Purple, my favorite color. What's yours?

What Your Favorite Color Purple Says About You:

Intuitive --- Seeking --- CreativeKind --- Self-Sacrificing --- Growth OrientedStrong --- Very Wise --- Rare

http://www.blogthings.com/whatdoesyourfavoritecolorsayaboutyouquiz/">What Does Your Favorite Color Say About You?

Great USA History, States & Presidents find at Costco

While browsing the books section at Costco (actually looking for the new Magic Tree House books - - :( No luck) I found this set of two books. Much cheaper here. I have them on my amazon wish list and they are $12 or $15 each and I got them both for $11.99.

We'll use the States information right now.

And save the USA History and president's information for next school year.

8 Things About Me Meme

Esther has tagged me for the following meme: 8 Things about Me. - I think are Interesting................

“Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.”

1. I was a Navy brat and went to 4 elementary schools: Naples, Italy; Pensacola, FL; Kansas City, MO; and Nanakuli, Hawaii. 3 Jr hi schools: Pearl City, Hawaii; Council Bluffs, Iowa; San Diego, CA. ONE High School: San Diego. One undergrad College: SDSU. One Grad college – University of Dallas (see #6 below)

2. Because I lived all over, I don’t have a “best friend that I’ve had all my life.”
It sometimes bothers me that I don’t even have a “best friend”; just a few “good friends”. There are a couple friends I would like to say were my best friend, but since I know I am not THEIR best friend, well…I think it is supposed to go both ways... so, they are missing out! However, I do have 3 cousins that I think are very close friends that I have known all my life. But they all live in Iowa.

3. I had emergency surgeries 6 weeks after having BOTH of my (birthed) babies. [James is adopted]
After Katherine I had emergency D&C for these huge blood clots that were coming out – and I had severe cramping pains- worse than labor?– because some placenta got left behind.
After Derek I had emergency Gall Bladder removal. I thought I was having a Heart Attack and we called 911. [Got to ride in ambulance for 1st time; Was in hospital 4 days]
Both times my mom took my babies home with her and cared for them. Luckily I did not lose ability to breast feed, because…..

4. I LOVED breastfeeding my babies. Katherine nursed for 22 months; Derek 26 months. [maybe i was a wet-nurse in former life]

5. I inherited good genes for great eyesight, hearing, and I get many compliments on my hair and fingernails… to which I reply “I have good genes.”

6. I have a Master’s in Theology from IRPS – University of Dallas. It took 3 years of one weekend a month to complete here in San Diego. It was a combo of teachers from the Diocese of SD and the professors from UD flying in to teach.

7. My husband & I worked at the same law firm. We were friends before we dated.
On our first official date I told him I was looking for a husband and wanted kids. If he didn’t want the same then there was no reason to go on another date. (I was 23, he was 31)

8. last one……. OK I confess I’m addicted to TV. I love my DVR. Plus my DVD recorder – so I can record shows on DVD forever!! Very helpful for kids to watch TV shows in the car. I love reality & competition shows…. Miami Ink – about tattooing, (YEAH – Kat will have her own show LA Ink in Aug); Run’s House, Top Chef, Top Design, Girls Next Door, and Oprah and Martha. Also hospital shows: Grey’s Anatomy, ER, House. Discovery Health, History Channel. The Planet Earth Show was awesome. Digging for the Truth, 1,000 places to See Before You Die. Travel Channel’s Samantha Brown. Food Channel: Unwrapped. I’m a night owl and usually stay up hours after everyone has gone to sleep and watch TV until 12 or 1 a.m.

OK - I've looked around and found most everyone has already done this.
Lissa?
Alice?
Jen?

scratching for money

This Dinner is Now Interrupted by lottery scratchers................. 2 losers & 1 win another ticket.

Flower pictures from the garden

Geoff works hard buying, planting & killing flowers for the yard. OK the San Diego weather - sun and heat kill them off too fast for me. Geoff finds weekend pleasure in keeping the yard looking nice. We live on a wonderful street where everyone takes great pride in their yards and flowers.

Sometimes, I hate seeing the money spent on dying flowers.
Yes the yard looks excellent and beautiful. Especially for Easter. We hold the egg hunt in the yard and I take lots of pictures.
I don't have a "green thumb" so that doesn't help either.
I used to plant bulbs of tulips, irises and ranunculus. I guess I did OK with those, but they all die out too.
I'll have to make a note on the calendar for September to plant bulbs again. I love the tulips & iris.

Gerbera Daisies are my favorite. Geoff always has lots of them in all different colors.


We are trying a hibiscus. I don't think this spot next to the house will be the permanent home for it since this should become a bush. But we'll see.

get down before you crack your head open…… again!

The story of Derek’s cracked head (the First Time)

See May 23, 2007 for Second time.

So we go back to Sept 2004. Derek is 22 months old.

The three kids are playing upstairs, I’m downstairs eating. They are jumping around and I yell up there…. “Stop jumping around”
I finish eating and I’m at the sink. I hear a very loud “THUMP”
but then it is quiet………….. “What was that?” No answer.

OH…side note: Derek is a Breath Holder…… He holds his breath to passing out purple when he is trying to cry. I can tell that his is happening. So I bolt up the stairs. The kids are running from the back room towards the stairs as I’m coming around the turn to the 2nd flight.

As I reach the top they are all there and I can see the blood already.

I grab him up, because of the blood AND he is not breathing and will fall over from passing out, to take him downstairs.

I run towards the kitchen to call 911, but I change my mind, thinking MAYBE it is not as bad as I think. So I turn around and we run towards the front door. I tell the kids, let’s go across the street to the neighbor mom to help me survey the damage. I’m too chicken to look, too nervous to look and did I mention, as like normal people, I hate the sight of blood.

So we get to the door and I look back and see the trail of blood drips behind me. From the stairs, into the kitchen, and back out toward the front door. It may be worse than I think.

I decide I’m calling 911. But I send the kids to get the neighbor while I run back to the phone in the kitchen and call.

I’m sitting on the floor of the kitchen holding his bloody head--- ON HOLD with 911.

The neighbor comes over with her daughter the same age as Derek on her hip. She has 3 kids the same ages as mine. All of the older kids stay at her house.

By now I’m talking to the 911 operator and describing the blood. She tells me to put something on it - duh, so my neighbor grabs the dish towel.

Derek is crying and wants to nurse. The operator says NO, no food in case he later throws up.

>>> I forgot to tell you how this happened >>> He jumped/fell ?? From the top of the Bunk Bed. There was nothing on the floor, so we don’t know how the cut happened exactly besides hitting the floor.

So the paramedics arrive and it is a huge gash in the top of his head. It is not bleeding as much by then. The gash is over 4 inches long and gaping wide. It is on the front right hand side of his head. It is jagged.

We are loaded up in the ambulance and we go to children’s hospital. Where he gets 11 stiches.
Now I don’t remember exactly but, 5 or so for inside layer and 6 on outside layer.

Since then I’ve always been able to say “Get down from there before you Crack your Head Open AGAIN!”

Here are pictures where you can see his hair is thinned where the cut us and the dark spot from the stiches and healing wound. This picture is from the kids' first day of school.

James is starting 2nd grade. Katherine's 2nd year of PreSchool.

A Prayer for the confidence of your child to Mary

FOR THE CONFIDENCE OF A CHILD

Mary, pray with me to obtain the gift that I may have the confidence of my child [children].

As you know, a mother needs this confidence in order to guide her children properly. When there are difficulties, or problems, or troubles, may they be shared with me trustingly, that I may more readily perform a mother's task of helping her child. And, Mother most prudent, when this confidence is shown, obtain the grace that I may know how to help and instruct my child; that I may not only have the wisdom and prudence which is needed then to direct my child, but that I may also have the courage to say in a way that will be truly helpful the things my child should know.

Be to me a mother of good counsel and, through the grace you can bring, direct me at all times in the responsibilities of my holy office of motherhood.

Amen.

Seat of Wisdom, Pray for me!

by A. Francis Coomes, S.P. ...... in Mother's Manual

Padres vs. Cubs - a game at Petco Park.

The Padres are playing the Cubbies.

This probably our only visit to the Padres game for this year. Good thing we didn't buy tickets for last night!

Here are some great shots of the kids at the game. The top of Derek's head with his 4 staples!

We had seats in the "bleachers" section. There are not backs on the seats and there is a big sand pit for the kids to run around and play. The fence is right at center field.

A Padres Mascot.

Mom & Derek -he's making funny faces for the camera. A hug for dad!
James was there of course, but I didn't get any pictures of him?

do I call 911 or not?

Oh it is so hard to decide whether or not to call 911 when your child's head is bleeding............
not that it is not important, but moms find out that heads, faces, etc. BLEED a LOT!
sometimes they are small wounds and sometimes...... they are NOT
SO now we have officially called 911 3 times now.

Yes -- the fire engine sirens were for Derek once again today. (That's for you Suzanne -- who always worries about us and sirens and emergencies, since she showed up at my house as we were leaving in the ambulance last time...................)

We were at the YMCA and he hit the top of his head running under the equipment and blood was all over.

I carried him inside with the help of another mom (thank you, thank you, sorry about the blood on your white shirt!) and after 5 moms looking at him and still bleeding we decided to call 911.

The fire engine seemed to take forever, probably the 5:00 traffic. But they arrived and the blood was less and there was no gaping wound (like last time). It was actually hard to see what was actually bleeding through his hair.

So they called off the ambulance. I hung out till they filled out their reports and gave time for Geoff to arrive and keep J & K for their classes while I took Derek to urgent care.

We arrived at Urgent care - "You don't have an appointment??"
UH No, this is urgent care isn't it? - - I'm still figuring out Kaiser.

She looked at him and cleaned him up with water and then peroxide and found a small gash a bit bigger than a pencil eraser (I thought)
She suggested one or 2 staples. But she didn't have them there ?????????? We had to go to the ER over on Zion. I went to the UC at Vandervere.

Anyway, go 2 blocks up to the hospital, re-park and carry him in to the ER.

While holding numbing gel on his head for 40 minutes, Derek fell asleep around 8 p.m.
He was so brave and bold and didn't flinch or whimper while he got MANY shots of Novocain and then 4 staples!
After the DRr. irrigated it the wound was gaping about 3 inches long and an inch wide. (That's what the nurse said, I didn't look)

So we got home around 9 p.m. and he'll be OK.

I know you want the story about "Last time"............... stay tuned.....................

making paper airplanes

We all have a fascination with paper airplanes, but I only know how to make one kind.

So for Easter I found this great "Klutz Book" that includes instructions for 10 different airplanes and includes different papers that are fun. I've made almost every kind.

James is trying his hand at it too.

homeschool points?: art, science, math (following instructions), reading comprehension.

OK, check, check, check......................

This is a good price at amazon. I got ours at Michaels and it was $16 with 20% coupon is $12.79

spellingtime.com makes spelling fun time!

I've written about Spellingtime.com before, but I've been telling so many moms about it the past two weeks that I thought I would mention it again.

My kids race to the comupter and can't wait for their turn to do spelling.
While it was a fight and a chore to do it in their workbooks.

Spellingtime.com has word lists entered for grade levels, but you can go to the Green button: Modify Lessons, and clear out the words to that lesson and enter your own word lists.

I use their word lists from Seton spellers. We are finishing up the last quarter.

After each lesson they earn 1 coin to play a game in the arcade.

I get emailed immediately after they finish a pop quiz or the spelling test of their results and which words are misspelled.

Very handy!

miraculous medal

The Miraculous Medal

One of the most common medals used by Catholics is one populary called the "Miraculous Medal." The pattern of the medal was manifested by the Blessed Virgin Mary in a vision to a young French girl, St. Catherine Laboure, who, in the year 1830, was preparing to be a nun. The countless extraordinary favors obtained as a result of the reverent use of this medal have earned for it the title of "Miraculous Medal."

According to her own account, Sr. Catherine saw Our Lady as shown on the medal and she heard an inward voice telling her to have a medal struck and promising that all who wore it should receive great graces (symbolized by the rays of light emitting from her fingers) through the intercession of the Mother of God.

Perhaps the most famous event in connection with this medal is the conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne in 1842. He was a Jew who, having reluctantly agreed to wear the medal, received a vision of Mary in a church in Rome, whereupon he became a Catholic and a priest, and founded a religious congregation.

Here is the official prayer offered to God by the priest when he blesses the medal:

"O Almighty and merciful God, Who, through the manifold apparitions of the Immaculate Virgin on earth, has deigned continually to perform wonderful things for the salvation of souls, graciously bestow Thy blessings on this medal, that they who piously venerate and devoutly wear it may feel Thy protection and obtain Thy mercy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, pray for us.----------------------------------------------------------Taken from:A Wreath of Flowers: Marian Activities for ChildrenDumb Ox Publications

Holy Spirit Novena

There is a centuries old Novena to the Holy Spirit which begins on May 19, 2007

to help prepare for Pentecost.

Print out the Novena calendar from Coming Home Catholic and practice the Prayer to the Holy Spirit! (Click here for Novena calendar)

Lady in Blue

Our Lady's Color - - Blue, as a liturgical color is not in use throughout the Church, but is used in some places at certain times. It is the color specially associated with Our Lady and indicates constancy, fidelity, genuineness, and aspiration. By special indult, some dioceses of Spain must use blue vestments instead of white on the feast of the Immaculate Conception and during it's octave. Mexico has the same privilege as also does Lourdes, France.The idea that blue is peculiarly Our Lady's color is quite modern and confined to the Western cultures. It has been popularized by pictures and statues, and perhaps especially by St. Bernadette's statement that Mary appeared to her wearing a blue sash.In England, blue has been a token of fidelity at least since the 16th century ("true blue"). There is an expression in French, Vouer au blanc et au bleu, literally, "To dedicate to the White and Blue." It signifies the dedication of a child to Our Lady.----------------------------------------------------------Taken from:A Wreath of Flowers: Marian Activities for ChildrenDumb Ox Publications

Prayer to Our Lady after Holy Communion

Prayer to Our Lady after Holy Communion

"O my sweet Mother Mary, mother of Him Whom I hold within my heart, keep that heart which thy Jesus has chosen this day for His dwelling; defend it by thy ceaseless prayer, and obtain for me that the spirit of my Jesus, abiding with me, may continually remind me of the gift of gifts I have received and inflame my heart with love and with all holy desires.

Pray for thy child, O dearest Mother, that the soul of him who has been a living tabernacle for the Eucharistic God may seek in all things the glory of that God and the interests of His Sacred Heart." Amen.

----------------------------------------------------------Taken from: A Wreath of Flowers: Marian Activities for Children ..................Dumb Ox Publications

Mary, Pray for us

Mary, Pray for us!

Help us to forgive ourselves as we forgive others.

If your child doesn't look like you, is it still your child?

Article on Adopted children and how they don't always look like parents at FOXnews.com
If Your Daughter Doesn't Look Like You, Are You Still Her Mother?
Thanks Esther for the topic & article.

I get asked most often why my oldest son (adopted) has dark brown hair while my other two (birthed) are blond while I have brown hair. I try to say "God made them that way" Instead of going into genetic possibilities ..... my dad had black hair & brown eyes........
and making split second decisions about whether to tell this nosy stranger about how my 3 miracle children came to make us a family. James is very happy to let people know he is adopted. I usually look to him to answer the question based on how he wants to each day.

I guess haven't really written yet about our children. As you have learned, James is adopted. After almost 3 years of infertility treatments, drugs, shots, surgery, testing...................
An adoption attorney down the hall from Geoff's office knew we were trying (I was Geoff's legal secretary for a while) and he asked us if we wanted to adopt a baby that was due in a month. The parents that were set up to adopt backed out. So we had 1 month - Feb 25th 1997 to March 29, 1997 to prepare for new baby James!

Then after a couple years we went to try and adopt through the County adoptions office and they said it was a long wait. SO we went back to the Dr. and were pregnant probably that month - Feb 1999 and Katherine was born Dec 1999. Then we were blessed with a baby in heaven Dec 24, 2001 and finally our miracle Derek was born Oct 2002.

Homeschool & Socialization Comic

Check out Jason Holm's comic in color, or add to your blog at InflatableStudios.com

My favorite part is how happy the fish looks in the ocean surrouned by all different kinds of sea life. Contrasted with the blank stares and wide eyes of the school of fish.

Nifty 50 United States

4th grade lesson plans are for us to learn the 50 states, their capitals and location on the map. I decided it would be easier if we all work on the same thing. Katherine needs something fun & interesting to work on since she has pretty much finished 1st grade and has decided that she doesn't need to start 2nd grade yet, even though I bought the materials.
I found this song Nifty Fifty States, sung by a chorus. There are other lyrics but the important part is the alphabetical order of the states.
James is writing out the 50 states and their capitals. (I just happened to snap the pic when he was itching his eye) He is using the Melissa & Doug puzzle. The piece lifts out and the capital is underneath. I was busy searching the internet and printing out the list of states & capitals. I was very happy he was handwriting it out without me asking him too.



I finally joined Enchanted Learning. Paid my $20 and printed out lots of copies of the USA and the Western States to start with.
Printed out California Map/Quiz, with the state and 10 questions about landmarks.

Printed out a booklet for Derek & Katherine on "Where I live" Early Reader Booklet.
I was overwhelmingly shocked when I checked on Derek's paper and he had copied the words on the line below. He writes his name, but we don't work on his letter writing. It wasn't perfect, but for a 4 yr old without practice it was pretty impressive. And He chose to do it without thinking if he could or should. I thought he was coloring. His coloring is pretty good too.

Legoland Monday

I checked the weather Friday, to make sure we would have a beautiful day for First Eucharist, and YES it was going to be warm - HOT. So i planted the seed in my mom brain to remember to go to Legoland today.
After almost 2 weeks of a grumpy mom, cleaning house and buying food for the BIG party, we all deserved the day off.
Especially because it was supposed to be 88 degrees.

SO off to Legoland we go. I remembered my camera this time!

Derek & Katherine on the water play equipment in the Pirates Cove.

James squirting the people on the Pirate boat ride.Derek driving the Jeep through the Legoland jungle. There's an alligator just off the top of his head.

Breastplate of Righteousness

From Soul Scents email........................

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this on going warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. Ephesians 6:13-18 (The Message)

Breastplate

Do you ever struggle to forgive yourself? I know I have. There have been times I’ve been so overcome with my faults that I literally pictured my hand with a knife, stabbing my heart. Perceived failure hurt so badly it seemed my heart deserved such assault.

Thank God, He’s showing me how to don the breastplate of righteousness.

Much of the enemy’s attack on our souls comes in the form self-doubt and self-hatred. Satan comes against our identity as a Saint saved by grace and tells us we’re full of blame and deserve death.

Before we received Christ’s salvation that was true. But it’s not any longer. Christ’s salvation took away all need for punishment.The breastplate of righteousness is an important part of our armor because when we are hopeless against our own failure and shame, we are given Christ’s imputed righteousness.

Imputed is an old King James word that many today don’t understand, but I just love. It means, when used this way, “to attribute (merit) to a person as transmitted by another.”*We don’t have to despair because Christ gave us HIS righteousness. The enemy wants us to kill off the heart that loves Jesus. He wants our hearts deadened. Shutdown. Afraid to love, serve, and believe passionately. Satan wants us full of self-doubt, failure, and shame. He assaults our heart. But Christ died to take away all condemnation.

Jesus says, “Don’t worry, I’ve given you my perfection. You meet the standards of all that is good because I put my righteousness into your heart.”

I love the way the Matthew Henry says it. “The righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, is a breastplate against the arrows of Divine wrath. The righteousness of Christ implanted in us, fortifies the heart against the attacks of Satan.”
**These days God has given me a new picture. As I receive Christ’s gift of salvation and understand that His righteousness is now mine, I put on the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate is impenetrable. If I give into the temptation to pick up that knife to punishment my heart, the knife can no longer meet its mark. It clangs against the steel breastplate and falls harmlessly to the ground. Next time you are tempted to punish yourself for your failures, remember that Christ has given you His imputed righteousness. Picture the breastplate protecting your heart and let the self-condemnation fall away, never hitting its mark.

Stand firm then . . . with the breastplate of righteousness in place. Ephesians 6:14b (NIV)
~Paula Moldenhauer
*The American Heritage Dictionary** Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible


If you would like to receive Paula's Soul Scents go to this link

First Eucharist Day for Katherine

Katherine preparing to receive her First Eucharist. Waiting in the vestibule for Mass to begin.



Our Parish: The Immaculata, University of San Diego campus.

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Oh what a beautiful day. The weather was gorgeous, Katherine was gorgeous, Mass was beautiful and the party was great!

If you want to see Lots of pictures (68) follow this link to access shared pictures:
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AZOWrRy5cuXqw

The day before...... last minute details

Over at Camp Homeschool she is as busy as we are.

Geoff's been outside planting flowers and mowing the lawn, it looks beautiful.

I ran errands and kept the kids OUT of the clean house.

We're having ham (I have it) & chicken - We have to pick up 10 at costco along with picking up the Ice Cream Cake on the way home.

I still need to set out tables and chairs. I stopped at party city today and picked up some cute "Hawaiian" tablecloths.

Now on to vacuum one last time!

Pray for First Communicants this weekend

Over on the 4Real Learning Forum there is a wonderful list of children receiving their First Holy Eucharist this weekend.

As you know, Katherine is one of them. And her best friend TAS.

Some moms, with have put together a chart of the USA and starred the states where children are located.

We are praying for all those making their First Holy Communion this weekend. I think we have included everyone in our rosary this morning: - Sarah in Michigan - Blaise in Michigan - Laura in VA - Timmy in VA - Nicholas in VA - Kolbe James in VA - Mary Elizabeth in NC - Katherine in San Diego - Isaac in Saskatchewan - Aaron in Pennsylvania - Nicole in Ohio - Lily Ann in Vermont

organizing our books with Library Thing.

Thanks to the Catholic Mothers Blog List I found The Thinking Mother, and found how she is cataloging her books using Library Thing.

This is just what I need. I have so many books, and so many children's books, and now that I have the books from my father's collection, I have some duplicates and need some sorting help!

Plus I already have a Cue Cat so this should make it easier.

IF anyone needs a Cue cat, I have an extra one. It plugs into a keyboard port (purple) also has an extra plug so that you can attach it to your keyboard cord. I'll post a picture tomorrow.

UPDATE:
In less than an hour I've entered 37 books and tagged them .
SO this is pretty great. I'm using the Cue Cat so it goes VERY easy.
The only drawback so far is that some of my books are old and do not have an ISBN number.
You can enter them with the title, so I'll make a separate pile of those books.

The list is public. But I haven't found a way to post the website on my blog yet.

This may be a great way for us to share books. Among the Catholic, homeschool and friends that read the blogs we can see what books be can borrow from each other.

Moms who Blog - a new info blog

OK all who blog and anyone who want to be bloggers.

A new Blog called, "Moms Who Blog" has been set up to teach us all new tips & tricks.
There are mulitple contributors and they all have excellent blogs and will teach us a lot. How to set up a blog, how to make it look nice.

Good I have a few questions............

There is also a Cafe Mom site with a Forum and they take and answer questions.

What book(s) I am reading?

I was tagged by Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii to list the books I'm reading.
I did lots of reading last month, so I was in a bit of a lull. Plus getting ready for the party this weekend is taking lots of time for shopping for food and cleaning the house.

I just picked up these two books at Costco on Monday:
I love the picture on this one and it references one of my favorite books The Red Tent on the cover. So I'm hoping it is good too. So far I'm in the first few pages of being introduced to Joann, wife to Herod's chief steward. She went to Jesus for healing and met Mary, and later found out they were cousins (I haven't read the family tree info yet, just that they are cousins)
This one is just for fun. I've been wanting to read it for a long time and now it is going to be a movie, so I thought I would read it before the movie comes out.
I was a nanny in college so I was seeing if anything I can relate to happens to her.
So far it is so-so. She is not that interesting and the child is a brat, who does warm up to her but the mother and father are disinterested parents, living selfishly, in their own worlds - - what did they even have a child for???
I got this out during lent, but was reading lots of other things. It was in my hand to put it away on Monday and I flipped to the pages for last week. I was struck and had to sit down to read the chapters on the Real Presence, and the gifts we receive in the Holy Eucharist. Since Katherine & I are studying this, I read some out loud to her. How the Holy Eucharist helps us to fight off Mortal and Venial sins. How the Eucharist is food for our souls, and helps us to grow in holiness ( like food helps our bodies to grow). Very timely. So onto the bedstand it stays.
Good news, bad news. The good news is that our family room is DONE!
and my new bookshelves are ready to be filled! Good news is that I can empty those boxes of books that are in the closet! sad news is that 2 of those boxes are books that belonged to my father who passed away a year ago Feb. Good news, we shared a similar taste in Catholic Books.
This was one of his books. I picked up Blessed Faustina's Diary during Lent, but just couldn't tackle that thick book. This book is easier for me. It is broken down by daily doses and each month has a theme. So her rabbit trails are condensed into topics and given together.
This has been on my nightstand for a long time. I can only read it when I'm in the mood. I tried harder and read a lot of it during lent. But it has been a few weeks since I've picked it up. I just can't imagine being able to remember the words of Jesus paragraphs at a time and being able to write them down later. Maybe that's why I'm not a writer (can't you tell?) But she and HE have interesting conversations and you can find nuggets of gold in there. Sometimes finding just what you need to hear from Jesus.


I'm quizzing Katherine to get her ready for her First Communion this Sunday! So much to know for a 7 year old. I'm so excited for her to be receiving Jesus and to grow in holiness and faith!

Well, if you read this YOU are tagged! Let us know what you are reading......
I'll have to think of some friends to tag.

St. Joseph the Worker Feast Day

My favorite saints are Mary & Joseph, Holy Parents of Christ.

St Joseph pray for us.

Pray for our working husbands.

"O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, we place in you all our interests and desires. O Saint Joseph do assist us by your powerful intercession and obtain for us from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power we may offer our Thanksgiving and Homage to the most Loving of Fathers. O Saint Joseph, we never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. We dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in our name and kiss His fine Head for us, and ask Him to return the Kiss when we draw our dying breaths. Saint Joseph, Patron of Departing Souls, pray for us. Amen."