Lenten Checkup

We've got one full week of Lent in--how are we doing?

To be honest, Lent is my least favorite time of year. I much prefer the anticipation of Christmas and the goodies that go along with celebrating the birth of Jesus.

However, no matter how I feel about Lent, I know that I need Lent, too. Lent provides a time to focus on our relationship with God, our shortcomings, and where we need improvement in our life.

This 'Lenten Checkup' is here to remind us that whatever our commitments have been thus far, if we haven't been able to keep them as well as we'd like, not to lose heart.

Jesus has infinite mercy towards His children and truly desires union with them. So, look forward, rather than to the past. Choose Christ. And ask, what is single greatest thing that God desires from me this next week?

One More from Kolbe

Today I decide that I'd take the boys to McDonalds to play in the Play Place. As always, Kolbe was a keen observer in the restaurant. As we sat down to eat, he commented:

Kolbe: Mom, that lady over there has a lot of paint on her lips.

Mom: Well, some people like to wear a lot of makeup...and that's okay.

Kolbe: [enthusiastically] Yep! And she's one of 'em!

Kolbe-isms

When frustrated with our Internet service:

"Mom, I heard on the radio that you can get really fast Internet. But, I
don't know the phone number..."

On faith:

"Mom, I was listening to my bible story and it told me how to pray. It
said 'Do not wait until you are old to follow Jesus. Follow him now while
you are young and have energy.' I am going to do that."

Photo Roundup

The last two weeks in pictures:

Did I mention Marcel's love for TP?

Marcel & Jozef - Truckin'

Finding trouble.

Just plain cute.

Nothing Sacred

There is a conspiracy in my house. Each time I mentally note an item as special or "sacred" it mysteriously gets transformed or destroyed. I believe I know the culprits behind the menace, but cannot incarcerate them due to the fact that they're all under 5.

Recently, Marcel has taken an affinity to tossing books off the bookshelf and playing with them. I love my books. In college, it didn't matter where I lived, as long as I had some of my books with me, I felt at home. Yesterday, I was at my wits-end with his game. The shelf has been relocated. In a corner. Behind the couch. Now, my beloved books have missing dust jackets and tattered pages but they are safe behind the couch. Until he learns to scale it...

I received a rosary for my baptism that I took a special affection for during high school and college. I would carry it with me each day as I went from class to class. At noon, Nate and I would pray a rosary together and I would use that rosary. Shortly after Kolbe entered his looting-years he discovered this rosary and promptly destroyed it. I was really upset.

A few Christmas' ago we received a lovely all-white statue of JPII. He is leaning against his famous cross, eyes closed in prayer. Shortly after he entered our house, he took a tumble. Now, his cross is bent-over, with pieces missing. At this point, I was frustrated, but not too upset. After all, I'm learning to understand the thought process around here: the amount of my affection for an object is inversely related to the number of days it has left to exist.

The above stories aren't meant to sound derogatory towards my little ones. I am merely illustrating my plight. This is part of the cross that a mom carries (after all dad's don't even know we have nice things...just kidding, Nate). Would I be quick to give up this cross? Well, no. For without the cross I'd be deprived of the joys that motherhood brings as well. The late night embrace of a trusting child, seeing their simple faith, or the joy that comes from simply living life with them.

Playing Catch Up

Man alive! I haven't posted here in over a week! And, what a week it's been. Marcel was sick, then Kolbe and now Jozef. In the midst of all that, I became sick. It was that icky head-cold kind of sick.

Alas, I'm back and 90% recovered! =)