Sin/Reconciliation

Child 1: "I need to pray for (Child 2) so she'll stop making me sneak into her stuff!"

Child 1 continues, "Her just leaves her stuff right where I can see it and tells me to stay away and that makes me get it.  Yeah, that's why I need to pray for her, so she can let me play with all the stuff I see!"

One of our children has the privilege of receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time this evening. (Not children listed above.)

-Adding prayer request for him and all families, please!

But, what a great lesson Child 1 teaches us.  Maybe, just maybe, it's not the annoying person (and their thoughtlessness about me) that needs to change.  Maybe I need change.  Maybe I should pray for self control so that I am not 'made' to sneak, lie, hurt, blab etc.  Adults need change - it's what perfects our souls.  We need to reconcile our weaknesses and sin and ask for the grace to love more.

That is the bottom line- LOVE.  Love that irritating person in our lives.  I was thinking this morning: I need to love more.  We don't ever get irritating to God.  It's quite the opposite. When we get more awful and irksome, he wants to be closer to us. He doesn't run and hide (we do).  He doesn't avoid companionship, He longs for it and waits for our return. Maybe I too should long for that companionship, wait in love for those I struggle with. I'm pretty sure that's why God has put them in my life: so I may grow in holiness.  I have nothing more to worry about. Thankfully, God has a plan for us - to bring us closer to Him.  That includes, most especially, the times we fail. These failings may be our greatest gift; we learn that sin and weakness is really all we have to give Him, and in return He fills us with love and strength.

I think we have the better deal.

Chorus, Dance, Both?

Three of us attended a honor choral concert for our oldest tonight. After a two hour car ride and eight songs it's a bit challenging to keep a 4 year old contained. Considering my one year old was helping record, it's not too shaky. We had a beautiful evening with great music. Here's a taste:

Healthy Snack?

This morning's rule was: healthy snack before eating candy.  

Bottom left was declared the healthy snack:

"The small pile is healthier because it's littler; so it's our healthy snack before we eat the big pile!"

I do know where they get it from.

All you Saints in Heaven Pray for Us!

Our 6 year old!

We've been trying to get this young man to wear pants to school. 

It is a bit brisk these days!

But he says soccer players don't wear pants.

Well this morning he had a revelation:

"Mom, now that I'm 6, I'll wear pants.  It'd be really bad if I froze to death and I was only 6 years old, right mom. 'Cuz that could happen to a 6 year old if they wore shorts today. 

I'm not going to die of fr-ee-zing!" 

So glad he thought of that this morning.  Thanks for sharing your humor, your love and your go-get-em attitude with us.  We hope to have many more beautiful years with you!

2 help each other out

Today my two older girls got to play on the same soccer team for the first time in over 6 years.

 Last time, the younger one helped out the older team; this time the older sister helped the younger team.  I was excited to see them playing together: working together on the same team and offering encouraging words.  It was heartwarming to see them cooperate on the field, helping each other out for the good of the team.

 Girls, teamwork does NOT have to be left on this playing field! :)

Deer Teachers

I am sorry my kids stayed up so late on a school night, but there was much learning to be done.  For example hands on learning about crushed bones, heart attacks and pericardial tamponade.  In other words, the thingies (protective sac) around the heart squeezes it a little (too much pressure) and then the doctor has to get a needle and do surgery up past the ribcage and put a tiny hole in the heart and take out the extra blood.

That's all
Have a lovely day

Living life 2.5 miles at a time...

My cross country girl!

Rain

And Shine

She gave it her all!  

She started off the year as the second to last varsity runner and moved up to 3rd for her school (2seconds shy of second to first!)

 Not that I'm proud of her or anything!

But I'd be running for my life with this inspiring coach as well.

 Way to Run, Girl!

Do you know how I live life...

Quick sprints with stroller

 And child on shoulders!

Totally worth it!

Whittling...

Last week my oldest son asked for help to carve a piece of wood.  I see why he asked for help.  My stubborn, lazy bones didn't want to get a different tool, and so the knife got me. After a call into Daddy, I met him on the soccer field with suture supplies telling him, "It's not that bad, maybe we could just tape and splint it."

  He disagreed.

L is for Loser

A messy gift-

But a gift nontheless! Sometimes life seams to spiral out of control. It's up to us to trust, and see with the eyes of heaven the gift hidden in the mess. Today has been tough maintenance~ here is one glance of the many messy gifts I've been privledged to return to God for the day:

Did you know God is a Loving Indian giver.  As I attempt to clean up mess after mess, I can't help but think, "Hey, He wants it back! I guess I'll give it to Him."

All I have to offer is simply what He has given me first. It's all Good; sometimes it just might be better for that someone I pray for, than for me.

I've missed you blogging world~so many gifts flying around here that I haven't taken the time to play with this one. I'll try to keep it out for a while.

7 quick takes (vol 6)

Clink on the image above to read other quick takes. Thanks Jen.

* Take 1*

Summer just isn't summer around here until you experience sweet corn!

And it's here!!

Summer Approved!

*Take 2*

Boy #2:
"Hey Mom, why do you have FLAMES on your belly?"
My response, "To show the burning love I have for all you kids!"
I had never thought of those stretch marks as flames before, but I kinda like that analogy.

I've got some pretty cool flames!


*Take 3*

Since our Baby got his 'big boy' haricut, we've spotted other babies in the yard:

A cardinal calling for Mama

And 4 Robins

Growing up IS something to cheer about!

*Take 4*
A Little science museum fun:

Making kaleidoscopes

Testing kaleidoscopes

Fun with mirage

And flight simulators

Over all, a great, warm day!

*Take 5*

When I grow up I want to make pizza's!

*Take 6*


As I was nursing the baby, boy # 3 says, "Is he done with the crunchy side?"
Confused, I questioned him to elaborate on his question and he replied:
"Well, which one is the food and which one is the milk?"

I informed him they are both milk and he said,
"I thought one was food so he could learn to eat crunchy stuff and one was a drink!"

Sorry people, no crunchy and creamy options coming from this mama! I'm not peanut butter!
 Can you imagine crunchy coming out of there?
Nope, just creamy!


*Take 7*
Here's a quote that touched me this morning:
"Life is not always the way we think it's supposed to be.  However, it IS the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference."

In God's providence we can learn so much if we but open up to His plan for us and ask for the grace to see us through each day.  Much like a wedding vow, we can promise: To be true to Him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. It takes work, but in the end, I'm certain it'll be worth the effort!

A servant's Prayer by LM

Jesus, my Jesus..How marvelous your ways...Far more splendid than my mind can envision.  What an honor to be chosen by you.  A lowly child I am, but empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the great hope to which you have called me. I give myself totally to you, Lord. Take my imperfect heart and make it perfect. Peel away the hardness.  Close the doors I have opened to the temptations of this world.  Gently remove the roots of painful memories, sins, doubts and fears. Discard anything that seperates me from you. Lord, fill the emptiness with the light of your love that I might be a beacon calling the lost back to you.
To love as you love...
To serve as you serve...
To heal as you heal...
To forgive as you forgive...
Always mindful of my nothingness while doing great and marvelous things in your name and for your glory. This I pray, Jesus in Your Name. Amen

Have a Great Weekend!
I'll be spending mine gasping for air and finding new muscles as I attempt to run a 7 mile road race with my sisters.  I think I'm prepared - but some extra prayers would be nice.

Fly Guy: Saving the World One Buzz at a Time

And who ever thought one of my son's favorite books and some annoying flies could make a blog?
Flies:  I seem to be collecting them in my house.  Some fruit flies hovering over what should have been cleaned dishes and fruit eaten 3 days ago delicious fruit; some other annoying house flies, seeming to come and buzz in my ear, and touch me on the arm.  They can be a bit of a nuisance; but so can we.  Have you ever compared yourself to a fly?

Oh to be like a fly - PERSISTENT!

I don't think I have ever seen a fly give up on reaching food. What food should we persevere towards? God!  Sometimes it's hard.  Sin keeps shooing us away. However, when we see good food, we'll stay on target.  We must fly to God with our prayers and never give up on Him. A simple buzz in His ear will do, "Hi God!" Or even a silent touch on His arm. Unlike us, He'll listen and watch as we try to stay close.  He knows what is good for us, and always fills us.  Sometimes with a 'yes', sometimes with a 'wait a while' and sometimes with a 'I have something better that you can not see right now!'

That last option makes me think of the garbage zone.  Sometimes we need to go through the trashy parts of life to reap the best fruit.  Once we are fed (by spending time with God) we go on our mission to help other flies find the food.  Buzzing Praying along as we fly. At times we will bump into a wall, "Ouch!" or a window ("Deceit looks so real!"), but we must reconcile and keep going.  Praying and trusting in God's love and mercy. He will always give us the best answer, but we must keep asking; keep moving to reach our fulfillment. The garbage zone is our true cross, but by perseverance, we help others attain the best as well. We may wander at times, but we must never give up on the Goal; we must use our eyes to scan beyond the initial image we see, so that we may come to a better understanding of the whole picture.

"Is fly guy lost? No, here he is."
"Fly high, fly guy! Lead us Home."

Armor of God from LIfeTeen

 I found this video first at Faith and Family from Lisa and thought it was worthy of sharing. The LifeTeen website is exceptional: with movie reviews, current events, catechism, Sunday preview of the readings etc. I have shared it with my teens, and have enjoyed it myself as well.

“Attack comes with fatigue, distractions, temptations. Morality and virtue are stressed and tested. This war is about how you defend yourself. No guns or bombs, but true armor.”

Daddy's girl

The 3 year old princess went to adoration with her daddy last night.  Since she napped for the day, she was still awake at 11pm. As they went out the door, I asked her to pray for me.  "I will Mommy!" came her response.

This morning, I was asking her how adoration was.  Then I asked if she prayed for Dad, too.  She said, "No, he was with me!"  So I told her she could still pray for him to be the best dad he could be.

Her reply, "I don't need to pray for him, He ALREADY IS the Best!"

Freedom

Here's to ALL those who fight to protect our Freedom!

It can be a tiring job, but Christ too had fatigue as His companion.

Keep up the Good fight!

THANK YOU!

Summer Birthday Bash

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUSINS!

I don't know how you celebrate cousins' birthdays, but on one side of our family, we basically have tri- or semi-annual birthday bashes (depending on the busyness of families) It works well, especially when there are so many young kiddos lives to celebrate, and family spread over a few towns/states. 

Here is our photo recap:

 Some Baseball

Some Football

And other things:

Looks like she needs a sibling ;)

'Like Father, Like Son'

Teamwork!

And some Rest:

Great Grandma rocking my neice:

It was HOT!

 But the Grill Master Carried on

So we could eat:

I don't know how he got his food up there, but it looked cozy!

After the tanks were full, we sang Happy Birthday to each child before he/she opened presents.

This year, we sang 10 times.

That's a lot of Happy Birthday's!

Well, make that 11.  We had to sing when they blew out their candles together!
Once the kids are loaded up on sugar cake, it's time for:

 Pinata bursting!

I blame this child's grasp of the bat on her mother ;)

And that's all folks.  I'll spare you a photo of the minor Dr. visit.  Mostly because I don't have one, but also because it wouldn't be good for those of you susceptible to churning bellies.

Until Next Time...