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Veteran’s Day & a Special Visit

November 11, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

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Today we wanted to share a personal story with you.

For all of the years Michael and I have gone to our parish, we have always just pew-hopped. Even as our family grew, there was never one spot where we always sat. Not even a side of the church. But in recent months, it somehow just happened. We all filed into a pew, in a particular spot one day, and it just ‘felt right’. We’ve sat right there every week for Sunday mass, ever since.

The spot happened to be right behind ‘Mr. Bill’, as we’ve come to call him. Mr. Bill is the absolute sweetest old man, you could ever want to meet. And dapper as they come. Every Sunday morning, at the last mass of the day, he has shown up, looking his personal best. Well groomed, in a suit, and sporting a charming bow tie. He drives himself there, and most everywhere else. That is impressive, (if not a little worrisome), at the age of 96 years old. NINETY SIX! A veteran of World War II.

He may be the reason we have been drawn back to that spot each week. When he is there first, we sit right behind him. If he comes in after wards, he sits right in front of us. He always greets us and the children so sincerely. He’s the picture of what we hope to be in our elder years. Kind, compassionate, and very obviously deeply faithful and loyal to the Lord. We can often hear him mumbling all parts of the mass, including the priest’s parts. He is immersed completely in such a humbling way, I often can’t help but just watch him. And I’ve done so without having taking advantage of a moment; always wondering what week we will come in, and he won’t be there in that pew in front of us. Not that week, or ever again. I think all of us have have thought about that time, that is inevitable. And the sadness was so deep already, just at the thought of him not being there. His presence of being right in front of us, week in and week out, is as expected as the pew itself.

Wouldn’t you know…..I was sure I noticed he was slowing down over the weeks. He was slower, and seemed to be more out of breath. With each passing week, it was apparent he was indeed having health issues. One week, in noticing the kids were holding rosary beads, he said to one of them, “Say one of those for me.” I felt the tears immediately spring to my eyes as he said those words. Knowing he was quietly suffering. Struggling. But never complaining. The kids did pray for him too….we all have many times. He is spoken fondly of among us as a family, often because he was brought up by the kids, who he has clearly had an impact on as well. We just adore him.

In the next week or so, he started showing up with an oxygen tank. If you only saw the effort he went through to make it to that pew, for mass. As if he NEEDED to come, to hear the gospel. To witness the consecration. To receive the Body and Blood of Christ.

Then the week came when he wasn’t there. Nor the next week. We learned he had fallen quite ill, as we suspected was happening in weeks prior. This past Sunday, we learned he was in a rehab care facility just out of town. And that he also had no one to really advocate for him in any way. Another kind parishioner we’ve come to know and love, filled us in on his state of health, which had not been good when she last went to see him a few days prior. He was lonely, we heard, and wanted to just go home.

Naturally today, on this Veteran’s Day, we thought of all veterans who have served our country – in peace or war. Those who lived to tell their stories, and those who didn’t. Those we know, or knew, and those we don’t. The little ones learned just what Veteran’s Day was all about, and why we remember and pay tribute to these men and women on this day. And we talked about Mr. Bill, who had been on our minds more than ever, all weekend. We decided we wanted to do something about it.

The kids all made him a special card of their own, with a special message. They really put their hearts into their work; planning it all out, and trying to do their best. For Mr. Bill.

Michael decided he was going to see Mr. Bill today at the rehab center, to sit and have a nice long visit with him, and deliver these cards from the kids.

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Michael did just that. As it turned out, Mr. Bill was being discharged today. He was doing better! Well enough to go home at least. He was all packed and ready to go when Michael got there – just waiting for his ride. So they sat and chatted for a good while. Two women were driving him home, and Michael decided to follow them and help get Mr. Bill into his house safely, and be sure he was all settled.

When Michael got home, he was full of the stories and tidbits Mr. Bill had shared with him. Interestingly enough, the branch of service Mr. Bill is a veteran of is the Air Force.

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He was also very happy to be home, and said someone was planning to pick him up and bring him to mass this Sunday, and that he looked forward to seeing us there. We sure look forward to seeing him there, too! To see him back in that pew, will be a blessing each and every time more, that he is. To see him smile, to shake his warm, unbelievably soft-skinned hand at peace time, and to see him so prayerfully celebrate the mass with every bit of his amazing and inspiring faith.

So Happy Veteran’s Day, Mr. Bill. Thank you, and all veterans, for your service to our country.

And thank YOU, for stopping by again. Lots of exciting blog plans coming up, so please come again soon!

HALLOWTIDE; All Souls Day – Part III

November 9, 2008 By Laura 2 Comments

We’ve finally arrived at the last part of our Hallowtide theme – Part III. (You can check out all of the fun we had, in Part I HERE, and Part II HERE.)

Our All Souls Day (Nov 2) began with Sunday morning Mass. We most always go to the last Mass of Sunday mornings, as we did on this day. What a beautiful sight it was walking into the church, with what was left of the vigil candles aglow all over the altar, each burning for each soul of every parishioner who passed away in the last year. Each burning candle had the name of the individual on it, and were meant to be taken home by the families of the lost loved one. We can only imagine how much more spectacular and moving the first mass of the weekend must have been, before any candles had been taken home, by the families they belonged to.

Later in the afternoon, we gathered around our table together, and talked a bit more about the history and purpose of All Souls Day. We also focused a bit more, on the lives and souls closer to home for us; those who have perished, who were a great influence in our life, or made a mark in some way. Those we personally knew in some way, and those who we loved so deeply and dearly, and lost, such as close family. We discussed how as Catholics, we are to pray for the souls of those people, that their souls may be purified and released from purgatory, and into the Kingdom of Heaven.

In that light, we began a new tradition. We created a scroll, listing the names of the souls of those in our lives who we have lost, and beside their name, the year of their death. This includes family and friends, and anyone who had been a significant part of our life or family in some way. This of course required really going back in years, and while we have many names down, many exact years are forgotten and still need to be researched.

This list of souls is part of our seasonal altar (or table) we have. This table area changes with the liturgical year, as well as the earth seasons. The scroll of names/souls we remember, will remain there throughout the month of November, as it is the month to remember and pray for all souls. Each year it will be brought back out in tradition, and sadly, be updated, including the new souls we must pray for. Later, we added the remembrance cards we happened to still have, to the table as well.

Then we got to making dough, for soul cakes. Soul cakes (which are more like hot cross buns) have Christian history in Halloween, and in fact are the root of how ‘trick or treat’ began. In short, these soul cakes were exchanged for prayers by the recipients of the soul cakes, who were mostly beggars and whom went to the doors of the wealthier, for the loved ones lost in the family of the givers. As the saying went:

A soul, a soul, a soul cake.
Please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum or a cherry,
Any good thing to make us merry.
Up with your kettles and down with your pans
Give us an answer and we’ll be gone
Little Jack, Jack sat on his gate
Crying for butter to butter his cake
One for St. Peter, two for St. Paul,
Three for the man who made us all.

How costume wearing came to be, is also tied into this practice that began long ago, and has interestingly evolved into what it is today.

As Daddy added sprinkles of flour to prevent sticking and to get the dough to a consistency just right to form the soul cakes, the kids mostly took turns kneading the dough….

….but not always…….

Once the soul cakes were done, we enjoyed them nice and hot, with our dinner.

That concludes our Hallowtide festivities report, which in real life, concluded a week ago today! Come back again soon to see what we have in store for our blog about next. As quiet as you all are in the commenting department : ( , we know you are all out there, reading along. ; ) We appreciate your visits.

HALLOWTIDE; All Hallows’ Eve – Part II

November 6, 2008 By Laura 1 Comment

This is Part II of our HALLOWTIDE: All Hallow’s Eve, of our (Catholic) family celebration!
You can see Part I HERE, if you missed it! You can expect to see lots more fun, and our creative Halloween-themed menu items!
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Part II of our partying continues: While the cookies were baking, the kids started boogie-ing to the Halloween music that had been playing in the background all night. They were just a riot to watch, and I just had to take photos of that too. LOTS. Here are only 4. I have to tell you, every time I see these shots, that just crack-me-up, I hear ‘The Monster Mash’ in my head. Funny, because that was not the song playing at the time. Go figure.

And then they wanted to take photos of US, as {A} had done in a past Halloween. Of course, they wanted to each take their own shots. So I set up my camera on a tripod. Since they hadn’t YET had much sugar, I took a deep breathe, and let them use my camera equipment. (I told you it was a crazy night!). They all took turns, and did a pretty good job! It would have gone faster if Daddy had stopped tickling me and making me laugh.

Then the triplets/little ones started playing a Halloween Bingo game we have, while {A} was getting the cookies out of the oven and taking them off the pan to cool. They were SO cute playing this game, helping each other win!

Kid-Daddy had mentioned running next door to the property he manages, and next thing we know he was freaking us all out. (None of us knew yet, that he was lurking in the windows right behind us in the photo above…do you see him?) The ‘school room’ is surrounded by windows, and we never knew where he was going to pop up – knocking on the windows. The kids were screaming their heads off, never knowing where he was going to show up. Then he was at the door, and by then we were all just laughing at him.

Once we got our heart rates down, (yes, we’re easy, huh? lol) the kids got to making another mess decorating cookies. We have done a much better job, but by this time, Mama was beat – so anything goes! They had fun going overboard with the ‘stuff’ on top, and eating them. Although they seemed to be winding down.

(Have to throw in this shot of {O}’s hair tie somewhere. She asked me to take a photo of it. lol . . . .

‘Who Baby! Look at the stuff on top of these cookies! Good golly!

So they had one that night, and another the next day. But really…I was not about to let them eat the 2 dozen until they were gone. So we put one out for the squirrels. Just to see what would happen. But surely, it would be too much sugar for them as well. Now…I WISH I had photos but….NO! Apparently, one squirrel thought they were DELISH! If only I could bring myself to take a shot through a glass window. But no, I scared him away trying to open the window. If only you could have seen him…..sitting there eating this cookie like a furry little person! Really fast, holding that HUGE cookie between his paws, and taking one bite after another and chewing really fast. As if…well, he was afraid his mother was going to catch him! Anyway….we’re still having fun putting out one cookie at a time. Entertainment at it’s best, you know.

I knew it was getting about bedtime, when my silly little boy came over to me at the computer where I was checking my e-mail….laughing SO hysterically, he could hardly walk to get to me. I turn to him, to give him the attention he was demanding, and this is what I see . . . .

He put some BOO Halloween barrettes in his hair. He was laughing so hard, he collapsed n the floor, and then just did a big sigh. Yup—bedtime. Right after a shot of him of course.

Even our 11 year-old was ready for bed. She already was holding tight to her ghost, Gus. Gus is the ghost her Meme’ (her maternal grandmother, now passed) gave her when she was 3 years old. {A} has slept with Gus on every Halloween night, ever since. (Which could totally make me cry this time of night.)

That wraps up Part II of this running theme post. It was such a fun night together. We hope you enjoyed ‘partying’ with us. Stay tuned for Part III next – All Souls’ Day.

HALLOWTIDE; All Hallows’ Eve – Part I

November 4, 2008 By Laura 4 Comments

As many of you know, Hallowtide is the 3 days of All Hallows’ Eve (better known as Halloween), All Saints Day, and All Souls Day, carrying us all from the month of October into November. These last few days have been full of festivities, fun, and more education for all us! I’ve mentioned to you all before, just how much our kids love to plan any festivities. I think you’ll truly get the gist of just how much they ‘get into it’, as you visit our blog over the next couple of days. For any celebration we have coming up, our oldest always loves to plan the menu items (as well as do a lot of the cooking and baking), and the little ones might have a say in that menu, lol, make decorations, plan the games, and stuff like that. They are all, always, never short on ideas. They are very enthusiastic party planners, even if it is just for us. But we sure do have a good time!! Suffice it to say, I took loads, and loads, of photos. I have been splitting my computer time between processing them all for family history and blogging, and working! I’ll only be sharing a fraction of them here, but still out of necessity (and sanity), this Hallowtide theme will be split into multiple posts. I hope you all enjoy our ‘little ways’.

The children woke up on All Hallows’ Eve to Daddy’s artwork on the fridge chalkboard (that still makes me smile,) seen below. If you can imagine him, he sat on the floor, drawing and coloring like a child, and having as much fun as one. Just when I thought he was done, he’d pick up another piece of chalk for a little finishing touch here, and then there. Then adding this and that. Truth was, he didn’t WANT to be done. He’s just so cute about these things, and I’m sure you’ll agree he’s quite the sketch artist. It didn’t go unappreciated by the kids in the morning either. No one erased it to do their own thing.

But as excited as the kids were to get to all they had worked so hard on planning, it was still a school day, first. Devotion was dedicated to another more thorough and deeper study of the meaningful and interesting ties of ‘Halloween’ to our Catholic faith. As committed Catholics raising our children in our faith, it’s our obligation to teach how our faith relates to everything, and there is very interesting history to be learned here. We learn more every year! In addition to this, as we follow the Liturgical Year, we acknowledge all of these holy days, with ‘Halloween’ meaning “Holy Eve’ in reference to the eve of All Saints Day, which in turn leads to the observance of All Souls Day. (Just talking, in case anyone doesn’t know these things yet. )

At any rate (as my mother would say), All Hallows’ Eve and All Saints Day was pretty much rolled into one broo-ha-ha for us. We stayed up LATE, carrying on with our antics. Having spent a good amount of time discussing the important meaning of all of the aspects of this seemingly crazy holiday, and how it ALL came about over the course of history, and why,….we then dove right into the silliness of it all.

So here come just some of the photos for Part I of our All Hallows Eve festivities. As we sat gathered at our table, schooling as the morning turned to afternoon, we started paying more and more attention to this menu {A} had set on the window sill beside us,…..

as our bellies began to grumble for lunch:

A bit after lunch and awhile of working for me, I had to run out to a client consult. But when I got home, the kids were all geared up to get the celebration rolling!! They got out shirts/sweatshirts, as did Michael and I, and we all decided what designs we wanted for them. Daddy cut our choices out of vinyl and put them on for us. They were ready to ….

…..eat again of course!

{A}’s Salty Bones! These were so good with jalapeno cheese dip!

Bat Wings!

{S} couldn’t get enough of these things!

And then they made their own ‘Monster Pizzas’.

Here’s {O} just sitting there looking cute, waiting for her pizza to come out of the toaster oven.

Finally, they were cooled down enough to bite into! {J} was happy about that!

It wasn’t long after we ate our ‘main course’ that {A} was in the kitchen again, making us some candy apples. (Here she’s at the stove, melting chocolate in a double boiler.)

She wanted me to take ‘how-to’ photos for you all. So go ahead and make some, and enjoy them yourself!

Michael/Daddy started cutting out cookies, too.Take note of the pumpkin on his shirt, which he was all excited about wearing. (No, I am not being sarcastic. )

That’s FAR from all. The party just got crazier from there, late into the night.

So stay tuned, if you dare……………
Check out the crazy-fun antics in Part II HERE!

Dental Trips and A Little Boy’s Answered Prayer

October 31, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

The dentist office is a bit of a ‘trip’ distance wise, so traveling there and back for each of us is a little much. That being said, they will only book 2 at a time, in case of cancellation. So we had 2 that had back to back appointments one week, and the other 2 the following week. I was really not wanting to drive all that way, with whichever 2 alone, so we came up with a plan for the whole family to go both times. The first week, 2 went into their dental cleaning/check-up with me, while the other 2 went to the nearby arcade with Daddy. The next week, Daddy took the other 2 to the arcade, while the other 2 went with me to their dentist appointment. (I prefer to be at the their appointments, and Michael doesn’t care one way or another.)

We thought it was a great plan, and it did indeed work out very well. But what really surprised us, was that no matter which place any one of the kids were going, they were all excited! The dentist, or the arcade, they were all excited and going to have a blast! Yes…even the dentist is a thrilling experience! It’s another event they count down the days to, right along with everything else they do, or go to, or have, that one really would considered fun. Case in point: on the morning of one of my boy’s dental appointments, he was on the verge of making a poor behavioral choice, and I warned him: “You are on thin ice ( yes, I did get that from my mother), and if you don’t watch it, you won’t be having any fun today.” To which he replied, somewhat on the fresh-side “But, I’ll still get to go to my dentist appointment!” I had to laugh. I mean really. I think canceling that appointment would have served as a consequence he’d have never forgotten, if I needed to. Luckily, he didn’t take the chance.

I suppose all of this is silly to blog about but…..getting through this month, with the immense, deadline-ridden workload I have had, and all of the appointments (as enjoyable as they can be, inspired by the kids appointment-joy), calls for a mini-celebration, and a little journaling. I am embracing all of the comfort and peace these appointments bring me as well; great weight gains, inches taller, no cavities—they are all looking and doing great! Isn’t that what every mother loves to hear about her ‘babies’ ? It’s such a good feeling, and another blessing to count.

In the process of these things, and just daily life with them, I am inspired by my children, and their enthusiasm about absolutely everything in their lives. Today, the excitement and planning for Halloween / All Hallow’s Eve, tomorrow night (as I type) , has got them in a babbling frenzy of anticipation. While we don’t do the traditional trick-or-treating (which our kids could personally give a hoot about), the menu is definitely planned and shopped for, the games pieces are gathered, and the craft is ready to go. Who knows what else will take place. Especially with their Daddy around, who is without a doubt, still a child inside himself. (Which we all just love about him, since he does have a responsible adult side as well. lol )

So for visitors who drop in our blog in time to accept our wishes….HAPPY HALLOWEEN to you all. Have fun, and be safe! No matter how ours goes, we’ll no doubt be blogging about it. : )

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This will be a short little ditty—but so sweet, I just had to share:

A couple of weeks ago, during our Family Morning Devotion, one of our boy’s {J}’s special prayers (requests), was for God to show him a rainbow. He said he had never seen a real one, (none of the little ones had yet) and he really wanted to. His little prayer was just so sweet, and touching, I just wanted to somehow make it happen, right then and there, for him. You know? Of course, that wasn’t possible.

On the highway the other day, we were chatting about how we always seem to be blowing through towns that are having a rain shower, and coming out the other side, when all of a sudden, {S} started yelling that he could see a rainbow. When we all ever looked to our left, we were just astounded at the sight in the sky. As luck (or purposeful blessing) would have it, a rest stop was coming up right off the highway, so we pulled into it, and all jumped out of the van to get a better look. It was SO, SO BEAUTIFUL. Vivid as I have ever seen, and it just arched completely in the most perfect arch, from one end to the other. I was so desperate for my camera, which I had left at home. What a photo it would have been.!! The kids eyes were just lit right up. But, the expression on {J}’s face was one I will never forget. I could see, he was feeling like a pretty special child of God, in that moment. He felt so loved, and remembered. I could have looked at that face all day.

Eventually, they all climbed back into the van, one by one. {J} was the last one who climbed up in there, and just as he did, he turned around and said “Mama, God answered my prayer, and showed me a rainbow, just like I prayed for.” I whispered “I know, Babes”, because I could feel it stuck in my throat, and if I had tried to say it out loud, I would have choked on it. I think we all smiled all the way home, talking about that rainbow. But inside, I felt more; gratitude to God, for not only displaying such a glorious rainbow, but for showing a little boy that his prayers matter. I believe he hears the little children the most. A quietly whispered to Him, “Thank you for answering my little boy’s simple prayer.”

The next morning, as we were gathered for a new day of Devotion, and the special prayers were presented around the table, {J} gave thanks to God, for that rainbow just for him. I silently thanked Him too, for showing all of my children the power of prayer (in full color!), and that there is no prayer that is too small, to matter to Our Heavenly Father.

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