.jpg)
thanks for hosting Jen Fulweiler! Head over here for more quick takes!
Hello again! I disappeared for awhile due to life in general, but a quiet Thursday night finds me blogging with my candles lit around me while children peacefully sleep. I kid you not. It's true! Here's what's new in my little world.
So first the best of times.....
1) Irish Bunco - I am not Irish, but I decided that an Irish theme for March bunco was more uplifting than a Lenten themed bunco (and I have to have a theme, and always a soundtrack to match) (and by the way, I did host a few Lenten themed buncos and it just didn't go over very well!) I decided St. Paddy's day gave us an exemption from austerity. :) I borrowed some treasures from some lovely friends, combined them with some finds from the Dollar Tree. Hubby put up green streamers, Mom came out for the fun and made the over the rainbow fruit salad, I made chicken salad cucumber sandwiches, and set out the lovely artichoke dip with flax seed crackers and guacamole and carrots (which someone else lovingly made at HEB) and we had key lime pie and mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert (also lovingly made by other hands). I tossed skittles and gold coins on the tables for extra good luck! :)
2) Boosterthon Fun Run - the boys school participated in an awesome fundraiser which combined an anti-bullying campaign, with the fight against childhood obesity and feeding America. The boys received pledges from friends, family and neighbors to run a certain amount of laps (and they were given milestone prizes along the way, most which were surprisingly useful and not junky). This was a fundraiser we ALL got pumped up about. We were promoting fitness, charity, friendship and the school was financially benefitting from a portion of the donations as well. I was so proud of my runners today....M ran 26 laps and D ran near 40. I volunteered at school to pass out water and really enjoyed cheering on the kids!
3) We had a family photo shoot with a treasured photographer who will be leaving town soon. :( Her photos are exquisite, she always makes our boys look like angels. ;) I can't wait to see the whole set!
4) My Dad published a book of his poetry. I'm so proud of him for making time for his passion. We are trying to arrange a reading event and I will post more about it soon!
5) I wrote two posts this week after quite a dry spell of not being able to write. The Family Table is my encouragement to myself to continue family traditions, and A Rose in the Desert is an homage to a friendship that was given to me at just the right time.
And then the worst of times......
6) My slice of melancholy, a foreshadowing. Waiting outside of piano lessons with a sleeping toddler before the downward spiral....
7) Fruitfulness. I prayed for a fruitful Lent this year, without perhaps understanding what I was truly asking to receive. I know that Lent is not always about suffering, but mine has been uniquely challenging in a physical way. The first week of Lent I got a terrible crick in my neck that was so painful that no amount of Advil helped, and it lasted for days and days. I then caught a ridiculous cold in the middle of spring break that gave me such sharp headaches I couldn't see straight. I finally started to shake the cough that kept me up every night, and then got another crick in my neck from sleeping at a crazy angle - from coughing all night. (we've all been here before!) When that crick loosened itself out, I started a 4 day long headache with painful pulsating on my left side of my head only. Never had anything like it before, still can't figure out if it's a sinus infection or a migraine or what. This is day 4, and I probably should get in to a doctor if it's still going on tomorrow.
Through all of this, I saw myself at my worst. Crying and self-pitying (for I seem to have a low threshold for pain and suffering). But I also saw myself at my best. Triumphing over pain to take care of my kids, and learning how to ask for help (worst. nightmare. ever!) I saw my husband and children at their best, too. So I can see the fruitfulness in this. I can see the spirit overcoming the flesh, and I trust that God does not abandon us when we suffer, even when it's so small.....
All of this was put into perspective when I learned that a young mother and sweet friend had a stroke and brain bleed while pregnant, was life-flighted to a hospital and has had a series of surgeries and procedures performed to help her swelling go down and her healing to begin. Her baby is doing just fine, but Katie has a long road of recovery ahead of her. I had just seen her not too long ago at toddler music class, and I remembered thinking how much her smile alone always blessed my day. Now I pray that my prayers will bless her! Please pray for Katie, too!
I pray that wherever you are in your Lenten journey, that you too will be able to trust that God never leaves our side in our struggles and our sufferings.
Thanks for visiting, and I would love to hear from you!
