12 / year...July

If you want to play along, please do. No quality or quantity limits...no time limits (except it would probably be a good idea to do one a month ...that's kind of the idea). Other than one a month, do whatever you like. I will too. Some months may be busy and fun, some may be boring. You can be artistic or not, just show life, or be symbolic. You choose it all!

You are welcome to snatch my image, if you create your own 12/year post. Just leave a comment here so I can come and see what you did in June.

The month began with clean up from the great home "renocation" (renovation in lieu of vacation) -- we replaced all the floors in the kitchen, hall, dining room, and living room with wood. Everything in the kitchen and dining room hutch, as well as the living room furniture and shelves had to be packed just as if we were moving. The boxes had to be cleared out into the garage and then, of course, afterward unpacked and everything put away. Why is it that the putting away takes so much longer than the packing?

The final product:

The living room is not quite finished -- we are waiting on a new piece of furniture, but for now part of the "new" is in place. I bought a couple of these chairs and a little love seat to match. I love them. All the buttons are a different fabric. I have never before had "whimsical" in my house, but now I do.

Fourth of July

Of course we had to get the house in order right away for out-of-town company on the Fourth.

I didn't take many pictures, but I did get one of this impressive dessert, inspired by Jessica

and these lovely sparklers -- my aunt Annette (she hates when I call her aunt, but she is my uncle's wife), my mom, and Faith.

Our Lady of Grace for my birthday. She looks diminutive here, but that's a really large tree. I think she needs to be surrounded by Forget-me-nots.

The first week of the month was our last few day Enthroning the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our home.

I know I promised a post about the process and I will do that this week. It was a really good thing. Like God-is-good good.

A beautiful crucifix from my dear friend Gina for my birthday. It reminded me so much of the Papal crucifix made popular by our beloved Blessed (to-be saint) Pope John Paul II. This monstrance holds a second class relic of that beloved saint so I thought they belonged together on the living room wall.

a beautiful half moon on a clear night

The stole. I know you've seen images of this stole a hundred times already (slight exaggeration), but, hey, it consumed a lot of the month. And today, on this last day of the month, I spoke on the phone to Fr. Howe, for whom the stole was commissioned. A sweeter young man I have never spoken to. I told my husband that if my son was that sweet and that composed and that, well, holy, I would be like Simeon and say "I could die a happy woman today." Maybe that's a little dramatic but he was absolutely darling.

And since his mom shared this picture with me, on the occasion of his first Mass, I'm going to share it as well, because he is just a beautiful man, and I hope one day that I can kiss his hands. Janette, you can ask me to take this down if you want. I won't be offended. ;-)

I learned through Janette and her son about an order of nuns who have seminars, infrequently, but nevertheless, to teach vestment making. It's on my sooner-than-bucket-list, if you know what I mean.

After a baby shower my mom and sister-in-law and Faith attended for my cousin Amy, I took a picture of this picture from my wedding album to send to Amy's mother-in-law. Amy and Jill were our flower girls (our little ring bearer, Joe, is now married and the father of many -- I feel soooo old). Amy is on the left in the picture and our Jill is on the right. Amy is just so cute there, and 3D pictures of her little girl in utero look just like her!

Just an FYI...Our wedding was held in the Mother of Mercy chapel at St. Charles 

(Doug is an alum as are two of our sons, and the third is there now)

 and Joshua and Taylor plan to be married there as well. Sniff.

I'll see you at the end of August with another edition.

It's raining, it's pouring...

...the old man is snoring Daybook, of sorts


In the backyard... 

...you guessed, it's raining. I know a lot of areas have had more than their share of rain this year, but we got pretty dry in the last week, so rain today is good. Today we're getting the slow, steady sort that I love. The grass has stayed soft this year (joy) and the flowers and groundcover are all so green. It helps that the temps only got over 90 for a handful of days so far. My (environmental policy major) son keeps reminding me that global warming is a misnomer -- it's global climate change. Sounds more right considering the weather we've had.


What's going through my mind...

...lists of what my second college boy needs for his apartment. Move-in is next weekend and I'm not ready and, well, he's a guy, so he thinks it will all just appear when he needs it.

In the school room...

...ah, today the CAT tests get mailed away and we are officially on break with just math review every day. Sigh. School does not begin until September...uh 3rd...for this teacher and her student.

On the table...

...I think marinated grilled chicken, steamed green beans, grilled potatoes and fresh bread for dinner. I purchased this ebook (after Elizabeth Foss wrote about it) and I am determined to simplify our meals. For too long, too much thought has gone into meals in this house. Meals need to be healthy and not expensive, but we are going to be down to four eaters at meals after next weekend, so they need to be much more simple. I already had almost all of what is required to have on-hand to use most of the recipes, and we just joined Costco, so I can have veggies, fruit and meat in the freezer more often. If you want to check out the concept written about in the book, go to the author's blog and see her meal plan for the week. Admittedly my husband wants more meal than the author plans for, as does my 6'2" son, so I just plan an extra side or two for my meals.

Today I am wearing...

...a lightweight denim skirt and pink and white striped Lands End top (new to me -- cute). I have a physical therapy evaluation for my back this afternoon and I know the therapist is going to tell me I need to wear pants to my sessions, but guess what? I gave away all my pants! At least I have culotte style slips for modesty.


I am reading...

...listening to The Private Patient on my phone while I do other things (when will I ever sit and just read a book again?) It's a light mystery, moderately entertaining. I am alternating between the book and watching Sherlock on the Kindle.


I am creating....
...a scapular with the Discalced Carmelite crest on it (this one was a toughie) for a young man who is a new secular Carmelite.
...several baby quilts
...several rosaries and St. Michael chaplets


I am hoping...
...to get out of the funk I've been in lately. I don't know what depression feels like, and because I can get out of bed every day and do all the things I need to do, I don't feel like I'm depressed, but I feel like I'm in a funk for sure. I think my kids do, too. I think Doug and I both feel like we missed summer this year, after the home renovation project. We decided we had a home renocation this year. Get it "renocation"? As in renovation and no vacation? We haven't been on vacation in five years and we can tell. That's one of the things that goes by the wayside when mama stays home with the children and doesn't have an income. Maybe some day when we don't own a home and don't have things that need fixed and replaced every year...speaking of which my dryer is broke and I just realized that the rain means no dry laundry today. The repair man comes tomorrow...so I guess I'll worry about laundry tomorrow.

"I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow." -- Scarlett O'Hara

Prayers sent heavenward for...

...my husband and children
...my cousin Amy and her little girl -- due August 25
...my friend Gina, who is on vacation right now and I am happy for her!
...Nella, who I found through Mary, and when I feel sorry for myself because of anything I think of Nella and pray for her (if you have some time today read about Nella and then pray for her)
...Thomas Peters (more sacrificial intentions there)
...our priests and religious
...all the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week, for a change of heart


Quote of the day....

  

“Love is shown more in deeds than in words.” 

― St. Ignatius of Loyola -- feast day July 31

Good/Bad Thursday

I'm bringing back the good/bad posts because I'm afraid if I don't, I'll never post again. I don't even have the brain to come up with paragraphs anymore.

Besides, I was having a very nice morning, did my prayer and spiritual reading (and before I read any blogs), almost finished a St. Michael chaplet (making not praying), and then, during cup of coffee nombre trois (which was probably where things went downhill) I wrote a very long comment on a favorite blog and blogger ate the whole thing. Urgh. No, I mean URGH!

Thus the rebirth of good/bad blog posts.

But let's start with good, it's always a better idea.

Good
I taught a class yesterday evening. And they were all (except for two teens) adults! I warned them that I am a terrible teacher, at least that is what my children tell me (well, they have a few times, but in anger mostly, I think), and that I am a mean teacher (I believe that), but they consented anyway. It was a chain rosary class and I taught it at our parish. I think most of my students were happy, and at least nobody cried (always good).

Bad
Blogger. Or maybe it's bloglovin', I can't tell who the culprit is. Blogger keeps logging me out, which could be why I am losing comments every time I try to leave them. But maybe the root is bloglovin', which I thought I was liking, but when I click to go to a blog I stay in some sort of bloglovin' zone, and that might be the problem. It's not good whatever it is. Bloglovin' sure was easy to switch to from Reader, but maybe easy isn't necessarily what I want here. What are you doing? Maybe I need to just use my own blog as home base. I do think that encourages more commenting because, hey, if I'm at your place, I am much more likely to say "hey!" And I do think we need to get back to saying "hey" a lot more than we are. Agreed?

Good
Say "hey!"

Bad
I started washing and packing for my second son to move out in less than a month. Josh will have a studio apartment on campus this year, which is good for him -- no commute -- but bad for me. I will have half of my children left at home (and the half left is the half that don't get along very well -- really bad for me). Josh is not home a lot now, but he does still touch base every once in a while. I guess as long as I still play grocery fairy (which I still do for Geoffrey) I will see him pretty often. The tricky thing is going to be dropping off groceries for both boys at the same time because what are the odds that they will be home at the same time during the day? You may be wondering why they don't live together and I am somewhat embarrassed to say they would probably kill each other if they did. Two boys could not be more different. I often wonder how it is that all four of my children grew up in the same house with the same parents. I could have just as likely picked them up from opposite ends of the earth. Besides, living alone forces them to be responsible for their own messes (because you can't blame anyone else when you live alone).

Good
Our pastor is coming to bless our home tomorrow. Not only will our home be holy (yay!), but it will be clean. All the bedspreads, draperies, nooks and crannies are getting cleaned -- not only so that I am not embarrassed by my dirty house, but so the holy water doesn't get caught in the dust bunnies and cobwebs.

Bad
With all the rain we've had, the weeds have taken over the garden, so let's hope Father doesn't venture out there.

Good
It cooled down incredibly. I could definitely love this weather for the rest of the summer (sorry kiddies -- it's too cool to swim, but we can all breathe).

And one last Good
Here are a few pictures of "the stole." Father's mama and papa received it (yay UPS!), and though Father himself has not seen it, he doesn't have a clue about this blog, so we're safe.

...and so now what?

A daybook, of sorts, I guess.

In the backyard... 

...hot, hot, hot. Summer finally arrived. I was so watching for storm clouds on the feast of St. Swithin. Just a one-hour storm would have made me so happy, but not to be. We had some big grey clouds, but nary a drop. Now it's mid to high 90s every day and no rain, not a drop, after day-after-day of heavy downpours. I miss rain. You know I love a rainy day. Now we just rotate the sprinklers because I refuse to lose the green lush foliage out there.

This storm swept across the state of Ohio last week. No power outages (at my house), fortunately. I am going to start petitioning St. Swithin daily for just a nice, three-hour rain.

What's going through my mind...

...what to do next? I finished the stole. Big, big, sigh. Yesterday, I took it to the UPS store, all wrapped in tissue and carried ever so careful in. The clerk actually laughed when I asked if I could watch her box it. She thought I was joking. I felt like I was giving her a baby to pack up and ship. Ok, maybe not quite that dramatic, but still. She asked if the normal $100 insurance would cover the contents and I said, "Never. And I have no idea who would remake it if you lost it." She could only promise me that SHE wouldn't lose it. Not very comforting. So, St. Christopher, I am counting on you, man. Please get that precious garment safely to the mama of the sweet young priest who will wear it. Please.

(Sorry, no pictures of the stole until the mama and Father see it.)

Which brings me to "what next?" I have some chapel veils that I finished yesterday to pack up and mail (they are almost on their way, Kara), then I have 14 scapulars to embroider (and I am way behind), seven St. Michael chaplets to make (all identical -- urg), three Seven Sorrows Chaplets to make, bedding for those two doll beds, still (I think Faith will be ready to give away the beds by the time she gets the bedding), a few blouses to make for Faith, a few skirts for me, and a chain rosary class to teach next week.

And then next Friday our pastor is coming to bless our house, so I guess I better get cleaning.

I really have no business blogging.

Such a pretty half moon in a perfectly clear sky.

Hellooooo, man in the moon. I can almost see you.

In the school room...

...we have five lessons of math left in last year's Saxon book and still it is like pulling teeth every day for Faith to get that book out. She also needs to finish up a little bit of English. I will not call it a year until those lessons are finished.

In the meantime, I am also starting to think about next year. I think I need to mark off an entire week to do lesson plans. This (last) year was a little too loosey-goosey in the lesson plan department and here it is mid-July and we are still finishing math and English.

On the table...

...last night we had a delicious meal of Asian marinated pork kabobs, grilled pineapple, coconut rice and roast asparagus. It was really good, and got rave reviews (well there were only four of us at the table, and all adults, remarkably, but still it was good). Tonight for dinner, I have no idea. I have some very ripe mangoes and peaches, and yogurt, which would be a wonderful dinner if it was just me, but, alas, it is not just me. Maybe Mushroom meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

Sarah Bernhardt, the cat.

Today I am wearing...

...a new skirt (newly-made two weeks ago) in reds and yellows, and a yellow v-neck top, sandals. It has been one year since I began wearing skirts. I have not worn pants since. I don't think I ever will again, even if my nerve pain goes away.

A glimpse at my new floor.

Prayers sent heavenward for...

...my husband and children
...my cousin Amy, due August 26, but who has gestational diabetes (Amy is so tiny I don't know how that baby is going to stay inside her mama full-term)
...Sarah, who is having two boys today (yeah for boys!)
...Gina, recovering from reconstruction surgery and needs to stay moving slowly.
...our priests and religious
...all the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week, for a change of heart


Quote of the day....

"Brother, if you commit a sin and take pleasure in it, the pleasure passes but the sin remains. But if you do something virtuous even though you are tired, the tiredness passes but the virtue remains."

~~ St. Camillus, patron of doctors, feast July 18

Just time for a picture and a song

Many of you asked about the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our home and I will tell you about it after a precious package has been sent on its way to the mama in the post below.

In the meantime, Kimberlee asked to see our image. As part of the Enthronement, the image is to be placed in a prominent place in the home. Ours is above the mantel, in the family room, the center of all the activity (well, maybe second to the kitchen) in our home. I purchased an image from an Etsy artist and had it specially framed with red velvet and white satin matting. We have a spotlight shining on it and I placed a string of white lights and red velvet flower sprays among the candles and statue of Our Blessed Mother across the mantel. It is the best throne I can make for Our Lord at this time.

Pardon my Holstein cowdog. Maggie got a haircut and now she has black spots. (wink)

And because I've been on a Nicole Mullen kick all week, here is just one more. I really love this song.

At the end of every rainbow 

There’s a promise proven true

No matter how you’re feeling now or what you go through

There will be somebody lovin’ you

Deeper than the grandest canyon

And higher than the open sky

Near enough to capture every whisper, every sigh

Strong enough to hold you when you cry

I Am. I was. I am the one who is to come. Yeah

Before and after, I’ll still be what I am and what I was.

All that you need. All that you want.

I Am.

 

needle and thread (no read, just lots and lots of gold thread)

 I am joining Elizabeth and friends today, but I...have....a confession to make.

Last fall a reader, a sister in Christ, and friend of my heart, contacted me and told me that her beloved son was going to be ordained a priest, a holy priest, this year. She inquired as to whether or not I would consider sewing his confessional stole, to be a gift from his parents. I thought about it and said "yes." I never thought it would be anything but simple (in many ways I am naturally optimistic, which sometimes is not a good thing). I have made complicated window treatments, fussy First Holy Communion dresses, lining zippers up just perfectly with waistlines of dresses (which ain't always easy, by the way).

I had never made a stole. I had no idea what I was in for. Besides the barricades that satan has put in my way (and don't think he doesn't care about liturgical vestments, because he does),  my inexperience has been very much in the way. Decisions made which had to be undone. Mistakes from suppliers, mail taking its good old time in Rome, fabric taking its good old time from England. The young man, now a beautiful priest, God bless him, was ordained in May and still he does not have his confessional stole. Fortunately he will never know all the obstacles, but he does know that it is delayed.

This week there have been some raw emotions as well as raw fingers. But, mama, I promise, this stole will be in your hands by next week. I have been sewing non-stop for days. I stop only to boil more water for tea, toss a load from the washer to the dryer and throw food on the table for my family. My husband does the dishes and says "Go sew." My daughter volunteers to help around the house so I can just sew. It has become a family sacrifice.

This is the kissing cross. Every little scallop on the edge gets a stitch, and on the curves two or even three. Four long, long edges, two sides, and two ends with fringe. (Pardon my nightgown, I start early.)

The embroidery was not done by me, I commissioned it by a woman in Connecticut. This stole has gotten around, I tell you.

This is the bottom edge. Since I took the picture I added the fringe and the bottom trim. Now one more end, and the purple trim to add. And it will be on it's way to you, overnight express, dear, sweet, patient lady!

You would think the tired fingers and sore fingertips, not to mention the humility involved in admitting over and over that you are unsure what to do would be the hardest part of this project.

But the hardest part of this project has been the emotion that it brings out. How many times I have had to stop, take off my glasses and just cry? This holy priest's mama will never know and nor will he (although if she just read that, I guess she has an idea).

This man, this sweet, holy man, for whom I am sewing is a man, yes, but a man in persona Christi. He will wear the stole when hearing confessions, baptizing babies, in the holy sacrifice of the Mass -- all in persona Christi. When I think about it, I just break down and weep. His mother knew that I would pray and I have. I pray the prayer of St. Michael that satan will leave me alone to work, and I pray Hail Mary after Hail Mary, and prayers to Our Lady Undoer of Knots each time my gold thread gets tangled, I pray to St. Joseph the worker to make my hands strong, and finally to St. Anne, the patron of seamstresses. I pray for this dear, sweet man who has given his life to God and I weep for myself, a lowly sinner, for the mistakes I have made, but God willing not on this precious stole.

Instead of reading right now I am listening to some music. Earlier I was listening, mostly to these heavenly sisters, but this song is on my playlist. I don't even need to say it was one of the many times I needed my tissues, right next to me on the table. This song says it all.

 

Click on the bottom right corners of the box for the full screen version. It's worth it. Oh, and do listen.

Holy Captivated

Listening again to music from past dance recitals this week, this song really brought some raw emotion to the surface this week, but the good kind of emotion, the kind that comes from faith in God and our eternity spent with him. These lyrics especially were so meaningful to me and to those who are close to me (you know who you are):

When I am overwhelmed by

All that is around me

And the tears

That flood my heart

Run down my face

I'll remember that Your heart and

Soul was broken and even in pain

You're worthy of praise

Such beautiful music and a beautiful artist. I know I gush over our dance studio (Leap of Faith), but I feel so fortunate to have found a place where my daughter can praise God through dance and listen to such beautiful faith-filled music.

streaming...(7/6) whoops, now it's the 7th!

I am incredibly busy with a really, really big project right now...a monumental project which I am not going to talk about yet, but it is taking a lot of time. And it's not the floors, which, thank goodness, are finished.

In the meantime, all week long, from the last Saturday of June until the first Saturday of July we were enthroning the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our home. It was a wonderful experience, one which I hope will bring us many graces, much peace, trust in the Lord...all good things, and the fortitude to handle the things that are not so good, but quite possibly are good for us in the end (on the last page, right Mags?). When I consecrated my life to Our Blessed Mother over two years ago, I knew that she would guide me to her Son. I had no idea how, but I have been trying to be a willing follower. I give her my time, sewing scapulars and making rosaries. With each new bridge I find I need to cross, I tell Our Blessed Mother, please just help me find me way, and she always does. When we were approached about Enthroning the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our home, I felt Mary had led me to this bridge. He is King! He is The King now in our home, and I am grateful, so grateful for my faith that I can experience bringing my family closer to Him.

I can't chat now for long but I was listening to some music I downloaded recently for Faith, music from her dance recital, and I heard this song she danced to and thought how this song really says what it's like to make Christ the center of our home.

You're invited....

...to a baby shower!

Sarah at Amongst Lovely Things is one of those beautiful internet friends I have made through this blog (and I'll tell you, the only thing that keeps me blogging is finding people like Sarah out there in the world). She and her darling family are so fun to read about that reading Sarah's blog is almost a near occasion of sin for me (almost). I could begin to have feelings of envy when I read about her sweet family if it were not for the fact that she is just so dang cute and so real!

If you read her blog, you know that Sarah is having twin baby boys. I can only think of one thing better than a baby boy (because I do love those baby boys!) and that's two baby boys. Oh, yum. But you can imagine that having two baby boys is going to be tough for a while so Sarah is going to need help. That's where this lovely worldwide web comes in handy. People from all over can help Sarah and her family with gifts of prayer and diapers! Yes, diapers! Two baby boys means lots of diaper changes, and Mary at Better than Eden has offered to help raise a few bucks for all those diapers!

You can donate cash for diapers and/or prayers, and either one can earn you a chance to win some prizes (because baby showers always have prizes!). I donated an embroidered brown scapular and an Our Lady of Mt. Carmel tenner to the giveaway, so click over and participate and maybe you will win!