Here we go again!

We are under a severe storm watch, it is the remenants of what hit Tennesse last night. We are a little more prepared than the last time and already have our scanner on. All outdoor machinery is under anchor outside and the bathtubs filled with water in the event of loss of power.

The sky is rapidly growing dark and the wind is picking up. Thunder is rumbling ominously and a few strikes of lightening have already been seen. Prayers more than welcome. I will be powering down the computer for a few hours!

Blessings to everyone... stats on the mini poll will be posted after the storm passes through, all though this might be an all day event. Read more!

The joys of being a large family...

Every Friday this winter a very good freind has been traveling out from the city to teach a theology class to five of our children. As if that was not enough, she always brought lunch so as to give me a little break. Yesterday, she brought a plateful of sandwhiches and much to MY delight, brownies.

Wanting to leave the sandwhiches for his younger siblings my 19 year old son put some fries in the oven for himself. As he was waiting for them to cook he grinned at me.

"I put some fries on for Elsita and me." His grin widened. "I can't wait to watch her tiny fingers pinch together to pick up her fries, one at a time."

His joy at anticipating the feeding of his baby sister and his delight at the thought of watching her culinary habits filled me with immeasurable joy as well. Moments like this remind me, why having been open to life and raising such a large family was exactly the right thing for my husband and I to do. Read more!

Hey Look What I can do Mama!!

Not even a year old yet, and I am almost ready to cruise on just TWO feet Mummy!
I can't wait to be a BIG kid like everyone else!
(But Mama can!!!)

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Meet our newest neighbour!

We HOPE he is a rat snake!

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Bobby Schindler Speaks out.

To read his most recent statement click here.

Read more!

teething...

How I wish baby Orajel had been available in swab forms years ago? No more messy gel dripping down my fingers as I try to carefully dab the stuff on the suffering baby's swollen gums while I, instead, lather her tongue. Now, I simply break the tip off the q-tip and the gel conviently drips down the hollow tube to the swab on the bottom. Then I can accuratly dab this instant relief where ever I see an emmerging tooth or swollen gum. I follow this up with a dose of Motrin and we are ready for a relatively peaceful night.

Thank you Orajel and Motrin! And now Elsita and I will toddle off to bed and hopefully sleep (not counting mid night snacks to get Elsa though till breakfast) until 6:15 tomorrow morning!

(BTW, I only use this combo of Orajel and Motrin when it is clearly evident she is teething and can not fall asleep because of the pain. Years ago, when my third baby, now 20, was teething I was warned, by a medical practioner, against using Orajel too much as it could cause a thinning {or was it a thickening?} of the gums if overused. So, I have always kept its use to a minimum.) Read more!

Thank You Jesus!

We are all safe and sound! What a day and night it was yesterday! Yesterday morning started at about 4 am for me, when lightening began streaking the sky but there were no rumbles accompanying it until about 7 am. When we got up, we still needed full lights on.

Hugo was on the road and had been since 2:30 when he and our 9 year old son, Teddy, left for Virginia to pick up merchandise. By the time I had returned home from my errands, the sun was in full force and the humidity was high. I suspected that the warnings that kept singing across the radio interrupting my favorite talk show, Rush Limbaugh, were very true. A rather large storm was heading our way.

The afternoon wore on, and as I typed on my computer by the window I eventually noticed dark clouds on the horizon. Before I knew it, it was 6:30 and was rapidly growing dark despite the time change. By seven pm it was as black as midnight except for the pink sunset that was barely visible through the ominous clouds that were piled one on top the other. A sudden gust of wind struck the house causing it to shudder and the windows to rattle. I quickly saved a draft of my blog and got up to check on the merchandise outside.

As I stepped out of the garage, rain began to pelt me. Hugo, accompanied by Miguel, suddenly appeared. We all grabbed the tarp that had already blown partially off of one mountain of equipment. We placed items on top of the corners that were even heavier than what we were already using as anchors. Noah and Gabriela joined us and we all dashed over to a large piece of machinery that had also lost its tarp. We dodged triwalls as the wind picked them up and tossed them across the drive, their contents spewing at us and flying away into the back field. We stared in dismay as bags of paper cups lifted into the air and then joined the debris that was soaring through the yard.

Hugo and I both turned our faces to the angry sky and then looked at each other. What we saw left shivers down my spine and convinced us both that we were about to be hit by a tornado. As I joined the others around the large piece machinery I grabbed a tarp and I was knocked right off my feet. I did not notice the pain from it until later. I bent over and knelt on the ground as I struggled to hold a tarp in place while Miguel and Noah laboured to place a pallet over it to keep it down. I was peppered by dirt and small rocks as I clung to the tarp so I ducked my head down and closed my eyes, trying unsuccessfully to keep the dirt out of them. The others, facing me, were being hit by small sticks and other bits of debris in the back.

Suddenly the machine lurched towards me, causing Hugo to yell at us to give up. Only feet apart, and we had to yell at each other to be heard.

We made a dash for the house where Nathaniel was screaming in terror and the other children pale, as they stared at a huge metal tub blow away and Hugo's 24 foot truck rock in the wind. The plastic and blanket covering the broken window blew off and Hugo had to rush to put it back together as Miguel and I debated whether to bring the dogs in, or leave them in their dens on the porch. We threw chairs and toys in the house in hopes of preventing them from blowing through the glass doors.

While trying to calm the children, I grabbed a phone and called our neighbours who live in a small mobile home. They gratefully accepted my invitation to join us here. Thankfully they would only need to drive across the back field to get here. As Nathaniel continued to quake in fear, I asked him to help me make a pot of coffee for Mr. Edgerton in hopes that the distraction would help stop his shaking. He was truly terrified. I sat him on the counter and he helped me count tablespoons of coffee and then sat sentinel of the coffee pot with strict instructions to call me when it was ready. I thought if his attention was drawn elsewhere he might stop shaking.

As the coffee purred and dripped, the wind began to calm down and before it had quite finished brewing the Edgertons called and said they thought that the worse was passed and they would stay put. A good idea, if the storm had indeed passed, as the winds were still strong enough to cause branches be torn from the trees that lined the field.

Hugo left his scanner on in the kitchen as I quietly began supper preparations - grilled cheese sandwiches, chips and olives. The odour of the freshly brewed coffee somehow cheered me. Once supper was finally ready, the younger kids were more or less calm again. While we ate, we marveled at how quickly the storm had passed! Later we learned that the gusts of wind in our section of the county had been recorded to hit 63 miles an hour, just slightly below a category one hurricane. We were so grateful that the tornado that seemed so imminent had not come to pass. Thank you Jesus!

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As easy as that...

When we loaded up the van to head out and buy our groceries it was pouring, with the sky very dark and lightening flickering across it. The radio crackled and I adjusted my speed to about 10 miles less than the posted speed. As I crossed two accidents I realized I had been wise to do this.

Evently I got the majority of the errands out of the way and we pulled up to Walmart - last stop on the list. By now the sun was smiling hotly on us and the puddles were begining to steam. We grabbed a cart and loaded baby and toddler into it. Elsa balanced precariously for a while in the back of the cart and then held her arms out to Gabriela, who relented and scooped her up. Emma remained in the front and watched with delight as the cart began to fill up. However, some of her noted favourites were not among the items being dropped in.

"Mummy," she asked. "Tan we buy tum ice cweam?"

"No honey", I answered absently as my eyes searched the shelves for the next item on my list. Bethany quietly helped me look while Gabriela continued to grapple with the cute but heavy weight in her arms. Elsa was trying to grab anything and everything.

"Oh - but whyyyy not?"

"Because I don't have money for that today."

Emma tried again. "Well, Mummy, tan we buy tum pop?" (Soda for those of you in Rio Linda!)

"No honey", was my sympathetic but duplicated answer.

"Oh, but whyyy?"

"Hmmm honey? - Oh, because I don't have money for pop today."

"Oh!" She was quiet for a moment, and then she broke in on my thoughts again.

"Well, I will BUY you tum monies then, Mummy."

Ha - problem solved. No money, so I will just buy you some. Yet as amusing as it was - the very simplicity of her faith that a problem could so easily be solved reminded me of one of Jesus' most famous teachings: that only with the faith, or eyes, of a child could we understand and enter the Kingdom of God.

"I tell you the truth. If anyone does not believe in the kingdom of God like a child, he will never go in." Mark 10: 15
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Jesus, help me...

Jesus, today help me to see my talents, and not to judge my interior life to another’s exterior. I can not know that person’s interior struggles or the imperfections they work hard to hide, just as I strive to hide mine.

Instead, help me embrace my imperfections and accept them for the challenge they are; of growing closer to you as you support me. Do not let me fall into the pit of despair because I am flawed. Instead, grant me the graces to carry the cross that you have loving carved for ME.

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Terri Schiavo died...

...one year ago yesterday. I knew the anniversary of her death was coming up, but was unsure of the exact date, I am ashamed to say. The past week I have been thinking about Terri and wondering how to honour her memory on my blog.

Today I received a forward from a friend that was about the book Terri's parents have written. I believe that as a Catholic who claims to be pro-life I have a duty to buy this book so as to make a statement to the world that euthanasia is wrong. Abortion is wrong. The death culture we have found ourselves steeped in is wrong.

So how does my buying a book help? Well, if I can help shoot this book up onto the Best Sellers list then it will bring this book to the media's attention. If it catches the media's eye - it will be brought to our politicians' attention.

If we can, with our dollar, show that there is such an interest in this topic; that a book written by the parents of an innocent victim who was sentenced to death, climbs into first place on the best sellers list - hopefully the politicians will realize that a large segment of their voters care about the rights of the disabled population. And after all - it seems that for the majority of the politicians - it is all about the vote.

I have recently added blogsforTerri to my links on the right, just below the novena for the end of abortion. Below my daily posts you will now find a list of bloggers who have committed to assist in the fight for life by blogging, on a regular basis, about this precious right to life. Please join us by buying this book and/or by joining this group of bloggers. We must keep Terri's memory alive because, daily, innocent people are being starved to death HERE in the US.
Victims who can not speak for themselves and many, who do not have the advocates that Terri's family tried to be for her, are dying the same slow, tortuous death she died. We just are not hearing about it. Somehow, Terri's family was able to garner the medias' attention and so she died a public death - but there are others who need us to speak out for them. Let's all try to support Terri's parents in their fight to make Terri's horrible suffering something meaningful and never, never forgotten.

Click on the title of their book below to buy it from Amazon:

A Life That Matters: The Legacy of Terri Schiavo -- A Lesson for Us All. Read more!

Announcing....

Miss Anna Banana's blog.....

To enjoy a sweet and innocent blog

Click here!

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Spring has sprung...

Robin Redbreast has arrived... and I think he is building a nest (again) with Mrs. Robin outside my bedroom window. Oh Goodie! They were my neighbours last year and, at first, I was so in enthralled with the idea of a nest right outside my window! Just think - all those little baby birds chirping after they hatched.

Chirping in the early morning with the sunrise...

Chirping in the evening as mama and papa bird settled them down to sleep.

But then there was the chirping for early morning snack and then the later, but still early morning, snack. Chirping for the mid morning snack. Chirping to greet mama when she arrived with the pre-lunch snack. And, of course, they had to greet papa when he arrived to allow mama time away for her lunch and we had to chirp when mama came back from lunch with a post lunch snack for the little, wittle cute baby birds.

Then there was chirping for all of the afternoon snacks. Chirping, chirping, chirping. It was not too long before I was tempted to climb out on the roof and teach those ever loving, chirping baby birds how to fly!

What I will need to remember, this spring and early summer, is what a GIFT this chirping will be - but just not in the same vein as I thought it was going to be when they took up residence last year. Besides - this year, I will not be recouping from a c-section with a newborn tucked in my arm... while listening to the red, red robins chirp, chirp, chirping! Read more!

Gifts...

This morning I woke up stressed, tired and irritated. I pulled myself out of bed at Emma's request for her morning baba. I stared at Elsa's cheerful grin and wondered why I do not wake with the same energy that little ones waken with, even if I went to bed BEFORE they did. Limping on a sore foot that has been hurting for months I crept down the stairs to the kitchen and was cheered a little by the clean sink. I made a mental note to make sure I thanked Anna for a job well down.

As I filled the baba with water under Emma's close scrutiny and added just the right amount of decafinated coffee before topping it off with her Vanilla Soymilk I glanced around the kitchen and dining area. What I saw made my heart heavy and was a far cry from what I would call clean, tidy and organized. This was despite great progress made with the coupon race on the wall. I decided we needed to call a family meeting and discuss the situation before I lost my cool.

An hour later we were, from Noah up, seated at the dining room table, steaming mugs of tea at our elbows, pens in hand and oodles of paper spread across the table. Lively discussions filled the air and I got up to refill my mug. As I crossed the room some little thing irritated me. It really irritated me. I struggled to repress this nasty emotion and a small bolt of lightening hit me. This small annoyance, was actually a gift. A gift for me - that I could give to Jesus. Such a simple concept that is so easily forgotten. I immeadiatly offered it up to Him. In doing so I immeadiatly felt lightened. A burden, even if rather tiny, had been lifted from my heart.

I determined right then and there that for the rest of the day I would take every little problem, annoyance, or itrritation that crossed my path and thank Jesus for it and then give it to Him.
If I can actually do this, I believe my day will be filled with joy. It will be better than a birthday as it will be filled with small gifts all day. Read more!

Quietly please...

The van had been cleaned up and made ready for a quick run to Ohio. It had been decided who would travel with Daddy on this trip. As it was just guys and no older girls going, the idea of allowing Emma to travel on this trip was shelved due to the difficulties taking her to the bathroom presented.

Emma, while not pleased with this idea, was explaining to anyone who would listen; "I tan't doe 'cause Daddy is a guy. He can't doe to the ladies woom wit me. Daddy is not a Lady, so I tan't doe wit him."

As the hour of departure approached Hugo advised Nathaniel that it was time to gather his things and get in the van. "But please, do it quietly!" he asked as he was trying to avoid a scene with Emma when she was faced with the reality that she actually was staying home.
"Okay!" Nathaniel agreed cheerfully. He gathered his shoes and coat and then whispered very quietly to Emma.

"It's time for me to go on the trip!"

At least he was quiet! Read more!

FINALLY!!

I found the HTML for the google adsense ads that just were not working. Finding the HTML allowed me to finally remove those bewitching little links. I even managed to close my account.

And then all became clear.

On the same day I got two emails. One congratulating me on 'finally being approved and I would now find my adsense ads up and running'. Right behind it came the email telling me that they had, at my request, closed my account and should I wish to use google/adsense again to please begin the application process again...

No thanks... those little links sitting there at the top of my page were just screaming at me - click me, click me, click me... They were too tempting. Much like how the beautiful bright shiny red handle in the wall, was too temping for my 4 year old; so many years ago when his oldest sister was dancing in the Cinderella Ballet, in the cold winter nights of December... and everyone had to evacuate the dressings rooms in whatever apparel (or lack of) that they were in. One of my daughter's more cherished memories - I'm sure! Thankfully Teddy looked more like three than four, and I said nothing to dispell this mistaken notion.

So - enough of these little tempting links winking at me. Instead I am going to try Crisp Ads - they seem to be more open about what they are advertising. No little links that you have to click on, to see what is behind them. AND- I was approved the same day I applied! Now I just have to figure out how to place them on my blog. Read more!

A Blogger Moment or Two...

I was once more baking and surrounded by flour, bowls, and children. Chairs were dragged across the floor and fingers were eagerly helping. In an attempt to squeeze in at the counter, Emma dragged Elsa's rocking chair over and quickly stepped up onto it.

"Uh uh!" I admonished her. "Please don't stand on the rocking chair, Emma."

"Otay" she replied. "I won't"

Well, that was easy, I congratulated myself. No dramatics, no whyyyys? Then I noticed what she had done.

With her nose just barely grazing the counter top, she had quickly gone from standing to kneeling - on the rocking chair...

A different blogger moment, same child...

"Emma, do you want your sandwhich cut in an X?

"Yet."

Smiling I asked; "And what do you say, Emma?"

"Yet, Mummy."

A little louder, but still smiling, I asked again;

"What do you say Emma?"

A little louder herself, Emma responded "YET."

"What do you say?"

A little frustrated now Emma repeated; "YET!"

"Yes, what, Emma?"

"Yet, an X, Mummy!" Read more!

Mini Poll Results...

Because I was so brain dead last weekend - I ended up leaving the poll up for two weeks. Even though readers contnued to vote there is little change in the results other than, with a few extra votes, 'other' nudged it's mates out of third place.

We had fun coming up with this mini poll last night. I think since people actually kept voting over a two week period - I will keep this poll up for two weeks and see how it goes. Can you tell what one of our subject matters for theology class last week was? Read more!

The Race Continues...

Closing in on the finish line is Anna with three racers, Noah, Gabriela and Bethany in hot pursuit. When interviewed about her progress Gabriela commented; "I would do better if I remembered to count my coupons at the end of the day!"

Racer Benjamin, aka Bear Man, is hoping there will be a large crowd coming in second in hopes that he will be able to join the winner at the local gas station to pick out snacks for the movie night that the racer to first cross the finish line gets to plan.

The race organizer is pleased with the fact that for a solid week now the bedrooms have been clean and beds made. "It seems" she is rumoured to have said, "that it has caught on in general, that this is an easy coupon."

When asked if she would replace this option for earning a coupon with something more difficult in future races she declined to comment, stating only; "I want to leave all options open."

Watch for upcoming progress reports on the race. May the best cleaner win! Read more!

A most beautiful prayer...

This prayer was sent to me as an email that is meant to be forwarded to 12 others in five minutes. However, I do not particpate in these forwards as I do not like to impose this on others. I did share this prayer though, with several people, as it is so beautiful and I also shared what my intention for this prayer was - the quick recovery of my friend's child who is seriously ill in the hospital. I suspect since this is a prayer from St Therese, it may already be a favourite with many of you. Still I decided to share it here - it is so beautiful and we can never have enough of these gentle prayers and thoughts...

St.Theresa's Prayer:

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....
May you be content knowing you are a child of God....
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.


God Bless you all my dear readers. Please share this prayer with all you wish, in the time frame that suits you - with no pressure what so ever.

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Please pray...

...for a young boy who is in the hospital and quite ill. The hospital he is in is quite a distance from his family posing another challenge on top of what is already a great challenge - splitting yourself between a child in the hospital and the ones at home.

Please pray for him, for his parents, and his siblings who have to grapple with a sick brother and parents who are not nearby because he is ill. Please pray for his health providers that Jesus will guide them as they care for him. Read more!