Wordless Wednesday

Update!

I should have gone to meteorology school!  Did I call this one or what?  Totally bypassing Florida and aiming right for North Carolina and the Outer Banks.

We've been somewhat cloudy all day.  As it turns out, there are some outer rain bands from the storm that are reaching us.  The forecast calls for "breezy" conditions tomorrow.  Obviously there will be high surf and major rip currents, and probably some beach erosion.  But, North Florida has dodged the bullet...again!  Phew!

We still need to pray for all that end up in Irene's path!  At this very moment, she is a category 3 hurricane....very dangerous.  If you are anywhere near her path and your local authorities are giving you instructions to either leave or begin protecting your life and property....PLEASE HEED THEIR WARNINGS!

We are praying for you!

Here we go again!

Irene is getting stronger and more organized.  The hurricane models are pretty close this time and Florida is in the cross hairs.  Still, I think this storm will end up moving more north and then east and bypass us all together.  I think the people who need to really watch this storm are those in the Carolina's.  Either way, by the middle of the week, we should know more.

It looks like the Dominican Republic will be hit...again.  I think those that live in the islands in that area have had quite enough of this!  We need to pray for them!

Apparently, Saint Medard is one of the Saints we can look to for protection from bad weather.

Jesus Our Lord, Saint Medard served as a bishop during very difficult times, and his long life of spiritual leadership created a tremendous impression on the people. Because of his patronage against bad weather, we ask him to intercede for us during the storms of our lives as well as the storms in nature. Protect us and our homes.  And Lord, help the victims of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and other natural disasters. Send in more helpers and multiply the supplies that are needed for their aid. You calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee; deliver us from the storms that are raging around us now. Saint Medard, pray for us. Amen.

(adapted from Catholic Fire)

7 Quick Takes Friday (Saturday), Vol 5

1.  Well, the first full week of school is over!  We got through it, but I am exhausted....and I mean that with every bit of sincerity I can muster!  Because we've put them back in school, my work schedule has changed.  Instead of working three 8 hour days, I'm working four 6 hour days.  This may seem insignificant to some....but, trust me, this does major damage to the psyche!  In addition to that, I have to deal with the car line twice a day now.  Previously, Dan would take them to school and then I would pick them up.  Now, I'm doing both!  Our parish school is located directly next door to the church and to the local Catholic high school...and on a major street!  Can you say "TRAFFIC JAM"!  Thankfully, I've been able to find some patience lurking around inside of me and I've managed to not blow a gasket even though it's obvious that some of these parents have no brain!

2.  The last few years (including our one homeschooling year), Nathan has played soccer and basketball.  Since we couldn't afford for all three of them to do sports, the girls had to support their brother and just watch.  This year, the girls are going to play soccer and Nathan will sit out.  They are very excited!  I'm just hoping that their practices are on the same day.  In addition to the tuition, school supplies and uniforms.....soccer was $70.....EACH!  Sigh.

3.  We are going to allow Nathan to do Scouts!  I hesitated because of the expense and the commitment, but this is something he's wanted to do for several years.  He was a Tiger Scout at one time, but it didn't work out.  At that time, it was one of the most disorganized groups I had ever seen.  The leadership was awful.  Things have changed significantly since then, and I think it will be a much better experience for everyone.  He will be a Webelo.

4.  As if I don't have enough to keep me busy....I'm also going to start a Little Flowers Girls Club with Amelia and her classmates!  I have to get permission from our pastor and the principal first.  Fr. Fred had agreed to allow me to do this several years ago...but then I ended up dealing with breast cancer and all that comes along with that.  As it turns out, I think Amelia was a little too immature for the program and so as it turns out, I think she is much more ready now.  I'm still trying to figure out which classes we should offer the program to....there are 3 Kindergarten classes, 3 1st Grades and 3 2nd Grades.  That could potentially be A LOT of little girls.  Because Olivia is in Kindergarten and because she is Amelia's little sister and will have to be everywhere with me....she will have to be involved and I don't know how that will look...for her to be there and then not opening it up to all Kindergarten through 2nd grade.  If any of you have any experience with LFGC, please contact me and share you thoughts on this.  Thanks.

5.  Last night the kids were visiting some friends and so Dan and I had a night out.  Since I'm doing Weight Watchers (lost almost 18 lbs already!!!), I ate a salad at home first and then we stopped at Cracker Barrel.  Dan had dinner but I had dessert and some coffee!  Then we went to Redbox and got a movie.  We decided on The Conspirator since this is a movie that we've wanted to see and one that would probably not be appropriate for the little ones.  When we got home, Dan switched on the "surround sound" (what is it with men and the need for movies to be so LOUD?).  Since our bird's cage sits on top of the entertainment center, Dan decided to move the bird to Nathan's room (mistake #1) because he thought the loud noise might bother the bird.  He set the cage on Nathan's desk (mistake #2) which is considerably lower than the top of the entertainment center.  We also didn't close Nathan's door (mistake #3) because the kitten's litter box is in there.  We decided to NOT close the cat up in Nathan's room...for obvious reasons.  But, we figured that since the cat was asleep on the chair in the living room....everything would be OK (mistake #4).  When the movie was over...Dan and I went to bed and totally forgot (mistake #5) about the bird.  Everything was fine over night.  HOWEVER, this morning while drinking my first cup of coffee, I heard a LOUD CRASH coming from Nathan's room.  When I got there....the bird cage was laying on the floor....bird seed EVERYWHERE...the bird was hanging on for dear life UPSIDE DOWN and the cat was sitting on top of the cage, staring VERY INTENTLY at the bird!  This was not good!  It took me about an hour to get everything cleaned up, the bird cage fixed (it broke), the bird calmed down and the cat fed (cat food) so she would quit licking her chops as she stared at the bird!  THAT WAS A CLOSE ONE!  Imagine how Nathan would feel when he came home from his sleep over to find his bird had been eaten by his cat.  The moral of this story is.....If you have a bird and a cat living in the same house....DO NOT get distracted by watching a movie with your husband for the first time in months and thereby letting the cat play with the bird!!!  (P.S....the movie was really good!)


6.  Today is the wedding day of a very close friend in California.  This is one of the reasons why it is so hard to live far away from the place where I grew up.  I won't be able to be with them today to share this special day.  Congratulations Paul and Dana!  May God bless you and give you many, many happy years together!  I love you!

7.  So far, I do not like ANY of the Republican candidates for president and the current Democratic choice is NOT ACCEPTABLE at all for another term.  So tell me, what's a conservative, Catholic, Republican mom of 3 to do?  Pray, Pray and Pray some more!

That's it for this week.  Join Jen at Conversion Diary for more 7 Quick Takes!

Apologizing!

There is no particular reason for my lack of blogging lately.  I think it's a combination of a couple of things.  For one thing, I've been concentrating on my eating habits a lot.  Weight Watchers and I have a date every week!  I've been journaling like a crazy woman, trying to keep track of every morsel I put into my mouth!  I just wish I could lose it as fast as I can gain it!

Secondly, we've been getting ready for the kids to start school!  Nathan went for a 4 hour orientation on Wednesday and the girls stayed home.  Today, the girls had their orientation and Nathan stayed home!  Tomorrow, everybody goes for the entire day!  I have been filling out and signing forms, writing checks (sigh), putting special dates on the calendar, registering for soccer (the girls only), reading notes from the principal, the PE coach, the music teacher...and the computer teacher as well as signing up for the mandatory 15 volunteer hours each family has to do!  It's been a whirlwind.  I'm hoping that once the first full week starts, things will calm down.

Amelia told me she had to stand in the corner today!  THIS WAS HER FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!  She was there for F.O.U.R. hours!  How can it be that my daughter would have to stand in the corner on the first day of school...for talking, no less!!  Sigh...this is going to be a long year!

Today, after we visited their classrooms and left them in the very capable hands of their teachers....I cried.  I cried because my kids won't be with me this year.  I cried because I had to throw away the Catholic Heritage Curricula catalogue.  I cried because we won't be homeschooling anymore.  I cried because their teachers will get to see more of them than I do.  I cried for all of it.  Boy, did it feel good to cry!  Apparently, I had been holding in a lot!

Hopefully, I won't be licking my wounds for much longer.

All is good!

I had my annual mammogram this morning!  Can you believe that I didn't tell you guys about it before hand?  I can't either!  I usually whine, snivel and agonize over it for days!  This time, I asked God for peace and LET HIM GIVE IT TO ME!  It's funny, I usually ask for peace and then worry anyway because a tiny part of me doesn't trust Him to take care of me...even if the results weren't good.  This time, I decided to trust!  The good news is that the results were "negative for malignancy"...but the better news is that, I trusted God!  I didn't worry at all and I can tell you that the only time I felt even a tad bit anxious (actually, my teeth were chattering from nervousness) was AFTER I had the mammogram and was waiting for the radiologist to look at the digital films.

This was my first visit to the new Hill Cancer Center!  They moved all of the mammogram facilities from the hospital to this new building.  It's very nice.  All new modern furniture and a flat screen TV that only plays peaceful music and serene landscapes with waterfalls and beautiful birds (I prefer Fox and Friends...but that's just me)!  The gowns are also new....mauve instead of pink.  I swear, when I walked into the waiting room, it looked like Mary Kay had thrown up in there!  The old out-of-date magazines are still there though. Tsk, tsk.

In any case, I'm glad that's over for another year!  Phew!

It's over!

Well, our short stint without traditional school, is over!  As most of you know, our kids will be back in our parish school as of Wednesday the 10th!   A part of me is very sad!  Trust me, it's not because our parish school is bad...on the contrary!  I've always said that if my children can't be home with me, then Assumption Catholic School is where I want them!  The reason why I am sad, is very simple....I'm a mother and I want to be with my children! 

As much as I want to be able to control everything, I can't and the reason why they are going back to school is very much out of my control.  So, I've had to really embrace this decision and to accept it as what's best for our family right now.  Most days, I'm OK with it.

I know most homeschooling families are currently in the middle of selecting curriculum, ordering books, and getting their school rooms in order.  Right now, I'm trying to make a list of resources that I plan to try and sell.  I've had to throw away the CHC catalogue this year.....heartbreaking!  Still, I'm moving on.

This year, Nathan will be in 5th grade!  For the first time, he will have a locker, dress out for P.E. and change classes!  This is an exciting step for him.  He's very excited about being back in school and seeing his friends.  However, he keeps asking me, "Mom, why can't we homeschool again?  I'm going to miss you!"  I think he's right at that slightly awkward stage where he wants/needs independence yet, he wants/needs his mom.  I did my best to explain to him that for everything, there is a season and that we were blessed to have last year together and now, God has allowed a different path for this year. 

Dan and I got a babysitter for last Friday night.  We went out for dinner....ALONE!  We talked and laughed!  It was wonderful!  After dinner, we went school supply shopping.  After price comparing, we ended up at Walmart where we spent $134 on supplies for all three kids!  We both thought the number would be closer to $200 and we were pleasantly surprised!  Right now, our dining room table is spread out in three piles.  Today, I will load up each backpack with new loot!

We also spent about $139 total at the uniform store!  Nathan needed P.E. clothes and a new pair of uniform pants.  The girls have plenty of skorts and shirts that still fit them.  Everybody got new shoes, new socks and haircuts.  As far as I can tell, we're ready, except for a run to Sam's for lunch box items.

The schedule is a little strange this year.  For one thing, they get out an hour early EVERY Wednesday!  I feel bad for parents who both work 40 hours or more a week!  Thankfully, I work only 24 hours a week and so Wednesday will be my one day off so I can pick them up early.  On Wednesday the 10th, Nathan has orientation from 8am to 12pm...the girls are home.  Then, on Thursday the 11th...the girls have orientation from 8am to 12pm and Nathan stays home!  Finally, on Friday, they all go for the entire day!
This will include the Kindergarten "BooHoo" breakfast for Olivia!

Amelia will be beginning 2nd grade which includes First Communion preparation!  This will be a very special time.  I know the teacher she will have will do her very best to prepare her spiritually.  Right now, Amelia is in the middle of the "Me, Me, Me" stage and I'm looking forward to curbing that attitude.  I'm hoping that this year will help her to see that she is not the center of the universe and that she needs to share her world with others!

All in all, I feel OK with where things are.  I've been here before.  We know the routine.  I'm ready to jump through all of the hoops.  I am so thankful that God allowed me to have this past year of homeschooling!  It was truly a gift!  I can't wait to see what wonderful things God has planned for this year!