{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo, (except for today...) - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

 

Advent Conspiracy and such

Blessed Advent to you all!


Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus.  Behold, the Lord the Ruler is come.

If I were better at time management, this post would have surfaced a week or so ago, but alas, I am not.

I know..... you were impressed with me up until this point, right?  (hmmm... it’s oddly quiet on your end..)

ANYHOO.. since there are FAR more talented folks out there than me, this is mostly a link (linky?) post.  There is lots of information out there, neat ideas, traditions and such.  So much so, that most of the time, it can be difficult to choose what to do.  I’m sharing with you my five top links/blogs that have inspired me and helped us to create a more meaningful Advent.

And now, in no particular order......

In the Heart of My Home:Advent and Christmas Clicking by Elizabeth

The Paper Dali: Advent: Ideas, Celebrations and Links by Vee

Waltzing Matilda: Advent Archives and A Note one Jesse Trees by Charlotte

Catholic Icing by Lacy

O Night Divine by Mary Ellen  (This blog is really Advent Central)

I also came across this and I thought I’d share it with you all



More information and well-done videos can be found HERE.
 

Just because...

Not a {This Moment} post, not an update, not a Wordless Wednesday, not an Advent one either (but that’s in the works--at least in my head it is..)

Nope, this is a just because post.

Just because the light was just right.

Just because in this picture he’s not a teenager filled with angst.  (although, truth be told, most of the time he’s not)

Just because he’s growing so crazy fast it sometimes makes my head spin and my momma heart ache.

Just because he really is a good kid with a heart for Our Lord.

Just because I love him, and this is, quite possibly, my most favorite picture of him.....  ever.

 

Themed Halloween

For us, it’s most of the fun-- picking a theme, coming up with costume ideas and pulling it all together by All Hallows Eve.  The biggest challenge is coming up with a theme everyone agrees on.  I even admit, right here on the blogosphere, to manipulating to gently suggesting ideas.  The year the Princess was three, I found the cutest indian girl costume at Old Navy.  When the monkeys balked at dressing up as indians, I told them I’d let them have mohawk haircuts if they complied.  All but one jumped at the chance to sport a mohawk, so the rebel went as a cowboy that year.  Cowboy and indians.  Loads of fun... until their costumes came apart.  I don’t sew, I glue gun.  Apparently hot glue, while wonderful for a multitude of uses, isn’t so great for holding together burlap pants.  Just a little tip...

Then there was the time a couple of years ago they all went as characters from The Wizard of OZ.  I figured we should try and squeeze that one in while we could, before the boys got too old and would think it silly.  I had some trouble with the lion.  I told him he could be scary and not cowardly.  Score.

 Last Halloween was quite easy and fun:  Things 1-7.

And this year... story book characters. (click to enlarge)

Kind of hard to tell from this photo, but can you name them?
(l. to r. Sherlock Holmes, Red Riding Hood, Robin Hood, Jack -- from Jack and the Beanstalk, Mad Hatter, Tom Sawyer and one very disgruntled cow that was sold for silly magic beans)

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo, (except for today...) - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

 

We had a special visitor....

A very special visitor.  

Let me tell you--  It was the surprise of the century.  And I loved it.  Every minute of it.

Dh had a conference in DC for a couple of days and since we don’t live that far away, he got to have a small stop over here at the house.

OUR DADDY WAS HOME FOR FOUR DAYS!!

Four wonderful, glorious, love-filled days.

The kids had NO clue he was coming.  

They were thrilled, to say the least...

This kid didn’t move his hand away from his mouth for a full seven minutes.......

Utterly shocked, he was.  Very hard to pull off with the teenager.

And, well, there were tears.  Lots and lots of tears.... 

all joyful....

all so very thankful.

Pea couldn’t believe her Daddy was here in real-life.

No more flat screen Daddy for four glorious days.

She reconnected on the spot.

She fell asleep in his arms the FIRST night he was home.  It was... 

PERFECT. 

Oh, yes, and something a little unexpected happened while our Dadd-io has been away from us this last 5 1/2 months....

One officially passed him in stature.  The look on the boy’s face says it all. 

v-i-c-t-o-r-y 

It was a night that will be remembered forever and one that we’ll be eternally grateful for.  We were a whole family again.  

I’ll post a few more pictures later of our fun while dh was here.  We had a lot of it, that’s for sure.  It was hard to say goodbye, but we’ve started the count down again-- this time  to R&R (mid-tour break) which is scheduled in the near future.  

Please continue to keep our family and my husband’s safety in your prayers.  He’s got some traveling he’ll be doing downrange to some not -so- great places between now and December.   

All of our deployed military and their families could also use extra prayers this time of year as the holidays are just around the corner.  It’s tough being separated from your loved ones, especially now, and it’s prayer that carries us all through.   

Blessed day to you all,

 

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
ETA: This photo was not taken this past week, but six months ago.  I’ve been thinking a lot this week about my grandmother and I came across this beautiful shot of her with Pea.  I. love. it.

 

One day at a time

That’s how we’re rollin’ these days.  I get asked all the time how we’re doing, and really, we’re doing well. We’ve found our stride.  School is in full swing and my eldest is a freshman.  A homeschooled freshman.  eeep!   Sometimes wonder how we’ve made it this far--- ten years of homeschooling under our belt and counting....  We took a break last month from school and celebrated his fifteenth birthday with one last trip to the beach.  It seems quite impossible that he’s fifteen, because then that means I’m ..... well, never mind.  Denial is a good thing.

We also celebrated Three turning TEN.  Double digits, baby!!

There have been a few hiccups here and there, like a last minute trip to TX to visit my Momo who was ill and consequently passed away.  I am ever so grateful all of us got to see her one last time.  Six days on the road, three days in TX, one in New Orleans.  But we made it and we saw our beloved grandmother.  All of us were able to pray together around her, and one day, in the stillness of the early evening, my grandmother and I were able to pray the rosary for the last time...together.  I will be eternally grateful for that moment.   It pains me to know that I won’t be able to see her again.  What a blessing she was to so many.  Princess shared a special bond with my Momo and she misses her so much...

We try and keep our chins up around here though.   


We are fortunate to have technology on our side that has helped us stay in touch with our Daddio.  We get to see his handsome face quite often thanks to Skype.  I cannot relay what a fantastic thing this has been for us and all military families with deployed members that are able to take advantage of this wonderful tool.  It has ensured that our little Pea doesn’t forget her sweet papa’s face. 

 One of her favorite things to do is to Skype her daddy.  Every once in a while, she’ll even stand up and take a look behind the computer to see if that’s where he’s hiding.


We send letters too... the kids love sending drawings etc.  We got these neat writing kits from our Warfighter Family Readiness Center.  

Also, prior to the deployment, we all got paracord bracelets.  Yet another way to help us all still feel connected.  My kids have named them ‘warrior bands’.   And let me tell you-- my kids, they ARE warriors.  Every military kid is in my book.  They give up their mommies and daddies for our country, often during very important times in their lives-- birthdays, first days of school, first dates, graduations etc...

Are we used to it??-- this life without our Daddy?  nope.  But we are getting through it, with prayer and God’s perfect grace, one day at a time.

A Prayer for My Dad


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray dear Lord, my soul you will keep.
My mommy says I need to pray,
For many others on this day.

But my daddy - he is a soldier,
Of this I am sure you know,
He helps protect our freedom,
I was sad to see him go.

Although I know he is safe with you,
I would rather have him here,
Because he is the one who always said
With prayer, there is no fear.

Dear Lord, I know you hear me,
Way up in the sky,
Please protect my daddy,
And comfort me when I cry.

I know he has a job to do
And protects our Country
With all his might
But, I can’t help but wishing, Lord
That he could be at home with me, tonight!

Amen.
* Bright Creations Poetry *

 

Go Air Force, Sink Navy

Two posts in one day.... what’s the world coming to??!!?

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.