Handled it like a Pro, she did!

One must be careful when trying to carry on two IM conversations at the same time as my husband learned today. You need to be especially careful if one is with your wife and the other a stranger with whom you are conducting a business transaction.

Employee: It will take a moment for that to go through, sir.

Hugo: I need to know how to make hearts signs right away!

Hugo: Ooops that was meant for someone else.

Employee: Not a problem, is there any thing else I can help you with?

Hugo: No thank you.

Tears of laughter ran down my face when he im'd me what he had done. Read more!

My life would be perfect...
if only I had the gift to see it as so.
God, give me the graces to
see my life with your eyes

Let me focus on the beauty
and
innocence of my children’s faith
Help me to see the wealth
bestowed on us
in ways we cannot see.

But most especially Dear God,
help us to feel
your loving presence.
Amen

Read more!

Please don't forget to check out

The Prolife Classics, a prolife fundraiser by Prolifesearch.com

Read more!

Prayer Request....

A very dear friend by the name of Kelly is being induced, for medical reasons, tomorrow. Kelly and Billy have been like an adopted big brother and sister to my second oldest - Jenny. I cannot thank them enough for the love and care they have extended to my daughter over the past four or five years. The least I can do at this wondrous time of preparing to give birth, or as it is said in Spanish bring their child to the light, is to ask you all to pray for Kelly, Billy and their son who is waiting to come to the light tomorrow.

God Bless their family as they wait to welcome their fourth son into the nest!

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It's a cat's life... but whatcha gonna do?

"Man - it's crowded here and that Sam is taking up most of the space with his furry white bottom! Drat him!" thought James to himself. "But I have a plan if I can just get the youngster to go along with me. "

"Milo, my man, you like how I let you eat first at the dish, right? Well, how about you return the favour and help me push hog face Sam off. He is crowding us big time! ...
No? Fine!"

"Sam - you know how the squirt is always hogging the dish at dinner time. How about a little pay back, eh? Lets push him off so we can have this shelf to ourselves, hey buddy old boy?"

Peace reigns...

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Angels at work

I have a prayer that I always try to remember to say before we leave the driveway in a vehicle, although on occasion I don't remember it until we have to make a sudden swerve or stop due to traffic or worse, a toy pelting through the air and hitting the frontseat.

It is a simple pray, possibly I have posted it before. I simply ask the Blessed Mother to place her mantle of protection over us as we drive, and through her intercession to protect us from dangerous, careless or drinking drivers as well as to help us to be careful, observant drivers while also protecting us from mechanical failure of any sort - from bumper to bumper.

Recently we made one of our 24 hour swirl trips to Ohio with the typical stop at Tim Hortens. Money being a bit tight we only purchased one can of coffee, decaf for me, and I am saving it for Thanksgiving. The anticipation of the heavenly smell of freshly brewed Tim Hortens sustains me even as I type.

But I digress, not having a cup of tea or coffee at my elbow I am not as focussed as usual.

We had made good time through the night and had stopped to rest in L'otel Van, as my husband refered to it. At about 6 we received our wake up call compliments of L'otel Van's curly red headed concierge so we deflated the mattress and tucked a few sleepy heads back into their car seats or seat belts.

We pulled back onto the highway and once more I prayed to Mary asking of her intercession and to place her mantle of protection on us. Before long we could see the tall outlines of Columbus looming ahead of us. Benjamin asked if the Christmas lights or the manger scene would be up yet. I didn't think so but we were delighted as we passed the block long manger scene and I lamented that I had forgotten the camera.

We sped along and soon left downtown behind and began to pass into the more domestic section of Columbus with houses gathered close to the roadside. Out of the corner of my eye, I spied an adult out on their front lawn with a small white dog at their feet and this drew my attention to another pet further from the owner. A handsome, full grown German Shepherd. I admired his form as we drew closer but suddenly in an effort to tease his owner the dog made a dash in the direction of the van. My sudden gasp caused my husband who was intent on the traffic and watching for the intersection he needed to glance at me. In horror we watched the owner wave his arms frantically and the dog, oblivious to death looming ahead, continued his joke. His eyes on his owner as he continued his mad dash away, he was heading straight for our front tires. In the desperate hope of not hitting him my husband slamed on the brakes and seeing room in the next lane tried to steer away. Death was certain for this foolish dog and I braced for the impact, already hearing the inevitable thud in my mind. There was not even time to pray.

Suddenly, the German Shepherd slammed into a wall of air. His head still turned to watch his owner, he came to a sudden halt with his hind quarters jamming up into his ribs. He was inches from the curb and our van slipped by, not touching him. I began to breath again while Hugo and I glanced at each other. It had all happened so fast the younger children in the back had not even noticed.

'So' I thought, 'that must be what Angels at work look like.' Read more!

We must pray...

As you know from previous posts I am very pro-life. Heck, I guess my blog’s name proclaims that for me.

I would like to offer up this article for you to peruse at your leisure. Not sure how long this URL will be active so I would not delay too long. I realize that the author of this article is not the most popular with some people, but please do not allow this to stop you. Please be warned some of this article might be very disturbing. It is not gory or anything like that, it's just seeing in black in white, where we have already advanced to in this area is rahter disturbing.

It is also serves as a reminder as to how much we really must PRAY!!

Here is the link!

Read more!

PROLIFE CLASSICS...

Prolifesearch.com has recently created a wonderful way for people to donate to their great cause. As you know, I have plugged their search engine in the past because they use the funds generated by the text ads on their search page to donate to Prolife groups. You can check them out here.

What is really exciting though is this new idea they have recently introduced.
Prolife Classics!

To quote them directly; "This collection includes the "heavy hitters" of Church tradition and history including Thomas a Kempis, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Frances de Sales, St. Augustine, St. Therese of Lisieux, and many others."

You can get a "Sneak Preview" of the Essential Classics of Catholic Spirituality by clicking the link below and you can even get a Free bonus eBook they put together called Classic Quotes of Catholic Spirituality. It's full of powerful quotes by some of the authors mentioned above and is a great prelude to their Advent preparation for Christmas. I belive it can be downloaded immeadiatly."

The last I heard was that this seems to be a very popular venture and they have had to increase the bandwidth to be able to serve everyone who is jumping at the chance to support their attempt to create oodles of funds for the prolife groupss.

Please do not miss out on the chance to enjoy the classics they are offering as well as a chance to make a difference in the prolife movement. This is a wonderful way to donate to the cause. You get access online to some absolutly wonderful books and money is generated that will help safe a life.

Click here to check it out!

I am so sorry I did not get this posted earlier but we have been on the road this week. I did send out this link to many of my friends but in order that more can see it I have posted it as well.

Please do check it out and be sure to share the link. I will post it as the straight URL so that it is easy for people to just cut and paste it if you want to share it with other friends you know might want to support this drive for funds for the prolife movements!

http://www.prolifesearch.com/spiritualclassics.html?c=15

God Bless and please help make this successful I am impatient to know how much they generate through this effort. They do have a charity link where you can see to whom they have donated and how much!

Read more!

Blessed are the frazzeled...

One of the mums who has joined the MROL group that has recently sprung up has given me permission to share the following poem. We had asked for ideas for the page about dealing with little ones in Mass and she contributed this awesome poem of which she is the author! Please be sure to share this poem with other parents whom you see struggling with little ones. I know of one Dad whom I could tell by the end of the Mass was wondering WHY BOTHER!? This poem tells us why bother in such an amusing and uplifting way. Thank you SO MUCH Jayne for sharing this insightful and amusing poem! I think I will share this poem with that dad this Sunday - hopefully he will be there! Maybe I should also give him the URL to the page with ideas for coping with Mass and little ones too. Many wonderful ideas have been offered and will be posted there soon! Now with no further a due....

Blessed Are The Frazzled

I can state without hestitation
That Mass is supposed to be
A time of quiet and meditation
On our Faith and its mysteries

But there is no reflection and quiet
When accompanied by my family
At worst, it is more like a riot
Mass does not seem planned for me

The choir has rehearesed for hours
Music to inspire lofty thoughts
But alas they do not have the power
To stop the squabbling of my tots

No lofty thoughts can be inspired
While I'm busy as a referee
Instead, I think of how I'm tired
Of "Mommy, she stuck her tongue out at me"

The priest, a very learned man
Has prepared an erudite homily
I always listen when I can
But someone says, "I have to pee"

It's beyond my powers of concentration
To follow the reading and the prayers
I feel a builiding sense of frustration
That somehow this really isn't fair

I'm doing my best to do my duty
To raise a Christian family
But in the Mass, with all its beauty
Where is some support for me?

I have given up on concentration
"Children won't you please sit still"
By the time we reach the Consecration
"OK kids, its time to kneel"

I get in the Communion line
In a rather frazzled state
When the thought enters my mind
That I don't need to concentrate

Without my help, without my power
God is the One who transforms the bread
Even if I sit there an hour
Wihout hearing a word that has been said

Christ Himself enters my soul
And I am transformed by hope
The Love of God makes me whole
Gives me strength to help me cope

The Mass is for me, after all
Not just prepared for others
Though I misss out on the preaching and singing and all
Communion is for mothers.
(Author Jayne K.)

Read more!

Reviews!

There has not been as much posting as I would have liked the past week, but there is a good reason for it. One, my wrist and lower arm has had the opportunity to rest but even more importantly we have been working, as a family, to prepare a number of reviews that will be posted soon on my Book and Movie Review blog.

The Christmas Season is almost upon us and it is not easy coming up with lists and lists of potential movies (cough cough) as well as locating them so we can watch them as well as share where you can find them. But some one must do this task. We have accomplished a most interesting list of movies and we are planning on mixing the interest levels up, so that we have a nice combination posted in quick order. Our hope is that during a one week period, one could have a choice of a children's christmas movie, a grown up movie and/or a family movie to chose from.

For the month of November we will be focusing on movies, but normally we will have a mix of movies and books.

But while you wait with bated breath for this momentous moment when we will begin to post these fabulous reviews.... heeeeeres where you can find some wonderful thoughts, inpirational quotes and some plain old funny facts. They have been pulled togethere by my daughter Anna on her blog Beans are Gross and other Interesting Thoughts. Read more!

Today is a gift...
that is why it is called the present.
(unknown)

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Can it really be?

Is my baby really growing up? Can it be that she is actually able to sign thank you and please while also stumbling over the words; "Tank ooo", "Peees". I have finally come to terms that not only has she been she toddling around the house for months now, but that she can also grab a crayon and flee, chortling over her shoulder so as to tease her victim from whom she has stolen.

But who was that little thing in pink at the breakfast table this morning that carefully pulled out a chair and clamboured onto it and then settled herself on her elbows and slowly surveyed the table. Seeing some cookies, she pointed to and received one. Then daintily grasping it between her index finger and thumb, this little creature leaned forward and dipped it into my tea and smiling her most winning smile at me she consumed this delicacy, and then as quickly as she arrived - dissapeared. The red curls slipped down out of sight and the chair grumbled across the floor as she pushed away from it.

Surely this was not my baby? This could not have been my tiny, helpless newborn whom I feel as though I only just brought home from the hospital a short time ago. Could that really have been her? Can it really be? Read more!

I wonder where this darling is now?

(Remember, clicking on the photo will open it up, usually to a larger sized photo. If the print is hard to read try that. It is worth reading. I borrowed this from the blog of a cool young gentleman who can be found HERE. )

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PLEASE READ and then SHARE!!!

I passed by Danielle's website today and learned that FDA has opened a forum for the public to share their opinions on vaccines being developed and cultured using aborted cell lines. For those of us who have felt so frustrated by lack of options we must NOT let this moment pass us by! Please click HERE to learn more. And then spread the word. Take action, do not be too busy to take advantage of this rare opportunity!

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Uh oh...

I will be posting largely with pictures the next few days or posting some reruns from the very early days. I have a slight injury to my right wrist and hand that is making typing rather, let’s say, uncomfortable. I will be back, in fit form, as soon as possible though.

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Is this my BABY??

Oddly enough, this photograph is stored in the photograph file named ... Pets? Hmmm. I think I have some file keeping to do.

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Please pray...

...for my friend Dorry. She is a lovely person who needs our prayers. When I have asked for prayers on my blog, I have always, always felt an increase in my level of peace and a decrease in my level of stress. I know that Dorry will too.

Dear Jesus;

At this hour of Divine Mercy please help Dorothy to feel your loving precense. Wrap your arms around her, and hold her close to your Sacred Heart. Ease her pain and give her the graces she needs to carry her cross. Today is the feast days of all souls in heaven, I ask them to join us in our supplications to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for Dorothy. I pray that she feels the fruits of this prayer very soon.

Eternal Father, We offer you the body and blood, soul and divinity of your dearly beloved son, our Lord, Jesus Christ,
In attonement for the sins of the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Amen

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I will try not to judge...

This woman, Bonnie McKay is a saint! I do not know that I could be as forgiving as she is being with the loss of her son, one of eight children. Her son was one of the four fireman that died recently when the wildfire that was deliberating set over took him and his crew. I heard her statement that was made to the public on Fox News:

"I know my son; forgiveness is in his heart," she said. "It was a major part of who Jason was."
"I truly believe you didn't think that things were going to happen the way that they did. But they did," she said. "I, for one, will try not to judge you, for there is only one who can do that." "Don't let the remorse eat you alive. Come forward."

I wish I could find her statement in whole, perhaps if I have time and can so a little research I can.

I know I can borrow a page out of her book and put it in mine and be a little more forgiving in even the little day things. Read more!

Note to self

When leaving the kitchen for only a moment , don't leave the flour box opened or you might find this... Read more!