Life In General Archives | Page 10 of 16 |

‘3 Clean Hearts’ | The Triplets Make Their First Penance / Reconciliation

December 19, 2009 By Laura 4 Comments

We are a Catholic family, and our triplets {J, O & S} made their Sacrament of First Penance/Reconciliation last Saturday!

It was a nice service, considering they were only 3 of 78 other kids celebrating the same Sacrament that day- and that was only half the class! The other half made theirs the previous Saturday.

They all did very well, and I can say our 3 were not as nervous or hesitant as I half-expected. I’d venture to say they were perhaps over-prepared for this first time. They knew their Act of Contrition by heart, and were counting on saying it on their own, and were expecting a lot of the usual procedure they had learned. But, as it were for this time, the whole class read that prayer together from their program, and many little things were done a tad differently, for the sake of getting through that many children in a timely-manner, I guess. We weren’t really sure how the service, or Confession for each child, was going to go, so, we were ready for anything. There were 9-10 priests on hand, and they were scattered about the church in empty pews. Nonetheless, they know things will be a bit different from here on out, and they’re ready!

After the service at the church, there was a reception gathering at the parish center with all of the children, parents and teachers, for treats and coffee. We only stayed for a short bit, because we couldn’t verify anything there was peanut safe, and I felt bad – so we went home and had a treat. On the way home, the kids talked about how they felt good having had their first Confession. {O} said she felt like she had a ‘clean heart’ now, and the boys agreed that’s how they felt too. Their sweet little smiles warmed my own heart. Of course, that was 7 days ago. ; ) Another ‘cleansing’ is due for us all, just around the corner, as it is tradition in our family to go at La Salette Shrine every year, on Jan 1st or 2nd as well. We always go to Mass and Penance there.

A little bit later, we took a gift card we had been given from a friend to a very nice nearby restaurant, and went and had a celebratory lunch together as a family. Hardly anyone else was there, so it was really peaceful, and the food was really good. Later that night we had a family-movie night.

They did receive beautiful certificates with their name on them, which will go into their ‘baby bins’. (At what point/age will we stop calling them ‘baby’ bins? lol) Someone in the parish also made these adorable snowmen for the kids, that held little dum-dum pops. So cute.

All in all, the kids are just happy they are 1 step closer to the Sacrament they are truly looking forward to: First Holy First Communion. They have been waiting to be able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, for so, so long. That’s a day we all look forward to.

Save

{O}’s Eye Injury Update

October 23, 2009 By Laura 5 Comments

So here’s the update and story on {O}’s eye, which turned out to be an injury: When we got home from our field trip on that Thursday, I took yet another look at her eye, which was never easy, because she was having a very hard time letting it be open at all. The light really bothered it, and she had been saying it hurt some too. But I finally caught a quick glimpse of a problem on the surface of her eye. It was not smooth and glossy as an eyeball should be! Like, something was not right with her eyeball. What I thought was a sty under her eyelid was still there as well, as tiny as it was. But I was realizing, in light of the days events, that any sty was not the problem.

(After seeing pedi and eye specialist.)

Off to the Doctors to Have Here Eye Checked

It was too late to get her to the doctors, and anyway, she buzzed right from the bathroom to her bedroom to put on her pajamas the second she could….she wanted to go to sleep a.s.a.p. Just as she had done all the way home (it was a longish ride)—it was exhausting trying to hold her good eye open, and she just wanted to rest her eyes and go to sleep. So I let her do that, but first thing the next morning, on Friday, she was off to the doctors .

I am always the one to take the kids to the doctors myself (I just prefer to, so I don’t miss a thing where the kids are concerned), but ‘walk-in clinic’ at my pediatrician’s is early in the morning, and I knew Michael could be ready much faster, so he took her. Anyway, by now I was expecting the diagnosis to be a small scratch in her eye, and come home with some ointment. I told him to keep that cell phone on.

The Diagnosis

So he took her, and I called him as soon as I thought they ‘might possibly’ be out of the appt. Michael answered his cell and said “We just walked out of the door, and we are actually now heading to a specialist!” Me > “WHAT? You are kidding me!”. He explained that the pediatrician on call that morning did a routine test to check for an eye abrasion: They put some dye in the eye, and put a special light on it, and it shows where the scratch is. What he saw, was a large circle right over the front of her eye, a bit larger than the inside size of a pea, split in half.

WOW! Man was I feeling like a terrible mother right about then.

It was confirmed at the eye specialist. There was a large circle abrasion on her eye, right over the cornea! Both the pedi and the specialist were shocked that she had injured her eye so severely, in light of how she said it happened. Which….by now I am sure you are really wondering too. So let’s go back to Wednesday night…..the night before the field trip.

The Backstory: How She Hurt Her Eye

On Wednesday night the kids were very excited about their field trip next day, and were talking back and forth in their bedroom (which is not unusual anyway.) We heard them. But next thing we know, {O} is out of the bedroom saying she has something in her eye. This happens to {J} ALL of the time, because he always manages to rub his eye with his hand, and fold over his long eye lashes into the corners of his eye. Michael was right there, so he took her in the bathroom and looked around in there….looking for anything: a fuzzy, an eyelash…something in her eye. Nothing. So he told her to go back to bed, close her eyes, and go to sleep. And that’s just what she did.

Of course…..as I told you in the field trip post, the next morning she was laughing and gabbing, but was keeping that eye closed. So I asked her about it, she told me again that it felt like something was in it. That’s when I took another look, and only found what looked like that little sty. But I asked her again then, why it started bothering her in bed the night before, and she said, “I don’t know. I was laying on my belly, propped up on my elbows, with my hands under my pillow, and the boys were talking and they made me laugh. When I laughed, I put my face down into my pillow, but I forgot to close my eyes first. (lol). As soon as I lifted up my head, it felt like there was something in my eye. “

As crazy as it sounds, to you, to me, to 2 doctors…..yes, she scratched her eye that badly, taking off a layer, with the top of her pillow! I am sure she turned her face too….but still. Who would think it? I have advised her to close her eyes first next time….but you know….too-little-too-late-never-thought-to-give-her-that-advice-on-laughing, until now.

So…..the specialist put medicine in it, bandaged it up pretty good, and we were instructed to keep her still and quiet all day, and bring her back the next morning. So on Saturday morning, I brought her back, after a sleepless night filled with guilt and fear my little girl would go blind from that sunny day at the orchards. <sigh>. By Saturday morning, the doctor said it had healed a little bit, and to spend another day doing the same (still, quiet and rest), take the patch off for Sunday, put ointment in it 3x a day, and bring her back on Monday afternoon.

Love and Care

So here she is on that first Friday, she was really just wiped out. It was just hard keeping one eye open, it was still hurting (if I asked her) and I think she was still recovering from all of the effort the day before at the orchards and out to lunch. But what did do my heart so good, was to see how her siblings reacted to her being hurt. They took such good care of her the whole weekend. They laid with her, they got her a drink or a tissue when she needed it, they checked on her and kept quiet-ish for her.

They took turns helping to feed her, so she didn’t have to try and see where this or that was on her plate.

{S} worked so hard at the table for a good part of the day, making her seasonal flags to have around her to cheer her up. (If she opened her eyes, I guess.) Above is the autumn one. But yes, there was a spring, summer and winter one around her as well. (It bugs me that seasons are not supposed to be capitalized! I was shocked when I learned that. It still looks wrong to me. Why are days of the week, and months of the year capitalized, but not seasons of the year? But I digress.) How sweet is that flag?

Oh…my sweet Girl. When she was tired of lying down, she would sit up for awhile like this.

Sometimes, the kids would read her some of her favorite stories.

On Saturday, I let her get up and walk around a little. Stretch her legs and get some air outside. As long as she walked slowly and carefully, and remained quiet-ish. She wasn’t as tired as she had been, so she was looking better to me.

Over the weekend, I had been conversing with a photographer/optometrist friend of mine online. She told me ‘I have seen this kind of eye injury bring grown men to their knees, time and time again! With an abrasion that big, I give them a prescription of strong pain medications (she named a kind….which I wouldn’t remember), and it’s not unwarranted in cases like these.‘ I was shocked. And I felt even worse.

But that’s the thing about {O}. She has always been a really tough cookie. I recalled one of many examples, at a time when she was 2 or 3 years old….she had gotten that ‘nurse’s elbow’. You know…where the elbow gets out of the socket somehow? It needed to be re-set. The doctor told her, “This is going to hurt, but it’s going to be fast.” {O} said “O.K”…..and in that moment, I saw her go to another place. Her eyes glazed over, and she like….mentally blocked out the pain. Or something. The doctor popped it, and she didn’t even as much as flinch. The doctor said “WOW! <laugh> She is one-tough-kid! I have never done that in all of these years, without the child not crying after. It really hurts!” She’s something else. To think she took on that big field trip and really made the best of her day too…..she’s something else.

Sunday we did indeed take the patch off, and kept ointment in it. By Monday, it had really healed nicely. Which really just amazed me once again, about God’s amazing design of the human body, and it’s ability to heal as it often does. Her eye is at some risk of re-injuring in the future, but usually that is the case with more of a deep abrasion. She’s looking pretty much good as new, and I thank God for it! Being a photographer, I do see a small inconsistency in the reflection on the surface of her eyes when the light hits it just so, but no one else would likely ever notice that. She did fail her recent vision test in that eye at her 7 year old check up, but she has a real eye doctor appointment coming up in early December, and I expect there will be a big improvement.

Thanks you so much, for reading this whole post, if you did. It was seriously like therapy for me to type that out! <sigh> We have been pretty crisis-free, considering we have 4 kids, so this was a BIGGIE in our family. Especially for the head-worrier (as opposed to warrior, lol) of the family….ME! But we got through it…….she’s ok……..and we thank God for His healing.

On a HUMOROUS NOTE: Several days after she had gotten her patch off, she came to my bed in the morning, asking to have ‘a little cuddle”. So I let her crawl into my bed, and we started talking. She started telling me again how it happened that she hurt her eye, and in the process of literally showing me, she hit me square in the eye with her elbow. I didn’t want her to know how much it hurt, so I acted like it didn’t. But awhile later I had a black eye. lol. A few minutes later she came walking towards me talking…“Mama, do you think maybe later on I could….<sees me>……Oh SSHHOOT!” She was so cute…I just hugged and kissed her. After what she had been through the past several days, I wasn’t about to complain about a black eye.

Save

Weeds for ME?

September 30, 2009 By Laura 4 Comments

Whenever the kids have been playing outdoors while I work, I am always eventually bound to hear this:
<door open>,<door slam>, <little footsteps> and “Ma-maaaaa, I have something for youuuuuu.” And into my work cubby pops a fistful of….weeds. “I picked these flowers for you, ” they say.

And I always say:

“Awwwww! For MEEEE? How sweet! Thank you so much! <kiss, kiss, kiss>. “Can you do me a favor, Honey, and put them on the deck for me?”. And they say, “Sure!“. And they run off to do it.

(And then I say, “Don’t run in the house please!“)

Because the truth is, if I just took them, I would have vases of weeds all over my house. And secretly, I’m a little concerned there are bug eggs on them, that will hatch a mother-load of insects into my house. Still, they mean a lot to me, because of the place/little person they came from, and the sentiment they came with. So I when I go outside and find them on the deck, I do look at them and hold them again. And which ever little ‘giver of the weeds’ will say, “Mama, remember I gave those to you the other day?” And I’ll tell them I remember, and they’ll smile.

But yesterday, I wanted to do more with them. And I felt the need to get away from the overwhelming load of work at my computer, anyway. So I went searching for a big jug or suitable container to put my ‘flowers in’. I filled it with water, arranged my beloved weeds just so, and placed the whole thing on my deck by my front door.

I once had an art teacher who always gave the advice of, or commented on a design, by saying, “Simple…yet effective!“

That phrase has really stuck with me. There are so many little touches we can add to our homes, that cost nothing, but work. Or at least work for US.

So yes….someone MAY come up to our door, and think, “Why in the world is this vase of weeds by the door like this?”

But that’s not what I see.

I see LOVE.

Simple Love.

And it Effects me.

My kids tell me they love me every day, and they show me in many ways, too.

But it’s the little signs of love from the kids, that I find here and there about the house, but wasn’t expecting, that put the warmth in our home, our family, and my heart, that I love the most.

Simple…..yet effective.

Save

Un-Expectations – Serving Others and Gratitude

August 19, 2009 By Laura 7 Comments

I’ve said it a zillion times before, and at least 1/2 zillion on this blog: I believe, without question, that God gives every one of us gifts. And I believe, without question, that in discovering those gifts, one is receiving a direct message from God > ‘Use them in my Name. Use them, to serve Me, by serving others.‘

I think we all know, or most of us anyway, when God is calling us to serve Him, by serving others. It’s a feeling inside. For me, it’s not something I ponder, or decide, if it is indeed a situation I am called to serve. I just know, it is. I know I have to do it. Like a whisper of the heart, that is God’s unspoken words. There is sometimes joy, sometimes not much, but always peace, in serving Him through others. And it’s enough for me, to work by His side. For I know the love and healing He will bring those who need Him, and those who turn to Him. It’s more than enough, for me.

I don’t always talk much, about when He calls me to serve Him, or how. There’s not always a need to. These kinds of things tend to put me in quiet mode. That it itself, only verifies again, that it is not my work. It is His. I am just a tool, and even one that He created.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard the UPS truck pull up. He comes every day with supplies or orders for me, just about, so it was not unusual. But the kids love to wait until the UPS man drives away (it’s a safety rule we have), open the front door, and retrieve the package(s) off the deck.

“It’s for Mama“, I heard my oldest daughter tell the little ones. She put it on the floor beside me, at my desk, and when I looked down, I was puzzled. I was trying to remember, what on earth I had ordered, that was so big. Then I tried to remember ANYTHING I was expecting around those few days. But I couldn’t recall a thing.

I looked in the corner of the box, and saw a last name. It hit me then. The realization of who it was from, made me catch my breath, and it felt like my heart hit the floor. Such unexpectation. I froze, trying to take it all in. And then I broke down and sobbed. The tears just flowed out like a river. Right in front of my children. (Somehow, they just knew I was ok. That I was just….having a moment.)

It didn’t matter what was in the box, really. I was so filled with emotion over the surprise of it all, that it was all I could handle at the time. I did open the box at the excited urging of my children, eventually, and found this gorgeous gift basket. But It took me days to find the words to explain all I felt inside. To figure out why I was struck, with such a flood of emotions, which I hadn’t quite been able to label just yet.

But in the days to follow, I was able to sort it all out, and decipher all I was feeling.

See, it was clear that the sender’s of this beautiful gift, felt the need to thank me. But I surely did not feel they owed me one, in the least. I didn’t expect that they could even be thinking of me, at this incredibly difficult time in their lives. So it was shocking, in that way, too.

But what was difficult for me, was that I didn’t feel I deserved it. I, didn’t do anything worthy, of this. Of anything. I had only done, what I knew God was calling me to do. Using the gifts He gave me, and that He expects me to use as tools, and a means to do His work.

To be able to do so…..that IS the gift, of the gift.

To be called by God.

After I had done all I knew to do to serve these people, I felt so empty inside. For I wanted SO badly to be able to do more. To give them what they truly, truly wanted. To give them what their hearts ached for, so badly. It didn’t feel like enough, and I felt lost.

I thought of the Little Drummer Boy. I feel like it seems he felt, in giving all he had to give, to the new born King. I was giving all I had, as little as it was. I hoped it was ‘something’. I prayed, in time, it would help, in any small way, to heal their broken hearts, with the grace of God.

That’s the thing. I felt helpless in not being able to do more. I was depending on Him. Our Almighty and powerful Father, who can do ALL things. It was my only consolation, because I personally couldn’t do enough.

But it was ‘something’ to these people, it seemed. I still felt unworthy of any thanks, because I wanted to give them more, and with every passing day, I thought of them, and prayed for them. Still feeling helpless. Still counting on God, to give them all they needed.

I was counting on answered prayers, with high expectations. For THEM.

I ask you to pray for them too, for whatever their needs and desires are, if it is God’s will.

I just wasn’t expecting anything, for ME. Not a thing.

But I am so very touched, by their expression of gratitude.

Thank You, Lord. Thank You, for the gifts. For working, through me. Amidst all of the swirling, worldly thoughts and deeds of my life and self, thank You for allowing my heart to hear You call. Thank You, for every opportunity to serve You, by serving others. Thank You, for using these gifts as an instrument in Your works. Thank You for considering our prayers, and for healing our hearts.

Thank You.

I have to admit….the basket itself, even EMPTY, puts a big smile on my face.

It’s a NICE basket. Isn’t it?

Save

Off to the Farmers Market – Photography

August 15, 2009 By Laura 4 Comments

One of the very best things about the summer and early autumn months around here, to us, are the Farmers Markets that are held in town, down near the waterfront, twice a week!

With local growers who set up their stands, selling their abundance of farm fresh fruits and vegetables, and crafters with their beautiful and unique goods not often seen in stores, it’s the perfect place to be on a Saturday morning. With a camera in one hand, and the hand of your husband in your other hand, who has a wallet in his back pocket, that hold’s a little cash-you can’t help but love every second. The kids love going just as much, not only to walk around, but to express their hopes that we might pick up some of their favorite things. It also brings me joy, to buy healthy and delicious foods, that our kids are really looking forward to eating! We are blessed in that they truly love fruits and vegetables of all kinds.

The colors, the scents of ‘just-picked’, and the endless possibilities of some grand planned meals for the week!

We long for these seasons the rest of the year, when we are faced with less than appetizing choices of produce at our local grocers, that are not as colorful, not as tasty, and certainly not as fresh. The Farmers Markets always inspire me to cook some really great meals for my family, with all fresh ingredients–or to just kick back barefoot on the deck with them, and have some great big slices of watermelon that afternoon!

On the way down the walkway towards the market, as we walked from the van, the sweetest music on the air grew louder. Stepping onto the court green where the market is held, I was expecting recorded music being played. But it was actually this performing duo, called The Harper and the Minstrel. The style of music is not what I normally listen to, but I really did enjoy it while walking around the market!

They are both obviously very musically gifted, playing multiple instruments. You can hear some sample of their music here. They seem to have several cd’s out as well, that are available at the links above.

Walter’s Specialty Foods is one of our favorite stands! Selling all kinds of hot pepper sauces, BBQ sauces, rubs, jams, jellies and more, we want to buy and try it all!! This guy is always behind his stand, with a quiet and welcoming smile that pulls you over there to his stand, as much as what he’s selling does!

Mr. Philemon Walters makes all of his goods himself, and is always helpful in suggesting various ways to prepare meat using his rubs and sauces, or different ways to enjoy his jellies and jams, if you just ask.

We bought 3 items from him, even though we wanted one of everything else too. But we know where to find him, about twice a week. ; ) Plus, he lives and makes his products in the town right next to ours, so we can always get more of his good stuff. Visit Walter’s Specialty Foods web site to get a better look at what other goods he is selling here. We’ll be sharing which of his specialties we picked up from him, coming up in a great cooking post in Vittles very soon. We can tell you, the items we bought at this stand had most everything to do with the perfect summer evening dinner we just had—and I took photos. ; ) It was all-SO-good!

I have to admit…going to the Farmers Markets, to take photos, is half the excitement for me. But to leave there also, with a bag or 2 of fresh locally grown goods, or creations by a local, and purchased at such reasonable prices…..well, lets just say I’m a happy camper. Of course, with our own gardens going this year, we don’t need to pick up as much in the way of vegetables. But the fresh corn alone is worth the trip! Boy do we love fresh local corn in the summer. There’s nothing like it! But if they didn’t have corn, I’d still go to take photos.

Who might this lad be? Living in Plymouth, we see frontier people like this often enough that we hardly look twice. We don’t stare, with a puzzled expression, like that little boy in the background there in the blue short. lol. I think he’s so cute, and chuckled when I noticed him in my photo. I guess he’s not used to seeing this yet.

There was a crafter there today with some very interesting furniture pieces made of sticks, limbs and large pieces of rough wood. Very ‘unfinished’ and rustic….which I love. I spotted this little chair right away, and knew it would be great for some of my child portrait work! I’m hoping I’ll be able to get it, or something like it, at some point soon. But today wasn’t the day.

I grabbed a card, and it turns out they have a simple web site called Rustica, that shows some of this woman’s other creative wood pieces. The artist’s name is Susan Grose Rioff, and she donates all of her proceeds made from her furniture sales to help the Boston Minstrel Company, which sings in Boston area homeless shelters and prisons. That’s obviously another wonderful passion of hers.

I saw a piece on the site that would make a lovely gardener’s table near my gardens! There was also these pieces below at the market that I thought were really nice too:

The Farmers Markets are just a happy place to be.

These photos are dedicated to my good fellow-photographer friend, Gina, who was as excited to see my photos, that I took at The Farmers Market this morning, as I was to take them! May they inspire her to lug around her camera, a little more often. : )

Save

« Previous Page
1
…
8
9
10
11
12
…
16
Next Page »

Off to the Doctors to Have Here Eye Checked

The Diagnosis

The Backstory: How She Hurt Her Eye

Love and Care

Simple…..yet effective.

Amazon Affiliates