Our First Miracle

Following the loss of our first baby through an adoption failure, though I experienced a beautiful joy in that suffering it was certainly accompanied by great sorrow. One of the most difficult parts for me was to have to return to work. I had never felt called to the career life. From the beginning of my years as a married woman my desire was in motherhood, and living the life of a wage earning wife never seemed to fulfill a calling I would continuously hear during those years without babies.

But before I returned to work, needing time to grieve, to pray and to elevate my spirits, I indulged myself in a week off. At that time my mother flew in from out of town to be with me, as she was already scheduled to visit the new baby we would have brought home. The time with her was very special, and memories were made that I will treasure the rest of my life. We made the best of the visit with shopping, having lunches together, and relishing the heart to heart talks that only occur between a mother and her daughter. But the most significant part of that week was the day we visited the local Catholic book store, a wonderful shop the local patrons could always count on for excellent spiritual material. It was here I found a book that would change my life forever, Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla's biography. I had never heard of the then-beatified woman before. As I flipped through the pages, I was instantly drawn to the book and to her. The photographs of a stylishly dressed Italian woman with her beautiful children and of she and her husband in a tender embrace on their scenic honeymoon, coupled with the knowledge that she was Beatified and therefore must have led a holy, devout life, compelled me to make the purchse.

My mother and I read the book together, and when finished we resolved that we, mother and daughter, would pray to Blessed Gianna for a baby. Not just any baby, we would pray for a girl, and should those prayers be fulfilled, I would name her "Gianna".

When I returned to work, the cards, flowers and prayers came flooding in. Sitting at my desk one afternoon, not able to concentrate on office matters, I received this:

This beautiful arrangement of roses was not only a floral bouquet, but also a spiritual bouquet. Each ribbon tied to a rose represented the prayers being said by friends and family on our behalf. It contained hundreds of prayers, rosaries, masses and adorations offered up for our loss. The roses lived for weeks, and at that time having something living and growing in my home after having been deprived of the living baby I had expected was, well......adored. I have no doubt that those prayers were instrumental in the miracles soon-to-follow.

On a dreary, gray afternoon after having returned to the office, I had just finished some work on the computer when my phone rang. A woman announced that she was a case worker from our adoption agency. I immediately sat down in my chair and listened while she told me the news: there was a baby for us. A little girl. She had been born six days before, and we were chosen to be her mother and father. The social worker filled me in on all the happy details, how many pounds she was at birth, her hair color, her sweet smell and how beautiful she was. I couldn't believe it. We arranged for Patrick and I to meet our little girl for the first time, and after the conversation ended I wept with joy. I knew this was the baby for us. I knew instantly who interceded on our behalf. I immediately told my husband the news, as well as everyone around me, that our "Gianna" was born!

We visited her for the first time at her host family's home (similar to a foster home, but these families only host babies during the waiting period from birth until finalization in court). The first moment I saw Gianna I was in love. Her sweet, beautiful heart-shaped face and rosy cheeks combined with her innocence and utter dependence seemed like a portion of Heaven itself. Then I got to hold her for the first time, then feed her for the first time, and gaze on her new father cradling her for the first time. It was sublime. I remember being nervous, wondering, "Am I holding her right? Is she comfortable? Is my sweater bothering her skin? Does she know how much I love her?" But I treasured each and every second with her for that two hour visit. It was painful to leave that afternoon, but we scheduled to see her again in two days, and having been very pleased with her host family, we were at peace.

We visited Gianna as often as possible, spending afternoons with her for the next nine days at her host home until the day the birth mother was scheduled to go to court for finalization. That day couldn't come soon enough. It seemed like months. But it did come, and not just on any random day of the year. The finalization date, upon which we would bring our child home for the first time, fell on March 19th, The Feast of Saint Joseph. God could not have chosen a more perfect day for us, as Saint Joseph had been the "patron saint of our family", securing jobs and homes for us and blessing us with countless material needs and spiritual gifts since the beginning of our marriage. And so it seemed perfectly fitting, Blessed Gianna whom Pope John Paul II had just named "Mother of the Family", and Saint Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, the patron saint of fathers and our own spiritual father, would work together to bring us our first child.

Unlike our previous car ride back home bearing an empty car seat and enough tears to fill a well, this long drive was filled with love, joy, a tiny miracle beside me and the start of a family. The happiness Gianna has brought me since that glorious Feast of Saint Joseph is beyond comprehension, though perhaps not beyond the understanding of a mother who has longed for a child. Every moment of my mothering her has been miraculous to me, and I have thanked God for her every day since that first meeting. I only hope that I will be a good mother to her for as long as God will allow, and that she will understand when I fail.

Gianna at her host home, 8 days old

The Prayers of Children

This morning on the way to ballet lessons, I hear:

Gianna: Hail Mary, full o' grace, the Lord is with Thee.......

Me: Gianna, are you saying a travelling prayer?

Gianna: No. I'm asking God to protect me of making snags in my tights!
________________________________________________

On a beautiful family hilltop hike overlooking the ocean on a windy afternoon:

Gianna: Stop the wind, God!

Me: What did you say? (I couldn't hear her.)

Dad: God is not going to stop the wind for you, Gianna. Just put your hood on.

Gianna: NO! Even the wind and sea obey him, Daddy!

Me & Dad: Speechless.

Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas

Today marks the feast of one of the greatest Doctors of the Church, Saint Thomas Aquinas. Saint Thomas is a favorite in our home, not only because he is the patron of our alma mater, but also because his comprehensive Summa Theologica (of which we have three copies in the home), is our primary source for answers to pretty much every question we have pertaining to matters of faith, morality, Church doctrine and much more.

Today just before mass, my husband and Gianna were blessed with a relic of Saint Thomas. So glorious! (Our sick Madeleine and I were held up in the car, but I intend to ask for the blessing on Friday, the Feast of Candlemas!)

Saint Thomas wrote a reverent prayer included in this book to be said before one receives Holy Communion. It is ingrained in my memory from college, and one of the most beautiful ante-communion prayers I've come across:

Almighty and everlasting God, behold,

I approach the sacrament of your only-begotten Son,

our Lord Jesus Christ.

As one infirm, I approach the balm of life,
as one begrimed, the fountain of mercy,

as one blind, the light of eternal splendor,

as one poor and needy, the Lord of heaven and earth.

Therefore, I ask that from the abundance of Your immense generosity,

You may bestow that which is needed

to cure my illness,

to wash away my defilement,

to illuminate my blindness,

to enrich my poverty,

and clothe my nakedness.

I ask all of this that I might receive

the Bread of Angels,

the King of Kings

and Lord of Lords,

with that reverence and humility,

with that contrition and devotion,

with that purity and faith,

with that resolve and intention

which is expedient for the salvation of my soul.

Allow me, I plead,

to receive not only the sacrament of Your Body and Blood,

but also the reality and power of this sacrament.

O most gentle God,

allow me to receive the body of your only-begotten Son,

our Lord Jesus Christ,

Who was born of the Virgin Mary,

so that I might be worthy

to be united to His Mystical Body

and counted among His members.

O most loving Father,

give to me Your beloved Son,

Whom now I intend to receive in this hidden form,

but hope to contemplate face to face for all eternity.

Who with You lives and reigns,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

world without end.

Amen.

The Presentation - February 2nd

"And thy own soul, a sword shall pierce...."

I have said before that the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple is one of my favorite mysteries of the rosary. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that it is the feast day of my best friend's firstborn son (Happy Feast, dear Simeon!), the beautiful example of Simeon and Anna whose hearts were ready to recognize the Lord, and the fact that it marks both the closing of the Christmas season and the opening of the first door to Easter. But here I will name four simple reasons I love this Joyful Mystery.

The four virtues perfectly possessed and manifested by Our Lady on this great feast happen to be my four favorite virtues: Charity, Patience, Humility and Obedience. These virtues are strived for and recognized by mothers, and it was not until I became a mother myself that I learned the value of each of them in my daily vocation. Mary exemplifies each of these virtues beautifully in the Presentation.

~
Our Lady's Charity: Think of the Love Mary must have had for the Father and her neighbor as she fervently and with adoration adheres to a law to which she was superior. The world did not yet know who she was, nor did they know the Infant she carried in her arms, but for love of God and the watching eyes of man she submitted herself to the law.

Her Patience: Mary shows us this beautiful virtue as she waits for forty days upon Jesus' birth for her "purification", neither leaving her home nor partaking in anything sacred during that time. She could have "skipped in front of the line" had she so desired, knowing Who her Son was and understanding her role as His mother. But she waits, with perfect, sublime Patience, showing us the way to the Father through this fundamental virtue.

Her Humility: Mary humbles herself in every moment we know of her life. The Purification and Presentation are no exception. Here Our Lady, the spotless maid who is in need of no cleansing, humbles herself to the rite of purification, then presents her Son who needs no redemption, to the Father, showing the world that she and her Infant humble themselves for the sake of men. She exemplifies this lowliness for the salvation of souls, that we might see her Humility, then desire and imitate it.

Her Obedience: Mary obeys even the laws of men. Again, here she needs not be subject to the Jewish law. After all, she is above the law of man in her perfect holiness and lack of original sin. Though human, she was in a way, above man, because she had not any taint of the sin of humanity as it is known after the fall. But here she exemplifies that perfect, beautiful Obedience, submitting herself and her Son to laws by which they were not bound, showing us the straight and certain path of Obedience we must follow in order to attain heaven.
~


Through this beautiful Feast we are shown The Way. Our Lady manifests to us virtues which must be strived for in order to reach the Father and attain our Eternal Reward. It seems Mary is showing us exactly how to "purify" and "present" ourselves to the Father. May we be ever mindful of these sacred mysteries, and spend our lives opening them up in our hearts and in the hearts of our children.

Non-homeschoolers ask......

......."What do you do about socialization?"

Any more questions??

Not "Our" Baby

I read this beautiful post today along with many of you, which brought back memories for me of the time when we "lost" our first baby through a failed adoption. My experience is a bit different from Diane's, but certainly the same on many grounds. For me the trial was, in an instant, the most painful I had ever endured, yet one of the most beautiful at the same time. It was my first experience with true joy in suffering, and my first realization of the miracle of loving God so much that it pleases you to offer Him your greatest treasure, your child.

We had been trying to conceive for six years, which seems like an eternity to an infertile couple. After having gone through years of infertility testing, various Church-approved treatments and much prayer without success, we began to walk the path of adoption. It was a hope-filled road, every step taken with excitement, joy and anticipation. And then it happened. We were linked with a birth-mother.

She was a young girl who simply found herself in an unfortunate situation, but her openness to life gave her the courage to bring her baby into this beautiful world. And she chose us. To bring her baby into our home, to love him, educate him and raise him in every way we would see fit. Yes, he was a boy. She had four months left in her pregnancy at the time we were chosen, and in that time we grew to love him as any parent loves his child. We gave him the name "Gabriel", prepared for his arrival with much prayer and excitement, two baby showers, Grandmas knitting blankets for him, thinking about him every waking moment of every day, and in the last days before his birth, "nesting"- cleaning the house top to bottom, inside ovens and cabinets. Friends knew that I wanted Gabriel to have the nutrition of breast milk, and they gave until our freezer was full. They scheduled dinners to be brought to us for weeks after his birth. And then, he was born.

We got the phone call early on Sunday morning, packed our belongings, a take-home outfit, diapers, wipes, bottles, and everything we would need to bring our baby home safely. He was born on the other side of the state, so we drove almost three hours to the hospital. When we arrived we were cautioned by the social worker that the mother seemed emotional. So we proceeded with caution, but optimism and hope. When we arrived in the hospital room, Michelle placed baby Gabriel in my arms for the first time. Words cannot describe the love and joy I felt as I held this precious infant in my arms. It was profound, and something I had never experienced before. I waited six years for this beautiful boy, sometimes patiently, sometimes not. And at that first moment when I looked at him, his face only inches away from mine, I realized this present joy was worth every minute of longing.

A lot happened during that first visit in the hospital room, Gabriel's extended family meeting us for the first time, asking us questions which need not be divulged here, but suffice it to say we remained cautious. But in my mind I truly believed that we would bring our baby home the next morning. So we checked into a local hotel, and prayed without cease. Just after midnight, the phone rang. The case worker told us that Michelle had changed her mind. She decided to keep her baby. We both fell to our knees on the floor, holding each other, and wept. A powerful image I will never forget. I vaguely remember being up all night, rocking back and forth in the fetal position, rosary clutched in hand, "Hail Mary, full of grace.....Hail Mary, full of grace.....Remember, oh most gracious Virgin Mary......" and on and on.

I will never be able to describe what it was like to drive that long road home with an empty car seat. But in the next few weeks I would move with God's grace from sorrow to joy, realizing for the first time that my "Gabriel" wasn't really mine at all. He belonged to the Father, Who allowed me to love him just enough to hold him twice, but to remain his "spiritual" mother for the rest of my life. I still pray for Gabriel, and his mother, though not as often as I should.

That sad loss four years ago is now but a faint memory - the pain is gone, but the spiritual joy and goodness gained remain. It taught me some of the most valuable truths in life: That the most profound joy one will experience in this life is indeed accompanied by great suffering. That these little ones of ours are entrusted to us, but they are in fact God's babies, whether we are allowed to hold them for five minutes, for eighteen years, or not at all. I learned the courage and compassion of my husband, and the strength of our marriage. The love of family, friends and many, many strangers who took up this cross with us. I don't ever take my girls for granted. I love every moment of mothering - the diaper changes, the temper tantrums, the nights I stay awake tending to a sick daughter, as well as the plethora of joyful moments. And I learned more fully than ever before, how quickly this world is passing and how the things we might cherish most in life will be gone sooner than we think. But the True Good for which we ultimately strive is Eternal, and will never fail us. +++

Carrot Top

A few hours after having had a small candle-lit breakfast this morning in honor of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I packed a lunch and took the girls to the park. I was not planning on posting any pictures from our outing, until I saw this beautiful redhead. Isn't she glorious?! I have developed a special affinity for redheads since I became the mother of one.

(If you open this last photograph you will

see Madeleine's favorite pastime at the park.)

~

One interesting little fact I've learned about these crimson creatures - they have a "secret society" all their own. (If you are the mother of a red-headed beauty, you know what I'm talking about!) They notice each other in public places, gaze and smile at each other and seem to prefer each other to children of "different colors". And when two toddler red-heads get together, they have a code language all their own!

Carnival of Color

Here is my contribution to Kim's impromptu carnival, The Loveliness of Color. She challenges us to find at least half a dozen things in our homes in a color we love. It took me all but two seconds to realize what colors would appear on this post.

I have a philosophy about the color in my home. Warm tones are for main living areas, spaces where people gather and want to feel welcome and at home. Cool tones are for areas where cleanliness is a high priority - bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms (though I do love Kim's red washer and dryer! Hey, does that come in blue?). I am rather partial to the combination of blue and white, for any room but especially for bathrooms and kitchens - those colors say "clean" to me. Unfortunately the home we are living in now doesn't allow for a blue and white kitchen, but we make do with what we have, don't we? And truth be told, I think I could enjoy any color anywhere, as long as it is used simply and tastefully.

So here they are, my blue-and-whites:

A handmade mosaic tiled cross

I picked up in Anchorage, Alaska.

It hangs in Madeleine's room.
Crib linens - my first eBay purchase

(If you look closely you will see

cherubs watching over my baby!)

Stained glass - another Alaska find

Bathroom accessories

This painting hung on my bedroom wall
when I was a girl. It is now in Gianna's room.
Gianna's blue and white doll and rabbit

My favorite every day coffee cups

And last but not least, blue and white

beach cruisers!

Don't forget to peek into Genevieve's home which is just as happy as sunshine; and the lovely warmth of Ruth's house makes you want to spend a day in her paradise!

+Compassion+

Please join me in praying for one of the loveliest mothers we are privileged to know. Dear Margaret, we are with you in every way we can be. May Our Lord and His angels guide, protect and console you and your loved ones in this time of loss.

Snow days.....

.....make for perfect indoor activities. Yes, we have snow here in southern California! Not in my neighborhood, but just a bit north the 5 freeway was closed today due to "falling snow, sleet and ice on the roads". It feels chilly enough to wear a winter coat outside, even here. But I've always believed that with benefits come drawbacks, and vice versa. Though the weather is less than desirable, we have a beautiful view of snow-capped mountains from our bedroom window, and today Gianna and I had a lot of fun making these, which we found in this cookbook given to us by Grandma Carol:

Can you guess what they are?

Six Weird Things Meme

I asked my good friend to be tagged for this meme. I tend to delight in people's "imperfections", including my own, because they add to our uniqueness and point to the variety in God's creation. Just think of the eccentricities of many of the saints, how those "oddities" lend to their beauty. So, without further ado, here are six "weird" things about me:

1. I don't like chocolate that much. I do enjoy a piece of chocolate cake or a chocolate souffle once in a while, but for the most part I would rather have Sweet Tarts than Hersheys. America's favorite, Sees chocolate, is my absolute least favorite. Every Christmas, when we receive a box of Sees I always try one, thinking "Oh, maybe I'll like them this time....", and as my teeth begin to sink into the chocolate I make for the sink and dispose there. If I had to choose a chocolate candy I could handle Godiva truffles okay.

Another note on this one: I don't get chocolate cravings. I get meat cravings. That's right. I have in the fridge at all times a half-pound of a wonderful Square Mustard salami, purchased here, for needed occasions.

2. Since I'm off to a good start with food, you should know that I don't like ice cream much either. I think I can safely say I've never said "yes" to ice cream with my cake at a birthday party. My husband, on the other hand, loves it. His mint chip or cookie dough can usually be found in our freezer, but I am never tempted.

3. I let my girls play in white clothes, and I let them get really dirty. I've been questioned about it many times, and my response has always been the same, "Touch up with Tide pen when needed in public. Otherwise, just wash. If it doesn't come out, bleach." The girls usually look very clean, but I'm not the least bit bothered by messes and dirt when they happen throughout the day.

4. I haven't a competitive bone in my body. I prefer that others excel in everything. I declined the lead role in a Shakespearean play once, not because I feared the work involved or had stage fright, but because I just wanted to play the lesser role of the maid. In high-school soccer at a Catholic boarding school in Massachusetts, when the ball would roll in my direction I would pray that someone else would run to my rescue. If abandoned, I would turn the other way and pretend I didn't see it coming. I have reflected much on the cause of this oddity, and have concluded that I am simply more comfortable blended into the background.

5. If I could wear a puffy ball skirt and flowers in my hair every day without being noticed, I would. Enough said.

6. I cannot drive past a certain stretch of the freeway, about a mile long, without thinking of the cross. The reason I say this is odd is because nothing about the mile should incline one to think on the weight of the Lord's wood. Shops and commercial buildings and the local mountains are visible on this stretch. It is true that there are some trees lining the freeway, but they are not particularly tall or heavy-looking, just random trees.

Uh...Oh......Mama's Upset

For the most part my days are happy, fun and pleasant, but on occasion, whether it be on account of lack of sleep, poor eating habits or a long series of messes to clean up, I lack the virtue of patience, snap at the girls or raise my voice. But then something happens, like this.....


At the dinner table, where I typically get up three or four times at a meal to retrieve something for the girls and as a result am the last person to be able to eat the food I carefully prepared, I realized that Gianna has the sensitivity of a female.

After a less-than-desirable day, while sitting down to eat Gianna begins, "Mama, can I ple..." I can hear it coming, so I interrupt, "WHAT did you say?" Noting the tone in my voice and recalling earlier events in the day she hastily responds, "This is a GREAT meal!"


......and my patience and joy return, just like that.

A Beautiful Reflection on The Wedding Feast

The Wedding Feast at Cana and the Presentation are my favorite mysteries of the rosary. Today's gospel on the Wedding Feast reminded me of something very beautiful I received years ago, a letter written by a very dear friend of mine who is not only one of the most lovely women I have ever known but is also one of the most saintly. I thought I would share it with you today. (In shortened form. It is 8 pages long otherwise.) Though the letter was given to us, I ask that you consider the general meaning of it written to yourself, as the truth of it is universal.

This letter was given to me before I had children, and the morning after my husband and I experienced the terrible sadness of a failed adoption. I keep this letter at my bedside.

************

~

Dearest Friends,

~

[Meditating on the Wedding at Cana while praying the Luminous Mysteries of the rosary]

It occurred to me that along with the timing of our Lord's first miracle, which seems to come at the "last moment", a pattern of Divine Intervention we often notice, I realized something too about the role of the wine steward. This steward who responded to Jesus' instruction to fill the jars to the brim must have thought at first that he was setting himself up for a rather exorbitant amount of disappointment. And none of us like to fill our possibilities of pain up to the brim. It's all the more frustrating and humiliating if we actually do what it takes to bring about....a failure. And yet the steward did what he was told, no doubt his own heart longing for more wine and the concomitant levity it helps to ensure at a wedding feast. Whether it was curiosity, hope, or desperation, he responded to the direction of the Son, who was responding to the generosity and concern of the Mother.

It came to me that, once the miracle was actually performed, the wine steward was the first to benefit from it. Not only was he delighted on a physical level, but because he knew his wines, he appreciated the effect intellectually, and probably was encouraged to believe in the saving power of Jesus. Hope fulfilled, desperation put to flight, and curiosity transformed to wonder.

Marriage is a constant wedding feast. Otherwise we wouldn't have learned how to live in Heaven by the time we get there. You and your husband are the Bride and Groom, the Wine Steward and the Water all at once. We your friends, your wedding guests, have learned from the Great Revelation at Cana just what to expect. Ordinary water of the earth, including tears and sweat, is the proper matter of the "sacrament" of "Gladdening". Your awareness, appreciation, and desire for "good wine" will enable you to recognize and revel in it when it comes. It is humbling to think of Mary and the Lord Himself "catering" to your wedding feast - and yet it is exalting too. They want so much for the two of you to be happy, content, to enjoy life - actually to have more than enough of "wine" in your life together, that they will see to it happening. For it is actually you yourselves who are being transformed into that "Best Wine", the ideal thing to be transformed into Christ Himself. And your sense of what is right and good, your awareness of how necessary children are in a good marriage, and your present sorrow at the lack of them, will make you superb stewards when the miracle comes - you will taste and see the goodness of the Lord. If the wine steward's tongue had not been "educated" by tasting the bitterness of want, or even nothing at all (true thirst), the miracle would not have been so luminous for him.

[A more personal closing here, which I've omitted since it did not suit my purpose in posting this.]

************

~
I'm afraid I don't always live up to the words of this beautiful letter. It is always humbling when someone thinks you're better than you actually are, but isn't that usually the case for those who know us but don't live in our homes?! What my dear friend says is so true though, for all of us - Our marriages and our mothering and our homeschooling, and the suffering that sometimes accompanies them, are given to prepare us for the Eternal Wedding Feast. And how much more glorious it will be after having tasted the sorrows of this life.

The Leisure of Needlepoint

Years ago I discovered a wonderful book written by a Catholic philosopher named Josef Pieper entitled Leisure, The Basis of Culture. Many great reviews of this book can be found online, so I won't attempt to break it down here. But in short, Pieper argues rather convincingly that leisure, properly speaking involves divine contemplation; that true rest lies in the ascent of the mind to things higher than itself, and without leisure, culture will fail.

~

"Leisure," he says, "is freedom and detachment of the human spirit which enables a man to contemplate and be at peace in those worlds of ideals from which he draws strength and nourishes his soul."

~

He warns that what modern culture deems leisurely, i.e. vacations, sports and recreation, etc. is in fact not true leisure, and if we fill all our free time this way without recourse to reflection, learning and divine contemplation we will destroy ourselves culturally. In some ways it seems we already have. Today's young (and old) would rather look at People magazine than read a literary classic or open up Sacred Scripture, and the result is a disheartening numb mindedness, lack of ability to articulate an argument, moral corruption and worse.

"Cut off from the worship of the divine, leisure becomes laziness and work inhuman...The vacancy left by absence of worship is filled by mere killing of time and by boredom, which is directly related to inability to enjoy leisure; for one can only be bored if the spiritual power to be leisurely has been lost."

Now, one of my favorite ways to spend a bit of free time when the girls are sleeping and I am just in the right state of mind, is to work on my needlepoint. You wouldn't guess it though, knowing how long it takes me to finish a project! But often, when stitching I turn my mind to heavenly things, reflecting on the day's scripture readings or pondering the beauty of God's creation around me, and I often contemplate Mary's life by putting myself in her place, wondering how she must have felt throughout her life and what I would have done had I been in her position. (Does anyone else do that?) For some reason, the art of needlepoint for me lends itself to contemplation. I'd like to think Josef Pieper would consider it good leisure.

Here is a project I have been working on for some time, a pillow. I'm embarrassed to say how slowly I'm progressing, but my goal is to complete it by the fall.

May you have a wonderful and leisure-filled weekend!

Introductions

This morning at the playground, Gianna meets a new friend:

Gianna: Hi. My name is Gianna. What's your name?

~

Sad-looking girl, shyly: Nicole.

~

Gianna, emphatically: That's a BEAUTIFUL name!

~

Girl smiles and holds out her hand and the two run hand-in-hand together toward the swings.

Have I ever mentioned that I just LOVE motherhood?!

Backyard Nature Study

Living in southern California has it's benefits, and they are numerous. But like every other good thing in life, there are drawbacks as well, and for those of us residing in the suburbs of Orange County one of those drawbacks is the lack of grand verdant pastures possessed by homeowners in other states. OK, yes, properties on an acre or more of land do exist around here, but who on earth can afford them?

We are one of those southern residents with a closet-sized backyard. It is my dream one day to live on an acre of land here, a piece of property with ample space for my girls to run and dance and play on their swingset, which I intend to buy as soon as I have a backyard big enough to hold one. But for now we have what we were given, an answer to much searching and prayer and nagging poor Saint Joseph, and we are grateful.

Little did we know when we moved in almost two years ago, that our tiny, ninety percent hardscape backyard was filled with the most wonderful hidden treasures! Hidden to us, because we settled in at a time when nothing was blooming. But last spring, these gems were revealed to us, one by one in their glory. So I pulled out my camera and fruit growth charts and voila! The girls and I had our own backyard nature study. It was so much fun!

Here are some of the treasures we discovered:

Grapes, just before harvest


Pear Tree


Plums, just before harvest

~

Peaches at harvest

Lemons (in season now)

~

[We also have oranges, limes and roses, as well as some rosemary and thyme that I potted last year, but for some reason I didn't photograph those.]

We may not have the huge backyard of our dreams, but we are certainly blessed with abundance. I have learned a great deal from my humble backyard, not only about fruit growth stages and indigenous worms and insects, but even more about how to make the best use of what I have. No matter how small our gifts in life, they can be turned into bounteous fruits when graciously accepted and enjoyed.

Guide Us To Thy Perfect Light!

The Epiphany Feast is a perfect solemnity for New Year's resolutions. I generally avoid resolutions on the first of the year, partly because I am still reveling in the Christmas season and am not yet ready to think about mortification or changing anything about my life, and partly because a great feast is soon to come which seems to invoke personal amendment as the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh are offered to Our Lord on this day.

So here they are, my small resolutions for the new year (I am hoping that by posting them here I will be held accountable for my offerings and lessen the likelihood of failure.) :

Gold: Two days a month devoted to someone in need. This can be making dinner for a new mother, baking a dessert for a neighbor, babysitting for a friend for an afternoon while she runs necessary errands, and the like. A dear friend gave me this idea at a time when I was aching to do some type of volunteer work or join a charity group and could not decide how best to facilitate my desire with two girls in tow.

Frankincense: Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament once a week. This stems from that lovely Catholic Devotions Meme which was passed around a few weeks ago. I never expected that meme to bring about any good on my end, but here I am, hoping that the next time I am tagged for a meme like this, I will be able to answer at least ONE of the questions differently.

Myrrh: No blogging while my girls are awake. Now this will be quite a mortification, as I've come to realize my recent addiction to the virtual life. Small things have been slipping through the cracks around here since, oh, about December 2nd, and as my primary vocation is home and family my time on the internet must be organized better. I won't be blogging less, just at well-restricted times of the day!


I am sad to see the Christmas season end. We had a marvelous Advent and Christmas this year, and as my little ones grow the holidays are more special and wonder-filled than ever before. But thankfully, all days, even Ordinary ones are extraordinary with children!

A Great Cup of Tea?

I just read Margaret's post today, which lead me to Rebecca's site, and I just thought I'd contribute my humble 2 cents. Have you ever been to Teavana? It is a wonderful, albeit trendy tea shop with some of the best and rarest teas in the world and a wealth of information on the health/antioxidant benefits of the various teas. It really is delightful, and a must try!

I recently tried their Pistachio Apple Pie, which is a red Rooibos tea with high antioxidants and is "great for hair, teeth, skin, and bones". Fabulous!

Death Certificate Without a Birth Certificate?

An impressive, thought-provoking article on legislation to recognize the birth of a stillborn baby. Notice the fifth paragraph on the "pro-choice" opposition to this measure. Though Mrs. Allen and others seem to want to keep the issue out of the abortion debate, it does seem a necessary consequence.

Have your children ever slept.....

.....in this position?

Or this one?

Warning: Do not attempt these stunts in your own home unsupervised if you are over the age of 30!

A New Beginning

A happy new year to all! We welcomed our 2007 enjoying fun, food, faith, friends and family in the town where my husband grew up, which also happens to be the city where we married and lived our first four years together as a couple. The weekend provided many fond memories of early married life, but I have to say, experiencing it all over again with our girls was so much richer!

We attended mass on the Feast of the Mother of God at the church in Pasadena where we exchanged our vows,

....and took the girls to the beautiful Parade of Roses. It was a gorgeous morning, which indicates another increase in southern California population. (It is a known fact that when visitors come to Pasadena for the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl on the first of the month, many resolve to relocate permanently.)

The floats truly are spectacular. The entire surface of each float must be covered using a variety of flowers, seeds, bark, leaves and other natural materials.

Now that we're home, it's time to get back to the routine. The house is a mess, the regrigerator is empty, the laundry undone, and we're hosting guests tomorrow. Until then, we hope you continue to enjoy a merry Christmas! (I don't want to see it end!)