Did you watch that movie?

Well, we can say 20 years from now that we did watch the little controversial movie starring Seth Rogen and James Franco.  It was in a few words, lewd, silly, absurd, and a typical James Franco film. Deserving of controversy?  Hard to say.  Would we react if another country made a film about killing our leader?  I think some would, I think others would still call it art.  Which is what this was, fictional, and completely fabricated.  Do I want to see it again?  No.  Glad I saw it?  Sure.

What's happening?!

Lots of fun presents were exchanged for Christmas.  Marian's idea of a Secret Santa/As Seen on TV gift exchange was a hit.  Marian received a York Peppermint Patty Candle (she loves them).  Anna received a Magic Bullet blender.  Gabriel received a Speed Abs body builder machine.  Bogdan received a Ear Wax Vac (lots of inside jokes on that one).  And Karen received the most watched TV product, a Snuggie!!

Now that Christmas festivities are over, back to somewhat real life.  Gabriel will finish his sessions for driving class and hopefully get his license this week.  Sewing will now start for the spring musical and I'll start making orphan and pick pocket outfits.  Anna will have her wisdom teeth out this week, recovering with lots of movies and cold ice cream.  Marian is busy playing her most recent computer games.  Bogdan is taking the week off, but lately also playing lots of computer games and watching movies.

Merry Christmas!!

Wishing all our friends and family a lovely day and hoping you can take time to enjoy the birth of our Savior.

Last week of Advent

O God of Elizabeth and Mary, 

you visited your servants with news of the world's redemption

in the coming of the Savior. 

Make our hearts leap with joy, 

and fill our mouths with songs of praise, 

that we may announce glad tidings of peace, 

and welcome the Christ in our midst. Amen.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Finally feeling some Christmas spirit around here. Singing lots of Christmas carols and all the decorations are done.

Big news around here is that Marian made the finalist list for the Bijou Awards.  She is one of 5 middle school students who will compete in the singing category in January.  They announced it on TV on the local news tonight (of course, butchering the last name).

Gabriel is now employed and started his part-time job at Aubrey's this weekend.  He is happy.

Gaudete Sunday

On the third Sunday in Advent, Gaudete Sunday, the Church can no longer contain her joyful longing for the coming of the Savior.  We light the rose candle and rejoice that our redemption is so close at hand.  Gaudete comes from the Latin Antiphon, which begins, "Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete.." [Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice...]. On this day, rose-colored vestments are worn, and flowers may decorate the chancel of the church.

We beseech thee to listen to our prayers, O Lord, 

and by the grace of thy coming enlighten our darkened minds: 

Thou who livest and reignest with God the Father 

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

one God forever and ever. 

Amen.

Third week of Advent already!

We have our tree up and it's about 8 feet tall!!  It was a feat to decorate and we had to go buy more lights last night as we started decorating.  Bogdan had to get on a chair and use a stick to get the angel on the top, but he did it.  Of course, we listened to "A Christmas Carol" while decorating.  It's the version with Patrick Stewart doing all the voices, each one unique and perfect for the story.  It's been our tradition to listen to that while decorating before the kids were born.  Something to look forward to each year.

Gabriel takes the ACT today and is hoping for a good score, he has been taking practice tests all week.

Marian has her callbacks for the Bijou (talent show) awards and will sing "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Shut De Door".  She is both nervous and happy about it.  Then she has to accomplish her BIG science project--which is a poster about Special Relativity.  (look it up, she chose the topic)

The Christmas Parade is tonight and guaranteed to be a cold one.  My Girl Scout troop will be complaining for sure!

This week

Is busy, is cold, and is halfway thru the holidays.

Anna comes home from school this week after her finals are done.  We have a tree, but still haven't decorated it yet.  Marian was called back for a talent show (The Bijou Awards) and is practicing her songs all the time.  We are looking at more cars, hoping to get one soon (replacing Anna's car that was wrecked).  Christmas parties coming, Christmas parade (hope it isn't too cold!!), and Advent singing in church.  Today, I'm wading thru a mountain of laundry and also a mountain of material for "Oliver!" organizing that.

Second Sunday of Advent

Dear Lord,

Through the darkness, I look for your wisdom.

I want my heart to be open to you.

But sometimes in these days, it seems that 

so many things come between us.

Help me to be awake and aware 

of the radiance you bring to my life.

Help me to be grateful each day

for the blessings of family and friends.

Let me be a peacemaker 

in my own life, and in the world. 

Let me pray especially for this difficult world

and those who are so in need of an end to violence.

My heart begs for this as my Advent prayer today.

Amen.

Favorite decorations

Each year, as we decorate the house for the Christmas season, we take out our favorite decorations. This nativity set was my parents and I inherited it after my mother's death.  I have so many memories of this set.  One time, I remember a cat we had kept on sitting on the window sill practically inside the manger.  

The girls LOVE this Frosty decoration that was given to us by Aunt Marilyn.  It plays "Frosty the Snowman" and I fear that the computer chip will give out someday and no longer play.

Gabriel's favorite is a light up wreath that has a sleeping mouse on it.  He keeps it in his room all year long.

Plans for December

In no particular order...

--having a slower, more peaceful month
--getting a Christmas tree this weekend
--starting to sew LOTS of costumes for "Oliver!"
--seeing if Gabriel will accomplish his goal of making a loft bed
--trying to help Anna find a part time job
--making everyone's favorite cookies during the month

Favorite Quotes

In no particular order, some of my favorite quotes:

God gave himself to thee; give thyself to God. ~St. Robert Southwell

The constant effort to control that which we cannot or should not control is the source of most of the stress, anxiety and unjustified anger in our lives.

The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it. ~Flannery O'Connor

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.  ~C. S. Lewis

O Lord, you know how busy I must be this day. If I forget you, do not forget me.  ~Sir Jacob Astley, before the Battle of Edgehill, 1642

Christmas cards

Yearly, we send Christmas cards to seminarians from East TN.  I have each family member write them and then we pray for those seminarians during Advent and Christmas.  When Marian was writing her cards, she asked me how to spell "condolences".  I looked at her oddly and asked who died?  She was unsure of the word, but I told her I thought it wasn't condolences.  Not something you say to someone unless they are grieving a loss of a loved one.  She eventually found her word.