1stAnniversary or You Know You're a Blogger When...

Moi- a person who in her entire life never, ever was consistent with a journal is proud (but not in a deadly-sin way) to be celebrating her first blog-anniversary. I refuse to say "blogoversary" just as my younger sister won't say "jeggings." While I am trying to remain anonymous and charitable- so sometimes this blog is rather milquetoast compared to the gritty reality we are sometimes living- it has been an interesting record which I hope to continue.  

Sometimes I feel as if I have nothing to say- especially because I have a self-censor mode. I really don't believe in letting all of my personal business be out there for the entire world (those interested enough to click on my blog) to read about. Do you really want to know that Big Baby Boy had a fever last night? Probably not, but that was our life last night.

So I thought I would re-read the first few blog posts from last year. They are a bit bleak, but they stand true and I don't disown anything I have written. But what was my stated purpose in starting this blog- besides being a personal journal of sorts so I can remember bits and pieces of the past? I suppose I wanted (and still want) readers to know more about the Byzantine rite of the Catholic Church and to realize that their experience of the Church is not the only valid and holy way. I've read that many people believe that history is what has happened in their lifetime. We all need to understand that Church history is much richer than our personal experiences.

During our vacation to my parents, I showed my mother the few really awful comments that I never published but have saved in my spam folder. I suppose they are still there to keep me humble and careful with my dealings on the computer. One lesson learned is this: I am one person who is working out her salvation with fear and trembling who relies on the glorious mercy of God. I am not going to change anyone's opinions. Perhaps occasionally, I can be used by God for good things. But all the glory goes to Him.

first 2 comics are from 101 excuses not to write; last comic is from xkcd.com  

The Beheading of St John the Baptist

The glorious beheading of the Forerunner became part of God's saving plan, that the Coming of the Savior might be announced even to those in the Abyss. Weep then, Herodias, that you asked for a wicked murder, because you loved neither God's law nor eternal life, but only the passing pleasure of life.

Kontakion for August 29th

7 VeryQuickTakes

1. Thanks to Jen at conversion diary for hosting these quick takes and also her blog on internet calmness/hurt feelings/craziness. Who knew I would have a chance to use what I learned from that post this very week!

2. Things that make you go hmm....a college where an entire program is comprised of students that qualify for the fee waiver, fee waivers taking two weeks to process, classes being cancelled for low numbers a half week into the semester. We didn't stand a chance.

3. Okay- I need to copy a friend of mine in frugality. She just made muffins with leftover breakfast cereal and applesauce...this just might be the semester of everything soup and everything muffins! But if my muffins smell as good as hers, that is quite alright.

4. For a very fun snack break, eat apple slices and hummus toast while listening to Bare Naked Ladies' cd Snack Time.

5. How is it that one rotten potato can stink so horridly? We have been cleaning out the garage/family room/school room/etc room in preparation for the school year, and I found one lone potato rotting in the far corner. Ugh. This is not on the same level as Jen F's scorpions, but still. It was truly awful.

6. Clue that your 4-year old needs to get de-sensitized a bit: hiding in terror during the middle of the book Where the Wild Things Are. And then sobbing that Max shouldn't have gone away. I had to tell him that the land of the wild things was Max's dream/imagination and that he really never left his room. Even though Boy goes off to preschool three mornings a week with nary a whimper, the thought of sailing to the land of wild things without mommy was just too much for him to process. Personally, the rythmn of the words in that book are amazing, so simple yet so musical.

7. About homeschooling: most families seem to start with a 'school at home' style and then loosen up over the years. We need to do exactly the opposite. I am going to try and do some formal presentation of the material (imagine that!) and see where that takes us. Our charter school doesn't officially start until the first Tuesday in September, but we have been dipping our baby toes into the water for a little over a week. And that school room still needs a lot of work. As I have complained to one of my sisters- if I were Type B, my house would be suffiently clean and organized. But I think I am the worst type- a low-energy Type A who gets amazing amounts of peace by a clean and organized home. So- I suppose I just have to do it and figure out a way to combine storage, pantry, school and family rooms. At least there are no more rotten potatoes in that space!

Too Real

Today is 'Pretty Happy Funny Real' at Like Mother Like Daughter. I was going to post something pretty and funny and happy. Really I was. But last night, I was informed that both of my college classes were cancelled (and most of the classes in my department) and so I am officially unemployed outside of the home for this semester. Any kind of financial challenge makes me panic a bit. Yes, I am going to put my anxiety at God's altar, soak more beans, ask for partial scholarships for the kids' activities and turn off the lights. We are so blessed in many ways; it will be okay.

After I got laid off last night, priest-husband told me about something far worse, a real tragedy. The 24-year old nephew of a parishioner was closing up at a burger place where he worked. A co-worker knocked on the front door, and he let him in along with two friends. The trio proceeded to rob the place and killed the three people in the restaurant including the nephew, Jesse. Now our parishioner is planning how to get across the country in time for the funeral.

Why do bad things happen to good people? I have never been very good at answering that question. I usually never say much of anything to someone who has experienced loss. I just make a meal and sit there with them if they'll let me. I do 'buy into' the Catholic notion of redemptive suffering, but I think that comes a long time after the initial shock of a loss. So all I can contribute is the words of comfort brought by the Church:

O God of spirits, and of all flesh, You have trampled death and made the devil powerless, and have given life to Your world. May You, Yourself, Lord, give rest to the soul of Your servant who has fallen asleep, in a place of brightness, a place of refreshment, a place of repose; where all suffering, sorrow, and sighing have fled away.
Since You are a good and loving God, pardon every transgression which he has committed, whether by word, or deed, or thought; for there is no one who lives yet does not sin, for only You are without sin. Your righteousness is an eternal righteousness, and Your word is truth.
For You are the resurrection, the life, and the repose of your servant who has fallen asleep, O Christ our God, and to You we give glory, together with Your Father, Who is without beginning, and Your most holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

May He Who rose from the dead, Christ our true God, through the prayers of His most pure mother, of the holy, glorious, and all-laudable apostles, of our pious and God-bearing fathers, and of all the saints, place the soul of His departed servant in the mansions of the righteous. May He grant him repose in the bosom of Abraham and number him with the righteous; and may He have mercy on us, for He is good and loves mankind.

What I learned on my Summer Vacation

I was blessed to spend 2 weeks with my side of the family while priest-husband stayed behind and worked. While we visited with everybody, I stayed at the home of one of my sisters; she has more kids than I even though her oldest is three years younger than my oldest. She is busy- but brilliant. Here are some random things I learned from her over the two weeks. I'll stick with practical tips so I don't get too personal on this 'anonymous' blog (and yes, most of my tips revolve around food- ah, the life of a mommy):

--- Bring snacks, lunch and water to any and all park days and other outside amusements. Children need to realize, if they eat food from home at the park, they can go on 2 or 3 carousel rides instead of one. 

--- Split up the kids- sometimes. We went to an amusement park with practically all the kids (well- missing 2 families). I kept the four oldest kids with me until closing along with my littlest so that the little kids could go home before they had melt-downs. These four big kids were the only ones to get unlimited ride bracelets (that they paid for) as it would have been too much and too expensive for all those littles. They never were the wiser.

--- Don't split up the kids- sometimes. While it can be fun for big kids to do big kid stuff, sometimes they need to canter to the little kids' level. During the two weeks, we had a few 'love bug classes' where the big kids taught some sort of pre-school to the littles. But they were in the basement, so I don't know  exactly how much they learned. Also- all media is at a very small child's level. Just because the 12-year old can watch Narnia doesn't mean that the three-year old can. My sister deals with her age spread in her family by simply not watching much of any videos. Perhaps in the future the older ones will have a later bedtime when they can watch something. But I suspect they are too busy with creative activities.

--- Buy in bulk. I already buy in bulk a little bit, but my sister is very good at it. Her tip to make sure that a bulk buy isn't wasted (which defeats the purpose)- make sure you cook from that bulk item twice a week. So if you buy a hundred pound bag of beans, you need to make beans twice a week. She also always has dried milk on hand so she never has to run to the market for only milk. I have got to copy her on that! Stir in a little vanilla, the kids will never know the difference.

--- Follow Leila's 'save a step' cooking ideas. My sister (who steered me to Like Mother, Like Daughter) uses all her leftovers- either for husband's lunch the next day or for 're-purposing' for another meal. In two weeks, I don't think she threw out any food. Occasionally, this might mean making an 'everything soup.' Maybe it was because I didn't cook it, but my kids gobbled up her egg-onion-summer squash-potato sautee.

--- Have designated snack times. Why oh why don't I do this? My kids assume that if I am in the kitchen, I am available for restaurant service. My sister has snack time at 10. And there is an actual snack that they can have- not a full menu. If I were (notice my use of the subjunctive) a well-organized person, this would be a good way to balance their meals. If they have a high-carb breakfast like oatmeal or cold cereal, then the snack would be protein (cold chicken from last night, hummus and carrots, salami/cheese/tomatoes). If their breakfast was eggs, then snack could be fruit.

--- Get the kids- and yourself- outside. This can be a real challenge living in an urban envirnoment, so I'll have to get better at forcing the issue. We do have a lot of beautiful parks. And we'll just have to continue gardening as much as we can on our patio.

--- Don't forget farmers' markets. As I am always writing about not buying from China and trying to buy organic and fair trade as much as possible, I can't forget our local farmers. We are very blessed in this area.

--- Have paper and markers available for the kids at all times. And don't forget the books, lots of books. I have used my sister as inspiration with the paper/marker business. I had my son draw while I got his yogurt and cereal ready. Who knew? He was sitting there very peacefully. A new day has dawned.

As you can see, I have been blessed with a sister that I can get a lot of inspiration from- and these tips are just the food-type inspiration. I won't even go into the way she inspires me to be a better daughter of God! Every sibling I have is special and inspiring in different- and sometimes the same- ways. One sibling changed my life by suggesting I take down a door (long story- but it is true). Dear reader, I hope that you have a sibling or a friend that inspires you to greater heights like my family does to me.