Happy 19th Birthday

Happy birthday yesterday to our treasure. We love you Mary-Katherine Suzannne and are very proud of the woman that you are becoming. How were we to know that on January 4, 1990 we were going to be blessed with such a beautiful, generous, giving, and loving person as you have become. God bless you.

Four Generations

I have been sitting here working on some long overdue scrapbooking and I came across these pictures of my grandmother (mother's mother) and my mother. After reading the beautiful post by mooncatblue it got me to thinking about the similarities between the four of us; my grandmother, mother, myself, and my daughter.

My grandmother was a wonderful woman. She never stopped learning all of her life. I can remember when I was a teenager and the movie "Saturday Night Fever" came out. She wanted to see it as much as her grand-daughters did. And she bought the tickets and drove us to the theater and we all saw it together. She is the person who taught me to drink shots of Irish Whiskey.
Just before she died I was expecting my daughter. I already had four sons and had given up hope of having a daughter. I had also not announced to anyone that I was pregnant as yet. She seemed to know, though, she also seemed to know that she was near the end. She grabbed hold of the front of me one day in the hospital and told me that not only did she know that I was having a baby soon, but that it would be a and she wanted her to be named a certain way. She wanted her named Mary-Katherine and she even spelled it for me so that I would spell it right. I didn't take her seriously at the time because I didn't know she was going to die and I doubted that I would have a . Two days later she died of a massive heart attack. Four months later I gave birth to a baby that I named Mary-Katherine Suzanne. I wouldn't dream of going against the wishes of my grandmother. How I miss her still to this day.

My mother, her oldest daughter. I am told as often that I look like her as that I look like my father. I think I look like my mom but I act like my father and that is where people make their mistake. My mother is very serious where my grandmother would as soon laugh as be serious. My mother taught me to be organized and to do everything that I do the best that I could do it. To do a job until it is done and not leave until all is complete. She is the reason that I have been able to homeschool all of my children and survive. She is why I do what I do and do it well. My father is why I am willing to try anything but my mother is why I have the stubbornness to keep at something until I can do it right.

I have my mother's eyes and nose but I have my father's smile. My father smiles and everyone around catches it like a cold. My father is contagious.

My daughter is beautiful. She is everything that is good in both my husband and myself. She has my goofiness and stubbornness when it comes to doing things and my husbands intelligence. She has the grace of an athlete at times and the clumsiness of an elephant at other times. She has a wonderful talent for not taking herself too seriously (comes from having a lot of brothers) and being able to laugh at herself.
As much as my family drives me crazy sometimes, when I look at my daughter I am glad to see the result of all of us all together in her.

A few of the hits this Christmas

As the kids get older it gets increasingly difficult to find something to get them for Christmas. Not because they have everything or because they have difficult tastes but because they have simple tastes and they really don't like getting gifts, they'd rather give. It is always gratifying when you think of something that is not only popular but that they REALLY seem to like. I think we hit the nail on the head more than once this year.

Mary-Kate made Matthew this Jedi knight costume this year. Now in this house it is difficult if not impossible to sew in secret. He assumed all the time that she was making it that she was making it for herself. It was obvious to see that he wanted it too. We knew that it would be a success before he even opened the package.

Mary-Kate made Doug this fleece and Matthew gave him the hat and mittens. He is always needing warm things for work and they both did a good job finding just the right things for their Dad who was not only surprised but pleased with their choices.

When I saw these thigh high socks at Target I knew that they were for Mary-Kate. Her nickname is Colors at school and I don't think these socks will let that die too soon. You can also see the flowered fleece and the cow print hat and scarf that I made for her in the background.

Ian has a Carhart coat that we bought him last year. He wears that thing everyday. I have put patches on it and put a new zipper in it. When he brings his laundry over he practically sits by the dryer until it is done, he likes it so much. His dad and I decided that he should have another so that he has two to rotate. The camo fleece that he is wearing Matthew made for him also. Ian is definitely a one coat and one sweatshirt man but the way he works and get dirty we thought that he was definitely deserving of a second one of each.

All my children together in one place?

After all the presents were opened and all the food was consumed I thought that I would take a picture of all of my children together. It is getting to be a rare thing to have them all home at the same time. Wait..... who is the hairy one in the middle? actually, Adam is in Iraq at present so we just put his dog Lupus in the picture to represent him. If Adam were here his comment would probably be, "it works! Lupus is a member of the family after all!"

How to make your mother cry on Christmas...........

........... without spilling the veggie dip on the carpet or set the house on fire

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My three sons in the Army went out and had their portraits taken professionally. That is enough to make this mother cry, and the rumor going around is that it was initiated by the very one who coined the phrase, "at ease the camera, will you!"

Thank you boys, this is better than all the silver and gold in all the universe.

Update

On Monday, 15 December, 2008 I went into the hospital for surgery on my back. Thanks be to God it went just as the Dr. described to Doug and I in the pre-operative visit the week before. He trimmed away the bulge on the disc between L4 and L5 and reamed out the holes that the nerves pass through to get to my legs. Then he put screws into L4 and L5 and put pins in to stabilize the bones so that there will be no more forward and back motion which was pinching on nerves also. Then he drilled into the back of those two vertebra and put in a titanium "cage" which stibilizes the bone so that it will no longer compress. Finally he took bone and marrow from my right hip and made a paste of that and surgical adhesive and spread that all around so that all would stay in place during the healing process.

I am pleased to say that after a couple of days of pain and having to find a combination of pain meds that would work for me I am now at home and very comfortable. The next obstacle is getting past the constipation that is resulting from all of the and the anesthesia. Then I must just continue healing.

I get around here pretty well with my walker and I have my potty chair that helps me go by myself. Tomorrow Doug is going to get me a shower chair so I can finally take a shower. I haven't had a proper shower since before the surgery.

Please continue your prayers as there is still a few obstacles to overcome and the inactivity is difficult.
I will offer Christmas Mass for all of you.

Twilight

I feel today, after reading many posts about the series and books entitles Twilight. On both blogger and Xanga there is much discussion pro and con. It all brings back the controversy over the Golden Compass and Harry Potter. Along with these books and movies one can also bring up the controversy over such fads as Pokemon and to for the older kids Dungeons and Dragons (this dates back to my growing up years).

I have not read any of these books nor have I seen any of the movies beyond the first Harry Potter movie, which I thought was poorly acted and had a dismal plot line). My feeling is that it isn't necessary for parents to read a controversial series of books or a questionable movie to pronounce it something that they will not be taking their children to see.

I think there is something more basic and fundamental that can and should help us, as parents, decide whether something should be seen or read by our children or whether they should be a part of a particular "fad". My husband and I use the question, "Is this going to help our child/children get to heaven?" Sound over simplistic? Lets look deeper into what this all means and maybe you won't think that we are being overly childlike in our trust in God when it comes to choosing good reading and viewing material for our kids. Let me add a disclaimer that we have and do make mistakes, we are only human, but even then I think God helps us to "mop up" the mess afterward because our intentions are pure.

Our first premise is that every book and movie that comes out does not have to invade the "womb" of spiritual safety that we try daily to maintain in this household. Even if it is "good" full of virtue and lots of fun and maybe even has a moral that is worth presenting to our children doesn't make it, the book or movie, worthy of being allowed into our sanctuary. A home is a sanctuary that is meant to keep the world out not a "vacuum" that is meant to "suck" the world in.

Our second premise it that each child must be trained. Their conscience and free will need to be trained every day. This means often saying no to the things that one desires which may be okay to experience, for instance a certain book or movie. In that training we also stress that if something is "questionable" when it comes to faith and morals, whether it is fiction or not, it is a good thing to deny yourself. The phrase "everyone else is seeing it" or everyone else is reading it" or "so-and-so's parents let them read it or see it" don't get said around here. My pat answer, while my husband is smirking in the background, is "their parents aren't responsible for your salvation, I am. If they are willing to adopt you and take on the responsibility of raising you then you may indeed read that book or see that movie." They know better now not to say those things to me. The bottom line is, is it a want or a need?

Our third and final premise is that one doesn't need to see, read, experience everything out there that there is for the human to experience. Not only is it impossible but it is also sinful to make the attempt. We have a good better best scale when it comes to books and movies. Obviously we fail often in this area but not in the way that you think. Best is, of course, reading classics. Reading is invaluable to developing the person. In making the mind, heart and soul both well rounded and in conformity with the will of God. The greatest minds of the Catholic church never made a movie. Better is to see classic movies and movies that come from the classics that you have read. Never before but after. The older the version the better. I could go into pages and pages about the loss of truly good acting and that art form but this is neither the time or the place. Good is to see movies and read books that have been perused by the parents or someone who is trusted by them first and reviewed for the parents. Books and movies that have controversy attached to them before they even come out are suspect and needn't be seen for that reason. That is a fad that only feeds itself and thus should be put under the category of self denial if only for that reason.

We don't need to see and experience everything that comes along but we are made for heaven and every and all decisions should be made for that reason so that nothing that is sullied can be presented to God for entrance into heaven.

A Mother's Pride

For the past three months we have been attending the Tridentine Mass in another parish about 20 minutes away from here every other Sunday. After Mass Father Castronovo has been taking the time to train Matthew and a few of his friends so that they can serve the Mass alongside of Father.
This morning two of Matthew's friends served with Father and Matthew sat on the side of the altar. Next Sunday morning Matthew will have the opportunity to serve the Mass.
How proud I was to sit there and see my son on the altar with Father making the responses along with the man who usually serves for Father.
We also had the opportunity to say the rosary in latin before Mass started. What an opportunity also for Matthew to participate in two such devotions of the church in her native language.

Thank you dear Lord for giving us this wonderful chance to have Matthew trained to serve you in this traditional devotion and to serve you on the altar beside such a holy and giving priest.

Prayers Please

I am asking for prayers please, for myself. Monday morning I am going into the hospital to have my back repaired from a fall that happened over a year ago.

Nothing medically has worked so they are going in to try and fix the problem surgically. I would appreciate prayers that God guides the hands of the surgeon and gives him wisdom.

Thank you all.

There will be no Nativity Scene in Washington, D. C.
The Supreme Court has ruled that there cannot be a Nativity Scene in the nation's capital this Christmas season.
This isn't for any religious reason, they simply have not been able to find Three wise Men in the Nation's capitol.P.S. There was no problem, however, finding enough asses to fill the stable.