Preparationpalooza, August -style

We are home from all our car trips, the latest being a nice visit with Meghann and fam in Kalamazoo. Now, we must get down to all the preparation for our Chinese student, who will be living with us for the school year. That and I just have to undertake refinishing our wood floors and doing a deep cleaning of the whole house. That's just how I do.

Also, since July 4th, my Mother-in-law has either been hospitalized or in rehab. Today, she is in the hospital, as the docs are having a hard time getting her stabilized. Bob had been heroically holding down the fort and keeping up with Mom till I got home a few days ago. Ben was the resident cook and cat companion.

So, as I sit writing this, with my week-old sunburn simultaneously itching and then hurting, I am gearing up for lots of Stuff. Malaika will become a high school student in mere weeks, and if you have had one or more of those, you know how busy and slightly stressful the run up can be. Uniforms, tryouts for sports, physicals and dental check ups, ID pictures, orientation, becoming a fledgling Septa rider, supplies... oh, and the ever lovely tuition and sundry expensive fees. And then when our student arrives, (whenever that will be), we get to run about getting her outfitted as well! I hope she gets here before the very last minute.

Here are a few pictures from Michigan. I fear I am not up to a very good narration. Everyone had a turn with a cold, and now is mine. I have been having a slow re-entry into post vacation life.

 We had frequent backyard bonfires in the evenings. Some nights, the fires were sluggish to get started. Yes, that is the dried out top of their Christmas tree. Smelled nice!

 Kaden's garden, and then a bunch of posed pics in front of all the pretty daisies by Meghann's shed.

And then the beach pics. I love going to Lake Michigan.

 Malaika, Kaden and Rachael building a sand castle.

 Kaden likes the warm sand, sans towel, after a swim.

Meghann takes ambush shots when I am not looking, You can see what a beautiful day it was. though. 

 Here we are at Bell's. There are tons of breweries in Kalamazoo. We were never lacking good beer!

Kaden and I at Olive Garden. You can see he got an owie by his eye. He ran into a gate latch a few days before this. He bore it bravely. Boys! :)

 Here is the Jesus-mobile we saw in downtown Kalamazoo one day. Giving Jesus a bad name...

 Rachael

I am still pondering the future of this blog. I may stop, but it kind of feels like a part of me. I have been at it for four years! Or I may narrow the focus. Whatever I finally decide, thanks for reading my thoughts.



Not that this is an aside in the realm of importance, but if you are a person of prayer, please pray for our unraveling world. And for everyone who is being persecuted or terrorized or mistreated. I wish I could say I am surprised, but it has all been building for some time now. Now would be a very good time for people to find, rediscover, build up, deepen, or otherwise pay attention to their faith. Teach your children now, while you still can. Openly at least. We are going to stand out from society in starker and starker relief, and it may not be an acceptable thing in the days to come.

Pray the Divine Mercy.


1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.
2. Then on the Our Father Beads say the following:
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
3. On the 10 Hail Mary Beads say the following:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
(Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades).
4. Conclude with (three times):
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

In 1933, God gave Sister Faustina a striking vision of His Mercy,
Sister tells us:
"I saw a great light, with God the Father in the midst of it.
Between this light and the earth I saw Jesus nailed to the Cross
and in such a way that God, wanting to look upon the earth, had to
look through Our Lord's wounds and I understood that God blessed
the earth for the sake of Jesus."
Of another vision on Sept. 13, 1935, she writes:
"I saw an Angel, the executor of God's wrath... about to strike
the earth...I began to beg God earnestly for the world with words
which I heard interiorly. As I prayed in this way, I saw the
Angel's helplessness, and he could not carry out the just
punishment...."
The following day an inner voice taught her to say this prayer on
ordinary rosary beads:
"First say one 'Our Father', 'Hail Mary', and 'I believe'. Then on
the large beads say the following words:
'Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity
of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement
for our sins and those of the whole world.'
On the smaller beads you are to say the following words:
'For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the
whole world.'
In conclusion you are to say these words three times:
'Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us
and on the whole world'.
Jesus said later to Sister Faustina:
"Say unceasingly this chaplet that I have taught you. Anyone who
says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death. Priests
will recommend it to sinners as the last hope. Even the most
hardened sinner, if he recites this Chaplet even once, will
receive grace from My Infinite Mercy. I want the whole world to
know My Infinite Mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to
those who trust in My Mercy...."
"....When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I
will stand between My Father and the dying person not as the just
judge but as the Merciful Savior".


Read more:http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm#ixzz38L9anUA0

                    

Through half closed eyes

Yes, I am still here, and even mostly alive!

We were away for about a week in May; my husband played in the Chicago International Amateur Piano Competition! It was his first big competition experience and he did wonderfully.



During his performance, from my seat. Not the greatest picture.

Here is Kaden sitting nicely, looking at the gorgeous hall, and that arm next to him is Malaika. In a dress. That is how much she wanted to support Bob.

While out there, we got lots of glorious time with Meghann, Jeff and Kaden. They put us up for the whole week minus the two Chicago days. Where, as you can see, Kaden accompanied us. He wanted to go to A-cago too! And so he did.

Here are a few shots from Kalamazoo. This is the Bog Trail,pictured at the top also: a floating pathway through, well, a bog. But it was a beautiful day, as you can see here, where Malaika is starting out.

                  ----- here, you may see the trail sinking a little. There were places where it sunk a LOT. At one point the adults were knee-deep in cold, dark, bog water. Meghann might have done some screaming. I have pictures, but I would like to continue to be on speaking terms with her. Fairly hilarious.

 these are from the Sky Deck in downtown Kalamazoo. Fun evening, as you can see.

Now, back home, All the Things are needing to be attended to and the people cared for, and the issues dealt with.

 God is good, and I believe we are all in His hands, even when it doesn't look like it, or feel like it.. His grace is sufficient. I am finding if I just try to do my little part, (aka,  change the things I can and accept those I can't), I live less in the world of the overwhelmed.

 I have been able to get to some daily masses, my beloved Latin Mass, and do some very humble fasts for prayer intentions. I have gotten back to working out. Again, be it ever so meager. Hanging out my laundry, planting flowers and sitting out back with a book ( I have recently discovered Flannery O'Connor)---all of this has been so helpful. And of course, all of you who have kept us in prayer, thank you so very much.

It has just been a time of-- it seems like a hundred transitions-- all happening at once. I have resigned as chief plate-spinner, realizing it wasn't my job anyway, and now am content as cook and bottle washer. And general servant. This works out much better. Yeah, I still have little moments of what-if? terror. But then I offer those too, and go on. I accept the smaller moments of beauty and peace as the gifts from God they are.


And, from where comes my help:

From Sunday's mass:

Kalamazoo

Journey to Kalamazoo

Before we left. He knew we were up to something.

The first rest stop. Appropriately called Blue Mountain.

Malaika testing out the hotel bed.

After going to mass (Immaculate Conception, Irwin, Pennsylvania)(lovely) we stopped at various fast food places and took our food to the little patio at the hotel.

The drive was fun and surprisingly easy, thanks to the extreme generosity of my good friend, Diane, who provided the hotel, and on the way back, her home, as a waylay spot.



As soon as we arrived in Kalamazoo and took four breaths, we went to the greenhouse. Half off sale baby!

It has an adorable play area for children, that includes free popcorn! Here is Kaden, having fun in the sandbox.

Here are a few of the results of that trip

                   Kaden's garden.

 some adorable little flowers

digitalis

This was not the only gardening/outdoor project by a long shot! We went to the Kalamazoo Farmer's Market twice, where Meghann is apparently a local celebrity. I brought home a potted tomato plant, and we also found this

beautiful miniature potted sunflower for a song. Sadly, Meghann texted that a giagantic woodchuck has breakfasted on it since I left.


                                                                             

I did manage to bring home some of the Michigan sunshine.

Besides this, also in the form of a lovely sunburn. But I had a great time getting it.



The beaches of Lake Michigan have it all over the Jersey shore, at least the bigger ones. I think Avalon and Stone Harbor are still nice. But Lake Michigan is clean and beautiful. You can swim in it until your feet go numb from cold. Of course, Malaika and I were the only ones in the water. Tourists!

This pretty much sums up happiness. 

                     Mr. Personality. Always.

Malaika and Kaden getting used to the cold water.

 Malaika stayed out longer than anybody. And I do mean anybody.

      I however, reached my limit. 






We had found two kites for a dollar, and even though only one flew, we had a great time with it! We tied the strings from both kites to one and flew it extra high!

 Kaden doing beach stuff. He does have a sand-tail, but I cut it mostly out of the picture. It was too bright to see what I was shooting!

 Malaika dug a hole till she hit water. You can't tell from the picture, but it is really deep. She was practically falling in digging it.

 It seemed like no time was right to ever put the camera down.

Kaden and his mama.

          My beautiful daughter. In all ways.

We had a great time. We got to the beach twice. As I mentioned, one of my souvenirs is itching and peeling now.

Another of our projects for the yard was to make a birdbath. Oh, the miracle that is Pinterest!

Here is our version.

 1. Get dying banana tree leaf for free from greenhouse, and hack it off with scissors before they change their mind.

2. "Borrow" enough sand from Kaden's sandbox to make a mound.

3. Position the best part of the leaf on the sand.

4. Get over fear of mixing and handling cement.

5. Find a pair of gloves to ruin.

6. Pat cement down on leaf and build up the center to make it thick and sturdy.

7. Wait.

8. Check on it.

9, Wait some more, and worry about breaking it while turning it over.

10. 48 hours later, miss the turning over ceremony while frantically searching for the camera. But get one of the result.

11. Have a very nice neighbor who happens to have a birdbath stand lying around, and wants to give it to you.

12. Have a son in law mix up more cement, and look good doing it.

13. Put ridiculously awesome birdbath on stand. Have many cooks in the kitchen while doing so.

    14. Very importantly, while at it, have a beer.
                     Do not skip this step.

                                                                              

1

15. Take loads of pictures. Try and get artistic. Hard to beat Malaika at this.


16. Optional -- Run back just before pulling out of the driveway to get one last picture of it filled and ready to go.

 

So easy! And gorgeous!

Here are just a few more moments of many. I was unable to upload pictures and blog as we went,  as I was filling every moment soaking in my dear ones.

 Kaden and Malaika (dubbed A-laika) were car buddies.





At bouncy-house heaven, a place called Jungle Joe's.

 Directly after our first beach day, Meghann and I went to a fun art class. You can't see how burned I am in this one. Meghann looks singed, but hers all turns tan.

 Kaden at t-ball.

A cool trellis we found at another greenhouse. Meghann has a beautiful honeysuckle to climb it.

 We went to Jeff's dad's house for a barbecue. I am not sure how Jeff manages to still look good in goofy glasses.

 Jeff's dad, Tony, giving Malaika a ride. She now wants a motorcycle. Besides wanting a horse.

Kaden, being his adorable self.



The Very Nice Neighbors also allowed us to swim in their pool.

          Malaika,  perfecting her handstand.

Love this.








And now, if you can bear the cuteness, is a short video of swimming.

As I mentioned, on our way home we stayed with my dear friend, Diane, who I only just met in person, but have known via computer correspondence for a few years. It was a delight to meet her and her lovely family.

 Malaika, as we enjoyed her beautiful deck.

   Also her kitties.

Just before I left for the last leg of the journey. Yes, I am looking a little worn out! She is cute as ever.



We got within shouting distance, 30 miles or so left on the turnpike, AND, this.

You only need to watch ten seconds to get the idea. We pulled over on the highway several times, but it was not letting up.  I got off and waited in a parking lot till it slowed down, then meandered home.

If you do watch the whole thing you will see me accidentally pull into the easy pass lane, back out, and then proceed to splash the toll worker with my wipers on warp speed.



This past several days since I have been home have included my son's graduation and a gig at a club on South Street, in which his band was selected to participate in Liberty Fest -- a bunch of gigs around the city this summer. So, needless to say -- more blog-events are on the way!
The graduation pictures are not good--some glitch with my camera abilities (I think it's called exhaustion)--but I did get a video of an awesome drum solo he did last night. So if you are in any way into the recording of my life, stay tuned! :)

Peace~

Kelly