Sneak peek at our Prayer Book...

*Susan and I continue to work on the Women's CRHP Prayer Book project that started as a little collection of favorite prayers.  Here is a preview of the section closest to my heart, "Prayer in Family Life," including SIMPLE ideas for living the Church year as a family.  This is similar to the "Dozen for Delight" ideas I've blogged about before but expanded upon here.

I will be posting monthly with text or links for the prayers, books, further ideas, & recipes mentioned in the Family Liturgical Calendar below.


V.  PRAYER IN FAMILY LIFE
Excerpts from Part 1: Prayers and Blessings for Families in all Ages & Stages--

How do we start really praying as a family?
By just starting... by just praying. Before meals, before bed, at the start of a new day are all times that prayer works and creates a moment of peace & strength. It doesn't have to be long or fancy, only desired as a means of being close to God. It doesn't even have to feel good- important relationships often feel like work.

A family prayer space-This is not necessary but often helpful. This does not have to be fancy either but should have at least one religious image, such as a crucifix or picture of the Holy Family. It could also be where the family Bible(s) and rosaries are kept. The space could be in a child's bedroom or at the table where meals are eaten.

Blessings-It is a special habit to bless children at night and before school or to least before special days and events. Simply trace a cross on your child's forehead and say "May God bless you, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Or "May God bless you, our Mother Mary intercede for you, your Guardian Angel protect you, and your patron saints pray for you!". Amen.

Prayer of Parents for Their Children-Lord, enlighten our children's minds so they will find the path you have marked out for them, for your glory and for their salvation and happiness. Support them with your strength, so that the ideals of your Kingdom will inspire their lives. Give us light so that we, their parents, can help them to recognize their Christian vocation and to follow it generously by cooperating with your inspirations. Amen.


Part II: Living the Church Year as a Family--- A Family Liturgical Calendar

January--
1. Feast of Mary, Mother of God/New Year's Day
Instead of typical New Year's resolutions, choose (with the help of the Holy Spirit) a virtue to work on during the next year by drawing one per family member. Use the theological virtues of faith, hope, & love. Or use the cardinal, human virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, & temperance. Or use both. Look them up in the Catechism of the Catholic Church on-line.

Epiphany-
This Feast of the Three Kings is usually celebrated two Sundays after Christmas, to remember the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem. (The first Sunday after Christmas is typically the Feast of the Holy Family.) Young children really enjoy making the three wise man of the family nativity set actually travel around the home during the time from Christmas to Easter, progressing in their journey to the manger a bit more each day.

Old Catholic traditions for this feast include baking a "King Cake," a cake with a tiny toy baby hidden inside and blessing the home for the new year. Use the House Blessing prayer found in this book and write this on the door in chalk: 20+C+M+B+__. C, M, and B are the first initials of the names of the three kings, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, respectively. The last blank is filled with the remaining numerals of the new year- 13 for 2013, for example.

February--
14. St. Valentine's Day
In addition to the other ways you celebrate this day of love, read the real story of today in the beautiful picture book all ages will enjoy: St. Valentine, by Robert Sabuda.

March--
17. St. Patrick's Day
Pray the Breastplate of St. Patrick in this book, as well as celebrate in your usual green-style. An Irish meal always includes potatoes, one easy but different favorite is potato soup. Mashed potatoes are even easier and both can be dyed green with a few drops of food coloring. (Why do young children enjoy eating green food so much?)

19. Feast of St. Joseph
Bake bread in honor of the "breadwinner" & protector of the Holy Family, an old Italian Catholic tradition. Use any favorite bread recipe and, if you can make the extra time to shape the dough into something symbolic like a communion host or shafts of wheat, you can even call it "St. Joseph Bread."

*LENT:
Start the family Lenten tradition of using a Lenten centerpiece, similar in idea to the Advent Wreath to help prepare for Easter. A desert scene, made of sand & rocks in a glass pie plate, reminds everyone of Jesus' 40 days in the desert. A crown of thorns, made of salt dough & toothpicks, is an activity for showing love to family members by removing one thorn for each act of love or sacrifice made for Christ. Empty it of thorns and wrap it in flowers by Easter.

Other traditional Lenten practices include praying the Stations of the Cross on Fridays. The Stations mark and help us to meditate on the steps along the path of Jesus' Passion, his suffering and death. One set of Stations is found in this book.

April--
**EASTER:
Remember to make Easter all about Jesus' Resurrection by including mostly faith-filled treats in Easter baskets: chocolate crosses, religious stickers, art supplies w/ a Resurrection coloring sheet, kids religious books, "Easter Story Cookies" & "Resurrection Eggs" all make for a more Christ-centered Easter celebration before or after Mass. The recipe and instructions for both can be found on the Catholic Icing website.

***Divine Mercy Sunday is always the first Sunday after Easter. Learn the story behind this popular devotion promoted by Blessed Pope John Paul II and pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, both found in this book. Even use the iApp mentioned in the Resources section .

May--2nd Sunday/Mother's Day-
Include our heavenly mother, Mary, among the mothers you honor this month. One old tradition is to plant a "Mary Garden," flowers that are named after her and/or are in colors of white (for purity) or blue (her identifying color in Christian art). Another option is to include godmothers among the mothers you remember- have your children make cards for their godmothers or remember your own godchildren in a special way in your prayers this day. A Prayer for Godchildren is found in this book.

Pentecost Sunday-
This Sunday we remember the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and Mary. It is often called the birthday of the Church because the Apostles were changed and strengthened to go forth and preach the Gospel without fear. Celebrate with a birthday cake for the Church and start or finish a novena (nine days of prayer) to the Holy Spirit today. The Catholic tradition of novenas comes from this time when the Apostles waited for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit after Christ's Ascencion into Heaven. Use the Prayer to the Holy Spirit in this book and pray it for nine consecutive days. Or check out the Novena to the Holy Spirit and many others found on this website: http://www.resurrectionparish.us/novenas.htm

June--*Don't miss Sunday Mass during the summer- many great Sundays in the Church calendar are during the summer months. After Pentecost are Trinity Sunday and the Feast of Corpus Christi (The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ). The readings for Mass are especially interesting and related to each other and worth a few extra minutes in prayer.

11. Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus-
This is the annual feast day of our parish! Share the love of Jesus' Sacred Heart with our pastor, deacons, associates, and staff- thank them for their service with an e-mail or note. Attending daily Mass on First Fridays of the month is part of traditional devotion to our Lord, under the title of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (First Saturdays are reserved for Our Lady, under the title of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.) Read more about this devotion on-line.

12. Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary-
Pray at least one decade of the Rosary today! Want help? More on the Rosary can be found in the Traditional Prayers & Novenas section of this book.

3rd Sunday is Father's Day.
As with Mother's Day, remember to honor godfathers, priests, and even St. Joseph today, along with dads. A Child's Prayer for Parents is found at the beginning of the Prayer in Family Life section of this book.

July--
4th/Independence Day-
Don't forget to pray for our country today: for God's continued blessing on it; for the right to life of all human persons, especially in their most vulnerable stages; for our military & their families and for peace built on justice throughout the world; for the efforts of our Bishops to protect & promote religious freedom. Use the Prayer for Religious Freedom in this book.

14. Feast of St. Kateri Tekakwitha
Get outside to be close to God today, in honor of this holy woman called the "Lily of the Mohawks." She is the first Native American Indian to be declared a saint. Work in the garden or go for a walk or hike with your family today and enjoy our Creator latent in all of his creation.

26. Feast of Sts. Anne & Joachim
These are the grandparents of Jesus and parents of the Blessed Mother and patrons of Natural Family Planning or NFP. NFP Awareness Week is every year during the week of their feast. Learn more about it at www.live-the-love.org.

August--
15. Solemnity (or Solemn Feast) of the Assumption of Mary, a holy day of obligation (HDO)
Don't forget to get to Mass today. Most parishes add an extra Mass to the daily Mass schedule on HDOs and other churches located close to work or school are often a good option for HDOs during the week.

September--8. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This is the birthday of Mary. Young children enjoy making cards and a cake to celebrate, remembering her with a typical birthday celebration. Any feast of Mary is a good day to pray the Rosary, or at least a decade, for all of us.

27. St. Vincent de Paul
Remember this saint who loved and gave his life to the poor by doing something for the least among us. Collect and donate clothes or household items to the local St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store (or any other).

29. Feast of the Archangels
Haven't had enough cake already this month? Bake an angel food cake to celebrate this feast of these powerful angels mentioned in Scripture: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Use the child-friendly version of the Prayer to St. Michael found in this book to ask his intercession in spiritual battles.

October--1. Feast of St. Therese
Start or finish the unique and beautiful Rose Novena of St. Therese, a favorite among Catholic women for generations, found in this prayer book. An atypical treatment of this young & innocent saint whose "Little Way" of spirituality is anything but sappy sweet & weak can be found in the book Shirt of Flame: A Year with St. Therese of Lisieux, by Heather King.

2. Feast of the Guardian Angels
Another good day to bake an angel food cake to celebrate and give thanks for God's provision and protection for us in His angels.

4. Feast of St. Francis
Take your family pets to the "Blessing of the Animals" held at many parishes on this day, in honor of this saint of radical material & spiritual poverty who was so peaceful that it is said he could communicate with animals. Or bless your animals at home as a family with a simple spontaneous prayer.

November--
1. All Saints
No celebration of the silly & "sinners" (witches, zombies) of Halloween is complete without celebration of the saints the next day! Little ones love dress-up and dressing up as a saint is a fun way for them to learn. Older children might enjoy crafting a costume of their favorite saint. (Great & easy saint costume ideas can be found on the Catholic Icing website.) All ages can create and pray a litany today. A litany is a prayer in "list" form, with a repeated response- like the intentions (also known as the Prayer of the Faithful) at Mass. This one asks all your family's favorite saints or patron/name saints to pray for you by simply naming the saint, then responding all together with "Pray for us!"

2. All Souls
Pray for all the deceased souls among your family and friends today and even for those whom you don't know. The traditional prayer is short and efficient: "May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."

25. Feast of Christ the King
This is the last Sunday in Ordinary Time, before the Church's New Year begins with the first Sunday of Advent. Celebrate by literally crowning Christ the King of your heart and home. Children enjoy crafting crowns to place on a statue or image of Christ. They can decorate the crown with sequins and rhinestone jewels earned by doing acts of love for others that week.

December--
*ADVENT:
The traditional and beautiful way to mark the Advent season of waiting and preparing for Christmas is with an Advent wreath of evergreen and four candles, three purple and one light or rose pink. All kinds of materials work but the symbolism is even more rich with "real"materials, especially taper candles that burn down and create a clock of sorts marking the passing of the weeks. Light the same purple candle all of the first week, the first and another purple candle the second week, the same two purple and the rose candle for the third week, and all four candles during the last week. By the end, the first purple candle burned almost completely down contrasts with the much longer fourth purple one that remains mostly tall. Simply lighting the candle(s) for that week and singing the refrain from "O Come, Emmanuel" makes a short & beautiful prayer time each night.

Another way to focus on Advent as a time of waiting and preparing for Christmas is to save singing carols and most decorating until closer to Chrstmas. Only put out nativity scenes but leave the manger empty & awaiting the arrival of the Christ Child, until after Mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. (Also hold back the Three Kings for a later arrival in Bethlehem.) Children enjoy slowly filling the manger with "straw" (paper or real grasses) for Baby Jesus earned by good deeds and acts of love. Start the tradition of putting up your Christmas tree and other decorations on the 3rd Sunday ofAdvent, also called Gaudete Sunday or the Joyful Sunday. This Sunday marks the half-way point to Christmas and is distinguished by the rose candle.

6. Feast of St. Nick
St. Nicholas is the original Santa Claus and a Bishop from the early Church, during the time of the Roman empire. Fill childrens' shoes or stockings with chocolate "coins" in honor of his anonymous generosity to those in need, especially children. It is said he saved three young Christian sisters from enslavement by dropping three sacks of coins, one for each, down the chimney of their family home.

8. Solemnity (or Solemn Feast) of the Immaculate Conception, another Holy Day of Obligation (HDO)- Don't forget to schedule time to get to Mass today.

12. Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe-
This favorite image and feast of Mary can be marked with a Mexican food feast and by praying the Rosary. The children's cartoon video called "Juan Diego: Messenger of Guadalupe," produced by CCC, is an excellent retelling of the story of the apparitions of St. Juan Diego and the healing that the love of the Blessed Mother brought to the troubled land that is now Mexico, during the time the Spaniards conquered the Natives originally living there.

**CHRISTMAS:
After Mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, place Baby Jesus in the manger prepared for him and have the Kings set out on their journey to Bethlehem (which may only be a trip across the living room). Allow young children to move the Kings to a different or closer spot each day, as they follow the Star to Bethlehem and arrive at your nativity on Epiphany.

Fruits of Summer 2012

I did this post at the end of last summer, too, but was actually referring some real fruit I had grown.  Lazy way to reflect.  I've always loved summer with its change of pace, new adventures, and opportunity for real learning in the midst of it all...

• The only real fruit this year comes in our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box each week.  Lots of yummy produce & fun learning to cook it.  Favorite new recipe: Crunchy Asian Salad.  I didn't try to grow anything but wildflowers, strawberries, & some herbs myself and all but the potted herbs have died.  Didn't even get a single strawberry.
• Renewed love for my husband after watching him work so hard to care for us, for me in the midst of several very crazy months of tons of work for him preparing to deploy, trainings here and away, then cancellation of it all because he re-injured his back at the last, month-long training.  We re-learned never to know what to expect from God and gratitude that He has all things worked out better than we can imagine when we just trust Him.  Learned a lot about horse care during his absences.  And we're both working hard to take care of our backs.  He is still in intense physical therapy.
• Trip to San Antonio with him and the kids for one of his trainings.  Fun with old friends and some homeschool learning: Texas history at the Alamo and rocks & minerals at the Natural Bridge Caverns.  Also a lot of American history from watching Liberty's Kids when we in the hotel room.  Highly recommended, no-guilt TV for your kids.
• Couple of trips to Ft. Worth to see my family, including a week-long one for all the boys.  Big ones went to LEGO Camp at TCU and had a blast, learned some about robotics.
• Biggest boys also did swim team & a boys' book club this summer. 
• They are also working on reading patches from the library.
• Jude will continue with swim team this year and John Paul has started judo with friends.  Trying new sports & different ones for each, rather than soccer this fall.  A little sad for this soccer mom.
• Little pair did pre-school camp at church with fun crafts & games.
• And we all did VBS at church, too.  Cat Chat: Angels & Saints.  Solid & fun program.
• Mark is a fish in the water and swimming well, including in the deep end with a vest & going off the board.  Mary loves the water.
• Mary turned 2 yrs. on the 18th and is talking all the time.  She is sweet again & not as ornery as she had been the last few months, probably from frustration at not being able to express herself.
• New, even homeschooling friends for us all.  One family from book club & another from our CRHP experiences.
• Got some help w/ the problems I had been having w/ this blog and, combined w/ the fact that I have a camera again, I'm hoping to be a more regular poster, especially since we are using it for the CRHP Prayer Book project.
• Last but not least, Jesse & I both finished CRHP Formation and helped put on the Women's & Men's Retreats these past two weekends.  An awesome experience on both the retreatant & team ends.  God really has used it to renew our faith & show His power in our lives and those of our friends.  More on CRHP & the Prayer Book later...

In his own words... Iggy...

Prayer for today's Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola:

Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek to rest,
to labor and not to seek reward,
except that of knowing that I do your will.

Amen.


He was a military officer-turned-priest and his prayer reflects that.  For me, the generosity he speaks of looks like this great quote:

"A married woman must often leave God at the altar to find him in her household care."  St. Francis of Rome

Oh, how I resist that some days, many days, especially if I think of it only as housework, cooking and laundry.  But "household care" connotes so much more, because that includes the people of the home, in my mind.  And they are worth working for and being with generously.

As we begin the Triduum tomorrow...

...of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter:

So great indeed is the power of the mysteries commemorated at this time that it can pierce even hearts of stone.

St. Bernard

Markie (3 1/2 yrs)

Ahh, Markie... where to begin?  ...Your grin! It is huge and devilish and handsome with irresistible dimples.  That describes your personality, too: huge, somewhat devilish yet irresistible.  You are quite dramatic: from the "tough look" you give from under your eyebrows; to the mournful: "It's all my fault. I'm soo sorry.";  to your "That's SO cool!" we are never at a loss as to what you are thinking.  Your mop of curls has always fit you.  Daddy liked it a lot when your hair was long because you reminded him of strong Samson from the Old Testament-  That strength of spirit has to come from somewhere!

You have big appetites for food and everything life has to offer.  Speaking of food, you are (surprisingly, from one so ornery) a healthy eater- lots of fruits and veggies and yogurt, like John Paul.  You are very smart, too smart, easily bored, seemingly immune to the expectations of adults but still adept at playing very well when you want to with all the "neighborhood" big boys.  You would much rather stir things up to keep them interesting and get in trouble, than allow things to be quiet and well, in your opinion, boring.  You have no interest in potty-training despite that you are totally. capable. and have already earned several short and long term rewards in the process, only to go back to pull-ups as soon as the reward is won.  So, now we're just patiently waiting for you to decide you are ready.  Waiting...and waiting...and... 

What follows are some classic Markie stories I don't want to forget:

• Recently we had one of our parish priests over for dinner.  In the middle of eating Mark disappeared, only to come back to the table with the bowl from his little potty full of pee-pee and without his pants on, proudly displaying his work (that he never wants to do any other time)!  Luckily this priest is from a larger family himself wand was quite comfortable surrounded by our children.  At the end of that visit, Fr. was blessing a space in our home (where we've enthroned an image of the Saced Heart).  Fr. splashed the holy water in Mark's direction only to hear Mark start throwning a mini-fit:  "I don't like the water! Oh, NO, not on my PACK-PACK !"  Then, he dramatically rescued and clutched his backpack. 
• Mark has Christmas and Easter confused.  Every night last Advent, instead of singing "O Come Emmanuel" with us over the lit Advent wreath he sang, "God is not dead. He is alive, He is alive...".  I have no idea where that song came from.  He still sings it whenever we pray a prayer or sing a song he does not know.  (Which is really not all that often, despite that all these stories are Catholic or church-related.  I guess I just remember these more than some of the day-to-day ones.) 
• We try to get to daily Mass once a week with Jesse at the tiny Eucharistic chapel on base, it is a pretty little chapel and always special b/c the kids get to be so close to the altar, basically right next to it.  This means we can see everything but everyone else can also hear us...  One time the priest was distributing communion, Body and Blood, by coming around to us b/c that is simpler in such a small space. After being passed over twice, Mark looked up at me full of self-pity: "I got nothing!"
• Finally, I've always sang a little song to the kids when they are litttle and need extra cuddling.  It goes to the tune of "Frere jacques" (Yes, I had to look that french spelling up!  Did the internet get it right?) and I list all the people in their life who love them.  Only Mark has ever added an extra verse..."And Markie loves himself!"

These are photos of Mark's most recent birthday, his 3rd birthday, which he calls his "Blue Birthday," b/c he wanted everything to be blue : blue cupcakes (Don't laugh at my homemade icing-it was runny!), blue juiceboxes, blue plates & napkins, and bikes & trikes painted blue as his gift, Thomas blue to be exact, by Daddy.

 At home.

At our chuurch's pre-school.

And, last but certainly not least- This has been your favorite costume for a long time now: Super Mark.  A picture is worth a thousand words.

(We cut your hair shortly after your 3rd b-day but you can't tell in the most recent photos we have b/c your hood was always up.) 

Holidays 2011 & Our 10th Anniversary!

*Just found this in my draft posts list.  Update on my back pain: It is finally feeling significantly better b/c I am going to PT weekly.  I have a bulging disc.  Still lots of progress to be made b/f I will be back to normal...Since spring is almost officially here & this is becoming the only family album/journal that I am keeping up w/, I am putting these memories here...Our Holidays 2011.

We had Thanksgiving at our house. My grandparents even came, which is a special treat b/c they do not travel nearly as much as they used to and I teasure the time we get with them. My mom, our "Mimi" was here, too, which is always so fun and then good friends joined us for dessert. We're hoping to host again in future years, maybe trading out w/ my mom when some of the Ft. Worth family has other plans and the remainder wants a (semi-) "country" Thanksgiving.

Mary's beautiful dress from CM in San Antonio.  Pic doesn't do the beautiful fabric justice.

Table still in progress.



Archery lessons w/ Big D.



Mary w/ the first Mary Constance in the family.

Let's see...Advent was a good one but I think I wrote about that in my last Daybook.  A couple of weeks before Christmas, we finally got our first chickens from our neighbor who was thinning out her flock. We each named one, except for Mary. Five hens so far: Christmas Tree (Mark's), Frosty (John Paul's), Nutmeg (Jude), Josephine (mine), and Chick-ON! (Jesse's).  We got the idea to celebrate "Christmas for the Animals" from Small Things last year and the kids and Jesse, actually, love it so we did it again.  I bought small cans of food for the cats which is a treat from their normal dry food, the dog got a meat bone, the wild birds got their first seed suet of the winter, and the chickens got the finishing touches put on their coop- bedding, etc.

Then, Christmas.  It was frought with injuries and sickness this year so we ended up not traveling to Lubbock the day after Christmas as we had planned.  Jaul Paul fell out of a tree in our yard about two weeks before Christmas and broke both bones in his right arm.  We did not take him to the ER until the next day b/c although he was in pain, he could move the arm and the pain diminished.  But the next morning at Sunday Mass, it started swelling and giving him a lot of pain so Jesse took him in .  Splint on that day.  Casted about a week later.  ER visit #1 for Jesse.  The week or so before Christmas, I started having lower back pain and especially on the right side.  I ran and worked out at some point thinking I was just getting out of shape and needed to strengthen my core, which probably made it worse.  Over the course of five days it continued getting worse, so painful in the mornings I could barely move.  Jesse would half carry me to the shower where the heat would help me be able to move.  The morning I was scheduled to get into the dr., it was excruciatingly painful- worse than childbirth.  Jesse carried me to the shower and helped me in, went to start our coffee, and a few minutes later I blacked out from the pain.  He came back to me still on the floor of the shower, helped me up, and we decided I needed to go to the ER to get the pain under control.  His immediate commander, who is a very kind and gentle man, offered to come to the house to help get me to the car.  It was all I could to move enough to get some clothes on before he got there!  ER visit #2 for Jesse.  Still don't know what has caused the pain, which is lingering but is under control with a lot of medicine at the ER and the week thereafter.  Needless to say, Jesse took off work a couple days early and held down the fort while I was mostly off my feet and I never finished getting ready for Christmas- did not finish our decorations outside or do any baking.  And Jesse eventually finished our shopping for extended family.  I had two follow-up dr appointments and still have two more left.  The back pain is under control w/ daily medicine.  Mary got a bad ear infection after Christmas which really knocked her out for a week and was another dr appointment.  John Paul got his cast off the Fri before Epiphany.  Can we be done with dr appointments for a while?  But thank you, Lord, for modern medicine.

So, our Christmas Day was quiet but nice.  We had gone to the Christmas Eve Children's Mass at our parish, which was actually especially nice b/c so many friends' families were involved in the Mass and not the crazy scene I remember from the big parishes we attended in San Antonio.  I did manage to make a simple dinner for everyone which was the most I had done in days.  It was a quiet day with the kids playing happily together with their new toys, Jesse reading a new book, and me working in the kitchen alone (or w/ Mary happily watching and playing at cooking in her highchair) to try to give him the gift of a break form that since he had been doing so much of it.

We went to Ft. Worth for New Year's Eve Day to finally see my mom and sister's family and celebrate Christmas and the New Year with them.  My brother lives and works in Thailand this year.  It was a great day of fun and good food, including my Mom's famous crab cakes and lots of sweet breads.

We had a brother-in-law and his wife here on New Year's Day for the night with their sweet son as they made their way home from holiday travels.   It is always fun to see them and we opened gifts and just relaxed at our house together.

The highlight of this year was our 10th Anniversary on December 29, 2011!  It was a Thursday and Jesse was still off work.  I mentioned some of this on Facebook but not all the details.  We started the day off with our coffee and wedding album, which was actually Jesse's idea and he brought it back to me with my coffee while I was still in bed.  (I probably wouldn't have thought of this as I had looked at the album recently when he was deployed.)  It was so special to remember the day together, our excitement and joy, and all the special friends and family who were a part of it.  They are why I have finally made some time or maybe I should say treated myself to the time to get on Facebook this holiday season.  I am not great at keeping in touch and some of my closest friends from high school and college are on regularly, as well as some other special friends I want to reconnect with.  It has been fun to take the time to virtual-visit them via it.  Anyway, back to our Anniversary...we went to noon Mass and renewed our vows there.  We had just asked for a blessing but instead got to renew our vows in front of everyone so that was very special.  And they had been prepared by our Pastor who was sick and unable to be there but was present in those vows he had prepared.  The priest who blessed us was our new associate pastor, whom we got to know that day.  We talked to him after Mass about enthroning the Sacred Heart and consecrating our family to the Sacred Heart and, instead of doing it on our own as we had planned, we ended up inviting him to dinner later that day so he could help us "do it right."  After Mass, we went on a lunch date to our favorite restaurant here (the only really nice one in town) and then went home to have dessert with the kids and include them.  We made a simple but nice dinner for our new priest-friend/guest later that day and had a beautiful little enthroning ceremony.  The big boys did so well!  They read & basically did the whole thing b/c Jesse & I were very busy with the little ones the whole time, both of whom injured themselves by falling or getting burned by the candles we were holding!  All in all, it was a beautiful day in a simple way.  Other friends have taken big trips for their 10th and my sister had told me I should have asked for a diamond anniversary band but we were just happy to be together for a simple day.  We had already gone away twice this last year with just the baby and without the boys before his deployment (to a fancy, artsy hotel in Dallas) and after he got back (to a precious, ranch cottage) so we really weren't needing or wanting to do that again.  Not that I won't push for that at another anniversary soon!:)  But I don't plan to ask for any more diamonds after seeing Blood Diamond and I'm more of a Geek Mom anyway who woudl prefer another iProduct to jewels, if I had my choice... which I don't!  :)

St. Valentine's Day

This year, we celebrated by making valentines and then having a cookie feast.  Everyone had valentines at their place from Mom & dad, as well as other family & friends.  A couple people gave us cookies, including delicious red velvet-white chocolate ones from our best-babysitter/nanny-in-the-world, and we made our own which altogether made for a cookie feast.

We also read this truly beautiful book: St. Valentine.  I highly recommend it for both the text and the mosaic art.  We were all enchanted by it, even Jesse.

The Dress

Here she is, in the gorgeous dress w/ the matching coat and hat.  And proof of her love to talk on my (not smart!) phone, although she is no longer allowed to do this b/c I just had to have the touch screen replaced.

Sugar and Spice: Mary Constance (18 mos.)

Mary and I are enjoying some girl time the last 24 hours.  (My mom/Mimi has some rare time off and took all the boys for a few days.  They are at the Ft. Worth Stock Show today.  John Paul must think he's in heaven.)  We haven't done anything special- I've just enjoyed getting to slow down and focus on her.  She is such a joy and always has been.  Jude was also an easy baby, as in content, but he was also quite serious, while Mary is both content and infectiously happy most of the time. 

She also manages, somehow, to be both sweet & spunky.  She loves to be in the thick of things w/ her brothers- she always climbs up on the couch w/ them to watch a movie or "read" (usually she holds the book upside down and babbles a story to herself) and she plants herself in the middle of piles of LEGOS when they are building.  She plays cars and knights w/ Mark, who is not known for his patience- she just rolls w/ his punches, literally. Unless he really hurts her somehow, she persists in doing what she wants to do w/out appearing to get mad at his... tough love.

At the same time, she is so sweet- sweet to all of us, sweet to her dolls, sweet to animals.  She has to get kisses from everyone b/f bed or she gets upset.  She loves to push her dolls around in the wooden stroller she got for Christmas and she could not pass Baby "Jeez" (Jesus) in the outdoor manger this past Christmas without picking him up and adding him to the stroller crew.  She has been known, though, to literally toss a doll to the side in order to grab a car and join in with the brothers' play.

She is often quiet, just taking everything in from her perch in the high chair.  She loves to sit and snack and watch me (& all the craziness) in the kitchen for long periods of time.  But she also talks more than I remember the boys doing at the same age- a new few words at a time, "that" has been the only consistent one for a while now.  She absolutely LOVES to play w/ my cell phone and pretend to talk to people.

She has crazy hair that is darker at the ends b/c it is growing in much lighter, blond even.  It is wispy and always in her face right now b/c she pulls out clips and headbands and I really am not good at getting little ponytails into a moving subject.

She likes to color and she loves to scribble w/ a pen on a pad of paper, which she is doing right now (and alternately fussing at me for ignoring her as I try to type this- so, actually, she has started getting more fussy and willful lately, now that I think about it).

She likes to sits on Mark's little potty and has asked to be changed ("peeze" w/ a bag in her hand for the dirty diaper).  She tries to wipe her own bottom & that of anyone else she catches mid-potty or mid-diaper change.  I'm thinking she may potty-train before Mark finally does.  (Please God...soon.)  She uses a fork somewhat successfully and loves to brush her teeth & hair.  It seems to me that she is more interested in these personal care/hygiene things than the boys were at the same age.  Hmmm...

She loves animals, even our hyper dog Livy who has knocked her over more than once.  She is not afraid of horses.

I have a lot of fun dressing her up in the beautiful clothes friends and family have given or passed on to us although, I am not always good at remembering what safe place I've put special holiday accessories in.  Some holiday, I called my mom crying b/c I could not find a hat I had bought for her: "I just have to get better at these girl things, Mom,"  I remember sniffing.  Below is one of my favorite dresses, from her 1st birthday in August (6 mos ago, but she is still tiny).  I have not downloaded the pics of her in a gorgeous black & white dress w/ matching COAT and hat that she wore on New Year's, for lack of another occassion!  (I really did not buy either of them.)

I love you, precious girl, and am so excited for the days ahead!  I cannot wait to see the special girl you grow up to be and cannot wait for all the special times we will share, especially the beautiful books we will read together.  I named your first doll Laura, from the Little House series, but I gave my all-time-favorite-girl-from-literature-name to "our" chicken- dainty little Josephine.  You will not have a choice about being exposed to all things Louisa May Alcott.  Maybe you will even be interested enough in crafting that we will learn to sew together.  Or maybe you will teach me!  I'm pretty sure we will cook together since you already seem interested in food (like mother, like daughter) and everyone in this family likes to eat and cook.  I was thinking of trying you in ballet b/c I always wish I myself had taken it so as to be more graceful, but I'm thinking you're more of a gymnastics or soccer girl from what I've seen so far.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying your cuddles and our tea parties and I'm probably more excited than you over finally owning one day soon...a dollhouse.

Epiphany epiphany

From Helena, by Evelyn Waugh, a historical fiction about St. Helena the mother of Emperor Constantine and finder of the true Cross:

"This is my day," [Helena] thought, and these [Magi] are my kind."

Perhaps she apprehended that her fame, like theirs, would live in one historic act of devotion; that she too had emerged from a kind of... nameless realm and would vanish like them in the sinking nursery firelight among picture books and the day's toys.

"Like me," she said to them, "you were late in coming.  The shepherds were here long before; even the cattle.  They had joined the chorus of angels before you were on your way.  For you the primordial discipline of the heavens was relaxed and a new defiant light blazed amid the disconcerted stars.

"How laboriously you came, taking sights and calculating, where the shepherds had run barefoot!  How odd you looked on the road, attended by what outlandish liveries, laden with such preposterous gifts!...

..."Yet you came, and were not turned away.  You, too, found room before the manger.  Your gifts were not needed, but they were accepted and put carefully by, for they were brought with love.  In that new order of charity that had just come to life, there was room for you, too.  You were not lower in the eyes of the holy family than the ox or the ass.

"You are my especial patrons," said Helena, "and patrons of all latecomers, of all who have a tedious journey to make to the truth, of all who are confused with knowledge and speculation, of all who through politeness make themselves partners in guilt, of all who stand in danger by reason of their talents....

"For his sake who did not reject your curious gifts, pray always for the learned, the oblique, the delicate.  Let them not be quite forgotten at the throne of God when the simple come into their kingdom."  

A Books! and Chickens!! Daybook

Outside my window it is…nighttime, dark.  Winter in north central TX is here- cold, gray, often wet & windy lately, and below freezing at night regularly now.  Too little, too late as far as the rain goes.  So much of our yard is dead-beyond-recovery from the drought.
I am thankful for #…688: "Time to recover, organize, plan."  I started my own list of "1000 Gifts" after reading the book over a year ago.  It was a way for me to focus on the good and all I had to be grateful for as we were preparing for Jesse to leave for his deployment this time last year.  It still helps me in those ways and I use it in my prayer the many mornings I am crabby or hormonal.  I should post an excerpt of my list again...

I am hoping and praying for…my brother this Christmas as he continues to work as an English-language teacher in Thailand; for a friend in the process of adopting from Poland!; for Jesse as he prepares for Oral Boards the week after and we travel w/ him to San Antonio; for my MOMS group as we begin an ENDOW study next week.  I hope and pray that last one is a part of my life for years to come, like CCL and teaching RE.  Not necessarily all at once but each for long seasons.

On my mind…lots of friends and family I haven't heard from this year!?  Is everyone like me and did less this year?  As in few cards for the Gorleys?  :(  I managed to get a photo card out but did not finish decorating or mail any gifts or do any baking.  I started out behind and then had severe & paralyzing back pain that put me in the ER less than a week ago.  It also kept us home this week.  We are not traveling to see my in-laws b/c I am just recovering now, as in able to walk around without serious painkillers.

Noticing that the kids… are growing up so fast.  And it doesn't get any easier or more simple.  I've got to write an update on each of them here soon.  This is becoming my only family scrapbook/journal.

A few plans for the month…family visits for the New Year (hopefully pending full recovery), the trip to San Antonio for Jesse's test, then back into our regular, albeit relaxed, school schedule.  I cannot do an intense one and be a peaceful momma so this must be what is the right fit for us.  I need to do some spring school planning, too.  Goal setting with the big boys.  

From the bookshelves…I have a lot of books on my mind lately...A Little Way of Homeschooling which I have been slowly reading on my iPad this school year.  We do a mix of everything here including a minimal amount of formal lessons for big chunks of the year and I like to do a little reading on unschooling as we head into those times b/c it reminds me how much they are always learning on their own and so, alleviates my guilt.  :)  This is how I do a lot of my reading- several things at once, on-going as I need them.  I often don't finish them before going on to something else but I usually cycle back to them again, too.  Then, other books apply to and are finished in a season.  I read Made From Scratch this past week while I was laid up b/c of my back, after giving a copy to a friend.  She gave me The Joy of Keeping Chickens which I have not read yet but will soon I'm sure b/c we have chickens of our own!  (Finally.  Thank you, dear Jesse, for your work on the coop and pen and making that 2 year dream for myself and the kids come true.  On to horses for you and John Paul, God-willing.)  I gave Jesse a few books to give me for Christmas, which I look forward to reading: A Charlotte Mason Companion, Render Unto Caesar, Charity in Truth.  Best read of 2011: The Reed of God, which I finally finished.  Now my spiritual reading is Interior Castle by Teresa of Avila, mostly b/c of her influence on my beloved Edith Stein/Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
In the kitchen…we just finished a lot of leftovers, including a variation of 7-Can Soup that Jesse had made.  We eat a lot of soup in the winter.  Potato is our favorite.  Thankfully, several friends have shared Christmas cookies with us as gifts, etc b/c I was going to go into depression w/out them.  I did bake a cake.  We bought pies.

On the Church calendar…it is now the Octave of Christmas and today is the Feast of St. Stephen.  Really, Christmas has just begun and the season does not end until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  We had a good and simple Advent this year, by the grace of God: nightly day's Gospel after dinner w/ wreath lighting & singing of "O Come, Emmanuel" and a decade of the Rosary at bedtime prayers.  We also read from our Advent Storybook each night and the boys each had a traditional chocolate calendar.  We made "O Antiphon" paper ornaments and sent them to god-siblings but did not get them hung on our own tree that last week before Christmas.  We always wait to put our tree and other decorations up until at least Gaudete Sunday, only empty nativities out before that.  We put Jesus into our indoor and outdoor nativites on Christmas morning which I really liked this year b/c it is harder to keep the gift-hype down as the kids get older and more of them know what to expect.  We still do St. Nick and their stockings on his feast day, Dec. 6th, which is also Mark's Baptism Day.  But since we go to Mass the night before now (when they were little, we would go Christmas morning!), I like the pause to put Jesus into the mangers b/f the dive into and focus on the gifts on Christmas morning.

Pictures I’m sharing…from our big trip to beautiful Oregon in November to see close family friends, including one of our godsons.  I used these on our Christmas card in black & white.  More pics soon now that I have my own camera again.