It Never Fails

TheDad and Big Brother are off to Summer Camp for the week with the Boy Scout troop. They'll be living in tents, battling mosquitos and looking to beat last year's second-place finish in the Iron Camp Chef competition.

Usually, we just say goodbye to them at home, but this year the rest of us went over to the church where the Scouts were packing up the vans and trailer. I'm sorry we didn't do this other years. It was nice to hang out with the other moms and leaders' wives, to wish all the campers well (not just the ones in my own family) and to trade cell-phone numbers with moms who worry that their child's phone won't pick up a signal in camp (it probably won't. But someone will manage to call, and then we'll all let each other know that everyone's OK.)

And then I came home, put down my coffee cup, and headed directly to Big Brother's closet (do not pass GO, do not collect $200) where I took all his t-shirts out of the closet organizer where they'd been stuffed, folded them neatly, and replaced them. That thing has been driving me crazy for months, but I've managed to resist until now.

(I'm now wondering if he has any shirts at camp with him. He has an awful lot of t-shirts.)

Middle Sister is off to a sleepover with the cousins on Wednesday. Her dresser is next.

I expect that before the week is out, I'll rearrange some furniture. Because doing that, and cleaning closets and dresser-drawers, is how I say "welcome home" to someone who's been away.

Lawn Rage

I am generally a pretty even-tempered person, unless I'm driving...or unless my across-the-street neighbor is outside with his (insert curse word of choice here, this is a family blog) leaf blower. Did I mention that he lives on a corner lot, so twice the sidewalk? I swear it takes him an HOUR to blow every last little blade of grass off his walk.

Get a broom!

Why Moms Don't Want to Always Know Best

Read Sheila Wray Gregoire's column for this week! I think she's been peeking in my windows. Thanks, Sheila, for saying what I couldn't find the words to express.

I try not to bug my husband with the Little Stuff, because he really does deal with most of the Big Stuff. But a lot of the Little Stuff sure does come with Big Guilt. I really appreciate what Sheila has to say on this subject.

Prayers Appreciated

Tonight is the election for the Fraternity Council at my Secular Franciscan Fraternity. This is a big deal; the regional minister and regional spiritual assistant will be on hand to witness, so we not only have elections, but hospitality to worry about. The hospitality will be the easy part!
Because of many people's health issues, we have had trouble composing a slate of eligible members to serve on Council. That will make tonight's election a little more challenging. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us all as we make choices that will affect the future of our Fraternity in the next 3 years.

What Not to Wear

I am currently engaged in a battle of wills with Little Brother, who thinks that a blue-and-green tie-dye t-shirt matches perfectly with camo-print shorts.

If we were staying home today I wouldn't care, but I have to take him out in public in ten minutes.

Morning Observation

In terms of sheer morning-motivational power, it's hard to beat the effect of showering and getting dressed right away. It's got more of an influence than caffeine. I'm convinced that coffee drunk while wearing pajamas is much less effective than coffee drunk while dressed for the day.

Pray for your Children Today!

This psalm comes from Evening Prayer for Friday. Every Friday, for years and years, I have prayed this psalm. And it just struck me this past week that this is an excellent psalm for parents to pray for their children. I am including the prayer at the end for the same reason.

PSALM 121

I lift up my eyes to the mountains: from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble! Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers, Israel’s guard.

The Lord is your guard and your shade, at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil, he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming both now and forever.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, you have prepared a quiet place for us in the Father’s eternal home. Watch over our welfare on this perilous journey, shade us from the burning heat of day, and keep our lives free of evil until the end.

Love the Creativity

Today is the Cardboard Tube Fighting Tournament in Philadelphia. Big Brother heard about this and invited a few friends to go along. Then he enlisted Middle Sister's help to make him a cardboard shield for the event.



She and her friend made this as a prank, never suspecting that Big Brother would love it! He thought it was great, but is refusing to bring it (they made him a "real" one as well) because he doesn't want it to be ruined. This one, he says, is a keeper.

A Great Way to Start the Day

From this morning's Liturgy of the Hours:

In your will is our peace, Lord.

What better way to start the day than to pray that prayer?

There have been a few things nagging at me lately, some conflicts, some worries. And frankly I am missing daily Mass now that the kids are out of school. "Missing" in both senses of the word--I'm not there, and I feel the lack of it in my life.

"Do not conform to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may judge what is God's will, what is good, pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:2)

I pray today that I may know the right way to handle those worries and conflicts, and have the strength to do it.

An Encouraging Word on a Busy Day

Today was one of those days when this "stay-at-home mom" wasn't home much. I took Little Brother to the library. I zipped to the Dollar Store and CVS to pick up a few necessities (sidewalk chalk among them, because it just isn't summer without an abundance of sidewalk chalk). I picked up some Chick-Fil-A lunch. I took Little Brother to the pool, and encouraged him as he practiced his swimming and then cheered for him when he passed his swim test (he's allowed in the Big Pool now without me--yippee!) After dinner I delivered Big Brother to cross-country practice and then took Little Brother to Middle Sister's basketball game, where I cheered for her team and provided first-aid necessities when a team member got injured.

At home, I did manage to get 2 loads of laundry hung on the line, bathrooms "swished and swiped," dinner cooked, served and cleaned up, and my writing for the day done.

I was despairing over getting stuff done (or more correctly, not getting stuff done.) And then a friend of mine sent me a link to the 50s Housewife blog. I was curious so I followed it--and I found this: "Someone Has to Do It".

Then I realized I didn't do that badly today after all. It was a busy day, but a good day. Much as I love to be home, sometimes my vocation takes me out of it--to the pool, the library, the store, the basketball court. Those things are important too, even when they prevent me from cleaning the floors (which seriously need some cleaning!) Now go visit the link. We all need that kind of encouragement.