7 Quick Takes Friday - October 26, 2012

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I've been a lazy blogger lately. Well, not so much lazy, more that blogging has dropped low on my list of priorities. Not sure if that will change anytime soon; now that we're entering Holiday/Birthday season (Gabe and I = Nov, Collin = Dec, Elanor = Jan, William = Feb, Violet = March), life will get even busier.

Eek.

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Our camping trip to Roosevelt Lake was fun! We drove the Apache Trail (scary, but gorgeous), visited Tonto National Monument, and went to Mass at Holy Angels in Globe, AZ. We also had to make a quick trip to the Globe Wal-Mart after the first night to get some warmer clothes and an air mattress, which made the second night much more comfortable.

Here are a few pictures from the Apache Trail:

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Elanor drew the following at our campsite, using only a stick. She said it was a puppy.

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How YOU doin'?

Can you believe this little guy is going to be ONE next month (one month from today, actually!)? Neither can I.

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'Cause he thinks we're blessings, not punishments!

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Meet my son, the butterfly whisperer. We did this "Butterfly Adventure" thing at the State Fair and he was the only one of the kids the butterflies would go near. 

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No, I didn't try one. But I was tempted.

I had a deep fat fried Reese's peanut butter cup instead. Collin had, I kid you not, deep fat fried BUTTER. Ah, fair food.

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Violet has started calling coffee "foffee" -- just like Kara's Tessa! (I think that's where Violet learned it from, lol.) Coincidentally, you can buy great coffee to benefit Kara's adoption of Nico! What could be better?

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

Our ultrasound of Noel, at which we discovered s/he had died

Miscarriage Prayer

My Lord, the baby is dead! Why, my Lord—dare I ask why? It will not hear the whisper of the wind or see the beauty of its parents’ face—it will not see the beauty of Your creation or the flame of a sunrise. Why, my Lord?

“Why, My child--do you ask ‘why’? Well, I will tell you why. You see, the child lives. Instead of the wind he hears the sound of angels singing before My throne. Instead of the beauty that passes he sees everlasting Beauty—he sees My face. He was created and lived a short time so the image of his parents imprinted on his face may stand before Me as their personal intercessor. He knows secrets of heaven unknown to men on earth. He laughs with a special joy that only the innocent possess. My ways are not the ways of man. I create for My Kingdom and each creature fills a place in that Kingdom that could not be filled by another. He was created for My joy and his parents’ merits. He has never seen pain or sin. He has never felt hunger or pain. I breathed a soul into a seed, made it grow and called it forth.”

I am humbled before you, my Lord, for questioning Your wisdom, goodness, and love. I speak as a fool—forgive me. I acknowledge Your sovereign rights over life and death. I thank You for the life that began for so short a time to enjoy so long an Eternity. -- Mother M. Angelica

My positive pregnancy test with Chris

Missing my babies Noel (12/2006) and Chris (03/2009).

Also, please pray for a friend of mine who had a miscarriage today.

Going Off the Grid

Family camping trip this weekend at Theodore Roosevelt Lake. No Internet access. See y'all on the other side.

Today at Mass

William: "Are we going up to the chameleon?"

Me: "...what are you talking about?"

William: "The chameleon. Is it happening today?"

Me: "Do you mean COMMUNION?"

William: "Yeah!"

St. Francis, patron of chameleons, pray for us...

7 Quick Takes Friday - October 5, 2012

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Prayer request - Collin's grandmother fell the other day and fractured her pelvis. :( She's expected to make a full recovery, but she'll have to spend the next few weeks in a nursing home healing up and doing physical therapy. Please pray for Bernice's speedy recovery, and for Collin's grandfather Billy! Unfortunately, this means they'll be unable to attend Collin's graduation.

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One silver lining, though, is that the University of Phoenix streams the commencement ceremony live online, so his grandparents will still be able to watch him graduate even if they can't physically attend the ceremony. :)

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I didn't watch the Presidential debate. I was too afraid I'd get so frustrated that I'd throw something at the TV. I did enjoy watching the recaps, however. And I definitely plan to watch the VP debate!

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Gabriel has started cruising along furniture now. I think he's set to be my earliest walker. (So far Violet holds the record at 16 months.) Ack! Where'd my baby go??

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Now that Collin has more time in the evenings and on weekends, we've having loads of fun playing Star Wars: The Old Republic. I have a level 17 Jedi Knight named Calantha.

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I can't believe it's already October! I'm still planning Halloween costumes... Gabriel will be Yoda (thanks to the adorable Yoda hat I won from Mary Originals a while back). William is either going to be Luke Skywalker or Spiderman again (he has both costumes and is leaning toward Spiderman). Elanor says she wants to be a cat, but has also expressed interest in being Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz (and I'm bidding on an uber-adorable costume in her size right now; see #7). For Violet, I have no clue whatsoever. I have a (rather boyish) frog costume that might fit her, but I think I'll scout around the thrift stores and see if I can find something cuter for her.

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Check out Kara's Halloween auction! Lots of cute items up for bid (including one I donated)! She's also hosting an iPad Giveaway with lots of great runner-up prizes. Please contribute if you can; we need to get Nico home to his family!!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!