Rainy Monday Moments

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I find myself:

::noticing God's glory

Is it too late to plant blueberries? Blackberries? Christian really wants a berry garden. He was too sick to do anything with it last week, but I think we're good to go this week. Should we go for it? I've got a little Mason bee condo all ready for my pollination efforts. (Mason bees are my consolation while I continue to plot and persuade towards next spring's honeybees.)

 

::listening to 

various children downstairs. It's a rainy day here and we are all so tired from a very busy weekend. I'm grateful for the cool and the clouds and a chance to re-group a bit. No soccer practice today means no hard, fast deadline at 2:30. We have a little longer to get the routine things finished and start the week well

 

::clothing myself in 

Yoga pants and a sweatshirt. I'm trying hard to figure a way to avoid the grocery store and not having to change into "real" clothes all day.

 

::giving thanks for

a very nice Mother's Day. Yesterday took us to three soccer games in two states. All three were far from each other. But, in the end, we wound up in the town where Mike and I met in high school, the town where we were married and spent the first nine years of family life together. We did a little "nostalgia drive." We didn't tell the children where we were going. When he pulled into the parking lot of the church where we were married without any explanation, Karoline squealed in sheer delight! She recognized the exterior from photos in our wedding album. They were thrilled to go inside and pay a visit. And Karoline, when she thought no one was looking, did her own little walk down the aisle. Pretty adorable. 

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::talking with my children about these books

Since I'm going to share my own reading on Thursdays at needle and thREAD, I thought I'd share some reading from our family's choices. 

Mary Beth and I are digging into the free Grace Livingston Hill downloads on Kindle. But first, I'm reading a new Catholic novel, Joy in the Ordinary. I plan a proper post all of its own as soo as I'm finished. For now, just know it's one of those books that had me standing at the kitchen counter reading when I should have been housekeeping.

::I am thinking

I promise they all are interconnected. At least they are in my brain. And maybe I'll sort them all out here, too. 

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::pondering prayerfully

When Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize, she was asked, "What can we do to promote world peace?" She answered "Go home and love your family."


::carefully cultivating rhythm

Nothing knocks me out of rhythm like fatigue. I do so much better when I go to bed early and get up early and start the day with prayer and exercise. This week: every day. That's the goal.

::creating by hand

I know I need to force myself to finish that blouse and not to be so discouraged that it didn't go according to plan that I let become an unfinished object. The thing about crafting of all kinds is that our enthusiasm is fed by our successes. As we see something start to actually work the way it should, we're motivated to keep going. When we hit a bump? Well, then it takes more than the momentum of enthusiasm to finish well. 

::learning lessons in

my own limitations.

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::encouraging learning 

It's always fun to show the basket of new books to a five-year-old. I sure wish my teenagers responded similarly.

 

::begging prayers

for all the people who have joined our weekend prayer community. I carried your requests with me to Mass and I will keep a candle lit for you throughout the week.

for lonely missionaries.

for distracted mamas; that they may see before it's too late what gives real purpose and meaning to life.

 

:keeping house

Last week, someone suggested taking away the phones of people who don't do chores. I think she's on to something. Phones, iPods... good idea, that one.

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::crafting in the kitchen 

I asked for vegetarian recipes on Facebook. I got a whole bunch of responses. Now, to organize them and start making my way through the list. I can always add some grilled meat to it to keep the carnivores happy, right?.

::loving the moments

when your kids are just so happy because they know they've presented you with the perfect Mother's Day gift. I promise to share it later this week.

::living the liturgy

We are using  33 Days to Morning Glory  in preparation for Marian Consecration on the Feast of the Visitation. 

 

::planning for the week ahead

I'm hoping for a lowkey, nesting kind of week this week, before a weekend girl's getaway for a dance competition. Patrick has prom this weekend, too. I'm having to relinquish that photo op to someone else's camera. It's killing me...

random instagram photos from yesterday. wish i'd taken more...