Catholic Yankee in Texas

On Vacation....Come Back Later!

2011-08-02T21:06:00.026-05:00

I'm experiencing a new appreciation for family vacations. I'm on one right now, yay!!! Last time I went away was exactly a year ago, however, it only involved myself and half of my children. We were with extended family. There were many fun times, but not much family bonding--when I say that I'm talking about my immediate family. Of course there wasn't, we weren't all there!! The kids made memories with their cousins, which is important, but it didn't do much for our nuclear family unit.

I've heard of a new thing called a "stay-cation" where the working parent(s) takes their vacation time from work, but they don't physically go away from home. They might take some day trips with the family, but mostly it involves sleeping later and catching up on household projects that one never has time to do when working. My husband did this last year when I was away with the younger kids. He took the older boys to a professional baseball game and fishing for a day in the gulf, but mostly worked on unfinished household tasks. He recently told me he needed a vacation and hadn't been on one in years. So, I'm thinking this stay-cation thing didn't quite fit the bill of relaxing and recharging a person as a real vacation does!

We have a big vacation to a famous theme park planned for September. Again, this will involve only half the kids. This will be our family's fourth trek to this magical place and while I'm excited to share that with the kids, I know that I always come home feeling exhausted and... well.... needing a vacation!

So, when this opportunity basically fell in our lap to buy a week at a beach condo in Alabama from a family we barely knew who couldn't make the trip, we felt as if it was meant to be. Not only can we all go (except our oldest who is now out of the nest), but it's extremely affordable. A nine hour drive is a cake walk to seasoned cross-country travelers as our family is.

This is a real vacation. What does that mean? It means no worries about cooking, cleaning, laundry, straightening up the house, or driving kids to activities. It means sleeping in until we naturally wake up, doing whatever we feel like on that given day even if we're at the beach but decide to go to the pool instead.

It means sneaking in a little schooling without the kids knowing. Hey, who can resist a Confederate Civil War Fort right on the penninsula where we're staying!!

It means siblings bonding and sharing friendships over found jellyfish, sandcastles, and boogie boards!

It means stalking sea birds that look interesting enough to touch!

It means dealing with a sunburn when someone distracts you when you're putting on the sunscreen!

It means taking trips we normally wouldn't have the chance to do, like going on a Dolphin Cruise!

And visiting tacky-themed souvenir shops!

It means laying on top of each other to watch TV, it's Shark Week after all, and we don't have cable at home!

The only problem is that it can't last forever!!!

Jumping into Fall

2010-09-20T20:35:00.006-05:00

I'm not usually an Autumn gal. It's not that I don't love the colorful foliage on the trees, the cool, crisp evenings, or hot beef stew that always ends up in my crock-pot. It's just that living in the Northeast most of my life, fall means that the endless cold winter is just around the corner and that's something I've never looked forward to!! Here in Texas, I've waited for the fall seasonal changes up until we are about to put up the Christmas tree. Then I realize it's come and practically gone and I haven't even worn a sweater yet! But not this year, no sirree!

I hate to admit that I wished the summer away..... but I did, sadly at that. I had my plans, my expectations, my to-do list, but by mid-June I knew things were not going my way. For me, it was a dreadful summer and I hate to say that because nothing bad happened. My entire nuclear family was home, just like I always want it to be. My older boys are practically adults--maybe one or two of them are by certain standards and yet I long for the days when they took direction from me, I ran the show in this house, my rules were followed to the Tee and that was just how it should be. But not now. Two came home from college in early May, one finished junior year of high school and all three of them went into sloth-mode. Okay, the oldest spent a month with an army obligation & took a summer class. He's off the hook. But the other two----Mama Mia!!

I don't want to sound like a complainer--so I won't. I didn't want to be a nag, so after 4 weeks of reminding them to put the cereal away when they ate their breakfast, (at 2 in the afternoon cause that's when they woke up) I just did it for them. The point is, I want them to feel welcome in their home and not chastised or hounded to death, but things will change next summer and they are all aware of it!!! (btw--this is not just about a little cereal being left out!)

The disruption and lack of routine upset the entire balance of our family. Bad habits were picked up by the younger three who watched the older ones laze around. I am still un-doing some damage to the littlest boy. Who wants an 8 year-old with a teenage attitude?! Not me!!

So, good-bye summer of 2010 and good riddens!! I've already started putting out my fall decorations--the scarecrows & pumpkins and my, they look good! Today my house was filled with the comforting aroma of autumn thanks to a scented candle that was burning all afternoon. I splurged and bought a huge, HUGE pot of mums which are all buds now, but will open shortly into burgundy blooms. They grace my front porch. It may still be in the 90's most days around here, but you'll be sure to find me curled up in front of the fireplace, sipping hot cider. I'll be the one wearing the sweater!!

(just a little side note: I can't wait for the boys to come back from college for a visit--it's just not home without them!)

Daybook "Down the Shore"--yep, we really say that!

2010-08-06T07:27:00.005-05:00

Outside my window:
I am sitting on the deck of the shore house, 3 stories up, the sky is clear blue with the sea breeze blowing lightly on me. It's going to be a nice beach day.

I am listening to:
Cars whizz by me on the street below and seagulls chirping in the background.

I am grateful for:
Time away from the daily grind, a change of scenery, and the chance for my younger kids to make memories at the beach with their cousins.

I am thankful for:
My family and our good health. A teen that my son knew from elementary school days passed away yesterday from cancer. He was 17. Last summer when we were visiting here in NJ at the seashore, he came to visit us with 3 of my son's other friends. It was exactly a year ago this week. He looked healthy, said he was in remission.....

I am pondering:
What a difference a year can make! Live each day to the fullest, make amends for wrong-doings, pray!!!

I am reading:
Summer vacation twaddle!! I loaded my Kindle with free books before we left. I did pay for one and I must recommend it "The Glass Castle-- a memoir" by Jeannette Walls. An amazing story of growing up in poverty and rising above--loved it!!

I am thinking:
That I miss my husband!! We've never been separated for more than a week in our 22 year marriage and I wish he could be sharing this vacation with me.

On my iPod:
Before we left for vacation, Michelle and I filled my iPod (finally) with all my favorite CDs. It's such a luxury for me to bring my tunes along wherever I go. I know--finally getting caught up to the rest of the "plugged-in" generation. Better late than never....

Toward Rhythm & Beauty:
The unstructured rhythm of vacation is a nice break. I've been able to jog or exercise on a bike most days and that feels great! Sitting in a beach chair watching the waves crash on the shoreline sure has a rhythm to it, lol! I love sitting with my feet in the water in a low chair while reading a novel, feeling the sun beating down on me--does it get any better than that? Oh--I'm getting a nice tan too!

I am hoping & praying:
For Derek's family. Please pray for them--I can't imagine their pain. I went to Derek's my space page last night. A large picture of Jesus was posted with his words "someone I would most like to meet". His quotes were from the Bible and messages of living life to the fullest. Words you don't see often on a 17 yr. old's blog. I am hoping Derek's wish has come true....

In the garden:
Mike said he'd be pruning back the palm trees this week. My flowers...I haven't seen for 10 days and I've forgotten to remind Mike to water them. Hmmmm, wonder what I'll find upon my return.

Around the house:
I've been told that it's been vacuumed & mopped. Mike's been doing minor repairs that he never has time to do. He tells me it looks great and I'm sure it does!!

From the kitchen:
We've been eating out or ordering in every day. That's been a treat! Hoping my waistline can take it!!

A picture I'm sharing:
What do you do after feeding the seagulls.....chase them, of course!!

God Speaks....Are You Listening?

2010-07-19T17:04:00.005-05:00

I have an awareness to recognize signs, sometimes referred to as "signal graces", that can have different meanings to me. Sometimes they tell me that I'm on the right path (to holiness), sometimes they mean that things will be okay, some are an answer to a prayer, and some signify God is with me. I don't exactly remember when I first started noticing them, but I'd guess it was during my teen years when I consciously started on my faith journey to know God.

The signs I receive are a huge gift to me and have often come at times of great anxiety or despair. I know they're real--I don't believe in coincidences. Not in these matters.

I went on a "Christ Renews His Parish" women's retreat this past weekend. Actually I went as a retreatant last year. This year I had the privilege of participating on the team that presented the retreat to the women of my parish. When I returned home, one of my sons who enjoys open discussion on faith, asked me about the retreat. He wanted to know what types of activities we did and how it all went, etc. I love sharing in this way with my kids, especially when they are the ones initiating a deeper knowledge and understanding. I told him about one particular woman who was sharing about a personal Marian apparition she had experienced when he said, " how come God never shows himself on earth anymore?" I was a bit surprised by this. I know he was referring to the fact the our Blessed Mother is known to make her appearance and send messages in a very tangible way to some, but not recognizing God on earth?? I think this young man wanted to see the face of God just as people have seen the face of Mary and been delivered special messages. "Son," I said, " God shows himself here all the time. Are you not recognizing Him??"

I then went on to tell him of some powerful ways that Jesus was present during the retreat. (I might add as a side note that the evil one also made his presence known on several occasions.) One of the most powerful signs from God was received during the Reconciliation service. The ladies processed in song into the church to hear a little talk by our priest and to receive guidance on Examination of Conscious. During this time, a violent storm began to rage outside....torrential downpours, lightning, thunder, the works. Part of this activity involves an outside fire pit that the ladies walk to and then symbolically they let their sins burn away into ash. Of course this means walking outside in this horrific storm! (it also meant a mad scramble to move the fire pit into a covered area). The ladies took their time during the examination of conscious and we leaders looked out the church doors with worried expressions. And then, God appeared. As the ladies one by one walked to the confessional, the rain slowed to almost nothing and then a rainbow....a completely full rainbow..... appeared in the sky right over the area where our fire pit was. Now, if you don't see God showing himself to us in all this, then maybe you're looking in the wrong places!!!

My First Daybook

2010-07-01T07:57:00.005-05:00

This is an idea I've seen on some other blogs I like to read and so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Outside my window:
Rain and alot of it!

I am listening to:
Silence....I know it won't last long on a rainy, indoor day, so I'm savoring it

I am grateful for:
My husband, it was a rough evening for me with my teen sons and I know the summer is not going to get any easier. My husband is here to hold me up, even if he doesn't have the words to say, his hugs help me know I'm not alone.

I am pondering:
A plan to have a more peaceful summer in our household

"No one heals himself by wounding another" St. Ambrose

I am Reading:
"Small Steps for Catholic Moms"--highly recommend
"Saints & Other Powerful Men in the Church"--bought this for Mike, but I'm enjoying it!

I am Thinking:
Motherhood is not for wimps!!!

On my iPod:
I'm just so happy to have my iPod back after it got stolen. I'm not even into new technology, but man, I missed fooling around with that little gadget!

Toward Rythm & Beauty:
I haven't found a consistent summer rythm yet. Swim season ended and this is the first week of no where to run to every morning. I have a feeling our rythm is going to be an ongoing challenge and I need to learn to be flexible from week to week--not the way I usually roll, so pray for me!! Toward beauty, I'm getting my haircut this afternoon!! I know I'm not suppose to focus on physical beauty, but sometimes a good hair day can make all the difference!!

I am hoping & praying:
For my teen sons, especially one, who is very lost right now.....

In the garden:
The rain is doing a world of good!! I've lost alot of my annuals all ready from the scorching Texas heat. My flowers always look so brilliant after a good rain....bring it on!

Around the House:
I'm pleased with the downstairs. It's neat & tidy and an easy pick-up now that everything is in it's place. The upstairs is my next mountain to conquer!

From the Kitchen:
I sat down yesterday and planned my July dinner menu. Immediately a calmness set in. Wow, the chore of daily meal planning weighs me down so much. I love having the plan....I need to keep up with the monthly calendars again, they're so worth my sanity!!

A picture thought I'm sharing:
These four precious children (and best of friends) recently received their First Communion. We were finally able to coordinate family schedules to celebrate together with a pool party & cake.

Ballerina Girls

2010-06-25T12:16:00.008-05:00

The girls recently performed in the production of "Awaken" with their ballet studio.

Kaitlyn started in ballet this past September and has enjoyed it alot!

Michelle didn't start until March, but with her backround in gymnastics, she surprised her teachers by becoming one of the best in her class. She has been told that she possesses alot of natural skills that will enable her to reach a very high level as a ballerina. It's nice that she has this new area to focus on in her life!

Daddy-Daughter Dance

2010-06-20T18:58:00.005-05:00

The Pickwick Society, our homeschool groups' girls club that studies virtues & handi-crafts like embroidery, stuffed doll making, & sewing, hosted their annual end of the year Daddy-Daughter Dance. A good time was had by all!!

Mike's two best gals:
Circle Dance:

Dosie-Doeing:

Virginia Reel:

Slow Dancing:

Happy memories made by all!!

Blackberry Pies

2010-06-20T18:27:00.009-05:00

Before I post some of our summer happenings, I wanted to catch up on a few of our end of the year activities. One of our homeschool families hosts an annual blackberry picking & pie making day on their farm. We always have so much fun!!

Michelle finds a ripe one:

Kaitlyn & Andrew get to work:

All the kids take part in pie making:

Looking for worms:

The end result.....YUM.....each family gets to take one home:

These Boots Were Made For Marching....

2010-05-31T20:42:00.015-05:00

I've blogged before about the Texas phenomena of rival universities--specifically Univ of Texas (Longhorns) & Texas A&M (Aggies), and how people go a bit overboard with their loyalty to a specific school. It is comical to observe the rituals of the alumni, and we chuckled along with fellow bystanders till our son became an Aggie 3 years ago. I can't speak for the other school, but learning what it means to be an Aggie has been both an education and a pleasure for our family. We definitely have become believers in this university and what it stands for--that is Integrity (with a capital "I")! Although Mike and I don't bleed maroon, we'd be proud of any of our kids who do!

At the end of junior year, cadets in the Corp, as Brian is, earn their boots. They are custom fitted to each cadet starting freshman year. Cadets wear the boots everyday of their senior year and they connote respect and honor of each soldier.

At Final Review each May, the Corp marches as their current unit, passes, then the graduating seniors dress down out of full uniform, and juniors get to don their senior boots for their first official Pass & Review. The Corp then repeats the march with each cadet now sporting their new class uniform, including boots if you are now a senior. Here are some snippets of this exciting day:

New seniors strutting in their boots

Brian (on right) with buddy, Nathan, showing off their boots

Close-up of Brian's. Each cadet chooses different insignias

Andrew & Kaitlyn "play" with the spurs!

First march in senior boots!!

Other Aggie traditions we enjoy--the internationally recognized Aggie Ring. Brian earned his last month.

The "Fighting Aggie Band"

Aggie Calvary:

School mascot, Reveille the dog.

Here she is!!!

Brian's Outfit

Gig 'em, Aggies!!!

In the Garden

2010-05-11T21:37:00.014-05:00

Ever since we've had a house, I've enjoyed planting flowers each spring. I don't profess to have a green thumb, but I have had some random successes in past years. I do listen to the "Garden Show" on the radio, read books on proper landscaping, & mostly look at lawns in my neighborhood to copy what works. My biggest problem is that I learn best by watching & imitating others, so the books haven't helped too much and I haven't found anyone who wants to mentor me in my gardening skills!!

Impatiens have always been one of my favorite annual flowers. I planted them every year in NJ. They always did OK. One year they were spectacular---ONE YEAR---out of 15 that I planted them. Why?? Nothing I did--it rained alot that summer. Moving to a new climate has posed some challenges. I've had to learn what will grow best in this area and I'm definitely still experimenting. Three summers ago I planted impatiens and they grew over 3' tall. People walking past our house would stop to admire them. The past two summers, they did nothing!! Again, a deluge of rain that fruitful summer may have been the key. This year, I'm trying out a new variety called "Sunpatiens". We'll see how they do. I love that I can have more tropical flowering plants like the Hibiscus--one of my favs!! Our Texas winter this year was very harsh, so I've had to start over with a few plants. Here are some pictures of the work I did this past weekend pruning and planting.

The Queen Palms looked terrible after the winter and I thought they may have died. I just noticed some green coming back to life so --chop-chop--I know they look silly now, but in a few weeks I think they'll be looking pretty good!

After the "hair cut"

Lantana in full bloom, waiting for the butterflies to swarm around them

Here are the new "Sunpatiens". We'll check back in a month and see how they're doing.

On the back patio, some new flowers I'm trying

I bought a new Hibiscus, then noticed my old one had little green leaves at the bottom. I planted this one near it, hoping they can grow together.

Magnolia tree in full bloom, beautiful & fragrant!!

I've had bad luck in the past with flowers planted at Mary's feet. This year I'm trying Zinnia--it's a very sunny area.

I hope to post pictures later on to show how much everything is thriving. Wish me luck!!!

Sacramental Grace

2010-05-02T20:56:00.015-05:00

Oh how I love watching my children receive the sacraments!! Andrew has excitedly prepared for First Communion since receiving Reconciliation in November. Finally, the day was upon us and he was certainly ready.

Before we left for church:

Eager anticipation waiting to line up to process in to Mass. He was lined up with his very good friend, M, next to him.

Next in line!!

The smile says it all.

It appears the Holy Spirit is upon him!!

With Father Pat

Big sis, Michelle

Siblings, except Kyle, who wasn't able to come home from college

Mom & Dad

We were so glad Grandmom & Pop-pop came from NJ. Grandmom had been very ill the week before and we weren't sure she could travel, but she was able to bounce back.

Time to celebrate!!

Andrew, may the joy you felt in your soul as you received Jesus in Holy Eucharist for the first time light a flame and glow for all eternity. May you never forget where Jesus is truly present and seek him always.

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." John 6:51

Ring around the Rosie....

2010-04-07T22:06:00.008-05:00

Back in the day, I was a huge Rosie O'Donnell fan. Her TV show to me was comic relief from busy days at home with 4 young children. I loved the way she shared funny everyday events that happened to her, stories about watching TV shows as a child--many which were favorites of my own, & the way she would get star-struck when meeting certain "big name" celebrities on her show like Barbara Streisand & Tom Cruise. She made herself very believable & ordinary.

This was all before her "coming out" as a lesbian, her aggressive dislike of the Catholic church (& other Christians), & the liberal poison she now likes to spew publicly. Once all that stuff happened, the appeal for me was gone, and so was her show. I watched from a distance as she "married" her female lover and attracted controversy after controversy with her big mouth, attacking whatever she felt wasn't on her agenda. Most times I didn't even entertain what was going on in her life, both because I didn't have an interest in reading her books or watching her on TV, but also because I really didn't have the time to follow what she was up to.

So, why talk about her now? I recently caught a commercial saying that she would be a guest on Oprah--another of my former favorite shows. Out of curiosity, I DVR'd the show and finally got a chance to view it. What did I see? Well, while it's the same Rosie that I don't like--the big-mouth lesbian trying to make her lifestyle & choices seem normal and those of us who oppose this alternative portrayed as narrow-minded or holier-than-thou, there was more. Something I'd seen in the past, but was now screaming to be noticed---a very hurt & damaged 10 yr. old little girl.

Y'see, Rosie's mom died of cancer when she was 10 leaving her to be raised by a detached father & grandmother. She often talked about this in the old days of her show, but now it was evident that the wound had never healed--the pain of losing her mom and perhaps feeling somehow abandoned are still as fresh 40 yrs later as they were then. Instead of seeing the funny Rosie or the liberal Rosie, I actually started feeling compassionate about the little girl Rosie who tragically lost her mom--every child's nightmare come true. Yes, it explains alot about her choices & attitudes, but what really rings true for me is how hurt she was and still is! Why had no one helped this little girl heal? Where were the school counselors, the family doctor, the parish priest, the loving extended family, etc. Who was going to help a little girl ever feel loved the way a mother loves a child again?

For those of us with a strong faith, there is the obvious choice--turn your pain to God, join Jesus in His suffering, ask the Blessed Mother to help you feel that nurturing love. How many times have there been hurt children in our lives--whether our own or maybe a niece or nephew, or a neighbor. They don't have to lose a parent to death-- perhaps there's divorce, physical or mental illness, financial difficulties, or abuse. All of these situations can rock a child's world. They need to feel secure, stable, & loved. Perhaps if someone had stepped in her mother's shoes--not just providing a meal, but loving her thru her grief and helped her to heal and move on, Rosie would not be the person we see today, but would be the one that God had created her to be.

Look around, who are the children in your life? Are their needs being met? Do they need some compassion, nurturing, or healing? Let us not allow the busy-ness of our lives to cause us to ignore and push aside the little ones who are lost.

Jesus said "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." Matt 19:14.

To Blog or Not To Blog....

2010-03-29T20:44:00.017-05:00

Okay, I've been gone a while.... a loooong while! What can I say except that I hit a dry spell last summer and truly had no interesting thoughts--same old, same old--and figured "why bother?" Looking back, I realize I should've just posted pictures instead of trying to find something witty to write. Oh well... Fall came and I started getting the writing itch, but never seemed to have time and before I knew it the holidays were here and I really wanted to post, but thought it's been so long......Now, winter has come and gone.... I know it's cliche, but really, time flies. I almost don't even keep track of months anymore, they all just seem to mesh together into LIFE, but I've noticed that summers come faster each year, as do birthdays--which I'd rather forget about. So, what's been happening over yonder this way--EVERYTHING!!!

Summer brought a surprise visit for us to NJ for my parents' 50th. Yes, they were shocked to see us!! We spent our family time together at the Jersey shore--a favorite tradition in our family. We took this picture (although the original is in color) of us all.

Another son left the nest for college, leaving just four kids at home. Just when I thought things might slow down, our lone high schooler started giving us rebellion problems. Ahhh, don't I just love teenagers......We're still battling this one! Another year of homeschooling started for the three youngest. It's been good and I am learning so much history that I guess I just didn't pay attention to when I was in school. But I swear, I didn't learn half the things and while I always found history boring, I am seeing it come to life and loving it! We are now experts on early America explorers, the Revolutionary War, & presently heading Westward with the pioneers.

Andrew & Kaitlyn celebrated their October birthdays together with a reptile party. It was the coolest thing and they each got to hold a real live baby alligator!

Here is Andrew doing his thing on the soccer field. He loves playing sports and I love the non-competitive leagues that are offered here.

Couldn't resist sharing Kaitlyn's Halloween costume. I found the Raggedy Ann dress at a second-hand shop for $4. Add some colorful tights and lots of red yarn--she looked so cute!!!

I thought the winter would be relaxing. Ballet for Kaitlyn 1x/week, Andrew playing basketball--no big commitments.

Holiday girls and......

boys!!!

Then, we had a sewer back up in mid-January causing over $20,000 in damage to the house. Hmmmm, a bit stressful!! A little fight with the insurance company and now all is well.

The dry out process

The source of our angst--a root clogging up the main pipe outside.

I hate to say something like that was worth it, but when I look at my new wood

floors in the living room and dining room, the new, upgraded carpet in our bedroom, and the motivation to paint 3 rooms, Me thinks the sewer damage was a blessing in disguise!!!

So, now we're all caught up!!!

May Madness

2009-06-07T16:51:00.022-05:00

The much anticipated month of May is over-with. Our calendar was filled with so many end of year happenings, it's been a whirlwind of activity and fun. We only had one unexpected glitch--Mike ended up in the hospital for 3 days starting on Mother's Day. We were told by the paramedics, ER nurses, & cardiologist that he was having a heart attack--not might be--WAS!!! He was rushed up to have a heart catheterization, but thankfully, all was well and it was NOT a heart attack. What he has is pericarditits--inflammation in the lining around the heart-- from a virus he had at the time. It mimics a heart attack from the chest pain to the EKG & blood tests, so the way to rule it out is to go in and take a look. He is recovering nicely and has to take it easy for 3 months. Other than that, I'd like to share pictures of the happy events that took place this month.

Reid's JROTC Banquet

After Final Review, Brian

came home from Texas A&M

(these are from parents weekend)

We had visits from family. Here Pop-Pop

shows Andrew & Kaitlyn how to make

Pizzelles. He also made Biscottis, Irish Soda Bread

and Baked Ziti. We all ate too much!

Reid's Confirmation by Cardinal DiNardo.

Kyle was his sponsor.

Reid's Godparents, Tammy (Mike's sis) & Greg (Mike's bro),

came in for the sacrament. We enjoyed having

them visit us in Texas!

I found this picture of them all from

Reid's First Communion. Reid sure has grown,

what a difference 8 years makes!

I had a birthday...who's counting???

Michelle had her Spring Piano Recital

High School Graduation Day!

Mom, Dad, & Grad

Grandmom & Pop

Some of his friends
Kyle wanted to eat ribs to celebrate.

Can he eat that huge rack??

He did!

Kaitlyn tried to keep up

We're hoping for a relaxing summer!!

When In Texas....

2009-05-23T21:15:00.017-05:00

(This post is a long time coming. Sorry I've been away for a while. I'll start catching up now with this entry.)

The state flower of New Jersey is the Violet. I know this because I just googled it! Perhaps I learned this in elementary school and just forgot. What I do know is after spending most of my life there, I never had the urge to run thru a meadow full of wild violets. The state flower of Texas is the Bluebonnet. I know this because I now live in Texas and EVERYONE in Texas knows this!

Within the first year of moving here, I often heard people speaking excitedly about the Bluebonnets being in bloom and about having their kids' pictures taken in fields. I shrugged this off as just another strange curiosity about people who lived in Texas. The next spring, I again heard people

chattering on about the Bluebonnets. I started to understand that this is a very special time and something people really do look forward to every year.

Last year was the first time I actually saw them. They bloom during March & April and while traveling quite a bit out in the country, I had the pleasure of seeing what the fuss was all about. Along the sides of major highways and country roads you'll see patches, some stretching just a few feet wide and others stretching across whole fields, of beautiful blue carpet. I thought it was funny watching people pull over and take pictures in the flowers. I even saw one woman wrapped in a sheet laying in the field while being photographed. However, after witnessing this I started to think I might, afterall, be missing out on something special.

This year I made a secret vow to photograph my kids in the Bluebonnets and see what this craze is all about. As they began to bloom, I kept my eyes peeled for the perfect spot. About 40 minutes from our home, on the way to take Brian back to college after spring break, I found it!! Plans were made and together with a friend, I took the 3 youngest kids & 2 dogs out to the Bluebonnet field.

What had I been missing all this time? A truly wonderful way to enjoy the the gift of nature that God has given us! How many times have I driven by a patch of wild flowers without giving them more than a passing glance. Well, on this day, we all experienced the beauty of our world using our eyes to enjoy the brilliant color, our noses to smell the fragrant aroma, & the full tactile sensation of laying in a bed of flowers. After posing for some pictures, the kids started an impromptu game of hide & seek and had a morning they'll never forget. I have no doubt that my kids will always know the name of the state flower of Texas!

The perfect patch:

Taking it all in:

The dogs check it out:

Playing hide n seek:

Sharing the experience with friends:

We're one step closer to really being Texan!!!

Easter Pictures

2009-04-14T12:39:00.017-05:00

Here are some pictures from this week:

Kaitlyn & Andrew on the "hunt" earlier this week

Visiting the Bunny--Kaitlyn insisted we go!

Kyle had some friends over to dye eggs on Easter Saturday.

Easter morning. He Is Risen & the kids are digging in! The big boys still want a basket, but it only has a few of their favorites. The girls slept with spongy hair rollers.

Even the dogs got some new chewy bones.

All dressed up for Mass. Here are the "babies"

Sisters!

Big Boys--Reid recently purchased the Leprechaun hat on clearance--don't worry--he didn't wear it to church!

All together, even pup.

Mom & Dad

It was also Brian's 20th Birthday! More to celebrate.

We wish you all a Blessed Easter Season!

Triduum Reflection

2009-04-09T08:03:00.003-05:00

I wanted to post some kind of meditation to ponder for these most Holy days of our faith which are upon us. But, I realized this morning when I opened my email that Father John Corapi had already done that for me. After reflecting on the state of our world, especially our country and the feelings of anxiety & hopelessness that we may feel, he offers these wonderful words:

During Holy Week we celebrate the victory of Jesus Christ over all of this avalanche of sin, Satan, and death. He nailed it to the Cross. “Dying He destroyed our death. Rising He restored our life.” It is necessary that we enter into the Paschal mystery one person at a time, fully and seriously. Live in a state of grace. Do not persist in sin, for your life and mine is shorter than we think. The only way a family, a school, a parish, a city, a country, or a world can be healed is one person at a time.

All of the suffering and darkness of Good Friday finds its meaning in the burst of Light that is Easter morning. All of the fear, the insecurity, and the uncertainty; all of the betrayal, the mockery, and the suffering are vanquished by the glory of the Cross. No pain, no gain! No cross, no crown! No battle, no glory.

So stop worrying! Trust the Lord Jesus...After all, He is the Savior, and only He is the Savior. Place your trust in Him. All of this is really small potatoes. It simply provides a proving ground for saints. That’s all. We have no lasting dwelling in this valley of tears. It is the crucible wherein imperfect human beings are transformed by the fire of trial and the power of grace into the pure gold of God’s holy ones.

In the twinkling of an eye this will be over and we’ll stand before Jesus, Who will wipe away every tear, and having been faithful to our Faith we’ll hear those beautiful words:“Well done my good and faithful servant! Now at last enter into the joy of your Master’s house.”

A blessed Holy Week to you, and may the Light and glory of Easter comfort you in your struggles and confirm you in your faith.

Fr. John Corapi

I hope you all can participate in some Triduum services offered at your parishes this week and after feeding our souls, we can all rejoice on Easter Sunday "Alleluia, He Is Risen!"

Mr. Debonair Lives Here

2009-03-25T23:02:00.003-05:00

Kyle was voted by his classmates to be in the Mr. Debonair Pageant, an annual event at his high school. I'm not surprised that he was honored with this nomination. Back when he was in preschool, I talked to his teacher about a concern I had with him in the academic area. She touched my arm and told me never to worry about him succeeding--that all he had to do was smile and doors would open. She told me that every day when he greeted her in class, her heart would just melt. She was only the first of many others to tell me the same thing. However, lacking the confidence that his smile would carry him through the competition, Kyle decided to pull a secret weapon up on stage--his little sister. I'd say he owes her one! While they didn't win the contest, they definitely made a wonderful memory. Watch and enjoy this video:

It's Only a Number

2009-03-17T21:23:00.005-05:00

I knew this day would come.

It all started many, many years ago when I was 17 and our family was on vacation. We were seated in a restaurant when the waitress asked me if I'd like a Kiddie menu--y'know the ones reserved for the 12 & under crew. "No," I told her, "I'm seventeen!" She apologized & I remember feeling very insulted. What seventeen year old girl wants to be told she looked twelve or UNDER?! My dad reassured me that some day I would be glad to have someone make that mistake and even take it as a complement. I snorted, feeling like that would never be the case.

Fast forward more than 25 years to today, my sweet victory. I took Brian, my very soon to be 20 year old son, to a foot specialist. As the doc turned to me to explain the diagnosis he stopped and said "Are you his....." "mother?" I supplied, "yes, I'm his mother." "Okay," he went on, "I wasn't sure cause you look so young." Mind you, this doc was probably only about 5 years older than me. Not some old guy thinking everyone looks younger than they really are, but someone of my generation.

As we were walking out, Brian said "gosh, what'd he think, you're my big sister?" "hmmm, I guess," I said, "either that or an older girlfriend." We both laughed and I knew no matter how weird I've felt about my upcoming birthday and being definitely "middle-aged", today I think I'll be ordering from the kiddie menu.

Sacred Relics

2009-02-24T21:20:00.015-06:00

Last week, we got to take part in a very special event at our parish. We hosted Deacon Carlos Martins of Companions of the Cross (soon to be ordained a priest)and his display of over 150 Holy Relics of Saints.Click to find out more information about his ministry.

To understand what relics are, why they are venerated by Catholics, and Biblical application of this devotion, please visit here.

Deacon Martins' relic ministry is one of beauty and sacredness. Upon entering the church where the relics are displayed, one can't help but feel you are experiencing a bit of Heaven on earth. All the relics are held in ornate reliquaries which are sealed with wax imprints, held together with strings. This is to certify their authenticity. Deacon Martins gives a compelling slide show & talk on how relics are classified, how he became interested in them, & how he acquired much of his collection. We are then allowed to visit each relic, pick them up, hold rosaries and other holy items against them, or just pray and meditate while in their presence.

Amazingly, on display are relics that are 2000 years old! These include a piece of the sword which pierced Jesus while he hung on the cross, a piece of the Blessed Virgin Mary's hair & veil, relics from all the apostles, including Paul, and most powerful to me, one of the largest relics of the True Cross of Christ. Read how the True Cross was found by St. Helena.

I wanted to share a few pictures and remind you all to surround yourselves with holiness this Lenten season.

Andrew (in red jacket) touching the relics:

Blessed Virgin Mary's relics:

Relics from the Apostles:

The True Cross of Jesus Christ:

God Bless You!

Girly-Girl

2009-02-15T18:57:00.006-06:00

I guess the first clue that my sweet, little Kaitlyn was not going to be as sugar-coated as she appeared was when she was a month old. I had her over my shoulder, gently patting her back when the loudest, most grotesque sound erupted from her tiny body. Remember, she is my 6th baby, so I certainly had burped my share of babies. Never had I heard a sound like this come out of any child. I swore her whole lunch must have come up, but when I precariously turned my head to see what kind of milky mess I would be cleaning up, all I saw was my sweet girl, who burped like a truck driver at 4weeks old without even losing a drop of slobber!

Fast forward 5 years and here she is, still as cute and girly as can be, and still champion burper around our kitchen table, to the point that she is being disciplined about manners almost daily. She's also the one who cracks us up when she uses the bathroom and is heard loud & clear through the closed door grunting & moaning and then repeatedly screaming "Mom, I need Fiber!!!". She definitely fits the old saying, "We can dress her up, but can't take her anywhere".

Knowing she was not your stereo-typical "I can't mess my dress" kind of girl, I had no qualms taking her, Andrew, Michelle, & one of M's friends to the Museum of Natural History this weekend. They were having a special demonstration for Valentines Day where the kids could dissect an actual sheep's heart. This went perfectly with the Science lesson A & K had done this week on the anatomy of the human heart. While the big girls reluctantly took their seats and barely examined their heart specimens, Kaitlyn dug right in using chop-sticks to rip her heart apart. Here she and Andrew are in action:

To our surprise, the museum also had another special exhibit. They were cooking up bugs and letting the kids eat them! They explained how these were delicacies in Thailand. The dishes included Fried Chex Mix with crickets & Cheddar cheese sauce mealworms. I jokingly asked the kids if they wanted to eat any bugs. The big girls made disgusting faces & shook their heads. Andrew took two steps back and said "No way". To my surprise, in her little girl voice, Kaitlyn said "I'll try one". "You want to eat a bug, Kate?" I asked just to make sure she knew what she was doing. "Yes, I'll try the cheese one." she said. And so, while the big girls covered their mouths in horror & Andrew's eyes got hugely wide, our little Kaikee ate a cheesy mealworm and declared "It's pretty good!" She was given a button to wear on her shirt and we moved on. Later she asked to go back and eat another--so she did!! On our way home, she called from the back of the minivan, "Hey Mom, I want to eat more bugs. Can you buy some at the store?" Here she is enjoying her worm--check out the button on her shirt:

When we got home, she told her big brothers what she'd done. They high-fived her and Kyle declared her, "the coolest girl ever!"

Sugar & spice (& burps & bugs), That's what little girls are made of!

I Miss You....

2009-02-06T07:41:00.007-06:00

I wasn't going to write about this, but I just couldn't let the day go by without comment. Today is my due date. The date doctors give pregnant women as a guide for when their baby will be born. All of my children were born at least two weeks early. So, I've tortured myself practically the whole month of January wondering....

Everyday, whether for a fleeting moment or as a constant thought, I've wondered "would I be feeling really uncomfortable by now?", "is today the day I would've had my baby?", "would I be having sleepless nights & feeling exhausted?", " would we be rejoicing at the beauty of another perfect child joining our family?".

I know it's not healthy to think this way, but sometimes it couldn't be helped. Especially whenever I watched a pregnant woman waddle by me while out shopping or when I see a newborn strapped in an infant seat out with her family.

I know deep in my heart that Clare is in Heaven, but it doesn't make me feel ALL better, not yet.

We visit the cemetery and watch as more babies are
buried every month. My son told me that they're the lucky ones-- they don't have to work to get to Heaven as we do. God takes them into paradise without the suffering and trials we must endure to earn it.

A dear, elderly friend of mine gave me the most comforting words when I told her that my baby was perfect and not incompatible genetically with life here on earth. She said, "Suzi, you have to understand that your little girl did have some undiagnosed problem that was incompatible with life. She didn't just slip away to Heaven without a reason. God wanted her --completely clean from sin." Amen to that!! Thank you, Joan.

Please turn up your volume and watch this video and remember.....

The Lovey Award

2009-02-03T17:29:00.004-06:00

My friend Lee, in California, honored me with this cool award. Thanks, Lee! I thoroughly enjoy reading her blog. Through blogging, I've opened up a whole new world of friends who live nearby & far away and I get a chance to peek into the lives of some of my favorite authors & role models. My job now is to recognize fellow bloggers that I love to read and encourage you to check out their blogs as well. I ask those I choose to include the text below and pass this award on to others. Here are the rules:

The Lovey Award:“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

Here are some of my favorite blogs:

Against the Flow.... (Janet)

All This And Heaven! (Neen)

Blair's Blessings (Blair--of course)

Confessions of a Catholic Mom (that's Lee!)

Don't Poke the Baby (Linda)

Finding the Roses... (Julie)

In the Heart of My Home (Elizabeth Foss--homeschool mentor!)

Spring Hailstorm (Nicole)

Survivor 73 (dear friend)

WI Catholic Musings (cyber friend)

I know I picked ten instead of eight, but I love them all!

Man-uary

2009-02-01T19:35:00.003-06:00

During our visit to the northeast over the holidays, we were introduced to a "tradition" that somehow escaped us when we lived there. Kyle came back from spending an evening with his buddies and told us about "Manuary". He explained: during the entire month of January, men (including teens who think they are "man-worthy") are to let their facial hair grow and see what they end up with. In other words, how manly they are. He challenged his two teen brothers & father to give it a go.

The whole vacation, they all tossed their razors aside and got scruffy! Brian & Reid's growth didn't last long. Both are in ROTC programs, so upon returning back to school they were forced to give in to shaving or else be in big trouble! Kyle, who tends to be the least hairy of all, used the excuse that as a swimmer who shaves his arms & legs before big meets, facial hair is a definite no-no in his sport.

So, that left Mike, who gave it a try. He tends to be baby-faced and always told he looks much younger than his age. A few people at work told him that with his Manuary hair, he looked older. He took these as positive remarks and felt he'd get more respect on the job. I laughed and said if a woman changed her appearance and was told she looked older, it would definitely NOT be taken as a complement!!

Here are Before & After pictures:

So, you decide, Manuary or not!!!

Back from Beyond

2009-01-26T22:36:00.002-06:00

Okay, I admit I've been away from blogging for awhile. It seems to happen every year that around the holidays my so called "normal" life stops while I enter the spinning, spiraling realm of buying, wrapping, writing, sending, baking, celebrating. Usually this lasts most of the month of December and by Epiphany, I'm back in full "normal" swing of life--whatever that may be.

This year I found the same chaotic craziness taking over my being, but with some extra bits of adventure thrown in. With gasoline prices being down and feelings of longing for familiarity taking over, we decided in late November to trek back to NJ to celebrate Christmas & New Years. Perhaps we just needed to feel the winter chill again to help us appreciate our mild winters here in TX or maybe it was just that we NEEDED to be around family this year. No matter the reason, we packed up 2 adults, 6 kids (3 the size of adults), & 2 dogs (1 large, 1 pup) into our minivan and left in the wee hours of the morning to drive back. To all you skeptics who laughed when I told you our plans, the drive actually went better than expected (except one small mishap with large dog--I'm sparing you the stinky, ahem, very memorable details. We made it into Virginia the first day--how's that for some good "pedal to the medal" driving!

Our visit was very nice. Unfortunately, having two major holidays fall during our stay left only small bits of open time for visits with friends & extended family. In other words, we didn't get to see everyone as I'd hoped, and that was a bit of a bummer. But, we did enjoy those we saw and are glad we made the trek.

The cold weather seemed to upset our "tropical natures" and Andrew came down with bronchitis while we were visiting. That has been the beginning of the sickest winter on our family record. Since the New Year, we've had 7 sick visits to the doctor in less than 3 weeks. After bronchitis, the kids have been treated for high fever/sore throat viruses (Michelle, Kyle), mono (Reid), untreated fever/virus (Brian-sorry he had to start school that way, but he got out just in time to avoid....) flu (Kyle, Kaitlyn) & strep (Kyle, Kaitlyn). Mike also had a week of sore throat symptoms that he bullied thru.

So, on top of the usual holiday business of taking down and storing the decorations, we've been running a mini hospital clinic. All I can say is.....

I DIDN'T GET SICK!!!!! (of course not, mom's can't get sick!)

January is almost over and I'm finally feeling like we can get back to a routine and do what I love to do every new year--reorganize my house & my life. So, the new adventure in the new year has begun.....

Stay posted, more to come!

'Tis the Season...

2008-12-09T16:41:00.003-06:00

I was sitting in the dentist office waiting- room paging thru the holiday edition of a popular home & garden magazine. It was full of super ideas on decorating for the season. How to transform your house into a beautiful oasis of holiday cheer--how to make a place that will make your guests feel welcome and inspire family traditions that will last for years to come. I flipped thru the pages marveling at how someone can take a branch from a fir tree, a pinecone, & a bow and transform it into a beautiful centerpiece for the dining room table. I am amazed at how people can choose theme colors to decorate with that coordinate everything in the room to flow together. Pieces of fruit that automatically get tossed in my fridge to be soon consumed, are somehow transformed into expensive looking displays.

Every year I drag out the same bin of decorations. My tree looks identical year after year--no theme ornaments or color schemes that coordinate my gift wrapping to match my drapes. I'm not complaining. I love my Christmas decorations & tree ornaments--some belonged to elderly family members now gone, some adorned my family Christmas tree when I was a child, and new hand-made ones are added every year made by the kids. They are like dear, old friends who come by for their annual visit at this special time.

I was almost finished paging through the magazine, feeling envious of the holiday bliss these homes would bring these lucky families and feeling down -trodden by my lack of creativity, when I noticed that not one highlighted home had displayed a nativity scene. I didn't even see Christmas angels. One of the pictures had a caption reading that the true meaning of the season was being with your family. While I agree that this time of year is more fun spent surrounded by loved ones (that is the reason we are packing our 6 kids & 2 dogs to drive back to the northeast), it is not the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

When you walk into my house this time of year, you'll notice the Advent Wreath as the centerpiece of my kitchen table. My mantle display is a large "Story of Christmas" book that contains 25 smaller books. We read one book each night at dinner. The story starts with the Angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and ends the night that Jesus Christ is born. You won't find exquisite displays of greenery & gifts, but you probably will notice the ten nativity scenes I have placed throughout various rooms. I doubt you'll ever see my home pictured in a home decorating magazine, but I do hope if you visit, the reason for the season will be obvious & you'll leave here feeling that the Prince of Peace lives within.

God Bless Us, Everyone!

My Boring Life

2008-11-19T20:12:00.002-06:00

"Mom, your life is so boring!"

So came this statement the other day out of the mouth of one of my teen sons. My eyebrows flew up and a high pitched "crazy-person" cackle came out of my mouth, "Are you kidding me?!! Boring? BORING!!! I dream of being bored. I can't remember the last time I felt bored. I actually have fantasies about being bored! "

I don't think said son was still in the room by the time I finished my rant, but it didn't really matter. I do believe his statement wasn't so much about the amount of activity I have in a typical day as much as the type of activity. I admit, I don't jet off to attend the Academy Awards or climb any mountains, heck, I don't even ski. I don't win any contests for my laundry organization system or my plan-your-dinner for a month calendar but, in my daily routine, feeling that I'm bored has never been an issue.

His words came into my mind today as I scrambled to fit all of our obligations into the available daylight hours. Wednesday at this present moment happens to be an extremely busy day and while I longed for a lazy afternoon and maybe even a 20 minute nap, I thought I'd share a typical day in my (boring) life:

I was woken up by Mike at 5:45 am so I could drive him to the bus station because teen son (yep, same one) drives the other car to school & swim practice. After dropping off hubby, I begin my quiet prayer time on the short drive home with the hopes of 10 more minutes to finish after getting home. This particular day, I was met at home by little K wanting breakfast, 9 yo dog demanding breakfast, & a whiny puppy needing to go out and (of course) eat breakfast. I did finish my prayer time although "quiet" was no longer in the description.

Breakfast, clean-up, showers, & more puppy management came next. Oh yeah, I tossed a hunk of beef in the crock pot and dumped some BBQ sauce on top, set to low. Dinner's done!

Our school day began somewhere before 9. By 10:30 we were rushing out the door, books in tow, to pick up R from high school. He and M have orthodontist appointments at 11:15. Ortho done, drop R back at school and hit the gas station to fill up before our crazy afternoon.

Back home for a quick lunch, more school, more puppy management, change clothes & pack up for M's Pickwick Society meeting. (this is a Victorian based girls virtue/craft class led by another homeschooling mom). We stopped on the way to pick up my friend's 3 daughters for the meeting because she had another family obligation. Onward....

The meeting was in a park, which was good cause the weather was gorgeous and it gave the younger kids something to do while the older girls met. Promptly at 3:30 (ok--a teeny bit later) I rounded up the 6 kids spread out in various locations of the park, dropped 3 of them back off at their grandparents home, and headed back to our house with my remaining 3. Once home I led the battle cry "Ten minutes everyone, hurry!! A-- dress for soccer & look for your ball, M--get in your leo for gymnastics & get something to eat, K--go potty." I fed the big dog and took puppy out for well, you know. We piled back in the car, this time with Brutus (the big dog) because he always joins us on our afternoon drives.

First stop (4:50) the gym-- out goes M, second stop high school-- pick up R from afterschool activities, third stop--soccer field, make sure it's okay if I leave A there with coach while I finish my rounds, fourth stop--back home to drop R off so he can shower, eat, & get ready for his Confirmation class, fifth stop--bus station, hubby is waiting, sixth stop--home again to drop hubby off so he can eat & get ready for choir practice & take R to class (luckily at the same place), K & dog get out here too, seventh stop (6:00)--back to soccer field to pick up A just in time before it is pitch black out (no lighted fields), eighth stop-- back home again, finally, so I can get out, eat the crock pot dinner (I am so smart, I applaud myself silently), and give the car to hubby & R so they can go to their evening activities. I don't need to go anywhere again until 8:50 to pick up M from the gym.

It is 9:30, where has my day gone?? I don't see any amazing adventures and surely nothing I wrote is making anyone say "Cool, I wish I could do that too!" And yet, I don't feel bored. I definitely feel tired and think I'm fighting a sore throat, but boredom has not entered my mind. Of course, there are no impromptu romantic getaways with my husband, no spontaneous trips into the city just to find some interesting entertainment, not even a trip to blockbuster to rent the latest release. But what I did do was share a part of everyone in my family's life today. Whether it was listening to A read a first grade story book, helping M pick out a poem to share with her Pickwick group, or simply providing a meal & clean clothes to those I love.

When I was a little girl, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up-- a wife & mother, and I definitely wanted alot of kids (and dogs).

So, as boring as it might be, it looks like I'm living my dream afterall!

The Saints Go Marching In

2008-11-11T13:13:00.009-06:00

Dress up this year has never been so much fun for the kids. We did the usual Halloween stuff--talking about what to dress as all year long and then picking something from the costume trunk at the last minute. The kids came home with their most successful candy load since we've been here. (and no jalapeno flavored candies this year, yea!!) Along with all this fun, a couple days later Michelle, Andrew, & Kaitlyn got to dress up as a favorite saint at our homeschool group's All Saints Party. This is what I wanted to share with y'all (Texas accent).

One generous family in our group opened their farm property to all of us. We set up little games for the kids to rotate thru--all with saint themes like St. Martha's Bake Shop (decorate your own cookie), toss the halo on Mary, St. Peter's fishing boat, St. Paul's missionary journey (tractor ride), and many more. Everyone brought food to share and the kids collected little prizes or candy from each activity. The highlight was the All Saints Parade where the kids got to show off the patron they dressed as.

Getting ready to go: Michelle is St. Agnes (13 yr. old martyr), Andrew is St. Francis of Assisi, Kaitlyn is Blessed Jacinta Marto (youngest seer from Fatima)

Mary, holding baby Jesus, led the parade with the Popemobile close behind.

Here they come:

We had such a nice time celebrating the holy people we strive to be like, and also remembering the souls who've gone on before us that we need to pray for. The evening ended with a perfect sunset and a cross of clouds in the sky.

When we got home, the kids emptied their prize bags on the table. They each got a card of St. Anthony of Padua that was given out at one of the games. They also got lots of candy and religious trinkets. Two more holy cards were found in the mix. We're not sure who's bag they came out of or what game they came from. They were the only other saint cards we came home with. We marveled at the names on the cards: St. Clare & St. Helena. A little sign for us to know that our little saint was with us enjoying all the fun too!!

The Votes Are In

2008-11-05T22:22:00.003-06:00

I could write about how disappointed I am that John McCain lost the Presidential Election. I've read the countless emails that've passed thru my in-box telling the horrors of Obama's personal affiliations, questionable experience, & un-Godly values. I participated in the emails requesting days/weeks of prayer, sacrifice, & fasting to plead with Heaven to not allow a man who does NOT believe in the sanctity of life to take power over our country. For months I avoided the liberal media in order to keep my health & sanity intact. I remained quietly hopeful that our prayers would be answered. My daughter said she knew McCain would win because so many people were praying and God would answer our prayers. I then gently reminded her of a gift God has given us all called Free Will. The ability to take all the good we've been given & reject it for our own agenda. She slowly nodded remembering the paradise that could've been ours if Adam & Eve hadn't made a bad choice.

What surprises me the most is that others don't see what appears so clearly in my mind. It's no secret that our earthly life is temporary and not the end all. We are here to live a Godly life and serve others in order to achieve Heaven for all-eternity. Our physical needs have always been met. I'm assuming the fact that you're reading this on a computer with internet hook -up that you're not too bad off! If we lose our job, house, or health we do not have to lose our FAITH. We can choose to Honor God in all we've been given....and have taken away. We can live all our joys & sufferings in union with Christ.

Some people say we can't vote on just one issue. I say we can! Life is the only issue that affects all the others. If you want a leader who will always value what's best for you-your leader MUST be pro-life. Why?? Someone who is pro-life is watching out for the underdog, the one who can't take care of himself, the one who is dependent or in need. Someone who is pro-life thinks of what is best for others and not just himself. I don't understand why this doesn't jump out and grab people. Are Americans so selfish & materialistic that they can only look out for their own needs & disregard the frail & helpless? Do we toss them aside & tread on them as we run to get in line to buy the latest gadget? Do we only keep what fits our plan without regard to what good may come from making a sacrifice?

What angers me the most are the so-called practicing Catholics who have the gall to distribute the Holy Eucharist at Sunday Mass & teach our children in CCD, but then place all that aside on Nov. 4 to vote for someone who goes against all the teachings of our faith! I can only imagine the sadness felt in Heaven over these situations.

I believe an Obama presidency will be an eye-opening experience for many. It will cause people to realize what is Good (from God) & what is not. My prayer is that non-religious Americans or those practicing heresy will re-kindle their belief in Jesus' teachings and depend on Him & not on a person with fake power. I pray that those of us with faith will not keep it under a bushel, but will join together and be a light to others. That thru our actions & convictions we will inspire others. And that if there is a time of sorrow, pain, & hardships to endure, that we will all put our trust in Jesus and know that there is a reason & that good can come out of bad.

I think the best we can do now is to take all the masses, novenas, rosaries, & petitions we so faithfully said and continue to pray them for the intention of the true conversion of President-elect Obama. That way we'll all be winners of this election!

God Bless America and have mercy on us all!!!

Back in the Swing.....

2008-10-29T15:27:00.011-05:00

Life can only be on hold for a short time with our busy lives and so it's been time to bounce back from our difficult September. October really doesn't allow me to sit idle or rest for any amount of time. So, whether I've been ready to get back into some kind of normal routine or not is really not my decision to make. My obligations to my family haven't stopped, and so, neither have I.

Personally, I've had more doctor appointments and visits to the lab for blood work in one month than probably the past 10 years! I'm still not finished, as I have two more doc appointments next week to start off November. So far, my blood pressure is under control thanks to a cardiologist and two new medications. I'm still being tested for all kinds of weird disorders. Thank goodness I have what every lab technician has called "good veins".

Here's what's new:

Mike took a week long business trip to Canada and was glad he kept his winter coat when we moved. He joined our new parish's adult choir and started singing at Mass again this past Sunday.

Kaitlyn turned 5 early in the month. She was so excited to get an American Girl doll! She still teeters between being a "big girl" and wanted to be "the baby". I don't mind if she grows up slowly! She sure had fun on her b-day.

Gymnastics has kept Michelle full of excitement and anxiety this month. She competed in the local District Championship earlier this month. From there she qualified for the Texas South State Championship meet. This past weekend she was able to squeeze out another qualification onto the (entire) Texas State Championship meet. That is the most competitive meet she can qualify for at this level. It will be held in Dallas in the middle of November. She's hoping to get her personal highest scores on each event.

Kyle's swim season for both high school and his club have started their competitive seasons. So far he's been pleased with his performances. Nice to see his hard work paying off!

Reid's active with JROTC and has finally started his Confirmation classes in order to be confirmed this spring. He's been waiting a long time and is in a very dynamic and orthodox program. I'm excited that he's getting a chance to be catechized so well!

Brian's doing fine up in school and joined us this past weekend for some R&R before heading back to finish up the semester.

We had another family b-day with Andrew turning 7 a few days ago. He's been so excited all month counting down the days. He invited a few friends to a bowling party and I was really happy that all our family was there. Everyone had fun--the big brothers & sister bowling together and all the party kids in the lanes next to them. The little boys got to the point of pushing 3 balls down one lane at the same time and laughing the whole time! As we walked to the car, I asked Andrew how his party was. I loved his reply, " It was perfect! Better than I thought it would be." Cha-Ching--score one for a happy birthday boy!!!

Every time Andrew rolled the ball, he ended up on the floor!

Taking a break to eat.

Making a wish!

We couldn't leave Brutus out this month. His news is that he's become a Big Brother! Yep, just to add to the craziness, we added a puppy to our family! He's a 7 week old Beagle that will most likely be named Rocky.

Coming home:

Furry brothers :

Taking a ride thru the neighborhood:

As you can see, life is busy and full. I'm happy to be so Blessed to have some good stuff to post!

Thank you all for your prayers and support these past few weeks!

Our Little Saint

2008-10-01T07:41:00.008-05:00

All summer long I've was planning on how I would post the news that, at my ripe old age, I was pregnant. I wanted to convey that although not necessarily how we had planned our family to grow, we embraced the joys a new baby would bring and, along with our kids, the excitement grew.

So, where was my pregnancy post? I kept waiting for the haunting feeling of "something doesn't feel right" to go away. I had ultrasounds, blood work, and weekly visits with my doctor where I heard the baby's heartbeat again & again. However, my blood pressure rose dangerously high. Was it my anxiety? It doesn't matter now because two weeks ago, at over 18 weeks gestation, the baby's heartbeat was absent. I had the feeling since the very beginning that we would not be bringing a baby home this pregnancy. Unfortunately, it's not the first time I've had these feelings, but it is the furthest I've ever progressed in a pregnancy only to lose the baby.

After the emergency situation with the hurricane was resolved and the hospital regained power, I was admitted. Baby Clare Helena was born at 5:30 a.m. on September 19. Mike and I got the chance to hold her and anoint her with Holy Water and Oil from Medjugorje that was Blessed by Pope John Paul II. Michelle knit her a little baby blanket that she was buried with and we also had our priest Bless a rosary to keep with her as well. I grieve with deep sadness the joys our family will miss out on by never bringing this precious girl home with us. We had all been looking forward to baby smiles and swaddles and the love we know grows everytime a new family member is added. But our little Clare had another path given to her by the Almighty. Our baby, although born into this world, will never be OF this world. She is a little Saint in Heaven looking down on our family and the world ready to intercede on our behalf.

A wonderful priest once comforted me after a similar loss by saying that until I see the Beatific Vision, I will never know how powerful my "Yes" to God is by allowing Him to create another soul into eternal life. He said then I will understand why God allows these souls to be conceived, but not brought forth to live here with us. Their work is in Heaven, helping us on our earthly journeys. Please don't forget to ask them to pray for you.

I believe that often we are given signs from God to comfort us when needed. I've received many of these signal graces in the past and prayed for one now. My favorite tropical flower is the Hibiscus. In May, I bought a beautiful Hibiscus shrub and planted it near our pool. when I bought it, it had many large red blooms. They soon fell off and by mid-summer I realized that this plant hadn't produced any other flowers. I started checking it weekly and noticed it was full of buds, but they never seemed to mature and open. I started to get frustrated and complained to Mike " Why are there so many buds and never any blooms??!!" I couldn't understand why this plant was refusing to show it's beauty. The night after praying for a sign that Clare Helena was safely tucked in the arms of the angels in Heaven, we woke and did the usual drill to get ready for Sunday Mass. As I opened the shades and glanced outside, I was struck by the sight of a bright red flower fully in bloom on my Hibiscus plant! I realized immediately that this plant did not flower all summer because it was not meant to bloom until the baby "budding" in my womb was fully alive and thriving in Heaven. The flower only lasted one day before closing and falling off. However, three days later, the day we buried our daughter, the Hibiscus opened two new blooms. Another confirmation to me that all is right and she is where God intended her to be from the start. Again, the blooms only lasted the day of her funeral and as of today, the plant has not bloomed again.

Although I am sad that my hopes were not meant to be, I try to remember that God only creates what is good and so His plan is the one that is best for us all.

St. Clare Helena, pray for us!!!

Weathering The Storm

2008-09-21T18:39:00.018-05:00

By now I'm sure you all know that Hurricane Ike hit the Houston area very hard. Forgive me for not updating sooner, but after 9 days, our electricity just came back on! Here's how it all played out:

We squeezed in a little birthday party for Michelle at lunch-time on Friday, the 12th and the brave souls who came skid-daddled out to head home and hunker-down by early afternoon. By evening, the wind was picking up and darkness descending. We filled two bathtubs full of water, filled my big spaghetti pots with water, gassed up the cars, scavenged the grocery stores for more ice & canned goods, got the flashlights powered up, tucked the kids safely NOT in their beds, and went to sleep. I woke at 3 a.m. The power was already gone and the rain and wind were fierce outside. There was no more sleep after that. When daylight came and we could finally see outside, it was quite a sight. I've never seen such violent rain and the wind would come in powerful gusts. Our pool already looked like a swamp. We worried as two inches of rain was already sitting on our back patio and the pool continued to fill. Mike and I braved the storm at one point to go out with rakes and clear our three deck drains of debris so some of the rain could filter out. Amazingly we kept our phone land line all day as the storm ravaged. Friends and family were calling and we were filling them in that we were all okay so far. At one point we seriously thought the pool was going to over -flow. We moved furniture and rugs away from the back door and watched. When it was right at the brim, the internal overfill valve finally caught up with the rain and started to drain. Whew!! That was a close one!

By late afternoon, the storm finally left our area and neighbors cautiously crept out to survey the damage. We fared very well. Only one of our skinny palm trees behind the pool rocks fell over. Mike's been able to upright it since. We had alot of debris in the yard and pool, but luckily no damage to the cars or house. Here's how it looked after the storm:

Our other palm tree is supposed to be in front of the play house. It fell to the right.

Here is our swamp.... I mean pool! It usually is NOT green and that dark stuff on the bottom are tree branches.
Not too much clean up needed here.

Our neighbor across the street was the only one with damage to the front yard.

About 300 yards from our house is our bayou. It did it's job well and kept us from getting flooded. Here is a picture of how it usually looks:

And how it looked the day of the storm: (you can see some of our neighbors lost their fences on the left side)

The next day we walked up to our neighborhood center and pool/park. What a mess! I couldn't believe how much damage there was 3 blocks from our home:

Kyle had the job of "fishing" all the junk out of the pool, while Reid bagged it all up.

So, we survived 9 days without electricity. On day 7, a friend lent us their generator and air conditioner wall unit. It came just in time as the cold front we'd been fortunate to have at the beginning of the week ended and the humidity returned. The first 48 hours after the storm we had no phone lines including cell. That was a bit daunting knowing we had no way to contact anyone. During the power outage, we got the chance to talk alot with our neighbors since people were much more likely to be outside and Andrew & Kaitlyn made some new friends. Our evenings were spent either reading by flashlight or playing family board games. We ate delicious dinners of Chef -Boy- Ardee & canned chili over rice. I really missed having cereal with milk for breakfast! In many ways our time reminded me of camping and if you're not sure how that makes me feel, please reference my post titled "goodbye to family camping"! When our electricity came back on at 5 p.m. today, people were yelling up & down the street and honking horns. It's a good day!!!

Not Olympic Gymnastics

2008-09-07T16:37:00.004-05:00

Michelle has worked hard for over 3 years as a competitve gymnast. This summer, she waited until the midnight hour to attain all her skills to move up to Level 6. But, the good news is, she made it and enjoyed her second meet this weekend. She won 2nd. Place All-Around and was happy with all her results. Level 6 is fun because the girls start to do no-hand tumbling on the floor and their first release move in their dismount on the bars. Here's a little sample of her floor rountine. Sorry it is so far away, there is no zoom in my movie-mode. When you hear the music start, you'll begin to see her better. Enjoy:

Now This is Texan!

2008-08-31T16:48:00.010-05:00

Shortly after moving here, we learned about the great rivalry between Univ. of Texas (Longhorns) & Texas A&M (Aggies). While silly at times to see adult alumni "duking it out" over loyalty to their school, it's also extremely entertaining. It didn't take us long to get caught up in the fun. Our oldest is in his second year at Texas A&M. Not only is he a student, but he is in the prestigious Corp of Cadets, the keepers of the Aggie Spirit. We now thoroughly enjoy all things Aggie!

We love that the school continues to follow an Honor Code used at the great Military Academies in the USA. We also love the school traditions, the fact that they are known as the friendliest college in the country, and their openness to family involvement. Each outfit in the Corp hosts a family picnic on home football game days where we munch on BBQ brisket & ribs and socialize with the other family members. We then are allowed to go into the Corp dorms (holes) and watch the upperclassmen call out the freshman (Fish). It's out in the quad after that to watch the band parade by and the entire Corp march past. We love it! Here's some of the experience we had at the first home game this weekend. (too bad they lost)

"Fish" lined up against the wall while the upperclassmen inspect them:

Out on the quad:

Brian is second one in the first row from right.

The kids pose in front of the cannon with one of the soldiers:

The cannon shot starts the festivities:

Brian's company marching by:

All the kids giving the Army Thumbs-Up! Gig 'Em, Aggies!!

School Days, School Days

2008-08-26T07:02:00.009-05:00

It's that time of year again.....school for all six kiddos has officially started in our household, and just in time before my teens' brains turned to complete mush! It seems forever ago that it was the beginning of summer and we were totally immersed in the summer league swim season. Not to say we haven't been busy all summer. I at least know that it feels like I haven't had a break from all the driving, endless doctor appointments, and to-do list errands. However, lately I'd return home from driving all over the area to find my two high school boys lounging on the couch, eating snacks, and staring at the boob-tube while they watched "The Price is Right" or "Family Feud"! The survey says........" Get off your butts and help me clean this house!". (Oops, that's what mom says) They both assured me that this was what summer vacation was all about. Yep, it surely was time to get back to school.

It's our second year of homeschool for the three youngest. Kaitlyn was very excited to officially start Kindergarten (even tho she's not quite 5 yet). She started our day with the flag salute and then we did our morning prayers before starting lessons. Andrew has been doing schoolwork on and off thru the summer so that he retained what he learned last year. He is in First Grade now, and in typical little boy fashion, he let it be known that he'd rather be playing with his toys than spending the day in school. I think it'll take a few days to realize that 1st grade is a bit more challenging than last year had been.

Michelle's summer days were spent at the gym gaining skills to move up to the next competitive gymnastics level. She achieved her goals and has already had two meets of the new season. Her summer schoolwork consisted of reading the entire Laura Ingalls Wilder series ("Little House" books) which she finished before the end of June! She's happy to return to school and is in Sixth Grade this year. Her favorite subjects are History--she's studying the Old World this year and Science- she's learning about Sea Creatures and the Aquatic World.

Halfway thru our first morning of school, Brian called from college during a break in his classes. It was also his first day and he filled me in on how it was going and how the weekend had been while the older Corp guys (including him) got to break-in the new "Fish" in his outfit. He laughed about how nervous the new guys all were and I reminded him that it sounded just like him last year at this time! "It's so much more fun watching from the other side!", he laughed. We'll visit him this weekend at their first football game march-in.

Kyle and Reid headed off to high school early in the morning and both had positive reports when they came home. Reid will have long days, being done at 5 from his ROTC duties and Kyle will swim for the high school in the morning and then head down to club swimming afterschool, not to return home until 6:30 everyday. If that doesn't tire them out, than I don't know what to do!!

As for me, I am glad to get back to our normal routine. I never did get those long, lazy days I used to cherish in summertime. I mentally had a list of projects I wanted to work on, and somehow got none of them done! If summer is going to be just as busy as the rest of the year, then I'll gladly take the structure of the school year vs. the random chaos our summer seemed to bring. As for homeschooling, the most popular comment I receive when discussing our choice with others who don't homeschool is "You must be very patient. I just couldn't do that!" The truth is, I've never been particularly patient with my own kids. For some reason, I can be very patient with other people's kids tho! For me, it is a practice in learning to be patient with my children, and believe me, it is a challenge every day. It is also what I feel is parenting the way God intended it to be. We are entrusted with our children to teach them in all facets of life. When we homeschool, I feel I am satisfying the true meaning of parenting in the purest, most complete way it was meant to be. I certainly don't condemn those who send their kids to schools, as I still do my older ones and previously did for Michelle as well. I just wish I had known the truth about homeschooling 10 years ago. It definitely would have been a Blessing to our family!

We (Sort of) Found the Boardwalk

2008-08-18T14:51:00.009-05:00

Had to take another technical break from blogging. Seems once we got the new computer up and running, it didn't like any of our old software, especially the one from my digital camera. Back up and working now!

One of our goals this summer was to find the beach in Texas. Okay, we aren't that stupid that we didn't know to look down by the Gulf. It's just that if you've ever grown up on the east coast somewhere between NJ and FL, you know what the beach, or as we say "the shore", is supposed to look like. Our first visit to Galveston Beach a month after we moved here was very disappointing. I knew there had to be better. I've spent the last two years jumping in on any conversation I hear when people are discussing beach vacations. I grill these people on what the beach looks like, is there a boardwalk, are there real beach houses or a beach town atmosphere? I've gotten some promising information from some Texans that makes me feel optimistic until I talk to someone who knows about the beaches on the east coast. These people shake their heads at me and say, "Don't listen to anyone here. They just don't know how it's supposed to be." This whole investigation reminds me of when I used to look for real pizza, but that's another story.

Here's what we're used to:

I've heard there is a somewhat decent beach 8 hours south of Houston called South Padre Island. I've heard it's somewhat like we're used to. But, I could drive two more hours in the opposite direction and be on beautiful Florida beaches where I know it's real!

If we couldn't have a beach experience this summer the least we could do is visit the Kemah Boardwalk here in Galveston. We spent a Sunday afternoon exploring this place I'd heard a bit about. Okay, weird as this is to me, the boardwalk is about half hour from the beach! It sticks out in the bay, it is about five blocks long and isn't even made of real wood! There were about ten little shops, many very expensive restaurants, and a small amusement park area. We took our family on a little train ride to see if we missed anything......we didn't. No Kohr Brothers soft custard, no waffles & ice cream, no homemade fudge, no touristy tee shirt shops, or seashell jewelry boxes, and no Hermit Crabs!

Here's what we found:

It did feel good to smell the sea water and watch the many boats out on the bay, but overall, I think it's one more thing I have to bid good- bye to while living in Texas!

Marital Musings

2008-07-23T14:26:00.006-05:00

My husband and I celebrated 20 years of marriage this month. To many I shared this with, they were impressed. Twenty years can seem like alot, unless you are well beyond that yourselves. To us, it seems in many ways like a blink of the eye, until we look around our over- populated kitchen table and realize it definitely took time to fill this many seats. Like all other couples who've actively and sincerely made the commitment to stay together, we've had our ups & downs, trials & triumphs, stresses & successes.

I can look back at my own idea of marriage and see how unrealistic my ideals were. I was a Brady Bunch junkie my whole childhood and (I admit) into my teenage years. I loved the large, happy family picture and bought into it totally. Imagine my disappointment upon returning home from our honeymoon to find Mike and I were not spending our evenings quietly & calmly reading the newspaper and needlepointing in the living room while Alice cleaned up the kitchen after the scrumptious meal she had just cooked for us. As kids were quickly added to our family, any homeostasis in our lives faded and chaos has become our lifestyle. It took me awhile to give up on the Brady Bunch fantasy and now I can't even watch the show without screaming "liars!!!" at the TV.

So what is twenty years of marriage? To me it is a growing respect and understanding of your spouse. A putting him/her before the kids, as without each other first--there is no "family". I think many couples have bought into their own fantasy of the perfect partner, their "soul-mate", and once the faults of the other person appear, it is not fun to hang around anymore. Why people think the grass will be greener with someone else is beyond my understanding. I once heard that you marry someone with 80% of the qualities you like. Then there is the other 20% you must accept and live with. People who flee their marriage will look for someone who has the 20% their spouse was missing forgetting that there is 80% that your spouse has and the new person lacks!!!

As the years have gone by and my understanding of my faith has grown, I am ever thankful for the Blessing of a Sacramental marriage. The Grace a couple receives by being married in the Catholic church is what can carry you through a rough patch and floods your marriage with the joys that can only come by living as you promised on the altar: To love Freely & Totally (without reservation), Faithfully (until death), & Fruitfully (receiving children lovingly thru God). Those are the promises a couple makes during every Catholic Nuptial Mass

How many couples make these promises without full understanding? I know that when we married in 1988, marriage prep was minimal at best. However, we received the Graces blindly and are now so thankful to be able to call on the Third Person in our marriage often. I was also never taught that one of the purposes of a sacramental marriage is to get your spouse to Heaven. No easy task under most circumstances, but enough of a reason to accept the challenge and complete the mission. The fruit of a committed marriage will be realized when we all see the Beautific Vision!

And so, to those of you who are living your marital vows, working your way toward the twenty year mark, I say never give up, there is always a rainbow after the storm. Pray that the Graces you've already received will flow through you and your spouse and build a stronger marriage year after year. And to those of you who have been through the storms and know the Truth, may you be an ever shining light to your children and to society. Society now more than ever, needs to see witness of Sacramental Marriage being lived the way God intended.

Saint John Francis Regis, patron saint of marriage and Blessed Luigi and Maria Quattrochi, patron saints of married couples, Pray for Us!!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2008-07-03T15:43:00.007-05:00

Well, it happens twice a year here in Texas, and I'm sure, across the southern states. But, being a Yankee, it is new and I admit, still a fascinating phenomena. What am I talking about? When we were headed up the interstate to our new home for the first time, we drove past a large building on the side of the road. It instantly caught the attention of the big boys in the backseat who exclaimed, "Fireworks Warehouse! You didn't tell us fireworks were legal here!! Cool!!!!".

I knew we were in trouble.

Two times a year, 2 weeks before New Year's and 2 weeks before 4th of July, fireworks stands pop-up in every spare nook and cranny of empty lots or alcoves all along the roads. They boast huge signs saying "Buy one get one free" and "Twelve for a Dollar". Who could pass up such deals? I'm guessing it's a boy-thing because my husband admits having great thrills lighting his action figures on fire as a child and I also watched my brother catch bugs and set them ablaze as well. Neither of them grew up to be pyromaniacs. Back home, we enjoyed watching fireworks shows on the 4th of July every year at great distances away. Now, they are lit right in front of my house. On these nights, our neighborhood sounds like a war zone.

My 3 teens will easily say that the best part of living in Texas is getting to legally blow up such items as lego models and GI Joes, however, there is one such creature that isn't having much fun this time of year. While people of all ages enjoy "playing with fireworks", dogs around the area really suffer. Our first summer here, Brutus started throwing up and having accidents in our house the few days before the 4th as people started playing with firecrackers a bit early. I had him at the park watching the little ones play one such evening. I was speaking to a woman when a fire cracker went off in the distance. Brutus immediately tried to jump all 85 pounds of himself onto my lap. I told the woman how hard it's been on him. "You have to tranquilize your dog this time of year. Everyone does it!". Okay, I pleaded ignorance. I had never heard of this before. Sure enough, I called my vet and sheepishly asked for some doggy-downers half expecting to be reprimanded for drugging my dog. "Oh absolutely," they responded, " too many dogs get scared and run away this time of year. Come right in and we'll have them ready."

So, while Brutus will be in a drug induced stupor this holiday, the boys will be in their glory getting to be legally bad! Happy Birthday America!! BA-BOOM!!!!

Summer Swim Season

2008-06-27T20:40:00.007-05:00

While most areas of the country are just starting their summer swim seasons, ours will be ending with the individual championship meet this weekend. We start in early May to try and beat the intense summer heat which is already upon us. So, in a couple days, we can finally slow down a bit, have some free weekends, and hopefully become a little bored!!!

Last night our team, the Seals, had a fantastic end of the season bash. There are over 260 team members and as these pictures show, our 3 swimming boys were recognized above and beyond most of their team-mates. A night that makes all those early morning practices and endless Saturday meets worth the effort!

Kyle was recognized with a trophy as "High Point Scorer" for his age group and also received plaques for setting 3 new individual team records. After 8 years of competitive swimming, Reid finally mastered all 4 strokes and pushed himself for faster times. He received a trophy for the "Most Improved" in his age group.

Andrew proudly received a trophy for the "Coaches Award" given to the kid who works the hardest in practice and always does what the coaches ask. After we explained what the trophy was given for, he said, "anyone can get the high point trophy, mine's more important because I have to work hard all the time!" We hope it hasn't gone to his head!!

Our well-decorated table!!! Congratulations Boys!!!!

Thank You To Those Who Serve

2008-06-22T19:11:00.003-05:00

I was recently sent the video below and hope that you will take the time to watch it. (it is short, but meaningful). Memorial Day is recently behind us and Independence Day will soon be here. It's fun to celebrate a day off from work and picnic with our neighbors, but how often do we consider the brave men & women who leave their loved ones behind to go off to foreign & dangerous lands to fight for freedom. We're all aware of what a hot button issue the war in Iraq will be this upcoming fall as we vote for a new president. No matter how you stand on the war issue, it's important to think about the young servicemen & women fighting far from home. I married into a family that has a long history of United States Military Service. It's amazing to see how the red, white, & blue continues to run through our family's veins. My oldest son is commissioned to serve in the Army in 3 years after he graduates college. Another son wants nothing but to join the Army after high school. As a mother, I often wonder where their strong patriotism comes from. We've never pushed them for a military career and yet it is their only immediate desire. We've probably all been in situations where servicemen/women have been in our midst. I've seen them dressed in uniform in restaurants, grocery stores, & the mall. While the thought of acknowledging their sacrifice and bravery did occur to me, I can't say that I've acted on that impulse. After watching this video, I hope we all will not only notice them but give them the gratitude they deserve. Please watch:

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/shortmovie.php

Another Catholic Blog

2008-06-18T22:05:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to post an introduction to a new blog written by one of my first friends here in Texas. Against the Flow.... is written by Janet who is a native Texan with a beautiful family. My younger kids pal around with some of hers and Kyle is giving swimming lessons to a couple of them too. As moms, we support each other in our daily trials of raising a large family while trying to be faithful to the teachings of the Catholic church. Janet has a great perspective cause she was raised as a Bible-thumping Southern Baptist. She converted in college and is so knowledgeable about the Catholic faith that we all learn from her. So, don't just sit here--check out her blog!

Summer Bummer

2008-06-12T19:44:00.002-05:00

It has been a while since I last posted. Unfortunately our computer crashed completely in May and while we hope to resurrect it soon for the kids to use, we went a few weeks without a home PC. I now have a laptop all my own.

Don't think I had tons of down- time without the constant beckon of the family PC luring me over to check my email or "surf-around". Nope, I spent the better part of the past three weeks nursing my big 'ol college son through illness.

Brian came home from school mid-May with the hopes of finally relaxing without having the upperclassmen in the Corp constantly breathing down his neck or worrying about his next exam. I let him lounge for about a week before starting to strongly urge him to "find a job" and "sign up for a summer class" at the local community college. During week two, he finally got motivated to follow mom's advice. He signed up for two classes in the first summer session and started to apply for jobs. It was a few days later when he told me he didn't feel well. I popped the thermometer in his mouth and watched it register 102.......this was for real.

As the days progressed, he got worse, was put on antibiotics, tested positive for hepatitis, and spiked temperatures to almost 105 during one night. That night I had to sponge his torso and head down reminding me of the tepid baths we used to give him when he was a sick baby. Even 19 years later, the mom/nurse role continues. The sickness continued as his throat became something from a horror movie and then he woke up covered with a rash from head to toe. I would post pictures, but honestly, you would not want to see them!!

After 4 doctor visits we finally got all the test results and found that he has mononucleosis! The rash was caused by the antibiotics and the hepatitis is , thankfully, caused only by the mono and will not cause permanent damage. Three weeks and 15 pounds lighter, Brian is finally starting to feel better and actually gets up out of bed during the day. Obviously, he had to postpone his classes and probably won't get a decent job for the summer as he works to gain energy before returning back to school and the rigors of the Corp in mid-August.

Poor Brian, I'm sure this summer will not turn out to be the relaxing leisure break he had hoped for, but I'm sure it'll be one summer he'll never forget!!!

Goodbye to Family Camping

2008-05-12T15:09:00.011-05:00

We've had to make a difficult decision to sell our travel trailer. The economy has gotten the best of us, with gasoline prices skyrocketing, our little family budget has gotten squeezed. It seems everything has gone up in price, food (which we never seem to have enough of according to our teen sons), clothing (mom, I need new shoes!), and extracurricular costs--although we try to minimize, with a large family even one or two activities each puts us in the poor house. With a very reluctant heart, we've decided to sell our one large asset that was actually paid for in full! Anyone who knows our camping history might wonder why we are even sad about giving up family camping. I think it's not so much the experiences we've had--because for the most part they've been pretty awful (or funny if you're not experiencing them first hand). It's more the dreams of what our camping trips were supposed to be we mourn.

We started out with family camping because it was an affordable way to have a vacation and the kids always love it! We started 16 yrs. ago with a 3 year old, 1 year old, and me pregnant with our 3rd. We were roughing-it in a tent in June in Hershey Park , PA. Our first clue that maybe God was telling us camping would not be the way for us to make happy family memories was the fact that an hour after the tent was up and we were settling in, a vicious storm came through, including a tornado, ripping right through the campground! Do ya think we took the hint to end our camping experiences......no way!!! We reset the tent, mopped up the mess and arranged the sleeping bags not to be in puddles and persevered. The next challenge was the train--about 100 yards from our tent, which ran about every 15 minutes through the night. Have you ever felt like a train was coming through your head....we didn't get much sleep! Later that summer, we tried more tent camping in VA. All was going well, I was cleaning up the picnic area, Mike had taken our 3 yr. old over to a sink to do dishes. I placed our 1 yr. old in the tent to play while I straightened up outside. After about 15 minutes I checked inside the tent to see what Kyle was doing. I could see him toddling around inside the whole time and knew there was nothing dangerous in there. Well, I was met with the most awful smell and saw my dear son literally covered from hair to toes with brown--his face and hands included. Evidently he had a stomach virus and his diaper had given out in the worst way! He thought it was a good idea to touch EVERYTHING in the tent. Clean up that night was not fun!

Do you think we took the hint....camping was not for us. Nope--instead we bought a small pop-up with electricity and running water inside. Now, I would finally like camping! We soon realized that no matter how long of a drought there was in any area, if we planned a camping trip there, it was sure to send torrential rain storms and flash-flooding to the area. Maybe that was God's plan for our camping adventures--to save the environment from lack of rain! Having 3 little boys and a baby girl in a small pop up while we worked to keep the rain from leaking in was not my idea of a relaxing vacation!! There were some funny moments. Like when Reid was 4 and couldn't wait to eat the marshmallows we would roast around the campfire. I had been up most of the night with Michie who was coughing and getting over a bad cold. I had finally gotten her quiet at 2 a.m. It was now 4 in the morning when I woke up to a little boy face about an inch from my own. "What's the matter?" I asked. " Can I have a marshmallow now?" "Reid, it's the middle of the night--go back to sleep!" "Pleeeease, can I have a marshmallow!!!???" I weighed the situation in my very tired mind: sleep vs. feeding my child an unhealthy breakfast & not winning healthy -nutrition -mom -of -the- year. It didn't take me long......"here have a marshmallow and GO TO BED!!" Two hours later came another call from across the pop-up "Help, I'm falling out of the hole!" again came the same cry. I decided to investigate this unusual request by sitting up & squinting my very tired eyes over to the other side. There I saw Kyle, age 6, from the shoulders up--the rest of his body, still in his sleeping bag, had slipped through the velcro that held the sides of the camper sealed. His torso & lower half were dangling out the side of the camper! We rescued him and laughed about how funny it must have looked to any early risers out walking by our home on wheels!

We continued with our dream of having fun while camping and with another baby on the way, traded in our small pop-up for a larger, 3-way pop-up that also had air conditioning. We did have one good trip in that one. We went to Niagara Falls with a stop in Watkins Glen, NY on the way. We really did have a nice time and it is one of our favorite family vacations. We still had struggles everytime we set up & took down at the site. It seems there was always some problem with leveling that would take us an hour to fix--of course this always happened either right at dinner time when we were all starving or as darkness overtook the night and we couldn't see anything. More than a few angry exchanges would take place between husband & wife & older boys, who never seemed to help quick enough. But for us, that was all becoming part of our camping life.We grew greedy after that one nice trip and thought we were such veteran campers, we decided to go for the gold!!

We traded in the large pop-up for a 33' travel trailer complete with air conditioning/heater, double bunk beds, bathroom w/shower,livingroom slide-out, and a master bedroom w/a queen size bed more comfortable than my one at home! Our camping dreams went wild! We could go to the beach, the mountains, the Grand Canyon, anywhere! And still have the comforts of home. Unfortunately, with a tow this heavy we had to trade in our mini-van for a 2500 Suburban, in other words, a gas guzzler!!! So, have we used our travel trailer for big adventures? We took a week at the beach in MD. It was okay. By this time our 3 oldest were all teens and if I thought we didn't have enough space in our house, living on top of each other in a home with a width of 10' was not cutting it. Brian, whose bed was the converted living room couch, would routinely lay down to sleep and then toss his dirty socks on the floor during the night. I'd wake up in the morning to start breakfast and have his stinky socks on the kitchen floor--which was 3' from his bed. "This is not your bedroom at home!" I'd yell. "You can't just toss your dirty clothes all over the place!!" Ugggg! I realized that the camper was a great idea--but bought about 10 years too late. Being anywhere in close quarters with teenagers was going to be a challenge. We drove across the country towing the camper when we moved from NJ to TX. Living in the southwest gave me hope that we would have fantastic camping adventures while exploring our new state and even going further west to Arizona & Colorado. I was dreamin' big!!!

We took one major trip to Disney World which had been planned before our move. God once again hit us over the head with the idea that maybe we were never to be a "camping family". We made it there okay--except for having to replace our air conditioner in the suburban in the Florida panhandle. I was challenged again to survive living for 10 days in close quarters with 3 strapping teen boys and cooking meals for a family of 8 in the teeny,tiny kitchen. As long as I was out of the camper, which was frequent in the Disney parks, I was happy. Then came the ride home. Once again in the Florida panhandle, we blew a tire on the suburban. It took an hour in the 95 degree steaming hot/humid afternoon to fix, but Mike was able to get us back on the road. Less than a half hour later, another tire blew. The hot road and pulling the camper was just too much for the old tires. This time we had to be towed. We had to spend the night in a hotel while all four of our tires were replaced. I couldn't wait to get home! The next day we said our prayers for safe travels and eagerly headed west. All was going well until we were about 1 1/2 hrs. from home. While driving over an overpass in a construction zone (no shoulders--just jersey walls), a tour bus speeded past us, sucking our trailer into his lane. For the next 50' feet, we bounced back & forth against the bus and the wall!! Mike kept us on the road by the grace of God. The angels were definitely protecting us that day! We had to find a place to pull over and wait for the police. It delayed us another 2 hours and then finally we made it home, but somehow we still didn't give up our dreams of a happy camping family!

It has been almost 2 years now and we have only taken two more small trips with the camper. We weren't able to bring it back east with us last summer because of the gas prices and our lousy mileage we get while towing. With gasoline prices continuing to go up, and our need for a more affordable family vehicle to use on a day to day basis, we've taken the camper in to a consignment lot. It has been a difficult decision which we postponed a month while we checked out last ditch options to place the camper locally at a lake resort on land that we could purchase. No deals have been met that we can afford and so it was with a heavy sigh that we let the camper go yesterday. How, after reading all this, can you think I would even be sad--well it 's the dreams of the experiences we'll never have that I mourn. I was so sure that our next camping adventure would be the one that would make me join all those other happy camping families I meet and I would be smiling from ear to ear as I said "Our family loooooves to camp"! I guess some dreams never do come true.

Our Little Cowgirl

2008-04-28T19:46:00.003-05:00

About 6 weeks ago, our family got to experience something truly "Texas". We spent the day at the Houson Livestock & Rodeo--the largest rodeo in the world! Yep, these yankees pulled out the denim and most of us (except a few protesters) wore cowboy boots. The show was fantastic and so entertaining the Drewy was literally on the edge of his seat the whole time. We spent alot of time checking out the many, many different breeds of cows, getting up close to the longhorns, and watching chicks hatching out of their eggs right in front of us. It seems these city folks couldn't get enough of the baby farm animals and most of our time was spent in the two petting zoos. They also had some atypical farm animals to see, including baby kangaroos and an adorable 3 month old zebra. It was here that I realized Kaikee is a true Texan. How many of us ever get close enough to pet a zebra let alone actually sit on one? Not many! Well, this baby zebra was being walked thru the convention center and we all surrounded her to take pictures. The handler pointed to Kaitlyn. "You, only you're small enough to sit on her," and up she went for a once in a lifetime experience. We were all so excited. "Kate, you rode a zebra! Did you like it?" Her lip puffed out and eyebrows furrowed, " I wanted to ride a pony!!" Perhaps someday she'll appreciate it!

My Bodysuits

2008-04-23T13:40:00.002-05:00

Most busy moms are familiar with the phrase "wearing a hat" to depict a certain persona she is portraying based on the task at hand. I've come to realize that I never really take off a "hat" and set it down. I more or less tip one hat to the side of my head when another is front and center. My "hats" flip-flop so frequently that it isn't worth taking them off. A perfect example is when I'm preparing dinner (cook hat), then I am called to attend a bathroom emergency for Kaikee (mama hat), then realize I need to rotate the laundry (maid hat), go back to stirring the pot on the stove (cook hat again), suddenly look at the clock and realize Michie needs to be at the Gym NOW! (chauffer hat), home again to finish the cooking (cook hat again). Just a typical day. I am definitely beyond the " Which hat are you wearing now" symbolism!

I find these days I am wearing different "bodysuits". Not to say I don't have my own life or that I am only living thru my children, but being so involved in their lives and connected emotionally to their personalities, I often feel I am experiencing their joys and frustrations while they carve out their life experiences. A great example happened over the course of 12 hours last weekend. It all started Friday night when I got to share the triumph of Brian earning a Ranger pin for his Cadet uniform. I got to experience the fruit of months of grueling physical exertion, being pushed to limits of stamina otherwise unheard of, and enduring situations of survival of the fittest. He had previously shared with me the labor, anxiety, and struggles required while performing for this group and I always felt a heavy hearrt while bearing it all with him . Wearing my "Cadet Bodysuit" was sweet that night!! A mere 6 hours after returning home, it was up early to put on a "Swimming Bodysuit" while getting Kyle ready to race in his first ever USA sanctioned long course meet. He shared the great results with me and positive words the coach graciously poured on him and my heart swelled with Success! At the same time, Reid was in military-mode as I donned my "JROTC Bodysuit" to participate in a physical training competition. The outcome was not as pleasurable as hoped, but his smile showed that he didn't care and my heart felt pleased.

Wearing layers is in style, luckily, cuz I also had on my "Gymnastics leotard Bodysuit" while Michie pushed her muscles in the hopes of achieving the last required skill needed to move up to the next competitive level, and my heart swelled with determination. Lastly, I put on another "Swimming Bodysuit" only this one was small enough to fit a 6 year old and it was full of nervous energy. Drew-bear tried out for the local swim team and made it!! What joy and excitment I got to experience with this little bundle of boy-energy! My heart swelled with pride!

It is finally evening when I can peel off each layer and once again find myself. Yes, I'm still in there, but I sure am much more well rounded and accomplished than I ever could be on my own!!

What is a Catholic Yankee?

2008-04-19T07:36:00.001-05:00

Howdy, Hi Y'all, & How Yous Doin?!

Welcome to my site. I finally decided the best way to share my life and all the random thoughts that pass thru my brain was to set up a blog. It has been two full years (Yikes!) since our family made the transition from life-long Philadelphia 'burb Yankees to Southwestern Texans! We've had many adventures that I wish I'd shared along the way--but better late than never! I'm sure I'll be remembering some of our more unusual experiences to tell ya about and there'll be new inspirations as our family continues to adjust and learn about the culture of TX.

Thought I'd give a little background on the title of the blog. Never, ever when I lived in the northeast did I consider calling myself a "Yankee". That to me meant you were a fan of the NY baseball team and being from Philadelphia (Go Phillies), I was not! My first experience with meeting neighbors here in our Houston suburb was a little different. Here we were, four moms standing on the corner on a chilly March morning, waiting to send our kids off on the local school bus. One mom (me) anxious, excited, nervous to finally meet my new neighbors. "Where ya from?" I was asked. "New Jersey," I repliled eagerly. Surely these people would want to know all the interesting facts about the only state that I had ever claimed as my home. "Yankess!!! We got YANKEES movin' in!" the battle-cry went out. (What???? This was not what I expected) I smiled warily, but inside something in my gut sank. "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," was the thought that entered my mind. It was then that I realized life was about to change.......drastically! Strike One--I appeared to be seen not as an interesting curiousity that my fellow neighborhood moms would want to know inside-out, but as a member of a former enemy group trying to squeeze into their private lines. I felt like a lost puppy "hi ,will you accept me into your home, I'll be good, I won't chew your furniture, I promise to be happy all the time, pleeeeeease like me!" Update: Two years later, if I were out shopping and bumped into my immediate neighbors in the store, there are a few (3-4?) that I'd actually recognize and say hello to.

Onward.......in NJ you were pretty much assumed to be of the Catholic religion unless proven otherwise. Whether you were actively practicing your faith to the fullest was more of the issue than whether or not your parents had you Baptized in. Celebrating sacraments, especially First Holy Communions, often meant taking out a second mortgage on your home! And if you happen to be of a protestant faith in NJ, that's fine too, although there may be times when your kids feel like they're missing out on some huge opportunities to fatten their bank accounts. Okay, here I am in the Bible Belt. There are some nice aspects. People DO talk about being Christian alot..... all the time! It is perfectly acceptable to have Easter egg hunts in the public school and to have the school office adorned with wrought iron crosses hung on the wall. I've never in my life been invited to more bible studies or asked "have you found a church yet?" as in the first 8 weeks of moving here. Strike Two: Catholics are not the religion of choice! Downside: In some circles, we are actually viewed as negatively as the whole Yankee thing! Upside: plenty of opportunities to defend our faith, beliefs, origin of our religion (ever heard of the apostle, Peter, y'know, the FIRST POPE?). So.... myself, my husband, and all my older kids have been challenged to explain our faith and in some cases justify it! So far, we've done a pretty good job! Update: Two years later, I have sought out and found many wonderful families from our two, local Catholic churches who share my fire to live the Catholic faith to the fullest! I am so enriched by their friendship. Unfortunately, I have to get on a highway to visit any of them! (and I do, often!)

Are you still with me? Thanks! Now you know the origin of the title for this blog. Signing off now....... I am the Catholic Yankee in Texas! Suzi