Planes, Trains and Space Shuttles

We took a rather impromptu trip to the Air and Space Museum today and even more impromptu-ly had a friend and his children join us. Moses and Paul are about the same age (4ish) and so for them most of the "Space" part of the museum was pretty new. In a gallery that was displaying the planets as balls hanging down from the ceiling we prompted the boys to "find the Earth. It's the blue ball. It's where we live." Paul found it first and shouted, "That's where we live." Moses angrily retorted, "No! That's where we live!" How am I ever going to explain this world to these children? Where do you start? I guess that "we all live on Earth" is a good starting point.

When we got home I asked Moses what his favorite part of the museum was and he dejectedly responded that he, "thought there would be trains there." He then called up a memory of happier times. His 45-minute train trip with my 7-year-old brother Vid.
"My favorite was in the 1940's, when we were in Michigan, and took an Amtrak to Dearborn with Vid."

1940's? Maybe I should start with a timeline. I just don't know, I tell you. It's a daunting task to get a little person oriented in this great big world.

Quick Takes Friday

Thanks to Jen for the idea! Visit her for lots more quick takes (good grammar that, huh?).
1. There is SNOW. On the ground. I can still see the grass and I'm sure it will melt by noon but it's so homey and reminds me so much of being home that I put on Christmas music (I know, SO liturgically incorrect for my domestic church but hey - I'm no liturgy Nazi), put the kids snow pants, mittens, hats, etc. on (SO overkill!) and took a ton of pictures. Right now we are enjoying hot quadat (chocolate). We just have to embrace all the winter we can get down here in the deep south of Maryland.
2. Academic families are mobile families. Every August there is an influx and out flux of families from our little community. This makes me sad. It makes me feel unstable. The plus side is that the influx brings really interesting people because generally academic families are interesting - at least to other academic families :). But I hate to think that next August we will say goodbye to some of the people who welcomed us here this August.
3. We aren't healthy. This is a boring fact and so I will leave it at that but let's just say that all of our orifices are leaking and none are emitting pleasant things.
4. I have instituted a new rule that Moses can have a dessert every night but only if he tries one bite of something new. He generally eats about four foods (all highly processed) and will not even try desserts that he is unfamiliar with. So, in an effort break the nugget-cycle I am trying to bribe him out of his fears. It has not even worked once.
Me: Moses, I have an idea! How about if you eat one piece of cheese, dipped into my soup and then you can have dessert?
Moses: How about if I have pasta and then I have dessert?
Me: No. The new rule is that you need to try something new before dessert.
Moses: Hey! I have an idea! How about you change your mind?!
5. I am reading The Reed of God for Advent - again. I've read it for Advent every year for 3 or 4 years and get more out of it every year. I can't recommend it highly enough. Caryll Houselander offers tremendous insight into the role of Mary in the world, especially as the bearer of Christ. Thanks to my mom for the suggestion.
6. ALSO - Tolkien has a collection of stories about Father Christmas that are wonderful and little known. I love them, they are very clever. Probably best for grade school children.

Fly on the Wall

When told that today he was going to get shots at the doctor's office Moses starts jumping up and down:
"See how high I can jump? I'm a big boy and so now I can hit the doctor."

As we walk out the door to visit some neighbors.
Moses: I don't want the people to borrow this hat.
Me (glancing at his hat with a mesh back and bold letters that read, "Poop Happens"): Yeah. I don't think you'll have any trouble with that.

Me: Moses! What are you doing?!
Moses: I don't want to tell you. (still too young for outright lying but a little evasion is right up his ally)

Moses is up in a "Quiet Time" but for some reason seems to think that it is fine to be shouting at the top of his lungs. When told to quiet down for the quiet time he quickly responds with what he thinks is a sure-fire explanation:
"But I'm singing songs to Jesus."
Sorry buster, not this time.

We enjoyed our first Corn Maze with friends of ours who also have a good showing in the "rather-fertile-young-Catholics" standings. As we adults waddled/moseyed down the paths with the little girls Moses would run way ahead. When he came to a dead-end he'd run back to us and and warn us off of the "blockup". And then he'd confidently announce that he'd found the "family way." Needless to say, both couples were rather nervous to be walking down the "family-way" again so quickly.

Birthday Blogging

In spite of throwing up last night out of shear upsetness about getting pink-eye eye drops Moses' birthday has dawned happy and fairly healthy for him. Not so for Lily who is sitting miserably on my lap and is burning up in spite of dosing her with Ibuprofen, poor darling. My fever has broken for the big day, thank God. I couldn't take anymore lying around on the couch or bed watching the mess grow and grow.
My Mother-in-law came by and, like a saint, did a load of laundry, grocery shopped for essentials and made the birthday cake. Wow. I laid there like a lump just trying to ignore the aching. OK, here's our birthday pics so far for the day. How can a day go wrong when you start with pancakes loaded with chocolate, whipped creme and smiles? Oh, here's how: at 3 we are all getting flu shots and/or immunizations for the big 4th birthday. Poor Moses.
Hopefully there will also be a trip to Toys R Us in the mix. But check out the cake - cool, huh?

Birthday Eve

Comments ala Birthday:

"When I'm four will I be able to eat in the living room?"

Upon the occasion of getting his pink-eye drops forced into his eyes: "Maybe when I'm four I'll like to get my drops." Somehow I don't think that will change overnight.

"After I'm 4 will I grow to 5? And after 5 will I grow to 6? And after six will I grow to 7 [etc., etc. until we get to 30 where we then skip to 100].
"100! But there's not enough quadat (chocolate) for that! Maybe when I'm 100 I'll buy mine own quadat."

The Passion of the Cucumber

I don't mind being put into a box, provided that the box is well-defined and I find it attractive (you don't need to). In fact, I generally like my box and like other people to ascribe to boxes, because it simplifies things. For example, I'm a homeschooled Catholic. That's a pretty good box in my opinion and I don't mind being put into it and defending it.
But really, does Netflix have to "suggest" dozens upon dozens of VeggieTales movies to me because I rated The Passion of the Christ highly? How does bloody, violent, heart-rending movie with subtitles indicate that I am also interested in bouncing Vegetables? Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against the Tomato but, really. Puh-lease.

Mass Children = Mass Embarassment

Sometimes going to mass can be embarrassing. As one friend put it, now we're the family the makes all the other families feel better. Last week we were at a daily mass where there are NEVER other children. Every noise my kids make echoes with vigor off the stone walls and through the elderly folks' hearing aids. It starts with Moses doing his hacking up a lung thing that he does every time we walk into that church. It has something to do with possible asthma or just a really long-lasting cough. Either way you can almost see people cringing and creeping away from him in fear of the contagion. As soon as he stops coughing and we all sit down Gus Gus begins a very long and very loud pooping process. Lots of grunts, followed by squirts and fart noises (just a little something to gross you out tonight). And during this pooping time I'm trying to get Lily to stay quiet by letting her do her guzzling down apple juice thing where she gasps for breath as she imbibes 8 oz of the good stuff as quickly as possible. Which of course is followed by several loud belches.

Oh, I'm sorry - you didn't realize that you sat just in front of the "Bodily Functions Pew"? Well, next time I'm sure that you'll be sure to sit far away - if you know what's good for you.

Liturgy of the Hours the day after the election

Job 1:21; 2:10b
"Naked I came forth from my mother's womb,
and naked I shall go back again.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
blessed be the name of the Lord!
We accept good things from God;
and should we not accept evil?"

Need I say anymore?

God bless America.

October Wrap

My October Lily
Favorite picture:

Favorite story:
Yesterday she woke up from her nap infuriated that Daddy wasn't home. She was throwing a tantrum that I'm certain only the female portion of our race is capable of. Nothing was consoling her until I offered to let her sit on the dryer and help me put the dirty clothes into the washer. She was calm for the first 10 seconds until we came across one of Daddy's shirts at which point she melted down into tears, "Dadddiiieeee!" From this point on she would only put his clothes into the wash.

My October Moses
Favorite picture:

Favorite story:
Upon returning home late on Halloween I pointed out to Moses the vast amount of stars that were visible.
"There are so many, Moses!"
"Yes. I think it's because Jesus very likes lots of them."

My October Gus:
Favorite picture:

Favorite story:
How he still only wakes up once or twice a night, how he smiles now and how he is a baptized Christian now.




That's a wrap - now on to November.

Christ the King

Many of us today will experience varying levels of anxiety and possibly even depression, I know that I already am. But I thought that I would share a little nugget of truth and comfort from the Liturgy of the Hours Morning Prayer today:
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."

Christ is King of all, and that will not change, regardless who is temporarily at the helm of our nation.

God is good, now and always.