For Today…February 20, 2012

Outside my window…it’s dark.  It’s quiet.

I am wearing…the black shirt I wore to mass this morning and Snoopy boxers.  And a big frown on my face.  I feel really sick.

Moments of grace…the city showing up to start fixing the yard, staying positive when the rain came immediately afterward and basically ruined the work, ordering a new dishwasher and getting free delivery and setup.  Sounds like I’m just excited about not having to spend extra money.  I am.  But it’s more.  It’s been really difficult to keep a positive attitude lately.  It’s hard to keep myself from wondering “what next?”!!  So yes, I am grateful for these small and unexpected gifts.

What next…I knew you’d ask.  Despite only having 22,000 miles on my car, I need new tires.  Like yesterday.  Seriously.

I am praying…that my family gets better.  Out of nowhere, three of us have fevers, two have colds and Sunshine has been waking up in the middle of the night screaming.  Extremely. Loudly.  I don’t know what else to do except bring her in my room, except three other boys are usually already there.  I NEVER PLANNED ON HAVING A FAMILY BED.  And we didn’t until this past year.  Where did I go wrong?!

I am listening to…my husband tell me about a wedding I missed.  And a baby start to cry.  Please, God let her go back to sleep.  I don’t have it in me right now.

One of my favorite things…well worn jeans.  It shows that my boys are playing nonstop and having the time of their lives.  Right?  Either that or all of a sudden Children’s Place jeans have become super cheap.  Is it bad that I was hoping to last the rest of the season without having to buy new jeans?  It didn’t happen.  With about a month to go, I am off to buy new freaking jeans for two of the boys.  I think I have some for Snax in the attic and Squirt, well he has a uniform he has to wear five days of the week so I’m safe for now!

Planning…what we’re doing for Lent, meals for the week, menu for Squirt and Goose’s celebration in April, Sunshine’s party???  I wish on the last one.  Once I have a yard, then I can have kids come over.  I will have her party one day.  I will.  I will.

Finding the joy…after four days of cancelled playdates, the boys and I met with Jenn and her son for a trip to the museum.  We liked the museum and loved the company.  Then there is the sweet girl who brought me a cupcake tonight.  Just because.  She must have known I needed a pick me up.

To live the liturgy…Lent starts this week.  I’m getting prepared.  We made our Lenten Calendar tonight.  Tomorrow I’ll paint wooden letters for the learning area, we’ll hide the “Alleluia” on Tuesday night, and we’ll start our fast.  The boys have been throwing around ideas on what they might give up.  Goose wants to pray the Rosary as well so he added some dates on the calendar for that.  I love Lent.  I love praying the Stations of the Cross.  The kids do too.  We’ll go outdoors and pray, we’ll use our candles and pray, we’ll use a wonderful meditation for the family and pray.  We’ll reflect and pray.  Together.

Learning all the time…Cancelled play dates led to lots of learning this week.  A little more bookish than Baby Hulk would have liked, but we managed to have some fun art and have started a unit on Poetry and Painting.  Planning a trip to the art museums this week.

From the kitchen…some pancakes Tuesday morning, some red beans and rice Tuesday night, then we Fast on Wednesday.  I was thinking we would have some kind of fish dish, but have decided instead we’ll have something very simple to reflect the day of fasting and abstinance that starts Lent.  While I definitely want to try some new dishes on Fridays during Lent, I also want to embrace the sacrifical part of abstaining from meat from the get go.

Reflecting on…how I can grow during Lent.  I’ve read lots of good stuff online, I just don’t know how to implement it.  Every. Single. Day.  Because isn’t that what I’m after?

A few plans for the week…science night at Goose’s school (really cool night planned), Ash Wednesday with the kids, Burger lunch at probably my favorite place in the city (assumingwe get better), lunch with a football family, museum play date, Stations of the Cross on Friday at the grotto off of 290 and maybe the fish fry at church.  And…Goose’s second confession is on Saturday.  A busy week assuming everyone stays healthy.

A picture thought…

My poor sick boy