36 Weeks

Sometimes, I walk by the mirror and think, "Holy cow!"  I know each pregnancy ends this way, but, well, "Holy cow!"  And there's still 4-weeks of growing time!

Photo Roundup

Watching Kolbe snuggle up and read his Boxcar Children books leaves me breathless.  I love that he enjoys a good story.  I love that he takes initiative and reads on his own--without my prompting.  I love that these are "good" stories where siblings care for one another and each and every soul they meet.  

----

My Mom keeps saying how much Marcel and Jerzy look alike.  Today at breakfast, they were even dressed alike.  This one's for you, Mom.

Shutterbug

Jozef loves to take pictures of that which he loves.

7 Quick Takes

[  1 ]

This week, I began washing all of the adorable pink baby clothes that our many generous friends have given to us.  It was very odd to have a huge stack of light pink and polka dots amidst the red and the Star Wars t-shirts.  As I was putting the clothes away, Jerzy insisted on helping me.  Here, my "baby" was now all grown up, helping me to stock the dresser of the next baby.  I told him these clothes were for baby Gemma.  He said, "Yep.  These are for Gemma," as he put them in the drawer.

[ 2 ]

These kind of little preparations are making the end of this pregnancy a reality.  For the past 35 weeks, I've just been focusing on the boys and being pregnant.  I knew the reality of baby was far, far off.   However, the calendar doesn't lie and she'll be here before we know it!  Am I ready for a newborn?  I don't think I'm quite there yet.  But it's nothing a little prayer and meditation won't fix.

[ 3 ]

I am afraid of the month of June.  This is relatively new for me, but looking at the calendar strikes a bit of fear into my mind.  Nate will be gone for a weekend here and a business trip there.  The boys begin a new round of gymnastics half-way through.  And, I am due at the very end of the month.  So, to lessen the fear, I'll give you, dear reader the facts, and hopefully, convince myself that everything will be just fine:

-- Fact:  There is pretty much no-chance I'll deliver early.  I typically deliver between 40 - 41 weeks.

-- Fact:  The end of pregnancy is pretty much uncomfortable 23 hours per day.

-- Fact:  We do have friends in the area who would certainly be available if I should need them.

Given these facts, how do I feel about June? Well, my reaction it about the same as this guy at the end of this video:

[ 4 ]

Okay, not really.  The end of pregnancy always brings up trust issues I have with the Big Guy.  It's easy to say, "Trust in God, He'll take care of you," but it's quite another to put it into practice.  The Lord knows all of the things going on in my life and the logistics necessary in order for me to have this baby.  However, if I don't know the plan or feel in control, that's a very scary feeling.  For the entire month I will be praying for a sense of peace and the ability to let God control my life--because He can certainly handle it!

[ 5 ]

Next weekend we are heading to Michigan to celebrate with my niece and her family her High School graduation.  I am so excited for her!  And, I'm looking forward to seeing all of our family one more time before baby arrives.

[ 6 ]

Kolbe is making his way through The Boxcar Children series of books.  He's already finished book #3 and there are 99 total!  Is he discouraged?  No way!  I love it.  He proudly says, "I plan to read them all!"  He is an inspiration to me and Nate.

I read many of these books when I was young and it has been such a great experience to relive them with my son.  It's something I never would have dreamt of!

[ 7 ]

This weekend we are having a friend watch the boys while Nate and I go out for a bit.  You see, we've been trying to go on a date for the last two months.  Every time I get a lead on a great babysitter, it doesn't work out.  We live in a college town and the semester ended a few weeks ago.  A few of those great babysitters went home for the summer (understandably).  Others simply have busy social calendars, etc.  Finally, I broke down to Nate and told him that we really needed to spend some time together.  He called a friend and we're all set for Saturday!  We will be able to have conversation without needed to hop up and get something, change someone or quell an argument.

Hope you have a great weekend!

A Very Big Day

Earlier this week, we celebrated two big events in one day.

Marcel and Jozef completed one-full year of gymnastics!

They proudly wore their medals.

Kolbe graduated from a Tiger Cub Scout...

To a Bear Cub Scout!

So, we had ice cream.

Twice in one day.

The Non-Existent Middle Ground

I am working my way through Modern Saints: Their Lives and Faces, Vol. 1 by Ann Ball.  As I read about these extraordinary people and the heroic lives they lead, I am reminded that we, too, are called to be extraordinary heroes.  Though, there is no magic wand that will create that in our lives.  Rather, through daily conscious decisions and hard work, a path to sanctity can be made, for ourselves and (just as importantly) for our spouse and children.

He advised his priests that, "The Servant of Charity must go to bed each night so tired from work that he will think he has been beaten."

- Blessed Louis Guanella
from Modern Saints: Their Lives and Faces, Vol. 1

As devout parents we have one foot in many worldly matters and one foot (hopefully) climbing towards heaven.  It is no wonder that the overwhelming majority of Saints were those called to single life.  Few were husbands and wives and parents.  Thus, the vocation of married life and parenthood is uniquely difficult.  It is easy to get bogged down in these many worldly matters and lose our way on the path to holiness.

We do not have the freedom to take on such harsh pennances (like feeling each night as though we had been beaten), as that would be contrary to our vocation.  However, we can strive to go to bed each night truly tired.  Tired from serving God and our family, tired from keeping to a schedule of prayer and work, tired from serving and loving those around us--tired and truly at peace that, at the end of each day, we are choosing God over "self".

God <------------->Self

Just like the Saints, our spiritual lives are in perpetual motion.  I read once that we are either moving closer to, or farther away, from God.  There is no standing still.  Through our words, works and actions we are either moving towards holiness or away from it.  It's that simple.  And, that difficult.

As married persons within the Church, it is common to have a full calendar each day.  However, our sisters and brothers, the Saints, show us that life can be a perpetual prayer.  We can sanctify the laundry and the dishes and the diapers just as we can be sanctified by our prayer lives, the sacraments, and edifying books.  And, our life needs to maintain a balance of each.

As married persons within the Church, we have a responsibility to be holy.  In addition (as if that wasn't enough) we must keep our spouse on the path towards Christ and emulate holiness to our children.  Whew!   No wonder we should go to bed each night exhausted!

Family prayer is a crucial means to bringing our family closer to Christ.  Through researching a homeschool curriculum, the founder had this to say about their religious program:

Ultimately, what we aim for is to train the children:

--To join in the prayer of the Catholic Church and
--To study all that God has revealed, through

• Sacred Tradition, and
  
• Sacred Scripture.

By "train" we do not mean that to teach them about these important resources, for we are not religious reporters nor will they be. We are the servants of Christ who are supposed to be the ones living the religion.  Our training is an apprenticeship in Christian living.

May we all reflect upon this mission:  To work each day towards holiness and bring our spouse and children with us.

Park Days

A Charitable Heart

Her:  Marcel?  It's time to take a bath!

Marcel:  Oh.  I wish the bathtub was never invented!

Her:  Well, you were born in the wrong time period for that.

Marcel: [mulling this information]  I'm thinking about donating our bathtub!

Her: [in her infinite Mommy-wisdom] Why don't you discuss that with your Dad when he gets home?  Until then, bath!

I really think my boys are getting a hang of this "sacrificial giving" and having a "charitable heart" thing.

Love Notes

Dear Mom,

Thanks so much for letting us go outside and play today.  It was a bit muddy, but we enjoyed it.  As strapping young boys, it is important that we get out-of-doors and conquer the world.  Thanks for your understanding about this.

Love,

Your boys

p.s. We're out of bubbles.  We realize that we had 6 small cans, but, uh, we used them all up.  

A picture truly is worth one-thousand words.

If this is the switchplate, you can imagine the bathroom sink...

Surviving Your Third Trimester

The latest edition of the Raiche family is currently kickin' my butt.  I'm wondering, "Do pregnancies get harder as you have more children?"  I worked until 1-week before Kolbe was born and 1-day before Jozef!  Now, getting out of bed,  making 3 meals and conquering 1 load of laundry is a very big day! Never mind all that "nesting" I'm supposed to be doing!

How am I surviving these final weeks until our little one arrives?  And, how can you survive your last trimester?

[ 1 ]

Make a list each morning of what you'd like to accomplish for the day.  Then, cross of half of the tasks.  Then, cross out half again.  Then, realize you'll probably get to about half of the remaining items.

[ 2 ]

Enlist the help of your troops.  Did you know an 8-year old can wipe down the bathroom?  No, he or she will not do the job with your poise and eye for detail.  However, it will indeed be an improvement.  Also, you can answer questions like this:  "Mom, can we play the Wii?"  with responses like: "Sure, as soon as you sweep under the kitchen table."  They will quickly and readily get the job done--with a smile even!

[ 3 ] 

Give you husband a few jobs and then praise, praise, praise.  Nate will gladly switch over a load from the washer to the dryer just before heading out the door to work in the morning.  Giving the little boys a bath or making a meal are also jobs he'll do.  The key here is to remember to thank him and then thank him again later for his help.  I find that husbands need a lot of encouragement when doing their "Man Jobs" and adding "Mom Jobs" on top.  

[ 4 ]

Use this time of wanting to be on the couch constructively.  Play the board game your kids are always asking you to play.  Build LEGOS.  Watch movies together.  Color pictures.  These activities are ones I usually pass on saying, "I can't right now, I need to do the laundry, etc."  But, right now, I am certainly happy to just sit down and hang out with them.

[ 5 ]

Remember:  No one has been pregnant forever.  This is a period of transition and resting is a big part of it.  As are heart burn, discomfort, backaches, and overall uncomfortableness.  And those are just my woes!  Moms go through amazing things to bring new life into the world.  But we do need to be gentle on ourselves during this time.  So, take heart and enjoy, because as soon as the baby is born, you'll soon forget this last trimester.  And, life will change dramatically!