First Day of Advent . . . a day of Hope

I just can’t enough of the eyes on this girl.

So today marks the third month of her daddy’s transplant. Today is also the first day of Advent . . . a day of Hope.

And it is a day of Hope. It was a weekend of hope –  it was an ordinary weekend just like any other – with the Fisherman outside helping the tallest of our children with his car.  Oh! That car! That terrible, terrible car.

The pair came in and out of the house with greasy hands searching the internet of what to do next.

The Fisherman watched the ball games, listening where he could to them on his phone and hoped for the Steelers to win with great disappointment. The girl who loves music helped to put lights on the Christmas tree, and the girl who loves everyone played with friends.

The philosopher had gone back to school

and then it was time for the Fisherman’s walk – something he couldn’t do before transplant.

We walked side by side, and talked with cool wind blowing, leaves falling – the day turning into night, and then he said. “Hey, lets run.”

and he beat me.

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1001 gifts

321.) running with the Fisherman again

322.) a day like any other

323.) leaves twirling

324.) warm brownies

325.) all my children sleeping in the same house – eating at the same table

326.) to much food in the fridge

327.) laughter

328.)  a warm bed

329.) people glad to see us

330.) the prayers – so many prayers

331.) losing to the Fisherman during our run . . . something that could never have happened three months ago.

just a typical evening

It’s just a typical even here for us – after dinner

someone strums  the guitar.  

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Ready to Waltz  / The Long Road to China/ Photo Story Friday/Friday Photo Journal

It’s official!

21

It’s official! 

 

This son of mine is now older then I am. 

 

Happy Birthday Honey! 

 

Love, Mom 

 

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52 Weeks of Happiness | Tuesday Around the World |  Project 52 

hard saying goodbye

Spring Break came to an end yesterday.  

We had to take Matthew back to the airport to catch his flight to Kansas City and then a ride on to the college. 

It was hard to say good bye. 

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Project 52 :: Tuesday Around the World :: Our world Tuesday :: Tones on Tuesday 

Floating New Year

New Years Eve Stevie Wonder and the gang set off floating lanterns instead of fireworks.

Floating lanterns seem fitting for us this year. 

We have so many changes coming up. Friday Matthew and I leave for Kansas. He will be going to college at Benedictine this year. Remember, I told you he wants to study philosophy? Benedictine is a 1000 miles from our home. 

I’m not at all worried about getting him there. I’m really looking forward to the drive. The thing that worries me the most is leaving the school without my little boy.  I keep on thinking: how do I just leave him there. . . 1000 miles from our home? 

 I keep telling myself – How can he set the world on fire if
his mom won’t let him? I can’t just keep him home forever. That wouldn’t be good
for anyone.  So we will be off – I may cry all the way home but, that’s okay to me –                      He’s ready to fly.

Oh! Yeah! Happy New Year Y’all!

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  Black and White Wednesday with like Christmas every day::

???Philosophy???

Matthew is in Kansas this week. He is there to check out Benedictine College and the Philosophy department. I know, I can see your eyes rolling in the back of your head saying. . . PHILOSOPHY???  

Yes, Philosophy. 

He tells me: he wants a bachelors degree in philosophy, a masters in economics and then he will go for his doctorate.  When I ask him why he couldn’t turn this around and get the bachelors in economics  – He tells me:  you canNOT be a good economist without a solid understanding of philosophy first.  That is essential, he says.  He tell me: philosophy and economics go hand and hand and a solid understanding of philosophy will help him achieve his goals as an economist and as a professor. He tells me: the very reason we in such an economic mess is the leading economist in this country do not have a solid foundation in philosophy.     He tells me: he wants to change the world and make it a better place.

and I listen . . .and I tell him to follow your passion. Dream big baby, I say . . . change the world – make it a better place. We not only need you . . . we are waiting.

*** Secretly, I want to tell him to stay home in South Carolina. Go to a local college. I could meet him for lunch – dinner – whatever he wanted. . .  and to just let the world figure it out on it’s own. But, with dreams like this – How could I say any of those things?  I must tell him . . . Fly Baby, Fly.  .  .  

~ Until Next Time ~

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Our World Tuesday 

their Grandfather

I know there is a lot wrong with this picture, but, it IS my favorite photo of the week.  This simple snap shot is a photo of great love and admiration for a man they call Grandpa.  It was taken right after a memorial Mass marking the third anniversary of their grandfather’s death.

I think the greatest legacy their grandfather left behind is the time he gave to people. He would just sit and listen. Even though we often joke and say “he couldn’t hear what you were saying“; he sat there and freely gave his time and love when he had so many other things to do.

So last Sunday – September 30 – three years to the day he died, the grandchildren show their love and admiration once again, by giving there time back to the man who knew time is only temporary but love lasts forever.

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Fabulous Photo Friday
:: Favorite Photo
Friday :: Photo Friday :: Weekly photo show and tell

An Early Flight

I know this picture is terrible. It’s just not good at all: the lighting, that I couldn’t get right, the angle, even Stephen’s hair is a mess. But, it is my favorite photo of the week. 

 ~ My little boys ~ 

Looking at them makes me happy I held them as much as I did. I believe in waking a sleeping baby just to hold them. After all, they grow up so fast and what’s a few hours of lost sleep when the years just fly bye. 

 Anyway ~ Matthew, Stephen, Liz and I jumped in the car early Tuesday morning,  at 3:45 a.m., to beat it down to Atlanta so these guys could meet an 8 o’clock plane. 

We had to be at the airport by 7. 

Long story short ~ They went to Michigan to an Acton Institute conference for a week long study of religion, liberty and economics. 

It all makes me wonder. . . Who are these kids. . . and how in the world did they  become so fantastic get so boring!!!  

NOT!!!

Until Next time. . . 

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 Our World Tuesday  ::My 3 Boybarians 

ALL Y’all

Hey, Y’all ~ even ALL Y’all ~ 

That’s what we say in the South when we want everyone to know the news and we don’t want to leave anyone out: 

He did it again. 

He’s on the Dean’s list again this semester.  I’m just so proud of him I had to tell all y’all the good news.   

bring your sense of humor

It has been decided by the board . . .that would be me. . .if you step into my life  you need to bring your sense of humor. .  .

For this is my life in a nut shell. . . 

 and I often wonder why  the number one blogging rule is if you have something interesting to blog about you just don’t have time to blog it?

Last week the week started off with a bang: It is now official my baby boy, Matthew, is 20! 

20  y’all!  20!!!

Now that I have said it out loud and everyone knows I have a 20 year old son, I really don’t think I’ll ever say it again.

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The very next day, I allowed, Stevie Mike, my new driver to drive himself and his sister to their science class.  Not 15 minutes later the phone rang. When I saw it was Stephen calling I distinctly  knew something was wrong.

This new driver of mine had driven over roofing nails. That would be 18 roofing nails to be exact. Two tires later I thought all was right with the world   . . . and then . . . a few days later someone hit my parked car.

 Don’t ask who it was because I will NEVER tell.

 I promised the best Nana I wouldn’t say a word about who did it and I won’t. You guys know me. . . when I say I’ll keep a promise – I keep it! and that is that!

Speaking of the best Nana . . . she and I took Roy Orbison and her BFF strawberry picking and nothing seemed to happen that day. We just had a good time.                            

At least that is how I remember it.  

It just so happened that last week someone actually (( other then the best Nana ))  found my blog interesting enough to recommend it as a blog to see. I was so thrilled about all this but I didn’t have the time to post about all that excitement and then I completely forgot about it  . . .and it appeared as if I didn’t care at all,   but I did and do. . . very much.

The weekended was wonderfully quite with the three older ones gone spending time at my sister in law’s house.

 Mark and I were able to recharge.

That was a good thing because Monday was coming and around here you never know what an ordinary Monday might bring to the life of a homeschooling mother.

I knew Monday morning I had to be at the oral surgeons by 8 with son number one to have four teeth removed. I was told everything should go smooth and thought okay good. I could use nice smooth Monday.  When we were leaving  the nurse just happened to mention how I should switch the ice pack every 20 minutes keeping both sides of his face iced for a full 12 hours and just replace the gauze every hour on the hour with a fresh  pad until 6 tonight.   . . .Okay! there goes my easy quite day this one told me I was going to have.

Little did I know how true THAT would turn out to be. 

As soon as I got Matthew home Stevie Wonder tells me how much his knee hurts and he thinks he needs to go to the doctor. I take a look at his knee and see that it is hot and swollen. I tell him we can’t go yet but, we will go as soon as we can.  We have to wait until I get his brother settled and I know he will be okay. 

As Stephen and I are reviewing our his school work ~ Liz said she wanted to play on the front porch. She came back in in a rush saying . . .”I can’t play out there! There are four snakes in the yard!”.

 FOUR SNAKES!!!!!!!!!! IN THE YARD!!!!

 Stephen springs into action and runs out the door. Matthew is groggy still on the couch and says “what??? who??? oh okay. . . “ and goes back to sleep. I on the other hand . . . I panic!!! Okay! that’s not really the truth  . . .

I TOTALLY PANIC!!!!!!!!!!! like in. . . I FREAK OUT!!!!!!

Stevie Wonder turns himself into Indiana Jones (( minus being afraid of snakes )) and battles the snakes in our yard. He captures them and wrestles them into a bucket and completely saves the day. . . NO! He TOTALLY! saved the day! 

My mighty Matt. . .still groggy on the couch. . .wondering why is mother his mother is screaming at the far in of the house but not with it enough to find out goes back to sleep.

My oldest daughter Kathryn causally walks out to see what was going on and then goes back upstairs to finish her math test.    As all this is going ~ the best Nana, my sister Margaret ((sometimes I call her Lucy)), her boys, Brian and Alex, swing by the house to see the patient who just has his teeth removed. Little did they know what they would be walking into.

The boys are thrilled and want to find out how they can move into our little house in the woods that seem to attract so much excitement.

Their mother . . .my sister Lucy. . . TOTALLY PANICS !!!! NO! SHE TOTALLY FREAKS OUT!!!!!!  She throws her soothing gift of ice cream at my oldest son and jumps on the couch screaming. 

In the end. .  .

My savior Indie takes his two cousins, his sister Kathryn and  three snakes to another home releasing them into the wild. When he get back to our home he says . . . “Mother, I really need to go to the doctor now. My knee is killing me.”

 and I wonder. . .how can I get my savoir to the doctor today if I can never leave the house again. I mean after all . . .Lizzy said she saw four snakes. 

Until Next time. . .

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Tone on Tuesday  :: Our World Tuesday  ::My 3 Boybarians :: Black and White Wednesday with Me as a Mother ::  Black and White Wednesday with like Christmas every day::  live and love . . .out loud::Wordless Wednesday but with Words  ::