Random thoughts

God knew that I would fail, yet again, to fufill any of my Lenten sacrifices and so He chose for me. We're all sick...again. We haven't all been healthy since before Ash Wednesday. Blah.



I find it completely irritating that those who voted for our president are upset about this whole healthcare thing. What did you expect? This is exactly that he said he would do. How's that change tastin' now? Blah.



I'm missing the Chrism Mass because I would be irritated if a group like mine came and sat next to me in a long and crowded Mass (aaaaaaachoooooooo!). Blah.



Our tax refund that was supposed to be deposited in our account by today is nowhere to be seen. I'm hoping it's just because it's taking longer and not because there's something wrong with the return. Blah.



Wow! I really should have titled this entry: "Random really-negative-and-sarcastic-remarks from-someone-who-didn't-sleep-last-night".



Let's try this again!

We have recently been able to share our love and passion for NFP with engaged couples. This particular Church teaching has shaped our lives in more ways than we'll ever know.



We have no more snow. Spring break started as the end of winter and ended as the beginning of Spring!



I saw more bald eagles in our short drive to La Crosse, WI than I have in my entire life. They are truly majestic birds! We're talking dozens of them in the air, in the trees, and on the ice pretending to be geese. Very cool.



Our spring break consisted of visiting with two amazing families. We had so much fun both weekends, and now we need a vacation from our vacation.



I am pleasantly surprised that modern Church architecture can be both beautiful and inspiring!

We have been graced with the presence of some great young men who are discerning their vocations. Over spring break I met (again) a young man who comes from a family I sorta grew up with, and then when we got back we had a wonderful message on our answering machine from a seminarian from our diocese telling us that he was in town. We feel so blessed to get to spend time with these young men. They are the "new springtime".

And with that, I must continue to teach a few children who have apparently forgotten everything they have ever learned over one short week. Oh bother!

A Mid-week Daybook

For Today

March 10, 2010

I am thinking...that it's really hard to enforce the "don't pretend to shoot people" when nerf guns are involved. They don't hurt, and it's really fun to have nerf gun wars and actually hit people with them. For whatever reason I'm more bothered by my children using "stick guns" and pointing them at people and making shooting sounds. Those guns are reserved for fake hunts. But Nerf guns? I just can't bring myself to telling the kids not to shoot each other with them.

I am thankful for...a healthy baby!

From the learning room...Our learning room is a mess. During Christmas break we had made plans to make it more usable, but that didn't happen. At this point I'm not sure when it's going to happen. We accomplished a fair amount of learning today so I should be happy with that.

From the kitchen...I have meat defrosting that will hopefully turn into meatballs for dinner (I forgot to put my order in with the dinner fairy though so it looks like I'll have to actually make the meatballs...bummer.)

I am wearing...my favorite black skirt, a bright green sweater with a matching scarf, and Christmas socks. I'm feeling very fashionable indeed.

I am creating...uh....er.....hmmmmmmmm.....

I am going...to make it to the end of the week afterall! At least I think I will. The weeks leading up to any break are soooo hard. Spring break starts soon! We will get there, we will, we will!!!

I am reading..."In Conversation with God", "Dancing with my Father", and too many facebook posts. Must figure that whole thing out. I really think facebook can be a good thing, but I haven't figured out the key to making it a good thing.

I am hoping...that we all stay healthy for our fun Spring Break plans!

I am hearing...a willful baby yelling at her siblings and kids bossing each other around. Methinks I chose the wrong time to write this.

Around the house...We were in maintenance mode for all of last week. The bare minimum was done. As far as I remember every one ate close to three meals a day and had clean underwear on. Everything else is just icing on the cake. Hmmm...and we have leftover frosting in the refrigerator from Brett's birthday...oops, getting side-tracked. This week we have a guest from our TTU days coming for a couple of days which helped speed up the "getting-back-to-normal" process, and we are leaving for a fun weekend with some great friends! This is all to say that I'm trying really hard to stay on top of things so we can enjoy all of our plans and not be overwhelmed with the house. Also, did I mention we have water in the basement? Not much, and it's just run off from this crazy-warm weather we've had. Brett took it on this morning and hopefully we've seen the last of it.

Some of my favorite things....a healthy baby (willful though she may be), our amazing NFP-only doctor, speaking to engaged couples about the benefits and blessings of using NFP, seeing friends, babies (no not an announcement), and the fact that Veronica is now tall enough to see out our windows as long as she rests her chin on the windowsill and stands on her tippy-toes.

A few plans for the rest of the week...We have a guest here until Friday evening, a playgroup that was started from an off-shoot of the homeschool group tomorrow, mom's meeting on Friday, and then traveling to that "other" state to see some good friends! All great things!

A quote I'm contemplating..."Ad majorem Dei Glorium". All For the Glory of God! Brett has this on our bulletin board at the Newman Center. I'm trying to remember this...all day, every day!

A picture thought I'm sharing...

We thought we should get out and snow-shoe before the snow melted away. Luckily there is still plenty of it in the forest! Veroncia was a great papoose.

Perfect Understanding

As a special treat for surviving a long and stressful week and as a reward for doing so well on their karate tests the kids got to have a sleepover in the living room. They love pulling their sleeping bags out and camping out on the floor. Part of the fun last night was watching the movie of "Anne of Green Gables". We finished the book early last week and the kids were extremely excited to see the movie. I had a lot of fun listening to their comments. "That's not what Matthew looks like." "Oh, Diana looks just like I thought she would." "This part didn't happen like that in the book."

But, the purpose of this post is not to discuss which should come first, the book or the movie. No, it's about something that Gianna said before the sleepover began.

"Oh, I get it!" Our sweet four-year-old declared.

"What?"

"A sleep-over. Like we watch a movie and then when it is over we sleep!"

I get it now

So God knew that I would leave something to be desired as far as my Lenten sacrifices so he chose one for me...a sick baby! It's been going on since the 17th (Ash Wednesday), and I'm hoping that it won't continue for the rest of Lent. I know that it doesn't really work that way, but it sure seems like that's the case this time.

I do have a lot to be thankful for, although sleep unfortunately isn't on the list. As I sat up all night watching my fevering baby shake and shiver and jolt herself from a restless sleep and lose all the contents of her stomach (three times) I did manage to remember to pray for those parents who are at the side of their child's hospital bed wondering if they will ever get to go home. I'm not writing about this to toot my own horn...trust me, no horn tootin' here. I'm simply doing it as a reminder to myself that so many people have it much worse than I do. Always a good thing to remember when one is on the verge of a lack-of-sleep meltdown, and I'm not talking about the sick baby.

A Late Night Daybook (Nightbook?)

For today

Monday, March 1, 2010

Outside my window...it is dark, except for the street lights and parking lot lights.

I am thinking...about my "glass if half empty" kid. Wondering what I can do to help him "choose joy". Also thinking that our decision to let this kid consume anything he wants (gluten or no) may not have been wise. We'll see.

I am thankful for...electric blankets, a sweet husband, a refrigerator full of food.

From the learning room...We started off the day with a run to the bank and grocery store. School happened in the afternoon, but as Aidan told Brett at lunch today, "We haven't done school, but that doesn't mean we haven't learned anything". I think he was saying this to get out of "doing school". Smart kid. Didn't work though.

From the kitchen...Huge grocery shopping trip means for some great, healthy, yummy, fresh food for us. Hopefully Gianna won't have to change her Lenten sacrifice this week. The menu is planned and I'm looking forward to food consumption this week.

I am wearing...my fleece pajamas.

I am creating...a lot of lists. Curriculum lists for next year, cleaning/routine lists for a few children who have recently forgotten that they aren't royalty, and a spring cleaning list that if nothing else is making me face (on paper) the "trouble spots" of my housekeeping.

I am going...to pretend that I'm not congested and that my throat doesn't burn like fire.

I am reading..."Dancing with my Father" by Sally Clarkson.

I am hoping...that our homeschooling neighbors down the street will be able to meet with us on Friday. We have a "date" for the library and my kids long to see their friends.

I am hearing..a baby breathing in bed with me, Aidan talking in his sleep, and the sound of shuffling papers as "the prof." corrects exams.

Around the house...As long as I stay on the first two levels of my house I can feel pretty good about the place. The basement has been overtaken by laundry. Clean, needing-to-be-folded/put away-laundry. The 8 year-old had his first lessons in laundry today. I wash more of his clean clothes than his dirty ones. His turn.

One of my favorite things...is having all my little chicks sleeping soundly in this nest of theirs.

A few plans for the rest of this week...I'm planning on not becoming a complete stressed out mess by the end of the week. Brett has something every night this week. This started yesterday and will continue until Saturday night. I am planning on sticking to the school schedule, the meal schedule, the laundry schedule, and the karate schedule. I am planning on keeping this little home moving smoothly despite having a key player "out".

A picture thought I'm sharing...

Gigi on her birthday. I just love this girl!

Please Don't Go

Looks like I'm not the only one who isn't particularly fond of Brett's every-night-engagement schedule of this week.