Rebecca is 8

Rebecca woke up this morning with a big smile on her face.  I said, 

"Happy Birthday sweetheart!"  

She giggled, and dived back under her covers :-).  It's hard waiting all year long for your birthday, esepcially when it falls a month after Christmas.  So you can imagine it's all she's talked about since.  

Rebecca requested the same menu for dinner tonight as last year, chicken quesadillas and Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Frosting.  The cake recipe I tried this time is slightly different from the cake I made a year ago.  The Cake Mix Doctor came out with a new book, and she altered her existing Strawberry Cake Recipe.  I don't believe in copying a recipe exactly and posting on my cooking blog, so all I can do is show you a picture of her book, and tell you to go get your own copy.  You won't regret it.  ;-)

I can at least show you a picture of the cake...it was really good, and Rebecca loved it.  I posted more about it on my cooking blog. 

 Last Saturday, Rebecca had her first slumber party and invited 3 other girls.  They had a blast...playing, eating, roller skating, talking, eating (did I say that already?), and they were all in bed asleep just after 11:00 PM. 

Here's pics of all the fun. :-)

Playing "Wheel of Fortune."  Who says slumber parties can't be educational? 

Eating homemade pizza...Gabriel sure enjoyed all the attention from the ladies. ;-)

The girls all gathered around the coffee table to play with a stencil kit. 

And tonight, Rebecca opened presents, blew out the candles on her cake, and I wished she could stay 8 forever. 

Happy Birthday Rebecca!  We love you to the moon...and back!
 

Gem of the Week

"And when night comes, and you look back over the day and see how fragmentary everything has been, and how much you planned that has gone undone, and all the reasons you have to be embarrassed and ashamed: just take everything exactly as it is, put it in God’s hands and leave it with Him. Then you will be able to rest ...in Him -- really rest -- and start the next day as a new life.

~ St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross ~

Gem of the Week

Father Norbert added a little story to Deacon Larry's homily during Mass this morning.  He talked about how important it was to ask for the Blessed Mother's intercession.  It was funny too...and I wanted to share it with you.

A man died and went up to the pearly gates, where St. Peter was waiting for him.  After consulting his book, St. Peter said,

"I can't let you in, you're not in the book." 

The man slowly walked away, very sad.

Then he heard someone say, "Pst...pst...come here!"

A beautiful lady, dressed in white, with a blue mantel over her head, was beckoning to him from a window two stories up.  She held a rosary in her hands, and held it down to him, saying,

"Here, grab ahold of this...and I'll pull you up!"

Music Monday

Pardon the sideways view...I'm not much for video-taping, hence my lack of experience...but Gabriel singing "Jingle Bells" with the new karaoke machine the kids got for Christmas is just too cute. Obviously he is unaware the Christmas season is over, but I think he'll be ready for choir camp this summer ;-).

Shaken

This morning, we went to 9:00 AM Mass as we usually do.  Both our priests were absent, so a visiting priest was presiding.  David had Children's Liturgy of the Word, so once Father dismissed the children, I was sitting alone in the pews.  Gabriel was in the nursery, so I was looking forward to listening to the readings without having to discipline anyone. 

The lector approached the ambo, cleared his throat, and began...

"A reading from the Book of Isaiah..."

Then he repeated himself, "The Book of Isaiah."

I was watching him intently...but something seemed wrong. 

You know when you're with your kids, doing whatever...and instinctively know they're about to fall and get hurt?   They're just out of your reach...or it's happening from a distance.  And it unfolds...as though you're watching it in slow motion...you're praying you can get there in time, but deep down, you know you can't. 

It's the most terrible feeling in the world. 

So they fall, and you arrive 2 seconds too late. You pick up your child, access the damage, dry the tears, and reassure them they'll be okay.

I saw the gentleman pause...he was holding on to the ambo...but he was swaying.   I realized he was about to pass out.  My mind cried, "NO!"  But I knew he was too far away from anyone up there on the platform...no one could reach him in time. 

The man lost consciousness...and fell straight back.  The sound of him hitting the hard tiled floor was the worse thing I've ever heard...except for the loud,collective gasp from nearly everyone in the congregation. 

Immediately, about a dozen people, including several of the ushers rushed to help.  I heard, "Call an ambulance, " and "Come on...come on."  The man regained consciousness quickly...I could hear him vocalizing...and a new wave of fear washed over me.  Had he suffered a stroke?  He was not terribly old, but he was not young either...probably in his early 60's.  I knelt and started to pray...

"Hail Mary, full of grace..."

Father Thomas was already standing close by, as was Deacon Glenn, but they stayed out of the way.  I knew they were praying too.  I tried to concentrate, but my mind flashed back when Joshua was 5, and had a seizure right on the front steps of the church.  He'd lost consciousness too...for about a minute...we had to call an ambulance.  (Joshua was throughly checked out by a pediatric neurologist, and we never did figure out why he had a seizure, but thankfully, he's never had another one). 

 I was afraid all over again...for someone I didn't even know.  I heard quiet sobbing in the pew behind me...I fought back my own tears...and kept praying.

I know it wasn't more than 10 minutes before the man sat up, but it seemed longer.  Expect for quiet talk up from the group by the ambo, the church was quiet.  Nobody coughed, spoke or sneezed.  I didn't even hear any babies babbling or crying.  I saw a few other people on their knees too, silently praying. 

And then the man was helped up...two others held him by the elbows, and he was able to walk.  They went to the back of the chruch...I assume medical help was waiting in the narthex.  I rose from my knees and sat, realizing only then I'd hadn't taken the time to lower the kneeler...I'd been on the floor the whole time.  The woman assigned to read the 2nd reading approached the ambo and at Fr. Thoma's nod, began the first reading, and Mass continued. 

Fr. Thomas made no mention of the incident in his homily, but after the Proffession of Faith, he said,

"I wanted to let everyone know the gentleman who passed out earlier is fine."  Someone must have given a note to Father, as I didn't see anyone speak to him other than Deacon Glenn. 

After Mass, there were doughnuts in the Christus Center, as were several other families we knew. We all exchanged the same words and thoughts.

"I hope that man is okay...and he'll be checked out by a doctor just in case."

Shaken. 

That's how I felt today.   

And I hope that gentleman is all right. 

Gem of the Week

You might remember Chloe Schmidt, who died of cancer October 9, 2008.  Chloe would have been 9 years old this Sunday, January 10.  Chloe was the most precious soul I've ever known..she loved butterflies, and she loved Jesus. Her Grandma Deb still posts updates on Chloe'sCaring Bridge site.  What she posted this morning was simply beautiful...and I wanted to share it.

"How very softly you tiptoed into my world. Almost silently; only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your footprints have left on our hearts."

 ~Anyonomous~

2010

This year, I hope to:

1.  Spend more time in prayer and less time on the computer.

2.  Work harder at being a better parent...listen more and scold less, speak kindly instead of yelling, love harder and not let my anger show first, and forgive as much as God asks.  Because I know I'll make mistakes. 

3.  Be a supportive wife to my husband who works so hard to provide for us.  Even when he works late, to try and have our home a peaceful sanctuary for him. 

4.  To try and understand others...even when I disagree with them, especially when they involve family. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE...MAY GOD GRACE YOU

WITH MANY BLESSINGS IN THE YEAR TO COME!