Burning the Candle at Both Ends

A Birthday in the House

I always thought five years old was one of my favorite ages for our kids.  It is time where you really see  grown-up ideas taking shape  by their thought provoking questions. Yet, they are still young enough to be silly and goofy, and giggle under the covers in the morning, and get scared by a bad dream, and need hugs in the middle of the night.

So far, six is alot of fun, too.  I may have to change up my favorite age! (Of course this may also have something to do with having no more fifth brithdays to celebrate here, since Hannah is the youngest and God has yet to bless us with another) So this morning, she makes a grand entrance into the kitchen at 6:30, expecting some kind of fanfare.  Yes, we decorated the kitchen with balloons and streamers late last night, so we delivered there. Then come the questions:

"Does Daddy have to work on my birthday?" (yes)

"Does Becky have school today, on my birthday?" (yes, again)

"What am I having for my birthday breakfast?"  ( ummm, cinnamon toast, again?)

"What about lunch?" ( Mommy can't think that far ahead at 6:30 A.M.!)

"Who is coming over for my birthday?"  (What, a party, too?!! )

It is little harder to deliver on some of these birthday wishes. No, the bank Daddy works at doesn't close for your birthday and schools are open today, too.  I have my work cut out for me for next year: I need to get a banking holiday as well as schools closed. And while I'm at it, I may as well suspend mail delivery next May 29th, too!  If only I could control the weather. You see,  this year it is  pouring rain and I'm quite sure I will be questioned on why it is raining on  this sacred day!

 

People who are shocked at the size of our family obviously don't know Hannah! While our fifth was the icing on the cake, I always say that Hannah is the cherry on top! I couldn't imagine life around here without that smile, could you?

Happy Birthday Sweetie! We Love You!

 

Busy Weekend

We have  had a very busy weekend here, giving new meaning to  the title of this blog! But as the saying goes... it was all good! Very good. 

Friday morning kicked off the weekend on a rather sad note, as I attended the funeral of a dear friend's mother.  It was a truly beautiful Mass and a gathering of faithful friends were in attendance. And although these occasions get more and more difficult as my own losses increase, I left the funeral with a sense of renewal as my mind and heart were again turned toward our true purpose on this Earth: To help each other on our path to Heaven.

We began our weekend with our Friday night family Rosary group.  Each Friday we do a pot luck dinner at the home of one of the families in the group. Since it was Memorial Day weekend, BBQ was the menu.   The hosting family lives in a different parish and  they invited several families they knew of who might be interested in starting up their own local group. What really touched me that night was that many of the new children didn't know how to say a Hail Mary, much less pray a five decade Rosary.  But , they were so eager to participate and learn.  They volunteered to lead prayers and answer questions without fear of forgetting the words or getting something wrong. If only we adults could have this kind of child-like faith  and innocence in our own prayer lives! A truly spirit-filled and beautiful night was had by all.

We left bright and early Saturday morning for the wedding of the oldest daughter of our dear friends, Susan and Paul.  What a beautiful Mass!  It was concelebrated by several priests of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, who also provided some of the music. Bride and groom looked so happy, as you can see from the pictures.  A joyous day with lots of love and time spent with good friends. 

We arrived home mid-afternoon on Sunday after picking up three of the children on the way home who had stayed at my brother's house.  I immediately went into "clean -up -people -are- coming- over " mode to get everything ready for an impromptu barbecue on Monday.  Most of our friends have rather large families, so inviting several families over amounted to sixty-eight people all totalled! Phew! We had a blast... lots of kids, lots of food, lots of good conversation. We ended the night with guitars around the fire as we usually do. Oh, and a spooky story to boot!

So, here are some pictures of the wedding. I am taking notes, as we are now officially less than a year away from our own oldest daughter's big day!

These are for you, Susan! 

Brother and sister of the bride looking handsome and gorgeous!

 

Youngest sister as Flower girl looking like a princess!

 

Paul waking his lovely daughter down the aisle!

 

Getting ready to give away the bride. But not before a few words of wisdom were spoken to the soon -to -be- married couple! I wonder what he said???

 

If you are wearing a grey robe, please come and get in the picture!
 

Dancing with Dad.

 

Dad, what's in the bag?

 

A few tears as Paul produces a glass slipper from the bag!

 

Hugs from his own Cinderella!

 

(And Susan, you did a masterful job dodging the camera! I didn't have any good pictures of you!  Watch out next time, my friend!)

Simple Woman

 

(Read the other daybook entries at The Simple Woman )

FOR TODAY May 18, 2009

Outside My Window...  Birds are singing, oblivious to the impending rain.

I am thinking... I need to figure out what to wear for a date with my hubby in the big city tonight!  A Monday night date… who would’ve thought???

I am thankful for... my wise husband who gives such wonderful counsel to our extended family.  He may have a second career ahead of him.  Ask anyone who knows him and they will tell you what a great listener he is and what sage advice he dishes out.

From the kitchen… I need to prepare dinner for the kids before I catch that train later. I’m thinking sautéed chicken breast because it is so simple and they all love it.

I am wearing... p.j.’s and robe, still.

I am creating... summer plans that are not too structured, yet structured enough that we don’t get bored! Does that make sense?

I am going... to starve myself all day. Tonight’s date will be to a BBQ restaurant in Manhattan. The meal, served family style, will consist of appetizers ( including something called Frito Pie, and Barbecued bacon chunks),  a sampling of various BBQ’d meats;  onion strings;  corn bread ; and other yummy-sounding  things too numerous to list; and for dessert a choice of bacon chocolate chip cookies  or fried Oreos. Since I can’t reconcile even saying bacon and chocolate in the same sentence, I may try the Oreo, but even that doesn’t sound appealing.  If the plaque in my arteries doesn’t increase threefold after this meal, I will report back on it sometime this week!  Wish me luck!

I am reading... A book by Dr. Peter Kreeft called How to Win the Culture War: A Christian Battle Plan for a Society in Crisis.  After hearing Dr. Kreeft speak at my son’s high school a few weeks ago I ordered this book immediately.  I can’t put it down!

I am hoping... my back continues to heal so I can get back to walking the dog.

I am hearing...  hardly anything except for my daughter’s alarm which she has just snoozed for the third time!

Around the house... much catching up to do. An unexpected bout with a bad back set me back with the housework, but I think I can begin to do some catching up today.

One of my favorite things...  the first time I serve baked beans and corn on the cob this time of year. It gets everyone excited for summer!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: track;  ballet; pre-cana couples here Thursday night;  a long five day weekend ahead for my two in school;  a wedding in Pennsylvania Saturday(what to wear???) 

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Ben is the frontrunner in the blue and gold. I love the look of determination on his face. He is a talented  long distance runner, who in spite of his asthma, competes in the 800m at most meets.

 

Wordless Wednesday...Spring Flowers

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year

                                                                   -from "A Prayer in Spring" Robert Frost (1915)

 

 

 

 

 

How I finally learned to enjoy Mother's Day...

 

I always thought it was strange that on the days leading up to Mother's Day, I felt a dark cloud gathering over me.  My mood would continue to deteriorate until by the time the day got here, I would  end up in tears in my room.  Please don't think ill of my husband or children for this, for they have always done their best to make the day special for me. But, somehow, I would always find a way to ruin their best efforts.  I had to do some real soul searching to figure out why I couldn't just let myself enjoy the day and accept the cards and gifts graciously. 

For one thing, I discovered that I had not fully healed from losing my own mother many years ago. As a matter of fact, she died five months after I gave birth to our first daughter, back in 1988.  I will never forget that Mother's Day.  It was my first. It was her last.  She had just given me the one and only Mother's Day card I would ever get from her. She said to me  "It's your first Mother's Day. And... " her voice trailed off. We both completed her thought silently.  "This isn't right."  Her eyes welled up and it was the first and only time during her nine month illness that I saw her tears.  She was a pillar of strength for our family to the end.

For the next few Mother's Days when I would be buying cards for Dan's mom I would would torture myself by choosing the card I would send my mom if she were still here.  It is pretty pathetic standing in the Hallmark store crying as you choose a card you have no intention of buying.  But I see this as a behavior that fueled the dark cloud gathering.

I think I felt that I couldn't let myself enjoy Mother's Day and so I allowed my mood to darken to the point that no matter what anyone did for me, I wouldn't let myself accept it.  One year, something happened that really ticked me off.   I barely remember what it was, but I think I trained my family into feeling they couldn't please me on this day, no matter what they did. And maybe for that one year they gave up trying. All I remember is grabbing my purse and the car keys and leaving... like a big crybaby! I didn't even tell them where I was going.

I drove around for a bit and ended up in a big Barnes and Noble bookstore. The kind with the coffee shop and couches everywhere. And music and DVD section.  I let myself wander for a while and get a grip on myself.  I had a nice cup of coffee while reading my favorite magazine. I bought myself a few books.  I kept trying to reconcile myself with this day that was going to haunt me every year for the rest of my life. It finally hit me that there would be no Mother's Day for me to celebrate if it weren't for my husband and children! A light bulb went on and I decided then and there that I could turn this day around and make it a day for me to appreciate them for helping me become the woman and mother I am. I decided to get each of them a small gift. Was it to show them my appreciation or to ease my guilt at my childish outburst?  You decide.

When I got home, Dan was in my garden hooking up a new sprinkler he had gotten me and a new bench was out there beckoning me to sit and just enjoy the serenity of my yet to be planted vegetable garden.  There was stil enough of the day left to salvage and in the end it was the first Mother's Day since 1988 that I actually enjoyed!  It  only took me about  sixteen years , but I had arrived.

I was reading some of this discussion  going on at Faith and Family live and I see I was not alone with having issues over Mother's day.  I pray for all the moms involved in the discussion there and those reading this rather lengthy post, that we can all realize that Mother's Day is but ONE DAY out of a whole year. Keep it in perspective.  If feeling neglected on Mother's Day is a problem, then maybe feeling neglected all year is the problem; or maybe our expectations need some adjusting; or maybe there is something in our past that is hanging us up on this day.  Try and figure it out, because Mother's Day comes back every year. Try and find some joy in it! 

This year, I really soaked in the pampering that came my way.  But even if I didn't get it, I think I would have been fine.  I don't want all this attention on one day out of the year and the rest of the year be left wondering if I am appreciated at all! So I made a mental list of all the unsolicited kindnesses I have received from my family recently.  It wouldn't fill a book, but it was satisfiying nonetheless. From daughters who readily take over driving and babysitting resposibilities, to sons who tidy their rooms without being asked and critique compliment my cooking, to a husband who brings me coffee each morning and prays with me before leaving for work.  I'd say I am pretty appreciated around here. I don't need a Hallmark card to tell me. But they are nice, too!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms who stop by my humble little home on the web. I snipped these lilacs and dogwood blossoms for you!  Have a great day.

 

It's Mary's Month!

Simple Woman. Alliteratively Speaking.

 

(Read the other daybook entries at The Simple Woman )

 FOR TODAY May 4, 2009:

 

 Outside My Window...  Drizzling. Damp. Dreary. Depressing!

 

I am thinking...Lamenting  lots of long lists.

 

I am thankful for...  Happy home.  Health.  Handsome hubby.

 

From the kitchen… munching moist, mountains of muffins.

 

I am wearing...comfy cleaning clothes. 

 

I am creating... calmness out of chaos

 

I am going…   trucking tots to and fro

 

I am reading… big books, brainy books, bunches of boy books

 

I am hoping…  Someone sends sunshine soon!

 

I am hearing … Never-ending, numbing numbers from the nearby school table!

 

Around the house...  summer shorts, swimsuits , sandals.  Set to go.

 

One of my favorite things...  Baking … bread, biscuits, big batches of brownies, blueberry muffins.

 

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:  Get going with the garden growing!!

 

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Lazy Luke lounging. 

 

Someone's Having Some Fun...

I don't know how long this will last, but....

My daughter was looking up "Marxism" on wikipedia for a history paper and their search directs you to the entry for... none other than  our dear president!! That's right.  Barack Obama's entry pops up when you search Marxism! Go figure. Some hacker is having a laugh somewhere!  So am I!!