My Heart's at Home Daybook~The New Normal
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Outside My Window ...I can hear children at the bus stop and traffic bustling by, but all I can see are the rooftops of the houses across the street and the very tops of a redbud tree.
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Towards a daily rhythm ... My goodness!We're working out the kinks. Elusive rhythm has been the challenge of the past few days since returning home from the hospital. Thanks to the generosity of my friends, I think we have a schedule of help in place. I've long been a proponent of going TO children in order to get them to obey or to listen. I'm not a call them to me type at all. That's changing due to our circumstances and I definitely think the go-to-them method is far better. I like to be alongside them and I think it makes all the difference in both relationships and outcome. Going to them also allows for inspection of anything I expected them to do. My children are just ordinary sinners--inspection is crucial. They are also in crisis. Poor Nicholas doesn't want to go apple picking because he doesn't want to come home with all those apples and "not work with Mom in the kitchen to make all the stuff. It won't be fun without Mom." Karoline's entire world revolved around my holding and carrying and nursing her. Now, Karoline and Mary Beth share a world and it's a strange, new one for both of them. As I said, we're working out the kinks.
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I am thankful for ...the generous outpouring of friends who are helping Mike and me to care for our home and family and the friends who are too far away to help daily but have found creative ways to send help and made time in their own busy lives for encouraging e-mails and phone calls.
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From the kitchen ...
I haven't seen much of the kitchen these days...but the kitchen is dedicated to birthday and feast day goodies this week.
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I haven't seen much of the kitchen these days...but the kitchen is dedicated to birthday and feast day goodies this week.
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I am wearing ... a Laura Ashley nightshirt my Mom gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago, a medal necklace I made with the Miraculous medal, St. Therese, a scapular medal, and St. Gerard..
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I am creating ...a St. Anne chaplet, rosaries for my girls, and a new rosary for me. Have the beads, but still waiting for a few parts. I'm also making chaplets for the everyone in the family for the St. Andrew Christmas prayer.
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I am going to breathe deeply ...This is the exercise note. Hmmm. Christian is going to bring three pound weights up from the basement so that maybe I can work my upper body a bit. I'm drawing alphabet letters in the air with my feet, mostly to entertain my toddler and keep from getting blood clots. I lost five pounds in the hospital. I 'm fairly certain that's all the muscle I had managed to build between this pregnancy and the last. Perhaps the spring will see blog entries dedicated to returning one's body from absolute jello-ness.
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I am going to breathe deeply ...This is the exercise note. Hmmm. Christian is going to bring three pound weights up from the basement so that maybe I can work my upper body a bit. I'm drawing alphabet letters in the air with my feet, mostly to entertain my toddler and keep from getting blood clots. I lost five pounds in the hospital. I 'm fairly certain that's all the muscle I had managed to build between this pregnancy and the last. Perhaps the spring will see blog entries dedicated to returning one's body from absolute jello-ness.
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Bringing beauty to my home ...Today's project is my bedroom. In all my earnestness to have the house in order should I be on bed rest, I never gave a moment's thought to the fact that I'd be stuck happily ensconced here for hours on end. I ordered some candles from Trish and some new sheets. Megan and I will brainstorm some other ideas.
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I am hoping
... to get through the next few weeks without sinning against faith, hope, or love.
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Around the house
... I am assured that everything is neat and tidy and in order. I'm highly skeptical.
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One of my favorite things ...My sweet baby rolling and kicking in my belly. There is nothing in the world more comforting.
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One of my favorite things ...My sweet baby rolling and kicking in my belly. There is nothing in the world more comforting.
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A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: The perinatologist. Then, the Ashwells are coming to co-op on Thursday and Nicholas' godmother is going to take everyone apple picking on Friday.
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Here is a picture thought I am sharing~
It was crucial to figure out a way to eat dinner as a family. I have a couple of children, in particular, for whom the deviation from family routines has been very, very difficult. So, we threw a blanket on my bedroom floor and carefully set the places in the same order as they would be on the table. We gave it its first try on Sunday night when Michael was home to celebrate his birthday. This is my view from the bed. Michael took the picture.
