The Psalter of my Days

My gosh, I remember this book. I remember sitting in the chapel at the formation center in Wakefield, RI trying to read the "original" (or not so original as we now know) Spanish text. Really and truly, I am grateful that I had a hard time those two years "getting into" Maciel's book of letters called "Envoy."

And I'm thankful that the visitation has been underway and is now nearing an end. Let's hope that many changes are made within LC/RC and that the ones who helped Maciel in his double life and subsequent cover up will be removed.

Read Patrick Madrid's comments on this latest development here.

Third Week of Advent

Yesterday I got a call at work from our foster care licensor, Betzy. She let me know that our licensing was finished and had been sitting on someone's desk at the state because they were behind. But--we are licensed and can start receiving placements!

It is a bit surreal since we have been waiting for this for some time. However, it's in His time and not ours. This morning I was thinking that this week is a perfect week to get this good news. The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. We light the pink candle--a symbol of rejoicing in joyful hope for the Savior. Because of all that was going on Sunday night and this week (funeral and finals), we were not able to light our third candle until last night, when we got the good news. I think it was kind of meant to be that way. :)

Maybe we'll have a kiddo or kiddos with us for Christmas, and maybe not. But we do have hope and joy which we'll share with the little hearts who stay with us. There is always room at our little inn.

Thank you all for your prayers and support for us. Your friendship and help mean the world.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice; let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God.

Immaculate Conception

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is such a beautiful celebration in the Catholic Church. It is the dogma that the Mother of God was conceived without sin. Wouldn't you like to see what festivities are going on in Heaven today?

Hopefully, someday we will. We pray that Pere Pere/Grandpa and all of our beloved departed are sitting at the feet of their Blessed Mother soaking in her beauty and love.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Pray for us, Grandpa.

Grandpa Dion

Early this morning, Bernard Dion passed from this life to the eternal one. We are so sad for the loss of this godly and beloved man, who is the father of my mom-in-law, Suzanne Dion Campbell.



This past July, the Dion family had a reunion over in Edmonds. It was so nice to meet many of the people I have heard about from Sue and to put names with faces. The highlight of the party was celebrating Grandpa's 96th birthday.




Besides his sweet nature and his always classy and gentlemanly ways and dress, the thing I loved most about him was how much he loved his dear wife, Yvonne. She passed away in 1997, and at every meal I had with Grandpa, he would pray for the eternal repose of the soul of his "dear wife, Yvonne." After more than 60 years married when she died, they were so loving to each other and took delight in each other's company. I hope that I will be as good a spouse to John as Grandpa and Grandma Dion were to each other.

Grandpa's honest way of living has been passed on to the generations that came after him. It is evident in his four children, Ron, Annette, Ray and Suzanne, and their children. I see it in John and am so happy that they were close. We loved listening to him tell stories of his childhood, marriage and family life which had the joie de vivre of his family's French Canadian background and Grandma's Parisian background.



Thank you, Grandpa for all that you taught me, and thank you for living your faith so well. I'll miss the dinners with you and hearing, "Go easy on the butter." Til we meet again.

Qu'il repose en paix. Amen.

Thanksgiving

This is a late Thanksgiving post, but I didn't want to skip it. We had such a nice Thanksgiving weekend, starting with Mass and then a coffee from Starbucks. My boss, Mike, had given me a $25 gift card! It was such a nice surprise!

In the afternoon, we went over to Mom and Dad Campbell's house which is always relaxing and fun. They made the turkey, and Christina and I split up the sides and desserts. Christina has a real talent for desserts and made this amazing pumpkin and ginger cheesecake. It was to die for. Sitting around the table with everyone made me realize how blessed I am to have married into this family. Joe was missing from the table, but he spent the holiday with the family of his roommate. We look forward to seeing him soon!

My mom and dad were in Dallas with my brother, Matt, his wife, Sayeda and her family. Can't wait to see some photos of the trip.

Joey, my mom and dad's dog, turned 14 on Thanksgiving! He got some extra kisses and some treats.

God has blessed me with a wonderful husband, fantastic family and friends, good health and a good job. Who could ask for more?

Canine Criminals

Last night I came home to a crime. One that was so bold, so arrogant, that I had to take photos. The perps didn't care about the mess they left. They didn't care that I had to walk into my home and see the disgusting sight. No. They only cared about going outside to go potty, followed by dinner in their bowls. After feigning anger to get my point across to them, it was really hard not to laugh.

The Crime Scene:






The Suspects
The Ringleader: Joey "Sticky Paws" Mahler




The Accomplice: Jill "Tail Chaser" Campbell


Jill, with tail wagging nervously and head down, brought me a used tea bag as a peace offering. Charges dropped.

I heard a rumor...

Recently, I had a conversation with a young woman who asked me some interesting questions about people I'm close to. If they had been questions that actually came from her observations, I would not have minded. However, they came second hand from what she'd heard and/or been told.
"Are you pretty close to _____? So...is she 'green'?"
In my head, "What?!"
Out loud, "Green? I know she eats well for good health."
"Oh, so she's not liberal?"
In my head, "What?!"
Out loud, "Umm...noooooooo."

When I started to clarify and answer the question, it hit home how gossip is really, really bad. This is something I knew, but also something that I engaged in sometimes. Seeing it done by someone else about people I cared about shone a bright light on the ugliness of gossip.

"_______ told me that ________ is really into attachment parenting."
In my head, "What?!"
Out loud, "Not unusually so."

It was the pejorative tone that got to me, like there was something wrong and weird about how this person raises her kids. Maybe I recognized it in her because I have said things like that before to people.

Unfortunately, I didn't question the woman asking me how she got these ideas. Instead, I tried to get out of the conversation by nervously talking rapidly about whatever. I guess I didn't want her to be uncomfortable that I was uncomfortable. However, that may have been the best thing I could have done for her in the moment. Whenever someone has called me out on bad behavior, it is embarrassing and hard to take. But--I do learn not to do those things again.

For me, this conversation was another lesson that if we say we're Catholic, let's be kind and not tear each other down. This is how rumors start and characters are defamed. It's very ugly, ladies. :)

Songs of Our Years Together

Last of the Mohicans. I remember watching this movie together at some point back in Dallas. John had the soundtrack, and we played it a lot when I was over at his apartment in "Old Mill."

Loreena McKennit Another memory of our time in Dallas and that apartment John shared with Joey, Joe, and Joseph. Why did I even bother cleaning that stinky kitchen of y'alls?

Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses This is by one of our favorite bands, U2. I'm a latecomer to the fandom of U2. I bought a ticket ($60!) to their concert because I heard John was going. Talk about putting all your money on one horse! By the time of the concert (during finals of our junior year(!)) we were dating. This song, though, was playing on the radio when we had a major breakup, and I thought we'd stay that way. Looking back, it may seem melodramatic, but we did a lot of growing up then. We both dated other people, and thankfully, found our way back to each other.


Oh, the deeper I spin
Oh, the hunter will sin for your ivory skin
Took a drive in the dirty rain
To a place where the wind calls your name
Under the trees the river laughing at you and me
Hallelujah, heavens white rose
The doors you open
I just can't close

Like the Rain This is Our Song. In college when we started dating, we took a walk one night and stopped at the tennis courts where we kissed and it started raining. John walked me back to the student apartments where he said to make sure I got warm and dry. A few years later, we danced to this song at our wedding reception and now enjoy many rainy days together here in the Northwest. :)


Waikiki (we celebrated our 6th anniversary in Honolulu and fell in love with this song and Na Leo. Magical. Having a "Tropical Itch" from Duke's on the beach didn't hurt either.

Lost Again This is by "Kalapana," which is another group we heard on the radio when driving along a beautiful road in Oahu. We went to see them in concert when they came to Seattle. Our trip to Hawaii affected us more than we ever thought it would.

Chances Are I really like this song. Don't know that John even knows it, but it reminds me of when we still lived in Dallas and had tumultuous times. :) Silly kids.

National Adoption Month

November is national adoption month. This is probably something I should know. This site told me about it. The woman who writes it has a really interesting story, and she and her husband just adopted a little boy.

I'd also like to see this movie which looks great and is based on a true story.

To those who say that every child should be wanted, the best answer to that is:

"There are no unwanted children, only unfound families."

Template

Like the new template? I can't seem to stay with one and am still searching for what I want my blog to be and look like. For the rest of November, the template "Audobon" will be the background. Fall and birds are two of my favorite things.

In a few minutes, I'll be ordering pizza for our Friday office lunch. Pizza and beer at work make for happy employees.

Happy Friday to you!

Quick Update

To make a long story short, we are doing well here. John is extremely busy with school and usually spends one night a week over at his grandpa's house in Ballard. It's a very nice and quiet place to study and allows him to be able to sleep a little longer and have a short bus ride to school. Although he's slammed with work and exams, he's doing well and learning so much.

I'm plugging away at work and look forward to a time when I'm not doing surplus lines filings. But until then, I'm VERY grateful to have this job during times whne so many people are struggling to find work. Jill is fine and wishes we were home more often. :)

3 down, 1 to go!

This week, John has 4 exams. Today is his last one, and he plans to go to bed early tonight and catch up on sleep. He doesn't have to be in Seattle till late morning tomorrow, so it will be nice to have him around before I leave for work. This has been a month full of new things for him, and I'm really proud of him for working so hard for us and our future. Thanks, John!!

Creepy....

Creepy on so many levels.

Thursdays with Jill

Well, not the whole Thursday with her, but tonight John will stay over in Seattle at Grandpa Dion's house in Ballard. It is helpful to him to have a place to stay once a week and helps out the family by having someone keeping an eye on the house. So, while I don't like not having John at home, I do like being able to get some little project done while he's gone. Tonight after the gym, I'll do some cooking and maybe, just maybe get a coat of primer on the walls of the guest room. I HAVE to get that done, since all of our background checks have gone through....FINALLY! Found out yesterday that the reason that John's was being held up was because someone at the state office was pressing the wrong button each time the background check was submitted. And we want the goverment running our healthcare???

Rainy days and time management

These days I have gotten behind on so much at home and some things at work. I'm behind on the blog and painting the child's room. I'm the type of person who needs hard and fast deadlines and thrive on structure and early mornings, even though sometimes I'd rather stay in bed a little longer.

The structure and deadlines have to come from myself, because I've been an adult for a long time. :) So, this morning, after taking John to the ferry at 6am, I stayed up and got the laundry folded, the dishwasher unloaded and had time to watch my new favorite show on PBS about Japan. It's so interesting, and the hosts are mostly caucasians who speak beautiful Japanese.

Getting up early and going to the gym had been the plan. However, I haven't done it yet. John and I have found that we treasure the quiet, dark early mornings together and our drive to the ferry with our faithful Jill in the back seat. By managing my time better, I can get everything done and have more time to spare. Gym time will be in the evenings and John will take the bus home from the ferry.

Here's to early mornings and good time management.

Quick Update

I have not posted much in the last several days due to work and having a fun family visit from Mary, Caleb, Maddy and Peach. It was so wonderful to see them and spend time with the girls! I soon will post pictures of our time together.

John has orientation today and then starts school tomorrow! Exciting times in the Campbell household. I'm looking for a reliable teenager or adult to play with Jill a couple of times a week and walk her if possible. She will be alone all day and is a very active dog. So, if anyone knows of anyone who would like some extra cash, please let me know!

More to come soon.

September Birthdays

Before the month is over, I want to wish happy birthday to several beloveds. My sister Kate celebrated her day on September 4. Her son, Nicholas, turned 5 (!) on 9/14. Dad Campbell reached another year of wisdom on 9/16. Our nephew, Daniel, is now a whopping 6!! God bless you all. We are so blessed to have you in our lives!

Bathroom Transformation Part 1

For the past 4.5 years, we've been working on home projects and making changes as we could afford them. The biggest projects have been painting all the rooms, taking down the popcorn ceilings, and putting in wood flooring all through the house. Next up is the main bathroom. It is a small room and is in need of a facelift. The wallpaper is old and not our style. I call it "Menopausal Mauve" as was the living room carpet.

BEFORE:




The wallpaper came down with relative ease and a little elbow grease. Last night, John moved the toilet to finish up the last wall. He got the walls washed and prepped for texturizing before we paint and put up wainscoting. A new, simpler and classy sink will be purchased soon, as will some shelving and flooring.

Punches of color will come from the towels and Hawaiian decor. Don't worry--by Hawaiian decor, I don't mean the little Aloha girls that you stick on your dashboard. We have some vintage postcards we got in Honolulu that will be framed on the walls. Hints of the tropics will be on the shelves and shown through color and not through a full bathroom set of matchy-matchy stuff.

While visiting Mary and Caleb a couple of years ago when they lived on Oahu, we loved how the bathroom in their little house felt tropical without screaming HAWAIIAN PUNCH! Ocean breezes continually flowed through the room, and it was simple and beachy. While we cannot duplicate that in our bathroom which has no windows, we want to utilize the small space as best we can and take advantage of the skylight and light paint to make it seem bigger. Hopefully, it will turn out how we envision. Stay tuned!


DURING:

Craigslist Finds

Craigslist has been good to me, both as a buyer and a seller. Most recently, I have been a buyer and purchased some lovely baby boy clothes, shoes and some books, toys and sheets. Along with the booty, I scored a Pack and Play for $5. The young mom sold it for such a low price because the little bassinet was broken and removed. Total: $20. All of the furniture in the room are Craigslist purchases as well. I'll post some more of the room when I finish it up.

Peanut Blossom Giveaway!

A cool internet location was brought to my attention by my good friend, Colet. Colet made these beautiful market bags for her friend Tiffany. As soon as I save up some spening money, I will buy one from her. They are both fashionable and functional and made with love by Coco.

But--take a look at Tiffany's site. She is a talented seamstress, and I'm trying to catch up on her blog and see her work. If you visit her website and leave a comment, you are in the running to win a very lovely collection of fabric, pin cushion, strawberry pins and quilting thread. Needless to say, I am a sewing moron, but I hope to take some sewing lessons from my mom-in-law or sister-in-law (who graciously offered to teach me years ago) or patronize the local JoAnn's or Michael's. The image I have of myself in my first sewing class is me getting caught in a serger or accidentally sewing myself to the table. Everyone has to start somewhere, so I will start at the bottom. Are there sewing machines with training wheels? :)

A River Runs Through It

A couple of weeks ago, John took a trip to Colorado to do some fly-fishing with three of his good college friends, Kevin, Bill and Joe. They've been friends for about 15 years now and try to get together every couple of years. This year they met at Bill's house and then headed to Almont, CO for some fishing on the Gunnison and Taylor rivers. I am so glad that John was able to go have some down time with good friends before school starts up for him. It is really neat to see how these guys have remained close across the miles and years and to see them grow in maturity, develop their careers and grow their families.

Choosing Thomas

TK and Deidrea Laux were planning for their first child's birth when they got the very difficult news that their son, Thomas, had Trisomy 13 and would not live long after birth if he survived it at all. This is a beautiful, sad and heroic love story about a little baby boy and the parents who fell in love with him before he was born. Life is so precious----why don't we love each other like it were the last day of our lives? Thomas Laux and his parents taught me that today.

Mayim Bialik

Anyone remember "Blossom," an early 90s sitcom about a teenager played by Mayim Bialik? She was a young actress and practicing Jew who is now married with children and holds a doctorate degree. What I found interesting was that her parenting methods were called 'controversial.' However, they are pretty normal among a lot of family and friends of mine. Hearing her talk about the importance of her faith and raising her kids in an atmosphere where their faith is lived was very edifying. Check it out here.

Friday is here!

Friday mornings are the best mornings of the work week for me, and maybe for most people. I get out of bed and realize that it isthe last day of the work week--always a welcome thought. It means happier coworkers, not as much phone ringing, pizza for lunch compliments of my boss, and this Friday is payday. :) That means a trip to the bank to withdraw the cash that we'll need for the month: groceries, household, spending. And then when I get home, I'll write the first checks of the month to our parish and to another charity. The mortgage check comes next.

As I see the money come in and go out for bills and such, I am reminded that we can have a home and spending money and give to charity because of getting up in the morning to go to a job that I am grateful to have. So, on Monday when I sit up, blinking my eyes open and realizing that it's the start of another week, I'll remember that many of the blessings I have are because God has given me the opportunity to work.

...or maybe I'll feel more grateful after the first cup of coffee. :)

A Walking Novena

Today I started a Novena to St. Therese. Instead of driving, I walked around Poulsbo, specifically to the library which is my frequent hangout during lunch break. The prayer, along with the 24 Glory Be's, was nice to pray while walking up the big hill and being out in the sunshine eating blackberries along the way. I especially liked how the prayer states when asking the favor from God, "if it is in accordnace with Thy most Holy Will and is not an obstacle to my salvation." That, coupled with the 24 Glory Be's of gratitude, helped me have purity of intention and humility in the face of all my blessings.

Lucy is 2!

We had the pleasure of seeing our good friends, Joe and Ashley and their family recently while they were visiting from Virginia. Their youngest child, Lucy, is our youngest goddaughter. Lucy turned two years old on August 13, so we got to celebrate her bday with her a day early. She is a spunky and beautiful girl and we're so blessed to be her godparents. Prayers and love to you, Lucy! xoxo

Thoughts

Recently, I had a bit of interior turmoil regarding someone I know well. A conversation needs to occur with this person regarding some things and since I am a wimp when it comes to this type of thing, I have done a lot of praying about it--"Please Lord, help me to be kind but firm, please don't let me cry tears of anger (that's super annoying to everyone), and please help me get my thoughts across." Around this time I read about families who have suffered tragedies recently or who are recovering from near tragedies. I was reminded that 'this too shall pass' and that life is too short to remain angry about some things. Perhaps, a new chapter can be started with this person and perhaps I will grow in love and wisdom.

Mother, make my heart like yours--capable of loving.

I hope this is the real deal.

I read this letter from RC Members yesterday and am hoping it is legit. It hits the nail on the head to say the least. So many faithful people in RC gave a lot to the Movement. After the Communique in 2006, it floored me that the Legion and many RC members stood behind Maciel and defended him after the Vatican basically put him out to pasture because of the claims of molestation. Even after the scandal broke about his lover and daughter, there were many who, rather than condemning the actions right away, lauded what the movement had done for their families and themselves. One member said to me that, "Fr. Maciel was a tortured soul who really tried hard to live up to the charism and suffered greatly for the demons that prompted him to fall short." Wow... He still had the free will not to molest boys. The explanation of "The devil made him do it" is not only laughable, but despicable. I realize that most members do not subscribe to this type of thinking, but when I talk to those who do think that way, it makes me realize that there are cultish aspects of the group where people stop thinking for themselves and explain away criminal behavior. I understand that good has been brought forth from the movement, but great harm has been done to children and the church by a wolf in sheep's clothing.

While I am not condeming the whole RC movement or its members, of course, I take great issue with the late actions and non-action of the superiors. Fr. Berg's interview was very enlightening as was Steve Skojec's account of his experience.

Inspiration

Laura Ingraham interviewed Nick Vujicic today on her show. He's a young evangelical Christian speaker, real estate investor and author who was born with no arms and no legs. At 8 years old, he tried to commit suicide because he didn't know what would become of him when his mom and dad died. Then at 13, he had a turning point. He realized that he could be angry about what he didn't have or be grateful for what he did have. Thank you, Lord, for all the gifts and blessings You have given me. Thank You, also, for allowing all my defects, through which You show your power and love.

Note--Nick would be considered a burden to the system under Obama's 'health' care. The only burden is not seeing what a precious gift life is. Obama is blind to that.

I love this!

Natural Child: Any child who is not artificial.



Real Parent: Any parent who is not imaginary.



Your Own Child: Any child who is not someone else's child.



Adopted Child: A natural child, with a real parent, who is all my own.



-Rita Laws, PhD

Birthday Girls!!

Happy, happy birthday to my dearest girls in the world! Pita turned one on July 1, Lili turned 3 on July 4, and Maddy turns 3 today, July 17!

You three little ladies make my world brighter with smiles, laughs, funny-isms and sheer presence. We love you so much and hope to see you soon.

God bless and protect you all. Love you!

Farm Share

Last evening after work, I drove to Pheasant Fields Farm to pick up our 1/2 share and cut our weekly bouquet of flowers. Work had been pretty busy, so the quiet drive to the farm was a nice change of pace. This week we got kale, chard, green onions, chives, radishes, peas, and a HUGE head of lettuce.


When I had finished bagging our food, I grabbed a scissors hanging up on a pillar and headed to the enormous flower garden. What a calming and healing thing that is to do after a long day! So many beautiful flowers, so many types, smells, little bees, all congregating in this lovely space. With a big bouquet in hand, I picked up the food, said goodbye to Rocky the dog, and headed home much more happy than when I had arrived.

Anson Martin

Please pray for this young family who is bearing a very heavy cross. Anson Martin, father of 3, has Stage 4 colon cancer. They are praying for a miracle. Check out the website and please keep him and his wife and three young kiddos in your prayers.

Picture of the Day

G(R)8 booty, ma'am.

Love is...

letting your wife use the new iPod so that she can work out to her Michael Jackson tunes.
(Thanks, John). :)

Is not man's life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of a hireling?

The words of Job's sorrow and grief profoundly capture the horrible situation of a young family in the Dallas area. Matt and Vanny Stocco endured the worst possible suffering a parent could face--the death of their children. After 11 months of grieving, Vanny died in the same pool that took her children's life. Please pray for the repose of her soul and especially for her husband, Matt, who has lost everything in less than a year.

All who call upon me I will answer; I will be with them in distress; I will deliver them and give them honor. Psalm 91:15

Summer Reading List

This summer as we near the end of the clearance process for foster care, my reading list is heavy with books on the subject. One that we just bought is called "Maybe Days." Reviewers of the book recommended reading this book to each child when they come into your home. Because many of the answers to foster kids' questions are unknown, they get a lot of "Maybes." This book helps kids cope with the unknowns of their placement and time away from their birth family.

The book at the top of my list is authored by a young woman named Ashley Rhodes-Courter who spent 9 years in the system and was adopted at the age of twelve. Before being adopted, she and her brother endured numerous placements which meant uprooting just as they were getting used to a home. While with one family, the children endured mental and physical abuse. Once when Ashley was ill, she vomitted on the floor. Her foster 'mother' pushed her face in it as if Ashley were a dog needing a lesson. We didn't even do that to our dog!

Hearing Ashley's story and seeing this poised, educated, lovely, and triumphant young woman opened my heart and eyes to the possibility of eventually fostering older kids. She is living proof that the human spirit can triumph with love, patience and dedication. If you have five and a half minutes, take a look at her appearance on Good Morning America.

One of my new favorite quotes (which I hope to paint on the wall of our children's room) comes from Christopher Robin who said to Pooh, "Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think."

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is Mom C's birthday! We are so grateful for your life and for the blessings we've received from you being in our lives. God bless you this year and always. I could not have asked for a more loving mom-in-law and friend. We love you very much. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Update

Well, May has gone by and I should give a brief update of some of the happenings in the Campbell home. We spent Mother's day with John's family and my mom. The guys made dinner and as usual, it was a fun and peaceful time at Jim and Sue's house.


My dad was home for a bit of time before he had to leave again on June 1. We got to have two dinners with him while Mom was in St. Louis. He took care of Jill for us when we took a day trip to Mt. St. Helens. That was amazing! We hope to hike to the rim of the crater this summer. I will post pictures of that here.


We've been getting back to working out seriously these last couple of weeks which has been tiring but leaves me feeling so much better! John got me a great book about lifting and has workouts which utilize several muscle groups rather than ones that just isolate muscles (like bicep curls).


Some exciting news for us is that by mid-July, we should be foster care licensed! Our licensor, Betzy, came to our house last Thursday for a walk through. She checked for the requirements of a foster home--fire extinguisher, potty chair, meds locked up, etc. We had most of the things we needed, but figured we'd get the list from her so that we weren't just guessing on some things. This week we plan to get our finger prints taken, and I need a TB test. Jill girl is up to date on her shots and was quite entertaining during the walk through. John was talking to Betzy in another part of the house when Jill started ringing the bell on the back door to go outside. Betzy got a kick out of that and planned to tell people back at the office about the bell ringing dog. :)


On Sunday we picked up a very nice crib and changing table/dresser which I found on Craigslist. It's a great set and was only $70!


After that we headed down the road to Bothell to visit John's grandpa, Bernard Dion. He had some medical emergencies recently and is now living with Annette and Don, John's aunt and uncle. Grandpa Dion will be 96 in July! He is so sweet and is ready to go whenever God calls him. It was so good to sit and talk with him for the afternoon and evening. He was telling us about his parents and siblings and about things back in the day. We look forward to seeing Grandpa next week or so.

RC run St. Louis school to close its highschool

Interesting.
The school was started in the early 90s. I remember when Gateway was housed in a closed down Catholic church and school. We'd go to Mass there sometimes and knew some of the students and families somewhat. Since then, it has moved out to Chesterfield. I pray for the kids and families and the teachers who are out of jobs. God brings good out of everything and this could really be something the Legion needs--pare down, revamp and recreate itself.

Fr. Berg leaving LC for NYC Archdiocese

God be with him in his new life outside the Legion.

Veggie Burgers with Tahini Mayonnaise

Trying to eliminate meat from my diet, I have been looking for healthy recipes with some protein packed in. Last Saturday I was watching "Everyday Food" on PBS. Margot Olshan was making veggie burgers with bulgur wheat and pinto beans with some spices and veggies chopped in.

They looked really good, so I decided to make them. I added salt and pepper to taste, as they were not in the recipe. Bulgur wheat can be found in bulk at both Fred Meyer and Central Market (down the street from my work) and is inexpensive. The recipe makes 4 good sized and very filling patties which got me through 2 dinners and 2 lunches. You can find the recipe here.

A college friend also told me that his wife makes delicious red lentil rice cakes. I'll try these this weekend as I have a nice new bag of lentils in the pantry. :)

Also, we get to pick up our first box of veggies from the farm next Wednesday, so it will be fun (and healthy) to try vegetables which I've never or rarely bought.

Christina 'mentioned' on local Seattle tv show

Many of us in the Seattle area are familiar with "Evening Magazine" which features stories from the area and the Northwest. Today, a music teacher, Sharon LaFrance, from our parish school, Our Lady Star of the Sea, was interviewed about donating her hair to "Locks of Love." The mother she mentions is my sister-in-law, Christina, who donated her beautiful hair last year to Locks of Love and one year later was diagnosed with breast cancer. You can see Andrew, Jeff and Christina's oldest son, in the video singing with his class. He's standing next to the red haired boy. :)

For those of you who are not on Christina and Jeff's updates and would like to hear in Christina's own words how she's doing, let me know and I'll forward the latest to you.


http://www.king5.com/video/eveningmagazine-index.html?nvid=358263

Photo credit: Joanna Cichy (I 'borrowed' this photo from her blog).

Good Article

Here is a very good article on the Maciel disgrace. Good read for all RC members and all Catholics alike.

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake

This is a delicious St. Louis treat that we had growing up. Gram Mahler made the best Gooey Butter Cake! Don't eat a lot of it, or you'll have a gooey butter body.

Conquering Fears

After many years of procrastinating and giving in to nervousness and fear, I finally learned to drive a stick shift. John was such a patient and kind teacher. Since my car is in need of a new starter and died as I was backing out of the driveway to go to work, I was pretty much forced to learn to drive the Expo. Sometimes, that's what it takes for me to do something. But, I did it and am driving myself to work and back. Sure, I've stalled out, spun the tires when sitting at a stoplight on a hill with tons of cars behind me, but I didn't die and it makes for a funny story when I get home. The best thing is that I can get around in any car now and am the only one of the four kids who can drive a manual. :0) There aren't many things I can claim to do that my siblings can't do, but this is one of them, so I'm claiming it!

The last week showed me that it's best to just face my fears head on, take them on and conquer them. The next one is getting back to running and training for a half marathon again. My mantra these days (since I'm a nervous personality and a procrastinator) is "JUST DO IT!"

Joy to the world! He is risen!

ALLELUIA!
May our young cousin Tom be with Jesus today in all His glory. Tommy died on Palm Sunday after a courageous battle with cancer.

Good Friday

Isaiah 53, 3-9
3 Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, While we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted.
5
But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed.
6
We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; But the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all.
7
Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; Like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth.
8
Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away, and who would have thought any more of his destiny? When he was cut off from the land of the living, and smitten for the sin of his people,
9
A grave was assigned him among the wicked and a burial place with evildoers, Though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood.

Regnum Christi-Part 2

Some things in this testimony reminds me of things that happened at the Wakefield, RI formation center--the showmanship when visitors/potential benefactors arrived. It is sad that many of us are experiencing the 'don't ask, don't tell' way of handling things by family and friends who are either in RC or sympathetic to it. I have been told, "Well, I wouldn't have met my husband if it weren't for Fr. Maciel." Why wouldn't that have happened? If God wanted someone to marry one's spouse, He had it in His divine plan.

There has been much 'non-discussion'' by some members about Maciel's debauchery and making excuses for the actions of the leaders of the movement in how they have (mis)handled the situation. It seems reasonable that stepping back for a moment or two from the Movement would be healthy. There is nothing in the movement that is not found within our Catholic Faith.

Changes must be made in this group. Otherwise, it becomes more and more like an elitist club on the edge of a cult, something I never thought I'd be saying. Maciel is the big white pedophile in the room--get him out and fix this broken thing.

In Gratitude

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Christina's life and for your blessings upon her and our family in bringing her safely and victoriously through her surgery. Your faithfulness to us is unmatched.

God bless everyone who prayed for Christina, cleaned their home, brought meals, sent flowers and cards, watched the kids and offered words of encouragement. God bless and protect her mom and dad and Jeff's mom and dad who have tirelessly worked these months helping their family. Please bless Christina's siblings and their families who will travel here to be with her this Holy Week and Easter.

Your mercy is never to be outdone. May we live to sing Your praises.

I think you just insulted me!

Today a friend was telling me about a funny scene from a Simpson's episode. In it, one of the Flanders kids made a funny remark. The Flanders family is the kooky Christian family. You know, the dumb goody two shoes people who love Jesus. My friend said, "That's how I picture your family." And then she laughed...

I felt my face fall. I got angry. Unfortunately, I did respond a bit icily, "We're Christian, but we're not dumb." Anyone who makes fun of your faith should be set straight right away. I don't blame this person, because she is ignorant of the fact that a life with Christ is the best life. The Simpsons, while funny, does make Christians look like Jesus freaks. Whatever. I remember my mom telling us when I was young, "Be a fool for Jesus." So, here I am.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Since we were young, St. Patrick's Day has been a big celebration in my family. We'd wear green, make Irish food, play Irish music and sometimes we'd go hear Irish music and see Irish dancing. It was fun trying to dance the "Seige of Ennis" at the fun St. Patrick's Day events my mom would take us.


It's also on this day that I miss Gram Dolan, aka Mary Genevieve Maher Dolan. She and Grampa loved this day and encouraged our excitement and love of it and Ireland in us.

The doggies got in on the fun as well today, or were forced into the fun as you can see in the photos below.


We're having corned beef and cabbage tonight and Irish Soda Bread. In our family we have two St. Paddy's Day birthdays--Sayeda Mahler and Miriam Campbell. Happy birthday, Lassies!