Power at the Pump

Memorial Day Weekend:

A time to remember those who have died in active military service! A tribute to those who pay the price so I can live freely.

THANK YOU SOLDIERS, 

for your service!

It is also a highly traveled weekend due to a 3 day vacation for most people.  This year we have joined the ranks and made a journey just over 400 miles in one direction to visit family for a beautiful baptism.

But, back to the story.  Do you ever get 'loaded up' and think you're ready to leave, but don't actually get out the door for another hour due to loading process?  We are notorious for not leaving at the scheduled time when we first get started out on a trip. I think it's the: making sure we have what we need, the bathroom breaks, the chasing toddlers while trying to remember what we're forgetting.  For some reason, it's an accomplishment just to get out of the door!  

We stumbled through loading up yesterday.  As I put the final touches into bags after completing laundry, my dear husband cleaned out the van.  It's always good to start with a clean slate! Especially after the van has been lived in: for eating, napping, playing and storing garbage and clothes in between activities. In the meantime, my 'key boy' kept himself occupied by 'helping' Daddy.  Vincent has mastered the gadgets of the van. He was thoughtful as he helped his Daddy: giving him music to listen to, air conditioning, lights, and he even checked to make sure the blinkers worked! 

Vincent was thorough.  We finally got to the point of pulling out of the driveway. Or so I thought.  I turned the key to start the van.  Nothing.  So I tried again.  And smile.  Who was I kidding that we'd be leaving.  Thank God we had another vehicle and jumper cables.  There's something about being connected to a Power source to recharge our batteries.

The engine started back up after the second try and we were out of the driveway and on the road to deliver the doggy to his favorite play place.  I like this little trip out the door, completely loaded.  It gives me time to think about what we may have forgotten.  Two things made the list this time after we dropped off the doggy.  We came back to the house on our way to the interstate for the important things: camera and sippy cup!  And would you believe, 3 kids jumped out to use the bathroom!  Boy am I glad we didn't get down the road 2o minutes, and hear, "I have to go potty!"

In those few minutes back at the house, our neighbor yelled across the street, "Did you remember to pack your patience?"  I chuckled and thought, 'I'm not sure.'  My husband on the other hand responded, "Yep, I think all our patients are accounted for!" Just another way we think differently.  

And we were off!  Traveling with kids is an adventure in itself.  They get along, they fight, they sleep and they get loud and rambunctious with no rhyme or reason for any situation. Ok, well maybe there is reasoning behind some of it: like fighting when they are starving and sharing laughter after being  refueled.  Its fun, and at times trying, as we decipher which pokes to ignore and which ones to correct. But we're in it together and even though we get on each other's nerves at times, we still have the opportunity to love and practice patience.

And that is where this story came to fruition.  As we sat in church, Father reiterated, "God is Patience. This week, ask God for the gift of patience, because He is always Patient with us."  All I could think of was our neighbor asking if we packed all our patience. But, you know, our tanks only hold so much.  We need to refuel; stop in at the Station during our journey, so the Holy Spirit can pump us full with Patience once again; that we may Love like Christ:   

Life is full of times when we miss turns and have to map out new directions.  Sometimes we're in control and other times we have to sit back and be patient with others when we don't understand what they are doing.  We should smile and say Thank You, just like our Father, when He watches our feeble attempts to serve Him.

And so, We Soldier On...

"Are we there yet?"  

"Nope."

"When will we be be there?"

"When we get there; enjoy the ride!"

"Ewe, the van tooted!"

(followed by giggles)

For God so loved the world...

So must we!

A Fungus Amungus

Anyone know their mushrooms?

"It looks like a soccer ball."

 KICK it or LICK it?

Fly Guy

Ok, I just got this image in an email, and with 7 guys in this house I'm curious to see if it cuts down my cleaning:

Captioned:

 "It improves aim. If a man sees a fly, he aims at it...reducing spillage by 80%."

Would it work in this house?

Or

 (as I rethink this)

Would my nature boys get distracted and try to catch the fly to feed the fish? 

I'm just saying...

With my Blessings,

It'd probably backfire

Right onto the floor. 

Because it took too long to capture the fly from the toilet.

Battleship...

Because life is like a game of battleship:

As St. Josemaria Escriva puts it:

Watchman, how goes the night? May you acquire the habit of having a day on guard once a week, during which to increase your self-giving and loving vigilance over details, and to pray and mortify yourself a little more.

Realize that the Holy Church is like a great army in battle array.  And you within that army, are defending one front on which there are attacks, engagements with the enemy and counter-attacks. Do you see what I mean?

This readiness to grow closer to God will lead you to turn your days, one after the other, into days on guard.

-from the Furrow, 960

T.P.-Thoroughly Pristine

Because life with Toilet Paper

Is Good

Happy Friday

Through the cross,
 we are "spread thin"
and all offenses are wiped clean.

Camping Highlights (vol 4)

Subtitled:

A quick get-a-way

To honor the goal of recreation

With some:

 Yummy Marshmallows:

Competitive 4-Square!

A bit of exercise:

And a bit of rest:

As Kathryn puts it,

"I don't want to overexert myself!"

So the next time you feel a little burnt-out:

Peel away the blackness and you'll find the good stuff beneath!

Because a little fire and some fresh air is just what the Doctor ordered!

Thanks, Doc!

We feel much better.  :) 

Maybe it's because I'm getting a quick break from chasing the two sleepers below:

Sparkling Spring Carnival!

Gina, on the morning of the spring carnival, "Mom, it's sparkling outside!" 

It was sprinkling.

The proof is on the window:

This was taken on our way to this young ladies' appointment to the orthodontist, as we zig-zaged through the neighborhoods dodging closed roads.

And now her mouth is 'sparkling' as well:

Later that day was our Annual Spring Carnival.  

Spring: because it always seems to rain. 

Carnival: because it truly is an exciting or riotous mixture of something.

Like when we were loading up to go, and half the kids ran up to the park to see if they could locate where the lightening hit ground with an array of fiery sparks during a previous storm.  And in that time, we missed our window of opportunity to arrive at the carnival dry before the next storm came through.

We were drenched, but somehow we survived the excitement

Well, most of the tribe anyway:

There is a reason one baby and two adults are not pictured.

Can we say, excitement overload.

Has anyone seen Mrs. Potato Head?

Umm, yes, 

A Sparkling Spring Carnival

Mother's day notes:

Kids Notes are the best!

For those of you who don't know what I look like:

Blue eyes. Brown eyes. They're all the same, right!

Anyone else like to watch Father Crappy? Or Croppy? Not be be confused with crappie-but, if my fishing son chose to spell it this way, I'm sure Fr Corapi would take it as a compliment.  The crappie fish comes from the family of sunfish in which the male builds the nest and then guards the eggs and young.

Also, take note: the author of the above note did not fill anything in for 'in her spare time'.  

Evidently he doesn't know what that is either.  ;) 

(some days are better than others)

Followed up with,

 "Yeah, since you help me, I don't have to."

I may have to take the contents of this note into reconsideration.

And the one I still question the meaning of is below:

"Your so sweet and kind Mom but you layed Christopher."

Maybe I need to quit being such a chicken about some things...

That's the best I can come up with.

Holy Spirit, may I have the gift of Courage!

I Lave you too, sons!

May we be cleansed of all our offenses;

for Love does wash out a multitude of sin.

definition of lave: (of water)wash against or over (something)

Happy Mothers Day

To all you Chosen and Cherished women! 

 

Whether we have biological children or not, all women are all called to spiritual motherhood; to labor, care for and nourish those around us with Life Giving Love. (Yes, a little Kimberly Hahn plug.) 

Thank you, Mothers and God Mothers!

John 15:16

"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you."

Note: I have read the two books bolded above. They are excellent reads! Now on to books 2 and 3 from the Proverbs 31 series: Graced and Gifted, and Beloved and Blessed.

A Warm Spring Day

Call of Duty Reminder

From St. Josemaria Escriva

My daughter you have set up a home.  I like to remind you that you women--as you well know--have a great strength, which you know how to enfold within a special gentleness, so that it is not noticed.  With that strength, you can make you husband and children instruments of God or demons. 

You will always make them instruments of God: He is counting on your help! 

St. Joseph the Worker

Note to Boy:

  If you lock your door when you leave your room so that no little people get into you treasures, please make sure no little people are currently in you room!

Job description of this mother: 

Must be able to find lost children, cleanse, and nourish them.

St. Joseph, help me in this Great Task!

"You can not forget that any worthy, noble and honest work at the human level can - and should! - be raised to the supernatural level, becoming a divine task."  

-St. Josemaria Escriva in The Forge