Moving Day

I've done it.  I've moved this blog to WordPress, and I'll delete it eventually.  For commenting, please go to the new site for Domestic Vocation.

Wordless Wednesday: Little Leaves

From our last hike in the Fall.  Who could be hiding behind those little leaves?

It's just the three people I love most, that's all.

Thinking of Moving

I have already made the move for my Soccer Mom blog, and I'm thinking of moving this one, too.

If I do, I promise to post a link and let you know.

Thanks!

Seven Quick Takes: Almost a New Year Edition

Thanks as always to Jen, the hostess with the mostest. She hosts the Seven Quick Takes at her blog, Conversion Diary.

1. Our family life is never going to stop being busy. I used to think, "If I can just get through X, then life will calm down a bit."

I now know that is crazy-talk. When life slows down, it'll mean the girls have flown the nest, and then I'll be sad. I'm going to try to embrace the craziness and not freak out that I have to leave my Hobbit Hole again this week.

2. Little Girl asked to play basketball with her older sister this winter. It's a really small league of homeschoolers - at least the basketball season is - and before I mailed in the check that was double the amount it usually is for a sport's season, I asked her, "Are you certain you want to play?" (She's not really the sports/competition type.) "Oh, yes!" she assured me.

The other day, she said, "I feel bad because I decided I didn't want to play basketball after all and now it's too late." Yup. Too late. She'll play another season of sports that she really isn't interested in playing but that she asked to play because the real thing she wanted was to do something with her sister and this is the best bet because Big Girl can't suddenly join up with dance and be in Little Girl's class and so we're all going to ENJOY the basketball season and Little Girl will thank God Almighty in Heaven Above that the season is only six games long including any potential playoffs.

3. Thanks to the lovely Jen, we also have patron saints for the year. I informed Travel Man that we'd be doing this. First, it's good to know your family. Second, we now have the amazing wall set up in the spare room for the Communion of Saints. We put our family and friends, plus any people we're praying for (priests, religious, whatever) in the Church Militant level. We put our beloved dead in the Church Suffering level. Finally, when we know a saint well enough, we put them in the Church Triumphant level. This will give us four new family members to put in Church Triumphant. Little Girl got Therese (the movie) for Christmas, and St. Therese will go up soon. Big Girl did a report on St. Francis, as well as read all about St. Gianna Molla, last school semester, so we're going to print pictures of them and put them up, too. It's really going to be cool, and a nice way to get to know the many saints in the Church.

(For a short explanation of the Churches Militant, Suffering, and Triumphant, see this Wikipedia article.)

4. I got St. Charles Borromeo, who is patron against abdominal pain and intestinal difficulties. This is extremely humorous to me. Here's why.

5. For Christmas, Travel Man decided that I needed new clothes, and more than the "I think I'll get a new pair of jeans and watch for those pretty sweaters to go on clearance." (I was breaking down about the jeans when Big Girl announced loudly that I had a rip in the backside of my older pair. I've been wearing longer sweaters since then.) He took me out on a shopping and lunch date yesterday and we bought several nice things for me. I'm wearing one outfit on Sunday to a Baptism we're headed to. I'm VERY excited. And grateful. I'm the last one who gets clothes most of the time, and it was neat to be out shopping just for me, even if I was a little uncomfortable with it being all about me.

6. This week, I kept looking at my desk, thinking that it really needed to be cleaned off. So this morning, I dumped an entire extra-tall mug of peppermint-mocha coffee all over everything, including my camera and the new external hard drive and the iMac's keyboard. (Okay, so it sloshed UNDER the external drive. But still…) The camera seems to be working fine, and it smells really yummy, and the keyboard is working fine, as well. Hard drive didn't really get yucky, and the papers were mostly trash-bound, anyway. So now my desk is almost totally cleared off.

I recommend going with a less-stressful method, though.

7. How about a fun music video? This church does some neat things as openings for their services. They did a really awesome thing for Father's Day, and this was for one of their Advent services (though I doubt they called it that).

Merry Christmas, and happy new year!

Wordless Wednesday: Hark!

Merry Christmas!

In your celebration of this Blessed Christmas Season …

… don't forget the most important Gift we have received.

'Tis Christ, the Lord.

Jesse Tree: December 25 - Merry Christmas!

(Note: This is a series of posts from 2008.)

Merry Christmas! Above is our last Jesse Tree Ornament, which we'll hang this morning.

1 And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. 2 This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, 5 To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.

6 And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock. 9 And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. 10 And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:

11 For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will. 15 And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us.

16 And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. 18 And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Gospel according to Saint Luke, Chapter 2, Verses 1-19

Jesse Tree: December 24

(Note: This is a series of posts from 2008.)

Theme: Jesus is the Light of the World

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Read the rest:

John 1:1-14

Jesse Tree: December 23

(Note: This is a series of posts from 2008.)

Theme: Jesus is Emmanuel

22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king: he will save us.

Read the rest:

Isaiah 7:14, 33:22

Jesse Tree: December 22

(Note: This is a series of posts from 2008.)

Theme: Jesus is King of the Gentiles

8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Read the rest:

Psalm 2:7-8, Ephesians 2:14-20