Former RC member on NPR

I have gotten behind on keeping up with the LC visitation and am trying to catch up. Yesterday, I saw that Genevieve Kineke was recently on NPR talking the recent Vatican visitation's 7 points to the Legion. When I arrived in RI in 1991, Mrs. Kineke was a young mom with 3 children. She was very much involved in RC for 10 years and enthusiastic about her faith and RC. I remember her fondly. Her experiences and reflections on the mess of RC and LC are really enlightening. I highly recommend her website Life After RC. The interview is about 1o mintues long and very interesting.

In typical Legion fashion, they only responded to point #7. Another former member and friend said, "Sometimes I feel like they're in the Twilight Zone."

Genevieve is a writer and has a book out that I really want to read. Check it out at her other site here.

Note--The way things are/were handled in both RC and LC were disordered and wrong. It is in itself a negative topic. So, I hope that those reading this do not label me as negative. Please put the blame where the blame belongs.

Trucks and Bees

This week keeps getting better. Little Man had a nice visit with mama last night. We still don't know what will happen and if/when he'll go back to her. When we got back from Tacoma last night, I got his dinner ready and John sat with him while he ate so that I could get my work out in. When I came home, I got him ready for bed and we said the ABC's together a few times. He was happy and so talkative. Most nights, he wants to read this book which John and I both really like, too. The drawings are lovely and soft and makes me feel like I'm in the country back in the day.

The other one he likes is Mr. Bumble. This is a very cute book about a clumsy bee who has a lot of trouble filling up his pollen bucket. With hard work and the help of some fairy friends, he becomes an excellent worker bee. The illustrations are lovely as well. In the front of our picture window at home is a small maple tree. Each spring it is alive and buzzing with honey and bumble bees. I was showing Little Man the bees and saying, "There's Mr. Bumble!" He said, "Mummle!" I think the kid's a genius. :)

To end on a self-focused note, the audit that I was stressing about is over! It was scheduled for two days, but the auditor had all the information he needed and finished around 3pm. I am very grateful to my coworkers who helped me get all the material ready.

AND our tax return finally hit our bank account. WOO-HOO!!

Update-May

Well, Little Man has been with us for nearly a month. We drive two days a week to Tacoma for visitation, and I’m trying to keep straight which social worker is which and for what purpose. He continues to do well, but John and I are learning to help him with his emotions with love and discipline to help him feel secure. It has been a big challenge to deal with the amount of crying and screaming he does on the weekends sometimes. But, I think he's just so used to doing that to get a reaction and to feel secure, that it has become second nature.

It would be fun to get his second year photos taken while he is still with us. My idea is to have a photo of each child on the wall so that we have something to remember them.

In other news, I got my Vibram 5 Finger Sprints a at REI little while ago and have been walking around in them. On Sunday, we had a 5K training run, so I did two miles in my regular shoes and the third mile in the Vibrams. At first, I had to get used to the feel of the road under my feet. After the first few minutes, I enjoyed it immensely. My pace increased and my running style changed since I was running the natural way which is landing on the ball of the foot with the heel barely touching the ground before springing back.

Since different muscles are used when wearing these shoes, it is a good idea to take things slowly so that injury does not occur. I'm not sure if I'll wear the Vibrams for the entire Half Marathon, but I know that I will not be wearing my heavy, over-pronation corrective running shoes for it. My bunion will thank me.

Happy Mother's Day!

To our mothers, and all mothers out there-present and future, I hope that you had a wonderful Mother's Day! The weather here was so beautiful both Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, I got hit with a bad cold and spent most of the weekend laid up. John took care of Little Man for me on Saturday and when the baby took a nap, I did, too.

On Sunday, John made me a cappuccino, and we went to 8:15am Mass. He also took the Little Man out of Mass when he started getting loud--for 40 minutes. It was nice to be able to stand with the mothers for the blessing given by Fr. Lappe. I got calls from my sisters and goddaughter, Lili, a Novena from Ellen, a Novena of Masses from my parents-in-law, Jim and Sue, and a lovely card and tulips from Jeff and Christina and their kids. The tulips will be planted around the statue of Our Lady in the backyard in honor of the Best Mom. Oh, I also got a card from Jill and Little Man written in orange crayon and some backwards letters. Will have to post that card--hilarious.

In the afternoon, we went to Jeff and Christina's house for a bbq. The guys provided the food and drinks, and the kids put on a really neat play for the moms.

Thank you Mom and Mom C. for being open to life. Thank you to my sisters and sisters-in-law for being open to children and wanting to be moms, whether they are right now or are pursuing motherhood. Happy Mother's Day in particular to Mary Dolan Mahler, Sue Dion Campbell, Kate Mahler Allemand, Mary Mahler O'Kray, Sayeda Ismail Mahler, Ellen Campbell Smith and Christina Sauer Campbell and to my close friends. Thanks for your example of mothering hearts.

I love you.

Happy Friday!

Another week with the bub has passed, #2. He had a happy visit with his mama last night and again was a trooper even though we didn't get home till 8pm last night. On the drive home, we sang "Itsy Bitsy Spider" several times. He asks for it by touching the fingers of both hands together and saying, "Spi-ey?"

During the two hour visit, I started reading "Born to Run" which is hard to put down. Hope to get a lot more read over the next 2 days. Because of this book and learning more about barefoot running, on Saturday, we will go as a family to Seattle so that I can try on these shoes which I hope to start running in next week.

The Creative "No"

During one of my Literary Traditions classes (or Lit Trad as it was commonly known) at UD with Fr. Robert Maguire, we read Madame Bovary. To those who have not read this book, I highly recommend it. It tells the sad tale of a woman who is so out of touch with the blessings that she has in her life that she sacrifices her marriage, baby girl, and life for romantic dreams and affairs that lead to her demise. As a young college student, this book deeply touched me, especially because Fr. Maguire gave a great lecture on women, especially mothers, and the creative “No.”

Many times, women will take on too much, thinking that they have to get everything done, be involved in so many activities with their children, and/or answer yes to every request that comes to them. Father said that by saying yes to everything, women can end up being so drained that they further feel like they’re not doing any one thing well. By saying “No” to some things, this frees her to focus on and concentrate on what takes priority in her life—marriage and her family. Because I do not have children, I have not had to say no to much except when we had things planned or when it interfered with my job which for our family takes priority right now.

Now that we have a little boy living with us and forms part of our family, albeit it temporary, I have had the chance to back out of things that normally I would say yes to in a minute. The twice weekly trips to Tacoma from Poulsbo for the little one take up a lot of time and energy for both him and me. Trying to keep the house clean, get dinner on the table, keep myself organized at work and at home has kept me on my toes. Most of my friends and sisters have been doing this for years. I’m just new to the game, so it has been a challenge.

My point is, though, that the Creative ‘No’ is necessary in every woman’s life. If we try to take on everything without replenishing ourselves with rest, prayer, spending time with children and especially our spouses, then we are running on empty and doing much less than a stellar job.

I think I’ll try to find those class notes from Fr. Maguire’s lecture. Maybe I’ll read Madame Bovary again, too. Life, in its seemingly mundane routine, is quite beautiful. Madame Bovary would have been a happy woman had she realized this.

Prayers for Sew

Prayers and congratulations are in order for my new blogging friend and future foster mom, Sew. She is pregnant! We will pray for a healthy pregnancy and protection for this child.

You can follow her journey through infertility, thyroid cancer, and more right here.

St. Gianna and St. Gerard, pray for us.