A Year Has Passed By...

After reflecting on the past year, it has flown by with the birth of Brody. He is just shy of 12 months old. My life has been changed in many ways. Most profoundly, my friend Jenny has beat breast cancer and for this I am grateful to God. I've moved spiritually into a better place. I am faithfully trying to live in the world, but not be of the world. It may sound crazy or not so much fun to most of my fun loving friends. However, TV, magazines, reality TV, big cars, and fancy house don't do it for me. I am not better than others because I don't subscribe or watch what 98 % of Americans might do. I just have no use for it. It clogs my spiritual arteries. I feel more free and peaceful retreating from it. Don't get me wrong...I read the news and I keep updated on what is going on outside my shell. I'd rather live in this world watching the leaves fall and breathing in the air with a spirit of thankfulness and prayer. I'd rather read a good book, drink some good coffee, read the Bible, pray the rosary, watch someone's kids so they can have a break, go to the adoration chapel and just be still in quiet with the Lord, write in a journal, play with the kids, or run..yes, I said it...run. Well, I am playing some volleyball these days! There I am fully alive! Children are the greatest blessing to me and I am happy to be gifted with these little souls. I am always asked if it is tough having five children. No, not really. My life is full. I am never bored. I am always in demand and when my patience is short someone puts me back in my place to remind me how much I love and am loved. Life is Good. Abby pointed this out to me this morning. She asked if I wanted one of those shirts and I said...I don't need a shirt to live my life in a way that I know Life is Good. I have a reminder everyday: Ted and all of his little guys and girls.

Beginning Again

I thought that after you had four children that five would be a piece of cake. I guess I did not quite prepare myself for the fact that I would be taking care of a toddler boy, Teddy, and nursing a newborn. I remember back to how crazy it was trying to care for Abby 4, Allison 2, and Libby a baby. However, Allison never crayoned on walls or climbed on top of the counters to get dangerous sharp objects. She did not throw toilet paper in the toilet or pretend she was potty training....she was potty training. Can we make comparisons? Sure, but is that fair. Teddy is all fun. I am so blessed to have this beautiful little man in my life. He is sweet, lovable, and most of all he is ours. Children have a way of bringing you back to what is important, pure, good, and real. They keep you grounded amid the pressures and reality of life. Brody is loving his family. This kid is already so vocal and showing his pleasure when he is the center of it. A true youngest child already. Teddy is loving that he is the big brother and actually is quite gentle with him. He has good examples of three well four mothers.

Our lives are full of surprises! Each day we think we are doing the same thing, but we are actually having the chance to make our kids better little people. I shudder at some days and how I react to one of them. Then I say a prayer to give me patience and help make me an instrument of peace and love for them no matter how hard it is coming to me. I am constantly having breaks in what I should be doing and saying to them. I think I have finally realized that my greatest purpose in life is to change me from the inside out. I have be a better person and these children are helping me get to that goal. They just might make a saint out of me. I can only pray.

My typical day is a day of cleaning and avoiding near diasasters at every turn. I am searching for ways to have some "me" time, but here recently I have craved some time alone with Ted. So, we are going out to dinner this Friday with friends, but we will have some time alone. Although, we do something really great and that is that we talk at least three times a day on the phone. Ted is always with me and I am grateful that he is "always with me" in spirit. He may not be able to help me daily with 5 kids, but he is there emotionally and spiritually for me. I thank God for him. I count my blessings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and realize there are always room for more when people ask me,"Are you done now?". Do we welcome more children? Of course, but there is also such a thing as responsible parenthood. We live in a culture that does not respect life and one that thinks that we are control. I'd rather live our lives day by day and be at peace with the decision of choosing to live rather than get caught up in too many plans that I have no real control over anyway. I just want to live my life...the rest of it in service to my family and others. That is all I think God is calling me to do right at this moment.

Sisters

I realized that I have not posted since Teddy was 1. I am having baby #5 in a week or so. I just wanted to post a picture of the oldest two sweeties in our life: Abby and Allison. What I would not give to have a sister? I think the greatest gift we can give our children is a sibling. I feel very blessed to be able to give them this gift a few times...hope they will feel the same way someday.

Happy Birthday Teddy...You are 1!

What does Teddy like to do at 1? He loves to sweep the floor. Mommy will teach you well. You'll someday be the envy of every wife. He can actually kick a soccer ball and sometimes he gets going so fast he is dribbling. I am pumped about the possibilities here. He loves any kind of fruit. He lives for it...really. He loves his sisters attention and he knows how to get them to do everything for them. He is kind to babies and loves to hug strangers. He is precious and I love him dearly. God Bless you and keep you safe my sweet son.

Playing in the Creek

Taking advantage of a gorgeous Ash Wednesday and 70 degree weather, the girls played at my friend Brigid's home in their creek. I have so many fond memories of summer days playing in the creek and enjoying nature. I hope that we can find some fun things to do this spring as Teddy gets older and we can run about.

Merry Christmas!

It was great to see Uncle Jim and Cousin Carrie as a surprise on Christmas Eve. The girls were so excited to see their cousin Kailyn. It was nice to spend time with family on one of the most holy and special of nights of the year. There is something magical about Christmas Eve not just about the wonder and amazement in the kids eyes about Santa, but out of the darkness comes light to the world through the birth of Jesus. This Christmas Eve was bitter cold and in the coldness a peace settles in and makes things right in the world for at least one night. Why can't we feel like this the rest of the year? We can.

One of the things that I will always remember was our wedding day. My friend Kathy gave a toast and she wished for us a lifetime of Christmas mornings because she had asked how I was feeling that morning of our wedding day and I told her I felt like it was Christmas. She knew I was not talking about the presents! What I did not realize at the time was that "feeling" of love and anticipation was not going to end even though I did wake up the next morning feeling different. I was filled with the Holy Spirit and we were married-ONE and FOREVER. The sacrament of marriage confered a grace upon us and that was the holy spirit finding a dwelling place within us. So, Ted and I can relive our wedding day each day of our life if we only center ourselves with Christ together and with being open to the peace that Christ brings for us if we let Him dwell in us. This is the only way for us to keep this alive in our hearts by truly being one with Him.

Thanksgiving in Indiana

All is quiet in Coatsville, Indiana, where we had turkey day. I was a bit under the weather with a cold and then gave it to Teddy. My Mom made a fabulous meal as usual. My brother, Mike, and his new girlfriend were there so that was nice. It was nice to have my brother there for Thanksgiving, too. We tried to get our annual Thanksgiving picture which we did not do last year when I was pregnant with Teddy. That swing is getting too small for our growing family...