Pinewood Castle

Unspeakable Devastating

As far as I can tell, all of my friends and relations are okay. But you know how it is when tragedy strikes - your heart goes out to the victims as if they were your own.

Friday Daybook

Outside my window: It's Thursday evening. My kids are shoveling the sidewalk in the dark. It's only an inch or less, but they are squirmy, in need of vigorous exercise, and like seeing the stars.

I am listening to: The scrape of shovels, a kitten playing with the window shade cord, and the tick of the clock.

On my heart and mind: We have a new Holy Father! Almost everyone seems happy with the Holy Spirit's choice, and this event certainly helps ease our hearts after Pope Benedict's abdication. I think many are comforted in knowing that our Pope Emeritus will have time to read, write, pray, and play Mozart. Our new leader will remind us how wide are the wings of our Holy Mother Church. I mean, there are several liturgical rites around the world other than the Roman Rite (like 9? 11?), and the unique charisms of our various religious orders show us many paths to God. Contemplative or missionary, simple or intellectual, practical or innovative, austere or well-funded - all are prayerful and sincere in their desire to serve God. But what style do we want in the leader of the Church? People seem to want the papacy to match their own image of what they want in a pope. Some prefer formality fitting of a king, others will welcome this man's simple humility.

My hope is this: that Pope Francis will set such a loving and humble example in upholding moral truth, that barriers and anger and mistrust will melt away. Messages of love and truth will stop being misconstrued as hate. People all over the world, of many religions, still look on the leader of the Catholic Church as a moral compass. Even if they don't agree with the Church's teachings, or are willing or able to live up to them, they still want a holy man to set an example they can respect.  Based on what I have heard and read, I have a feeling this Pope will show the world how to love the sinner, but hate the sin.

Praying for: So many homeschooling mamas with huge crosses to bear. One who had a brain tumor removed, one whose baby had surgery, one whose son was in a very serious snowmobile accident, another who is carrying a baby with an encephalocele on the back of it's neck. One of my first cousins passed away from brain cancer, and a neighbor's mother has been in the hospital. Praying for all of you!

Taking care of mama: Neither lab tests, ultrasound, nor a CT scan indicate there is anything amiss with the upper right quadrant of my abdomen, but it still feels like something is swollen in there. I've been experimenting with more water with lemon juice, grapefruit, dandelion tea, and similar cleansing foods. My plan is to get back to a low-fat, low-carb diet and get outside for more walks. By July I think I will have the time to invest in a gym membership to help chip away at the belly fat.

In the schoolroom: We are still reading Anne Frank. The kids are amazingly interested in this book, and I am glad for it, but I am ready to get back to some entertaining fiction. We have Ancient Greece going on in 7th grade, Trail of Tears in 5th, and Pocahontas in 4th. My 5th grader is on Africa and 4th grader on Missouri. In Logic of English we are learning when to keep the /e/ when adding a suffix and when to drop it. We finished Ave Verum Corpus in Lingua Angelica and are moving on to Stabat Mater. The kids are getting better at Words with Friends and traveling the world with Google Earth. Once a week we unschool and spend the morning looking posts I've starred on 22 Words. The Clarkson's 24 Family Ways is sparking some interesting and insightful discussion. I have decided we have way too many balls in the air and need to simplify for next year. Expect a post about that next week!

From the kitchen: I spent too much time watching the news on Wednesday, which delayed my trip to the grocery store and library, so I broke our weekday abstinence and picked up some beef fillets and dulce le leche gelato for a celebratory dinner.

Around the house: Little People, La La Loopsy, and Legos are all over. It's "L" week in kindergarten.

I am creating: Compiling info and images for composer flashcards to use next year.

I am lamenting: Google Reader is going away in July. Why?

I am reading: I have yet to finish a book in 2013. Too many in the pile!

Favorite things: New sparkly pink princess shoes for a five year old girl. What could be more exciting?

This weekend: Suzuki piano graduations, group string classes and orchestra, Musical Stars class for the little bears, and St. Patrick's Day on Sunday! We'll make beef stew, soda bread, and cupcakes (with pistachio pudding in the mix) topped with candy shamrocks.

A picture for you:

Give them Grace, Yourself Too

Just popping in to report that it's one of those days already. One of those days that I have to take my own advice: give them grace, love them very much.

I woke an hour before my alarm with a stuffy head and sore throat. Once downstairs, one sniff of the kitchen told me that some dishes from last night's dinner were missed. Not only that, but the  children assigned to dishes duty apparently omitted dish soap - everything that had been washed had an oily coating. I bit my tongue, unloaded the dishwasher, re-loaded it with anything that didn't fit last night, and re-washed the rest in by hand.

The two year old won't stop crying (about who knows what), Fritz is learning to climb the window screens, and Marie has discovered she loves to chew on clean laundry. No one (including me) remembered that last night was supposed to be bath/shower night for the younger four kids.

Earlier this week the bi-fold closet door in the mudroom came completely off the track and the vacuum handle broke completely off the base of the central vac. Fortunately, my handyman husband consulted YouTube and replaced the track and found that the vacuum could be repaired instead of having to be replaced.

This is all small stuff, really. A few months ago when we could still afford out-of-network medical costs, I was on some wondrous hormone balancing creams and thyroid supplements that made days like this seem like water on a duck's back. But more about that in another post - I am working on one for next week about hormones, S.A.D., etc.

On the bright side, we had two very good days this week. Days in which I rolled out of bed, showered, and made it downstairs by 7:00 am. Two days in a row we began school on time and ended on time and everyone was relatively happy, healthy, and productive. I was hoping to have a third. Send a little prayer my way and tell me it's not too late!

Guadete Sunday

The third week of advent: Our Lady of Guadalupe (12-12-12), feast of St. Lucy, the Nutcracker, and visit to the Christmas tree farm. A serendipitous stop at a "free kittens" sign. (We've named them Marie and Fritz.)

As full and joyful as this week was, one event will mar the joy of this third week of advent, and that of course is the news of the school shooting.

The story broke while I was at the Friday dress rehearsal, so I was oblivious as I shuttled mice, angels, and cookies on and offstage from 3:00 - 10:00pm. The news was on when we returned, and Nightline filled me on all I had missed. I went to bed with the key words swimming in my head. Massacre. Kindergartners (since corrected to be 1st graders). Divorce. Suicide. Autism spectrum (?). Others emerged over the weekend: Bright child. Home-schooled. Catholic. Reclusive. Gun control. School security.

So many details of this story remain unknown. Did the mom work at the school, or not? What was his motive for slaughtering the innocent?

Aside from all of the unanswered questions, I think we all wonder - how can we keep our children from being victimized, or worse - from being victimizers? What is the best way to meet our children's individual needs, their education style, their emotional needs? Homeschooling may reduce their risk of being killed in a school shooting, but what about everywhere else we go? 

And what does the future hold for the families who have lost young children? How does a community get through so many funerals before Christmas? How painful must it be to see the wrapped gifts intended for these children under the Christmas tree? Will the class of 2024 leave 20 chairs empty at commencement to memorialize the victims?

It's all just so awful.

May the souls of those who have died rest in peace, and may their loved ones find comfort and solace, even if this tragedy is never fully understood.

Tonight I pray for them, for our hurting country, and for our own children who have so much evil to face in the coming decades.

Prayer for Your Children

Glorious St. Anthony, your devoted clients have accorded you wonderful titles, such as, "the Saint of Miracles," and "Wonder-worker of Padua."

The age-old and world-wide veneration are a sure sign of your tenderness and generosity of heart. I am confident, then, in recommending to your special care, my most precious treasures, the children with whom God has blessed me.

You know the dangers of body and soul to which children are exposed in our time. You, who are so powerful, watch over them to protect them from every evil. Please preserve them by your intercession in innocence, protect them from sin and harm, and confirm then in fidelity to God almighty. Amen.

Requiescat in pace

 

1962 - 2012

Goodbye, my big brother.

Here's a song for you and for everyone gathered to remember you today.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May the souls of the faithful departed,
Through the mercy of God,
Rest in peace.

Amen.

 

 

 

The St. Gertrude Prayer

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood

of Thy Divine Son Jesus,

in union with the Masses said throughout the world today,

for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere,

for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own

home and within my family.

Amen.

Prayers Please

For the repose of the soul of my cousin Mary Beth, age 52.

Prayers Please

This morning Joe's grandma was found dead, by his mother, the day before his sister's wedding. Please pray for the repose of her soul and especially for his family to be strengthened and comforted as they grieve through an otherwise joyous occasion.

Can You Spare a Prayer?

The good news: a dear reader and Blogger friend, Lori, has a new grand-baby! The no-so-good news: she arrived three or four weeks early, weighs in at 4.5 lbs. and is in NICU for a time. Stop by Lori's and help welcome this precious baby girl into the great big world!

Requiescant in pace

The souls of two people people in our lives have passed on in recent weeks.

The first was my Uncle Jim, a quiet Irishman and father of six.

Here is an excerpt from his obituary that gives a glimpse into the kind of man my Aunt Virginia married 59 years ago:

Jim graduated from Bishop John Carroll High School and served in the U.S. Navy in WWII until August 20, 1946. He went on to graduate from Oklahoma State University in 1949. He was President and co-owner of Murphy and Perkins Ready Mix Concrete Company in OKC until 1992. Jim and Virginia were founding members of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church and were extremely active in the Parrish. He was very proud of his service as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. Jim was also a charter member of the Christian Family Movement and participated actively in the civil rights movement, sponsoring refugee families and delivering mobile meals.

He was the most loving husband, caring father and best grandpa and papa anyone could ever have.

He was the best of men.

The second was our violin teacher who was hospitalized with leukemia for most of the summer. We had only completed one year of study with her, but it was the best year since beginning three years ago. The children made enormous progress under her tutelage and I especially enjoyed the stern but loving grandmotherly way she had with the children.She knew exactly when to challenge, when to compliment and when to smile. Having been a mother of 7, she was infinitely patient with having our toddler in the lesson room!

Here are some excerpt from her Caring Bridge website:

Nedra Layne is a deeply-loved wife, mother of seven children, grandmother of 17 with two more on the way and her first great-grandchild soon to come.

A lover of music, Nedra has taught Suzuki violin and piano for decades, instilling an appreciation for music in hundreds over the years.

She is known as a great teacher both of music and of other subjects, whether that be English, which she once taught in school, Sunday School, or coaching her children and grandchildren through various subjects in school over more than 30 years.

She is known for her quick wit, sense of humor, and spunk.  There is always laughter when Nedra is in the room. She is also known for her service and generosity to others.

She has led the choir in her church for more than 20 years. In fact, she led the choir in church the day before she was admitted to the hospital.

I found this passage touching:

Mom's music lesson money rarely makes its home with Mom. Instead, she chooses to spend it on her children and grandchildren for their music lessons, medical needs and more.

Here's the part that really made me tear up:

Over the last six weeks he sang her to sleep, and Silent Night was part of the nightly repertoire. Dad leaned over the bed and embraced her and told her that he knew he was lucky to marry her, but that he could not believe his good fortune in having her as his bride . . . Dad told her, "You can go sweetheart. I’ll let you go now."

Her husband is university music professor and is about as quiet as my Uncle Jim was, but large and bearded and always makes me think of Johannes Brahms when I see him.

Mrs. Layne, we will miss you!

Prayers at Work

Dancer, "Has anyone commented about my 350 degree fever?"

Me, "Yes, people have been praying for you after your 106 degree fever!"

Many thanks are in order for your prayers this week for Dancer's quick recovery. The doctor thought she might have a fever for five days but she only had one for one day after beginning the antibiotic. I continue to pray that no damage was done by the high fever and that other symptoms of Lyme's do not visit my daughter's little body. Enough is enough.

Lesson learned: check for ticks every day because the ticks in our neighborhood carry Lyme's. The dad and his three of his four boys next door have had it. Another dad around the corner had it and ended up in the hospital with meningitis. Now the media tells us we have to be looking for these new striped-legged mosquitoes that carry encephalitis! Yikes!

God has been sending me consolations after bouts of difficulty with prayer. One instance occurred two weeks ago during Mass when the kneeler landed on my toe. Yes, the same toe I broke in April. The fierce protection I have developed of that toe was evidenced by the loud yelp that came out of my mouth. The brass and timpani did not mask the yell that resounded in the dome of this big Bavarian styled Church of St. Agnes. Then I remembered that there was a row of nuns sitting a few pews behind us. I was most embarrassed!

Turns out that having nuns behind you at such a time is a good thing. I apologized afterwards to them, explaining about my recently broken toe. Somehow they instinctively knew that the yelp was kneeler induced and prayed for the victim whose toe was most likely crushed. Well, miracle of miracles - my toe was scraped but otherwise unhurt.

Deo Gratias!

More Prayers Please

I'll have my nurse's hat on this week. Dancer seems to have contracted Lyme's from last week's tick although tests are not accurate until a month has passed. Even after starting an antibiotic yesterday she spiked a delirious 106 degree fever last night. She is feeling better today but the doctor expects she may have a mild fever for the next five days. We are praying for the intercession of St. Gianna to speed her recovery.

Please Pray

In my inbox this morning -

The Hansen Family

We'd ask that you keep one of the conference speakers, Diane Hansen, and her family in your prayers.  After Diane's presentations on Saturday, she returned home to St. Cloud.  Later that evening, her husband, Hank, died of a heart attack.  Please pray for Hank and the entire Hansen family. Funeral details can be found here.

More Good News for Baby John to Pass Along!

He's off the meds for his blood pressure, and he was baptized today.
LIZ

A New Update from my Friend

Hello all.  Thank you for your prayers; they are surely helping.  I talked to my sister last night.  She sounds good and Baby John's heart is now working on its own.  He is still on a ventilator and his heart still has some issues ... one step at a time.  Some new pictures from the ICU are on the blog.  http://ladamasinverguenza.blogspot.com/  Again, sincere thanks for all your prayers.

 

Anne Marie

Prayer Request Update

On Saturday night my sister said Baby John made it thru surgery and they would keep him on life support for 24 hours before trying to see if everything would work on its own.  On Sunday night she said he was still on life support in a room full of machines and they had not closed his chest, probably in case they had to do further surgery.  The doctors said they had never seen anything quite like his condition.   She said it would be a couple days before they tried to remove the life support.  She was able to laugh a little about the team of three nurses it takes to change his dirty diapers.  We compared it to a NASCAR tire change!  So, he's hanging in there and in good hands at Duke University.  Here is a link to my sister's blog which has a few pictures of "Jack Jack" before he was taken to the ICU.

 

http://ladamasinverguenza.blogspot.com/

 

Thank you for your continued prayers.
 

Anne Marie

Prayer Request

From a friend's email:

"My sister, Liz, who lost her daughter Julianna back in 2007, just had a baby boy last night -- John Isaiah Hernandez, 8lbs 4oz.  She just called to tell me baby John is in the ICU and will be undergoing four hours of open heart surgery today.  Some veins between his heart and lungs did not form correctly.  PLEASE pray for baby John, my sister and her family and for the medical team performing the surgery.  Thank you."

Please Pray

Please pray for the soul of a former music professor of mine who was found dead in his car on Wednesday. He was my woodwind quintet coach during my grad school days at the University of Iowa. I remember him as the best of professors - always funny, full of stories, encouraging, nurturing and professional. I am in total shock after reading the events surrounding his death as reported here by the Cedar Rapids Gazette.