5/31/13
5/29/13
The Sisterhood
There are only a few in this whole big wide world that make my soul swell and soar. After Andrew, it would be my sisters and my bossom friend Anna, and her sisters.
My parents say when we all come home the amount of screaming and laughing climbs to obnoxious degrees ;)
Each sister if gifted with different talents and interest. I could say I'm close with every one of my sisters and love them all, and deeply appreciate the treasures they give to me through their lives.
Tricia: I love that I have a sister to share in the intimate bond of motherhood, as it came to her quickly with 3 under 3. Tricia gives me the gift of being a visible model of courage, strength, and a steadfast heart in accepting all that God asks of her. I gawk at her car and home as they are perfectly organized. Her hidden talents: mad good sewing skills.
Angela: Our sister relationship has grown so much closer now that we are older.
Angela brings life, loud and loving, wherever she goes.
I admire the great leaps and bounds she will go to for those she family members or even complete strangers.
She will travel cross country to experience adventure and ends up in crazy places. I love living through her vicariously.
Of the many talents Angela was given, she has a special gift of sensitivity. She is able to perceive the unspoken needs of others and her giant heart always responds with serving.
Jana: Jane and I are of the same mold. Our hearts gravitate to the same things, like cooking and coffee and crafts and card making.
I love when she's home, because no one else loves to discuss family meal menus and recipes like we do.
Jana's heart beats with an extra beat, she is a GIVER, two full years of mission work is a small proof of her nature.
Anna: Being closest in age, we shared a bedroom, birthdays, and our childhood side by side. Little things like staying up giggling in bed to big life moments of First Communion, Confirmation, going to camp far away from home in Rhode Island , Going to Rome, Italy in high school...Anna and I did it all together.
Anna's blog IS Anna: colorful, clever, and a good eye for all things girls love. She so beautifully and creatively uses her talents to provide for her family and witness to her faith.
Anna has been making me laugh hard since I was two. Very few would know she can imitate and impersonate people like none other.
Madeline was missing...But the fact she wasn't there speaks miles. Incredibly responsible, she stayed to sing in Notre Dame's choir for graduation. We really missed her....and her contagious laugh.
It is hard for us to be all together now that we are all over the US so a sister weekend in Nashville was a good solution.
There was lots of good catch up time!
A stowaway...we pinched and squeezed all weekend long. He was too good to be true.
You know you are back home south when they serve fried catfish and biscuits and sweet tea! Happiness.
All of my sisters share a crazy love for dancing...it runs deep, there's always a rhythm and beat inside that is waiting to be let out.
My parents say when we all come home the amount of screaming and laughing climbs to obnoxious degrees ;)
The Reunion:
Each sister if gifted with different talents and interest. I could say I'm close with every one of my sisters and love them all, and deeply appreciate the treasures they give to me through their lives.
Tricia: I love that I have a sister to share in the intimate bond of motherhood, as it came to her quickly with 3 under 3. Tricia gives me the gift of being a visible model of courage, strength, and a steadfast heart in accepting all that God asks of her. I gawk at her car and home as they are perfectly organized. Her hidden talents: mad good sewing skills.
Angela: Our sister relationship has grown so much closer now that we are older.
Angela brings life, loud and loving, wherever she goes.
I admire the great leaps and bounds she will go to for those she family members or even complete strangers.
She will travel cross country to experience adventure and ends up in crazy places. I love living through her vicariously.
Of the many talents Angela was given, she has a special gift of sensitivity. She is able to perceive the unspoken needs of others and her giant heart always responds with serving.
Jana: Jane and I are of the same mold. Our hearts gravitate to the same things, like cooking and coffee and crafts and card making.
I love when she's home, because no one else loves to discuss family meal menus and recipes like we do.
Jana's heart beats with an extra beat, she is a GIVER, two full years of mission work is a small proof of her nature.
Anna's blog IS Anna: colorful, clever, and a good eye for all things girls love. She so beautifully and creatively uses her talents to provide for her family and witness to her faith.
Anna has been making me laugh hard since I was two. Very few would know she can imitate and impersonate people like none other.
It is hard for us to be all together now that we are all over the US so a sister weekend in Nashville was a good solution.
There was lots of good catch up time!
A stowaway...we pinched and squeezed all weekend long. He was too good to be true.
You know you are back home south when they serve fried catfish and biscuits and sweet tea! Happiness.
All of my sisters share a crazy love for dancing...it runs deep, there's always a rhythm and beat inside that is waiting to be let out.
When we are all together, I'm home, thank God for siblings, I have 7 other sister soul mates.
5/27/13
A Tantrum Story
It was the first t-ball game of the season. The stands were full of happy proud parents and grandparents. Their children played happily on the playground while their boys took the field.
I sat in the front row, behind home plate. They giggled and played happily for the first 3 minutes.
I thought this will be the summer I can actually watch the games. Avila is not the wandering one year old from last summer.
I brought a sucker "just-in-case" Avila needs a distraction, but didn't think the hour long game would require one, after all she's almost two now.
Why do I set myself up for inevitable disillusionment and failure?
I gave Avila a sucker half way through, since she wanted to follow Christiana to the playground, but needed to stay with me.
Then Christiana came back and wanted a treat, so I gave her a laffy taffy.
Then Avila wanted Christiana's laffy taffy.
I didn't give it to her.
How dare I.
It grew and escalated into piercing high pitch.
Face turned purple.
Squatty body went into full body convulsion and shaking.
It was all out, throw to the ground, blood curdling screaming hysterical fit...for a full 5 minutes.
And I was so fittingly behind home plate in between two full stands of people.
I had a half a thought to hold her by the feet and dunk her head first into the nearby trashcan to shake her from the fit, but resisted the idea.
I had lots of other ideas come to mind too.
But there was nothing that would have stopped this one.
Thank you Avila for so wonderfully delivering me with yet another great parenting moment of humility. Especially the throw your blue sucker into my face move and the lashing of your sticky hands into my hair as you arched all the way back onto your head. An amazing performance for center stage.
Children are a blessing. Children are a blessing. Children are a blessing.
5/15/13
End of the Year Teacher Gifts
I usually like to give all our grade school teachers and secretaries a gift if I can for working so hard for our school all year.
At a Catholic school, they take smaller salaries and are often asked to take on more than usually and make many sacrifices for their students.
I love gift giving and had fun something different together for an end of the year gift.
Made 2 batches of Pioneer Woman's Restaurant Style Salsa and filled 12 small jars.
End of Year Teacher Gift:
Salsa, Lime Beer Salt, Some Chips.
Recommended to serve with something cold ;)
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