Lord, That I May See

  #1.    Lent is coming -- it's less than two weeks away!  This year I actually am starting to think about Lent and how we will celebrate (can you say that about Lent??) it before Shrove Tuesday.   It must be because it isn't beginning until March.  So far, I am planning to do the same simple things that we did last year, along, of course with the Stations of the Cross -- a much-looked-forward to prayer in our home. (A friend, however, has informed me that the Stations of the Cross are required to be said where one is actually moving from station to station?    Also, there must be a crucifix present -- we have been neglecting that, since we usually use simply the images of the 14 stations.  Does anyone know anything about such "requirements"?  Are they not "valid" or something without these things?) #2.  Lenten resolutions for myself?   Hey, I'm still thinking . . . .   Two years ago, one of my reso...

We're praying the rosary. On one side of me Turtle is laying on my shoulder, her arms around mine.  Sunshine is lying on my lap, alternately nursing and teething on me, and she's reaching her little fingers up, trying to put her hand in my mouth, poking her fingers up my nose, pulling my hair.  Rosebud is on the other side of me, her feet moving against my thigh, her hand entwined in my hair, stroking it and sucking her thumb. My skin is crawling.  I feel like I am going to burst . . . scream . . . leap up in the air . . . something, anything to get me out.  Out from between hot little bodies, out into a that chair over there -- temptingly promising room for only one, away from pokes and fingers and warm breath. But I don't. I can't.  Some  moments are like this for me.  I call it getting "touched out."  Sometimes all I want is to not be touched. Mothering, this vocation full of physicality, is so hard sometimes.  I am hard pressed t...

It was 3 years ago. I still miss her.

I love that I have a mother who homeschooled too.  Not only do I get a person to go to for advice, but I get to mooch off of her awesome materials! :) My mom and dad gave my girls some great Christmas presents this year.  First, Snack Recipes.  My mom made some little recipe books for different snacks that the girls can make all by themselves.  My little brother used to love them, but now that he's older, my girls get to have them and I'm so excited! I have set aside a shelf in the refrigerator with food supplies for the snacks.  I leave the snack recipes and equipment out on their kitchen shelves and every afternoon the girls get to make their own snack.  They take turns choosing and making it.  Sometimes they need a bit of help, and sometimes we don't have the ingredients for some snacks  (and so I just put away that recipe book ).  But overall, they love this!  Turtle is very competent and independent with this work and Rosebud is ...

Today was the feast of one of my favorite titles of Mary ~ Our Lady of Lourdes.  I love to remember the day that I spent there 7 years ago.   So, in honor of the feast I wanted to link to this old post.

Here we are, the 10th day of February and someone in this house has been sick every day of this month so far.  And with people still recovering and potential chicken pox about to break out any second (we were exposed two weeks ago??) I wonder if I'm far off in predicting that this trend isn't over yet? I got sick Feb 1st with the flu.  I was sick for 4-5 days, and boy, I haven't been that down for the count since . . . hmm . . . a long time ago.  This flu is a ringer. Turtle came down with it on Sunday, right when I was better.  She's had it worse than me, poor thing.  She hasn't been eating, she's pretty pale and weak and her fever has been pretty constant for the past 5 days. Yesterday she was even complaining of shortness of breath and extreme photo-sensitivity that had me calling the pediatrician.   Thankfully, today's the first day that she's moving around, but not eating normally yet.  Sunshine's on her second day of a fever, cold and cough...