Highlights

Here are some pictures from Emily's trip.





She had an absolutely AMAZING time! I couldn't be happier nor prouder of her!

Hmmmm?

Something is missing around here. Oh yeah, it’s Emily. She and her classmates (as well as two teachers) are in Nevada right now on a hiking trip. I couldn’t be happier for her, but she’s way over there! (I am pointing at Nevada on our map right now.) Tomorrow they are traveling to Utah to do some backpacking. Wow!

This class (ten of them) is brimming with excitement! They have trained for three years in anticipation of this trip! Em called when they arrived at the site and I could just hear her smile over the phone. (I know you really can’t hear a smile, but you know what I mean.) I miss her terribly and of course I can’t bring myself to truly think about her sleeping outside and rock climbing and doing all of these crazy adventurous things because it gives me a stomach ache. What I chose to think about is the joy in her heart. I can’t wait to hear all about it!

Scaredy Cat

Last Thursday Neil installed a new washer and dryer in our basement. Thank goodness because our dyer was taking an extremely long time to dry the clothing. (I know I know the Amish don‘t have clothing dryers.) In fact for one load it could take up to three hours to finish. That isn’t convenient when you have seven people in the house with places to go and people to see and you aren‘t comfortable leaving the house with the dryer on. The thing was also making a piercing screech with each turn that was most likely causing some hearing loss to the aforementioned seven people. Not only that, it was also ripping clothing to shreds! Poor Em was missing a strap on one of her camisoles, some of Allyson’s little socks looked more like tassels than socks, and last week I accidentally threw a bra in there and when I opened the dryer, only half of it was left. Huh? We definitely needed a new one.

The next day I began catching up on laundry in our new machine. I came back upstairs to check my emails as I listened to Allyson and her friend Kate happily coloring at the dining room table. I adore listening to the two girls chat. “Look Ally, a cat!” Kate proclaimed. We have this scary looking cat that roams the neighborhood. He is very large with what looks like a lions mane surrounding it‘s face. It also has the most evil eyes I have ever seen. When I encounter this cat (even through the window) I immediately get the chills…he is that creepy. It is a feral cat and once and a while he hangs out in the driveway next door and plays with the dead animals that he hunts. The kids are completely fascinated by it. When Kate repeated, “Look at the cat Ally!” I assumed that the scary cat was at it again. As I got up from my seat Kate sweetly calls, “Kellyyyy a caaaaat.” I step into the dining room and I completely freeze. My eyes are caught in the defiant stare of the cat that is INSIDE the house!

“Girls, you need to come with me,” I calmly take their hands and usher them to the stairs and close the door behind them. Meanwhile inside my head I am thinking, holy crap! How did this cat get in here and how do I get him out!!!!!!! “You girls stay upstairs,” I assure them, “and I will let you know when it’s okay to come down.”

Promptly, I shut all of the doors as the cat ran into the back hall. Shaking from head to toe I begin to pace around like a lunatic talking to myself as I attempt to figure out what to do next. On impulse, I call Neil. (I am fully aware that this was a wimpy thing to do, but I was petrified.) Neil agrees to come home to help (he is ten minutes away). I take a deep breath and decide to peek into the back hall. I cringe at the thought of approaching the ferocious feline, but I wanted to try and get him out by myself. (I guess I was embarrassed that I called Neil…I am such a girl!) Much to my relief, the basement door was open and he escaped down there. Quickly, I open the door to the outside and block the kitchen door with the trash barrel. I needed to physically witness the beast leave. Since I was fairly certain I could do this, I decided to call Neil back.

“Neil,” I whisper as to not startle the cat as it edged its way back up the stairs, “I think I am okay, you don’t have to come.” Neil replies, “Why are you whispering?” He must have conjured up an image of me trembling in a corner somewhere. As he is speaking to me the cat creeps even closer, his fur was standing straight up. He stopped at the very top and glared at me with those menacing eyes as if to say, Lady I will pounce on you and rip your face off if you take one more step. I stood my ground, trash barrel in one hand, phone in the other.

“Kelly! Kelly!” Neil calls through the phone.

I pause before murmuring, “He’s looking at me Neil I am scared, but I think…..” I whisper even softer, not wanting to startle the cat. Just then the beast makes a break for me, but I block him with the barrel and then he bolts outside!

“He’s out!” I shout. “I did it! Neil thanks for being there for me!”

I was still shaking when I went upstairs to tell the girls the coast was clear. They had forgotten all about the cat and had moved on to playing with the stuffed animals.

That nasty cat stuck with me for the remainder of the day. I later figured out that the cat must have snuck into the cellar when Neil was moving the new appliances in the day before. I felt lucky that he didn‘t jump out when the kids were down there, or when I was on the treadmill. Can you imagine?

Rugby!

Ryan (our ninth grader) was late calling me to come pick him up at the train station after school one day. He was trying out for the rugby team (despite my apprehension) so I figured practice was running a little late. Well, after sitting on my hands for twenty minutes, I called him…no answer. (I hate when that happens! My mind goes to places that I really don’t want it to go, but I immediately stop it.) Ten minutes later he finally calls me back, but unfortunately he doesn't sound right. In fact, he sounds upset. I ask him if he is okay, but instead of answering, he simply replies “Can I get a ride home from school today?” I knew something was terribly wrong because he loves taking the train. Neil picked him up since he was in the area on business. On the way home, Ryan confessed to Neil that he was hurt and having trouble breathing. When they arrived home, Neil proceeds to inform me that another teammate tackled Ry during a drill and struck him in the middle of his chest…hard. “I think my sternum is fractured mum,” Ryan winced. I immediately call the doctor. (Meanwhile I am thinking, why did I let him do this? I knew I shouldn't have agreed to this!) After x-rays the hospital wasn’t completely sure if he fractured his sternum since there was a separation, but it’s precisely where a growth plate is. So, Ryan may have fractured his sternum. Thank goodness he was instructed not to play any contact sports for at least six weeks.

"There is always next year!” Ryan proclaimed the next day. Oh Lord give me strength!

Fooling Around

Emily got a new camera and was taking some funny shots of the kids. I thought I would share.

Mommy Guilt

A friend of mine recently suggested that immediately after giving birth they secretly inject all new moms with a big dose of Mommy Guilt. I chuckled because I instantaneously visualized a colossal syringe being pierced into my arm as I (in a deep fog filled trance of relief) tenderly gazed into the beautiful eyes of my newborn baby, completely oblivious to any pain. If it were indeed true, that would explain the perplexing behaviors that moms (okay, me) sometimes exhibit.

After my shot of Mommy Guilt, the signs and symptoms immediately took effect. Nursing wasn’t going well and I felt like a complete failure. The nurses unknowingly scared me to death with conflicting advice, guidelines that made no sense to me and never ending pamphlets. Mix in well meaning friends and family, add a touch of raging hormones and sleep deprivation… it’s a wonder we made it through the first year alive.


I will never forget the first time I introduced our first son to our next door neighbor. Sweet Mrs. Z was a well meaning elderly woman with a big heart. She was thrilled to meet our new arrival! Peeking into the baby carriage she declared, “He is such a beautiful baby,” grinning from ear to ear I nodded as she continued, “You really need to watch him so nobody steals him, dear.” I can’t remember how I responded at that moment, but I recall being exceedingly suspicious of strangers for the next few days (okay years). I also wondered what she meant by “I need to watch him?” Was I not attentive enough? Am I neglecting my son? Does she think I am a bad mom? Luckily my very patient husband talked me through it and I finally let it go. Of course, my intense reaction was most likely due to the Mommy Guilt injection, right?

As the years went by, new worries surfaced and the guilt came along with it. Is the baby developing like they say in this book? Should I make my own baby food? Is this babysitter competent? Do I really need to wash this, or can I just spray it with Febreze? When was the last time I cleaned their ears? Is it safe to send him into the public restroom? How much TV is too much? Are my kids the only ones without a cell phone? Am I expecting too much from them? It’s dizzying!

Luckily, as time passes the side effects of Mommy Guilt subside a bit and you begin to realize that no parent is perfect. For example, when my first two children went to Bernazzani (they are in the eighth and ninth grade now) and forgot to pack their homework, I would frantically race to the school to drop it off immediately. Nowadays if one of the children forgets, I may bring it… at pick up time that is if I remember. Perhaps one of the side effects of the Mommy Guilt vaccination is memory loss? That would explain the occasional (okay often) forgotten permission slip, milk money, or over due media center books.

Children are blessed at birth with mothers overcome with such tremendous love that sometimes they just can’t help themselves. They want the very best for their precious off spring and when mistakes ultimately happen or unrealistic expectations erupt it can lead to insanity.

Adoptive parents (and of course dads) are no doubt filled with the same joyful madness. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Thus when the perplexities of Mommy Guilt begin to get the best of me, I simply ask myself (just as I ask our five children if they feel inadequate), “Are you doing your very best? “ If the answer is yes, then there are absolutely no grounds for guilt…inoculation or not.

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Warnings: Do not watch the nightly news or crime themed programs on television for at least six weeks after injection.

Do not read more than one parenting book or magazine at a time for 12 months.

Pay no attention to well meaning comments regarding kidnappers, life insurance, and post partum weight loss.

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Side effects:

May cause an overwhelming awareness of how others see you as a parent

an inability to move away from the baby monitor

an intense urge to put your child in a bubble so no harm can come of them

L-E-N-T

L-E-N-T

Lets
Eliminate
Negative
Thinking

This is what the priest announced during his homily last Wednesday! Isn’t that ironic? This was exactly what our family decided to work on. God was speaking to us directly! Well, maybe not, but it sure felt like it. He gave us a “shout out!”

So far it’s been going fairly well here. It's hard for brothers and sisters to talk nicely to each other...especially during board games! Oy! Sibling squabbles during Disney Trivia Pursuit kind of squashes the fun. (Even Mikey Mouse looked annoyed!)

How is Lent going for you?