It's not BAD if things are hard

Over these past few weeks I was convinced in a deeper loving manner of how when life is hard, it does not mean it is bad.  When things in life may be difficult, it does not mean that it is not worth it.

I have been bombarded by others trying to escape the hardships of their life.  For me, instead I am trying deeply to embrace my hardships, as they are very different from theirs... albeit still hardships.  Knowing that it is God's Will for He either is making them happen or is allowing them to happen.  Either way, there is peace.  Believing that in all things, there is a greater good, even if we do not know what it is at that moment or may never know or may never understand the why's of it all.

The most difficult things in life are usually the ones most worth it.

Our world is craving the easy life.  The life that everything goes smoothly and 'their way'.  Of course, if asked if I'd rather have it easy or harder, my human side most definitely says the easy way.

But, in life, in reality, there is not many easy ways around things.  Life is not easy.  There is no easy way out.

Jesus reminds us of that cross that we must pick up to follow Him.  He has the perfect cross for us, no matter what we may think of it. 

And just because I may be upset that life in a big family and being a mother of many young children is difficult....  Well, of course it is.  But that does not mean that it is not worth it.  


Just as someone who trains for a marathon does not enjoy the pain and suffering accustomed to training long and grueling hours.  The outcome is really good.  Passing that finish line in that marathon is certainly worth it.  Worth it so much, that sometimes that runner may even start dreaming of the next marathon.  Much like the mother who just goes through a hard labor and birth may start dreaming of the fruit of their marital love, their next baby. 

Staying married to the love of my life, my husband, is worth it.

Parenting a big family is worth it. 

Homeschooling is worth it.

Our Catholic Faith is worth it.

The end product, our goal, Heaven, is totally worth it.

Period. 

God bless,
Mary

All is OK

Dear Friends,
Thanks for praying for our Lil' Lady this morning. 
The surgery went well and it was quick.  VERY QUICK and I praise God for that!  Those 15 minutes were a long 15 minutes for this Momma praying.  While I waited and waited in the waiting room, those 15 mins seemed a whole lot longer. 

It was a great lesson of trust and of surrender...knowing I cannot be in control of every little thing and to shield everything from my sweet baby. 
Feeling so close to Mother Mary as she watched her own Son be bruised, battered, and broken.
Before she went in, we cuddled and did the best we could without any nursing and food/drink.  We sang together, snuggled, me kissing her forehead, caressing her little arms and legs, reassuring her that I am here and will be praying for her while we part.  We waited together, her in my pouch...that 'over the shoulder baby holder' that I hold so dear-it is the BEST thing for motherhood-every mommy needs one!  Those things are priceless.  She was content in my pouch, near me, and all decked out in her light green hospital nightgown.  So cute. 

Watching her be taken by the nurse back to the O.R.  

Feeling so close to Mary at this moment, knowing she is near.

Letting go.  Allowing her to go.  Trusting.  Surrendering. 

Asking her guardian angels to watch over her, asking her patron saints to pray for her.  Leaning on all those prayers that we asked others for.  How powerful.
I knew it had to be done.  Those tubes were a major necessity b/c the docs returned to tell me that there were "tons and tons of infected fluid that was released"  and "it was a massive amount".  Oh, Praise Jesus!!!  Thanks be to God that it is OUT of her!!! 

Thanks for praying...she is resting well now and so will I right about now. 

God bless,
Mary

Prayer Request

Dear all,
I prayerfully ask you to include our sweet Lil' Lady in your prayers tomorrow as she undergoes surgery on her ears.  She is getting 'tubes' in her ears to relieve her fluid accumulation and the many infections.  SO many infections-7 in only a short 6 months!  And to think that she JUST turned ONE years old~!  That sure is a lot for such a young cutie pie.
She cannot eat or drink anything after midnight.  Which means this little one cannot nurse either!  Oh my.  This will be interesting tonigh and tomorrow morning!!! She is having her surgery at 8am.  We need to be there earlier than that, and I am not sure how both she and I are going to manage without the comfort of nursing. 
Without a doubt, I know she needs this.  But, of course any mother does not want to see her little baby go from her arms and just sit back and watch...and pray.  Yes, lots of praying will be happening.
Thanks for the prayers, we appreciate it so much.
Oh!  I need help finding some info...I cannot find anything on the Patron Saint of ears.  Does anyone know of this saint???
God bless,
Mary

Focus

Living simply in the moment, so to not miss that moment is so  nicely put here on THIS blog post.  Thought I'd share!!!
It was worth my read before my day began...

Lord, help me stay in focus...just for today, Lord. 

God bless,
Mary

Sunset

Aren't these just breathtaking?

We LOVE sunsets and they are so clear to see when those big ol' trees are bare. 

God does quite the most beautiful paintings in the sky. 

God bless,
Mary

Long awaited pics...finally!

Sorry it has taken me SO SO long to post some pics.  My apologies...here are some I thought I'd share. 

We love to make train tracks and we do when sweet Lil' Lady is napping...otherwise they only last 0.9 sec!!!

We watched a show all about how bridges are made...so Kid #1 decided to try it and WOWEEE!  He did great! :)

A little SNOW goes a LONG way...they were out in this first snowfall for SO long!!!  Fresh air, I love you!

Remember that snowman I told you they made with only a smidge of snow?  Here you have it! Proof!!!

Snow=snowmen AND snowball fights!!!

My 6 yr old avid reader with her little brother that loves her to read to him.  Perfect match ;)

So, since I FINALLY downloaded my 700 pictures off my camera.  OK, I am serious here.  I am not joking!  Actually, it is more than 700 but I forget the actual number.   We love to take pics around here-I love it!  And now my kids love it too...the reason I had downloaded 700!!! :)

More to come, I promise!!!
So much more....birthdays, Christmas, New Years, snow....

God bless,
Mary

Quote of the Day~from my favorite Saint!

Oh how precious time is! Blessed are those who know how to make good use of it. Who can assure us that we will be alive tomorrow? Let us listen to the voice of our conscience, to the voice of the royal prophet: "Today if you hear God's voice, harden not your heart." Let us not put off for one moment to another what we "should" do, because the next moment is not yet ours!

-- Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

Birthday Baby

My baby turns ONE today!!!

How'd that happen?

Isn't it so funny how we all say that once our children become one year older.  But really, those precious young months go by so quickly.  But with this baby, our lil' Lady, I was determined to slow down and let it all soak in.  I was focused to savor those moments that are so fleeting, so quick. 

Much all too quick. 

What a birth-day one year ago....I am playing it play by play in my mind as the hours go by.  What a glorious day-a gift beyond words. 

We are celebrating BIG TIME today for the gift of her life in our family.  We are so blessed! 

We love you, lil' Lady!!!
Happy 1st Birthday to you!!!
God bless you,

Momma

The love language of food

Guys love food, don't they?

Don't you love how they light up and get so pumped when they see the meal in front of them.  Their eyes feasting on that food that the wife made.  The way their whole demeanor changes, esp. if it is one of their ultra favorite meals! 

We have a little rule, which is this:

There is something quite magical about it all.

Something so very symbolic...

The husbands' hard working hands holding the utensils grabbing onto the food that he worked so hard to earn the money.  Our bodies being nourished by that food that the wife worked hard to prepare.  We parents and our children sitting around the table of the blood, sweat and tears.



Living as a family, serving Jesus through one another, working together, and now all gathered around our table.



The table.

Reminds me of the Last Supper table, Jesus giving of His life.  His blood, sweat and tears.  Giving of His everything for us, as we gather around the altar table at Holy Mass ready to receive Him.  How precious, how beautiful, how perfect.

Don't we all long for that perfect dinner time experience? You know the one I am talking about.  Where everyone sits nicely with napkin on lap, everyone getting a chance to talk without interruptions, no yelling, crying or flip outs.  Where the manners are at their best, none of the arm stretching over someones plate, instead with the "please pass the..." and the "thank you for passing the..." comments.  Wouldn't that be something?  I can dream, can't I?  Maybe once the kids get older, things will change but for now, our dinner table time hardly resembles what I described.  We have a  long way to go but we are trying!  :)

One thing is for sure for my husband and I and that is how much a family dinner, sitting down together means to us.  I am always on the lookout for healthy and easy (let me stress EASY!) dinner recipes to make and I will share some of my favs with you in another post in the week b/c I found some great ones!!! :)  There is no television in the background, just us together huddled around a not-so-big-as-I-wish-it -could-be-table.  Together, praying and thanking God for our food, and just being together enjoying the food. 

Some families never to do this and it truly saddens me.  I guess they just don't know what they are missing. 

So....what are you having for dinner tonight?
For us, it is homemade pizza being made by my oldest daughter and I!

(PSSST!....Practical idea is that each night I have a dinner helper-each one of my kidos has a specific night.  Does it take longer?  You betcha.  But I wouldn't trade these experiences for doing it all by myself everynight.  Ever.)
God bless,
Mary

Simplify like the Amish

Ever have that desire to simplify your house?  Yeah, me too.  Most of the time, actually!:) 

I walk around thinking if we just didn't have this much 'stuff' then we wouldn't have such a messy crazy house.  Then quickly, I reassure myself by saying it is b/c of having 7 young children that I have to have 2 or 3 of most things that families have only 1 of.  It makes sense, right?  Well, I am still trying to convince myself of this as I stumble of millions of matchbox cars, blocks and laundry strewn throughout our house.  So, what is this mother of many to do?!

Go check out the Amish, that's what.  Not actually going there but  researching how they do it and exactly what they do. 

Those Amish are so intriguing, aren't they?

I got a cookbook out on them.  It isn't a book just about recipes, although I did find it with the cookbooks.  This one is different.  Sure, it gives recipes (which I love and happy to note that I must have Amish blood in me or something b/c I make so many of the same foods!  No, really, I do not have amish blood in me...just kidding.)  But this book is a compile of recollections and recipes of an Amish family.  That, to me, is so interesting.

My kids found the 'cookbook' laying on my kitchen counter as I whipped up our first "Amish Chicken Casserole"-it was a thumbs-up for sure.  Easy too.  I was lost at what to make with leftover chicken so I resorted to look into that cookbook and found an easy recipe that I usually do but adding  2 different ingredients than I would have used. 

My kids are enthralled with them too.  They are fascinated with their daily schedule and their hard work and chores.  I think, in a way, they can relate.  Within a big family, there is no getting out of or around chores.  They have to be done.  Period.  In order to survive and have a good flow for our day, chores and responsibilities need to be done.

So, today, they have deemed it to be an Amish day.  My girls in dresses, sweaters and bonnets.  Even the baby is sporting one!  So cute...(and I cannot believe she will be ONE in ONE week!?!!? ) Boys in collared button down shirts, suspenders and all.  Even me, crazy momma, has on a resemblances of Amish wear- a long dark blue jean skirt, dark grey shirt and my pampered chef jean apron.  I figured why not jump in on the fun?!  The look and life of Amish reminds them of Little House on the Prairie and my kids love that too so this is so 'natural' to them to love.

I thought this might be a great way to learn some more about simply living ..."so others can simply live" as that popular saying goes.  And how true it is!

So, back to simplifying our house.  First, I am on a mission to get rid of some books.  We have SO many and I LOVE books and I LOVE to see my kids reading books.  What mom wouldn't?  They are causing great messes and a certain super cute almost 1 yr old is into pulling them down off shelves.  Not fun for it happens so much. 

Simplifying our lives is not just in materialism, for we are removed a bit from the 'real world' already and that gives us ample opportunities to live simply b/c they do not know what they are missing.  Awe...innocence is so beautiful. 

So much to write but since being 'amish' today...I should not even be using this technology! haaa haaaa

God bless,
Mary

Not ticked off....just Laugh a little

I've been having a few of those "Oh, wow, God has truly blessed me with all these kidos" moments.  Those moments that sometimes would drive me nuts but instead, I stop, breathe and revel in it and laugh a little to myself and thank the Almighty for all my 7 (+1) gifts.

He has always blessed me with these moments...but I failed to see them.

Thanks to God, I have a good vision of them lately.  Sick kids and all. 

One of those times happened this morning.

Last night, during our Family Rosary and prayers, my baby girl ~ Lil' Lady was being a bit loud.  (Yeah, how dare she?  haaa) so I gave her my watch.  That lasted 0.8 sec and then it was lost.

Let me tell you, that my watch is like someones planner that they can't live without.

No biggie, I thought.  I'd search for it after they all went to sleep.

Sure enough I did and then it turned into a cleaning fest!  (Lucky for my husband woke to a clean living room!)

Nowhere to be found!

Went to sleep without it, knowing I'd be up for a # of times. 9 to be exact.  Kids sick. 

Kids sick +7 kids=no sleep 

I always check my watch when a kido wakes...it's a habit.  I know, it's odd. 
Anyway, I had no watch.

That was a bit frustrating! 

This morning, as I am making pancakes and baby and I are up....kids sleeping and hubby at Holy Hour...I HEARD IT!

YES!  I had set an alarm for 7am!!! 

I ran around the room, knowing that alarm only lasts a short time and found it as an ornament on my Christmas tree.

Usually, I'd be annoyed.  A bit ticked off.  It would have got me a bit on edge.

Not today.   I smiled.  I laughed.  I put it on.

Thank You God for helping me see the joy.  It hasn't been around for a while. 

Joy?   Please visit again and I hope you stay.

(I think I know why, too.  That, my friends, is for another post.  A heart wrenching post.)

Till next time....God bless,
Mary

Quick Posts

1. Kids are all sick...some with fevers, some without.  The price we had to pay to see family over the Christmas season!  But I am so happy I went with my Lil' Lady and drive 4 1/2 hours to see my sister and her family for 2 nights...and I did not even get lost!  We had a great time!  Tylenol is a great invention.  Thank you God for tylenol.  Tylenol, you are my best friend right now.
2. It is cold outside today.  I mean C-O-L-D as in 15 degrees this morning COLD.  And where are my kids?  All bundled up right now checking out the little ice pond in our woods in the backyard.  My oldest has his ice skates on!  He yelled up to me "Hey Mom!  Ya know the smaller the pond is-the stronger it is!"  Brilliant.  Learning by doing.  Another reason I just love homeschooling.
3.  I have heard so much "eeny meeeny mineeee mooooo...catch a tiger by his toe...." remember that song?  It abounds everywhere in this house lately.  I guess it is a good way to share other than fighting.  I'll take it.
4.  Winter projects for this winter is:  Latch Hooking for the 4 oldest kids and reading.  Lots of reading. 
5. We just finished "The Secret Garden" book and now onto "Betsy and Tacy" book #1.  I am loving this new idea of reading to some of my kids in my bed at night for 30-45mins.  They all love it too and the best thing about it is how they willingly go straight to bed afterwards.  This is my favorite time of the day besides spending time w/my wonderful hubby and eating sweet treats.  Oh, those treats and those pounds.
6. Talking about pounds.   My darling 2 sisters and I are starting up a BIggest Loser Contest for 8 weeks to see who looses the most pounds.  I bet I am last right now.  How come that Popcorn Factory popcorn has to be so good?  I mean, really.  argh. 
7. New Years Resolutions.  Love them.  Hate them.  Right?  The best accomplishment is that I made my list light years (well, really just a few days!) before my husband-my goal driven-check off listin'-good disciplined husband!  Now, that is an AWESOME accomplishment that I can check off first! haa haaa :P
8. Still working through some issues with my miscarriage.  Healthwise I am doing wonderfully.  But emotionally, forget it.  I am a mess...but slowly getting better.  Much better this week than 2 weeks ago.  Holidays can do that, I suppose.  My kids all agreed that our sweet lil' Therese had to have a CHristmas stocking to hang up.  That, pretty much, did me in.  Yeah.  Tough.
9. Remember I just said how my kids are all out in this COLD?  Well, now my just turned 8 year old is smearing his tongue all over the deck door right now.  Hilarious!  Really reminds me of this from "Christmas Story"!!!  Yikes!!!

Now my kids are in.  They lasted a good 20 mins in this cold.  Yeah!
Bring on some snow!  We're ready.  Hello Winter! :P
God bless,

Mary

Happy New Year!!! 2012!!!

Ok, I just accidently erased a whole post that has taken me 20-30 mins to write up.  So...since I do not have time to do it again (at least not right now) I will just write a quick Happy New Year!

AND...Happy Feast of Mary, Mother of God~January 1st!!!!
AND....my 7 yr old son will be turning 8 tomorrow!!! :P  Yeah!

God bless,
Mary