Tired to the point of being tearful and feeling guilty...

The dishes are piled up and despite the fact that I really, I mean really, want one of my own freshly baked molasses cookies I am "making do" with a Nonni soft baked almond cookie that is store bought. Gasp - did I really say 'making do' to one of those delightful cookies? Yes, I did because what I really want is a home made fresh from the oven molasses cookie and I am too tired to make them, despite being bed by 9:30 pm last night. (Could this possibly be because of the countless end to end doctors appointments, keeping track of several antibiotic prescriptions and attempting to jump start our schooling program after a two weeks sick hiatus??)

And I feel so guilty because instead of teaching math to my four year old who pleaded with me to let her do her math sheets - I cuddled my sleepy 10 month old who, after weeks of cat naps (a total of maybe four in the past week, each lasting a total of possibly 20 minutes, tops) crawled into my lap and voluntarily fell asleep. Could she possibly have done this because out of desperation the past 2 days we have put her down to sleep in, gasp, a crib - alone, and let her cry herself to sleep?

When she crawled into my arms and fell asleep I pushed away the guilt because after all she is most likely the last baby and how many more times will I have the opportunity to cuddle something so small and precious that is all mine. Regardless of why this clever little one decided to take a nap, I allowed myself the time to enjoy her warmth against my chest, the limp weight of her body in my arms and her head on the side of my neck as well as her baby fine hair smooth on my cheek. The dishes could wait, the baking could wait and the guilt could flee.

We are hours behind what I "wanted" to do. But the rest of the day is still here waiting to be filled and it can be started anew at any moment.

So I will try to ignore the fatigue & brush the guilt aside like crumbs off my lap as I have a cup of tea, enjoy my tusani cookie and then I will pull out the math sheets and also do a phonics lesson with Nathaniel. After lunch I will maybe try baking my craving and plan dinner.

It is never too late to start the day fresh...

Babies don't Keep...

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

~Ruth Hulbert Hamilton~

The full poem can be found here and the 8th comment (left by Sherry Goodwin) is particularly moving...

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A Truely Blond Moment

Younger brother to older sister as they drove by the local college:

"Hey - that's a really pretty church, have you ever been in it?"

Older sister to younger brother:

"Ah yeah - I got married in it..."


Ummm - yeah, and we have attended Mass there numerous times...

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Oh MY G O S H !!!!

There are only 11 more days to the first day of ADVENT!

Do you have your


???


(GULP - I don't... BUT I know where my wreath is... I think!)

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Over at Good Remedy...

... Peggy has found a great menu planer that is saving her dollars. And in this economy THAT is nothing to sneeze at. Want to check out her review? Here is her original post about E-mealz and here is her first review after trying it for a week. It's looking good! I'm even thinking of trying it even though I have created my own three week cycle of planned meals complete with grocery lists that is largely based on using a crock pot through out the week. The idea of throwing some ingredients in a pot early in the morning and not thinking about dinner again until its time to serve dinner is extremely appealing to me.

Still - I am looking forward to some new recipes without having to work hard to find them, print them and then create a matching grocery list... and this E-mealz even matches its meal plan/grocery list with the current sales from various nation wide stores. How can you beat that? So check out Peggy's post and see what you think. Hope to see you later over at E-mealz!

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Ooops!

If you're gonna mess with the settings on the electric hair trimmer and not tell your mum - you shouldn't be surprised when you end up with a buzz cut. I'm just saying... you know!


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Check this out!

Hey - have any of you heard of Catholic TV? I have heard some murmurs that are lodged deep in my memory banks but had not gotten around to actually looking into it. Well - here is a blog that I am checking out that is all about it. So far I don't know if this is something free or something you have to join - but it looks good. Come on over with me and check it out! And for those of you who were already in the know - ok - I'm square and I admit it! Read more!

Drat!

I got up this morning and not finding anything to satisfy my finicky appetite I thought of my husband's secret stash and stole over to the closet in hopes of stealing one last cookie from the box only to discover the smart devil silly man had taken them to work with him. I had to satisfy myself with a healthy whole wheat English muffin and peanut butter. Sniff!

(My husband is an incredibly generous man and if he knew I was pining over his cookies, he would have taken one or two cookies to work and left the rest of the box for me to enjoy!)

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Confession 101

Psssst - what to hear something terrible?! I have a confession to make. I hope you are all sitting down. I am feeling so miserable (thats my line and I'm sticking with it!) that to seek a little comfort I am .... listening to Christmas Music! I know, I know - it's not even Advent, heck we don't even have the Thanksgiving shopping out of the way yet.

But there is something so comforting in the joy of Christmas music. Besides I have made one concession, I am only listening to Josh Groban and John Michale Talbot. And as Elsa put it so aptly several times since getting sick:

"Oh Mummy... I am SO tired of being like this!"

Me too, sweetheart, me too!



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Oooops!

I have a plan. My plan is to:
finish eating breakfast,
drink some coffee,
wash the breakfast dishes,
drink some more coffee while calling the Dr for an appointment for Elsa,
and then jump start school while still sipping coffee.
Somewhere in there I am also considering breaking into my husbands stash of soft baked tusani. (While the cat's away the mouse will play - did I mention he jumped ship left for a teacher's conference yesterday morning?)

So I have a great to do list for the day. However - I am a little worried that my body might have a different plan.

You see while I was doling out syrups for fever, pills for coughs and taking temperatures I forgot one rather important daily job I have to do... take my life sustaining thyroid meds and I'm feeling the draggy effect the lack of these meds this has on one.

So far I can add a check beside the raiding of the tusconi box and sipping coffee... the rest of the list well, we'll see how it checks off. After all who knows how long the Dr visit will take. Nor have I run this list by the 10 month old - whom I suspect has a different to do list than mine. Hers starts off with;
Cuddle with mummy
followed by
cuddle some more with mummy


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New Discoveries and Little Disappointments

Cecilia had just finished a wretched coughing session but still had some phlegm in her throat. This resulted in a low growling noise when she forced air through her throat - much to her delight and she experimented with this for a minute or two until her efforts actually caused the phlegm to move. Suddenly her efforts to re-create this growly effect resulted only in a silent whistle. The disappointed surprise on her face caused the whole room to errupt into laughter.

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Engaged...

Yes, our oldest son is engaged! He knelt on bended knee last month and popped the question. And here she is - our lovely future daughter in law, Alicia, holding Alexander on his first day home.




She is the second oldest of a lovely family from Tennessee. I have yet to meet them in person so how do I know they are lovely? Because I have met Alicia... need I say more? Read more!

In September we welcomed

Alexander Ryan into the world and into our family!

Here he is - brand spanking new. His aunts Jenny & Gabriela as well as myself were there to welcome him into the world as we supported Ashley through her long labour.

Mummy and son the next day.



Here is 4 yr old Aunt Elsa holding 3 day old Alexander his first day home.
(She is getting a little help of course!)


Isn't he just the handsomest little fellow you ever saw?

We have more recent photos of him but.. they were not in the file I thought I had saved them in - which leads me to believe that they are on the computer that I am not on... hence I will save them for another day. But trust me - he just keeps getting cuter and cuter!

Tomorrow I will introduce to yet another new member of the family... so again stay tuned...
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cheating... again

...with a photo. This time its a picture of Cecilia and I in the kitchen. The kitchen is located in a building separate from the house. This was the norm for the time due to the ever present danger of fire as they cooked on an open hearth. The building was believed to be connected to the main house with a breezeway which could have been easily knocked down in an effort to protect the main house if a fire did break out. The kitchen that Cecilia and I sat in that Saturday afternoon is one of the few surviving kitchens from that era here in NC. as many did succumb to fire. Cecilia was amazing that afternoon. Dressed in a gown about seventy five - one hundred yrs old, she patiently sat on my lap for almost two solid hours getting only one break during which she joined Bethany and Nathaniel on a stroll about the grounds of Hall house. The only toy we had to entertain her with was the small bear you see me holding out in front of her. This bear is possibly from the 30s and is part of my stuffed toy collection. (A story for another time!)




Tomorrow, as 'Daddy' now has actual photos in hand of his first born son, you will see new photos of the little guy posted here so stay tuned... ( I am shameless, am I not - with my teaser?)

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Baby love

My head was both heavy and light and when I moved the room had developed the habit of spinning - just a bit. My fever had broken but still I was very impatient for bed and a good nights sleep. Cecilia was also obviously fatigued from this battle with the flu. Her eyes had become red rimmed and heavy. Her body felt even heavier in my arms as I leaned back in my chair cradling her while we both stared bleary eyed at Baby Einstein in hopes that sleep would soon find her. Slowly her body began to crumple into me as she relaxed into dream land. I nodded at her nine year old brother and he understood my silent question and checked her face. "She's asleep." He whispered and gathered his blankets around himself as he settled himself back onto the cot in the middle of my bedroom turned hospital ward.

Too tired to move, I sat in my chair wishing I had picked the one with the higher back so that I could let my neck rest. She was asleep but I did not dare try to transfer her to our bed yet. Her daddy was checking doors and turning out lights downstairs. With almost 100 percent of the house under the effects of this quick striking flu we were calling it an early night. The pounding in my head began to lessen as the Tylenol slowly kicked and I began to cough less thanks to the cough suppressant - most likely the culprit for the spinning room.

I felt the hard firmness of Cecilia's head warm on my neck and I leaned my chin on it and breathed in her sweetness while I let her warmth melt away my tension. I felt so blessed to be holding this precious weight in my arms. Almost two years ago after three years of no new additions to our family I had knelt at the alter and prayed; "Lord, either grant me the graces to accept that there are no new babies in our future or bless me with one more baby but please help me either way. I am open to your will - I just need the graces. PLEASE!" What I really expected was the graces to accept that my even dozen blessings meant that my family was complete but what I really desired was another baby. Within a month we learned we were expecting another blessing. Thank you Jesus.

Finally I felt brave enough to try to transfer her to our bed and gingerly rose from my chair and tiptoed around the cot carefully avoiding the doll house furniture adorning my floor and carefully deposited her on the bed and then I lay down beside her, ready to comfort her if she stirred. Almost immediately a cry issued from her hoarse throat and she struggled to sit back up and searched comfort in my arms, My tired body rebelled and screamed no, no, no, I need sleep. But my mind forced my body into obedience and I wrapped my arms around my little daughter and attempted to comfort her in her struggle to breath and sleep at the same time. Suddenly her daddy's strong arms, just as tired as mine, reached out for her and she was lifted into the air and he walked her around in the dark hallway beside our room quietly humming to her. Grateful for even just a few minutes respite I fluffed my pillow, stretched out my feet to find the coolest corner of my mattress and allowed my body to relax into my bed. I did not fall into a deep sleep but dozed lightly until I felt, more than heard, my husband come back into the room with our fitful angel. She was desperate for sleep and unable to find it. I sat up and arranged my pillows into a pyramid and stretched out my arms for her. She stretched out her arms to me and we cuddled up against the pillows. I begged Mary to cover her with her mantle of prayers and for Jesus to hear His mother pleas on my daughter's behalf. "Jesus please hear your mother's prayers and pass your gentle healing hands over my daughter and heal her. Allow her to sleep please." Eventually she found sufficient comfort to be able to sleep. She dozed on and off all night while I watched the soft red digits of my clock slowly dissolve away the hours of the night and bring me closer to dawn. One of my sustaining thoughts was 'when its morning one of her older siblings can hold her for a while and I can sleep then'. At last the digits on my clock announced it was time for my husband to get up to dress for work and Cecilia, feeling the extra movement, rolled out of my arms and sat sleepily blinking in the soft dawn light. Her tousled hair, round eyes and flushed cheeks stirred even more the love in my heart and my lips spread in a large smile as I stared down at my sleepy daughter.

My husband looked across the room just as I laid my cheek on her head and our eyes connected and he too smiled. Wordlessly we both acknowledged the beautiful blessing that our ten month old daughter is to us. I kissed her soft hair and wrapped my arms around her and she leaned onto my shoulder and the three of us silently felt the love that flowed between us and I thanked God yet one more time for His blessed answer to my fervent prayer two years ago. Thank you, thank you, thank you for my thirteen blessings.

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a change to the equation

Re earlier post - move one sixteen year old over to the sick column but keep 4 year old in healthy department though she seriously wants to be sick so she can try that delicious pink goo we call bumble gum flavoured Motrin 'cause she can't remember how it tastes'.
"Puhleeease, can't I just taste it - just a little?"
I figure it is to my advantage that she NOT remember how it tastes in case I actually need to force it down her administer some to her in the next couple of days. It would be good to have her welcome at least the first dose... better yet I pray she doesn't need it... but with Anna finally moving over to the sick column in my ongoing math equation - the odds don't look good.


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another math problem

Even without a brain feeling fuzzy on the edges from the ravages of the flu this math did not add up to me. But I'll place the equation here for you to work out and tell me if you come to the same conclusion as myself...

Elsa - cuddled up on my lap last week reached out and rubbed my tummy and sighed. "I just so want you to have one more baby - just one more. Twins a boy and a girl."

Now I ask; since when did one equal two? Am I alone here? Anyone else see a problem with this four year olds math skills?


(And no - I am NOT expecting -not even one, and especially not twins or even triplets! :)

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Is it feed a cold starve the flu

...or starve a cold and feed the flu?

Whichever it is I am brewing my third tea and reaching for my third fourth molasses cookie. I know know - not healthy choices but heck - I'm sick... not in my right mind and so not making good choices and no - I'm not feeling guilty about pigging out feasting on store bought molasses cookies. I'd eat the home made ones BUT they got cleaned out within hours of being baked... and I'm referring to the second batch I made on Saturday not the 10 dozen I made earlier in the week....




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math quiz...

I'm too tired and/or too sick to do the math so I'm leaving it to you, my dear readers, to solve this equation. We have 13 children, 9 still living at home but one is away baby sitting his niece. We also have a daughter in law abd grandson living here. So far the flu has claimed all but the DIL, grandson, 4 yr old and 16 yr old... so how many of us are down with the flu? My tired brain just can't do the math but I do know the Tylenol is flying out the door and we can't keep tissues in the house....


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Calling All Catholics...

October 30, 2009

Here is the body of an email I received today from Catholic Voice. Please read, pray and then act as your conscience dictates. We left a country that offered socialized medicine and even with all our struggles here during those long years of no insurance and little income - we only ONCE considered moving back. That was the day my OBGYN said that he would only deliver Elsa via a C-section. I spent about 30 minutes looking at the availability of doctors in the areas we could conceivably find some kind of work in and quickly saw that the odds of finding a Dr taking in a new patients was less than nil. My brother and sister and law had to beg her old family Dr to take them as patients when they moved back to New Brunswick from Alberta. They are lucky there are doctors in their town. The small town my parents are closest to - has NO doctors and they have to drive an hour to the closest city to see a doctor. That is what you can anticipate in your future if this health reform passes...

In addition to that - read our Bishops concerns about this bill:

Dear Catholic Voice North Carolina Participant:


The Catholic Bishops of the United States have issued an urgent Call to Action regarding the health care reform debate that is currently underway in the United States Congress.

The Bishops have concluded that the three bills under consideration are seriously flawed in the following areas:
1) mandating the use of federal funds to pay for abortions (which is contrary to our current federal law),
2) forcing health care workers and Catholic medical institutions to perform medical procedures in violation of their religious conscience and
3)(fails in) providing adequate access to health care for the poor and immigrants.
We invite you to visit the Bishops website that is dedicated to this issue and to contact your elected representatives as soon as possible. You can do so by going to the Bishops website or by visiting your respective diocesan website.

Thank you
Catholic Voice North Carolina
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please do inform yourself about this controversial bill and act accordingly. You owe it to yourself, your children and especially your grandchildren who will suffer the most from the consequences of this bill.

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PSSSST! Want in on a great bargain???

Have two years already flown passed by since John and Jenny got married and has little Lydia who was just born last year already become a toddler? With a growing family - comes growing expenses, as we all know! So to help meet the costs of raising a growing family - Jenny has branched out into Mary Kay and has become a rep with her own WEBSITE! To help jump start her sales Jenny is offering a three day sale on all website orders!

Here in her own words are the details of the sale:

Anyone who orders off of my website before Thursday October 29^th 2009 (by 11:59pm) will receive 15% off of their total order! I am also offering free shipping and handling, and a free product sample. There are loads of items for under $10 and even some great mens' products. If you are not a big makeup person, Mary Kay also has great skincare products! (Free S/H in the Continental US only)

I have been having some early morning fun playing with the virtual make over. You can actually upload your own photo and for the fun of it I cropped a picture of myself and **uploaded it. It is amazing software that carefully examines the picture you uploaded and helps you pin point your lip corners, eyes etc. It was very easy to work with and a lot of fun. So much so that I am going to get one of the kids to take a picture of me as per the instructions of how to take a good makeover photo and play some more. I might even share the before & after shots! So stay tuned and make sure that while you wait with baited breath for these photos of me you check out Jenny's website and save save save. Now would be a great time with Christmas less than TWO MONTHS away to pick up some gifts AND even some stocking stuffers. FIFTEEN PERCENT OFF AND FREE SHIPPING!

Come on - I'll race you over there. And hey - if anyone else is crazy brave enough to post before and after photos on their sites - leave a comment so we can all applaud the results!

Remember the sale ends October 29th (2009) midnight Don't miss out on it!

** If you want to upload a photo of yourself they do ask you to create an account where you give your name and email address ONLY. There is no request to purchase anything. Alternatively you can chose a model - which I initially did. When you use that option they do not ask you to create an account. While using the virtual make over no Credit card info or mailing address is asked for. When I went back to the site I was able to sign in and voila there was my cropped photo already for me to play with again. Better than playing dress up with Barbie - I promise!


(Free S/H in the Continental US only)
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Saint hood - working on it.

I think God invented government bureaucrats to help the rest of us achieve Sainthood a little more easily sooner than we would without them.

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UPDATED too cute...

Elsa and Bethany... read all about it HERE!

Oooops! Carrie has pointed out in a comment that this blog is blocked. I should have known that as it is my daughters blog! I will post her little story directly here as soon as I have time. My apologies! (Blush!)

UPDATED:

Here is the little conversation this post was supposed to link to. (This post is from Bethany's little blog which is open to friends and family, I'll add the picture Bethany chose for her post later.)

I have a sister, err..... man named Elsa. To understand why I am calling her my little man, you will have to read this conversation.

Me: Grrr! I am a monster who eats little girls!!! Rawr!
Elsa: On nooo! Well, I am a grown up.
Me: Oh, you are?
Elsa: Yes, (she deepens her voice here) and I am also a MAN even though I am so small! Read more!

Want to see what we have been up to?

Last weekend our church had a huge fund raiser. There were goodies to sell and eat and games for the kids to play. Then there was the cake walk - an interesting sort of lottery. You would buy a ticket for 50 cents to walk (to music) around on a circle of numbers until the music stopped. At this point someone would pull a number - if you were standing on the number, you got to choose a cake from the rows and rows of cakes.

For the south it was an extraordinarily cold day, I think it only reached maybe 40 and the breeze was blowing quite heavily so I spent most of my time inside. However they had a table outside which featured some goodies that the children along with their best buddies had baked and decorated under the direction of Peggy and I. For a glimpse at some of our favourite concoctions click here. And no - the 12 dozen that she wrote that we baked and decorated is NOT a type o and I don't what sleep she is talking about 'cause I know when we were finished baking and cleaning I crawled into bed and collapsed and did not get up again until the next morning! Cecilia is teething - need I say more about lack of sleep???

(PS - be sure to click on Peggy's picture so that it opens and you can see the cupcakes more closely as the details are a real 'treat' to look at!)
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More pictures - as promised

(Believe it or not Miss Bethany is actually sitting in her hoops on the ground. It was easier to sit in them than I thought they would be - but much more difficult to walk in than I imagined! Also you had to place a baby just so on your lap - or the hoops would cut into you leg. Something I realized while sitting for TWO hours with a 9 month old on my lap. )


Miss Bethany in her hoops with her younger brother Master Nathaniel. They strolled the grounds of Hall House lending atmosphere for the many people touring the area. Down the block from Hall House was a reenactment of period soldiers camping on the lawn of another historic treasure. Sadly we did not think to stroll down and snap some pictures of them. I would have like to have done that... Well - maybe we will make it back there next year and the soldiers will be there too!

Still more pictures to come.... Yes - I admit it - I'm stringing them out.... Life is incredibly busy and I don't want to spoil you will super long posts filled with tons of pictures... and then disappear for a week or two cause I am too busy to post!



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strolling down memory lane...

...with our favorite photographer: Paul Tomas Will you join me? Paul also has a new site with more beautiful portraits, including one of Jenny and Lydia when she was a newborn. Check it out and see why Paul is our favorite photographer.


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In the wee hours of the morn

As seems to be the custom these days or should I say nights, Elsa woke around 2 or so in the morning to use the toilet in our room and simply climbed back into our bed instead of making the long trek back to her room... Before it was light out she awoke in our bed and left my room for a short time. Before long she was back crawling under my sheets grumbling to herself.

"Don't know why she can't wake up to help me look. Don't know why she's so mad at me. Hmph!" She pulled the sheets up to her neck and grumbled a bit more to herself, prompting me to ask.

"Who did you ask to help you look for something?"

"Emma!"

I could well understand why Emma dd not want to wake up to look for something before it was even light out. But my curiosity was peaked. What was Elsa looking for at that ungodly hour! Maybe her brown shoes... which we had found on Sunday but perhaps had missed being placed back on the shoe shelf after Mass?

"So, what were you wanting Emma to help you find, Elsa?"

Silence

"Elsa?"

"Do I hafta tell you?"

Hmmm - now I was really curious.

"Were you looking for your shoes?"

"I don't want to say!"

"Did you lose something that not yours?"

"Mummmy.... I don't want to tell you!"

A huge yawn interrupted my response and I decided to let it go, it was not long till the sun would rise so I just rolled over and we were both asleep before long.

In the morning I found ONE brown shoe in the hallway so I think they were probably the culprit keeping her awake in the wee hours of the morn. I'll show her the two of them that made their appearance as I cleaned her room this morning and see if she will then fess up as to what was worrying her!



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What did some of the kids and I do today?

We participated in October Tour as Docents at Dr Hall's house from the Civil War era. And as a picture is worth a thousand words I will say no more...

Anna and Gabriela in their hoop skirts in front of the house.

Anna sharing the details about the cooking in the kitchen. This is one of the few remaining NC civil war era kitchens that have been restored to their original condition. Nathaniel hung about lending atmosphere to the place.

Here is a group photo of all of us, from the family. who participated today.
It was such a lot of fun!

Little 9 month Cecilia in a 100 yr old dress, the very same that she was baptized in.
Does she not look very period in it?

And this is just a taste of the many wonderful photos my friend at Good Remedy took today. Look for more to come over the next couple of days...

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Oh oh!

Elsa was cuddled up next to me this morning and I asked her "Say, do you know where your new brown church shoes are?"

Her response did not inspire confidence: "Oh Mummy, can't we just talk about this tomorrow, pleeease."





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Feast Of Our Lady of the Rosary

Here is a site that offers links to readings and messages from previous popes
regarding this feast day.

In addition to praying the Rosary today - we will bake some cupcakes and then string them out like a Rosary. Yumm! Will you be doing anything today you would like to share with us? Leave a link to your blog or share your idea in the comments section. Happy Feast Day!
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why am I not posting as often as I used to before we moved...

It could have something to do with sleep deprivation. Here is how a typical night goes here for me. At about 9 pm Cecilia and I will tumble into bed and she will nurse for 15 - 20 minutes until she falls asleep. Experience has taught me not to move for the next 10 - 15 minutes until I am certain she is in a deep sleep. At that point I can possibly roll over and fall asleep myself but not always. Sometimes my brain is still going a million miles a minute while my body is screaming
s l e e p.... s l e e p....

When that happens I often put a Netflix instant watch movie on my computer and watch it until I fall asleep. Bad plan that... because usually the bright screen wakes me when the movie ends and the credits are rolling. Then I put on a radio show that I listen to as I drift off back to sleep. Why do I do that? Because listening to someone talking away in the background helps to distract me from my racing thoughts...

Sometimes in addition to listening to a program I will simply recite a prayer over and over. Usually the Lords prayer. Eventually I doze off. At about 12 Cecilia typically wakes for a sleepy snack, Again, once I am sure she is slumbering deeply I roll over and fall back asleep.

Frequently we will entertain a guest or two during the wee hours of the morning. This night it was Elsa's turn. She was very thirsty... I shared my water bottle with her a few times until her thirst was finally slaked. She then settled herself down between Cecilia and Hugo pulling my blankets onto herself. Hence I continued to wake, on and off, because I was cold. I did not want to risk waking Cecilia in an attempt to remedy the situation. Even if somewhat uncomfortable I was still able to doze - a luxury I would lose if Cecilia was to wake up. Around 4 'ish Cecilia again snacked and before I knew it - it was seven am. It was light out and Emma pounced through the door filled with delight at the new day stretched before her and joined our already crowded bed. Hugo left to dress and attend Mass while I tried to pretend there were not three little bodies slammed up against me in one manner or another and tried to steal a few more moments of sleep. Strangely I felt as though I had never gone to bed and sluggishly wondered why I always wake up as tired as when I went to bed.

I figure its going to be at least another year or two before I start getting a good nights sleep again so perhaps I need to place my vitamins beside the tea box - I just might remember to take them with my morning tea if I do that. In the meantime while I try to cope with so little energy and a continuous back ache I might drop a note off in God's complaint box and ask Him why little ones have so much energy whilst those of us who are charged with their well being have so little....

Hence these days I am struggling just to get through the day, more often than not praying for the graces I need just to get through the next 15 minutes. I have some coping mechanisms in place that since our grand son has been born I have been too distracted to use. Things like a meal plan so we don't have to think about what the next meal is - its on a list and requires NO thought. Even daily Mass has fallen by the way side for me and I really need it.

So - while we have Internet again - it is often days before I can find the time to read other blogs let alone write something entertaining and worth sharing for my readers. I would love to have some witty and pithy comments to post frequently but my little gray cells are struggling just to keep up with the numerous Dr appointments we have these days and they just don't seem to have any energy left for you - my dear readers! I have even toyed with closing my blog as I feel that I am letting you all down with the lack of posts.

Still it is how a few family members keep up with us from a distance so I am hanging in there. Keep those prayers coming please! I really need them these days and hope to be back on the wagon soon. God Bless you all - those of you who are still loyally stopping by and checking in to see if I have had anything of value/amusement to share.





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hypothetical question

Do you suppose if someone were to move the box of tea to the pantry closet she would then stop walking past the tea which is actually on the shelf beside the pantry closet - or would she keep going to the pantry to look for the tea... Hypothetically, I mean. As I am way too smart a person to daily walk past the tea on the shelf and then stare in the pantry closet looking for the tea. Seriously - just way too smart to do that... every day.



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Look whos 5, no 6, no 8...

Someone had a birthday this month... and here is how we greeted her on her birthday. (Have I ever mentioned we are terrible teases in our family?)

Oh Emma, it's your birthday today!
(BIG GRIN on her face)
Happy Birthday! said Hugo
"Yes," I added "you are FIVE today - right?"
"No" she smiled.
"Oh - six?"
"No no no!"
Hugo asked - "Are you eight already?"
"NO!"
"Hmmm," we pondered. "Are you nine?"
Her grin got bigger "NO!"
"Ten, eleven??"
Bethany called over - "She's twelve!"
"Well," I said, "she can't be four 'cause Elsa's four!"
"You skipped one" - Emma giggled.
"We skipped one? Which one?"
"I'm SEVEN" she proclaimed proudly!

Yes, seven wonderful years since you were born one merry month in 2002. That year the "big" boys, Jonathan and Miguel, started high school and you joined us the weekend Jenny was visiting Belmont Abbey. We tricked her into thinking I was in labour when Daddy went to pick her up from the train station and the look of surprise when she walked in the hospital room and you were in my arms was priceless. She was instantly in love - as we all were.

You are such a sweet sunny girl with a feisty temper - I have NO idea who you get that from!

We love you little girl!!

Aunty Boo and her little niece Lydia Marie

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We're back online...

and I have a confession to make. We have been back online for a few days now - but while we were offline the newest member of the family made his entrance so I have been busy helping my DIL get used to being a mama and busy helping my 8 month old get used to being an auntie... again. Only this time her nephew lives with her and that is a whole other ball game.

However - she is at the advantage here. She's female, older AND the aunt so she figures she's the boss. However with her neice - they are both female and her neice is older so she is not so sure the title of aunt is going to carry much wieight with Lydia. Time will tell.

I am not posting pictures of Alexander Ryan until his Daddy, who is in boot camp, has seen a picture of him. I will share his stats though 'cause his daddy already has these via the Red Cross. (Hats off to them for their lightening speed in informing our son of his son's birth!) Alexander was born weighing in at 7 lbs 14.6 oz and was 19 and 1/2 inces long, he has lots of long brown hair and so far blue eyes. Not sure if they will change or not.

He is as cute as a button and we all think we will keep him - even Cecilia who loves to give him kisses on his head.

Hoping to get back into the swing of things and sharing on a regular basis again - though I'm not sure that I have many readers left after such a long hiatus.

Blessings to you all!

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I'm gonna fire AT&T

by five pm tonight if I am still without service. Only 7 minutes left on my account here at the library so this has GOT to short - I hope y'all listening at AT&T!!! My neighbors ordered Time Warner last week and got thier Internet up and running in THREE days. AT&T I ordered your "fast" service on the SEVENTH of this month....

So I called them today and said - no service by 5 pm today you are fired and I will go with Time Warner....

Say a prayer everyone - that the next time I update you - its from HOME! Love my library - but heck - not that much!!!

Ok five minutes remaining.... see you all! Read more!

STILL...

NO INTERNET... but I have access for a little while today while I visit family for the day. AT&T has promised I will have Internet .... drum roll please....... tomorrow.

I will believe it when I see it!

Being without Internet has been oddly - refreshing. I don't like not having access to my email so that I can write to my daughter in Ireland anytime I want but otherwise - it has been fairly freeing. Now I am hoping that I can somehow develop a little inner restraint once we have the Internet back and possibly continue to enjoy that new found freedom. You know, no longer having that nagging feeling that I just need to check my email... and once you do - you decide to check someone's blog and then... before you know it you have just lost 40 minutes. Never to be returned to you....

The Internet - as wonderful as it is has an addictive quality about it - or is it that I have an addictive personality?

At any rate - living without Internet for about 14 days or more now - has been edifying - to say the least.

So if AT&T keeps it promise, I will be back tomorrow to report in as to how well I am doing fighting that nagging feeling that I just have to check that email address of mine... you know - just in case maybe I won the lottery or something!

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Forced Interlude between

Internet Provider exchange... we have left one provider and are waiting for our new modem to arrive. If all goes smoothly I will be back online by the 14th. Feel free to pray...

In the mean time we are back to school - easing slowly into a routine and I am currently researching material for a book idea. Have sold our first CD from our Parenting Kids Online program. Woo Hoo - thank you God to whom all Glory belongs!

Hopefully I will have time to get back to the library and maybe post a note or two - but if I go/remain dark... at least you will not be in the dark and will know why I am MIA

Until then... blessings to you all!

PS any comments left will be moderated as soon as I have access to the Internet so please if you leave a comment and it does not appear within a day or two - it is because I have not made it to the library!

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Enjoy a light chuckle on me...

Or possibly a whooping big laugh. Me - I chuckled and snickered my way through and finally gave a hoot as I got to the end of the post. Seriously - if you are in need of a snicker or two click here and chuckle away....

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How to avoid hearing no for an answer

When wanting to know if you are allowed to do something when you are four and you don't the answer to be no you ask"

"So... is it a yes or a yes?"

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Say what?

We finally have the school room unpacked AND organized & no one is available to go to Wendy's to celebrate with our TWENTY-ONE coupons for free frosties???
No one??

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Look Who's turning one this month!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYDIA MARIE

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Sometimes life is really tough...

...esp when you are a young soldier in training with a wife at home expecting your first child. And you are only allowed to call home once a week and only have five minutes and your mother - not recognizing the phone number calling her cell phone ignores the call. Not once but twice in the same five minutes. The only precious five minutes you had that week to call. Yes, life can be really tough as a young soldier. (And somewhat guilt ridden for his not so bright mother!)

It is hard for his sweet wife too, especially when she learns that the only picture he had of her was ripped up in front of her young soldier's face - to teach him to pay attention and move faster. Hard for their mother to know of their pain and yet understands it is necessary as this soldier's life one day might very well depend on that lesson he just learned.

As mothers we think it is hard to watch our children learn to walk, falling and tumbling, bumping their heads but in truth it is often much more painful to watch them as adults as they stumble, fall and sometimes break their hearts. So I humbly ask for everyone's prayers. For Miguel as he learns what he needs to be a good soldier who can be depended on under fire and for Ashely as she learns at the same time how to be a first time mother and how to be a soldier's wife. And for me as I learn how to be soldier's mother and a support for Ashely.

Thank you!

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Politicians - are you listening??

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For those wishing an update on Hurricane Bill

CLICK HERE

And see Hurricane Bill as he comes ashore off of Oak Island.

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wishing I had time to write

a decent personal post about how life is like as a mum of 13 who is still unpacking from the move in July and trying to get the school room set up in time to start school by Labour Day.
But to give you an idea of why this has not really been possible - I will share with you a brief break down of how some of my days go. Now not all days are as crazy like this - but some weeks seem to have more than their share of crazies!

6 am got up

got Noah up and asked him to walk dog.

got little girls up

got Teddy and Nathaniel up...

Woke Gabriela (Anna was away babysitting our grand daughter Lydia)

Back to little girls' room and pulled dresses out of closet and despite that the high which will be in the high twenties possibly low 30s (or about 100 F) we need sweaters or long sleeves for the 7 am Mass.

got everyone dressed and hair brushed and up

Gathered laundry to put on at the old rectory as there is no hook up here (that we have yet to discover anyway....)

Deposited * put on laundry as we walked to Mass

7 am
Attended Mass

Talked to Barbara about joining the Y and a guest pass for today

7:40
Stopped at Rectory to switch wash to dryer.

Ate Breakfast

10 to 8
Hugo left for work

worked on insurance paper work until 9 am and got it ready to take to the office in the afternoon while girls are at piano lessons in L...

Then worked until 11 am coming up with a menu and recipes and shopping list

Kids had snack

11:30
out to buy groceries and pick up prescription

Met a parishioner while there and as she walked away she called back to thank me for some shirts I gave her - I stared at her blankly and she thanked me again, but as she was still yet further from me I really could not hear her. Wondered when I gave HER a shirt and just how bad is my memory getting???
(Turns out I gave them to her sister who gave them to her...)

2:00 pm Much to the horror of the little ones only now do I get back from buying groceries - we are supposed to already be at the Y - for at least an hour now!

realized Hugo had left w/o lunch and had a small breakfast so I made him lunch to drop off at school but this would require back tracking on the way to the Y - kids started to get worried we would not make it there today

Chopped up ingredients for Crock Pot Pea soup & put it on to simmer while we are out... BOY - were we looking forward to homemade pea soup tonight

drove out to school on way to Y to drop off Hugo's lunch, stopping for 15 dollars gas on the way and was still on empty after... Gas is just too pricy!

Called Piano teacher to say we will miss one of the three lessons as we are really behind schedule AND only two of the three girls in lessons are home anyway...

dropped off Hugo's lunch and FINALLY got to Y ONLY to discover that Miss Cecilia has huge poopy diaper which she followed up with a huge melt down while we struggled to change her diapers... In the process we discovered that our HUGE OVERSTUFFED diaper bag had not ONE wipe in it... what's with that?

Older kids heave collective sigh of relief when I release them give them permission to go to the pool...

Emma and I talked about gratitude and appreciating the splash pad even though she clearly wants to go back to the pool where she played the day before with another family... and she was not taking no for an answer - so I had to spell it out very clearly what this meant. Splash pad with a smile or EVERYONE leaves Y to go home... Emma quickly saw how unpopular this would make her and plastered a smile on her little pixie face that soon became genuine once she was actually on the splash pad.

An adult guest showed up on Splash Pad and pulled some kiddy toys out the beach bag and

suggested kids throw balls on splash pad... I told them in Spanish to not do so... they understand (YIPPEE) and stop trying to throw balls in the splash buckets!

The guest asked (sounding miffed) if I don't want them to play with the toys s/he brought... I say "not here as there are other kids who could get hit." S/he seems fine with that. Chats with me for a while and goes back to pool...

HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF

35 minutes later I realized we were going to be extra late for piano lesson after already telling teacher we will be miss first lesson of the three scheduled

started to gather up kids from around the splash pad and then strapped baby into stroller - she protested

hauled kids through pool area searching for 1 blond and several brunet heads in the pool

3:20 get text from Hugo

"Are you picking me up???"

Huh - I thought he was driving back with the nuns....

I text back "in 10 minutes???"

20 minutes later I finally was able to pick him up

3:40 realized we are only going to get one class in out of three and there is no way I am getting the paper work I completed this AM dropped off... so I did the most sensible thing possible. Pulled out a stamp and put the envelope in a mail box. But I am getting ahead of myself...

Got home, dropped off kids

picked up piano books

take off for L...

Drop girls off at the teacher's house

drove to the dollar store to buy ice cream for Noah and this is when I really mailed the paper work!

drove back for the girls

Then we visited with Ash for about 10 minutes and headed home

Walked in & drew in deep delicious smells of the simmering crock pot soup.

Asked Hugo how his presentation went

Checked on soup only to discover I forgot to put the lid on - note dear readers that crock pots DON'T COOK WELL w/o their lid so soup was was not even close to being ready and it was 6:30....

Changed menu around so that tomorrows lunch of canned soup became todays supper - and the home made soup for lunch tomorrow

Got kids to do chores

Eat supper

Joked around with Ashely, our DIL who is living with us.

Hugo and I had a talk with one of the children about a problem they were having.

I watched end of Little Mermaid with the little girls

The I bribed them that if they got ready for bed they could watch Cinderella...

8:3o pm
Noah, Gabriela, Bethany and I gathered books for library and headed off with baby in tow in her nephew's stroller (Which she loves. I am not sure Alexander will get to use it much - I might have to buy him a new one :)

Got Bethany a library card

We all picked out some books and a few movies

Everyone got books signed out ASAP cause library was closing in ten minutes

Walked home in the dark - kinda cool (Only about 3 - 4 blocks away from our house)

9:30pm Told Hugo and Kids I was heading to bed ASAP as I had missed a few days of my Thyroid meds (thats what I picked up this am) and needed to rest to make sure I don't lose my milk for Cecilia.
BUT then I checked my email - saw email from oldest daughter Aimee and suddenly I was about 26 minutes late for bed as I just HAD to write back immediately!

Whew - I bet you all thought it was going to be some sort of super mom post, didn't you? But now that you have read about what a crazy day for me is like - you have seen just how normal life with a family of nine at home really is. Still - when you add in all of the unpacking I am typically adding into my day, and a sick baby the past week you can understand why posting just hasn't been happening as regularly!

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An excellent book...

about Mary... but don't take my word for it. Instead hear what MinnesotaMom has to say about it. Myself - I intend to buy me a copy as soon as hubbie gets his first pay cheque! Unless, of course, someone would like to buy me a copy sooner. If you would like to meet author Meredith HENNING click here.

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Walking the walk and not just talking the talk!

In the past year we have seen some well known Catholic Colleges take actions that flew in the face of their Catholic Heritage - so it is wonderful when we have the opportunity to see a Catholic School uphold the teachings of the church and incorporate them in their policies.

Recently Belmont Abbey College was advised by the EEOC that they have been found to be discriminating against female employees as the University's current health plan will not cover abortion, prescription birth control or sterilization.

According to President Thierfelder "As a Roman Catholic institution, Belmont Abbey College is not able to and will not offer nor subsidize medical services that contradict the clear teaching of the Catholic Church,... There was no other course of action possible if we were to operate in fidelity to our mission and to our identity as a Catholic college."

To read Belmont Abbey's full response to this accusation - click here.
To respectfully express your concern or support for Belmont Abbey's religious freedom to choose the health plan that reflects our Catholic values, you can write to:

Reuben Daniels, Jr.,
EEOC Charlotte District Office Director
129 West Trade Street
Suite 400
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
fax: 704-344-6734
or call 1 800 669 8000

You can also write to:

Stuart Ishimaru,
Chairman, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
131 M Street, NE
Washington, DC 20507

An email address is also available info@eeoc.gov
phone numbers available for this location are:
1 202 669 4900
& TTY 1 202 669 4494

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March of Dimes

We have all heard of March of Dimes - but have we all heard how pro abortion they are despite their claims of being neutral in the controversy? Read this article from Rockforlife and have your eyes opened before you make a future donation to an organization that is clearly pro-death if you are less than perfect in the womb.

Please note that comments, while open, are moderated. There are two simple rules for your comments to be approved for this post.

1) You can not post ANONYMOUSLY - if you leave an anonymous comment - it will not be posted. If you do not have a google account - you must at least leave a first name and an initial for your last name.
2) Whether you are leaving a positive or negative reaction to this post - you must be polite.

Rudeness will not be tolerated so if you can not be polite and have not the courage of your convictions to sign your name to your comment - you will not be heard - not on this blog. Thank you for your co-operation.

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Prayer of a Parent for a Departing Soldier

Prayer of a Parent for a Departing Soldier

Father all-powerful and ever-loving God,
from before we were born,
your love has nurtured and sustained us.
Hear my prayer for N., my son/daughter.
Keep him/her safe in time of battle
and faithful to you, day in and day out.
Bring him/her safely home to those who love him/her.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Prayers courtesy of:
Committee on the Liturgy
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194

One of my favorite pictures of Miguel Alexander from his sister's wedding - 3 summers ago.
Today Miguel leaves for Military Prep School in Columbus SC, then it's off to train as a Calvary Scout in Kentucky, then Air Borne Training in Georgia. His wife, Ashley, moved in with us this weekend. She is expecting their first child, Alexander Ryan, this coming fall. Last week she went into premature labour - leading us all to decide she needed to live with us for the next few months - until Miguel finishes his training. Please keep us all in your prayers as we adjust to this HUGE change in our lives. Especially keep Ashely and her unborn child in her prayers as she continues to need oral meds to keep her from labouring.

THANK YOU, as always for your prayers.

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Have a chuckle...

compliments of Here we are . Click here to read his incisive post as to why men don't live as long as women.


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Sunday Snippits

I joined this Catholic Group some time ago. But have been so busy I have not had time to create a Sunday Snippit most Sundays since then. But here is my Sunday Snippit for this Sunday. Read more!

Oh my...

Oh My is actually the title of the post I am linking to. And this is exactly what I found myself saying in my head as I read... Oooh My! Especially the part about answering the same question again and agan. I recently told my children that I thought that maybe they should form a "question committee" so as to avoid being the inevitable child who receives a growled answer to the 10th rendition of the same question. At least one child was insulted by this slightly tongue in cheek suggestion while others laughed. You guessed it - the one insulted was the child recovering from a growled response. But ooooh my! Go read what Sister Faustina would say about my 'question committee" & equanimity! Perhaps I need to locate a copy of this book.

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Is it 1984

or 2009? Perhaps George Orwell was only off in the choice of his title of Nineteen Eighty-four. Perhaps it should have been Two Thousand and Nine.


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A great idea

...should always be shared. Something we will be taking into consideration in our home - click here to see what I am thinking about.


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Price of admission - 25 cents

I am used to the little ones coming up to me and asking if I might have a spare nickel, dime quarter or even just a penny. Typically my pockets are empty and so I apologize and keep moving. So it was today that I did not really take notice when the little girls asked me if I had a quarter on me until later when I over heard them complaining bitterly that NO ONE had a quarter and so they could not buy a ticket to get into their brothers room.

"What!?" I exclaimed. "You have to pay to get into the boys room?"

"Yes." They sighed heavily, "and no one had a quarter that we can use to buy a ticket." I was sorely tempted to call the boys bluff by finding each of the girls a quarter - yet I could not bring myself to reward the boys' behaviour with money.

I just know there was a brilliant solution to this scenario but I was not feeling particularly brilliant today given I finally succumbed to taking pain medication for my back that left me almost pain free but ... brainless. Read more!

Prayer Request

Today I see the Dermatologist and have the biopsies completed. Keep me in your prayers please! Cindy D is driving me and Peggy is watching the majority of the children. Anna is in Belmont watching her niece and Gabriela will come with me and help with the baby. It will be a full day.

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Life imitiating ...life

There has been a friendship blossoming between two children: a young lady who is not yet 7 and a young man who is also in the single digits. But of late my darling daughter has begun to complain that her newly found friend was avoiding her and she was bitterly disappointed as she has not yet made many friends her own age.

Then today she came to me all excited.
"Mummy - now I know why 'X' doesn't want to play with me these days. "
Before I could ask why she burst forth with the explanation.
"Its because I talk so much, he said. He just wants to play but I just talk, talk, talk!", her hands flew in added demonstration of how she just talks, talks, talks!
Before I could commiserate she rushed to tell me: "So now I know what to do - talk less!" With that she flew away to practicing playing... with less talking.

Hmmm - this might be a challenge for this little one of mone - there is a reason her father has nick named her motor mouth...
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Choosing Life...

I would like to share a link to a very special post - written by a mother who has walked the talk - not just talked. Her post says it all - so I will not say another word but just send you right over to her post.

Hope to be back posting regularly soon. We are s l o w l y settling in. Thanks to you to all who have been praying for us - a move is so stressful, along with a new job. My back is continuing to trouble me and I can not get a referral to my chiropractor as my family doctor I have recently learned does not believe in Chiropractic care of any kind... so please keep that in your prayers.

I also need prayers for courage please as I have to go see a dermatologist to have three biopsies done and will have to go alone. It is a one hour drive one way - due to our move... please keep me in your prayers. I dislike driving to new places intensely and am not particularly fond of doctors and especially dislike meeting new ones... Thank you again for all of your prayers!
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Where did mum2twelve - now a bakers dozen dissapear to?

Well - after washing all that laundry at my friends house - mother nature saw fit to wash our beautiful earth and in the process knocked our Internet connection out. At the same time my husbands cell phone took a dying breath gasped and gave up the ghost - literally. All of his contacts went with it... (As in they were on a card that was readable on his phone....)

We were waiting patiently for his new phone and once it arrived... we needed the INTERNET to activate the phone and we needed the phone to call the IT guy about the Internet... took a while but we got this vicious cycle beat and here I am!

But I'm just too busy to blog today - so a quick hello to you all! I will be back with an important link - tomorrow. Now I am off the run errands, errands and more errands!


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Many thanks to...

...to Good Remedy for allowing us all to hang at her house ALL day and for a good portion of the evening so we could roll out load after load of clean laundry! We currently do not have a washer and dryer hook up so lets look at the math:

(nine kids + two adults) X (no laundry facilities) = countless baskets of laundry

Peggy - what would I do without you ?


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Prayer request

My good friend Dorry is in GHANA with her family. Dorry and I have been friends since we moved to the US twelve and half years ago. Her son, Charles, was one of my second daughter's best friends and was in her wedding party.

This is a once in a life time opportunity for Dorry and her family. Please keep them in their prayers as they travel and enjoy the country of her husband's origins. Pray for peace (we all know how stressful traveling can be - heck sometimes I have a nervous breakdown shepherding everyone to the library - never mind flying halfway across the world!) safety and good health. After all who wants a summer cold on the trip of a life time. Tony and Dorry both work full time, while raising their large family and really deserve this lovely vacation.

How moving it must be for Tony to show his children his birth place. I am sitting here listening to a Ghana radio station to get a feel for what the kids and Dorry are experiencing - sound wise. However, the Internet has not yet come up with a way for one to experience the smells or climate of a foreign country. So I am depending on photos and my imagination to participate vicariously in my friends' journey to the other side of the earth.

Jenny and Charles, after she tied the knot with John!

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Quote of the day

Elsa (4) "Daddy, can I help wash the dishes? There are plenty of them to wash..."
The 'plenty of them ' was added in an emphatic tone as if to convince him to share his sacred toy with her.

Question of the day - will she still be asking that in her teens?

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what is our newest addition doing these days

• pointing at everything with her index finger, carefully checking it out before then grasping the object and stuffing it in her mouth.

• staring intently at any and all food as it leaves our plates and enters our mouths, often grabbing at the food.

• practicing with the intensity of a soldier under heavy fire - the combat crawl. Occasionally her bottom wags up in the air and she steadies herself for one or two 'steps' forward on her knees and hands and then her bottom wiggles wildly and she topples over and continues to 'soldier' on to her goal.

• grabbing 9 year old Nataniel red hair and pulingl it with all her might, as often as she can. She seems to love Elsa's red locks with the same intensity. Both deserves medals for their patience with her for this 'lovin' she heaps on them whenever they are in grabbing distance.

• has one little tooth peeking out of her tiny pink gums on the bottom.

• when not chewing on her toes, she is chewing on her fingers and sometimes concentrating on her thumb - naughty girl!

• is the object of the intense love of all her siblings, especially those at home who are enjoying her goofy grins, shining blue eyes that follow you with love and the energy that radiates from her as she concentrates on picking something up and then gumming it to death.
  

We are all so grateful for this lovely little addition to our family who is just a little over six months old. Thank you Jesus for our little darling baby and all of my other twelve blessings!

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day dreaming

A girl can dream, can't she?

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Bleary eyed...

...tired and too fatigued to even think of a post worthy of my audience taking the time to read so I will just wish you all abundant blessings on this day!

I'll be back as soon as I can muster the energy. Maybe I should go look for my vitamins. I'm sure they're in a box somewhere around here....

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