1. I wore a chapel veil to Mass for the first time today. Aside from feeling a little self-conscious and attempting to keep James from ripping it off my head, I really liked it. I'd like to thank some of my local parish ladies for inspiring me to *finally* go ahead and do it. Joanna and Jen, thanks for the inspiration and the links to some great articles. To all my other Catholic friends and family, here and here are a couple of articles you may find interesting if you're at all contemplating donning a beautiful chapel veil of your own.
2. Speaking of Mass, today was HORRIBLE with our dear little James. Advice from others is totally welcome here. He was getting squirmy and loud so I took him out to the vestibule. He was squirmy and loud there too, and then started to scream bloody murder. So I took him outside (all the while holding him, mind you. We don't put him down at all if we have to take him out). He calmed down and then I went back inside. We did this a few times until I figured out that he WANTED to go outside, even if he was being held the whole time. It got so he would scream if I took him back inside the building at all. Finally I just decided that I was not going to reinforce the bad behavior by taking him outside when he screamed and I just let him pitch a fit in the back of the vestibule. He finally settled down and fell asleep - right before Communion - when he realized that I wasn't going outside and he wasn't getting down. I don't know what I ought to have done better. On the one hand, I know he was being disruptive for all the other people trying to hear Mass in the vestibule, but on the other, I don't want him to think that he gets to go outside whenever he pitches a fit. Argh. :/
3. We planted 5 blueberry bushes in our front yard last weekend. So excited to have our own crop here (probably won't get many until next year though) and because they have such beautiful Fall color. Thanks to my dad for his help and for bringing up the blueberry bush from my grandma's house!
4. We get to see the Beuschels in just a couple of weeks! A bunch of family will be coming in to town for Chris & Jackie's wedding weekend after next (and Ceci's First Holy Communion!) and we're so looking forward to spending time with family we haven't seen in so long.
5. Please pray for my sister-in-law Rebecca, who is in Mexico on a mission trip with Monique and some other consecrated ladies. She had a bit of trouble getting there, and I just pray that the craziness getting there doesn't overshadow what Our Lord has in store for her while she's there serving Him.
6. Hoping some Spring weather sticks around for a while -- I'm itching to get some herbs planted again, even though I know it's too early.
7. Counting down the weeks until my first girls' trip (NO KIDS) at the end of May! Yes, I know it's a month away, but it's just going to be so awesome to spend 5 whole days with dear friends and no dear little ones to chase after. :) Tom, you're a trooper. Thanks for being so great about letting me get away.
7 comments:
WHOOP WHOOP!!!!! :)
1)I found this really cool site that has some really cute head coverings that seem almost toddler proof. I am not quite ready yet, but these cute head coverings might be what I need to push me. :) Here is the link:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/GarlandsOfGrace?ref=pr_shop_more
2) I have no advice for young toddlers at Mass. It seems like from 14 months to 2 1/2 years I just have to let go of the hope that they are going to even kind of behave. I have just resigned myself to the idea that God is trying to humble me. There is nothing more humbling than looking like and feeling like I have no clue how to parent.
7)The girl trip is going to be awesome! I can't wait!
Carrie,
I think you did the right thing with James. I don't mind fussy children when we're in the vestibule... after all, that's why *WE* are in the vestibule! As long as you're not letting him run around screaming and goofing off, I can't see where anyone would be upset.
This will sound crazy, but Catherine behaves better when we sit alllllll the way in the front. Yeah, it's a longer walk to the back if she DOES cut up, but it seems to decrease the likelihood that she'll act up or get bored.
I put my blog online again, btw. ;)
Sorry, had to edit my post!
Carrie you have given me example after example of a beautiful, faithful wife and mother.
It's hard with the little ones but we pray and try and pray again that we will make the right decisions in raising and disciplining them. I think there are circumstances where there is no right or wrong way to handle a situation (there are a lot of those in child rearing). You do what you can with what you have and leave the rest to God.
Thanks, everyone, for the encouragement! We'll keep on keepin' on. :)
Carrie those were a couple of really compelling articles about chapel veils. Thanks for posting those!
I agree with Jen. I've found that our Clare tends to pay attention more and act up less when we sit in the first or second row. I think Kristine may have mentioned that about Avila too. When we sit in the back she can't see anything so she gets bored.
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