"Heedless of the Wind and Weather!" (Advent Happenings in our Warm and Cozy Home)

So far, we've been having the kind of Advent I'd been hoping for... lots of singing and prayer without pressure; a messy house that doesn't bother me because eventually it will be cleaned; time focused on making gifts for others.  

Last year St. Nichols Day took me by surprise and I said, "Never again!"  Well... you guessed it - it happened again this year. Last Monday I remembered I wanted to paint peg doll nativity sets to give to the kids on St. Nicholas morning.  A good friend, who is a talented and experienced peg doll painter (and painted the sets featured in this post from the past) helped me get started Thursday night.  I'm still not finished, but I'm certainly enjoying this new-found craft hobby!  I also didn't get to make the special breakfast of St. Nicholas' crosier coffee cake that I had "pinned" last year.   Maybe next year, but I make no guarantees.

It's all ok, though.  My mantra this Advent is: don't fuss, don't go nuts, don't regret; just do what works, what makes sense and what's fruitful.   

So on St. Nicholas morning the kids' slippers were full of leftover chocolate from All Saints Day and they got to eat it at breakfast (what!?!?!)  We read our St. Nicholas books and the boys asked if we could go to Mass to celebrate the day.  Uh... ok!  We cancelled school lessons for the day and after Mass we spent the rest of the morning making salt dough ornaments to give as Christmas gifts. 

(I'm taking it so easy these days, I didn't even edit any of the pics...)

In the afternoon we sat around building Christmas tress out of our geometric arranging games.  I seriously couldn't have asked for a better St. Nicholas Day. (Well, actually it would have been a little better if St. Nick had left that coffee cake for me in the morning!)

We are all enjoying lighting our wreath at night and most nights we're eating dinner by candlelight.  Little fingers have been picking at the candle wax and at the beaded place mat under the wreath.  Kids try to blow out the candles when they think Mom and Dad aren't looking and usually there are grouchy faces from those who aren't chosen to blow out the candles after dinner.  But, what did I expect?  The average age of these kids is 4 and half and I'm trying not to be upset when they don't act like silent, cloistered monks and nuns.  :)  We haven't been organized enough to hang our Jesse tree ornaments every night, but it works out nicely when we skip a few days and then have three ornaments to put up at once - no arguing about who's turn it is!  (the path of least resistance is sometimes the right path!)  

We've been singing People Look East and O Come, O Come Emmanuel, and are practicing the later in Latin again this year! We also spent quite a bit of time this past week brushing up on Immaculate Mary, Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above, and the hymn to Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the hopes that they'd be on the list at Mass this past Sunday.  Nope.  And again, not even at Mass this morning!  We've just had to be content singing them for our own (and Our Lady's) enjoyment at home :) 

** Here is where I insert into all this rambling one of my favorite images of Mary so that I can join Mary's Feast of the Immaculate Conception linkup!  I admit I don't have a favorite, but this image, the Polish Madonna, is most reflective of my prayer these days... Lord, there is much to do.  Allow me to embrace household life and work peacefully and joyfully - the way you  have called me to live my vocation.  Guard me from anxiety and resentment, and grant me peace and contentment as I order my work toward the good of my family and for your glory.  

ps - allow me to confess here and now that I cannot recall a time in my life when I have ever hung a single scrap of laundry on a line.  I like my dryer :)  

And now we take you back to the Advent Week 1 recap...

I've also been realistic about how much I can do in a week before I get burned out (for me, burnout sets in quickly if I'm out of the home too much - especially now that I'm in the thick of my third trimester!)  So I said "yes" when my dad offered to take the kids on a winter nature hike and when my mom offered to take them to a production of the Nutcracker.  I've definitely loosened my tight little fists and am letting go of my need to be the one who makes fun things happen.  

And I'm crocheting a lot!  (when I'm not painting the nativity peg dolls, that is!)  Last night was like a dream come true - everyone under the age of 30 was in bed before 7:00 and everyone over the age of 30 spent a positively lovely evening in front of the fireplace chatting, eating cashews, and crocheting.  (Well, only one of us was crocheting!)  

So this past week??  Contentment.  Gratitude.  Peace.  

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

our spirits by Thine advent here!

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Holy Mary, conceived without sin, Patroness of the United States...

pray for us.

Dressing up for All Saint's Day!

Obviously, the real way to celebrate All Saint's Day (November 1, don't forget!) is to go to Mass.  And to offer thanks and praise for the "cloud of witnesses" bestowed upon us and the universal church.  And to recommit ourselves to delving deeper into the lives of the Saints for our own edification and sanctification. And to strive to follow their examples thereby personally drawing closer to Christ.  I *try* to do these personally and for my family.  But, couldn't I get even more out of it?? I mean, what about dressing up and partying and candy - those typically-done-at-the-end-of-October activities??  To really benefit from all that All Saint's Day has to offer, you really must combine all aforementioned activities.  Then you will truly be celebrating the Church Triumphant in grand style.  (and it's fun for kids too!)  

My kids chose their Saints a few weeks ago. (The party is tonight!!) When Ruth decided to dress the same as last year, my first thought was, "Oh, come on, choose something different, for fun!"  Then a little voice inside me said, "Why are you encouraging her to choose something that will require extra work on the part of the wardrobe department??" Since I am Mom and Costume Mistress, I agreed to let her be Our Lady of Guadalupe, again.

costume tips - I drew gold flower-y decorations on her "dress" with gold fabric pen,
and stenciled sparkly gold stars (fabric puffy paint, I think) on the veil.  Roses from the Dollar Store!

Aaron chose St. Michael the Archangel, presumably because the allure of armor and sword was too overpowering to do otherwise.

costume tips: chest plate and shield are from the Dollar Store.  The sword is made from wooden paint
stirrers that were spray painted and bound together with string.  The wings are a single piece of
poster board that I pinned onto the back of his shirts with two large safety pins.

Dominic chose St. Wenceslas - a repeat from three years ago.  I'm not entirely sure why he feels devoted to this particular first century Bohemian martyr.  But, we all enjoy the song of Good King Wenceslas, so that probably has something to do with it.  (Did you know that he was only considered a king after his death? It's true!)

costume tips: crown is metallic poster board with "jewels" glued on.  The cape I made three
years ago and I think I just cut a piece of purple fabric and sewed the faux fur with a
long  top stitch on my machine.  It's held together at the top with a large sew-on snap and again, I
glued the jewel on.

Clare?  Well, no big surprises there... we kept it obvious.  She is St. Clare.  Know how you get a previously-hysterical-when-approached-with-a-costume toddler to let you put a costume on her? Licorice.  

costume tips: I glued the host to the monstrance but then quickly sewed the entire thing onto her
habit.  Her veil is held on by a snap in the back - it probably won't stay on through
the whole party though, right?!  I tried to incorporate a white wimple, but she screamed bloody
murder and I backed down :)

And now, revealed here for the first time, exclusively for the readers of my blog, I bring you My Super Secret Tip for Saint Costumes...

I LOVE Saints that wore long robes or habits.  Every year, every Saint that I've ever dressed has required a long robe or religious habit.  My secret???  Men's T-shirts from Target. They are my inexpensive, no work required, go-to item for Saintly garb. Obviously, I save them from year to year, so Clare is naturally wearing St. Francis's habit from a few years ago.  But I needed to get a few new colors this year - the yellow for St. Michael and the BIG red one for St. Wenceslas.  I just love that a men's XXL shirt is the perfect royal robe for a pint-size king, long billowy sleeves and all! And because the warm weather is OVER, many of the T-shirts were marked down to $4.  Not bad when that's all you have to spend to pull together a perfect costume! Happy happy happy :)  Want to play spot the Target T-shirt???

And in case you're browsing for other easy Saint costume ideas, here are a few pictures of last year's costumes - St. Francis of Assisi, St. Dominic, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and St. Zita...

Happy All Saint's Day... a day early!

Chopping Onions for Moms Because Our Lady Did it for St. Elizabeth

Challenge to Blog Daily: Day 7

(See this post for the background info on this challenge and please forgive whatever you find "imperfect, incomplete, potentially uninteresting, and quite possibly incomprehensible.")

Woohoo!  I did it - my post-a-day blog challenge to pull me out of my comfort zone (not posting because it won't be perfect) and drag me through my discomfort zone (that of hitting "publish" even though it's not... quite... ready). 

For this final day here is a hastily written (though much pondered) reflection that deserves more attention but... that's the nature of the challenge for you...

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photo from thevegansage.blogspot.com

Well, that's not actually Scriptural.  It doesn't mention onions in the gospel of Luke but it does say that after hearing that her cousin Elizabeth was in her six month of pregnancy, Mary traveled to her and stayed with her for about three months.  She wasn't sitting around playing parcheesi and eating bonbons while she was there. After Elizabeth greeted her and John leaped in Elizabeth's womb and Our Lady declared the greatness of the Lord... Mary got to work.

Isn't that why she traveled there?  To celebrate with Elizabeth and then to help her? (And maybe chat a little about morning sickness and stretchmarks?!)  Luke didn't write it, but I bet she helped cook and clean and prepare and ease elderly Elizabeth's anxiety about having a newborn.  

A few years ago, I was asked if I'd like to make a meal for a mother who had just had a baby.  I, much to my shame, grudgingly agreed while ungracious thoughts invaded my brain...  I'm too busy for this, I have a newborn of my own, how do you expect me to get to the store?  This woman lives far away from me and you expect me to deliver this dinner??  What if I never get my tupperware back??  And on and on.

The evening after I had made the meal, but before I had delivered it, I was praying a Rosary and was providentially meditating on the Joyful Mysteries.  As I started to prayerfully consider the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, I had one of those, "I'm so spiritually immature, I just got it" moments (they hit me quite frequently.) That's why I made this meal.  That's why I will pack my children up into the van after nap time and drive 45 minutes away to deliver this dinner, and then come home for our own late and hurried dinner.  Because Mary "invented" Ministry to Moms.  Because she didn't whine or complain or hesitate.  She didn't use her own miraculous pregnancy as an excuse to take it easy and stay home.  She didn't visit Elizabeth to show off how fabulous and "together" she had it, and how it was no big deal to nurture her own growing family as well as another's.  She didn't go to receive accolades from her cousin.  She went because she was a new mother also.  She also was expecting a son that she never expected and she could fathom Elizabeth's unfathomable joy and could sympathize with her overwhelming situation.  Elizabeth wasn't needy.  Mary saw fit to honor her through a ministry of service and friendship.  

That is why moms are the best and most natural servants and ministers to other moms.  When we serve another mother through the gift of a meal (whether during the early months of pregnancy when she is sick, or after the birth of a baby, or during an illness or a family difficulty) we are honoring our shared womanhood as Our Lady honored Elizabeth.

I am not always able to make meals for moms who could use one.  But when I am able, I am so happy to do it.  It brings me back to the day my attitude toward this type of service was transformed by prayer.  Recalling the story of the Visitation helps me remember what is important - it's not that the meal be seven courses of the gourmet variety.  It's not that I look fabulous and put together when I deliver it.  It's not that I'm looking forward to thanks and praise.  It is about showing another mother that her vocation is valuable and honorable.  It is also about acknowledging that sometimes that vocation is challenging and difficult.  (Many a mother has felt stretched to the breaking point by the thought of getting dinner on the table!)  I will happily bring a mother a simple meal to ease that burden in a simple way, and to honor her in a simple way.  She absolutely deserves more.  A meal is simple, but not insignificant.  Only a mother can appreciate the depth of the value of a meal that comes from another mother. 

* * * * * *

A few obvious tips for sharing meals with a mom and her family:

*  Simple is ok.  I typically double whatever I am serving my own family and know that if it's a simple meal I'm feeding my own family, I'm comfortable sharing it with another.  Often it's no more than a soup and bread or a casserole.  It doesn't have to be a culinary masterpiece to make a big impact.

*  Check for dietary restrictions, requirements, and preferences first.

*  Include dessert if you can.  Have you ever encountered a woman who didn't love the occasional dessert delivered to her door?!? And you'll make her children happy too!

*  Don't forget to include reheating and serving instructions if there are any.

*  Try not to view this service as "paying back" a mom who has brought you a meal or offered you some other form of assistance. Make it a point to minister to a mom from whom you've received nothing, and then think no more of it!

*  Leave all of your culinary insecurities and competitiveness and judgmentalism at home, or better yet, on another planet.  Leave all of your parenthood insecurities and competitiveness and judgmentalism in the same place.  There is no room for these distractions and distortions in true ministry.  (I'm speaking from experience - they really sour your attempt at service.)  

* * * * * *

So what's with the onions, anyway??  I decided to write this post a few weeks ago when I had spent the better part of a Sunday preparing meals for three families other than my own.  I was knee-deep in onions and was bawling like a baby and about to lose my mind knowing that it would be less painful if I could just take my eyes out of my head rather than endure this onion-induced torture.  Russ was passing by at a particularly painful moment and heard me mutter something under my breath as I dramatically flung my head back from the cutting board.  "What??  Have you ever said, holy sh*t before?" he asked, aghast.  "Have you ever chopped four onions before?"  was my unapologetic reply.  

I can assure you that when Mary was chopping those onions at Elizabeth's house, she probably wasn't using the kind of language that onions elicit from me :)  

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post script - I have often been on the receiving end of this generous act of sacrifice and service.  Thank you, kind women, who have shown such goodness and grace-filled-ness to me!