Catholic Womens Almanac

I almost write CWL instead....so if I ever do that you know what I mean LOL.

Moments of Gratitude
-finally made a proper schedule with my ex-husband regarding my daughter....he was more fly by the seat of his pants and I have been gracefully fighting for consistency for my dear girl.  We are using calenders and stickers so she can identify mom or dad days. I am grateful for productive communication.
-My husband and his patience with me and the kids and sometimes everything around him.  Depression is so hard and he is making every effort to not sit still but call on God and share with me.
-Cosette's helpful ways.  My little girl is growing up.
-Nice weather

Beauty in the Ordinary
-my babies hugging and cuddling.  I don't understand their language but it's ok because they do.

From the Kitchen
-BBQ pork ribs
-lots of salads in the heat
-smoothies!

Praying
-for my husband to find work
-for peace in our families
-for our priest

Reading
-Liturgy of the Hours
-childrens books

Looking Ahead
-trying hard to stay in the present, but I am trying to be more organized

Hot Spots
-kid's play room
-floors
-our room - it needs help, not exactly a couples haven

Captured

My boy :)

 Blessings on your week!!! :)

Sensitive to the unborn

Well interesting day....

Toddler yelling, humidity making me melt and perhaps a little crazy, constant snacking, (i think I prayed for a place with a window in my kitchen....is that selfish of me??) and of course life goes on....

We go through all this because our mothers chose yes.  Weird way to start an entry?  I look at Liam. We have no money, jobs, vacation pay etc...really it was the 'worst' time to conceive a child. But we went on faith, excited we were having a baby, especially after losing to ectopic.

I am so sensitive....I posted a tasteful pic on facebook of a 12 week old baby. (in womb) Now I am aware it wasn't true to size etc.  The point of the post was to bring awareness to the humanity.  Feet, hands, eyes, etc.  A human.  I got such backlash for posting it. 

"This is disgusting propanganda" and much more.

I meant no offense to anyone.  It really makes me hurt for the unborn.  There are very little for laws in Canada and the USA regarding abortion.  But yet it is taboo to talk about?  Judgemental even?  What is prochoice anyway?  Pro-kill?  I understand there are circumstances and everyone has a story.  Fear is not to educate.  But what about truth?  Why is it no one has a problem with posting about gay rights, animal rights, womens rights, soldiers rights, and the list goes on and on....but mention the unborn rights and you are just getting too political.  If not us then WHO will protect the unborn?  It is not just an opinion whether life begins at conception.  It is a scientific fact.  It bothers me that this is such a hard topic to talk about....it is so sensitive in nature but the truth is....we do need more focus on what happens on a daily basis here in Canada regarding abortions. 

End of rant.

I pray that all who make this decision really have a good hard look.  Our society is very individualistic and when did conscience and guilt become a bad thing? Whatever happened to sin? I pray for those who find themselves in circumstances of fear and uncertainty.....God be with these woman and hold them close.

Glad I can vent on my own blog. 

Blessings always.

Moments of Grace

Linking up with the ladies from Suspicio...

These may seem small....but small grace leads to God.

-lacking sleep so badly and my husband taking the reins, remaining calm in all the days chaos, putting a few loads of laundry in for me, taking the baby to play when my daughter and I wanted to swim together (water babies!!)

-remaining in prayer every night with Andrew.  We have taken on Liturgy of the Hours evening and night prayer together. This has enriched our relationship.

-my daughter came back from her dads like she does every second week. Sometimes she struggles with transition.  This week she seemed to be more at peace.  She was a helpful big sister.

-leftovers in the heat

-communicating about our finances in a productive way

-last night was my first half decent sleep of the week

-losing the internet for 2 days causing me to see that it can suck up precious time if over used.  I don't tend to go on that much but I can see how it can become a habit.  I spent more time with my husband in the morning and evening.

-finding creative things to do when we lack to income.  We seem to have fun as a family no matter what's in the bank.

-somehow through the teething and crying etc....Andrew and I find time to connect nightly. 

It was easier to find the little things than I first thought.  Blessings on your week!

Moments of Grace

Linking up with the ladies from Suspicio.

I recently gave my husband some advice regarding letting go and accepting and praying and forgiving etc.  Especially when it comes to our parents mistakes....

Funny thing...God has a sense of humor.  Through the holy spirit God has led me start praying the Liturgy of the Hours (short version) and through this and all the therapy session I was giving my husband....I let go.  I begin to LET GO.  I was also struggling with the past and it wasn't I speaking to my husband but the holy spirit was He was talking to me too.  It is so easy to give others we love advice like a walking text book....and then we see ourselves in it....that is the hard part!! It took me for a loop.

How much more grace could I receive?  Yesterday was frought with anxiety for me.  Tears etc.  And then I knew why!  The day before I had talked to my husband about all this 'letting go" and it was overwhelming.  When I took my own advice some feelings surfaced and I started accepting.  But it took some tears first.

Sometimes God does really heal in his own way.  He is healing both of us so we can have the entirety of the sacramental marriage that he would fashion that includes him.  It is not easy to include the Lord in all things.  He has this way of being the mirror to which we must face things in order to love as he loved.

I would call that Grace.  I would even call the pain grace because this morning I woke up full of letting it all go and turning to Him.

Thank you for your grace Lord.

*picture from www.turnbacktogod.com - artist unknown*

CWA - Catholic Women's Almanac

Linking up with the ladies from Suscipio

Moments of Gratitude:
>better communication with Andrew
>finding peace during mass despite the heat
>my son repeating mama (he rarely says it)
>having quiet moments without interruption  to watch movies
>for the women on Suscipio, for lifting me up and inspiring me on a daily basis. This has brought so much into my life for the last few months.

Beauty in the Ordinary: 
My husband is a very quiet man and he is teaching me (he doesn't know it) about the beauty of silence.  I am trying to practice being more comfortable with silence.  I found beauty in his reflection.  He loves to sit in his chair and read and he reminds me to take time for myself in order to have more space for others.

I am seeing beauty through reading more about the saints.

From the Kitchen: 
Truthfully, it has been so so hot that I have not had much motivation to cook.  I did make an organic roast chicken and thought perhaps if I do that again I will do it in the fall.....we have no air conditioning.

Praying:
For my daughter who is on vacation with her grandparents.
For Andrew to find the job God wants him to have.
To come up with more motivation to serve others.  There is a walk for Haiti coming up with our church.  I would like to feel confident enough to fundraise.

Pondering:
how to be more organized with a teething baby etc.

Reading: 
about nutrition and organic cooking and also still working on Where There is Love, There is God - Mother Theresa

Looking Ahead:
saving money for a vacation, thinking about my daughter starting kindergarten.

Have a wonderful blessed week.

Moments of Grace (5 hours of grace)

Andrew and I have some struggles in our relationship.  Mostly to do with personality differences and sometimes due to the fact that he has clinical depression.  It takes a very patient and loving spouse to understand this debilitating condition.  It is hard on our whole family sometimes.  It doesn't last long and I love Andrew enough to see him through the 48 hours (which is usually how long) of difficulty.  I find it hard but at the same time I try to notice how much better I have become at recognizing the signs and trusting God.  When Andrew comes around he is a man who tries so hard.  He tries extra hard to show me that he has not 'left the building'.  Yesterday, after a particularly difficult 24-48 hrs for him mentally, he was extra affectionate, affirming, reassuring, and loving.  We ended up walking for 5 hours in the beautiful breeze, poking around our beautiful town, looking at the boats, beautiful houses, setting some goals, eating some yummy food and spending time with our son.  I felt his (Andrews's) genuine love for me and contemplated how difficult it must be to live with bouts of depression and how although it is hard on me as well, most of the time I feel like myself and can't even imagine.  I contemplated how it must feel to be 'outside of himself' and not be able to see positively sometimes even though....his true nature is optimistic, calm, quiet and sensitive.  He must feel so lost sometimes. Depression is often misunderstood. My moment of grace was praying to God for him, thanking God for bringing him back to me always and that I am reaching a point of comfort in my own skin to better accept things. To better accept him. Not to try and control everything and micro-manage everything.

My moment of grace is that I am working on setting my fear free....to always know that he comes back and he will stay my loving husband. 

My moment of grace was also all the time we spent together yesterday in a quiet walk of understanding and praying together in nature and trusting each other....and the Lord.

CWA -Catholic Woman's Almanac

I wanted to link up with the ladies from Suscipio for Catholic Woman's Almanac.  It is supposed to happen on Mondays....well it's Tuesday but I am a full time mom (no need for further explaination lol)

Moments of Gratitude:
>my husband and I had a quiet lunch together because both of our children napped at the same time! 
>my son has started trying to talk
<an enhanced prayer life has led me to take more pride in my home and my attitude
< lots of yummy food brought by family members

Beauty in the Ordinary: 

<my children laughing and playing together squealing
<the birds who come onto my balcony every morning

From the Kitchen:

<I am taking a real interest in Organic cooking.  We are all eating healthier and this makes all of us feel good.

Praying:

<more often
<learning the Angelus again and also thanks to Jenny at Suscipio a new novena to St. Martha.  Beautiful the way those ladies pray together!

Pondering:

<Struggles in marriage and how far myself and Andrew have come.
<going back to work
<how much talking instead of listening has got me into hot water!

Reading:

One Thousand Gifts 
 Where There is Love, There is God - Mother Theresa

Looking Ahead:
organizing, saving, job hunting, camping

One Saint a week

I decided to go along with our nightly prayer corner to learn about one saint a week.  (pics to follow)

This week we did: Kateri Tekakwitha.  She has a wonderful story.  My daughter really enjoyed hearing her story.  We made a headband found on the site Crafolic (which I love!)  We also found some twigs and wrapped them with yarn just like Kateri did in the forest.

Her feast day is July 14th.

 The Gift of Morning

 I am not a morning person. I am thought to be a morning person because like every mother I get up at the crack of dawn with my children.


Before half a cup of coffee is finished, I have fed them, cuddled them, clothed them (most of the time!) and had a conversation about a cartoon on Treehouse TV, read a book and even sometimes changed more than one diaper within an hour.


Some would say I am an active morning person. This is not easy. I find the morning a struggle as some mothers do. I was being hard on myself regarding this.

Thoughts would creep into my head: “Most mothers would have the kitchen totally clean by now and the laundry washing.”

Then this morning I read, “A good man’s work is effected by doing what he does, a woman’s by being what she is.”
G.K Chesterton

The spirit has shown me that while housework isn’t my first task, I am attentive to God and my children. I have more time to meditate on Christ in the morning. I pray as I get breakfast for the kids. I am being present to God by being who I am in the morning and making space for him through caring for my children. If my children know that they come before laundry, then I am working for God. The laundry will get started today and I am committed to taking the pressure off of myself to be homemaker first instead of child/woman of God first.

Homemaking is one of the most rewarding experiences but not without starting the day inviting Jesus into our hearts and reconnecting with who we are.

And now, the laundry is waiting, my heart is full of the spirit of God and my little boy is smiling. Who I am is first and what I do is a refection of accepting that.

God Bless your mornings.

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