Book meme

I was tagged by Christine at Good Company to do a book meme.

Here are the rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people. (Why is it always 5?)

Here it goes from Christopher West's Theology of the Body for Beginners...

In the new evangelization, we need to be able to walk into fraternity parties where people are getting drunk and seeking illicit sex and say, "Do you know what you really want here? You want the Eucharist and marriage, and the Catholic Church has them in their fullness."

Once again I'm inserting a bit of humor. But again, I'm also serious. Behind every sin, behind every disordered "acting out," there's a genuine human desire that's meant to be fulfilled through Christ and his Church.

Christopher West really is the best at explaining JPII's Theology of the Body in language that we all can understand.

He's nine months old!

My baby is nine months old today! He's all healthy now and as busy as can be.
Sometimes he seems so grown up to me, almost like a little boy.
And, at other times he still seems so little.
One thing is for sure, it's getting hard to keep up with him! He's pulling up and starting to cruise along everything.
He's even big enough to steal toys instead of just being the one from whom toys are stolen.
And, he's highly adept at finding remotes, cordless phones, and cell phones to chew on. What is it with babies and remote controls?
Happy nine months, baby boy! You are such a joy!

My husband is the best!

Yesterday morning after we all woke up, Eric told me to get the kids dressed because he had a surprise planned for us. I've finally learned to not pepper him with questions when he makes statements like that, so I busied myself getting us all dressed. He then took us to McDonald's for breakfast (something we never do, so it was a big deal for the kids) and after that we started driving toward the city. On the way he handed me a letter that he had written that morning while I was getting some "beauty rest." It was a beautiful letter reminiscing over the almost eight years of our marriage (our anniversary is next month). Here's part of the letter that explained what we were on our way to do:

For each year of our marriage, you get one chair. For the beautiful family that you nurture, you get one table.

I believe that we have been blessed in many ways; health, hope, joy in living our vocations. I also believe that we will continue to be blessed in the love and time we share around your new table.

So, yesterday I got to shop for the first piece of furniture that we have ever bought! A brand new kitchen table! I'm so so so excited! Our house is mainly outfitted with hand-me-downs, left over cheap college furniture, flea market finds, a couple of cheap pieces from IKEA, and even some old office furniture that the company Eric works for auctioned off. The only thing that we have that is new is a couch that Eric's parents bought for us for a wedding present.

We went to 5 or 6 different stores, dragging the kids along with us. They were real troopers and only complained about every other minute. :) We didn't buy anything yet. I am a very slow and careful shopper (Eric knows this about me which is why he's having me start shopping a whole month before our anniversary). We also only want to get something that is very good quality, a piece that will be in our home for the rest of our lives. My favorite so far is this table and chairs from Pottery Barn and it is definitely not cheap! I'm usually very tight with money but Eric said that I'm not supposed to worry about the price. He actually said, "It's my job to make the money and it's your job to get what you like." Can you believe that? How many husbands have actually said that to their wives?!?

So, I'll be spending the rest of the afternoon doing some online comparison shopping. Hopefully I'll be posting a picture of our brand new kitchen table very soon!

Recommendations?

Can any of you homeschoolers recommend a good pre-K workbook? Elizabeth found some old ones of Jonathan's and she is very excited about tracing letters, matching pictures, etc. even though most of the pages are done already. I got the ones I have from the bookstore because it was the most convenient, but this time I'd like to find some better resources.

So, any recommendations?

On the mend

I'm over my case of the flu now and Gustin is improving. He's definitely been having a harder time than I have, but hopefully in the next day or two he will be back to 100%.

But, at least we are feeling well enough to enjoy Superbowl Sunday. We're planning on grilling some hamburgers and making guacamole and hopefully it will be a good game.

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone! Our prayers today have been those of thanksgiving for the return of good health to our household and for the same to happen for friends that are also dealing with illness. God bless you!

It continues...

***UPDATED***

I know it seems like most of my posts lately are about illness, but that is our reality right now. Eric's sickness that I mentioned in the previous post turned out to be the flu. And, despite our best efforts at prevention, the baby seems to have caught it, too. (sigh) I'm taking him to the doctor this morning. I seem to be the only one who has not been sick, and I pray that it remains that way. My sick baby needs me.

Update -
Well, I now officially have the flu, too! Eric was able to take Tamiflu, which greatly shortened the length and reduced the severity of his illness. But, Tamiflu is not for babies under the age of 1 and nobody seems to know if it is safe for breastfeeding moms (I called my general practitioner and my OB and neither knew if it is safe!), so Gustin and I are struggling along as the illness takes its natural course. Hopefully, I'll be back blogging again soon with a houseful of healthy people! The pediatrician said that Gustin has crammed two years worth of illness into one month. I think we have had more than our fair share!

One long month

January has been crazy in our house so far. Gustin's illness began on New Year's day and he finally got over the last of it about a week ago. About a week and a half ago, he started teething. The front two on the bottom are making their debut and Gustin is NOT happy about it. He has been extremely fussy. Strike that. He has been screaming his head off! The only thing that seems to give him any relief is nursing. So, he has been nursing constantly (between bouts of screaming) for the last week and a half.

I mentioned in the meme post that Eric and I have been watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy in small chunks in the evenings after the kids go to bed. The first time the Ring Wraiths made an appearance, Eric and I looked at each other and we were both thinking the same thing. That's exactly what Gustin sounds like when he is screaming! A Ring Wraith! My son is a mini Ring Wraith!

Moving on.

Jonathan and Elizabeth also took turns being sick this week and Jonathan missed a day of school. After all this illness and general grumpiness in our household this month, I told Eric on the phone today that all I wanted this weekend was one hour of quiet where I could read or nap or do whatever I wanted by myself.

Tonight Eric walked in the door looking kind of puny.

"I'm sick", he told me.

Oh, well. So much for that hour to myself this weekend. A mom can always dream. :)

Now I understand

Elizabeth: I know what "fall down" means.

Me: You do?

Elizabeth: Yes. It means . . . (long pause) . . . fall down!

My first meme!

Lillian tagged me for my first meme!

1. WERE YOU NAMED FOR ANYONE? Not specifically, but my name was chosen in honor of someone. My grandfather was a proud Irishman and in honor of him and our heritage, my parents gave me and my sister and brother Irish names. Colleen means "girl maiden" in Gaelic.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Three days ago when I stopped by the memorial website of the daughter of a friend of mine who died at the age of two.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes, it's a lot like my Mom's.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Ham.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Three beautiful souls.
6. WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes. Then I would have a friend who shared all of my interests. :)
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM ALOT? Not really.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I have no desire to.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? At the moment, Frosted Mini Wheats.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Rarely.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Most of the time.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Moo-llennium Crunch and Mint Chocolate Chip
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Smile.
15. RED OR PINK? Blues and greens.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? How long it takes for me to get comfortable around new people.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My husband. He should be home in approximately 37 minutes.
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Dark blue jeans and khaki colored slippers.
19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Dried pineapple.
20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Gustin crying. I think he's teething. He's been crying ALOT for the last few days.
21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Deep blue.
22. FAVORITE SMELLS? The fresh smell of the rain right before a thunderstorm, grapefruit, freshly baked brownies, freshly cut cilantro.
23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Eric.
24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Basketball, football, Nascar, tennis, baseball, figure skating, gymnastics, the Olympics. I love most sports!
25. HAIR COLOR? Brown (we'll just ignore those stray grays for now).
26. EYE COLOR? Blue
27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope, glasses.
28. FAVORITE FOOD? Seafood (shrimp, scallops, crab, lobster)
29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Only happy endings.
30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Eric and I are watching the trilogy again in 30-45 minute chunks after the kids go to bed.
31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Pink.
32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Spring.
33. HUGS OR KISSES? Both, the more the better.

34. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate. Cheesecake. Chocolate cheesecake.

35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? A Gathering of Angels by Katherine Valentine. It's a fiction book centered around the parishioners of a small town Catholic church.
36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I haven't owned a mouse pad in years.
37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Packers vs. Giants game.
38. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Baby laughs.
39. BEATLES OR ROLLING STONES? Neither.
40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? I'm not sure what is further away; Bakersfield, California or Northeastern Nebraska or Cozumel, Mexico.
41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I'm a good listener.

42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Omaha, Nebraska

I tag Jill and Christine.

Poor baby

He was sick for more than two weeks including a two night stay in the hospital and just as he is starting to feel well enough to start interacting with the rest of his family again, what does his Daddy do?Daddy makes sport of him. And, then Daddy lets his brother and sister join in.
And, how does the wee one take it? With a smile. Just as he always does when his Daddy is up to some kind of mischief.
It's good to see your smile again, baby boy. We've missed it.

Now this was fun

I was trying to think of something fun to do with Elizabeth on this cold, wet day when I saw this post by Margaret. Fun with bubbles was the perfect idea!
We made bubble mountains, the biggest bubble in the whole wide world, and bubble caterpillars. I could spend hours (well, maybe more like a bunch of minutes) looking at all the amazing colors and shapes that the bubbles made. Elizabeth didn't want to just sit and look at them. She wanted to pop them!

Try it out! You'll be glad you did! You just need a shallow pan, a straw, 8 tablespoons of dish soap and 4 cups of water. Enjoy!

A question of faith?

We have some friends who are going through a very hard time right now. They are the most amazing family I know, so full of faith, so generous and overflowing with Christ's love. But, they also are carrying more crosses at the moment than it seems possible to bear. Both the father and youngest daughter are dealing with very serious health issues at this time, and these are just their newest burdens. Some members of our parish are currently coordinating meals, house cleaning, etc., and, of course, prayer for this family in an effort to try to help lighten their load. They sent an email out asking for help and most especially for prayers for this family so they will be blessed with the graces they need to get through this hard time. Another woman in our parish replied to everyone and said that we should do even more. She said that we should "take the leap of faith and pray for total healing". She also said that we should "pray for healing and restoration with confidence that God wants that for them more than we do."

The reason that I am relaying this story to you is because it has reminded me of a question that I have been struggling with for a long time. It is a question of faith and God's will. I don't know what God's will is for this family. I know that He already has done amazing works through them and that their example will probably lead many more souls to Christ in the future.

But, does He desire for them to be physically healed or is He allowing these struggles because they will help the family bear even more fruit in the future? I don't know.

So, in an attempt to be a good faithful Catholic, I am struggling as to what my prayers for them should entail. Do I pray for total healing and trust that God will answer that prayer? Is doing any less showing a lack of faith? Or does it demonstrate more faith in God to let go of trying to control the situation and just pray that God's will be done, regardless of what the outcome might be?

All my life I have watched my father struggle with a myriad of health problems. I prayed for years that he would be healed and it has yet to happen. A couple of months ago I realized that, unintentionally, my prayers had changed over the years from requests for healing to just asking for God to give Dad the strength to joyfully bear his cross. I don't know if this means that I gave up on the hope of healing or if I have just accepted that it seems to be God's will that Dad carries this heavy burden for the good of souls. I do believe in the redemptive power of suffering, but I also believe in miracles.

I would welcome any wisdom or guidance that any of you could share. Do I keep faith in a miracle happening or should I have faith in God's will and just pray that it be done even if it requires great suffering? These are questions that I have been unable to answer on my own. Any thoughts?

Elizabeth's perspective

Yesterday afternoon we were watching the Cowboys game (and they lost! Arrhh!). Elizabeth saw the Cowboys' running back make another good play and she said, "I see a girl playing."

I said, "Well, actually, that's a boy with long hair."

"Long hair like a girl?" she asks.

"Yes."

She thinks for a few seconds and then says, "Then, that's a boy-girl. When there's a boy with long hair like a girl, then that's a boy-girl."

Somehow I don't think that Marion Barber would agree!

We're home!

We brought Gustin home from the hospital yesterday. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and well wishes! He is doing so much better. He's nursing well and gaining back some of the weight he lost from a week and a half of being sick. He is still a bit fussy and fighting some diarrhea so he's not completely over it, but he's definitely on the mend. The doctor also put him on Prevacid because he was throwing up every time he ate which the doctor thinks could indicate a reflux problem along with the stomach bug. Thankfully all the x-rays, ultrasounds, cultures, tests, etc. that they took in the hospital came back negative so we're not dealing with any more serious health issues.

I want to say thank you again for all the prayers. It's so nice to know that we have so many online friends as well as our local community and family praying for us. This Catholic blogging community is such a blessing. God bless you all!

Please keep praying

I just came home from the hospital for a few minutes to get cleaned up since Gustin was admitted yesterday. He's dehydrated and their not sure if all the vomiting is a stomach bug or some kind of reflux problem. He will remain in the hospital at least until tomorrow, depending on how quickly he responds to the fluids and if he stops throwing up. I would appreciate any prayers. It's no fun being in the hospital and I would really like to know why he is so sick. Thank you!

Ick!

Gustin is on his seventh day of an awful stomach bug. The doctor said it would last 5 to 7 days, so I'm hopeful that we're near the end. But, the last two days seem to be much worse instead of better. It's been tough trying to keep him from getting dehydrated and my freezer is full with all the extra milk I've had to pump. If you have a minute, will you say a little prayer that he gets better soon? Miraculously, none of the rest of us have caught it.

I'm sending up a few prayers for all the newborns during this cold & flu season. I hope you all stay healthy!

Christmas pictures

Here are some of my favorite pictures from Christmas and our holiday travels. I really did try to keep the number of them to a minimum. Really. I promise.

All packed up and ready to go. First destination: my parents' house in west Texas.
WARNING: Obnoxiously cute baby pictures ahead.

Sweet siblings all ready for Christmas Eve mass.
Gustin with my Dad.
This gift wins the award for being the most appropriate. My brother got this sign for Eric. It reads, "It's hard to be humble, when you're a Texan." Nothing can describe Eric better!
Santa brought all the girls and kids fun, colorful wool socks.
Gustin is not very thrilled about beginning solid foods. We've been patiently trying for about a month and a half now and he's still not taking to them. My mom was sure that she could get him to eat.
Nope. He doesn't like it from her either!

After Christmas we headed to Eric's parents' house in central Texas for some more fun.

All bundled up and ready to play.
Fun in the fall leaves and sunshine.
Elizabeth can play on this swing for hours.
Jonathan had fun fishing and knocking pecans out of the tree in the front yard. For some reason, he's a little confused, though, because he calls them "apricans". Never heard of it? Apparently, it's a new fruit/nut hybrid, half apricot and half pecan.
I hope everyone had a holiday that was as fun and relaxing as ours was. The kids even did amazingly well with all the driving (we were in the car driving for the majority of four different days). We made some great memories.

If you can relate...

... to my resolution #1, then go check out this post by Jen at Et Tu?. She has such an awesome way of putting into words problems that I am experiencing. And the cool thing is, she offers some solutions, too!

And, it makes me feel so much better knowing that I do not struggle alone.

New Year's Resolutions

I know that I have done New Year's resolutions in the past, but to be honest, I don't remember a single one. There has only been a few times that I have actually written them down and even when I did, I could never remember where I put them. It's pretty hard to be held accountable when you don't remember to what you are holding yourself accountable. But, this year, I have a blog. So, now I can write them down and I won't be able to lose them!

1. I will not be so hard on myself. I tend to get down on myself about the cleanliness/tidiness of my house, children, self, etc. But, I am finally recognizing that much of it is a result of my state in life. I can't expect a perfectly clean house while there are three small children living in it. I am not a failure as a housewife if there are toys all over the place and perpetual piles of laundry that never seem to get completely put away or if I only rarely "do" my hair. I need to get better at recognizing the truth of this situation on a daily basis.

2. I will trust more in God. I've been having some struggles with prayer lately and I think it all boils down to not trusting in God and His plan for my life. I have allowed irrational fear to control me at times and it makes life miserable. I need to let go and let God.

3. I need to reduce the clutter in my home. This resolution may seem in conflict with my first one. But, to keep untidiness from overwhelming me, I need to set up some systems to help control clutter. Right now, everything does not have a place. I need to create places for everything to go, which will take some planning and buying storage and organizational supplies. I also plan to purge the house of anything that is not longer being used or unnecessary.

I truly hope that this time next year I will read over these resolutions again with a smile on my face because I have made significant progress in each one of these areas. I have a lot of work to do, but it is exciting to think how much more peaceful life will be if I meet these goals.

What are your New Year's resolutions?

Whew!

We're back from a wonderful, exciting and busy Christmas vacation! I have so much laundry to do and blogs to catch up on and so many pictures to post. Where did all the time go?

For now, I want to congratulate Blair and Veronica on their beautiful, new little boys. Check out their adorable pictures.

Also, here's a little story about Elizabeth. She has been hearing her brother talk about Star Wars a lot lately (he's heard about it from the kids at school) and they've been pretending that they are Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. Elizabeth also got a pink, hooded, flower bath towel at Christmas. The other day she was running through the house with her pink flower towel on her head with it streaming behind her like a cape and yelling, "I'm flower Darth Vader! I'm flower Darth Vader!"