Borrowed...

I am borrowing a link from Blessed Among Men with whom I offer my AMEN!

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I am sad to say

...that one too many editorial disagreements between Blaze and my assistant blogger has lead to Marley (aka Ninja) to pack his bags in a huff and move to the local SPCA where he is waiting for reassignment so if anyone would care for a most excellent should partner I can forward job offers to his new address.

In truth, Marley's life was in danger from a rather impetuous puppy who was overly friendly in his attempts to play with Marley. The last straw was when he accidentally pawed one of the children in the face, just missing her eye as he tried to reach Marley. I had for days been trying to decide whether to keep the kitten or not - that accident made it abundantly clear. A kitten and a puppy do not good bed fellows make. We need the dog but we do not need another cat at this time.... But I do miss his editorial assistance.

(Note Blaze is very good about not pawing at the children, has learned to sit, wait and is generally well behaved, but he just could not resist playing with that little furball that looked like a living toy!)

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heard from the back of the van

As we were driving around looking at possible rentals, scribbling numbers down, quipping about small houses and fitting our crew into them I heard a tiny voice from the back call out to her father:

"Daddy, how will we fit everything into our van when we move?"

I love the four year old mind as it struggles to understand the world around it.


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Misplaced

You know you are misplacing your phone a lot when your first thought when you can't find your sunglasses is to call them....


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BUSY BUSY BUSY

Elizabeth Foss posted this quote this week:

The reason that we are not fully at ease in heart and soul is because we seek rest in these things that are so little and have no rest within them, and pay no attention to our God, who is Almighty, All-wise, All-good, and the only real rest.
~Blessed Julian of Norwich

Today I read Elizabeth Foss' post on being at rest for which she had posted the above quote. She reflected on how close she came to death in the emergency delivery of her youngest child born last October and how she found perfect rest in the Lord as she "settled into a room and continued to wait to see how God would write this chapter"

With so many changes on the horizon for us... I am busy, busy, busy. And have been far from feeling at rest in the Lord. Some difficult decisions have loomed in front of us and I was worried about decisions being made through the lack of action. Not a good way to make important decisions.

Finally I wrote and asked you my readers for prayers and wrote to Jesus Himself asking for guidance. Later while resting in the afternoon I prayed some more and a thought came to me. I immediately shared it with Cecilia's God Father, who is also a priest and he agreed that it was a perfect step in the right direction. I have found a way to take action while leaving room for God to act. Hopefully in doing so we will hear God's voice in our confusion and He will make it clear the path to take. I know what I want, but I do not know if that is what God wants.

Finding a way to move forward with physical action while leaving the door open for God to act even; if it is not the answer I might be wanting to hear... gave me the same rest in the Lord that Elizabeth Foss shares in her post. I am not talking about a possible life altering crisis yet I was still needing to fine peace. Peace from depending on God for my answer and not my actions, or of those around me.

So if you have not yet meet Elizabeth Foss - its time you did. I think you will enjoy meeting this quiet, unassuming, talented writer who is so close to God and a great inspiration to me.

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A Job....

I have wonderful news to share with my readers. After using our savings to live on so that Hugo could go back to graduate school in hopes of improving his chances of a job, he has indeed procured a job. He has been hired to teach in a private school as the technology teacher. As an entry level teacher his salary is on the lower end of the scale so we are not totally out of the woods, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

We are continuing to pursue the creation of our seminar business and have already taught one seminar in Spanish last weekend. We are scheduled to teach another at the end of June. We are very excited by all of this.

However this excitement is tempered by the fact that it will be August before the salary for the new job kicks in and bills still need to be paid and we are praying we can move to the town where the job is located. There are many reasons for this. Chiefly with the gas prices moving up and our only vehicle being a 15 passenger van - well you can do the math and see that an already tight budget will be squeezed significantly by the cost of gas. Add in that the van has over 200,000 miles and is monthly spewing out this belt and that belt and revealing a hole here and there you live with the constant fear that this trip is its last trip and we are too far from the town to expect another teacher to be able to swing by and pick him up should the van be out of commission for a day or two.

But if any of you have been unemployed for a significant period or have been self employed - you are well aware the negative impact this can have on your credit history - the life blood of today's economy. So renting a home in the new town might prove dicey... Another straw on the proverbial camel's back is that the rent is about to go up where we are... Add that to the increasing gas costs.... our worries are high.

So we are extremely grateful for the job and all the wonderful opportunities this door is opening for us - but we could use some prayers as we face these new challenges. God is good and we thank Him for these blessings and now humbly ask Him to guide us in the decisions facing us the next couple of weeks as we must make a decision about this house within the next week. Very scary...

THANK YOU all for your past prayers and continued prayers!

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Goldie Locks and the Bears

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Prayers please

Tomorrow is our first seminar, "Siendo Padres en la era de la Internet". Please pray for the graces we need to do a good job, and that we have a good showing.

Below are some pics of my prep for binding the Parental Tool Box manuals as well as the finished product.




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New Blogging partner...

As you all know, of late I have been pressed for time and sometimes unable to get things posted on a daily basis so I have hired an assistant blogger. You can see pictures of him assisting in the writing of his first post below. In future all comments will be moderated by him so I would suggest that no one write any derisive cat jokes or comments as I believe he will simply delete them or possibly even retaliate.

Here the budding journalist is seen chatting with fellow residents about some of his ideas for new posts. He would like to see some articles on the conditions of the local SPCA as well as how they drag their feet picking up strays. Then he thought better of that, recently having been homeless himself.

Then he got down to the serious business of implementing some his ideas for future posts.

A little spell checking and we were good to go on this post.
So please would one and all readers take the time to welcome the newest member of this blogging team. A poll will follow to help him settle on a pseudonym for his posts. Currently he is known as Marley- of the Dickens sort, being an orphan and all.

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Update on Michael B

In this day and age - we can all use the good news of a miracle. Do you remember when less than a month ago we were pleading for prayers for our son's girl friend's 14 yr old brother. The day we learned how ill Michael was, he had received what used to be referred to as the last rites and is now called the anointing of the sick. Michael's sister, Alicia, and our son, Jonathan were called that morning and told to hurry home to the state of T. as the outlook for Michael was grim.

Even as I type this I get a lump in my throat remembering. It was mother's day and I could not imagine being in this mother's shoes. Sitting helplessly by my son's bedside praying desperately for a miracle.

Well, we were granted one. Less than a week later Michael was released and since returning home has continued to grow in strength. At this time it looks that there is not even any damage to his kidneys, that on that Mother's day were shutting down. At that time if Michael even survived it was not known if he would need dialysis on a permanent basis.

Praise God for this miracle and thank you for all of your prayers! THANK YOU from us and his family that has repeatedly asked us to thank all who prayed for him.


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Over heard

My husband has worked hard to help, almost 9 yr old, Nathaniel develop a sense of humour. Nathaniel is very puritan in that regard. So the other day Hugo remarked to Nathaniel as to how cute he was. Even just a year ago that would have brought scowls and growls from him. This time he just grinned and said;

"I haven't been cute since weeks ago." Then he stopped up short and exclaimed; "WAIT, no! I haven't been cute for .......... 8 years now!"

Now that, I have to say, is just plain ... CUTE - sorry Nathaniel! You will always be cute to me!

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Stated ...

as only a four year old can state it:

"Mummy there is a black baby kitten here. Do you think it has raibins cause I don't. I think it is a poor kitten. Nosey might have raibins too."


Again I ask - does anyone want a black baby kitten... especially since Elsa has declared it free of raibins? I think I will be visiting the SPCA again... soon.

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Bleary eyed & tired...

It was shortly after midnight and suspecting my 15 yr old was still chatting through her gmail account, to an old friend who had moved out of State, I headed downstairs to tell her to clear off the computer and hit the sheets. As my feet hit the floor I discovered another pair of feet that were attached to a long pair of thin legs that were attached to the torso of my 12 yr old while his head and arms were somewhat hidden almost under the TV. I could not tell if he was shoving videos under the TV cabinet or pulling them out from under. However, before I could discern just what weird activity this errant 12 year old was engaged in a small black furry body shot out from under the tv and across the room, scurried past my feet and down the hall. At almost equal speed the young man dropped his videos and was off after the black blur of fur with his eyes widening as he caught sight of me in his peripheral vision.

In silence and shock I watched this young kitten mewing in terror as it fled about the house with Benjamen hot on his tail, spewing out an explanation as he passed by me. "I heard a noise, I thought it was Nosey (his other adopted stray) I was worried he was hurt so I came down..." At this point both he and the kitten skidded and turned the corner and Benjamin shouted over his shoulder..."I saw him on the road and I just couldn't leave him there..."

I saw a chance this wild kitten might tear out the front door if I opened it as he fled past me again, so I positioned myself by the door and opened it. Standing there, as if in anticipation of a possible late night snack, was Nosey. He confidently sauntered in and the kitten quickly veered to its left and scurried into the fireplace where it cowered behind the decorative logs. Nervously eyeing Nosey and wondering if he intended to join the frenzy, I moved towards him to encourage him to go back whence he came - into the dark humid night. But before I could get close enough to him to shoo him out, what to my wondering eyes should appear but Sam - the family indoor cat. Sam detests Nosey but loves kittens. Not yet spying his mortal enemy Sam tried to seek out the source of the wild mewing and I scooped him up and thrust him into the lap of the oblivious 15 yr old who was still calmly tapping away on the keys of the dining room computer. "Quick" I hissed at her, "Get Sam back upstairs and CLOSE the hallway door!" Bewildered, she hurried away with him while I guided Nosey back out the front door and firmly closed it.

Firmly grasping a broom with the hopes of gently encouraging the kitten out from behind the stack of logs and into the cat carrier Benjamin now had waiting in front of the fireplace I strode across the living room. After several unsuccessful attempts at this, I had Benjamin carefully remove the logs. all the while this kitten was screaming frantically mewing, leaving me to wonder why the whole house was not yet awakened and all in the living room offering advise and guidance.

Anna appeared and quietly watched, worry sketched in her eyes. Obviously she had finally looked at a clock and knew this kitten was not enough of a distraction to save her from what was to come. At last we achieved success and the kitten was deposited in the side yard and Nosey carefully admonished not to eat to leave said kitty alone and the front door was closed and locked. After I was finished with discussing the errors of the night with the two culprits I hoarsely quietly bid them good night and crawled back into bed again, thinking that by tomorrow this kitten will have disappeared back to where ever it came from.

At 7:30 am a cellphone buzzed, notifying me that a text had come in. I opened it and read from my neighbour;

"Just a little heads up. Walking Ariel early this morning & saw a new visitor on your front porch of the itty bitty kitty variety."

Anyone want a cat... anyone.... please???

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have a minute....

...and nothing to do? Want to enjoy a chuckle? Click here & enjoy a minute or two of fun. If you have more than a minute to kill, get another unsuspecting victim person to answer the questions and have another chuckle at their expense.

Sad truth - I'm pretty sure I submitted to these questions a few years before and still got them ALL wrong this time. I guess I'm just overtired these days. That must be the explanation! It couldn't be that I have a manager's intellect. Nah... not with all these kids, projects and a husband to manage.

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Drum Roll please

Okay, I cheated got smart and decided on a large cake instead of fifty individually decorated cup cakes for the piano recital. I have to thank Gabriela for the design that I recreated on the fondant and I have to thank her and Benjamin for their patient coaching of how to draw a music note correctly. You know those pesky things are not as easy as they look! I am fairly pleased how it turned out and need to thank those who prayed for me as I wrestled with a 4 yr old, 6 yr old and an 8 yr old who all wanted to help direct the decorating and test taste everything in sight. Cake's ready... but I am not. Two kids in the bath as I type, some clothes are washing - yes for tonight and dinner is simple - tuna sandwiches! Baby needs to nurse and nap and somewhere in there I need to shower... so don't hesitate to throw a Hail Mary or two my way if you feel like it.

So do I owe everyone a BIG thank you or what?

(There is one glaring error that only a music student would notice, and Benjamin tried to tell me... but I told him to be quiet - 'I was concentrating....')

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Smile God Loves you...

Today I as I clicked on a link in Sister Pats Joynotes I saw the beginning of the title of the post in the tab. "Smile, God loves..." 'you' I filled in the blank. And I'll admit it - I kind of rolled my eyes - its so, uh, cliche. But sometimes God needs us to be cliche or as the author of this post called it - dorky. To find out what I mean click here.

My husband has put his back out, four children are in a piano recital tomorrow, one of my oldest girls is MIA as she was called at the last minute to babysit for her niece this week. She is in the recital which I stupidly thoughtfully offered to make about 5 dozen cupcakes for. At the time I did not know that 1) I would be short a pair of hands and 2) the recital had been changed from Saturday to Friday.... apparently weeks ago but no one thought to tell me.

My time frame just lost 24 hours... and a pair of hands. Did I mention that fact already? Add in a severely incapacitated husband whom I depend on being extraordinarily helpful with the baby as well as looming seminar deadlines that are creeping up on us at lightening speed, mix in a little sleep deprivation (don't ask!) and I am bordering on hysteria BEGGING for prayers!

So after you stop reading and immediately recite the rosary pray for me , don't forget to check out the post I mentioned in my opening paragraph. And remember to 'Smile - cause God Loves you'.



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Prolife Prayer Request

A prayer request I received this morning:

Friends,
I have just received news from my mother in Germany about a wife and mother of 4 who became pregnant again with healthy twins. She wants to abort those twins. She has an appointment next week, which begins tomorrow.
My mother does not know this lady, and the woman who does, does not want to give out her contact information. Nobody is supposed to know that she is expecting babies and contemplating abortion.
My mother is trying to mobilize both practical help as well as prayers. Will you please storm heaven and our Holy Angels and saints to reach this mother's heart - who knows what she is going through right now.
Thank you and GOD bless,
M

PLEASE share this prayer request with as many people as you can!
THANK YOU!!!
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It struck me suddenly...

As it was Sunday - I forced myself to put away my research and my writing. It was hard, with a dead line looming in front of me, to be obedient to the Lord's command to rest on Sunday. However, I reminded myself repeatedly throughout the day when I would trail past my computer and be tempted to maybe sit down and tweak a little detail here or there in my work that, "All work and no play makes Jill a dull girl."

So I borrowed a book from Anna, one of a series of three, and in a few chapters was hooked. I enjoyed a Mother's day type Sunday with my husband making dinner, my son serving it to me as the baby napped on her boppy pillow on my lap and I read, and I read, and I read. Others changed her diaper throughout the day and I only had to enjoy her soft skin, coos and nursing time.

And I read and I read and I read.

At about noon - my darling 18 yr old offered to make me a chai tea. Heavenly! It was just the right sweetness and just the right amount of piping hot. It was so good that early in the evening, as I dove into the last chapters of the same book begun in the morning, I asked her if she would make me another.

Minutes later she arrived with a steaming mug and waited anxiously for my pronouncement that it was as good as the previous one as this time she has used a different sized mug and the teabag had split while it was brewing. It was delicious and as I enjoy the creamy smoothness of this fragrant drink a question suddenly struck me.

"Gabriela, does chai tea have caffeine in it?"

"I don't know!" was her surprised reply. "It might."

My drink three quarters already gone - I plunged on, and downed the last of it. At 2 am, as I tossed and turned, I had plenty of time to repent at leisure.

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Happy 14th Noah

Your first birthday here in the States

Your first snow in the US

You're still enjoying Sam today!

You still make us laugh at the goofy things you do...

....and did!


Happy 14th Birthday to our favorite Blond!

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Note to self

if you want to sleep before 4 am and wake up a functional person - don' drink an iced mocha after five pm...

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