What currently is saving my sanity ~ Winter 2021

   Happy February! The week and month are starting off for us with a true snow day with no distance learning assignments for the kids to complete ~ and with me linking-up again with Modern Mrs. Darcy as we share tips to beat the winter blues.

• Reading always and forever Amen! Joining challenges and stretching my reading muscles, revisiting old favorites and finding them welcoming. One of the blessings of all the 'sheltering in place' last year I discovered Bookstagram, a corner of Instagram with a ton of people posting book reviews.  It has become where I find suggestions and companionship amongst the virtual bookshelves.
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• Journaling prayers & gratitude, and daily occurrences not to be lost in the craziness.
• Seeking out a good series to binge and watching a couple episodes with Dr. Daddy in the evenings once the kiddos are tucked.  Currently All Creatures Great and Small, and Miss Scarlet & the Duke.
• Lighting a candle or two in the evening.
• A weekly visit to a local coffee shop and making a cup of tea as we start homework.
• Daily Walks!!  Started last spring when I craved some quiet after a day of helping my kids with virtual learning, I have found my evening walk a great help in quieting the voices of anxiety.
• And seeking out 'what makes it better' for my people.  For example, finding a warm Chai waiting makes the winter morning a bit easier to face for the resident tween: which in turn makes the getting out the door routine smoother for everyone.

What is saving your life this winter?

Giving Thanks for November Sacraments

   Ten years ago we hosted Thanksgiving at our house welcoming several members of our extended family because the following Sunday Liam received the Sacrament of Baptism.  This year we were just the five of us around the table, but again we were celebrating the following Sunday as one of our children received another Sacrament of the Church.  Elisabeth was sealed by the Spirit and completed the Sacraments of Initiation received Confirmation.  

Personalized masks from the faculty

Her sponsor; a long time family friend

         She selected Saint Elisabeth of Hungary as her Confirmation Saint, and we pray for her continued intercession for Lisbeth.   While a different celebration with most of our family watching via Youtube and congratulating Lisbeth by phone; blessings abound!!

Poetry Pause: Ready for Silence

Ready for Silence

Madeleine L’Engle

Then hear now the silence
He comes in the silence
in silence he enters
the womb of the bearer
in silence he goes to
the realm of the shadows
redeeming and shriving
in silence he moves from
the grave cloths, the dark tomb
in silence he rises
ascends to the glory
leaving his promise
leaving his comfort
leaving his silence

So come now, Lord Jesus
Come in your silence
breaking our noising
laughter of panic
breaking this earth’s time
breaking us breaking us
quickly Lord Jesus
make no long tarrying

When will you come
and how will you come
and will we be ready
for silence
your silence

In the quiet of Saturday

A favorite poem by a favorite author:

Ready for Silence

Madeleine L’Engle

Then hear now the silence
He comes in the silence
in silence he enters
the womb of the bearer
in silence he goes to
the realm of the shadows
redeeming and shriving
in silence he moves from
the grave cloths, the dark tomb
in silence he rises
ascends to the glory
leaving his promise
leaving his comfort
leaving his silence

So come now, Lord Jesus
Come in your silence
breaking our noising
laughter of panic
breaking this earth’s time
breaking us breaking us
quickly Lord Jesus
make no long tarrying

When will you come
and how will you come
and will we be ready
for silence
your silence

Ending on a grateful note

Sorry to go silent ~ a cold and a bit of the November funk hit me hard but I did want to end the month and start the new giving thanks:

1. Weather continued to be warm enough to get the bulk of the raking done while the kids played outside and the wonderful pen Dr Daddy built in the back saved me so much bagging and moved us a step closer to starting to compost.
2. Wonderful friends of ours lent us a beautiful cradle when we were expecting Elisabeth; we have now been able to pay that forward and pass that cradle onto another wonderful couple now expecting their first baby.
3. The chance to get together with extended family; giving my kids more cousin time which they so enjoy and me time with my sisters which I also really cherish.  Traffic was tough both heading south and heading home but never awful and the kids continue to be good travelers.
4. Currently everyone is healthy and excited for the month ahead!

Giving thanks for pie and a generous helping of whipped cream

Advent wreath is out, candles in the window and wreath hung on the door.

Happy Advent! Happy December!

Happy Anniversary Mr Bailey!

Here's to the wonderful life we get to share!

WWRW: November 6th

Linking up with Jessica of Housewifespice

The Seduction of the Crimson Rose by Laura Willig; Book 4 of the Pink Carnation series (American doctoral student Eloise researching in England to complete her dissertation on the spies of the Napoleonic War) tells the story of  Mary Allsworthy and Lord Vaughn as they try and flesh out the Black Tulip a French spy supposedly with plans to invade England ~ falling in love along the way.

I enjoyed this one as much if not more than The Secret of the Pink Carnation, the dialogue is good, the pacing decent and Willig develops a plot with enough twists to keep it interesting but consistent enough that I never felt lost or that she pulled a rabbit from a hat.  I don't want to give the end away but it was surprising enough I did a bit of Goggling to better understand the actual events which inspired the ending, which in itself speaks well for a piece of historical fiction.  That said I'm not planning on going back immediately to find and read books 2 & 3; I feel 'caught up' on the contemporary love story of Eloise and Colin (descendant of The Pink Carnation) and so will likely go forward in the series when I come back to it.

However currently I'm enjoying Pope Awesome; others including our host have said it much better but let me add: Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!! Cari Donaldson's story of her and her family's coming to know God's love and allowing it to be transformative is a funny, touching, soul-warming read.

Now please head over to Houseswifespice for more WWRW

Stop Raining in my Sandbox

Mommy blogger vent ~ feel free to skip

I know you can't please all of the people all of the time but it really bothers me when commenters chose to be hurtful rather than moving on or seeing the humor.

Dr Daddy is having a crazy travel week what with giving a talk in Portland, OR on Tuesday,  seeing patients in his clinic yesterday (Philadelphia) and giving another talk in New York this morning.  So yesterday I loaded our borrowed rental (another story for another day) and we met Charlie for dinner in the train station before he left.  And it was exhausting and a blast!

Both!! My saying it was exhausting does not mean it was not a blast or that I regret it. Yes it was great fun for the kids to see Dr Daddy and eat in a train station; to listen to the conductor call "All Aboard" and see the trains, but getting into the city, finding parking, and getting everyone home and into bed by myself was a bit exhausting too, so what!

As has been said by those wiser and funnier than me (Colleen, Grace, Dwija)

We are making memories and raising saints, and trying to capture this moment in time.

And you are more than welcome to come along if you want, otherwise stop raining in my sandbox!

It was a banner day!!

Finally thanks to the wonderful design talent and skill of Megan Stout my little blog is sporting a lovely in living color banner!!


To see more of Megan's work head over to Justin's Shop.

On Reflection

   At first I was very thrown by yesterdays announcement of Pope Benedict's abdication and did not know what to think but just knew I felt crummy.  Obviously I did not doubt the rightness of anything he prayerfully decided to do but it still felt like my dad had announced that he was too old to continue being my dad and was stopping.  However after reading many fine posts I now believe it is more like as if he has admitted that he should no longer be driving and is handing over his keys ~ he still loves us and will always pray for us.  And I will always pray for him.

Thankful Thursday: January edition

1. Sun after the rain!
2. Yummy food prepared or sent by friends and family!
3. Caitlin largely seems able to sleep through her siblings antics.
4. Jaundice resolved without light -therapy!
5. Caitlin largely skipped the cold everyone else got.
6. My blog got a very nice shout-out, voting still open :)
7. Lastly & importantly: Caitlin's safe arrival!!

My thanks also to Rebecca for inspiring the meme!

Sheenazing, maybe?

   I've been nominated for a Sheenazing Blogger Award sponsored by Bonnie of A Knotted Life, and I love my category Most Unappreciated Blog because I'm not sure I could actually win and still claim to be unappreciated.

While I ponder such questions please head over and vote for some of the many wonderful blogs nominated in the different categories ~ including mine (happy dance, but not since currently a baby is sleeping in a sling I'm wearing)!

Quick Takes #104: Blessings Edition

1. The appearance of spring flowers

2. I've finished all my grading and evaluations

3. These books and movie showed up in my mailbox this week!!

4. Her wonderful smile and zest for life!

5. Days he naps well and I get to glimpse.

 6. A chance to blog ~ better late than never!

7. A lovely weekend to look forward to.

Please visit Conversion Diary to enjoy the rest of this weeks Quick Takes