Graduation Pictures

The graduates entering "The Big House," (Michigan Stadium).

No, we did not start out wearing matching Michigan hoodies. We were dressed up. But it was so awfully cold on the metal seats. And the sun was not shining as had been predicted. So my husband very chivalrously went into the MDen and bought the three of us these sweatshirts.
The graduate with the pleased parents....

Here he is in front of Alumni Plaza, himself now an alumni :-)

Yup....a dream come true. Blessed be God!!

Congratulations, John!!! I can almost feel Grandpa's joy.....

Oh Happy Day!!

Some of you may remember when I posted the photo of this folder some two and a half years ago. I wrote of my joy that my son John had been accepted into the University of Michigan Music School. It was his dream to attend U of M and it was finally being realized....

Today he will graduate from the music school with a degree in piano performance. I couldn't be more pleased or proud. He has worked so very hard. I will write more later. I need to get to a meeting. But just had to post this very important news for our family :-)

More Florida Fun...

Turns out all ages can enjoy building a sand castle. My twenty-five year old initiated this architecture project.

Here it was in all its glory. By evening it had all washed away. A life lesson.
I find the Florida vegetation very interesting. This tree, which looked like a group of trees that had grown together (is that possible?) had an enormous diameter. My three girls could just barely hold hands around it.

What fun it was to be able to spend an entire week with Anne. We picked her up in Atlanta, went to Florida for three days, came back to Atlanta, and spent a few more days with her and Zach. Great fun.

You may be wondering what on Earth this picture is. It's my husband Mike's travel mug on our way home. And, no, he was not popping pills. But he was popping Good and Plenty candies. teehee. I thought it looked so funny I had to take a picture. It was a long way home. What can I say.

Beach Photos

Our family really enjoys the beach. There's just something about the salt water, the waves, the whitecaps. It's so dripping with the glory of God that His peace just feels all over it.

So we mostly spend our time in Florida on the beach.

Because my oldest daughter was able to rearrange her work schedule we were able to pick her up in Georgia and bring her with us! Such a joy because we all miss her so much. And my younger daughters have so much fun with her. I think the three of them spend probably half their time together laughing. I can't even keep up with the jokes.

We stopped at this little restaurant right across from the beach. Delicious food. Nice people.

And you can sit outside! Just where we want to be in Florida.
More photos soon.....:-)

Oh my word. I can't believe I haven't posted anything in nearly two weeks. I do still pray for the intentions of my e-friends. :-)

My girls are on spring break and we're in Florida visiting my mother-in-law. It's just beautiful here. The week before we left Michigan we had to scrape ice off the windshield in the morning every day. Here it's sunny and very warm. We're loving it. Walking the beach every day.

My little winter pansies froze solid every day last week. I mean the little leaves were stiff every morning. By afternoon they had thawed in the sun though. Not sure how long a plant, even a hardy one, can take that. I guess I'll find out.

I understand the day we return to Michigan will be 75 degrees. That will be lovely to return to. It is April, after all. It's time for a little thawing.

My daughter Liz was kind enough to come to McDonalds with me so I could use their wifi. I bought her some fries. If we're here long enough I suspect she will want a happy meal which I would gladly buy her. :-)

Hope you are all well. I do plan to start posting again regularly soon.

It almost seems like the perennial plants in Michigan feel just as we do when the weather starts to get even just a little bit warmer.

If the temperature gets up to the forties the kids declare, "It's Spring!" They refuse to wear anything but a light sweatshirt outside..."Mom, it's WARM out!" If it gets into the fifties they don't want to wear a coat at all. "Mom, it's SOO WARM!!!"

The plants seem to do the same thing. Just a couple warm days and they are popping up shouting for joy, "It's Spring!" I want to say, "Not so fast. You're going to get smacked down!" It happens every year.

Here are my beloved hostas just dying to greet the sunlight again...

And wouldn't you know. Today we have a winter weather advisory. Freezing rain and sleet, possibly some snow accumulation. Teehee. Oh well. They'll survive. They always do. I'm sure it's a little bit of a shock for them. But they can handle it. Just like the kids :-).

Now this plant I bought at the Farmers' Market. They're winter pansies. I just had to have some blooming flowers. And you know what? These babies can freeze solid and still survive. You don't even have to bring them in. Now that's a flower for Michigan. I love it. I bought two of them. Two for ten dollars. I thought that was a bargain for a blooming potted plant that doesn't need me to remember if there's going to be a freeze, which will happen quite frequently in March.

Spring Blessings!!

"How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul"-- A book Review

Well known chastity speakers Jason and Crystalina Evert have written a new book, How To find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul, and it is a gem. Let me tell you first off that this book will be required summer reading for my two teenage daughters. Yeah. It's that good. It's available here. In order to get their message out, the Everts have also made available for a limited time the paperback edition available in bulk quantities for $2.00 a copy!

So why am I so enthusiastic about this book? There are a lot of reasons. This book is a gift to women of our times. Feminism has brought us all kinds of consequences that have gone way beyond pay equity between men and women. While claiming to bring respect to women in the workplace it decimated respect for women in the social sphere. All in the name of declaring women's independence and autonomy, feminism gave men a pass on chivalry. Many men gladly accepted this notion and completely absolved themselves of the responsibility to treat women with the respect, the dignity, and, yes, even the protectiveness that they deserve.

Don't get me wrong. The Everts don't even mention feminism in any way. I am just very happy that someone has written a book that holds a mirror up to the sexual ethics of our culture. It speaks to the truth that is written in a woman's heart-- that she deserves better, that her sexuality is a gift she must protect to maintain her personal dignity-- and that any man who tries, in his own selfish desires, to convince her otherwise is not worthy of her attention. Amen.

This book is a wake up call to women of all ages to hold their heads high, to maintain their integrity, to hold out for the self-sacrificing love that only a real man, a good man, can give them.

Neither prudish nor preachy, the Everts unapologetically argue for God's plan for human sexuality. They speak of the virtue of purity with none of the subtle hesitancy that sometimes comes through in works like these. None of that here. They use the words purity and chastity. No euphemisms. There is a boldness to their tone that can really appeal to the teen who, as we know, is always drawn to confidence.

Jason and Crystalina address women across the entire spectrum of commitments, or lack thereof, to chastity. The book is addressed to members of the culture at large, not to a Christian group where there is an assumption (often incorrect) of chastity and a reticence to suggest that mistakes may have already been made. And yet their viewpoint is very much Christian and unabashedly so. The Everts speak to those who are trying to maintain their purity against peer pressure, and also to those who have made mistakes after believing the lies of a culture committed to self-indulgence. While acknowledging that there are very real choices of right and wrong here, they manage to stay quite nonjudgmental in tone. I think those who are not committed to chastity could read this book and not feel accused or condemned, although they will find their viewpoints gently and charitably challenged.

What I love about this book is that it appeals to logic and natural law. Young people love to use their reason to come to conclusions about the truth and not to just be told what they should believe. The Everts allow them to do just that. Included are many revealing emails from teens who have been hurt by their choices. Without the slightest hint of finger pointing or condescension, Jason and Crystalina explain how the thinking of these teens could be redirected and their dignity reclaimed. This is so important. They speak to the deepest feelings of these wounded young people-- recognizing their pain, revealing the fallacies of the assumptions that got them where they are, and appealing to the natural law that a woman recognizes in her soul. The natural law that tells her what deep inside she already knows....that she deserves better.

Finally, I recommend this book because it is easy to read and cleverly written. While dealing with a serious subject the tone remains positive and even fun. Consider the following description Jason gives as he answered the following question from a student. "Should I break up with my girlfriend if she won't have sex with me?"

With silent anticipation, the student body awaited my reply. "Yes!" I announced. "Absolutely." Eyes bulged and jaws dropped. For a moment the faces of many girls looked disappointed, while pockets of male students chuckled in glee. I then added. "You should definitely break up with her. Why? Because she deserves someone infinitely better than you." Cheers followed from the girls.

So many lines will leave you smiling such as the following. "If a guy ever tells you that he can't live without you, trust me: He doesn't need a girlfriend. He needs a therapist."

Engaging chapter titles such as "No Missionary Dating"and "Break Up, Even if He Smells Good" also serve to draw the reader in. I love the lists that many of the chapters include. Lists make the points easier to follow, even with a lot of interruptions (like this mother gets :-). There is, for example, the list of "The Top Ten Guys to Avoid." "The Problem Child (aka: The Fixer Upper)", "The Walking Hormone," "The Smooth Criminal," "The Control Freak," each with a description to help you recognize these men who, to put it kindly, come with red flags. I could just see the more experienced women nodding and thinking. Yeah. I know that guy. And thank heavens for allies like the Everts who are telling our daughters what to watch out for!

Then there are the Ten Rationalizations each of which the Everts reveal as having a basis in fear. These are really good. They also offer six guidelines to "help you avoid temptations before they begin," and the top ten lies that keep women in dead-end relationships. Good stuff.

While this book provides a clear and cogent argument for chastity, it is also very much a pep talk to women to maintain their standards even when they feel very alone. They write, "As every girl knows, if you practice purity, you'll be called a prude or a tease....Although it's difficult to hear the insults of those close to you, know that all of heaven is applauding you." Yes. That's what I want my daughters to know.

My congratulations to Jason and Crystalina Evert for confronting and clearly defeating the common and false arguments of our age regarding the dignity of human sexuality. And may God continue to give them the courage to proclaim the truth that love requires self sacrifice, that women should stand firm, and that, regardless of where we've been, God wants the very best for each of us.

The Everts offer this encouragement.

If you decide to follow the principles of this book, we can't promise that you'll meet your soulmate next month. We can't guarantee you'll receive ten marriage proposals, let alone one. But we can guarantee that if you never give these twenty-one secrets a try, you'll always wonder what could have happened if you did.

If you're a single woman or if you have single women in your life, I urge you to run and get this book. The world is not going to give you this message.

Again, you can order this book from www.howtofindyoursoulmate.com Bulk copies of the paperback can be obtained for $2.00 a copy (if you order a case). Think youth groups, high schools, Bible studies, etc. There is also a study guide available for download.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

In honor of my Irish ancestors......my mother Helen Rose Kane, and her parents Nellie and Vince Kane, and all those who came before them, and in honor of my great great great great grandfather (on my father's side) Joseph P. Shanks, I wish you a very joyous

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!!

When Irish eyes are smiling....sure they'll steal your heart away.

May the Lord continue to bless the Irish people and all their descendants, through the intercession of good Saint Patrick

Thank you all for your prayers!

I was able to make it to the retreat. We go to the Abbey of Gethsemane in Trappist, Kentucky. I have gone for a number of years now and it is always a peaceful, restful, silent retreat. I felt so awful on Thursday I really didn't know if I could make it. My good friend Sally, who was also going, talked me into it. She pointed out that Mary could drive the whole way (6.5 hours)...and she did. And that I could rest all the way down and the entire time there. As Sally put it, there is no better place to rest. It's completely silent. There are no interruptions. And all your meals are prepared for you :-). Sally's arguments and the fact that my oldest daughter was driving from Atlanta to meet us there, and my daughter Mary was coming for the first time, tipped the scales in favor of going.

Anne's drive was a little shorter than ours, but only by a half hour or so. She has come with me to this retreat for many years and didn't want to miss it. I think it was strange for her though to be coming alone from an entirely different route. She discovered that northern Georgia is a very beautiful drive. She described passing Abraham Lincoln's birthplace which we had visited together a few years ago, in spite of it being the opposite direction from our way back to Michigan. And she mentioned how strange it felt to be turning right into the monastery drive instead of our usual left. It was wonderful to see her. I miss her so much.

Mary enjoyed the retreat too which I was very happy about. She wants to come again next year. I love these little trips with my daughters..

Well, believe it or not, I'm still sick even after a restful time at the Abbey. Before I left I went to the doctor who described what I have as an "influenza-like illness." She told be it could last 7-14 days. So..I'm on day 10 and feeling much better than last week but still tired, scratchy throat, headachy, you know.....dragging. I did have a flu shot. Probably would have been much worse if I had not.

Anyway....hope to start writing more here soon. Stay well.....

Sick. Yuck.

Ohh. Feeling very sick. Totally worn out. And I'm supposed to go on retreat this weekend with two of my daughters. I really want to go but not if I feel like this. Prayers appreciated.

I enjoy the four seasons of Michigan. I do. And I even enjoy the snow.

But when March comes along I have to say it starts to get a little old. I get tired of being so cold, so often. And because this year we have had quite a bit of snow, it's been rather hard sometimes to walk Lucky through the neighborhood. Some of the sidewalks are not cleared and now that we've had some above freezing temperatures, we have the frozen bumps and ice puddles of slush that refreeze and make for a hard, uneven, and unpredictable surface.

But, with March, the snow starts to melt off the roof. Some times during the day there are actually puddles on the sidewalk that have WATER in them, rather than ice.....but they usually refreeze before they completely evaporate and then we have very slick spots on the sidewalk. I don't dare wear my Merrells, the shoes I was wearing last year when I actually slipped and fell to the pavement THREE times while walking around the block.

But I'm just fine in my boots with the good tread.
The driveway is looking like this. At least we can see some pavement. But there is ice and crunchy, frozen slush to walk over.

In like a lion, out like a lamb, as they say about March. I'm ready. The sun is shining brightly today and the snow is gorgeous, sparkling in the sun. It's on its way out, I know. I'm enjoying it while I can and also wishing it farewell. I'm looking at my flower beds and thinking about what I'm going to plant. It's time.

Stay warm.

SNOW DAY!!!!!!!

Well, we did get about nine inches of snow mixed with freezing rain....

I did get stuck briefly getting out of my driveway. And I would have gotten stuck in my neighborhood if a plow had not come through and at least cleared one car width of space....But that was Sunday night, although we did get a little bit more last night.

This morning I did put the news on briefly thinking maybe there would be some school closings.

But boy were we surprised when we showed up at school to see a deserted parking lot and no one in the drop off lane!!!! The janitor told us it was a snow day.

We should have turned on the TV...or checked edline.

But I'm happy anyway. A lot of our students drive 30 minutes or more to school. A lot of roads remained slick and many back roads unplowed. I don't like to see teen drivers put to the test. I have said all along we should have more snow days to keep those teen drivers safe. And I am VERY HAPPY to see that a decision along those lines was made this morning about 4:30AM. I think it was a good call. And next time I will turn on the TV or check EDLINE if there is any question at all. teehee

Here comes the snow! We've had several days of warmish weather during which time a lot of the snow on the roads and on the sides of driveways melted. We were just at the point where we could easily park cars and not be in danger of getting stuck as we started out.

But now, more snow. It's beautiful. I do like it. But driving can be kind of scary. My new 16 yo driver is out right now picking up some scrap booking supplies. I hope she gets home soon. She's a very good driver. But anything can happen on slippery roads.

We're supposed to get 1-3 inches of snow before it turns to freezing rain. One report actually predicts freezing fog. Interesting. I don't know if I've ever heard that phrase before. And we actually have a prediction for HOW MUCH freezing rain. 1/4 inch. Sheesh. Does that mean that's how much will fall or that's how much will be frozen onto the roads when it's all finished? I suspect the latter.

There's no school tomorrow anyway so that's a relief. We can just stay cozy.

Hope Mary gets home soon. Stay safe, everyone!

Valentine's Day

I realize Valentine's Day was two days ago. These days I always seem to be a few day behind-- especially in my blogging.

I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day.

Below are the beautiful white roses my husband came home with. I LOVE them. The white is so pretty. I found myself thinking I understand why they must be Our Lady's favorite flower.

I have several small heart shaped cake pans. Decided to make rice krispie treats for each of my children who still live in town....(of which there are only THREE:-( Two were left here on the table where my girls would be sure to find them. The third? I left that one on the piano because that's the best place to be sure John finds something. teehee

And then for hubby....his favorite Dutch Apple pie. Actually, it's a family favorite of all of ours.

I spent most of the day writing valentines for our family and making these treats. I wrote a note in each one for my children telling them why their dad and I are proud of them. Then the out-of-town ones needed to be mailed (to arrive late anyway :-) I also needed a few things to make the above creations so I made a trip to the store.

The whole project took nearly the entire day. I found myself wondering if this was over the top. It's not like everything else I had to do was neatly completed. No. Not at all. But it brought a smile to the faces of my husband and children. And isn't this flexibility one of the many great benefits to being a stay-at-home mom? I hope it wasn't just rationalization on my part because...truth to be told....it was a lot of fun.

It was 1 degree F. this morning when I left to drive the girls to school. COLD!! Very Cold!!!

For Christmas, my dear husband bought me a remote starter for my car. (Have I talked about this already?) I LOVE it!!! Started the car from inside the house 10 minutes or so before we were going to leave and we went out to a warm car. Totally cool. (No, warm :-)

Today is the Feast of St. Scholastica, Mary's Confirmation saint. (as mentioned in the previous post.) Well, in Saint Scholastica's honor, I brought Mary a milk shake at lunch time and fries for her and all her friends at the table. There's nothing like meeting your teens at the front door of their high school and seeing those ear-to-ear smiles when you're bringing a treat from McDonalds! Fun.

Took John with me to Mickey-D's. The kid really needs to eat more. He has his own apartment and is successfully living on a very strict budget. I told him I've gone back to Weight Watchers and he said, with great sincerity, that he didn't consider me overweight. What a doll. He used as his evidence that fact that his own BMI indicates that he is underweight. He, of course, thought that was ridiculous. I did not. I think he's too skinny. He agreed to go grocery shopping with me. I told him I might buy him a few things. Well, he had his own cart and was very frugally adding a few items. Then he had to take some back because he had gone over his budget. I told him to put two of the frozen pizzas in my cart. Also bought him blueberries, juices, crackers, cheese, eggs, bananas, kiwis, and who knows what else. If it was healthy, I told him I'd buy it for him. For heaven's sakes, he needs some food. He does eat dinner here at our house three nights a week when he's giving piano lessons on our piano. So he gets three good dinners a week anyway.

In spite of the cold, it was very sunny today, a truly beautiful day. Gorgeous sunrise with even a little rainbow streak, very sparkly fabulous snow everywhere. A beautiful, beautiful day in Michigan.

The Road Test from Hell....

Well...., after driving the entire distance from Ann Arbor to Washington for the March for Life and most of the way back, Mary finally had all the driving hours she needed. She completed segment two of drivers ed last week and we had scheduled the road test for this past Saturday.

The roads were dry. There were no snowstorms predicted. Things looked good. The appointment was for 2:30. In the morning I heard that we might get an inch, maybe two, of snow but I thought, oh well, a little dusting of snow won't bother her. She's driven in snow. (although it does make her nervous....as it should :-)

When the snow started Mary exclaimed, "Mom! What is this?!" I said, "Oh it's only supposed to be an inch or two. You'll be fine. You've driven in snow." She looked a little apprehensive.

When we left for the test it was snowing pretty hard. Still, I thought, this must just be a brief squall. By the time we got there it was genuine blizzard conditions. I mean it was blowing. The snow was just dumping from the sky. Within an hour we must have gotten several inches. The lane lines were no longer visible on the roads. I thought, "This is going to be a nightmare of a road test.

They made me get out of the car for the parallel parking (between 4 cones). I walked away, quietly saying my rosary for her and not looking at all in her direction. When they called me back to get in the car the snow had only gotten worse. I thought if this were 5:30 AM this would be a snow day. And it takes alot to get a snow day in Michigan. A traveler's advisory had been issued. I had to sit in the back and not say a word. (no coaching :-) not easy for me.) The road test lasted a half hour. The snow was so bad that even on the highway there were no lane lines visible. A couple times Mary went over the rumble strip on the shoulder but how could she have avoided it? You could not see where the road was!! I thought to myself that there could not have been more difficult driving conditions during which to take one's road test. Interestingly, Mary's Confirmation saint is Saint Scholastica, patroness of weather. Perfect saint to intercede for her in this situation, I'd say!! I said an entire rosary and most of a second, asking Saint Scholastica to pray for Mary's peace and that she'd pass the test, according to the Lord's will. (and for our safety...)

When we were finished the tester told her she had done well, that just once she had had to ask her to slow down because of the conditions and a car in front of her that looked like it might be about to spinout. (sheesh-- hadn't seen that from the back) And once when she had turned left she hadn't gotten over far enough and was actually in an entrance lane to the highway. But, the instructor said, "I couldn't really tell what lane it was either because of the snow."

Anyway, in spite of the weather, she passed!!!! And today we went to the Secretary of State's office and she got her license! At this very moment she is at a basketball game at her school which she drove to herself. (I asked her to text me when she arrived and to text me before she left.) Truly, though, I have a lot of confidence in Mary's driving. She is quite cautious, very attentive, and very deliberate about following all the rules.

Still, may the Lord protect her every time she gets behind the wheel of a car. (And every time she's with someone else in a car too)!!

Congrats, Mary. Great job!

Feeling good today! No sore muscles at all. (Maybe I didn't really exert myself as much as I was thinking. :-) Course I did stretch before and after. That does help, I know.

We probably have close to a foot of snow all together. Last night only added about 6 inches, they say, but it seems like more to me. Especially when I tried to shovel it! I lasted about 15 minutes before John relieved me. Thank you, John! That stuff was heavy!

Snow Day today! I love snow days. Everyone gets enough sleep. I'm starting to realize that getting enough sleep is really, really important to everyone's mood.

Mary and Liz shoveled our neighbor's driveway together. In spite of plenty of sleep they found quite a bit to bicker about, although it's kind of hard to tell what's really bickering and what's poking fun. Even their arguments erupt into laughter quite regularly. I love it.

Today's argument was over who was going to get to use the yellow shovel. The yellow shovel is plastic and has an ergonomic handle. The red one is old, heavy, and made of metal. It's great for scraping close to the sidewalk. Needless to say, they both really wanted the yellow one. My suggestion of taking turns seemed to go nowhere. They left still negotiating.

Since I spent some time organizing my garage yesterday Mary happened upon some sand toys as she walked through the garage. She grabbed a little yellow sand shovel, held it high, and shrieked to Liz, "You want the yellow shovel? Here's a yellow shovel!!!" The three of us died laughing. I shut door. I knew they'd work it out.... they did.

Here comes the snow. I can't wait! We have a blizzard warning starting at 7:00 PM tonight and continuing for 24 hours!!!! Wooohooo. If the predictions are anywhere near accurate there will not be school tomorrow.

May everyone who has to go somewhere be protected by St. Christopher! And may they be smart enough to drive REALLY slowly!!!

OK. That being said, I love a really good snowstorm. I love the drama. I love the beauty. And I love snow days!!

Course, I may not be able to get out of bed tomorrow to enjoy it because I just spent the last 5 hours or so working on cleaning out our garage enough to get a car in!! Yup. I did. I am not 100% sure yet that the car will fit, but it looks pretty good. I'm already a little sore. Just took two motrin and a cup of coffee to help keep those old muscles calm.

Last night's lesson? Don't put your phone down in your car in the dark.

Here's what I did. I had a mug of tea with me on the way to a meeting at church. It was in the cup holder and I still had an inch or two left when I went inside. When I came out I did not think about the tea. In the dark, I tossed my cell phone into the cup holder where I usually keep it in the car. That is, I usually do this when I do NOT have a mug with tea already in the holder!! I didn't even bump the mug with my hand. I had completely forgotten about it.

Suddenly I noticed the light came on on my phone. I picked it up to see if someone was calling.

Why is there liquid dripping off of my phone??!!! AHHHH! I suddenly realize what I did. I tried to dry it off with Kleenex. It seemed OK. But this morning it's dead.

My daughter said to put it in a bag of rice for a while. I thought, why not? So that's what I'm trying. Any other ideas?

March for Life Pix

My dear friend Nan who lives in Arlington, Virginia, for several years now has opened her home to us when my daughters and I come for the March for Life. This year, since the March was on Monday, we had the weekend to spend time sightseeing and visiting with her and her family.

Here we are at a cupcake shop in D.C., across from the National Portrait Gallery. The cupcakes were yummy! ( I was taking the picture.)

We visited Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington . What an amazing leader he was!

The night before the March Nan's living room turned into an artist studio as the girls and I made our signs...
We had wait list tickets for the Youth Rally and Mass and were blessed to be able to get in. There were many bishops and hundreds of priests concelebrating the Mass. It was very inspiring. A message was read by a bishop from the Holy Father.
We managed to figure out our subway route. (quite simple, actually :-)
And here we were at the end of the March. I had tried to contact my good friend Sally from Ann Arbor who was at the March with her family. Shortly after this picture was taken we "accidentally" ran into each other. It was so much fun. Sally and I are always discussing politics and there we were together in front of the U.S. Capital.
Here at Nan's kitchen table I was reminded of the verse from the Canticle of Zachariah.

"In the tender compassion of our God,

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet unto the way of Peace."

On the way to the Washington March for Life!!! Having fun with my daughters :-) Looking forward to meeting Anne in Washington tomorrow!

If any of you are going to the March email me. Denise?

Well, I just got back from Curves. Pretty proud of myself for going after dinner. That hardly ever happens. But I'm starting to feel kind of old and I realize I really need to keep the old body moving. You know?

Jim went back to Dallas last night. It was so wonderful having him home for a month. What a blessing. I miss him terribly. I know he's at a wonderful school but does it have to be so far from Michigan? I mean really. It's a 20 hour drive!! But I do believe it's where God wants him to be. And what an education he's getting. I'm a little jealous. :-) He has another break in mid-March that he'll come home for. It won't be that long.

We're going to the March for Life in Washington again this year!! I will drive there with my two youngest girls and my oldest daughter, Anne, will fly in from Atlanta to meet us there. We are really looking forward to this. Anyone in the Washington area going to the national march??

I'm trying to get back in the habit of blogging regularly.....

A few of my favorite Christmas images...

I can't just turn off Christmas. I could never take the tree down on January 1. Good heavens. that would be way too early for us. We ALWAYS keep it up until at least Jan. 6, the traditional Feast of the Epiphany before it was changed to a Sunday.

But now we're past the Baptism of Jesus and our tree is still up. We're even still turning the lights on. LOL I know. Christmas is officially over. But it's so pretty. What's the rush? Plus my husband's knee and back have been hurting and he is usually the one to get the boxes out. I meant to get them out today but still haven't gotten to it.

So here are a few of my lingering Christmas images....

Stockings on the mantel beneath the Nativity scene.

Another little Nativity scene. I love how the light shines on the Baby Jesus. So precious.

And this one? Well, just happened to notice how pretty these ornaments were looking. And "Hope?" Well, can't we always use that reminder...

In the tradition of my mother, I try to convince my children that they will not be receiving the gifts they have asked for for Christmas and birthdays. I ask them what they would like and then try to maintain the fun of the surprise. Mind you, they do not always get what they have asked for, so there is always some doubt anyway.

I was with Mary when she first saw this hat in the department store. She loved it. She raved about it. She exclaimed that she would REALLY like to get this hat for Christmas.

I bought it later that week when she was not with me. When I later asked her for Christmas ideas and she would mention the hat I would say, "You mean like a knit hat, a warm hat?" and she would say, "No, remember the one at Von Maur? The black one with the rose thing on the side?" I look confused for a minute. "Oh yeah. That one in the junior department?" She says, "Yeah!" and then describes exactly where it is and what it looks like. I smile on the inside. I know I have convinced her that I have not already purchased it.

A week or so later I ask her again to remind me of her Christmas suggestions. She mentions the hat. For a few seconds I give her a blank look. Knowing she would not believe that I have no recollection of our last conversation, I pretend it is just coming back to me. "Oh yeah. That black one?" I ask. I have tricked her again. I can tell from her face. (Although interiorly I know she may be thinking, "Is she pretending")

When (if) she reads this post she will probably tell me she could read me all along. We'll see.

In any case, it's my little game. I think keeping a gift a surprise is half, maybe more than half, of the fun.

Some gifts are just such fun to give...

Some gifts are just such fun to give...like the one Mary is opening here.

In our family we don't give the kids cell phones until they're driving. I know most kids have them. I know they're very convenient for reaching the kids quickly. But it just seems to us that we can make do until that time. When they're younger I sometimes loan them mine.

Mary turned 16 the day after Christmas. She does not yet have her license but she will soon. So it seemed about time for her to have a cell phone.

Now for our plan. On Christmas morning, before she was up, I turned on her phone and THEN wrapped it and put in under the tree with the other presents. Jim programmed her new number into his phone and kept it near him. As I went to pick up the wrapped phone to give to Mary I bumped Jim in the knee and gave him a look as I went by.

Mary looked at the package. (Jim is secretly dialing her number.) She said, "Maybe I'll wait and open this one in a little bit." Just then the package starts ringing. Startled, she jumped, staring at the gift and then exclaimed, "No! I'm going to open this one right now!!"

Mary receiving her first cell phone call from Jim.
John showing Mary some things on her new phone.

It was so much fun. I can't believe we pulled it off.

My nephew Luke

You gotta love Luke. Here he is. My nephew. My Godson. He has his challenges. Sometimes just doing what is expected, staying within the boundaries, is very difficult for him. But he has a cheerful, imaginative and creative spirit about him.

Here he is opening a gift he clearly was enjoying-- one of Santa's reindeer's bells. (Mind you, he doesn't believe in Santa. But he still enjoys an innocent kind of pretending.)

You can always count on Luke. Often he will do what the other kids will not. For example, at our Christmas Mass we have a procession made up of mostly children bringing to Baby Jesus in the Nativity Scene baby items for our local crisis pregnancy center. Naturally, it was Luke who agreed to represent our family with the baby items in the procession.

On Christmas morning of course it was Luke who volunteered to take the Baby Jesus to the OUTDOOR Nativity Scene. Here he is coming down the stairs....
And then, without even grabbing a coat, he immediately headed outside for the manger...

And placed Jesus carefully in the manger...I thought it was so cute I was standing on the porch in my bathrobe taking pictures.
Yup, as my brother once said, "He's our Luke. No matter what he does, he's still our Luke." Yes. And we love him.

Now recall the reindeer bell he so delighted in above.

Zach (my new and favorite son-in-law) wrote the following poem (in 90 seconds) during the reindeer games.

An Ode to Santa

Dancer dropped his bell.

When I found it, I nearly fell.

Resentment, I hope he doesn't harbor

For I am the newest reindeer, Luke Barber!

I thought I would die laughing. And Luke thought it was the funniest of all! LOL

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

We had a lovely Christmas with everyone home, including Anne and my new son-in-law Zach. Family times. I just love to have all the kids home.

Here was the living room Christmas morning.

The kids need to stay at the top of the stairs until we start the music "Joy to the World." Then they come downstairs each carrying at least one Baby Jesus for the various nativity scenes. My nephew Luke (below) has the outdoor Baby Jesus. (which he did take out to the nativity scene in the front yard :-)
Then we light the Advent candles and sing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus before everything starts. We all blow out the Advent candles as though they are birthday candles.

At 2:00 daughters Liz and Anne had planned "reindeer games." The notice of said games was posted the day before.
They were so much fun....word games, drawing games, and even a poem writing contest. We had 90 seconds to write a Christmas poem. Then judges Anne and Liz decided who had the best poem. Zach won with a poem that was so hilarious we were all falling off our chairs. (I may post it later.)

I hope you all had a Blessed Christmas and I pray you will have new year full of grace!!

Urgent Prayer Request

Please pray for a little girl named Bridget. She is a very sweet, dear girl who has cancer.

She underwent neurosurgery on Monday and is now suffering from some pretty serious complications. Please pray for her. She comes from a large good Catholic family.

Father Solanus Casey, please pray that Bridget will be completely healed and able to come home for Christmas.

Please pray that the Lord will grant to Bridget's family the Christmas miracle they are pleading for. Lord have mercy. Come and reward your people's hope.

Oh Boy. I'm really tired. I've had a very busy month.

Everyone is home. It's wonderful.

I've made lots of cookies. I have a ham and turkey ready for Christmas. I have maybe half my presents wrapped. I have all my shopping finished.

My house is not clean. It's not bothering me.

My sister and her family have arrived.

I'm eating too much.

I have not neglected my prayer life as I usually do when I get busy. God is good.

My brother is planning a Christmas carol sing-a-long for Christmas day. I think it will be very fun.

Im sorry I haven't written in such a long time. I'm fine. Just busy and drawn to other things. I hope you are all doing well.

If I don't get a chance to write again before Christmas I wish you all a blessed, peaceful, and joy filled Christmas. May the holiness of that night that transcended all time be upon us all.

Transportation Security Administration

Personally, I think the new virtual strip search machines at the airport are an outrageous violation of the Constitution's protection against unreasonable searches. If this is not a violation what would be?

The Wall Street Journal in its December 4-5 edition printed an editorial that stated, "The head of the Transportation Security Administration says inconvenience is a small price to pay for safety." Well, Mr. Pistole, I think inconvenience is a small price to pay for safety too. But we are not talking about an inconvenience. We are talking about a gross violation of personal privacy. I have zero tolerance for bureaucrats who defend their actions with rhetoric that conceals the actual issue. Mr. Pistole, you know what this is about and it's not about "inconvenience."

I was also alarmed to hear his comment about an "underwear bomb." Now I thought the entire justification for this, in my opinion, ridiculous policy was the Christmas Day bomber. I thought this machine was supposed to prevent that from happening again. (Never mind that the terrorists have plenty of other ideas to use...) When asked if we even know if these screenings would detect such a bomb Mr. Pistole said that they "never put it on someone and tested it."

What??!!?? They never put a bomb like that on someone to see if it would be detected by these machines? Why not? They're spending millions of dollars on these privacy violating machines and they didn't test to see if it could detect the very device they say is the reason for the policy?

Is this incompetence on the part of the TSA or is the Christmas Day bomber not the real reason for the screenings. I think an explanation is in order.

Furthermore, I have another few questions. Now I'll grant you I may have not read enough about these things and maybe these questions have indeed been answered.

These images are supposed to not be saved on the computer screen. Is there a method for the operator to override that automatic protocol and actually save it? It seems there would be such an option to save it in the case of questionable scans. What safeguards are in place to ensure that the operator does not choose to save an image for another purpose?

If there is such an override option is it possible to email that image somewhere-- like to the TSA offices? Surely there is, since if someone brought a weapon or a bomb the picture would be needed as evidence. What safeguards are in place that would ensure that such email capacity, if there is one, is not abused?

And where is the ACLU? I understand that they do not like the new screenings. When are they going to file a lawsuit? A nativity scene in the town square is a threat to civil liberties deserving of legal action and these screenings are not? Seems just a little bit inconsistent to me.

OK. Thanks for letting me vent.

Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Story about Interracial Adoption

Tribute Books has asked me to write a review of the children's book Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Story about Interracial Adoption by Andrea Napa. And so I give you the following:

In 2001 Andrea Napa adopted a little girl, Leah, from Vietnam. It is to this daughter Leah that Andrea has dedicated her book. "For my dear Leah, whose journey in her young life has already taken her to far away and unexpected places."

Red in the Flower Bed is a sweet book. The story is a simple one of a seed in a faraway place which is dropped by a flower onto dry ground. The flower, realizing the ground is too dry, allows the wind to transport it to a garden that is especially right for it. The seed germinates and grows into a beautiful red poppy, delighting all the other flowers with its new and different color. The daisy exclaims, "There is now red in the flower bed. And best of all, look down the row...We have a complete rainbow."

A lovely metaphor for the international and interracial adoption process, the story is told in simple rhyme that could be easily understood by even a young child. I encourage you to view the trailer below...

The endearing illustrations and lovely message of hope and Providence make this a suitable book for children of all ages.

I almost wish the subtitle had not been added. It is, of course, important to the author as it is indeed a symbolization of the story of Leah's adoption. But the message could have an even broader appeal. It could, for example, invoke the saying "Bloom where you are planted." And I can see the allegory also giving comfort to children who have just experienced a family move, especially a move to a foreign country. The symbolism could be taken even further to unfamiliar and even scary situations where children might find themselves. Ironically, Leah, of whom the seed is a personification, did indeed find herself in such a situation when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. (She is, thankfully, now in remission.) That one can bloom and be loved and valued in the most unexpected and surprising of places is indeed a positive and powerful truth.

I recommend this book because of it's cheerful illustrations and enduring theme of hope...a lesson that is applicable to a number of life circumstances, even beyond the adoption process.

You can read an excerpt here. This is a dear book.