Melting

Loud, excited footsteps enter the bedroom this morning, and with them these words: "Mother, I've been thinking about it. When I get married and have babies you can adopt as many of them as you want!" Me: "Gianna, you love babies. Don't you think you'll want to keep them for yourself?" "No," she says, "I want my kids to have the life me and Madeleine have, with you."

We're just gonna cuddle all morning, if you don't mind. Every day until she turns 18.

Best Blizzard Story I've Heard Yet

Our friends' baby, sent from heaven a little early. What a great name! Congratulations, Matt and Jolene!

Comment Moderation

Some of you may have noticed the combox here has been inundated with spam the past few weeks. In an effort to eliminate the predators I've enabled word verification on comments for the next few days. Will a few days be enough? Is there anything else I should do?

This Lent

I've been away the past several days caring for my grandfather. Please pray for him. I didn't have access to a computer, so that great valentine idea in my head never made it to this page. But lack of online access, always a blessing hidden in disguise, gave me plenty of time to finish my first section of the Kelmscott sweater, and pray about Lent.

I'm slightly scared of Lent this year and I'll tell you why when I get a little more time, but for now, here is what I'll be pondering and re-pondering these next forty days:

....if we really love Him with all our hearts and all our strength, NOTHING will feel like sacrifice in light of the promise that one day we will get to be with Him forever. Automatically, we will help those in need, we will give our all, we will love our neighbor as our self, because our heart is aligned with His. But so many don’t. This then begs the question: If we are not walking in the words of Jesus, do we truly know Him? Do we really know and believe in the Jesus of the Bible. Because if we do, if we believe what He says is true, our lives will be powerfully, unimaginably, radically different than the lives of those around us. He requires EVERYTHING. ~Katie, from The Journey

Come, sweet Lent. Show me where I still worship other gods. And smash them. ~Philosopher Mom

Look at His adorable face. Look at His glazed and sunken eyes. Look at His wounds. Look Jesus in the Face. There, you will see how He loves us. ~ St. Therese of Lisieux

Certainly, you are not unaware of how much the path of love can cost. Christ Himself reminds you of it from atop the Cross. ~Pope John Paul II

Let us go to the foot of the Cross and there complain (of our sufferings) - if we have the courage. ~St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love. ~Mother Teresa

Why?

Recently in discussing infertility, adoption and our recent disappointments regarding babies, someone asked me how often I wondered "Why?" of God, and whether I was angry or sad. We had only a few brief minutes and so I replied with what first came to my mind, something to the effect of firmly believing there is another baby for us with whom we'll be blessed at just the right time.

But in pondering the question fuller later, the thought that kept coming back to me was this: It is not for us to ask "Why?" of God. We already know the answer. Because He sees what is best for us, and deals out only what will bring us closer to Him. We are so special and so loved by Him that He designs an original, unique Way for each of us. None of us has the same Way. And should we try to rid ourselves of whatever disturbs us or whatever suffering we endure, we will be ridding ourselves of The Way, the Via Crucis, and the only means to Him. So the real questions is, why would we want to be rid of anything He deals us?

Perhaps a better way to phrase the question is to ask "What?" or "How?". What do you want me to do with this, Lord? What do you see in me that needs improving? How will this bring me closer to you? Of course "Why?" can be asked in this same spirit of humility, with a readiness to accept God's will for us and a desire to embrace our cross. So I guess it isn't about the words we choose, but the spirit in which we are asking.

In the years before we had children I often asked the question "Why?" in a spirit contrary to holiness. "Why me, Lord?...."Why her and not me?"....and so on. But those questions never brought me peace, and they certainly never brought an answer. They only flamed the fire of my own self-pity, and brought on other ugly vices I'd rather not mention because I'm repulsed to think of them now. Today, every once in a while I wonder that my selfishness prevented me from hearing a calling during those years. I wonder how much of God's grace I missed on account of pride and self-pity, and coil at the thought that I didn't fully embrace His will for me.

Life is too short. There's so little time to waste. I don't ask those questions anymore because I already know the answer. It's a perfect and beautiful answer concerning grace to be had, virtues in which to progress, holiness and Heaven.

Leaks, Flowers and Bedding

Last night it rained nearly all night long, which normally would be perfectly welcome, but....whatever work the roofing contractor performed must not have fixed the leak because our downstairs has turned into a minor flood zone. We moved more furniture upstairs and my husband asked me to start looking at available homes for lease online in case we need to evacuate. I still thank the Lord every day for giving me something small to offer up. And it really is so very small.

Since we're living almost entirely on the upper level these days my mother-in-law gave me this bouquet to brighten our upstairs. I take them with me from room to room, I enjoy them so much. I think pink tulips are my new favorite flower.

they even make my old dilapidated nightstand look pretty
of course they make an already pleasant room look even prettier. this is the only nearly "finished" room in the house, as it should be when you have girls. :)

When we moved Madeleine into Gianna's room last year (sisters sharing a room is so sweet, is it not? I had four brothers, so I get to enjoy sisterhood vicariously through my daughters!) we changed out Gianna's pink bedding set for a matching pair for both girls in green, blue and yellow. I think it looks a little older, and so will grow with the girls till adulthood. I'll be putting Gianna's old set on eBay this week (I think I'll start it at $50), so if any of you are interested let me know and I'll post a link first here on the day I list the set.

Mexican Dip

I just posted a recipe for the best-layer-dip-out-there in the combox over at Faith and Family Live. Whether you watch the Super Bowl or not, your husbands will love you for making this!

Timely Delivery

Our new dining room chairs finally arrived this morning (they were on backorder for over two months). I'm so excited - the linen is very soft and I love the old look of the reclaimed wood chair frames. I really like them. Only.....

....I can't decide where to place them in my oh-so-pretty dining room!


This state of house disarray was more fun in the beginning than it is now, I admit. Oh and don't worry, I did order four chairs. The fourth is in the office for now.

I'll never take eating family dinners at a table for granted again. :)

Candlemas

Rembrandt. Simeon with the Christ Child in the Temple. c. 1666-69

"And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
According to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles,
And the glory of thy people Israel.

And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; yea, a sword shall pierce thy own soul also; that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." (Luke 2:25 - 35)

Important Matter

The last three days I've been desperately trying to figure out how to watch this when we don't have a television. (I know I can watch it online the day after it airs, but I'd really rather not, thank you.)

Solutions I've come up with: A.) asking our next door neighbors if they have an extra TV, and if yes, may I borrow it please? For a few months? B.) Finding neighbors who watch and crashing at their house to enjoy it with them. C.) Sinking into the leather sectional in the home theatre section of our local Best Buy every Tuesday night for a few months. With popcorn and my favorite candy.

Any other possibilities I'm overlooking?