Thursday, April 19, 2012

Day of Thanksgiving


With the way that the country is going, the demand by the Government that Catholic employers provide for services that are contrary to Church teaching, the high price of gasoline at the pumps, or just pushing to get through another homeschooling day....today was a day that God placed into my heart many of the people, places, or incidences that make today another day of Thanksgiving.

If I were to ask Tim...he would say that we should be thankful to the Lord for everything that we have, and don't have.  The things we have "asked" for, but have not received is because that particular thing wasn't good for our souls.  God is in charge!  We have a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, our beautiful children, and plenty of food to eat.  Most importantly, we know that God is in charge of it all!

I have had the blessing to see and reflect upon many things to be thankful for....
  • Walking barefoot on a sun warmed sidewalk
  • Hearing a gobbler echo his call in the still forest, while hunting with my husband or son
  • Seeing a sunset on a cloudless summer evening


  • Watching the flag of our free Nation waving in the breeze
  • Hearing the symphony of springtime birds singing their melodies
  • Standing with my children to admire the double rainbow in the eastern sky after a brief rainfall

  • Low tide at Rocky Neck State Park with a two month old baby boy asleep in the nursing sling, holding hands with my Honey, while we watch the rest of our children splash and play in the waves
  • Making homemade potato dough with Michael, that we turned into cinnamon rolls for the rest of the family



  • The beauty of a turkey fan proudly mounted by my taxidermist wanna be, David
  • Hearing the sweet laughter of my children
I am certainly guilty of not thanking God each and every day for the blessings of.....my wonderful husband, who tries to keep me encouraged to loose those 5 last pounds that just keep hanging on...to the beautiful Faith that He has given to me.....to the unexpected sweetness from my children at no particular time (a hug, kiss, or just 'I love you, Mom!')....to a phone call to a dear friend to catch up.  She reminds me that God is in control and that we should just be thankful for every moment.  She's right!
 
Today, I noticed that the lilacs and tulips are starting to bloom.  Beautiful purple flowers are appearing in the ground covering and all over the yard (with the dandelions!)


And the forsythia is going from that beautiful, spring yellow, color to a deep green.  The dwarf cherry trees are blossoming.  What a beautiful time of year!


Laura's flowers, for her 4H project, are starting to emerge from the potting soil.  The welcome colors from all of the flowers she planted (marigold, pansy, morning glory, and lupine) will arrive after most of the springtime colors are a mere memory.


Thank you, God for this beautiful day....and Your many beautiful gifts!  They help to make our lives more bearable.

May God bless you and yours abundantly!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

So Thankful....

In the past few days, God has truly shown me that I am blessed much more than I deserve.  Opinions, given to me freely in the past has been to the contrary.  People seem to think that I deserve to have God's blessings...me, a sinner.  I disagree.

My husband, who is the hardest working man I have ever met in my life, is a truly blessing from God, as well as an answer to my prayers.  I could not hand pick a better father for my children. God did that for me!

And the children that He has blessed our marriage with, He did that for us.

Last week, my iPhone died. No explanation. It just died. After getting it sent off, a new one came in and needed to be picked up.  So, Tim and Laura headed off to Best Buy.  On their way home, the right rear sway arm on the '93 decided to break.  Laura was driving, and told Dad that he could finish the drive the rest of the way home.  They "babied" the car home, never getting above 20, to keep the car from bouncing.

 
The 'normal' 30 minute drive took them over an hour. They arrived home safely, thanks be to God! What amazes me, too...is that when you look at the picture you wonder how long this sway arm has been hanging on by a thread! I thank God that Tim was with Laura in the car, and that she was not driving on the interstate. The possibilities of what could have happened are replaced with the joy that no one was hurt when this happened!
A few hours later, I'm making my Mom's potato salad for Tim to take to work today.  Matthew thoroughly entertained Laura and me with the Lady of Fatima statue from the All Saint's Altar. Between the smelling of the cooked potatoes I was peeling, to the "Mmmmmm!", to his hugging or kissing the statue....each moment was truly precious!


Thank you Lord, for your many blessings. In closing, I would like to share something I feel that is so important as St. Stephen Harding shows by his example:

We might not think about it much, but it's important to spend some quiet time each day listening to God who speaks in our hearts.  St. Stephen knew that this is why some silence in our lives is important. We can ask him to remind us to sometimes turn off our TV's, CD players, and computers to spend time listening to and talking to God!

This is something that I certainly need to work on! May God bless you and yours abundantly.


Saturday, April 14, 2012

Beautiful Saturday.....


We were truly blessed today with beautiful weather! The temperatures easily hit 70 today, and at last glance the temperature is about 66. My iPhone died earlier this week, so I borrowed Tim's phone to take pictures of the children playing in the garden.....

Watching the chickens in their yard pecking the ground, or dust bathing.....



Trying to re-attach the garden gate door....all by himself.....
Seeing the beginnings of the rhubarb.....
Or attempting to play ball with the Kipper.....
Some of our potatoes (Yukon Gold's) are planted in the garden, along with some carrots, and onions.  Please, Lord, bless our crops abundantly!

As I was going through the photos on Tim's phone, I came across several that are just a few of my favorites. These pictures remind me of how quickly each child changes, and to cherish every moment with them, for they will be grown and on their own before we know it.  Here are several of my favorites....I hope you don't mind my stroll down memory lane.............

Matthew enjoying the paddle from the mixer



(top/bottom, left to right)
David, Michael, Donald, John Paul



Beth



Matthew & Michael zonked out in the car


Sniff, sniff, sniff....MMMMM!

Matthew really likes flowers!


Laura & Matthew


Mom & Laura


(from left to right, clockwise)
John Paul, Mom, Laura, Michael, Matthew


(from top-clockwise)
David, John Paul, Matthew, Michael


Matthew & Michael


Here's some for you, Mom!

Mom & Matthew


Matthew Gerard...one day old



Matthew & Laura

Laura & Michael

Matthew up close and personal with the tree we're taking home



Mr. Fix-it!

David & Matthew

Matthew checking out an English saddle at the barn

Mr. Cutie!

Irwin 101...be the first child to ask Mom for the
paddle when you hear the mixer going
  
Play peek-a-boo with a curtain


Matthew & Laura


Grandma & Matthew


Laura & Molly





Beth & me with her Jake during a private guided turkey hunt

Picking out the Christmas Tree, December 2011
Beautiful Beth

Homeschoolers Checker Board
(Math graph paper, pencil, and Cheerios)
Your move, David!

Are you sure you want to make that move, John Paul?











May God bless you and yours abundantly!