{CWA} ~ October 15, 2012

Moments of Gratitude
~ sticky lollipop hands offering me the last little bit
~ teaching Joe the finer points of scoring in football...(he doesn't care, but know that daddy and I do...so he listened and is taking it in)
~ sweet helpers at the grocery store who make my child laugh at just the right moment
~ prayers whispered and sung

From the Kitchen and Pondering about Beauty in the Ordinary
....there is this Chicken coconut curry in the crock pot and simmering on the stove is this Lamb stock (thanks to the bones from our CSA).  Later in the week, we may have a fritatta. 

As I talked with my friend Colleen this morning, I mentioned that clearly, my mind and heart are wrestling with some very loud fears. I know this, because my sink and counter tops and stove are working at full capacity. When I am overwhelmed, I cook. There is healing and grace that comes from chopping and slicing and boiling....  Motherhood, this beautifully raw vocation that I have chosen and desired astounds me with the force of it. How it can wrap my heart in a love indescribable and yet bring me to my knees with the pain of it.... And so as I attempt to make sense of it all....I cook. 

And as I do, there is a prayer card tucked against the windowsill behind a rock that Joe gave to me years ago from a walk in the woods. This is the image I see:

And this is the prayer:

O Mary, Mother of the Unborn, protect the gift of human life which your Divine Son has allowed to be given.

Give strength and joy to all parents as the await the birth of the precious child they have conceived.

Give courage to those who are fearful, calm those who are anxious and guide all of us, with your motherly care, to treasure and protect the miraculous gift of human life.

We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Mary Mother of the Unborn, Pray for Us.

Praying

...for continued grace to just allow life to flow as it should as I watch my children become who they were meant to be...no matter how long it takes, or how hard the struggle. To just enjoy the journey. I am not called to measure myself or my children against anyone else. (But how do I tell that to my heart?)

...for our country...that we come to recognize that all life is Sacred... (how have we come to believe that children are expendable? or that we can just choose to not allow them to live? I just don't understand. We can do so much better.)

Reading

Magnificat
Abraham, A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths
Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian ... for some reason, this author has completely captured me lately. This is the 5th book of his that I am just devouring....

Captured

I have to share this picture from 2 weeks ago when we went to the blessing of the animals. Our wonderful Deacon Eric, Joe praying and holding tight to our dog, Cleo. And then there's Maximilian, checking in on our kitties, Han, and Sasha. (His comment, "Day get wawa too?" just melted all of us.)

Sharing with the beautiful women of Suscipio

{CWA} ~ October 8, 2012

Moments of Gratitude

~ Joe's unbridled laughter while watching Victor Borge 
~ Tom bringing me a cup of coffee with just the right amount of sweetness
~ blessing of the animals at our parish
~ praying the living Rosary with Joe at school
~ hearing Joe teach Max the Hail Mary line by line... with patience
~ phone calls from sisters
~ e-mail from mom and dad while they are in Sicily

Beauty in the Ordinary

My climbing rose blooming at the top of the gutter.... ;)

From the kitchen

~ Butternut squash soup (without the heavy cream...it just doesn't need it, and neither does my figure)
~ Roasted pork loin (never got to it last week...)
~ Something warm and apple flavored....maybe this?

Reading

Pondering

"America you are beautiful . . . and blessed . . . . The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless. If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." ~ Pope John Paul II

Praying

~ Oh. Still lots of prayers happening here for our country.
~ Also, for an increase in civility with one another.... We need to be able to disagree without such anger and hatred. The internet, unfortunately, has often become a weapon of words....
~ For my sister Katie, as she celebrates her birthday tomorrow. Love you, sis. xoxo

Captured ~

My son, Joe, captured this picture of Mrs. Romney as I was holding a very wiggly Max..... Even though our little group didn't have a ticket, she came over to us to say hello. She was incredibly kind and gracious...

Gratefully sharing with the beautiful women at Suscipio today

Catholic Woman's Almanac ~ October 1, 2012

Moments of Gratitude
~ time at the beach with my Tom to celebrate our 17th anniversary
~ time to meet with Misty over coffee and pastries...and meet "in real life" this beautiful friend 
~ time to play with Max and laugh at the funny things that he does and says
~ time to explore friendships, new and old....

Beauty in the Ordinary

From the Kitchen
Today.....
Chicken meatalls
Sweet potato fries
Creamed spinach

Later this week....
Potato-bacon chowder (with freshly dug potatoes from our CSA)
Rosemary/Basalmic-Pork tenderloin


Praying
~For this beautiful country of ours as we look to the election....and most especially for the respect for all life....
~For my parents and their fellow parish members on their pilgrimage to Sicily....
~For Colleen and her dad as they pilgrimage to Medjugorje
~ For Joe, as he continues to navigate the intricate maze of school, friendships, and just...life

Reading

Listening to

Dying Young Soundtrack
Sesame Street


Captured

My sweet brother-in-law, Eric, and his Godson, Charlie

Gratefully sharing at Suscipio today....

Catholic Woman's Almanac ~ 7/16/12

Moments of Gratitude

~ sharing the day with Whitney 

~ daydreaming with Tom 

~ watching Max and Joe build memories and hearing the laughter as they play

~ memories that flood back in

Beauty in the Ordinary

Blonde in the sun

From the kitchen

Cucumber salad, fresh-brewed iced tea, coconut-milk popsicles. Lately it just feels too hot to cook.

Praying

For our troops and for their continued safety... 

For my sis and for her newest baby, Charlie...

Pondering

My littlest is turning 2 on Saturday and it still comes as a surprise that he is getting older. With his wildly independent streak, I am savoring the moments when he crawls into my lap and snuggles in or brings me a book to read. Grateful, too, for the moments when Joe (at the ripe old age of 10) wants to curl up and read. May this never really end...

Reading

The Book of the Dead ... a fun summertime read

The Incredible Journey ... with Joe
Once Upon a Potty ... with Max. Over and over. And EXCITEDLY!!!!

Pinned

For the birds  boys... ;) .. fun things to make for birds. By the boys.

Storybook wisdom ... What Harry can teach Joe

For when I'm fearful ... a good quote

Looking ahead

Is it wrong that I don't really want to look ahead? This week I am truly enjoying the slower pace of summertime and laziness and just being with my boys as much as possible. Tonight we are having dinner with some wonderful friends and are going to make some plans for when we are in Florida at the same time. Yes. The land of Mickey. (Looking ahead to this trip still makes me a little dizzy. Next week.)

Captured

Brothers

Sharing again today at Suscipio

Catholic Woman's Almanac

First of all, I apologize for the long distance between postings.... there has been so much to say and yet, well, sometimes I am unable to simply because of the fear and joy and hurt that fills my heart. I will be better, I promise, and this new link-up is a great place to start to begin to trust my feelings again......

Moments of Gratitude

~ dear Carol, her sweet friendship, and time to just BE (And recognizing that someone traveled across 3 states with 3 girls to come and visit me?!?! Humbled.)

~ tears of cleansing and prayers for humility and grace

~ conversations with Kristie who is like 8 states away, and for the instant love and understanding that comes across the miles

~ life seen through the eyes of a 10 year old boy who wants there to really be a Star Wars world "in real life"... 

~ giggling 2 year old who thinks that a sock puppet with no eyes (literally, just a sock from the laundry basket) is the most wonderfully funny thing in the world

Beauty in the Ordinary

Lucy meeting Charlie ~ Family

From the kitchen

Lovely zucchini and cherry tomatoes from the garden. We fried some and grilled some and ate some right off of the vine. It has been so miserably humidly hot here so there has been lots of watermelon and cold cucumber salads too.

Praying

for continued guidance on this path of motherhood.... and for the grace to accept the trials that come. Oh how I need to just need to learn to not let the things that people say or rolled eyes that they send my son's way or the "what's wrong with him, exactly?" questions that are so rudely asked. As 40 approaches, I still have my heart on my sleeve and thin skin, and the firm belief that yes, the world is a beautiful place. While I do love that about myself, it has also caused me the most grief, for it is hard for this extrovert to not allow what others say become truth. 

Meditating

"You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You." 

~ St. Augustine

Pondering

How have I been so lucky to have the powerful friendships that I do?! Such love and trust and heart are so precious to me, and when women can form such bonds, I believe that it is one of the strongest things on the planet. We need to to build each other up, pull each other up, and continue to share our hearts, our stories, and our lives. Why haven't I been better at this?!

Reading

Queen of the Summer Stars ~ a fun summer read about the Arthurian legend from Guinevere's perspective. This is the 2nd in a trilogy.

The Willoughbys ~ with Joe. Such a funny story with heart.

Magnificat 
Time For Bed ~ with Max... "A-den A-den!" (Again, Again!) Precious bedtime reading...

Pinned

Damage = Beauty (I am touched by brokenness. And the beauty that results.)

Smoky chili bison black bean burgers (this sounds so yummy. i have bison meat from our CSA...)

Sea = Remedy (Always yearning for that ocean. The salt air pulls at my heart.)

Introverts (Still learning about my darling son, Joe.)

Looking ahead

The boys and I are finally going to have an almost completely unstructured week next week. We can visit friends, sleep in, nap, use our zoo passes, and just play. Schedules are great, but.... I feel the need to be free. Two boys help will help me to catch that feeling.

Captured

Max (almost 2)

Hoping to share at Suscipio every Monday (not Wednesday like this week...)