(11/14)...streaming

I just came home from being in the car for an hour or so and my head is ready to explode. I have so many projects going on I don't know what to do at any moment and when I can’t work on anything (like when I am in the car) it makes me nuts. I came home, threw in a load of laundry and sat down to think about something else.

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I have Christmas gifts on the brain, but Thanksgiving is next week and I have not really planned anything. Eighteen people for dinner, but no plan. Anything wrong there? The only thing I have done is order these cute little favor containers to hold candies. I don't think my guests would be too happy, however, if all I serve is candies.

And I ordered some yarn and some needles to knit some hats before Christmas. I no longer can think of anything to buy the teenagers in my extended family, so they get a knit hat and cash (or scarves for the girls). I just need some extended time to sit and knit. I have the last three inches of a sweater for Doug's nephew to finish, and then over the weekend I cast on a Tiny Tea Leaves Cardigan for Faith. Lots of knitting ahead of me.

I have four out of eight St. Michael chaplets to finish for a man who is giving them to his children --- very sweet. I don’t mind the job, but feel somewhat like a manufacturer making eight of the same. And I think I am losing money on them, but hopefully will gain some Divine graces for the favor. In the car I remembered that I want to make a tenner rosary for all of Noah’s teachers, too. The list is growing and growing. I hope my family doesn’t want meals before Christmas.

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Is anyone else having trouble with blogger? I start a blog post and then a pop-up window tells me Blogger logged out, and I can’t save or publish or anything. Pft. Makes me feel like I should maybe be doing something else. I am now composing on a Word document. Hopefully it will all transfer with the links.

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If you don’t read Jennie Cooper’s blog I highly recommend you read her story of Conversion. It starts here, and the second installment is here. And while you’re there, remind her that we are waiting (patiently) for the next installment. Good stuff.

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I have been feeling very unsettled about school lately, We’ve had day after day of fitting school in around life and I need to get back to a structured day. Every one who homeschools does it differently, and many mothers feel that life is school, but I have a need for orderly school – extended periods of time spent with books. Maybe it’s my own inadequacy, but it’s real nevertheless. I need several days in a row when I know my daughter has learned something besides life skills. It’s time to rethink the schedule we have been maintaining lately and start putting books before anything else. Between now and Christmas things could get real nuts otherwise.

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Every night when we say our grace at dinner we ask for prayers for our family and special intentions we may temporarily have. This month I have added the prayer “May the souls of the faithful departed, with the mercy of God, rest in peace” and it feels really nice to remember those who have gone before us every day. At night I always ask for any souls who have been released from purgatory as a result of our prayers, to remember us in prayer. Can we ever have enough prayer?

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Alright, my head is still ready to explode, so I’m going to prepare dinner. Hamburgers with blue cheese and bacon. Mmmm. We are currently under a tornado watch and Doug is going shopping after dinner for a snow blower. It’s a weird time of year.