just one peek into the future, pleeeze?

I wish I could know that all the times I have to ask "Did you flush?" will add up to having five adult children who always flush.

a voice like an angel

Tonight I was talking to my mom on the phone and we were talking about my sweet third born and how she will be getting braces soon, how pretty her smile already is but how much more beautiful it is going to be. She also mentioned that every time she watches 10 y.o. Jackie Evancho sing, she thinks of #3, whom she calls "Angel".

Well, we don't watch tv, so I had to Google who Jackie was.

OH.

MY.

GOSH.

If you don't already know who she is, go find out.

for the first time

In the southeast getting snow in December is a rarity, especially on Christmas Day. In fact, I can remember a couple of Christmases where people were playing football in their front yards wearing shorts and tank tops.
Today, though, December 26th, 2010, the closest it has ever been to Christmas Day, we are getting snow. I am watching it fall from the windows.

Beautiful.

Maybe it will be a foretaste of more "first times" to come in 2011.

ps- I have a number of things I'd like to be on that "first time" list... just sayin'.

a prayer for you on this special holy day

May the magnificent plan of salvation

bring peace to your hearts now and always.

photo credit

Merry Christmas y'all!

p.u.

PS- Crabs were not alive after all.

but boy were they crabby

Number 3 brought home some beautiful shells from our trip. They have been in a ziplock bag since the middle of November. Today she took them out to play with them and noticed that there were legs moving in 2 of the shells.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to Google "hermit crab care".

traditions that stick

At the age of 43, I have had lots of Christmas traditions that have come in and out of my life, but as a busy mom of five children, all who have their own crazy schedules, it is hard to make a tradition "stick" each year.

Two favorites that we ALWAYS make time for:

Christmas Morning Mass - we stop right in the middle of all the chaos and head to Mass to reflect upon the Christ Child, God's magnificent plan of salvation.

Christmas Mice - cherries with stems on, dipped in melted chocolate, Hershey's kiss pressed against the still liquid chocolate for the mouse's head, and quickly stick sliced almonds between the cherry and the kiss for his ears.

a beautiful answer

When I just had two kids, I was so organized and my house was so clean that it was nearly to the point of being a diagnosis. I used to tease my husband that if all the power went off in the middle of the night where there was no moon and he needed a blue paperclip, for some strange reason, I could find it in the midst of the darkness.

Fast forward 13 years and I find myself talking to King about a different sort of darkness. Nothing in my house is organized. Nothing is clean. Chaos clutters our lives. You need a paper clip? Hmmm, well, good luck with that! There is a total loss of control. In all honesty, I am probably standing toe-to-toe with a whole 'nuther diagnosis.

My 3rd born was telling me about this game show called "Minute to Win It" that she watched recently where these two women just had to get 2 Christmas ornaments onto a tree. Simple enough. Problem is that they had some herky-jerky conveyor belt situation where the ornaments kept falling off and breaking. They did eventually win with 2 seconds left on the clock.

That describes what I am going through perfectly. My goal is to get five kids safely grown and properly trained as Christian leaders who will go out into the world and glorify God. However, there are so many distractions passing by me at the speed of light, activities here, there. Deadlines, etc. Surly teenagers. Pouty toddlers. Hissy fits. So much noise. Papers. Junk mail. Clutter here, there, everywhere. So. Many. Distractions. I am trying so hard to keep my eyes on the prize and keep mucking through the mud of life. Time goes by so fast and I don't want the time on the clock to run out. Today is the third Sunday of Advent. Already! But what about instilling neat Christmas traditions? What about stopping and focusing on the season? What about slowing down to enjoy this time of waiting for the Christ child? Help!

Recently, during a mental dropping-to-my-knees moment, I begged God to not let go of me. I soooo want to stop and rest in His arms. I so want my kids to alight near me, to be still, and to listen to His voice. I don't want Advent to blow away without much notice. I don't want Christmas to be just another day of rushing to "do". During the moment of throwing myself (again) into relying on His mercy, I heard the answer to my plea, "Lord I just want to be closer to you! How can I find you?"

The answer came.

You care for so many young people. You give them everything.

See me. I am an infant. Care for me, protect me, nourish me the way you care for your own.

first of december

#4 (bouncing with joy) : Mommy, Mommy! I can't believe it is the first day of winter!

Me (buzz killer that I am) : It's not.


Yes, I did feel bad when the air came out of his balloon of joy. So, with excitement in my voice I added, "but it IS the first of December!"

Happy First Day of December, y'all!