7 Quick Takes: AMAZING Week!

1- This week has been incredible! Yesterday, we were blessed with the arrival of our goddaughter. Stacy from Catholic and Crunchy gave birth to a beautiful little girl. Please pop over and give her your good wishes. Both mom and baby are doing well.

2- Sow in Peace...Well, I'm sewing the weekend away with my mother in law. I love having this bonding time with her. While viewing Jenna's embroidery vlog at Call Her Happy, she said embroidery kind of meditative. I totally agree. Crafting - knitting, sewing, embroidering - use a repetitive motion, much like praying the Hail Mary during the rosary.

3- I've been knitting, sewing, and machine embroidering for awhile but, I've decided to give hand embroidery a shot. I was thinking about ways to help me memorize Bible verses. Simply reading them each day, does not work for me. So I've decided, I'm going to embroider verses on fabric. Working on the words, reading them as I work, and then displaying them when I'm done should encourage me to remember them. Right? Do you have any tricks for remembering scripture?

4- Speaking of prayer - I made it to Eucharistic adoration and benediction this week. It was the first time I've been able to get there in a long time. It's funny how the impending birth of your goddaughter will work on your heart. I went alone to adoration early in the afternoon and then at 7 PM as Stacy was being induced, my husband, son, and I went together to benediction. It was a beautiful experience. The quiet and serenity of adoration was something I've missed. I was able to be alone with my prayers and my Lord in an extremely intimate way.

5-  Attending adoration was something I've wanted to do for a long time. For some reason, something was keeping me from it. I realized that I was trying to keep myself from being vulnerable. I felt like I wasn't "Catholic" enough to do such a thing. A few weeks ago, I started reading Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown. I have never read a book that has had such a large impact on my life in such a short period of time. I feel like the author wrote the book for me. If you get a chance - READ THIS BOOK!

6- Raising a toddler is no joke - My little guy is having a bit of an identity crisis. He thinks he's a "big boy" (as he tells me frequently) but, also wants to be a baby. This is exhausting.

7- I am grateful for the fellowship of many great Catholic moms I've met online who make my daily struggles seem like a drop in the bucket of motherhood. I love being able to share with these women on a daily basis. We celebrate each others successes and failures. We celebrate life and death (sometimes  both in the same day). We support each other with anecdotes and prayers. Sometimes we don't have the right words...one of us...will share hers and give us the spiritual strength we need to properly support another.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Litany of the Saints for Our Family: 2014

Catholic Icing has a cute printable for a Litany of the Saints for your family. This is something I've been thinking of doing since we got our saint from the Saint's Name Generator at Conversion Diary. The Loveliest Hour has a step by step approach to creating a Litany for your family (since I like to know I'm "doing it right").

Our saint for 2014 is St. Vincent De Paul!

St. Vincent De Paul...pray for us.

St. David...pray for us.

St. Elizabeth...pray for us.

St. Charlie Borromeo...pray for us. 

St. Ann...pray for us. 

St. Edward the Confessor...pray for us.

Our Lady of the Island...pray for us.

St. Joseph...pray for us. 

St. Gerard...pray for us. 

All you holy men and women...pray for us. 

March for Life/Rosary for Life: #CathSorority

Yesterday, in conjunction with the March for Life in Washington D.C., the women of #CathSorority prayed a rosary every hour of the day for life - from conception to natural death. I was excited to participate. I eagerly stayed away until my 11 PM EST slot.

During the day, I googled "Rosary for Life" and the link to the USCCB Rosary for Life - Joyful Mysteries came up. I was so moved at how perfect they were. I'm not entirely sure why I was so shocked that they were perfect but, they were in every way.

At 11pm, I knelt beside my sleeping twenty month old and began to recite my rosary. I was using a rosary I purchased on our second wedding anniversary while we were visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island. The women of #CathSorority were on my heart with each petition to the Blessed Mother.  The women in our group are a microcosm of the outside world. They personify the petitions as I prayed for:

- all newly pregnant women

- all parents

- all expectant parents

- grandparents

- all adoptive parents

- all expectant mothers 

- all expectant fathers

- those who perform abortions

- all who aid in labor

- all obstetricians 

- every child 

- toddlers 

- souls of miscarried children

- single mothers

The thing I loved most about the rosary for life was that it was so applicable to everyday life. It really encouraged me to connect with my prayers. I was able to put a face or a name with every single petition. While I wished I could have been marching with my fellow prolifers in Washington DC, this helped me feel connected to those who were able to march and helped me to support the prolife movement in my own small way. 

Taking Our Toddler to Mass: 7 Things That Work For Us

source
7 Things That Are Working For Us Right Now

One of the things that has always stressed me out as a Catholic mother is taking our toddler to Mass, especially on Holy Days when my hubby is working. Our little guy has been going to Mass every week since he was a bitty baby so as he's grown we've learned what works for us when it comes to getting him to sit through Mass. I decided I would make myself a list to help me remember if God decides to bless us with another child.

-1-

Sit near the front. 

We always sit in the fourth-ish row on the left side of the center aisle. 

We are close enough that the little guy can see what is going on but, far enough away from the altar that if he were to make a break for it we have a couple of seconds to catch him before he "visits the priest".

-2-

Sit on the end. 

We sit at the end of the pew closest to the side door. This way we have several options if the little guy is being too disruptive. We can pop out the door to the outside. We can go over to the corner to stand. If absolutely necessary, we can head to the back of the church. I generally sit on the inside with the little guy and my husband sits on the end. We found that when I sat on outside with our little guy he thought he could get out and run up and down the aisle. It's the little things that make such a difference.

-3-

Feed him as close to the beginning of Mass as possible.

The little guy was exclusively breast fed until he was eight  months old. Generally, he didn't need to be fed during Mass if we planned ahead and I was able to nurse him immediately before going into Mass. Now, that he's a toddler the same thing that remains true. (On a good day) We leave for Mass early enough that I can give him a smoothie pouch and a snack before Mass in the parking lot. This way he'll be satisfied for the rest of Mass and I won't have to break out the "emergency snack".

-4-

Bring an emergency snack.
Initially, I was dead set again bringing a snack to Mass. However, sometimes as much as you plan ahead the little guy just needs something to munch on. He's still little (relatively) and he can't entirely understand why he can't have anything.

-5-

Bring books. 
Our little guy loves to read. He loves to look at pictures and tell you what he thinks is going on. We received a few Christian books at our baby shower and have purchased several Catholic books that we take to Mass with us. He likes to compare the pictures in his Mass book to what is going on. Eventually, I would love to make a quiet book for him to bring with him to Mass but, that will have to wait until I have time and/or can find one that isn't astronomically priced. 

-6-

Go to the Mass that is closest to when he wakes up.
Don't dilly dally. Get up and go. Mass works best for him if it is the absolute first thing we do. Whether  it is 11 AM, 9:30 AM, 8 AM, or 7 AM, just get up and go. 

-7-

Hold him.
When we first took Charlie to Mass as an infant, I was reading every blog post I could find about bringing up Catholic children and helping them to behave in Mass. One blogger (I can't remember who it was) wrote that she holds her children until they are three. I have to say this works for us. We only have one child. We can pass him back and forth if need be. He definitely behaves better in our arms. I don't think he knows he can get down or sit in the pew.

Anyway, these are just some things that work for US right now. They are by no means the answer to everyone's situation. I'd love to hear about how you wrangle your sweet children while at Mass because I am sure as he grows we'll need new strategies. 

Prayer for the Sick near Death: For Ann G.

Prayer for the Sick near Death

Almighty and Everlasting God, preserver of souls, who dost correct those whom Thou dost love, and for their betterment dost tenderly chastise those whom Thou dost receive, we call upon Thee, O Lord, to grant Thy healing, that the soul of Thy servant, at the hour of its departure from the body, may by the hands of Thy holy Angels be presented without spot unto Thee. Amen.

Ignatian Summer Prayer

Father, Creator of all, thank You for summer!

Thank you for the warmth of the sun
and the increased daylight.
Thank You for the beauty I see all around me
and for the opportunity to be outside and enjoy Your creation.
Thank You for the increased time I have to be with my friends and family,
and for the more casual pace of the summer season.

Draw me closer to You this summer.
Teach me how I can pray
no matter where I am or what I am doing.

Warm my soul with the awareness of Your presence
and light my path with Your Word and Counsel.
As I enjoy Your creation, create in me
a pure heart and a hunger and a thirst for You.
Amen.

Happy Independence Day!

Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm...