Thoughts for Three Hundred

I was told by a friend today that this little blog has over 300 subscribers on Google Reader. Wait. What??? Three hundred? I currently have 156 followers and I thought that was a TON. I'm not sure what to make of this new information. Feeling very honored and humbled that 300 people actually care about what I have to say. Feeling like I better come up with something a little more insightful to keep 300 people caring about what I have to say. Feeling like I'd really rather just write whatever comes out of my mind and not care at all about what 300 people think.

This post is going to be the latter :)

How is Lent going for you? Mine is good so far. Carving out some daily time with my Bible. Practicing self-denial. Haven't made it to Adoration or Stations of the Cross yet. That's the goal for next week!

Some friends of ours from college stayed with us last night on their way back to Missouri after going to Disneyworld. They were married the same summer as Ted and I and now have two beautiful children. I actually grew up with Jen, she's my second cousin and we went to the same school growing up. We met her husband in college. I've met so many wonderful friends here in Florida. Amazing, strong, Catholic woman. And I have very dear friends back in Mississippi that I miss terribly. But there's just something comforting about hanging out with someone who really knows you. She knows my parents, my siblings, what my house looks like, everything about my high school and hometown. We used to play Game Show Host in her basement and go to Youth Group together. After living away from home for so long and having friends who know nothing about my childhood, it was really nice to spend an evening with her. So familiar. Being 12 hours from home, I think I needed that.

I'm continually being surprised by God at how incredibly Catholic this town is. I've met more awesome Catholic women in the last month than I knew in the three years we were in Mississippi. The resources here for Catholic families are just awesome. It's becoming very clear why God picked us up and moved us to Florida. I think he knew we needed a little kick in the pants and some really, really good examples of holy family life.

Hannah only woke up once last night. Once. Did you hear me? Once!

I had coffee with some of those awesome Catholic women tonight. My white chocolate latte made with almond milk was delicious. But I forgot to ask for de-caff. So I'm blogging until I get tired........

Speaking of almond milk-still dairy free. We've done some testing with bad results. If I eat a slice of cheese-eczema. Butter in some cake? Eczema. Raw goat's milk yogurt-even worse. Poor baby.

Ground beef costs over four dollars a pound here. Am I the only one who finds that absolutely unacceptable? Surely, out of 300 people, someone will give me an Amen on that one.

My View

Quick Takes (33)

-1-

My parents are on their way to Florida as I type! Grandma and Grandpa couldn't stay away from their only grandbaby for too long and are making the 13 hour drive to spend the weekend us. Lots of possibilities for the weekend: the beach, a boat ride to see manatees, window shopping, skeet shooting. It will most definitely be too short.

-2-

Leila posted an interesting though in her Quick Takes today. People that are for contraception and support Planned Parenthood always seem to be saying this is about "equal rights for women". But if women need to take a pill or have a surgery to render their bodies "equal" to a man's-it's like we're saying that we are a lesser species. I would argue that we are the crown of God's creation. We have the privilege (note-I did not say right) to carry, bear, and nourish another human being. We are the bearers and nurturers of life! Anyone who feels that we need contraception and abortion in order to be equal to men is very, very mistaken. And confused.

-3-

Am I the only mom who allows their toddler to chew on sticks because at least it means they're not swallowing acorns??

-4-

Speaking of toddlers, I'm pretty sure Hannah found out that she is one now. And it's the most fun I've ever had. She's doing all sorts of "toddler" things-pointing to her mouth and hair, making the sign for monkey, laughing at everything, doing the adorable little toddler-squat while she plays with her toys, clapping and giving high fives, throwing her food on the floor, pretending to sleep when we see someone sleeping in a book, dancing when she hears music, putting together puzzles, and I could go on. She is so. much. fun.

-5-

But you know what's not. so. much. fun? Discipline. How is that I am already having to discipline my sweet baby girl? Whew-it came up so fast. But dangit she knows she's not supposed to play in the trash can! She also knows that she can sometimes get us to crack by smiling as big as she can, scrunching up her nose, and laughing. I'm pretty tough when it comes to discipline, but man I'm gonna have to get tougher!

-6-

We've been in Florida just over a month and have already met so many wonderful people. We've been invited into homes for dinner and fellowship and it's made our adjustment so much easier. Tonight, a young, Catholic couple with a little boy about Hannah's age is having us over for dinner, along with a few other couples our age. We haven't even met them yet-they just heard about us and gave us a call. People are crazy nice. And I'm crazy grateful.

-7-

I've been doing some great things with our family's nutrition since I've stopped working. I've got a post (or several) swirling in my head about it, but for now I'll just tell you that I'm super proud of what's sitting in my fridge right now. Want a hint? It's white, semi-solid, smells amazing, and was "rendered" by me :)

Have a great weekend!

I Get it Now!

I have been somewhat anti-Valentine's Day for most of my dating life. When I was a freshman in college (and not yet dating Ted) I protested the fact that people are celebrating a "Saint's feast day" with such materialism! Kind of like everyone uses Saint Patrick's feast day to get drunk. I walked around telling everyone "Happy Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius!" and, quite shockingly, didn't get the kind of reaction I had hoped for.

When Ted and I had our first Valentine's Day a year later, we decided not to celebrate.  After all, we knew we loved each other. We said it all the time. And we spent lots of time together-going out to eat, taking walks around campus, attempting to play tennis. And he gave me little surprise gifts. And I made him blueberry muffins for no reason. And he gave me cards and wrote letters because "it was the first Tuesday of the week." And one night I got a call from him in the middle of the night telling me to go to the window of my eighth story dorm room. I drug myself out of bed to see that he had spelled out a life-sized  I Love Katie in the freshly fallen snow.

Yes, we were romantic. And we didn't need an overly commercialized feast day of some obscure Saint to prompt us.

We dated for several more years, avoiding Valentine's Day each year. Sometimes there might have been a special dessert-but that was just more of an excuse to have sweets.  When we got engaged, still no Valentine's Day. And as a married couple, the day meant nothing to us.

And even though we are still madly in love, in only a few short years of marriage and one little kiddo later-those long hand-in-hand walks, sweet notes, and just-because cards are getting fewer and farther between. I can't remember the last time I got a "first Tuesday of the week" gift, and I haven't made him a special dessert in ages. And since we're in Florida now-I doubt I'll be getting a romantic message in some freshly fallen snow any time soon.

So, I think I want to change my opinion on Valentine's Day.

(This is a big deal-I don't change my opinions often.)

Of course, I didn't tell HIM that I want to change my opinion-so I will be getting nothing. But that doesn't mean I can't make the day special for him. I have seven hours until he gets home from work-I better get started!

But first thing's first-hacking into his email again so he doesn't know it's coming. :)

Happy Valentine's Day! And Saints Cyril and Methodius while we're at it.

Why I Love My Husband (11)

I love my husband because-when I showed him a picture of these "smittens"-he said, "That's cute," and not, "Wow what a dumb idea."

I love him because he likes to hold my hand.

In case you missed it, it's National Marriage Week!

Far Better than Quick Takes

I sat down to write some Quick Takes today, but first I read Bonnie's.  They are, quite literally, one of the highlights of my week.

Then I read An Overdue Letter to My Children in Heaven, which she linked to.

And then I decided that everyone visiting my blog would be far, far better served if they just went to this blog instead and read this man's letter to his three children in heaven.

If you have experienced the pain of miscarriage, I pray you find hope and healing today.

My View

Why I Love My Husband (10)

He spent over an hour hanging nine different-sized frames on the wall in a perfect square while I played with Hannah and checked my email.

The next day, when I said, "Can you hang another frame for me?" he said, "Sure."

The following day, when I said, "I think we need to switch these two frames around," he said, "OK."

The man's a saint.

Happy Birthday Hannah!

You are our joy.

Our miracle.

Our greatest gift.

We love watching you grow. 

You make us laugh everyday.

We can't imagine life without you.

We can't believe you're ours.

We love you with everything we have.

Thanks for giving us the best year of our lives.

National Marriage Week

Did you know that National Marriage Week is coming up? February 7-14. Starting on Hannah's birthday and ending on Valentine's Day!

Well now you know-so what are you going to do about it???

I'm going to attend my first Mothers as Preschoolers meeting and hear a talk from a marriage therapist about "keeping romance alive after children."

I'm going to post lots of Why I Love My Husband posts that week.

I'm going to make his favorite dinner.

I'm going to find out what his favorite dinner is.....

I'm going to dig some of the silky little numbers that I got from my bachelorette party out from the back of the closet. (Did I just say that on a blog that my grandma and perhaps some seminarians read? Why yes I did.)

I'm going to celebrate my girl's first birthday (but that's just a coincidence).

I'm going to spend some time reading Betty Beguiles and her awesome tips and reflections on marriage and romance.

I'm going to pray for my husband, for my sisters' future husbands, for Baby Leo Hannah's (potential) future husband, for my friends' marriages, for single friend's who want to be married, and for a strengthening of all marriages in our country.

And I'm going to try my best to be more patient, more loving, more giving, and more affectionate. Not just this week but every day of our marriage.

But first, I'm going to hack into his email account (which is subscribed to my blog) and delete the email alerting him to this new post so I can have the element of surprise.

What are YOU going to do for National Marriage Week?

Deferring to God

What was that? That faint ache in my left side...... the kind of ache that only an NFPer would even notice. Oh my. Here we go!

I can't even count how many times I've been asked, "When do you think you think you'll have another?" since Hannah's been born. My answer is usually the same. "Well I haven't even had my cycles back since Hannah nurses so much, so we haven't even really thought about it. But we're obviously open to whatever God is calling us to."

But that little ache, that old familiar ache. Is Aunt Flo just around the corner? Am I ready for this?

Pregnancy and the year following it have been blissfully void of the worries of infertility. No need to worry when you're pregnant, obviously. And no need to worry when you can't get pregnant because your sweet, wonderful, beautiful little girl still doesn't sleep through the night and is only lulled back to sleep by your mammary glands.

The past two years have been wonderful.

But if by chance they are coming to an end...I have mental and spiritual preparation to do.

I totally get those people who say they are content with only one child. Hannah is perfect. Amazing. We stand in awe and disbelief every single day over the blessing she is to our lives. There are times I think, "I don't even need any more children-she's more than I ever imagined she could be." And there are just as many times I think, "Lord please let me do it all over again!" Times I feel a little rumble in my lower abdomen and am taken back to that magical place of time standing still while you sit and just hold your hand to your belly...until I realize it's just gas. Times I read a birth story and beg God to let me experience the birth of another baby. Times I get teary-eyed at the thought of Hannah never having a sibling.

It's no secret-I want another baby. I want lots of them.

Now?

Maybe.

For once in my life-I'm really, really happy that God is in control of my fertility.

What a huge decision-when to bring another immortal soul into being and alter your family for eternity. I simply do not want that kind of responsibility. Who would? All those things that so many people take into account when making this decision.

Do we have enough money? Not even close according to the world's standards!

Would our children be too far apart/too close in age? Who knows! There are studies and then more studies that contradict what the first studies said. And who cares really?

Can we handle another baby? Um, that whole "If God brings you to it, He'll bring you through it." Yeah-I totally believe that.

Do we have enough space? No. But what a dumb reason to not have another child!

And so on and so on.

And while it's certainly not wrong to ponder those types of questions, what kind of answer would push me to the point of trying to avoid having another baby right now? None.

So I'm taking the easy way out. I'm leaving it up to God!

(At least for now. Don't be surprised when, in just a few short months, I'm blogging about being scared to death of taking care of two children or yelling at God for sending us into the throws of infertility again. It's my blog-I'll be wishy washy if I want to.)