Sunday, February 22, 2009
Grateful
I feel so grateful tonight to have gone to mass and actually hear the homily (this barely happens but I went along with no little one tonight!)...and it was a fantastic one all about intercessory prayer. I also feel grateful for a wonderful priest at our parish that relates the message of the readings and gospel so beautifully and truly gives us something to reflect and pray upon and take home with us. In tonight's homily he used some excerpts and examples from a book called, Miracles Do Happen, by Sister Briege McKenna...all about how God sometimes answers prayers in a different timeline and way than you might want or expect but it is only later that you see the graces and gifts that were given because of that answered prayer. He also talked about the importance and power of praying for others and how they can be intercessors for us. He reminded us how powerful our sacrifices and prayers for others can be for their conversions and answered prayers and for ours!! I can't wait to read the book myself...because I truly believe that Miracles DO happen!!
Genetics
One of the fun and interesting thing about having kids is watching and waiting to see what they look like and who they look like, what characteristics remind us of what family members etc. We have always said that Angelica's baby pictures look a lot like mine and she looks more like mama (however she does have her Papa's left eye brown spot)...and Emma has definitely portrayed more of the Hartsell genes...and when we started looking through Jason's baby pictures it was so funny to see what a resemblance they both share to each other. I tried finding pics that showed it well:
(7 months)
(1 year)
(7 months)
(1 year)
Big Girl
Emma had her 15-month on Friday and she weighed in at 21 pounds 8 ounces (25%), is 31 inches tall (75%) and her head still tops off at the 97% at 49 cm!!! Long and lean like her papa and a healthy little girl. She has been teething (finally these past several weeks) so been a little fussy. About one month ago she still only had her two bottom teeth and now is pushing through her 6th....I was afraid she was going to get them in all at one time! If you are wondering about the picture...well...we have been TRYING to get Angel potty trained and so Emma sees and watches the training as well. Before and after baths, Jason always has Angel go potty. Well, last week after the bath Emma asked Jason to go potty...so he let her sit on it and she went!! Then she went the next night and the next! The other morning her diaper was pretty dry when I got her up, so I put her on the potty and she went again! We have been laughing (kind of) so hard thinking that it would be unreal if she potty trained before her big sister. Amazing what peer pressure and example does to such a young one! We definitely aren't pushing it at this age, but if she wants to sit on it, we aren't going to tell her no either!
Narnia Update
I just wanted to make sure I had the dates correctly that Alli is playing Susan in the Narnia production. She will be Susan on February 27th (Friday) and then the following Friday and Sunday (March 6 & 8). Our friend Becca Gray is starring as Susan on the other days...go check it out!
Lenten Reminders
I was trying to find a new look for our site and found lots of cute templates. However, I decided that since Lent starts this Wednesday (my birthday!), I am going to strip the look down to the bare minimum...no fancy designs (although after Easter I can't wait to try some that I found)...and use the color purple as a constant reminder of the liturgical season we are in. Along with the regular season's obligations of fasting and abstaining, we are trying to think of the small and daily sacrifices of what we will give up. My (almost nightly) dessert favorite is ice cream, so I am thinking that might be a tough one for me. We already do not eat meat on Fridays, so since that isn't a new sacrifice for us we are trying to think of something additional on those days as well...maybe only drinking water or no snacks or something like that. Every Lent I also try to make a daily challenge or add something to my spiritual life as well....such as incorporating new daily prayer times, faith readings, etc...something that will strengthen and encourage my faith and hopefully continue past the Lenten season. I have been enjoying so many of my books I have gotten over the past year of incorporating and celebrating the liturgical year in our domestic church, our home. A lot of the activities are still a bit old for my two little ones, but I am getting lots of ideas and plans for the upcoming years (I will have to post these books later). There are so many good resources out there and online as well. So I will have to let you know what some of our Lenten activities are once I figure them out....any ideas anyone?? Please pass on!! Back to planning....more to come!
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