Lord, That I May See

"Combat hurry... pace oneself more to the rhythm of the child." --Sofia Cavalletti "Few people, whether child or adult, have two free minutes to rub together, much less a great lake of time in which to just be, to lollygag --inefficient and unscheduled . . . We must provide sanctuary for children and adults from the pressure to produce, to get ahead: a place and the time to simply be." --Betsy Peterson  "On Time: An Essay in Support of Inefficiency"  in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd 2013 journal

You know how many comments mothers get.  Whether you have one child or ten, people have many thoughts on children that they usually feel compelled to share upon seeing you.  "You have your hands full!" "What beautiful children!" "Uhhh, she's getting into your wipes." "That poor kid with 3 big sisters!" "I hope you're having a boy this time." "Wow, you're a brave woman." "Enjoy it now when they're little!" "I could never do that, I can barely handle two!" "Don't let her put that in her mouth!" I've heard the above comments several to many times each.  I usually smile and mind my business. People have opinions to express and are looking for connection and mothers with children are good outlets for those needs.  But, my favorite comment is one I heard last month. I was on the Amtrak train to NYC with Sparky.  He was fussing and I was bracing myself in the aisle of the crowded ...

our engagement day nine years ago today. :) And remembering my beloved Papa on his feast day! I love Pope Francis very much, and I love Pope Benedict too, but a special love I have for my very first Papa, John Paul II. Isn't this a lovely picture?  I like it because I pretend that I am that little girl -- she looks like I did.

5:37  I wake up. Start hollering and crying. 5:39  My big sister goes to my Mommy's room complaining, "He's wakin' up me!" Mom comes. I stop crying immediately.  5:40 Breakfast. Never mind that I ate a little while ago.  5:44 I'm done but I lie still. My Mom is starting to hope that I'm falling back to sleep.  5:45  Psych! I start talking. Loudly.  5:46-6:00 I talk more. Spit up on Mommy. Roll around.  My parents are in denial and try to ignore me.  6:01 I know they hope I'm gonna settle down but I want up and doin'!   I start whining and growling.  6:02 Daddy throws a couple random objects in my direction. Sure, I'll play with a fan remote and speaker box and a thermometer case.  For a few minutes.  6:07 I'm climbing on Mommy now. Daddy has turned on his glowing object and is doing something VERY interesting. 6:08 I'm getting mad. Can't have the phone. No one wants to play with me. And my teeth hurt. I'm gonna pitch-a fit...

About a week ago, Sparky and I took a fun trip to NYC with some of my friends.  It was almost a surreal experience and I still can't believe I successfully managed and even thrived in this big city with my amazingly cheerful little tag-along. View from the hotel room Times Square Sparky in Central Park, checking out the sights More Central Park The Cloisters Little Italy My Traveling Buddy Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge Best crepe I ever had -- or was I just starving? :) Top of the Rockefeller Center at night I love this juxtaposition of sleek and seasoned. My little guy was so patient and happy, and yet so, so tired. Riding the train

On a walk the other day with my two little ones, Sunshine decided that she wanted to collect items to "nature study."  We ended up with a large collection of things in the basket of the stroller.  She enthusiastically chose a leaf from almost every plant we passed, dead leaves from the gutter, three different kinds of pine-cones, flowers, magnolia pods, pieces of bark, a little BB that she found and, at the very end, the prize of a bird feather.  She was delighted with everything she found. And I, the distracted adult, balking at the need she had to stop every five feet and at the mess of crushed leaves that I was charged with, how much I have to learn from my little Noticer . What treasures there are in our path if we have the eyes to see!

Grandpa and his bird watching log -- Easter 2012 Sunshine at prayer time (doing my heart good!): Thank you Lord for giving us Grandpa Thank you Lord for giving us Daddy Thank you Lord for giving us Grandpa and me Right where we are.