Doog8

I am so blessed to be the mother of my 6 children.  We had a truly glorious weekend here.  We did a lot of yard work and planting (mostly Greg and the boys), but we also really enjoyed just being together.

Blaire is home from school now which is wonderful! I spent the first day that she was home following her around!  I’m not kidding …

I wanted to share a little reflection about the Blessed Virgin Mary from the book Full of Grace by Johnnette S. Benkovic …. in honor of Meg and of my mother … who also said “yes.”

The following quote is by Pope John Paul II about the call of woman in the world today:

“The figure of Mary of Nazareth sheds light on womanhood as such by the very fact that God, in the sublime event of the Incarnation of his Son, entrusted himself to the ministry, the free and active ministry of a woman.  It can thus be said that women, by looking to Mary, find in her the secret of living their feminity with dignity and of achieving their own true advancement.  In the light of Mary, the Church sees in the face of women the reflection of a beauty which mirrors the loftiest sentiments of which the human heart is capable:  the self-offering totality of love; the strength that is capable of bearing the greatest sorrows; limitless fidelity and tireless devotion to work; the ability to combine penetrating intuition with words of support and encouragement.”

Benkovic writes:

“Like the Blessed Mother, you and I have a choice.  We can say ‘yes’ to God’s request, or we can say ‘no.’  And, just like Mary’s response, our answer has external consequences, both in our lives and in the lives of others.  If we say ‘yes’ as Mary did, God will empower us with His Holy Spirit and we, too, will be filled with the life of Jesus Christ.  Like Mary, we will become a channel of grace through which the love of God enters into the world.  And, because the spiritual needs of our day are so great, all of heaven is holding its breath waiting for our response.”

Thank you sweet Megan.  For saying “yes” to God and blessing us with our beautiful granddaughter.  For being able to say yes to Him and put your self interests aside to do His will.  For your courage and trust.  You are an amazing mother and have more patience than any other mother I’ve ever met!

John 15:16-17

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

 This is my command:  Love each other.

We had another busy weekend.  I forgot just how busy baseball season can be.  We move from one season, one thing, to another and as the children have gotten older it has gotten so much harder to live intentionally.

 I’ve been reading lots of other posts by other bloggers and it seems to be such a prevalent theme.  I found myself last week just caught up in a whirlwind of activities and had to really stop and pull back.  Mostly pull back from the internet.  We didn’t have a computer or internet when the girls were small.

So I prayed.  Prayed hard Thursday evening.  Prayed for help to slow down and not rush through my days.  Our days.  Rush so much that I am not noticing all the little gifts.  His gifts.  Prayed to cooperate and allow His grace.

Things felt much better Friday and parts of Saturday and Sunday.  Today we just did our work from our curriculum and enjoyed being outdoors.

The reality of the boys getting older and becoming more independent has really hit me the past month or so.  Sam is learning to drive.  Jack is wanting and asking to do more and more with friends.  Things that involve him going further away from the home.  With friends I’ve never met before.

We talked some Friday afternoon when I picked him up from his friends’ house.  He listened and shared.  And I prayed Friday evening for him … and for Greg and I … that we are given what we need to parent him in this next season of his life.

On our way to church yesterday we had a little conversation about boys  wearing protective cups (is that the right terminology???) for baseball.  Jack had a game right after mass so he had to wear his uniform to church.   And Shane was asking if he was wearing his cup.  (Jack is going to love that I am writing this.)  Anyway, Greg was explaining the purpose of a cup and even went a little further than he normally does (I am usually the one to give a little too much information to the kids).  So, Greg was explaining how important it was to protect a boy’s body parts.

 Shane spoke up and I held my breath wondering what he was going to say and ask and how Greg was going to handle it.

Shane said,

“Oh, so I get it.  The cup is like a shield.”

We just chuckled.  I was relieved.  ”Yes, the cup is a shield.”

He went on, “And your private part…

 It is the knight.”

A babe’s pure perspective.

John 10:11-15

I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  

He who is a hireling and not a shephard, whose own the sheep are

not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the

wolf snatches them and scatters them.

He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me,

as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life 

for the sheep.

She’s A Gift

His gift

Like sunlight on the water

She moves like heaven’s daughter

Turns darkness into wonder

She’s a gift

To everyone she meets

Makes it easy to believe

That goodness is alive in this world

(lyrics to She’s A Gift by One Flew South)

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the

meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O LORD, my Rock and my

Redeemer.

We had a baseball weekend here.

Saturday the boys had baseball the entire day.  It was beautiful outside so it was very relaxing and fun to watch them.

Jack playing catcher.

 He doesn’t usually catch — he plays short stop.  In fact, he only played this position one other time.  I wasn’t at his game so Greg took the picture and video for me.  Greg played catcher so he is always happy to see one of the boys at that position!

Saturday afternoon Max went over to a neighbor’s to swim.  Their family opened their pool a little early this year.

Shane isn’t able to play in the neighbor’s backyard anymore since the pool is open.  All of the boys in the neighborhood like to play wiffle ball in this particular yard… it is huge and just a great yard for baseball.

Shane was very disappointed Thursday when we told him the pool is open and he can no longer go there to play with the older boys.  He was feeling sad and left out so Greg and I told him when the older boys go into a yard with a pool one of us would spend special time with him.

Well, my first chance at “special time” with Shane came Friday afternoon.  He wanted to play wiffle ball with me.

 We went outside and I wanted to throw the ball over hand to him.  That is the way Greg and his coaches pitch to him so I thought that is how I should pitch … even though I am much more comfortable throwing underhand.  Before I go any further I should preface all of this with … I am not a ball player.  I tried playing softball as a child, but I was so bad the team wouldn’t let me swing at a pitch.  I was very petite and they made me squat in a position where my strike zone was very small and I would get walked.  So … as you can see I have no self confidence when it comes to baseball or softball.

Anyway, in order me to throw overhand and be accurate I had to get a little closer to him than I realized was safe.  He hit a line drive and hit me right smack on the side of my face.  I had no time to react to the hit.   It didn’t get black and blue, but it still feels a little tender.  (Greg doesn’t believe me) I really should have known where the little guy hits the ball.  Greg sent video to me last weekend of Shane batting.  He almost hit his coach twice during his game.  (Coach was pitching)

 After that I was so nervous pitching to him I was throwing terribly and our little session of wiffle ball ended and I read to him outside.

Saturday night he chose to go in the sprinkler as his “special time.”  I didn’t go in with him … he was happy with me watching and taking pictures.

I don’t remember when I stopped pitching and catching with the older boys, but it was probably about the age Shane is at.   I sometimes think of him as being younger than he actually is because he is the youngest.  I don’t think I will be pitching to him much longer.

XO

Greg – If Tracey would have asked me I would have warned her about how hard Shane hits the ball.  Next time there’s a wiffle ball game, pretty sure that Tracey will be in the outfield (or cheering from the porch).

Sam – It is always fun to watch the younger boys play baseball. Shane looks like he has the potential to be a stud with his swing.

Jack – I liked playing catcher.  Shane is a really good baseball player.  It would be fun to watch mom pitch to him.

Max – I think it is sad Shane can’t come into Ritchie’s back yard because it is the best spot.  I think it was really fun for Shane so I feel bad for him.

Shane – I liked going in the sprinkler.  Mommy, is tomorrow going to be really, really hot?