S.tay A.t H.ome M.om at Work

Never take for granted the power of Grace. My hubbie and I just celebrated our 12th anniversary, and for quite a few years now, we renew our vows yearly on or around our anniversary. (With the odds 50/50, it just makes sense to get that Grace to keep on, keepin' on.) Yesterday was Sunday and we were up earlier than usual, got ready for mass and off we went. Our Deacon, who has frequently been the officiant of the renewal, takes us in the chapel next to the church, and with our children surrounding us, we renewed our vows...in good times and bad, in sickness and in health and all the rest. It was really beautiful to have our growing family around us, witnessing their parents re-commitment. On our return home, we figured out plans for the rest of the day, letting the kids play outside while my HH and I watched Sunday afternoon football. As the day progressed, my son, who recently had croup - had a return visit of a nasty cough, with each time he took a breath. Evening dinner came an...

So today is Saturday, and we all enjoy a family tradition, started quite a few years back....Saturday morning pancakes. It's been a long week, as it always is, and on Saturdays we allow for a break, a way to come back together in the first morning we can all enjoy together. No lunchboxes to fix, no bows to arrange in the girls' hair, no rushing out the door with a quick kiss from HH. It's just a lazy morning, with Saturday morning cartoons and my hubbie flipping those pancakes with expert ease. It's really such a treat for the kids, and they get some Dad time which I know he loves after a hard work week. But I must confess - it's a treat for me too. I get to slowly meander out of bed, take a nice long hot shower, and take my time getting ready for the day. By the time I make it downstairs, the kids are finishing breakfast, and then my HH and I get to enjoy a lazy breakfast together, complete with tea and coffee, while discussing the plans for the day. So in essence,...

Ok, I admit, I like Dr. Laura more and more. I caught this video at a time when I needed down to earth inspiration....and it just might inspire you too.... Why is it that we stop our flirting with the love of our lives after we marry, or after a few years of marriage? Sometimes the little things of holding hands, a long loving stare, or a kiss when he least expects it keeps those home fires burning.... Why should the fun of dating end? Why not plan a lifetime of married flirtation to keep life fun, exciting and new? Ok, ladies I challenge us all, Let's GET OUR FLIRT ON! Watch Dr. Laura in the below link for a few ideas, and you'll probably come up with a few of your own! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgybYd41okQ&feature=channel_page

We have a really nice, usually vacant, 24 hour adoration chapel near our home, and while I don't get there as often as I'd like, I happen to make a visit yesterday. At times, simply spending time there, gives me a clarity, a simplicity in my vantage point. Yesterday, I went, and spent time as usual in His Presence, and then for some reason, I simply asked if there was anything He wanted to share with me. I suppose I got the sense I had left my laundry list of requests or ponderings at His feet, without truly knowing what He wanted to share with me, which I admit happens all too often. No matter our current struggles, and/or our own meager human understanding of the situation, God can use our openness to Him, for a glimpse into truth. And then, I got a flash, which I can only say was a grace given. I began to think of all the individuals along the path of Christ's last days....from the scene in the Garden, just being betrayed, yet still showing his compassion enough to mend ...

Today we visited Our Lady of the Millennium Statue at a nearby parish. Eight thousand pounds of Steel and Compassion, well, it took our breath away. We picked our intentions and my HH led a prayer, as we all squinted up at her serene face: a mixture of strength, compassion and peace. It struck me at the moment we began to walk to our van, that truly she is our example of those mixed attributes God gives all women: the strength of steel, with the heart of love. How often we find ourselves, as mothers, finding strength in the most unlikely places, and finding a way to rise to the surface. At times our tendency to rise, with the strength of a hundred men, forces us to cast aside our own femininity, our our softness. And in those moments, we can turn to Our Lady, ask for her lights, in how she remained compassionate, loving and kind, even in the most trying times. There is so much that can harden us, so much that attacks us, only IF we allow it to penetrate us. Consider the Blesse...

To sum it up: The kids are over the croup, went to the doc....got medicine though didn't need it, simply let them breathe in shower steam for a while, and off to bed they went. Colds now are running rampant in our home, but the scary cough is history. Yippie ! I have received a few kisses from my 18 month old now....and so has the oven door, our handheld mirror, any necklace I might be wearing, and a few other choice places of the house.... At least he now knows how to show affection! A few new boxes have shown up at the house.....my HH , in his undying desire to 'save the day', had purchased a handful of Lego motorcycles off of Ebay , the same day as the tragic *flush*.....looks like Christmas comes early this year. Son in 2nd grade begins memorizing Act of Contrition....big year for Sacraments....mentioned a white suit, and he cringed. We might go black. Lastly, the hamster is still dead, and I am checking the new one daily for signs of life. Guess that's it - family...

This morning with my eldest three in school, I decided to take the little two, ages 4 and 18 months to run a few errands. First we stopped to pick up some new PJs for my 8 year old and browse the sales. Next we went to pick up some groceries on our way home. All went well, until the check out at Dominick's . The cashier asked if my 4 year old would like a sticker for her good behavior. I looked at my little girl, wide-eyed and thrilled at the prospect, and said she may have ONE sticker. The cashier then gave her the little prize, but the smile on her face quickly turned to sadness as she had other plans in mind. She said she wanted more stickers. I said clearly, No. One is good enough. Then my toddler decided to display a grand performance, a tantrum using even real tears….it would have earned her an Oscar for sure. The cashier, quickly grabbed a few more prizes for her, and said, “Here.” I said no again, and informed the cashier that my little girl needed to learn gratitude for t...

I am not an avid Dr. Laura blog follower, however, I do catch her blog every now and then, and now after reading her recent book, "In Praise of Stay At Home Moms" - I like her more and more. I encourage you to pick it up, should you ever doubt the role moms have in staying at home with their kids. I just read her blog, in regards to staying at home even when the kids are older : http://www.drlaurablog.com/2009/09/09/staying-home-for-older-kids/ My own mother stayed home with us kids even through high school, and it was such a comfort to know that even at ages 13, 15, 17, she was there to quiz me for my next test, listen, or at times, just be present. Sometimes, I think we forget that simply our time is a great gift that we give others. Let me be more specific. I am talking about that unscheduled time. The time of ourselves, of just being present. Every moment doesn't need to be filled. At times sitting nearby, can spark a great discussion with out provocation , without p...

Last night was a scary night. Two of my kids got a sudden attack of the croup (or so we think), am still awaiting a call back from the Doc. My 4 yr old and 7 yr old were up most of the night with the worst sounding cough - truly sounds like a dog barking. Now after more than 8 years and five kids, you'd think I'd see my far share of illness, from strep throat to RSV in an infant...this took the cake. The two kids couldn't even breathe, and my 7 yr old son, was vomiting in the sink. I'd truly never seen my children so scared, their throats tightening so much, they couldn't help but be afraid. So my HH and I worked to comfort them in the early hours of 2 and 3 am. My HH goes to look up online the symptoms and I stayed with my son in the bathroom. Suddenly, the room starts fading to black, my knees start to bend, and I hear ringing in my ears. I had started to fall to the floor without knowing I was going to faint! What?!?! I have never fainted in my life. I looked...

There are certain times in our nation's history that we know exactly where we were when we heard the news. Many will be able to recount exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard JFK had been shot. For our generation: Sept 11th will be the day that we never forget. Tomorrow being the 11th, brings to mind that exact moment in time when we saw our nation attacked on the morning news. I was at home, with my first baby on my hip. My HH had called me to tell me to turn on the news and I stood stunned in disbelief. I then called my sister to tell her to turn on her TV, and as she did, I watched the first tower crumble. She got her TV on just in time to watch the second one fall to the ground. As I sank to sit on the couch, feeling my knees give way - I began to cry - as I suddenly realized, how many people were probably still in those towers. As we all tried to make sense of it all, even now, it is difficult to comprehend. At the time I was helping to lead a Moms Pr...

So the other day, my 7 year old, accidentally flushed his Lego Motorcycle down the toilet. It was quite traumatic for him, as it was his favorite toy. I used a plunger many a time to try and retrieve it, with no avail. It was gone for good, I thought, and so told him. A couple times that day, he came to me, crying for his long gone motorcycle, and all I could say was “sorry, buddy, it’s gone”. Well, the toilet never quite flushed the same way again. Finally my Hero Husband came home, was told the dilemma and resolved to fix the blasted toilet. So away he worked, for several hours, bringing a variety of tools, towels, caulk , and buckets. He pulled that whole thing out of the floor, disconnected the plumbing, to find the culprit toy. Slowly but surely, he put the machine back together, re- caulking the base, and wiping up the floor. So my HH gave me the toy, looked at our son in the other room, said, ‘Would you like to do the honors?’. Every hero should have their reward, the fruit of...

Talked with a friend recently about the whole SAHM deal, and frankly, I wish I could have spoken much more eloquently than I did. See, I prefer the written word, I can think before I write. So the topic was how to accept the position of stay at home mom when she used to be so active in her career, traveling to other cities etc. She made the decision to stay at home for her children’s sake, as it was, in her opinion the best thing for her baby. Studies will show that she is right….that a constant mother there to form and educate has amazing benefits especially between the years 0-3. The last thing she said, before hanging up the phone, was, does anyone complain anymore about the yuck parts of the job? This stayed with me, as I tried to elevate her position to one of magnificent importance, forming the next generation of our societies leaders. I hoped to relate her to Our Lady and in all her uncertain times, how she managed grace, obedience and gratitude. However, let’s be blunt. There ...