Home, but... (an explanation/apology of sorts)

After we got home last weekend, everyone promptly fell ill.

Okay, maybe it isn't that drastic, but Meghan came home with a cold, which she shared with Matthew and Daddy. And it is a doozy: a feverish, achingly-painful migrane-like headach-y, ending-with-a-horrible-cough type cold. Even Mommy got the horrible headache. And the only two left standing are so tired that I suspect they are fighting it, too. Poor Meghan was better Friday and all weekend, and now she is sick again tonight with a new wrinkle--higher fever and upset tummy. Thanks be to God for children's Ibuprofin.

Then, we had three birthday parties to attend this weekend, which those who were well enough did attend. (not complaining--they were fun, but they did make for an unusually busy first week home from vacation)

And Patrick's financial aid paperwork is due. And a friend asked for help with a last-minute Flat Stanley project (which I love, but it took a little time to put together).

And thanks be to God for the team concept of teaching Confirmation. One of the other team members stepped in and planned the whole of today's class. For which John and I will be forever grateful.

And Katie had two home soccer games!! Yay!! The first ones of the season, which has to start in Tokyo because we always have too much snow here at the beginning of the season. But, you must realize that this means....

THE SNOW IS GONE!!!

Except for the gigantic piles that make hills of empty lots and fields where it was dumped by dump trucks that had been filled by shovel trucks that were clearing out parking lots and city streets all winter. But the soccer field off-base where the Eagles play is clear.

And so is the "train park" across from the city offices. They have installed a new play structure, and if we ever get well, and if the weather warms up just a little bit more, we plan to go there and check it out. They even set up the cherry blossom festival lanterns this week. No blossoms yet, but the lanterns give us hope.

So please understand that this is why we have not even finished taking the photos from Thailand and Korea off our cameras yet, let alone shared any here. We're sorry (especially to our parents, who are waiting to see all the fun). And we will post pictures as soon as we can. Maybe later this week.

SO excited...

to be starting this faith study with my women's group after Easter.

Encouragement for moms

 

First this. Because we all have our days (weeks...):

http://catholicexchange.com/what-a-holy-woman-of-a-large-family-doesnt-look-like/

 

Then this (also linked in the first post) about active love:

https://momheart.sqsp.com/blog/8xxpul9dqbnes188tfgi3ytmey5958

 

And finally, this, because no one is perfect and it helps to remember that:

https://momheart.sqsp.com/blog/ltq98u1y71k5ny00yjq6l2jnghfldq

 

This second and third posts are from a new blog with multiple contributors called MomHeart. If you haven't heard of Sally Clarkson, she is a Christian woman who has written many books about Christian motherhood (and--full disclosure ;-)--homeschooling). Elizabeth Foss, who wrote the piece about active love, is a Catholic mom of 8 who lives in Northern Virginia. And if her last name sounds familiar (it will if you have spent any time watching Monday Night Football) it's because her husband is Mike Foss of ESPN sportscaster fame. She also writes a column for the Arlington Catholic Herald (diocesan newspaper).

 

MomHeart is here:

https://momheart.sqsp.com/

 

I am loving you all this Holy Week, my dear sisters in Christ!

 

 

Palm Sunday

Six days before the Passover,

when the Lord came into the city of Jerusalem,

the children ran to meet him;

in their hands they carried palm branches

and with a loud voice cried out:

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed are you, who have come in your abundant mercy!

O gates, lift high your heads;

grow higher, ancient doors,

Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is this king of glory?

He, the lord of hosts, he is the king of glory.

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed are you, who have come in your abundant mercy!

-Entrance Antiphon (Cf. John 12:1, 12-13; Psalm 24 (23):9-10)

 

April fool!

I wish. It has been snowing lightly since about 2:00 this afternoon. I'm not sure you can tell in the photo, but now the flakes are getting larger and it is falling faster and sticking to the trees and fence posts. Unbelievable.

In the yard, April 1, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.

One of these days, I'm going to stop blogging about our incredibly long winter. But this is not that day.

:-P