Saturday, July 9, 2022
Eastertide Gratitude Daybook
Outside on our Turkey Ranch-
Our spring flowers have come and gone. Irises. Lots of yellow ones. Red tulips & scarlet Indian paintbrush only had a few blooms this year. I planted locally raised geraniums that are holding strong in the heat, also two blackberry bushes on Easter Sunday from and with Jesse.
We have a spring foal on the ground and one still on the way in the fall. A palomino filly named Kisses by Cate (to go w/ last year's foal, Hugs).
From the bookshelves-
Ongoing GK Chesterton in the roundabout way I study things that I have a long-term interest in (biographical articles, podcasts, chapters at a time- rarely reading something straight through.)
Mary & I have started watching Jane Austen movies: Emma, Sense & Sensibility, soon on to Pride & Prejudice. In Girls Group, we’re discussing Haley Stewart’s new book re. Jane as your Life Coach, Jane Austen's Genius Guide to Life.
With our hands-
Cate & Sara put together fun birdhouses that she can see from inside the house.
Mary’s busy making her own cooking camp at home with Pioneer Woman’s Super Easy! cookbook.
JP & I had fun designing his combo-schools Graduation announcement.
For our school’s May Crowning, I made a simple crown for Mary out of live stems and also some props for the Wizard of Oz production later in May.
In my head-
There’s too much in my head. I’m too much in my head. My hormone shifts have been hard. But I’m working on all that w/ a new doctor.
On my heart-
All the kids- Jude home, JP leaving this fall after a special season of Graduation festivities, M & M and a fun summer with them after a stressful year(s!), Cate and a more relaxed schedule for more time at home with her this summer.
Our Recent Road Trips-
Perfect for Eastertide: Gilbert Creek Flower Farm & the Dallas Arboretum.
Back on Good Friday, we spent the afternoon in the Wichita Mountains, including praying Divine Mercy Chaplet at the replica of the Holy City there. Getting to church all three nights of the Triduum liturgies w/ Mary was a "homeventure" that I hope we repeat every year.
Monday, January 17, 2022
January 2022 Gratitude Daybook: Christmas & 20th Anniversary! Edition
I’m grateful that Jesse pulled out one piece of outside Christmas decor- our wooden manger with Baby Jesus because he knows I like to do something, however simple. It is stored away now with the rest of Christmas. Still very dry with cold weather this January.
From the bookshelves-
I’m grateful for some new books in our midst:
a Kimbell Art Museum mini-Cookbook (Trust me here- recipes from their amazing little cafe, paired with beautiful artwork from the museum),
Fancy Nancy & the Nice List gifted by Tessa and read right before Cate asked for her own fuchsia bike, serious book providence at work that I never want to forget :),
Dreamers of the Day shared by Sara about a lovely, quirky, single school marm Post-WWI, her chance meetings with the power players who parceled land into the modern Middle East, and how that time affected and reflects our own.
With our hands-
I’m grateful for the watercolor nature journaling Cate, Mary, and I continue to do as part of an on-line class from Wild + Free. The accompanying book is beautiful!
In my head-
I’m grateful for some practice living the reality that change often requires trust. We can create change or remain comfortable, not usually both at the same time. It has been a long season of checking out/staying in and trusting others to take care of me and help with Cate.
On my heart- I’m grateful for my husband and our abundantly! lived 20 years together...
- 5 beautiful living children: Jude Thomas, John Paul Muller, Mark Ignatius, Mary Constance, & Catherine Therese with her medical special needs and one we miscarried whom we named Gabriel/la and remember with an ornament every Christmas; 2 foster children in San Antonio also remembered with an ornament, 8 godchildren around the country we love to see with their families, some of our closest friends;
- 6 homes (1 we remodeled ourselves) + 45 acres total (including an orchard briefly!) in/outside 3 cities in Texas;
- 3 degrees earned together;
- his medical career (begun with a baby born each of the first two years of his medical school and now a private psych practice where those same boys have both worked for him);
- my seasons of work practicing probate/guardianship law, in Catholic education, and now writing about marriage and family life,
- his burgeoning quarter horse breeding hobby and side-hustle.
We became friends first while doing youth ministry together in the beginning and teach NFP together still. We are blessed to have many true friends and experience "membership," as Wendell Berry calls it, after choosing to settle in Wichita Falls and at Sacred Heart. Our faith and love of family and each other unite us. We are opposites in so many ways, but better together than separate- when we remember to work together and lean on each other.
Most recent road trip-
I’m so grateful that we made it back to FtW for a joyful, "Dickens-ian" Second Day of Christmas at our Mimi’s with Tessa and Nathan also along for the first time. We spent good time with my sister and her family and I saw a beloved uncle & aunt I haven’t seen in ages. M & M stayed for a couple nights of extended Mimi/cousin time.
Saturday, December 18, 2021
2021 Year End Daybook: Surgery Edition
Outside on our Turkey Ranch... I'm writing this from my mom's house in Ft. Worth, where Cate and I are waiting out her critical recovery period and follow-up appointments in closer vicinity to her pedi hospital. Back home we are in Stage 1 Drought Conditions in our county. Our pond is the lowest I've seen it. Cate & I haven't been on our regular walks around it because of my bad knee but it appears relatively lifeless. Knee replacement for me at the end of this month; then, we can walk it again daily. Mark built an impressive fort on the far west side of the pond this fall. We also had concrete ramps poured for Cate at our front and back doors so she can drive in and out in her power chair- all the younger kids are enjoying them.
From the bookshelves... Lots of reading silly Frozen and Fancy Nancy books, as well as a few more classic ones I choose but that she doesn't enjoy as much, with Cate post-surgery this week. It's been fun watching her enjoy all things Frozen during another winter, including getting wide-eyed at our "Frozen" hospital room. Mary and I have been reading the second in her Alex and Eliza (Hamilton) series when we have time. Both girls always enjoy our Christmas book basket. We're all especially enjoying a new Jesse Tree during this Advent: Ann Voskamp's Greatest Gift book version. Such a beautiful and ingenious design! I love how the tree unfolds and the vibrant colors of the small, tucked-away ornaments.
With our hands... Cate made a sweet Christmas tree tea towel at therapy (OT/VII). Mary has been doing the family Christmas baking and decorating with amazing friends who've wanted to help us get it in despite Cate's surgery less than two weeks before Christmas. Jesse has been coordinating kids' schedule and doing the driving while I'm gone, with plenty of help from JP. I am busy learning to run and clean Cate's G-Tube pump and bags/tubes/syringes.
In my head... Cate! Her needs and new schedules. She really is amazing- tackled her procedures and is adjusting to her new normal very well. She has been her usual cheerful self since Day 3. She had multiple procedures- a scope & tonsils/adenoids out and a G-Tube put in. She wants to scoot around on the floor and is sleeping on her tummy already. She doesn't want to eat much, even ice cream, so I am glad we have the tube for her liquid meals. I am a little worried about caring for her when I get my new knee but I know I will have help!
On my heart... All the kids are on my heart as we tackle this transition together. I've missed a lot of basketball games and academic/UIL awards with JP and Mark this past week and will be missing down time with all the boys before Christmas. Jude stopped here overnight to see Cate on his way home from A&M which was fun. Jesse will bring Mary to be with Cate & I this weekend and next week. Despite missing some of the boys' activities, I caught Mary's Christmas program and will get to celebrate my brother's birthday with him while we are here and had a good visit with my sister earlier tonight over a couple glasses of wine.
Most recent road trip was... to Our Lady of Clear Creek Monastery in eastern Oklahoma with Jesse for a marriage retreat weekend for our 20th anniversary. So beautiful and peaceful, like stepping outside of time. We really enjoyed the Benedictine atmosphere and Latin Liturgy of the Hours and Mass, also the Ignatian Discernment of Spirits in Marriage material in the retreat sessions. The property was once a family ranch and remains a working farm. The couples guesthouse is the family's fabulous log cabin still on the property. We brought home delicious cheese and coffee, not to mention some great books from the monks' gift shop.
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
So. Much. Has. Happened.: Summer 2021 Update
It's been closer to a year than not since I posted. Eight months.
What an intense season it's been for our family. Three ACL tears and three surgeries for two boys in the last 18 months. My husband has started his independent psych practice and is opening his own building this month. Our diocesan Catholic school has closed and we've been a small part of opening another this fall at our parish. Cate started getting services at our public school and will be going there for a couple hours each morning in the fall. Eldest son has graduated high school and will be off to college this fall; second oldest will finish high school at our local public high school next school year. So. much. planning.
We have another foal! Named Hugs by Cate. :)
I've navigated two, soon to be three, ARDs for our precious Cate since her third birthday in January.
Her disease is progressing. She has developed hip and ankle contractures and started therapy for those.
We go to an out of town weekly PT where the therapist who works closely with the orthotists now.
She also now sees a developmental pediatrician at Scottish Rite and they've started preparing us for a G-Button for her. Jesse and I attended our first virtual Cure CMD Sci-Fam Conference.
She is a joy and all gift.
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Fall 2020 Back to School Pics
2020-21 School Year of the Masks
Mark's 12th in September
Jude's Football Senior Night & 18th! in November
John Paul as a Jr. w/ beloved by all, Tessa, on Homecoming
Summer Pics 2020: Gardening & Friends
Amazing Pics of St.Therese! (for Cate, later)
https://aleteia.org/2017/03/07/54-incredible-photos-of-saint-therese-of-lisieux-taken-by-her-sister-celine/
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
June 2020 Reflections
1. Where did you see God in June?
Personally, I saw God in the love of my own parents as I took the kids on mostly outdoor, extended weekend trips with each of them this month and in the love of my husband who remained home busily working to support our own family both times. We camped at Lake Murray SP, OK with my dad and visited our beloved Port A on the TX Gulf Coast with my mom. Some of my kids are not easy to live with but my parents love them as grandparents do and we made great memories both trips.
In the world at large, I see God in the more open, honest dialogues between people in our country with different experiences and sufferings, in the reaching out and sharing of those with more public personalities as they articulate the inner dialogues and journeys of many of us. Despite my own struggles, I have lead and continue to lead a largely privileged life. And any remnant of racism is a sin, especially in 2020.
2. What's one thing you've learned?
I've learned that maybe the time has come for anti-racism, as well as colorblindness.
Ok, two things I've learned. I've learned I'd love for us to have an RV camper so that we can continue to explore and adventure together but especially so I can do that somewhat predictably with and for Cate.
3. What is the best thing that could happen in July?
The best thing that could realistically happen is that I could truly embrace this home-centered, more contemplative pace of life for the long-run, in such a way that there was life, Melissa's rhythm of life, our rhythm of life before COVID and there is now a personal and family rhythm since COVID that will not be set aside when school and sports and other activities resume. Jesse has more naturally been drawn to a less-busy schedule than I at times but I have resisted doing it from a negative perspective. Now, I truly see this as a choice for a more abundant life personally and for the family.
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