Happy Birthday, Thomas!

Five years ago today, our Thomas was born!

Interestingly enough, Mardi Gras fell on this day the year he was born, too. I remember joking that I began my penance a day early. ;-) Chuck made homemade doughnuts for breakfast today, so that was a real treat. Thomas has requested shepherd's pie for his birthday dinner, and a chocolate cake for dessert.

I'll post some pictures later this evening...

Bizarre

When Obama's picture showed up on votive candles a few weeks before the election, I thought that was strange.

Since his election I have seen him referred to as "Savior" and "The One" as well as the "Anti-Christ". That's weired enough. But this picture, which I snagged from a news article linked in my yahoo mailbox, is just plain CREEPY.

I asked Thomas and Joseph what they thought it looked like, and they said he has a "halo".

Like I said; creepy.

Lord, have mercy...

Almost here!

Chuck just called a bit ago.. his plane landed safely and he is driving home right now. Thank you for your prayers! I hope you all have a very blessed weekend!

Yay!

Good news! Chuck will be traveling home tomorrow! He has a long day, so please pray for patience and strength for him! He will need to be at the airport by about 8:00 in the morning California time, and he will not get to Houghton until about midnight Eastern time. Then he has the hour drive home. Prayers for his safety are greatly appreciated, too!

And I'd also like to wish my dear Mother-In-Love a very happy birthday. We all love you and miss you very much, and your card is in the mail. ;-)

God bless!

Have you ever found a Lego imbedded in an onion?

Neither have I.

Until today.

Philipians Friday

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philipians 4:8 NIV

I am totally stealing this from another blog, and I am VERY SORRY to say I do not even remember which blog! Still, I like this idea so much, I hope it is okay for me to adopt it. I've been really fighting a negative attitude lately. I pray that forcing myself to "think Biblically", even for just a little while on a Friday morning, will be a blessing for me and perhaps an update and an inspiration for my readers- all four of you. ;-)

True- It will be winter here for a while yet, and that's okay. No matter that the daffodils at the Dominican Monastery where we used to attend Mass are already blooming; no matter that the last few days have been so unseasonably warm that much of the snow has melted. It is only February and this is the U.P. and the snow won't be going anywhere for a long time yet, and it really is beautiful.

Noble- I finally mailed the photo albums we made for the children's Grandparents back in December. The fact that I made it to the post office is fairly noble; the fact that I made it about two months late, not so much.

Right- "Let us never grow weary of doing what is right." (see Galatians 6:9) I have this printed off in the largest lettering possible and hanging up in the bathroom above the dryer for a "Memory Verse". This time of year it is easy to grow weary, but I have to keep doing what I know I should!

Pure- I overheard Joseph discussing his catechism lesson with Thomas. These two boys have certainly contributed to some of my grey hair, but deep down, they LOVE Jesus and are learning to follow Him. What they lack in maturity at this point in their lives, they make up for with their pure little hearts.

Lovely- Our Mary Mae is lovely, of course. She has started "talking" more suddenly, and I just love her precious voice!

Admirable- This girl. (Link is to a youtube video of a 12-year-old girl's pro-life presentation)

Excellent- We will be watching my all-time favorite movie The Song of Bernadette this weekend, in honor of the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on February 11. I just love this movie, and I've been looking forward to seeing it again all week. We watched it all together the morning before I went into labor with Hope. The final line, "You are now in heaven and on earth" never fails to make me cry. It's also kind of neat that the actress who played Bernadette was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, our home town.

Praiseworthy- All the children have been doing really well with their lessons since we got back to work after the holidays five weeks ago. They are really making progress. I'm very proud of them for working so hard and so cheerfully!

Thank you, Dear Lord, for all these things!

Consider the Lilies

And why do you worry about clothes?

See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If God so clothes the grass which is here today and tomorrow is thrown in the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? Oh, you of little faith!

So, do not worry, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What will we do for clothing?" For the pagans run after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.

January Thaw in February

We haven't been UP here long enough to really know what is normal weather and what is not. But from what we understand, there is "always" a thaw in January.

We didn't see a single day in January even approach 30 degrees, much less get above freezing. But it's finally happened. Even our overnight low was above freezing last night, and we are in the 40's right now!

Needless to say, we will not even try to do lessons until the children get tired of sledding through the slush and playing baseball on our long-lost driveway. (There's gravel under there!)

I was talking to the nice lady at the post office (the one who knows EVERYBODY'S name and address off the top of her head- amazing!) and she said she even starts corn indoors around the end of February or by mid-March. I never knew you could do that. Of course, I do not have any growlights, but I might be able to at least set up a table under our large, south facing window in the living room. Hey, it might work.

I gotta say, this winter has seemed really long for me. It has not been easy to adjust to the climate up here, so very different from southern Alabama! Can't start thinking too much about spring yet... last year it was May before we finally saw the snow disappear...

Matthew 6:26

Behold the birds of the air,

for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them.

Are not you of much more value than they?