Burning the Candle at Both Ends

Nature 101

Thomas and Hannah were intently  watching something  on the step outside the front door. They were both fascinated and entertained.  Here is what I overheard:

Hannah: Cool. Thomas, Look at the siamese bug!

Thomas: Hannah that's not a siamese bug. I think it's two bugs.

Hannah: Your'e right. It is two bugs.  Mom! Come look at the bugs. One is giving the other a piggy back ride! Cool.

Some might call this a "teachable moment".  Not this mom.

Mom: Yes, it is cool how the bugs play so nicely together, isn't it?

He's still the one...

Remember that song from way back in the seventies? I thought it was so corny. But now, twenty- four years into our marriage, it does have some signiificance... though it is still corny.

Twenty-four years have gone by so quickly yet so much can happen in twenty-four years.  This morning, on our anniversary, I am mulling over all the things we've been through, and wondering what lies ahead.  Whether good or not, all our experiences in marriage can serve to strengthen our bond if we call upon the grace of the sacrament to help us along. Here is a list of just some of our joys and challenges of the last twenty-four years...

we brought six beautiful chldren into the world

we suffered the loss of all four of our parents

we bought our first house... a real "fixer-upper"

we sold our first house

we bought our second house.. the keeper

we watched our first daughter marry and strike out on her own with her new husband

we spent the first year and a half of married life commuting to work in the city together.. and then figured out how to live with one breadwinner once we began our family

we lived through 9-11 and all the worry that entailed (and still does) when you send your huband off to work in Manhattan each morning

we traveled most of the way across the country with six kids in a van to see the Grand Canyon

we survived seeing our two oldest daughters wreck three cars between  them and we only came away with a few more gray hairs

we lived through a major kitchen expansion/remodel and didn't kill each other or the contractor!

we are watching our children grow up and are reaping the benfits of bringing them up in the faith and trying to teach them to put God and family first.

we have thrown many  communion, birthday, graduation and any other type of party you can imagine!

we have been blessed with many, many, good and true friends

we have witnessed each other begin the aging process... the vanishing waistlines, the addtion of new chins, the graying of hair... and yet see beyond the package and into the heart (more of a challenge for him, I think!)

we learned the value of laughter even in some of our toughest crises

we flew to Europe B.C. (before children) to visit his brother in Germany and to visit the site of alleged apparitons in Medugorje

we were so blessed to have taken that trip as we lost  his brother suddenly just a few short years later

we have spent the last fifteen years trying to pass along a bit of our marriage wisdom to engaged couples in our parish's pre-cana program

we survived a period of unemployment

we got through some tight financial times  ( with lots of laughter and good humor)

we discovered the importance of not taking the other for granted

we learned that the element of surprise in marriage keeps things fresh... whether a surprise getaway, a surprise gift, a surprise night out or just a surprise spontaneous walk in the evening.

we nursed each other through sickness, surgery, and childbirth recovery

we discovered that when things get tough, prayer time together is essential.

we learned that prayer time together is essential even when things are going smooth... maybe we avoided some tough times through those prayers.

we learned that following Christ's model of service is key to a happy marriage

we learned that when one partner is willing to serve in a marriage, it creates the desire in the other to serve as well... when things are going well and both are trying to outserve each other, life can be really nice!

 

Happy Anniversary Dan! 

A twenty-year-old birthday gift

The year I turned twenty-six was memorable. I was two weeks late with the birth of our second daughter. Everyone kept telling me she was waiting for my birthday to make her debut. Right on schedule, on the afternoon of my twenty-sixth birthday the contractions began.  I was so exicted to think that I would get to share my birthday again. After losing my mom, who I shared the same birthday with, two years earlier, I was ready to share my cake again.

Well, the little stinker decided to be born at 1:30 AM... missing my birthday by a mere ninety minutes! I still consider her my favorite birthday gift of all time!

From the very beginning, Jessie had a mind of her own. She has been and always will be a blessing to our family. With her creative side, her sense of humor and her love of children and family she keeps our home fun and we love her!

Happy Birthday Jess! We love you !

One small change...

can make me smile big. I got these small glass bud vases in a three-pack for $2.00 in my favorite bargain store  and added small bundles of lavender from my yard. I just love how they look on the shelves over my bedroom windows! Added bonus: to really appreciate the simple beauty of these little pick-me-ups, I had to clean my room! Now I don't want to leave it.

Have a great day!

It's a wrap!

If all goes as planned, tomorrow should be our last "official" day of the 2009-2010 school year. For the first time, I am giving Thomas "final exams".  Just minor assessments to see if he retained anything at all of what we've covered in the past year. So far, the results are encouraging. I will probably be leaving them alone for the rest of June, as far as "schoolwork " is concerned so I can tend to some household matters. The most pressing being... "Who is getting Kate's room?????"

After much deliberation and campaigning on the part of the kids, the solutioin to this dilemma is to give the room to 17yo Ben, who has been bunking with 9yo Thomas since Thomas was in a crib.  There is a semi-private bedroom (meaning, it adjoins two smaller bedrooms), which is rather large. That will go to Thomas, who is thrilled to have his own room, even if it means a steady flow of traffic coming through it at all hours.  Becky will still share with Hannah, but her consolation for that is moving into Thomas and Ben's old room which has a door and no thru traffic. She is thrilled to have the privacy which all 15 year-old girls crave. I think we have stumbled on a good compromise which seems to have placated everyone. That is, until the next one moves out!

So Becky and Ben take their last final tomorrow, Thomas wraps up fourth grade at home and summer offically begins in our home.  I love this time of year. As the previous homeschool year ends with its accompanying burnout and feeling of "I'm done... overdone even" there is an odd sense of excitement and anticipation in thinking of plans for the coming year.  Spending last weekend at the IHM Conference   in Chantilly, VA was just the shot in the arm I needed to make the necessary changes and get my home running in the way I envision it should be.  Oh boy, do my kids LOVE when I go to a conference! I usually come home with a renewed sense of purpose, feeling empowered to make those unpopular decisions, like... unplugging the cable; maintaining math and reading skills throughout the summer; chores for everyone; and (much) less computer time for Mom!  Yes, if I want to keep my children productive and occupied with positive things all summer, I definitely need to be more available to them.  If all goes well, I will not be "keeping up with the blogs", mine or anyone else's , this summer.Oh, I'll still be checking in daily, but blog-hopping and posting has moved waaaay down on my list of priorities. I'll most likely be  checking in once each evening. Hopefully, my children and I will be enjoying some fun times together and  creating a home that is both pleasing to God and each other.

Wishing everyone a blessed summer!