I am not who you think I am.
Rather, from wherever you are,
You have written me another being
And breathed another's spirit with your lips......
The image of your own conceiving
Is the woman that you praise,
And being yours, she wells deserves
Your very own applause.
Juana Ines De La Cruz
Interestingly, this wasn't written by an angst filled generation-x'er, but a lady that was born in 1648.
It instantly spoke to me. Not that I am so esoteric that people *have* me pegged wrong, but there is something about having a lot of kids that makes the general public have certain preconceived notions of what a mother of said family should be/look like. At least that is what I gather from many conversations I have had with perfect strangers about the subject.
#1 Always quite surprised by my appearance. I am not exactly svelte, but apparently when you have a lot of kids you should be at least 200lbs overweight.
I think there is also some wonder that I am standing upright and not in a wheelchair or using a walking stick. That I am not totally prematurely gray ( I do have *some* gray hair being 43, but I keep that fact underwraps :) That I don't dress like one of those FLDS ladies that are currently being flashed on the news every hour on the hour.
#2 "You must be SO patient!" No, I am not. Ask anyone I live with and they will attest to that fact. It is sad that having a large brood AND being married for 25 years I haven't made more progress on that virtue. Maybe by the time I am 70.
#3 "You must be SO organized." Actually, I do like to be organized. I think it is fun to organize things but it takes time, which I am often so short on. So I am not very organized at all.
#4 ( and this is the clincher) "You must be a saint!" I always find that one particularly funny. I am SURELY not a saint.
Yes, having a lot of kids can be hard work and stressful, but what job isn't? Everyone has something about their job/vocation they don't like or is difficult. I could never be a brain surgeon or an astronaut or .......on and on the list goes, but I do like what I do ( most of the time :) so it is no big deal. I also believe that this is what God wants me to do, so I do have a* bit * of help from above (LOL! wink wink!)
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Coming fast and furious.......
While I was standing in the kitchen making lunch, Manny said to me; "Mom, you are my girl!" (awwww).
Not 15 minutes later Jed was sitting on his stool and dropped a toy, which he ordered Manny to pick up. I said "Jed, you didn't ask him very nicely to do that." He replied, "I'm complicated, Mom, I'm complicated."
Not 15 minutes later Jed was sitting on his stool and dropped a toy, which he ordered Manny to pick up. I said "Jed, you didn't ask him very nicely to do that." He replied, "I'm complicated, Mom, I'm complicated."
Monday, April 21, 2008
A taste of the east
I don't usually rave about grocery store products ;), but I have happened upon some good stuff recently. Oddly enough, the Meijer at 13 and Little Mack started selling packages of naan.
I didn't realize we had much of an Indian population around here, because Tim and I always have to go to Rochester or Troy to get some good Indian food ( in other words, there are none in the neighborhood or even surrounding areas close by).
It's REALLY good. Especially warmed up a bit in the toaster oven.
We also found these *Patel* brand Indian dishes. So far we've tried Dal Tadka, Muteer Paneer and Aloo Mutter and all have been surprisingly good ( for being in a little microwaveable bag!)
The price can't be beat, either. On sale they are $2.00 a pop and the naan is 1.50!
yay!
I didn't realize we had much of an Indian population around here, because Tim and I always have to go to Rochester or Troy to get some good Indian food ( in other words, there are none in the neighborhood or even surrounding areas close by).
It's REALLY good. Especially warmed up a bit in the toaster oven.
We also found these *Patel* brand Indian dishes. So far we've tried Dal Tadka, Muteer Paneer and Aloo Mutter and all have been surprisingly good ( for being in a little microwaveable bag!)
The price can't be beat, either. On sale they are $2.00 a pop and the naan is 1.50!
yay!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!
Fr Deano is going on vacation.
Strangely, I was just thinking in the past week or two what I would do if he was sent back to Italy or somewhere else. I have come to depend on his terrific homilies for a spiritual boost every week.
Well, Godspeed and come back to us soon, Father!
Strangely, I was just thinking in the past week or two what I would do if he was sent back to Italy or somewhere else. I have come to depend on his terrific homilies for a spiritual boost every week.
Well, Godspeed and come back to us soon, Father!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Dying a thousand deaths........
I will freely admit my strong suit is not staying a step ahead of my kids. Especially as I have gotten older my *ability to anticipate a nutty childhood behavior* sense has dulled a bit. So I really saw nothing amiss when I noticed Jed had his *one or two sizes too small, two big rips in the back and a number of snags (it's nylon)* spider man suit on under his clothes this morning before we headed to the zoo. (No one can see any of those defects under clothes....right? :)
To be fair to myself....it is not all *that* uncommon for him to wear costumes under his clothes. He is often milling around with one of his many super hero outfits on during the day and when we go somewhere he puts his clothes on over it.
Fast forward to our zoo outing. All was well and we were having a jolly time on a lovely day seeing the animals and getting a good walk in. We ate our lunch and then were delighted to see that the zoo playground was open.
The zoo playground that includes a *spider web* for kids to climb on.
My guess is anyone reading this has a clue what is coming, even though I didn't.
Yes, no sooner had we parked the stroller.....Jed started stripping off the outer layers of his clothing to reveal his *one or two sizes too small, two large rips in the back with numerous snags* spider man outfit and zipped over to said web.
Well- there for a minute I had to struggle with my self about whether or not to let him go out about in public like that. To me, the park seemed populated by young, hip, affluent moms with expensive strollers and well dressed children. :) But- since I could see him from afar while I stood by baby Ella toddling about ( thus not alerting anyone to the fact that I was *the kooky mom who let's her child go about dressed in rags*) off he went. The irony was that he really was the *belle of the ball* as my grandmother would say. I heard several moms chuckling affectionately about his garb, and saw grandparents with sparkling eyes chatting with him while he played on the web. Of course more than one boy his age came up to him and checked out the costume while exclaiming *Cool!* I really didn't notice anyone scratching their head or wrinkling their nose with distaste at him.
I guess I should be glad I have a little one who still has such innocence about what people think.
A lesson his mom should learn for sure! :)
To be fair to myself....it is not all *that* uncommon for him to wear costumes under his clothes. He is often milling around with one of his many super hero outfits on during the day and when we go somewhere he puts his clothes on over it.
Fast forward to our zoo outing. All was well and we were having a jolly time on a lovely day seeing the animals and getting a good walk in. We ate our lunch and then were delighted to see that the zoo playground was open.
The zoo playground that includes a *spider web* for kids to climb on.
My guess is anyone reading this has a clue what is coming, even though I didn't.
Yes, no sooner had we parked the stroller.....Jed started stripping off the outer layers of his clothing to reveal his *one or two sizes too small, two large rips in the back with numerous snags* spider man outfit and zipped over to said web.
Well- there for a minute I had to struggle with my self about whether or not to let him go out about in public like that. To me, the park seemed populated by young, hip, affluent moms with expensive strollers and well dressed children. :) But- since I could see him from afar while I stood by baby Ella toddling about ( thus not alerting anyone to the fact that I was *the kooky mom who let's her child go about dressed in rags*) off he went. The irony was that he really was the *belle of the ball* as my grandmother would say. I heard several moms chuckling affectionately about his garb, and saw grandparents with sparkling eyes chatting with him while he played on the web. Of course more than one boy his age came up to him and checked out the costume while exclaiming *Cool!* I really didn't notice anyone scratching their head or wrinkling their nose with distaste at him.
I guess I should be glad I have a little one who still has such innocence about what people think.
A lesson his mom should learn for sure! :)
Sunday, April 6, 2008
If you are who you say you are........
A SUPERSTAR....:)_
Dylan and Andrew Miller in a Free Press video
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080405/VIDEO01/80405
Dylan and Andrew Miller in a Free Press video
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080405/VIDEO01/80405
Friday, April 4, 2008
Feelings.......oh woh woh woh....feeeeelings..........
After spending a considerable amount of time finding socks, shoes and coats for everyone and then putting on socks, tying shoes and zipping said coats for three little people without those skills, we finally made it outside for some time in the backyard. Not 5 minutes later Jed said he was hungry and wanted to go in for lunch ( of course!)
"Jed," I said. "We just got out here, let's spend a little more time outside before we go in for lunch."
"I'm not feeling it, mom, I'm not feeling it."
"Jed," I said. "We just got out here, let's spend a little more time outside before we go in for lunch."
"I'm not feeling it, mom, I'm not feeling it."
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
A few days ago our world was *rocked* so to speak when we learned that two of the boy's friends had been in a car accident and one had passed away. She was only 18 years old.
Yesterday was the funeral.
Of course you cannot help being affected by the death of such a young woman whether you knew her and her family well or were a casual acquaintance. There was very real pain on each and every face in that Church. Even the priest who was presiding over the mass was having a hard time. Even so, he did a wonderful job.
By far the most poignant moment came when her father got up to do the mass readings. That, in and of itself, was a very brave thing to do. He read from Job. We often hear "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away" at times like these....and indeed, it was very moving to hear someone in the midst of such great anguish say those words.....
but he went a step further and read the next verse you don't often hear:
21He said,
"(B)Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked I shall return there
The (C)LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD."
22(D)Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God
I don't pretend to know what his exact thoughts and intentions were while he was reading that.
I do know what hit me is that it appeared he was saying "I WILL trust God right now, I won't question Him, I will exercise my faith in Him and believe that He knows what He is doing."
Even through the tears, extreme pain and confusion of losing a beautiful, young, vibrant daughter, he was saying you can trust in God, there is hope.
That is why although it was a horrible tragedy, one that is excrutiatingly hard to understand and comprehend, her family gave testimony to the hope that the Christian carries. It doesn't always lessen the pain or horror of some of life's crosses, but it does give peace and the courage to carry on.
Because He is with us.
Yesterday was the funeral.
Of course you cannot help being affected by the death of such a young woman whether you knew her and her family well or were a casual acquaintance. There was very real pain on each and every face in that Church. Even the priest who was presiding over the mass was having a hard time. Even so, he did a wonderful job.
By far the most poignant moment came when her father got up to do the mass readings. That, in and of itself, was a very brave thing to do. He read from Job. We often hear "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away" at times like these....and indeed, it was very moving to hear someone in the midst of such great anguish say those words.....
but he went a step further and read the next verse you don't often hear:
21He said,
"(B)Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked I shall return there
The (C)LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD."
22(D)Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God
I don't pretend to know what his exact thoughts and intentions were while he was reading that.
I do know what hit me is that it appeared he was saying "I WILL trust God right now, I won't question Him, I will exercise my faith in Him and believe that He knows what He is doing."
Even through the tears, extreme pain and confusion of losing a beautiful, young, vibrant daughter, he was saying you can trust in God, there is hope.
That is why although it was a horrible tragedy, one that is excrutiatingly hard to understand and comprehend, her family gave testimony to the hope that the Christian carries. It doesn't always lessen the pain or horror of some of life's crosses, but it does give peace and the courage to carry on.
Because He is with us.
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