You're kidding;

John Paul II's feast is going to be October 22? Seriously?!

I about cried when Colleen broke the news.

~~~~~

Dear Karoline Rose, Nicholas Karol, and Matthew Christian John Paul,

You will now celebrate your name day on October 22. Yes, I do recognize that the stretch of time from September 29 to October 31 already has 6 birthdays and 5 feast days in our immediate family. And I do know that Mary Beth's birthday is the next day, giving us yet another back-to-back feast in the fall. I also know that I had been operating on the premature and erroneous assumption that John Paul II would be celebrated in the spring. Between February 17 and May 6, we've got nothing in the way of name days or birthdays. That feast seemed perfect. Perfect. But it is not to be.

I'm glad for the advance notice. I solemnly promise to the three of you that I will endeavor to make the day special, to set it apart from all the other special days that month. I promise.

And I'm beginning a perpetual novena now to find the stamina for the perpetual party that is October.

Love,

Mom

Bloggity Bigday Giveaway

On April 6, 2006, this blog made its first appearance. I was a very tentative blogger who was really talked into it by a friend, who also did my first blog design. I was newly pregnant (and very sick) with my sweet Karoline. I couldn't imagine ever having enough to say here.

Lots of things have changed since then and I'm surprised nearly every day by the serendipitous, grace-filled  adventures this full life offers and the way that blogging gives them voice.  I'm grateful for the lessons I've learned here. I'm grateful for the opportunity to create and share here.

In all honesty, I've struggled with what to write today, how to capture what this space has meant the last five years. I'll never forget sitting in the hospital with Mike the night Karoline was born, reading so many kind words and sweet prayers, feeling an overwhelming sense of good and community and friendship. Praise God there have been many such days since this blog began. Nor will I forget nights in front of this screen with tears streaming so fast that the painful words blurred and I could not even see to read. I drafted this post weeks ago (so that I wouldn't forget the whole anniversary thing) and left this part to finish today. And what has come to mind, over and over again, is "all good." All of it. Even the painful parts.

All good.

All I've learned--about books, and cooking, and nature, and knitting, and friendship, and God, and myself--all of it is for my good. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart (and home) for that good. Thank you for caring about me, about my family, about this place on the 'net.

To celebrate five years of publishing here, I'm hosting a giveaway. Or two. Or three.

Because knitting is the new passion, I'm giving away this darling knit and read book, Spud and Chloe at the Farm.

And

Small Steps for Catholic Moms

And

 

Real Learning

Leave a comment and let me know which one I can send you (Remember, comments are moderated, so it might take a little while foryou to see your comment appear.)  Winners to be announced on April 10.

And hey, thanks so much for dropping by so often. I'm happy and so grateful to share my heart and home with you.

Yarn Along: Spring Shrugs

I finished Katie's Easter sweater.

I know the many mistakes I made while knitting this shrug. It amazes me that, despite those mistakes, the sweater really does look darling on her. And she loves it. I've had a hard time keeping her from wearing it every day. I think that's a great testimony to the pattern. Truly, before this shrug, I had only knit washlcoths. This is  perfect pattern for learning. (Nicholas did ask me if I was ever going to knit a whole sweater.)

Katie's shrug is a little tight through the top. I should have made the 10 for her and made the 8 instead (so ended up adapting the sleeves a bit). We decided to skip the buttons, since they would strain. But, Sarah's doesn't have button either yet, because I still can't figure out how to do the loop. Comments open for kind-hearted tutorials:-).

And I have begun to work on a shrug for Karoline. Elizabeth is knitting Karoline's Easter shrug in blue. {If you click here, you can see the blue cashmere and you can read a wonderful picture tutorial on how to dye yarn with children, using Easter egg dyes.}

The sweater I'm making Karoline is my first attempt to stripe. So far, so good. It's fun to switch colors so often and it's so much easier to count rows. Seriously, I had the hardest time counting rows with the other two. There must be some row-counting trick I'm missing. I love the Spud and Chloe sweater yarn. It handles easily. The wool content is bothersome. I don't think I could wear it and I do have to put it away and take Zyrtec every so often, but it knits beautifully. I found myself considering allergy shots last night. I wonder if they even do those for wool allergies. I keep telling myself that by handling it, I'm desensitizing myself (I'm not really believing that, though.)

Still following the same Lenten reading plan: knit and listen. When the children are awake, I listen to them read these to me.

I'm also reading quite a few new blogs, thanks to last week's blitz through all the Yarn Along posts at Ginny's. Go!

Small Steps Together: Encourage One Another

Courage--noun : mental or moral strength to venture , persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

Encourage--transitive verb a : to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope : hearten <she was encouraged to continue by her early success> b : to attempt to persuade : urge <they encouraged him to go back to school>

April's Small Steps entries are devoted to Courage; actually; they are Danielle's and my attempts to encourage you (and us) to be courageous. In our family, encouraging is highly encouraged. One of my most quoted Bible verses is "Encourage on another and build each other up!" (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Actually, that's not entirely true. The verse is

[11] Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing (RSV)

but--ahem--the "just as you are doing" part doesn't really fit. Because, they are not doing it--not so much. The boys, especially, are given to jostling for postition, asserting their superiority, and tearing their siblings down in the process. It's very disconcerting and not a little disappointing for a mother to witness. I want nothing more than for them to be good to one another, to be each other's staunchest supporters and greatest advocates. I keep reminding myself that they are children and I keep reminding them of the verse.

Sometimes, they nail it. I'll see them sincerely lift one of our own. Most often, it's an older sibling who encourages a younger one. That's the easier, more natural inclination. It does a heart good to witness a big boy say just the right thing to a little one and turn a whole game around for the better. It's endearing to watch big sisters patiently stand by and offer just a little assistance when a little girl insists on dressing or feeding herself. But the truly golden moments, precious and rare, are the ones when the older children encourage each other.

It might be as simple as a look, a shared smile, and understanding pat on the back. Every once in awhile, it's a full-fledged pep talk. And those are the times when I can barely contain myself. I want to shout from the rofftops, "just as you are doing!' Do it again!" But I refrain, because they'd probably think that really weird.

What about God? When He watches us, brothers and sisters in Christ? Does He want to remind us to encourage one another? When we get it right does He wish He could say "Just as you are doing! Do it again!" Actually, He already said it. It's up to us to take it to heart.

It's up to us to pray for the grace and the sensitivity to be genuinely encouraging to one another.

 Do we inspire with courage, spirit, or hope?  I know I encourage my children; it comes naturally and I've been encouraging since the day they were born. It's compeltely counterintuitive and unnatural to me to be anything but encouraging.   But what of the non-kid relationships? We are called to community and in that community, we are called to encourage.

Can I do that?

Can I be courageous and step out of my comfort zone in order to hearten someone else, particularly another woman? The encouraging words that flow so naturally when I look into the face of a child, will they come for my neighbor? Yes, by the grace of God.

And I pray for that grace.

Small Steps focuses on courage this month. Would you share your thoughts with us, let us find you and walk with you? I'd be so grateful and so honored to have you as a companion. Please leave a link to your blog post below and then send your readers back here to see what others have said.You're welcome to post the Small Steps Together banner button also.

Daybook: Laetare!

Sunday, late afternoon...

Outside My Window

The birds are making some raucous music

I am Listening to

Birds. And the dryer, washing machine, dishwasher--all my "servants: up early and working for my household..

I am Wearing

pajamas.

I am so Grateful for

~ a giant bowl of Pho at 8:00 last night. First time I ate all day yesterday and we squeaked in after soccer just before closing. Good recommendation, Barbara!

~encouraging knitting emails and notes. It's been pure joy to learn this art, mostly because people are so nice.

~surprise sushi

~Connecticut in the finals: Christian picked UConn to win it all. He was, by his own admission, under the influence of all kinds of pain meds at the time. Everyone laughed at him. But here's the deal: if UConn wins, he will win the office pool. What office, you ask? Oh, ESPN Washington. How fun would it be to go to work with Dad and claim that prize? From all those sports experts. Very fun. Tonight, we're all UConn fans.

~Spud and Chloe sweater weight yarn. I am not sure I could wear it without itching, but, so far, I can knit with it. Hooray for that. Wish it weren't so pricey, though, because I have my eye on several patterns at the Spud and Chloe blog (linked above).

~Soccer friends. The outdoor season started yesterday and it was good see soccer friends again.

~Soccer sisters. Oh, how much fun did my girls have while the boys played! There's something special about sister friendships formed on the sidelines oever years and years.

~Butch Morley, the team chaplain for the U17 National Team. I was really worried as I knew that Patrick was going to learn of Ty's death, by text messages from guys up here likely, before we could talk to him. And then I was worried about him being down there all alone to process it. But he wasn't alone. I don't know the details, but I do know that Butch was there. And Butch has been there all year. And I'm ever so grateful to Butch for his kindness and his generosity and his love of Jesus.

I'm Pondering

"See everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little. "
~Pope John XXIII

I am Reading

Got that in great detail here.

I am Thinking

that we began Lent with a funeral and now, midway through, another funeral. An icon in the DC Metro area soccer world died Saturday, leaving an entire generation of soccer players and their families grieving.

I am Creating

A sweater shrug :-) I casted on for the striped version for Karoline this weekend. It was slow going at first, as I learned a new yarn and a new technique but I'm so enjoying the colors.

On my iPod

nothing new. 

Towards a Real Education

Still pressing on to tie up loose ends before the bluebells. And making some plans for nature studay on the banks of Little Rocky Run.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty

I've given up on normal. This week won't be normal either. Mike's dad fell yesterday and after a day spent in the emergency room, was admitted last night. Any week that begins with a hospital admission isn't likely to be a normal one. So, we'll rely on the basic plan and just do the best we can.

To Live the Liturgy...

Yesterday was Lataere Sunday. Halfway there! Increasingly, this Lent has been about discerning who God created me to and how He calls me. I'm finding the answers a bit surprising. I'm grateful for the time and the prayer.

I am Hoping and Praying

for Elizabeth deHority. She is constantly on my heart and in my prayers. She needs you now. Please, please pray with me. A great deal of testing and specific diagnosis lies ahead this week. Please pray for wisdom and prudence and the grace and strength to know and do His will.

for the soul of Ty Lewis and for his family and for the countless soccer families who grieve his loss.

for Mike's dad and for his mom and for his medical care.

for Marisa, who surely will have her baby this week. Surely as these things get.

 In the Garden

It has rained and rained and rained. And now, it's not raining and the day will be warm. Perfect weeding weather and we have just the weeds!

Around the House

Oh. my. goodness! What  a huge difference a fresh coat of paint makes. Michael is on a roll. He's nearly finished with the first floor. And he has grand plans to finally finish all those things the "professional basement finishers" never finished when they ran off with our money nine years ago. And then the upstairs needs painting, too. I may never let him get a real job;-).

From the Kitchen

Recipe testing some meals inspired by the farmer's market for the summer issue of Faith and Family.

One of My Favorite Things

Sunday mornings with three and four year olds in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium. Karoline's godmother, Mel, is the teacher there and usually, Mary Beth is her assistant. Mary Beth stayed with a friend last weekend and went to the Pure Fashion show, so I stepped in for her in the atrium and Sarah Annie got to come along for the first time. Twelve hours later, she was still singing the songs. She had a wonderful morning. And so did I.

Sarah Annie this week

She got into some Revlon Color Stay lipgloss on Saturday. Stay, it does. ON HER FACE. It will not come off. I've tried oil, soap, makeup remover, baby wipes. Nope. It Stays and Stays and Stays. Pretty scary, huh? It's been forbidden in this house henceforth. Back to Aveda.

A Few Plans for the Week

Plans? Hah!

The absolute only plan I am going to make is that I dearly hope to make a HAPPY trip to the hospital.

To visit a new baby. Baby, do you hear me? This week would be good and if you cooperate, you might get to see the bluebells this year. Maybe.

Picture thoughts:

 

Taken just before church yesterday. I resisted the urge to pin a note to her explaining that I had, indeed tried (hard) to wash her face.

{{Comments are open. I have been terrible about responding to mail. Please forgive me? I do read every single note and I do pray for you. But, I don't always answer promptly. I'm hoping that having comments open on occasion will give me a chance to answer the more common questions for several people at once and will give you dear ladies an opportunity to talk with each other. They are moderated, so if you don't see yours at first, it means I'm busy knitting, it will appear shortly.}}