Celebrating Catholic Schools Week!

This is Catholic Schools week and it is going to be so much fun for the kids. They get points each day for wearing a shirt with the school logo on it or your jumper, wearing a religious medal, bringing something about a saint (show and tell your faith), or wearing the bracelet the principal gave them today. They are going to add up the points and get a prize at the end of the week if they make their goal. Today some of them delivered cookies they made to the businesses that help support the school. Tomorrow they get to go to Mass in a different town and deliver more cookies. Wednesday they go to another town to Mass with the archbishop and out to eat. Thursday there will be a Children's Holy Hour and Friday its parent/grandparent day which will be so much fun. I am so thankful my kids get to go here. What a great group of kids and teachers!

Goodbye Joseph too!

This is our dear priest that we are losing in just a short time. The Welsh Corgi is his dog Joseph who I dog-sit frequntly. Or did dog-sit. The doghouse (isn't it cute?) was made by a parishoner for her senior project. I am really going to miss Joseph too. He is such a fun dog, so full of energy.

Goodbye Father!

As of February 17th our priest, Father Jon, is leaving us to go to a much bigger parish. I would give just about anything for it not to happen, but I guess it must be. It struck me the other day that the two people over the last few years who came over to dinner quite often were my brother Rick who passed away in December and Father Jon. This is so difficult, but there are many things to be thankful for. The fact that he wasn't taken away before my brother died (because he helped me through that so well), that the school my kids attend (with 35 kids in K-6) still has a fighting chance for survival, and that I am much more well read in the faith than before I knew him are all things I am grateful for. The fact that I very seldom miss daily Mass, go to Confession at least every other week, do a holy hour each day and pray the Liturgy of the Hours, are all because of Father's influence. Tuesday at the Holy Hour we prayed the Rosary and it was the most beautiful one I have ever heard. Father says it really slow and with a meditation in the middle of the Hail Mary. We are losing a truly great priest.

Free Days

My calendar is almost completely open for the next several days, at least during the day. It is so nice not to be running like crazy. To be home for more than an hour at a time makes it so much easier to get things done. Not that I am getting things done. We cut our dish network service and I couldn't be happier. I came home the other day and the kids were all playing some made up game and getting along for the most part. My oldest is the one who will miss it the most, losing ESPN and all, but he did watch a movie with his dad and I the other night and that never happens, and he really never complained about getting rid of it. He said he was going to get a job and buy it himself. Somehow I think when he does so he will not want to part with $50 a month.

My Family Picture

This is the most recent picture of the entire family. It was taken last summer or early fall. Monica has lots more hair now. They clean up pretty well.