our bed, I was too tired to deal with such a senseless argument and arbitrarily told Nathaniel that it was hers and please no more fighting.

That command was immediately ignored and as I struggled to dress Emma, the discussion continued. In my weary mind I debated as to whether I might search for another ticket stub for as surely as one from Madagascar lay about used and worn, another must be floating about in a pocket or drawer somewhere. But then clarity struck my sleep deprived brain and I realized the futility of such an action as, without doubt, the sole attraction of this ancient stub was in its singularity. Another similar stub would hold no appeal until one, or the other, showed an interest in it and then the argument would begin anew, with the Madagascar ticket forgotten.

Emma danced a dance of victory before prancing out the door to eat breakfast. Nathaniel was fit to be tied and continued to grumble about his loss to me as I helped him dress. My eyes shot to the drawers beside my bed but no, I reasoned again to myself, another stub was a useless idea. As I made my bed, Nathaniel flopped on the floor in front of his small plastic dressers. Suddenly I heard a sharp excited intake of breath and Nathaniel sat up straight. He happily brandished a second ticket stub in his little hand. That it was not even to Madagascar stood as an excellent testament to my outstanding housekeeping abilities.

While I fluffed the duvet and tossed pillows back, Nathaniel pronounced;

“HEY! I will doe give this to Emma!”

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Something Positive out of Hollywood?

Danielle has posted an extremely interesting link this week and so, once more I am stealing some of (ahem) her Thunder, if you will pardon the pun!

She has written about a 35 minute film A Distant Thunder that has actually been produced in Hollywood. I have previewed the trailor and it is well done, intriguing and draws you in quickly.

Please click on the link above to learn all about it and PLEASE spread the word. It is an incredible film, and I hope to purchase the DVD very soon.

Read more!

You know you are REALLY tired...

...when you sit nursing the baby and as you gaze off into space, you wonder who is watching her in her high chair.

You know you are still even more tired when the day after doing that, you take clean dishes out of the dish rack and start to put them back into the sink to wash.

Either you are tired or losing your mind... or both! Read more!

The difference between Emma and Nathaniel...

...besides two years of age, is immense! For example, Emma LOVES to tease, Nathaniel does not. Typically he is the target of her teasing and when she engages in this favorite pastime of hers, he just falls apart. She knows just which buttons to push and he falls for it every time. No matter how I try to explain to him that he is doing exactly what she wants by falling down on the floor in prostest to her molestings, or throws the toy across the room in anger because she won't use it the way he wants her to. She sits there with a little smirk on her face while he gives into a rage. She leans back and watches the fireworks. And enjoys her creation.

Now that makes her sound like quite the little monster doesn't it, but in truth this would make her a real diva on any 3 o'clock soap opera. However, she does have her saving graces.

For example, three weeks ago, just before Jonathan had to return to school (We are still recovering from this upset in our lives btw.) Nathaniel had one of his melt downs, not precipitated by Emma for a change and had been sent to his room to calm himself down. Emma watched silently as her big brother dragged his feet up the stairs, loudly protesting the general unfairness of the world. While we all relaxed in the quiet he left behind, Emma softly tip toed up the stairs. A moment later she peeked down at us from the upstairs balcony, part of her body hidden by the wall that seperates the bedrooms from the downstairs. She appeared to be holding something with the hand we could not see.

She pulled on it and Nanthaniel's face joined hers between the bars of the balcony.

"Tanny Paul topped cwying. Tan he tum back now?"

Nathaniel peered over the shoulder of his intercessor, hopeful of a positive reply.

However, he had a few more minutes of imprisonment to serve and, as cute a picture as the two painted, we all felt his sentence should be served out; without early release for good behaviour. So the answer was no. Tanny's face crumpled and he returned to his bedroom, but not alone. His faithful shadow returned with him, not to be seen until his timer rang and he was released from his time out.

So while the differences between Emma and Nathaniel are great, the love between them is even greater. Read more!

Fatigue

fa·tigue (definition from dictionary.com)
n.

1. Physical or mental weariness resulting from exertion.
2. Something, such as tiring effort or activity, that causes weariness: the fatigue of a long hike.
3. Physiology. The decreased capacity or complete inability of an organism, an organ, or a part to function normally because of excessive stimulation or prolonged exertion.
4. The weakening or failure of a material, such as metal or wood, resulting from prolonged stress.
5. 1. Manual or menial labor, such as barracks cleaning, assigned to soldiers.
   2. fatigues Clothing worn by military personnel for labor or for field duty.

My addition to the meaning of FATIGUE:

6.
a. A reason to pray nonstop so as to get through the day.
b. A means of learning how dependent you are on God, to get through the day.


And when fatigue brings you to God, then one should be grateful for their fatigue...

Ummm - I'm trying! But right now I would give anything... not.... to ... be .... so TIRED! Read more!

Whyyy?!?

The good news is that after a solid two years of belonging to the "WHY? Club" that all we mothers dread, Nathaniel has given up his membership.

The bad news is that it was a short reprieve, as Emma has apparently joined it. She has been talking in sentences for over a year and I foolishly thought that perhaps we were actually going to skip that stage. I could not have been more wrong as the following conversation proves.

Sucking in her breath and letting out a huge sigh of delight Emma almost whispered: "Oh! Mummy, is dat a set up?" She pointed to the rubber letters stuck to the plastic shower wall and the few dollhouse toys sitting on the bottom of the sparkling tub I had just scrubbed out.

"Umm, ah yes - I guess so." I had simply placed things there to get them out of my way after scrubbing them.

Still in raptures of delight she asked; "Ohhhhh! Tan I get in wit de set up an play wit dem?"

Still on my knees scrubbing bathroom floor, I replied flatly; "Ah - No Emma."

To which Emma asnswered: "Whyyy?"

I sucked in my breath with the intonation of the WHY. After all the why was appropraite to a no answer, but the inflection had caught my attention. I am NOT mum2twelve without experience! "Ummm - because I just washed the tub."

Emma: (She still had her eyes glued to the letters and dolls decorating the SPARKLING tub.)
"Oh. Whyyy?"

My scrubbing hesitated for just a second and then continued as I replied with one eye now focused on Emma's back. "Because it was dirty."

Emma shot back: "Whyyy?"

I sighed, "Because it was, Emma."

"Oh. Well tan I have a bat wit the set up?"

Like a fool I kidded myself - ha! No Whyyy? So maybe we are safe. "No Emma You can't have a 'bat' right now. "

"Oh. Whyyyy?"

Bravely trying to ignore that definite inflection of the y in her why? I continued to scrub as I answered: "Because it is cold."

"Oh. Whyyyy?"

The thump of my forehead banging the floor drew her attention.

"What's wong Mummy?"

"Nothing" I gurgled, torn as whether to cry, or to laugh. Read more!

Canadian Elections...

Recently the Canadian Government fell through a no confidence vote against the Liberal Minority Government, resulting in a call for elections to take place the 23 of this month. In response to this the Catholic Organization for Life and Family has published the following public statement. A friend here in the area forwarded the site to me.

Here in the US, we too have elections looming ahead this year and I think there is much in this statement that Catholics here in the US could reflect on before voting. I also would like to humbly request prayers for my fellow citizens in Canada as they vote for a new government and, hopefully, one that will be friendly to family and Christian values.

Here is the public statement:

Open Letter to Canadian Catholics
from the Catholic Organization for Life and Family

What Country for Tomorrow ?

On January 23, Canadians will choose a new government. The electoral campaign is an ideal opportunity to reflect on the type of country we wish to build and bequeath to future generations. As such, we find it important to emphasize certain considerations which have not received the attention they deserve over the last few weeks.

Life

At this time in the history of Canada, a realistic look at society reveals a fundamental problem – the loss of respect for human life and dignity. This is evident in so many ways: the legal void that permits abortion right up to birth; medical research that authorizes the destruction of embryos; a mentality that increasingly favours euthanasia and assisted suicide; the gratuitous violence in our schoolyards; abuse of women and children; the violent deaths of young men; the silence that surrounds so many situations of poverty; the widespread incidence of prostitution, pornography and drugs.

Human life and human dignity encounter too many obstacles in Canada. As we prepare to elect a new government, we must determine the position of candidates on the first of all human rights: the right to life. If this is not respected, should we be surprised that other rights will sooner or later be threatened?

Family

The family is also under attack. The recent redefinition of marriage in our country contradicts the reality inscribed in nature. It has become urgent to announce to the next generations God’s plan for human love and marriage between a man and a woman as the foundation of the family. It is also urgent to ensure that our schools respect these convictions by not proposing a conflicting vision to our children.

It is our responsibility to demand that the next government develop policies to support married couples who are ensuring the survival of society by giving birth to new citizens and raising them in the most stable environment. We should also remember that the family, as the vital social unit, is not at the service of the state; rather, the state should be at the service of the family. Following the principle of subsidiarity, the state is to respect the rights of the family and, through fiscal and social policies, help it to fulfill its duties, including the raising of children.

Many Canadian families live below the poverty line. In a spirit of justice, it is up to us to work towards a better distribution of resources and equitable access to essential goods so that all will be assured of a decent quality of life.

Freedom of expression

As we prepare to vote for those who will direct the destiny of our country in the years to come, we believe it is important to draw attention to a phenomenon that is increasing in Canadian society and which threatens our very togetherness. We are referring to an erroneous understanding of the separation of Church and State – a misunderstanding with ramifications for religious freedom.

We are witnessing an obvious effort by some in society who wish to relegate religion to the private lives of citizens. This aggressive secular ideology refuses religion the right to exist in the public square. In the name of pluralism and secularity, then, there is a desire to exclude from public dialogue those who promote religious values, even when these can be defended by human reason and experience.

As Catholic citizens, we not only have the moral duty to exercise our civic and political responsibilities, but also the right to be involved in the life of society, each according to his or her own area of expertise, and without denying the Gospel values that are central to our lives. We are not obliged to suppress our moral conscience in order to live in society. There should be no separation – but instead coherence – between our faith and our daily choices, made evident in our personal, family, professional, political and cultural decisions.

In a democracy, the state is to ensure that believers have the opportunity to contribute freely to society. Because they are full citizens, they must be able to contribute to the evolution of the country, proposing a vision for the future and solutions to current problems, as do other citizens who may promote other values.

Discernment

The Gospel invites us to build a culture of life. Let us take advantage of this election campaign and engage in serious discernment as we consider the candidates in light of the Gospel principles. We are invited to:

(1) Examine critically the platform of each party; participate in local debates; meet candidates and discuss with them; explain our point of view;

(2) Evaluate these platforms in the light of the plan of God by studying the social doctrine of the Church;

(3) Make an informed decision as we consider the moral implications of various electoral platforms and their eventual repercussions on our life and on the lives of all members of the human family.

The question for the Catholic voter is: How, in the light of the Gospel, can I use my vote to advance the common good in Canada and throughout the world?

January 3, 2006

The Catholic Organization for Life and Family is an autonomous non-profit corporation co-sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus.

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WARNING!!

Recently Emma (3) learned how to LOCK bedroom doors and was so enthralled with the process that those wanting entrance to any doors with locking knobs had to be armed with a long thin screw driver.

On the last day of her enthrallment with her new found skill, Emma was seen with an old set of keys she had found in the yard and was attempting to unlock doors that she had locked! Needless to say - little to no success was achieved. But the rest of us certainly became much more skilled at picking locks so cat burglers need not apply!

Shortly when I have a little more time - I will write of our trip to Belmont and the reactions of the little ones when we left their oldest brother behind. Right now we are attempting to adjust to having one less man on hand for the business. Never mind relearning where to set the dinner plates.

GOD Bless and a many congrates to IAN and his wife! They have a wee one due in July. Ian - I have added your family to our little red book of intentions, since we pray for all we know who are expecting when we pray our daily Rosary. Ian has some hilarious comics regarding "mice" of the sort that we bloggers use daily! Read more!

Confessions...

I have to confess that the Three Kings are way late at our house and I was met with great cries of distress when the children discovered this morning they still had not come as promised last night. But when you have been on the road all day and only cruised into the driveway at midnight and had to unload a van full of sleepy heads, as well as clean the rental van out... Well - you tend not to remember things like "leaving the back door open for the kings".

I had to do some quick thinking as I was faced with a row of sad faces.

"But the house was messy, and the table was not set, and, and uh I didn't have much for the Kings to put out, so it didn't seem to make much sense for them t0 come last night. AND we didn't have any carrots either..."

This was met by a few raised eyebrows. All throughout the day there were some grumblings about lost Kings as well as concerned whispering about the year when they just didn't arrive at all - NOT... AT... ALL! There was speculation about why that was. Perhaps messy bedrooms??
We cleaned ALL day and still did not get to the bedrooms, but hope springs eternal and after the rosary this evening, the question was raised again - would the Kings perhaps come tonight?

However - I still did not get out to the Dollar Store which is JUST down the road and we still do not have any carrots! So the children are borrowing some of Marzi's (the guinea pig) hay for the camels and Christmas mugs, filled with fresh water for the kings, have been left out after a debate as to whether it should be milk or water. (I voted for water being its such a long trek from the desert and water being so scarece there... and uh, they like Goats milk - which we don't have...)

So I am off to root out the chocolate gold coins hidden in my closet to leave out for the three kings to distribute, and and I'm afraid not much else. The economy might be booming and perhaps the dow closed at over 1100 tonight - but I'm afraid these kings have not had much time nor money to spend on the Epiphany this year - more lacking in time that money. The dollar store might be just down the road, but getting there is another story!

Belated Happy Epiphany!! Read more!

Sad Farewells...

Well - the day has finally dawned - today we drive Jonathan back to school. We are all wondering how Emma and Tanny will deal with it. Last year when we dropped him off both Nathaniel (then 4) and Emma (then 2) were wailing as we drove away - "No! you are fordetting Jonatan!", "Tum back Jonatan!", and the like.

I am not looking forward to it. None of us are.

It has been such a gift having him this extra time and I think it will be even harder to let him go than it was the last time. We have done, and gone through so much together this year. His last year at home before his first semester was spent working and going to school so we did not see as much of him as we did this time given he has been working for us here, from home.
I think he too is finding it hard. I have heard him remark once or twice the past months to his younger siblings. "You know when you make a sacrifice it feels as though it will be really hard to do, but in doing it you discover that you gain far more in blessings compared to what you gave up or sacrificed. I know because when I first offered to stay here an extra semester I felt kind of bad about losing that time in school. But over the time I have been here, I have gained so much more than I have given up. I have received so many blessings staying here with you guys and spending all this time with you."

Bethany (7) and I are planning on making a calendar so we can count the days until the end of spring semester and he is back for the summer.

Yes - it is going to be very very hard to say good bye - in fact, as I type, I have a lump in my throat! Read more!

Chilling on the couch with Elsa back in October.

Jonathan clowning around with Tanny Paul and Emma, his God Daughter!

With his older sister, Jenny, on Christmas Eve, taking pics of themselves together.

Only 126 days until summer break... and Jonnie boy is BACK!

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Elsa Update...

Elsa continues to be ill and more have joined her so it might be a few days again before I can steal some precious moments to post, especially as I also have much to do for the business.

It happened this morning that as I was walking Elsa about the living room and she was quiet for the first time in a bit with her head resting on my shoulder, that my mind was elsewhere. It was on the merchandise in the packing shed, waiting to be packed. I felt stressed about it and realized that I felt as though I was a failure of a sort, because I had not yet gotten to it. I felt as though I was not accomplishing anything right then.

And then as I felt Elsa's warm breath on my neck and her weight in my arms I realized that I was already doing something of the utmost importance and I was surprised to realize how completly I had lost sense of my priorities.

By that, I do not mean I am not caring for my children, or do not realize the importance of doing so, but rather that I was allowing myself to feel like a failure because I am experiencing such difficulites in doing something in addition to this most important job. In fact, the most important job I could ever be doing.

Meanwhile - I would like to ask for prayers for Elsa and my other children who have become ill (6, in total, at last count). Please also pray for the graces that I need to deal with so few hours sleep, as well as the stress of trying to deal with so many jobs outside a mother's normal responsibilites. Could you also pray that we finally beat this terrible virus that keeps mutating and cycling about the family!

Thank you in advance for your prayers!

Blessings
mum2twelve aka Christi Read more!

A Christmas Miracle

A while back Sister Pat of the Franciscan Card site made a plea for prayers for her new Catholic radio station that she was developing and, at the time, told about an old means of requesting assistance from the Infant of Prague.

One was to write on a piece of paper the exact amount of money needed for your project, as well as the date it was needed by, and one was to place this piece of paper under the statue and then wait patiently for the baby Jesus to provide for your need.

When I heard about this, I immediately took a cheque out of my cheque book and wrote a large sum down in hopes of a business loan, or investment, so that we could perhaps finally reach a level in the business where we would not be precariously making it from day to day, often just by the skin of our teeth. I put an arbitrary date on it, wrote the cheque out to our company’s name and signed it from The Infant of Praque. It was a large amount, but peanuts really compared to what most businesses require.

The date on the cheque came and went. Our rent got paid, our lights turned off and then turned back on. We bought more merchandise, sold more and basically continued to get by, still by the skin of our teeth. It seemed that while my request was not unreasonable – God’s answer was either no – or not yet. Apparently we still have lessons to learn, largely the necessity of faith and trust in our Heavenly Father.

Yes, we have lost our house, lost our van and felt a great deal of humiliation about the difficulties we have gone through. But after all – that humility is simply the result of false pride. But while we have gone through these trials and difficulties, we have not yet been out of a home, gone hungry, or not had a vehicle of some sort. In fact we currently have four vehicles. Mind you, they are all going on 20 years of age, but they run – more or less.

Then around mid December my husband decided to put a bid on a 24 foot diesel truck that would save us several hundred dollars a month in rentals. In fact back in November one rental alone had cost us almost 1000 dollars. My husband felt led to put a very low bid on this truck, but still in the 4 digits. He really did not think he would win with that low a bid.

He won.

He was ecstatic.

But there was one problem, he had only ten days to gather this four digit bid together and we were two months behind in the rent. (We have a very patient land lord!) Our oldest son and my husband went into high gear and started really cranking out listings on eBay and our second son hauled merchandise to and fro as they photographed it for the listings.

I, for my part, quietly pulled out the cheque from under our Statue and dusted it off, crossed out the date and wrote a new one in. Crossed out the loan amount we had prayed for, and wrote in an amount sufficient to pay for the truck and two months rent.

We watched our Pay Pal account grow and sink, and grow some more and sink again as we paid for absolute necessities – like food and gas. By Christmas Eve my husband felt somewhat desolate. He said to me: “I was so sure this was meant to be. I really felt called to put that bid in and when I actually won with such a low bid – I was sure God meant that truck for us.”

“Well,” I replied. “Perhaps there is something wrong with the truck and God is saving us from ourselves. Besides – the dead line is not yet past.”

Christmas Morning dawned and we were four days from the dead line. The phone rang and a friend wanted to know if they could pass by. They were sorry for the short notice but they were on their way out of town and would be passing by…

“Of course,” I answered. “Things are a bit messy as we just finished with the gifts, but you know that you are always welcome!”

Twenty minutes later our friend knocked on the door and entered with a huge beautiful basket laden with teas and cheeses and other wonderful treats. There was a card on top with our names on it and my friend was very specific that only my husband, or I, was to open it after she left.

So shortly after she left, I opened the envelope which held a lovely Christmas card and within that – a cheque for the exact amount that was written on ours beneath our statue. This friend had no idea that we had done this.

How fitting that Baby Jesus would answer this prayer on His birthday! It was truly a Christmas Miracle! Thank you Baby Jesus!

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My Apologies...

I have not been able to post much. Between Christmas celebrations, feasting on delighful meals and deserts prepared by my two oldest daughters and dealing with an ill and teething 8 month old - I have been too busy. I attempted a post filled with pics of Christmas Eve this afternoon, but my computer decided to take a vacation and froze - so all was lost!

If Elsa is feeling better, I will try again tomoorow. Until then God Bless and once more;

MERRY CHRISTMAS
to all.

Blessings
mum2twelve aka Christi Read more!

Boxing Day

... or otherwise known as St. Stephen's feast day. England and Canada is where it is referred to as Boxing Day.

After several years of disasterous Christmas dinners on the 25th (things such as the septic tank backing up into the ktichen sink...) we finally decided we would no long have Christmas dinner on Christmas day but rather on Boxing Day.

So today we are being tantalized by delicious smells issuing from the kitchen and friends are slowly starting to gather in the house. We are hoping our parish priest will stop by. He is hoping that he can.

I hope one and all had a very peaceful and joyful celebration yesterday. I hope you all continue to enjoy the Christmas Octave!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all!!!

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Christmas Adam...

Following the tradition started way back when my four oldest were still mostly in the single digits we call today Christmas Adam as it is the day before Christmas Eve. They borrowed this idea from another family of friends who were more or less all the same age as themselves.

The children love Christmas Adam since it means that Christmas Day is almost here.

The evening before last my nine year old, Teddy, was showing me his wounds from the day. Here is the bruise from bumping on. And I got this scratch from... and then suddenly I was directed to a bite mark.

"And this is the bite I got from Emma!" My head pulled out of the dryer quickly when I heard that one.

"Emma bit you today?"

He shrugged his tough guy shrug and went on showing his badges of honour, err rather wounds.

As I was behind in all I had to do and in a hurry to catch up - I quickly forgot that little red puncture wound he had shown me.

Yesterday though my 20 year old son, Jonathan, filled me in on the details.

Emma had been wearing her beloved lion disguise and had been on the prowl in the living room. As she pounced on Jonathan he teased her.
"Oh Lion - you aren't going to bite me are you? Lions BITE!"

Apparently she just growled her answer and kept seeking her prey. But the wheels were turning as she crawled about on the living room, hunting her unsupecting victim.

Suddenly as she passed Teddy she lunged at him announcing I'm a Lion and sunk her teeth into his calf.

When he gave a scream of pain she clasped both hands over her mouth and sat back on her hunches apparently very disconcerted that she had done this, but also quite worried that she was going to be in big trouble for biting.

Jonathan examined the wound and informed Teddy he would live and to "offer it up" and get on with his day. They had a guy to guy talk about dealing with pain and moving on. Hence the nonchalant shrug when he answered my query the night before; "Emma bit you?"

Still, being only nine, he had needed to inform his mother of the insult, but without whining. I'm quite proud of him!

Happy Christmas Adam!

Blessings
mum2twleve aka Christi Read more!

Decorations...

Well - I have to confess, I wimped out. The boxes of decorations are still below the other 8 feet of boxes. BUT I bought some cheap (and I mean cheap) decorations at the dollar store. (I told you cheap!)

The kids had fun decorating the hearth and living room as well as the balcony that connects the two sides of the house. Sounds like a mansion, eh? But in truth it is a small 3 bedroom log house with a living room, small (to me) kitchen and dining area. Still - I feel like a millionaire with my house looking all jolly and Christmasy and happy children sipping egg nog and munching on cookies. (Store bought, I'm afraid. After 5 hours of marathon stocking stuffer shopping and Christmas grocery shopping, I have little ambition left for baking)

Now I need to talk to a certain 9 year old who has the memory of an elephant and is reminding the rest of the gang about the decorations that are still supporting the 8 ft wall of boxes filled with untold treasures brought from our previous home - a five bedroom 2 story brick. (Sigh...)

Now I have an appointment with St Nick. I usually end up meeting with him on Christmas Eve but in hopes of staving off that midnight marathon of wrapping (which when you multiply by 12 can go on for hours - no matter how simple you try to keep it!) I managed to wrangle an early appointment with him. He helped me last night go through my various piles while small ears leaned against my bedroom door and little snacks were passed though the door opened barely a crack. We discovered (as usual) that some piles were dangerously high and can not possibly hope to fit into one lone stocking, while others will barely fill a toe. Hence my whirlwind shopping spree that my husband has already forgiven me for. (Surprising what a little egg nog can accomplish!)

Then this morning little Emma, with eyes aglow with excitment, danced around the kitchen waving her beloved St Nick mug telling how HE had been in Mummy's room last watching a 'Cwitmass Mooie while Mummy wapped presents!' She showed me St Nick on her 2 inch high mug - just the perfect size for a little egg nog by the fire or a touch of cocoa with a peppermint stick in it, and reminded me again how he had been here last night. I was digging yesterday’s laundry out of the washer and stuffing it in the dryer when I heard the inevitable crash.

Emma was devastated. She collapsed to the floor in a puddle of tears, and I wrapped my arms around her while she sobbed over her broken mug. Children came running from all over the house to see what was wrong. Jonathan, her 20 year old brother and God-father rubbed her back and tried to offer her solace. I promised to look for another copy of the same, but in my heart seriously doubted such a mug would be found so close to Christmas Eve. Wiping her tears she accepted the loan of my Christmas mug.

After hitting two Wal-Mart’s I finally found the exact picture of St Nick, but on a regular sized mug and beside it a copy of Nathaniel's snowman mug. Not as cute as the miniatures they had received on December 6th. But it was St Nick, and with a twin for Nathaniel - there would be no arguments regarding the fairness of servings.

She was thrilled with it. All is well with the world and now... St Nick awaits. I must not keep him waiting!

Blessings
mum2twelve aka Christi

PS Tomorrow both of my daughters, God willing, arrive!

We are all SOOOOO excited!

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