Lord, That I May See

 JANUARY FEBRUARY Dress shopping with my sister! MARCH  APRIL    by Bella Face Photography  MAY 1st Communion Cake -- by Turtle's godfather JUNE JULY  AUGUST  SEPTEMBER At Grandpa's funeral  OCTOBER  NOVEMBER DECEMBER  Linking up at House Unseen, Life Unscripted.  Happy New Year!

1. St. Nick brought this little yummies for Daddy and Mommy last night.  Oh MY, delish! 2.  Yesterday was wonderfully warm and we grabbed an hour to go for a walk.  The girls wandered in a (putrid-ish) stream and got appropriately muddy.  Sparky watched in envy from the stroller.  He's so wonderfully attached to me still.  I do love how close he stays to me, but I can see him starting to raise his eyes to the distance and think about the coming days when he'll be booking it from my side in the blink of an eye. 3.  My parents are leaving their home of 18 years in January.  They will be living with my Grandma and storing their whole house for several months. Over Thanksgiving my sisters and I helped clean out some our old stuff in the attic and basement.  We reminisced a lot over old gems.   I think it is hard for my mom to get rid of things that were so useful and/or treasured once, so she needs our help to take and use...

1.  Advent. Turtle and I have been talking about people celebrating Christmas too early and skipping Advent.  She tells me she loves Advent because the days are exciting when you are looking forward to Christmas.  I completely agree.  (Is it okay that I like Advent better than Christmas?? ) 2.   Sunshine and her dancing.  "Mommy, can I dance for you?" she says She wears this purple "tutu" all day, every day, everywhere we go.  I can sometimes get her to wear clothes underneath.  3. Baby's First Christmas  I'm excited about Sparky's first Christmas coming soon.  And he gets really excited about the Advent candle we light at dinner.   I love to see each beloved tradition as so new through his eyes. 4.  Rosebud called the Sunday of the pink candle (Gaudete Sunday) "Al Dente Sunday" the other day.   You know, like pasta! 5.   These photographs .  I love to look at them. More F...

"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...