God's Beauty in my own Backyard

Just before the phone rang, Big Girl exclaimed, "Mommy! You have GOT to see the sunset! Where's your camera?"

I pointed it out to her as the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Honey, you have GOT to see the sunset!" It was Hubby on the phone.

These are pictures of what we saw from our own yard. First two pictures are taken by Big Girl, the others are by me.

Hubby tells me that it was even more stunning when you could see the red, purple, and orange going all the way to the horizon, which we miss from the yard. But through the trees...

wow.

HOORAY!

My new niece is here!

At exactly 9:00 a.m., my sister's baby was born. She weighs 8 pounds, 11 ounces and is 20 1/2 inches long.

Welcome, little one!

(Oh, yeah, she does have a name, but being that I tend not to reveal those, let's call her Sister's #3 Girl. To keep her separate from Sister's # 1 Girl and Sister's #2 Girl. And Hubby's brother's kids, Big Niece and The Nephew.)

My sister is doing well enough to have called me herself, so the C-section went okay. Sister's #3 Girl is also doing well, though they are keeping an eye on her because she was breathing a bit fast. (Probably excited that Mommy and Daddy decided on a name, which they finally did last night.) My mother will soon be headed down to the hospital with Sister's #1 & #2 Girls, then I'll get email pictures later today.

Isn't technology wonderful?

Thank You, God, for a safe delivery!

Prayer Request

Hi, all. Just a request to please pray for my sister, Denise, and her to-be-born tomorrow daughter. She is undergoing a C-section tomorrow morning (her last daughter was born via C-section, too). Her last couple of months has been completely miserable, including terrible heartburn, bronchitis, and then (oh, joy, oh, rapture) a cracked rib due to the extreme nature of the coughing. Oh, and the baby liked pushing up against the bottom of Denise's rib cage for the last week. Fun, eh?

Anyway, it will all be over tomorrow, but please pray for them both. She's at one of the best women's hospitals in the world, but the prayers can only help.

Thanks!

Tagged for the Devotions Meme

Wow. Tagged by Mary Vitamin for the Devotions Meme, I will now embarrass myself by revealing that I'm not as great as I make myself look sometimes. ;)

1. Favorite devotion or prayer to Jesus?

Jesus, give me a heart like Your Mother's! I find that when I'm frustrated (especially at Mass), this prayer helps me to refocus on Him.

2. Favorite Marian devotion or prayer?

I love the Rosary, though I often don't finish an entire one during the day. Any time I'm stressed, frightened, or even if I just am having trouble falling asleep, I start a Rosary. When I had a toothache and was terrified that I'd be losing a tooth (I'm not going to), I said my Rosary in the dentist's chair. Even had the beads out! (Sometimes, I use my fingers, and I am convinced that's why we have ten.) The dentist looked at my hands and said, "Oh, you're saying the Rosary. Where are you?" Then, "I don't think I could remember how to say one." I smiled and repeated what I remember some saint say about one good Hail Mary being worth a hundred so-so Rosaries. Made him smile, too.

3. Do you wear a scapular or medal?

Yes! When I got my first Scapular for First Communion, I had NO idea what it was for, and my father really couldn't explain it, either. When Big Girl was in first grade, I learned about sacramentals (God bless Seton!) and had myself and my two daughters imposed with the Scapular within a month. We all wear them, and we all wear a child-sized one that has a St. Benedict medal and a crucifix attached. Also, I got the most beautiful Celtic crucifix for Christmas from Hubby and the girls. I wear that whenever I can, too.

4. Do you have holy water in your home?

Yes, but I often forget to use it more. I have to get back into the habit of blessing the girls with it before bed.

5. Do you offer up your sufferings?

YES! I never knew I could do this until very recently. Imagine the souls I could have released from Purgatory if I'd known while I was pregnant! I had trouble remembering to do this for a while after I learned about it, so I asked my guardian angel to help me remember, which he does for me often. As a matter of fact, I had a headache last week and a nap and Excedrine did nothing. Suddenly, I remembered I should offer it up. Ten minutes later, no headache. I was actually grateful that I had the opportunity to offer it up. Funny, how that act changes your view of sufferings.

6. Do you observe First Fridays and First Saturdays?

First Saturdays, no. But I was doing very well with First Fridays. I couldn't tell you if I actually completed nine, though. I'd like to work this coming year on going to Mass more frequently, though, especially First Fridays. (Our co-op gets together those days.)

7. Do you go to Eucharistic Adoration? How frequently?

I do not go often. Sometimes, when I am at our parish on Wednesdays, when Adoration is going on from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., I stop in for a few minutes. I do feel a desire to go more often, but it's hard to sign up when I have two little ones who don't want to sit for an hour. But when our parish does the 40 Hour Devotion after the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, I do get in there for about an hour. This year, Hubby and I went between Masses and brought Little Girl with us. That 40 minutes was VERY long for her, and she has trouble understanding it, even though she can tell you that Jesus is REALLY THERE in the Eucharist.

8. Are you a Saturday evening Mass person or Sunday morning Mass person?

Absolutely, without a doubt, Sunday Morning. We went to Saturday evening last week because of going to Midnight Mass on Sunday night, and might do it again this weekend, but it's a rarity to go Saturday for us. Besides, Big Girl has CCD on Sundays between Masses.

9. Do you say prayers at mealtime?

Yes, we do mostly say the old grace before dinner (at least). ("Bless us, O, Lord...") But I didn't grow up with it, and I tend to forget a lot.

10. Favorite Saint(s)?

Saint Peter, Saint Joseph, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (patron saint, Confirmation name), Saint Therese

11. Can you recite the Apostles Creed by heart?

Yes. I, too, learned it late in life. When I said the Rosary, for a long time I said the Nicene Creed instead because it was all I knew.

12. Do you usually say short prayers (aspirations) during the course of the day?

Yes, sometimes I just cross myself or think a prayer - sometimes without words - about something I see or hear.

13. Where is your favorite place to pray?

Anywhere. I pray any time I think of it. But Mass might be my favorite. A nice, quiet Mass, just after Communion.

14. Bonus Question: When you pass by a automobile accident or other serious mishap, do you say a quick prayer for the folks involved?

Yup. We all cross ourselves any time we see an accident or see emergency workers or police with sirens on, headed somewhere.

15. Mary's bonus question: If you could visit any of Our Lady’s apparition sites, which one would you choose?

Lourdes. First place I ever knew that Mary appeared, and I've always wanted to go there.

Tagging...

Wow. This has been going round a bit. If you haven't been tagged, feel free to tag yourself and leave a link in the comboxes, please.

Christmas Thoughts

I am headed back upstairs to do more laundry and clean up the TERRIFIC mess in the kitchen (burned fingers are good enough to catch up on the dishes and pots and pans now), but before I do, I thought this was really nice. I saw it at Faith and Country, who saw it at Conservababes. Hopefully, no one will mind that I pinched it.

God bless you all and have a beautiful, blessed, and happy Christmas.

A Fitting Christmas Tribute
by Alexa P. Keaton

It's fitting that
The Lamb of God
Was introduced by angels
To shepherds in a field.

It's fitting that
The bread of life
Was born in Bethlehem
Which mean God's house of bread.

It's fitting that
The Creator of the World
Was born into an earthly family
Of carpenters and builders.

It's fitting that
Rich and wise men
Came seeking the
Richest and Wisest of all.

It's fitting that
Jesus was born during
A world-wide census count
Since He came to save all.

Cooking Advice for the Inexperienced

When you make fish sticks for your children in an oven set for 475, remember that it's important not to move the cookie sheet just taken from said oven with the hand that does NOT have the oven mitt on.

It tends to hurt, and it also tends to be hard to keep bad words from leaving your mouth as you do it.

Just, you know, a tip from someone who is a real experienced cook.

"Yes, Virginia..."

I am going to print this off for Big Girl and read it with her. I think it will be a decent follow-up to our discussion last night. *sigh* My father is not at all surprised, and he said that my niece in Florida actually figured it out last year. But she decided she WOULD believe. Because she likes to. :)

History on this famous exchange can be found here. If you've never read about how this piece came about, or if it's been a while, I recommend it.

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

By Francis P. Church, first published in The New York Sun in 1897. [See The People’s Almanac, pp. 1358–9.]

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor—


I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?



Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.


Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.


Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.


You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.


No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

A Post for Grown-Ups Only

Well, it happened. And, yes, I cried, but not as much as I thought I would.

Part of Big Girl's Childhood is gone forever.

Before I go on, let me back up to the recent Easter. There we were, getting things ready for the Easter Bunny to come and hide the eggs, when Big Girl noticed that Little Girl had gone somewhere else.

"Mommy, Daddy," she whispered, "I think you are the Easter Bunny."

WHAM! Where did THAT come from?

After some discussion, we let her in on it with the strictest instructions not to discuss this with her sister, anyone younger than her, or ANYONE at our homeschool co-op. (There are a lot of believers there, even older than Big Girl.)

I told Hubby that it wasn't long. This was probably the last year, I said, that Big Girl believed in Santa. I'd tear up every time I said it, every time I thought of it.

Yesterday, Big Girl told Little Girl that she wanted to discuss the present she was giving her for Christmas. "Stay upstairs!" she commanded as she trotted down to talk to me.

"Mommy," she started, "I think you and Daddy are the Tooth Fairy."

Crap. I thought. Here we go. She's softening me up. I can tell it won't be long.

"Oh? What on earth would I want your teeth for?"

Apparently, one of the Older Girls at the Co Op told Big Girl that she found a box with her baby teeth in it, thus proving to her that her parents are really taking the teeth and giving her money.

I brushed her off for a while and asked Hubby what to do. "If I tell her there is no Tooth Fairy, she is going to deduce that there's no Santa!" I whined.

"Honey, I think she's already figured it out. Just sit down and talk to her." Hubby is so smart. We made a plan. After dinner, he'd help Little Girl wrap her present for Big Girl, and I'd help Big Girl wrap her present for Little Girl. While wrapping, we'd also figure out where the Tooth Fairy business was going.

It went right where I feared. Carefully, I danced around it, trying to figure out what she already knew and what she didn't know. Why give her more information than she wants or needs? I figured.

"Mommy, I won't be mad if there is no Tooth Fairy," Big Girl told me seriously. "I'll be glad if you aren't treating me like a baby."

Wow. Flashbacks of Missy Sprague! Babies believe in the Tooth Fairy and Santa and the Easter Bunny? Ouch.

So, after much discussion, the Tooth Fairy was gone. Then came the next part, just when I thought we were done.

"Wow. I don't believe in the Easter Bunny, I don't believe in the Tooth Fairy ... I don't think I even believe in SANTA CLAUS!"

I think she did it to see what I'd do, and I think all the blood drained from my face. Then it all rushed back, and I could feel the heat rising all over my cheeks.

"Whaaaaa...?" Yes, that was me: college-educated, well-read, well-spoken, graduate of the Dale Carnegie Public Speaking Class. I did something I rarely do. I actually stammered.

"Well?" Big Girl stared at me with a huge grin on her face. I think she was incredibly nervous, but excited at the possibility that she'd figured something out. She started to giggle. "IS there?"

I fought to regain my composure. Finally, I said, "Well, what makes you think that there isn't?"

"I don't know. I just think so."

I answered, still trying to be cautious, "What, do you think it's like you said about the Tooth Fairy? Only babies believe in Santa? 'Cuz plenty of kids, even older than you, believe in Santa."

"Do you?"

"Why wouldn't I?!?" I was quickly losing it. I could feel my face get redder.

More discussion. Finally, I said, "So you don't believe in Santa any more?"

"Well, I don't think so."

"That makes me a little bit sad," I admitted, while my eyes teared up a bit. Big Girl climbed into my lap and hugged me.

"It's okay. I'm only kidding. I really believe in Santa. Just kidding. Boy, did I get you!" Insert false and hysterical laughter here. Poor kid is going to pretend to make Mommy feel better!

Gradually, we worked through that, and she admitted that, no, she doesn't really think there's a Santa. I even asked her about when she saw Rudolph's nose. "Probably just a plane," she calmly answered.

I told her that there were two things I required of her now. First, she must NOT try searching for presents. That will only ruin things on Christmas morning. Second, she must NEVER tell any other children.

"The younger ones, right?"

"No. Your Cousin in Florida believes." She is nearly ten.

"NO WAY!"

"Yes, way! And the Family at the Co Op Expecting Number Seven? They ALL believe in Santa. DO NOT DISCUSS THIS WITH ANYONE." I even told her about Missy Sprague, and how I waited until I got home to cry.

"Okay. But why do they believe? Didn't they figure it out?"

"Well, some kids kind of suspect it, but they want to believe, so they just do."

"Well, I guess I'm just not that kind of kid, am I?"

Very true, sweet heart. Very true.

Big Girl is very sincere and caring, and I know she won't tell. I really did know this day was coming. I'd expected this to be the very last year she believed, but I did not expect her to stop believing five days before Christmas. Four days before Santa came.

A part of her childhood died yesterday. And it made me a little bit sad.

Early Wishes

Well, there are only five days until Christmas. (Just ask my five year old. She's been keeping careful track!)

And, because the last five days before Christmas involve quite a bit of extra activities, especially baking cookies and making fudge, I'll be pretty busy.

So, in case I forget to do so later, I want to wish everyone a very happy and blessed Christmas!

Adeste Fideles

Laeti triumphantes

Venite, venite in Bethlehem

Natum videte

Regem angelorum

Venite adoremus,

Venite adoremus,

Venite adoremus, Dominum

Cantet nunc io

Chorus angelorum

Cantet nunc aula caelestium

Gloria, gloria

In excelsis Deo

Venite adoremus,

Venite adoremus,

Venite adoremus, Dominum

Ergo qui natus

Die hodierna

Jesu, tibi sit gloria

Patris aeterni

Verbum caro factus

Venite adoremus,

Venite adoremus,

Venite adoremus, Dominum

Catholic Carnival - in the Pink!

It's time for the Carnival again! Check out the fantastic spread over at Theological Calculus!