Overload of pictures

I know, I'm overloading the pictures, but that's partially why I created this blog...to keep the family updated without blitzing their emails, (although I still actually do that..) So to you who are family genetically, and those who are my family non-genetically, here ya go! Fairies in the frontyard! And to my sibs and my dad...hopefully you'll not be offended by the series of Michael using Gram's dresser as a changing table. The cuteness of his fat folds might decrease your disappointment in the new use. Recently my 2 little girls have gotten on this singing kick. Doesn't matter where we are, it's like they're living in an active musical...especially at the grocery store. 2 little girls, hand in hand, singing and skipping through the produce section at the top of their lungs. Totally cute, totally innocent. Ah childhood!! Oh yeah, and we have about a zillion Girl Scout cookies if anyone is looking to buy some overpriced calories.

Random pics

Here's some random pictures worth sharing!

RETREAT!

My (big) son Bret went on retreat last weekend with the St. Francis youth group. He was the token jr. high kid amongst all high school kids; invited to "groom" him for leadership in high school. He had a blast. He knew all the kids already from the youth group, and some from VBS volunteering, and of course, all are on facebook! lol. I have always loved going on retreat, but in my life have only done it a handful of times. Each time I'm always rewarded with some spiritual gem, some moment of intimacy with my creator. All the talks, the food, the silence, the small groups, all are sort of filler for that one moment I get. It's all worth it, and the food is always good too...I'm so glad Bret has started on that path of "retreat moments." They last you a lifetime and sustain you faith whenever you end up in a crisis. Otherwise in the house, Emily dodged the bug last week, but it caught her today. Michael is a bundle of energy ready to run all over the world, and heaven help you if you attempt to restrain the little bugger. He wants to run! I can't wait to let him out to play this spring and summer! Ash Wed. begins lent tomorrow, and everyone has their plan to focus inward (that's code for "giving something up") in prep for Easter. We as a family will add another prayer to our repertoire, I think the anime Christae (spelling it is part of the learning it...), and add a daily Mass to our week. We might stalk Fr. Martin's daily Masses. Okay, onto other things!

Bug B Gone

We're better from "the" bug. It was actually pretty quick; less than 24 hrs. for each case...Rachael on the other hand is feeling great, but hasn't quite kicked one of the symptoms.. And life keeps going! Little Bret is on retreat with the SFA youth grp. this weekend. He's the only 8th grader..they're "grooming' him for leadership next year. He was really excited to go. Emily had her first basketball game this afternoon, and her team won. She's really psyched about that too. It's good to see them work on a team that's not just their siblings. Michael is all over the bleachers and adamant that he wants to run out to his sister and play ball. Sophie and Rachael are two peas in a pod. Constantly together. All week Sophie has been waiting for this morning for she and I to make oatmeal raisin cookies: ALONE. At the last minute, she invited Rachael to share in her time with mommy. Rachael was very gracious, and we had a nice time. Now the 2 of them are upstairs, pretending to be teen-agers dressing up to go to a dance. It's a fancier dance than I ever went to! lol. Big Bret ran 16 mi. this morning in his marathon training, so he's wiped out for the rest of the day. I am working on transforming Gramp's room into a guest room, that will transition into Michael's room eventually. So if you're planning on coming to visit, come on! You'll have your own real guest room! Spring is teasing us here in Memphis. We have a big flock of daffodils growing in the backyard, which of course is a surprise to us, as we haven't been in this house in spring yet. One nice day last week I worked all afternoon on cleaning up some of the leaves in the back around the firepit and the patio (this is no small task when you live under a huge canopy of trees), but it felt really good to do the work! Michael loved his first time outside under his own power, and he sampled many things, acorns, leaves, twigs, etc. Nothing good enough to swallow, thankfully. The girls build a hammock while I was working. I guess all my efforts must've made them tired out and they needed the hammock to rest. We also have started some movements in working on the house (remember, one bit at a time!) and the ceiling in the living room and kitchen have had all that nasty, old, smoke-stained popcorn scraped off. Next week they'll do some patching and sanding and painting. Wahoo. One step behind us! Okay, well, you're up to date. CYA

The bug

We have the bug. The intestinal one...you know the drill. Your stomach starts to hurt a little. Then a lot. Then you know you must run, not walk, but run to the bathroom. Rachael and I battled it on Valentines day. The next night, Sophie came into my room and promptly threw up on my blanket at 2 a.m. Puke, clean, repeat. All night. Big Bret jumped on the bandwagon at about 5 a.m. after Sophie. We woke up this morning (well, some of us were already up..) and apparently little Bret felt the same way during the night, but was less, "symptomatic." And this, on his birthday. Poor kid. He always requests fettucini alfredo for his bday dinner, but not tonight. We'll have to do it in a couple of days, when we all can handle it better. Emily seems to have dodged it, so lucky her! Today has been a day of tackling the laundry mountain resulting from the last 3 days. I'm almost done. One last set of sheets washing right now. Seems it's going around the city. Lovely. I promised I'd wake Bret up later, when it's his REAL birthday moment...so I'll keep cleaning till then!

Rest in peace Gramp

My grandfather passed away on Feb. 5th. In the days before his passing, he was able to spend one really good afternoon with my dad, you know, the "Hallmark movie" type of afternoon. The day before he passed, I spent a couple of hours with him, and although he was too weak to talk anymore, I think he knew I was there at least once. I prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet over and over, as well as the rosary. The next day, he was very weak, and we were able to stay with him most of the day and into the night, praying and keeping him comfortable. He received last rites while still pretty coherent. That night, my parents and I came home, all of us tired. Gramp had a nurse from the Phillipines that night. He was Catholic (a total rarity at this particular hospital). His breathing changed late into the night, and this nurse sat with him until he passed, less than an hour later. I know he was praying at his side. What a comfort that our beloved prayers were surrounding him even when we couldn't be there with him at that moment. My brother and sister came out for his funeral Mass a few days later. We had such a fun time, in the midst of sadness. Overall, we were all more relieved than anything that Gramp was finally done with this long, often lonely, journey. When we were all together, that silliness that close families breeds came out, and the laughs just kept coming. It was very comforting, and gave my stomach muscles a good work-out. My dear friends came and supported me and the fam at the funeral and later, at home for the reception. Thank you all for your help, your presence, and your prayers! My friend Fr. Bauer was kind enough to say Mass for Gramp, and at the end of Mass, even sang an a capella "Hail Holy Queen" in Latin, to Gramp's remains, and of course it was totally moving. He'll be buried this week, next to my Gram in CT. I'm so glad to have been available for Gramp in his last months. We learned a lot about him and the condition he had come to be in, physically and mentally. I am shocked and amazed that he had continued to live alone in CT as long as he had. Oh well, it's all providential right? Anyway, grant his soul eternal rest, Lord, and "Dona nobis pacem."