Archive for » September, 2008 «

Recommendation for AC or siding?

29 Sep 2008 by

Anyone have any local recommendation for air conditioning and siding?

The most recent endangered species to choose our home as its home is a wood pecker.  It has manage to peck out quite a bit of wood from our siding on the chimney.  This is bad news all the way around.

So if you have an recommendations, please pass them along.  OR if you managed to read the back of your bulletin and see someone, let us know that too.

Thanks!

Category: Family  2 Comments

Divine Orders

25 Sep 2008 by

Adam and I had an NFP presentation this evening and Therese was curious about what we were going to talk about. This was a perfect opportunity to revisit our religion lessons from the last two weeks about “being an image of God” and “how God calls us to love.” So I reminded her that we are called to love as either a husband and wife, or as a priest. Then she chimes in,”or a sister at a convent. Mom, Jesus came to me last night and said I’m going to be a nun at the convent.” Who am I to argue with Our Blessed Lord’s divine orders.

Then when I arrived home, Lindsey-who was baby sitting– mentioned her conversation with Therese. Therese is swinging outside on the swings and says, “Miss Lindsey, I’m going to marry Jesus….Then I’m going to have a baby and name him Joshua!” (She really like Joshua from the old testament and the story of Jericho.) So, I have a little further instruction on what the life of a sister entails, but we have time.

Fulton too is a funny little fellow. We’ve been playing The Priest Game all week because it ties into this week’s religion lessons. Every time we play, Fulton just HAS to be Fr. Tim. Well, and Therese too wants to play his card but we’ve just been conceding to Fulton because he gets so emotional about it. It’s really rather sweet. In fact, of all the people in the world to look up to and want to be, I couldn’t think of anyone better than Fr. Tim.

So playing the game this week, we’ve been given a special opportunity to pray for all our priests and religious. And I’ve been taking special care to remember to pray for the vocations of our children whether they be called to religious life or marriage–and if marriage, also praying for their future spouse.

Category: Faith, Family  One Comment

Therese of the Passion

24 Sep 2008 by

Therese has always had a particular interest in the Passion of Christ. Since I can remember, she has always been fascinated with images of Christ crucified and our Blessed Mother holding her Son as he was taken down from the cross. She can sit all afternoon and look at a book of the Stations of the Cross. In fact, she often takes our family bible out just for that purpose. Do I think it’s a little weird for such a little person? Yeah, except that I remember who her namesake is and I’m not surprised.

Yesterday, her questions about the crucifixion made me consider how much I mediate or not on our Lord’s passion. “How long were the nails? Did they hurt? Was Jesus sad when he was on the cross? Was he mad? Where the soldiers mean? Did Jesus not like the soldiers? Why did the soldiers turn away? ” I guess when you can’t read, you soak in every detail and every facial expression of every person in these scenes and it leaves a lot of unanswered questions.

Then after answering her questions, she says, “I’m going to die when I’m 12 years old. Then I can go to Heaven and be with Jesus.” I told her that I would really like her to be around for a little while longer than that. Her response: “Mom, I’m not going to be with you forever. I’m going to have to leave sometime.” Ha! To be so detached from this world and sure of the love of God that you do not fear death but embrace it. That is to have the faith of a child. It reminds me of when St. Therese told her mother that she wanted her to die because then she would go to heaven.

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Good News from the Surgeon

23 Sep 2008 by

Nothing but good news from my surgeon as I had one of my regular visits today.

  • My opening has increased 5mm to a total of 27mm from my previous visit. The goal is 40mm. My muscles are recovering from the trauma they underwent during surgery so I have to work my way back up to a normal opening.
  • I’m getting more feeling back in my chin. I’d say about 50% of the feeling has returned.
  • The J-hook was removed. Some of you may have noticed a little hook hanging down in front off my upper teeth. Well, it used to be above the gum line and since then has descended which meant it was time to come out. It was used to hold a rubber band to keep the upper and lower jaws together in the early stages of recovery. I’ll leave it to your imagination where the other end of the hook was routed.

    There was a moment of humor. I asked the doc if he was going to apply any anesthetic before removing it. He said, “Well, you can endure the few seconds of pain from either the anesthetic needle or by just me pulling it out.” My response: “Pull away.”

  • My teeth are not rotting away. I had a scare for the past few weeks where it appeared my teeth were becoming translucent. To my relief it was only an illusion. It happened to be only a thin film of gray matter deposited by the medicinal mouthwash I used for the first 3 weeks. The doc demonstrated by scraping a bit away showing the white enamel underneath. Thankfully a good cleaning will remove it, but it’ll probably have to wait until I get my orthodontics off.
  • And last but not least, adios to the liquid diet! I’m free now to eat soft foods that require minimal chewing. I’m still holding out for Whataburger but I’ll take Rudy’s extra-moist brisket in the meantime. ;)
Category: Health  4 Comments

Roxy’s Baby Shower

20 Sep 2008 by

I co-hosted a baby shower this afternoon with Katie and Jenny. Graciously Katie did a lot of the  work and so I really should say, Jenny and I helped Katie throw Roxy a baby shower.

Roxy is such a sweet young woman. I truly admire the great faith life she has at such a young age.  (She at least a decade younger than me. )  I hope that when our girls are her age they will have their spiritual lives as together as she does.

So, this was not your run of the mill shower with baby games, but a very beautiful Christian celebration of life.  Katie asked the guests to bring a holy card or scripture verses to share with Roxy and to support her during these last few weeks and in labor.   Katie had the frame and we put it together for Roxy to take home with her and then eventually take with her to the hospital.

Holy Family, pray for us.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.

St. Gerard, pray for us.

St. Gianna, pray for us.

St. Monica, pray for us.

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us.

Mary Clare, pray for us.

All Holy men and women, pray for us.

Category: Faith, Friends  Leave a Comment

Party Central

20 Sep 2008 by

Well, I finally get to sit down after a very festive few days.  We started the morning bidding farewell to our friends the Cey family who have been staying with us since Thursday afternoon.  Just being in their presence it a party in and of itself.  I know I’ve been running off the adrenaline of just seeing them since they moved back in May.  “Thanks” to hurricane Ike, they’ve been without power since last Saturday and needed to do some laundry.  We’re blessed they chose to come all the way down here to do it! :)   The kids had the best time seeing each other and playing.

Then off we went to the house warming lunch of the Selvaraj family.  They just bought a new house close to the school their daughter is attending.  It’s HUGE and I told Adam that when we win the lottery, he can buy such a house for me provided we have enough children to fill the space!

Then I was off to co-host a baby shower. (More about that in the next post.)

Finally we just arrived home from celebrating the 30th birthday of our friend, Thuy. I can’t believe I’ve known her as long as I have.  We met when I was teaching at UT and she was in one of my classes.  And now our kids are growing up together! Blessed be God!!

They had a great party theme.  It was a potluck–bring something that looks like another food or something else.  With hosting our friendly evacuees, and the baby shower, we didn’t have much time to think of anything.  So we whipped up these Oreo creatures:  frogs, snails, octopi, crabs, and fish.  The other guests came up with some fun stuff:  a shepherd’s pie that looked like a real pie,  meatloaf and mashed potatoes that looked like cupcakes, and Thuy’s husband, John, made a birthday cake that looked like a hamburger.  Happy Birthday Thuy.

Category: Family, Friends  Leave a Comment

Remember that homemade laundry detergent?

17 Sep 2008 by

Well, I finally made it.   At 9:50 this evening, I realized we’ll have guests in our house tomorrow specifically to do some laundry.  I am all out of the store bought stuff.  I figured this was as good a time as any to make the detergent.  It took all of 10 minutes to make…easy peasy.  I just need to let it cool overnight and we’re ready to wash some clothes!

I’ll let you know how the first load comes out!

Category: Budgeting  Leave a Comment

Happy Birthday Muffin!

14 Sep 2008 by

We love you Gianna (a.k.a Muffin, Little Muffin, Muffin Mix, Muffin Moo, Muffin Puffin)!  It’s so hard to believe that you’re already a year old!  It’s been such a blessed year. Thank you, Lord!

Today after the most beautiful Mass of the Triumph of the Cross at St. Louis, we took the kids out to the Children’s Museum since it was Free Museum Day in Austin.  Then we came back home and celebrated Gianna’s birthday with her Godparents.

Little Muffin enjoying the clock gears at the Museum.

Therese playing restaurant–her favorite.

I think if Fulton becomes a bus driver…I’ll probably start walking.

“Mom, hurry up and take the picture so I can have my cake!”

“Now this is what I’m talking about…” (this was her 2nd piece.)

“I can have my cake and eat it and lick the plate too!”

Category: Family  4 Comments

Kindergarten Week 4

14 Sep 2008 by

Last week was pretty uneventful outside of Mary’s Birthday party.  The cutest thing Therese did was during our shared writing time.  She drew a picture of her, Jesus and Mary.  And she: “Me and Jesus hanging out in the Glory of God.”  Very cute–when I can figure out how our scanner works, I’ll share it.

Fulton and Therese also started Atrium (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) at “Miss Jackie’s” house.  This weeks’ homework is to get the kids to “interrupt” adults that are talking but quietly and simply putting their hand on the adult’s arm without saying a word.  Therese’s has it down…Fulton is another story.

Category: Homeschooling  Leave a Comment

Microsoft, It’s All Clear Now

14 Sep 2008 by

I shared with my beloved the other night Microsoft’s latest Seinfeld/Gates commercials and asked for her take on them, seeing as most of the nation is having trouble deciphering the message. She didn’t have much to add until tonight when we saw one of Apple’s Mac/PC ads on television after which I commented “See, I understood the message. The comparison was clear. It was short and humorous.” Without missing a beat Sharon following with “Oh, now I understand Microsoft’s commercials. Like the product, they over-complicate something that should be easy to understand and straightforward.”

True words.

Category: Fun  One Comment
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