The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 8, 2013

Posted on by

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window… sunny. I’m told the temperature outside was supposed to be 95F today and Weather.Com confirms it.

I am thinking… about the crash at SFO and how amazing it is that more people didn’t die. (SFO is 2 hours away so this is major news here.)

I am thankful… for the first responders and passengers who risked their life to rescue people on that flight.

In the kitchen… turkey in the fridge defrosting and marinating overnight.

I am wearing… my black “Governator” shirt and black capri sweats.

I am creating… blog entries.

I am going… to hope that Daniel doesn’t have any more night terrors like he has had the last few nights.

I am wondering… way too many things to list.

I am reading… Apologia pro vita sua by Cardinal John Henry Newman. I’m a fan of spiritual autobiographies and this one was recommended to me. I also finished Between Heaven and Mirth by James Martin, S.J. and The Diva Frosts a Cupcake by Krista Davis while I was in southern California.

I am hoping… that Hunter Pence is voted into the All-Star Game. Go vote! Do it now!

I am looking forward to… my hair cut on Thursday and my massage on Friday.

Around the house… I need to get the Roomba fixed.

I am pondering… too many things in my heart.

A favorite quote for today… “… I ever kept before me that there was something greater than the Established Church and that was the Church Catholic and Apostolic, set up from the beginning, of which she was but the local presence and the organ. She was nothing unless she was this. She must be dealt with strongly, or she would be lost. There was need of a second reformation.” — Newman (I’m taking “the Church Catholic and Apostolic” to be the Church on earth which includes all of us — Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox — as Newman had not become Catholic when he was writing this.)

One of my favorite things… my mani-pedi today. My fingers and toes are so pretty!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Morning Prayer tomorrow, ABA therapy for Daniel on Wednesday, haircut on Thursday, massage and ABA therapy for Daniel on Friday.

A peek into my day… The zucchini of light.

The zucchini of light

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes: Independence Day

Posted on by

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Independence Day. Happy Independence Day to all my US readers. I hope you had a lovely day filled with parades, patriotism, good food, and fun while watching things explode.

— 2 —

Thankful. I’m down in southern California with my in-laws for a couple days. I got to meet my nephew Patrick this morning at his (SECRET BAPTISM) and enjoy some squishy baby cuddles. Unfortunately, there are no pics for this blog post because I left the transfer cable for my camera at home (!!!!!!) He is a cutie though and I thoroughly enjoyed having a sleeping baby in my arms for the first time since Daniel was that age.

Oh yes… it’s also 106F up where we live today. Down in southern California, it’s only 94F. So happy to be down here instead!

— 3 —

Zucchini of Light. My mother-in-law has a massive zucchini which she set on the counter with some patriotic candles stuck in it. When I asked her what it was, she explained that it was the “zucchini of light”. Apparently, she grew a huge zucchini one year and the family recoiled at the sight of it because they envisioned the hell of zucchini bread, zucchini pickles, zucchini pancakes, zucchini coleslaw, zucchini fries, etc. She put it on the coffee table with some Hannukah candles in it as a decoration piece and when some people came over for an Indian Princesses meeting, they asked what it was. My father-in-law replied sarcastically, “The Zucchini of Light”. Anywhere else, people would have caught the joke, However, in uber-PC California, nobody did. So… I guess we’re having a “zucchini of light” tonight in place of firecrackers. (It’s more than a little dangerous to have fireworks in southern California.)

— 4 —

She knows me well. While we were stopping by the church yesterday to pick up supplies for the (SECRET BAPTISM) today, I got a message from my mother-in-law telling me that she had bought TWO BOXES of Trader Joe’s Coffee Latté and Creme Bars for my 3 day stay in southern California. Every time I’ve had one since in her presence, I’ve been stroking it Gollum-style and saying, “My precioussssssss…”

— 5 —

Kitty kitty kitty. There is a tabby attempting to get my in-laws to adopt him. He has gorgeous stripes and beautiful green eyes but he’s skittish. I’d love to play with some string with him but he’s too afraid, especially since a small screaming creature (a.k.a. Daniel) tends to follow me places. *sighs*

— 6 —

Itchy. Something bit me or got me some other way because Tuesday night, I started breaking out in hives and when I scratched them, the burning started. I ran into the kitchen and begged Jon to go out and get me some Cortizone-10 at 11:00 p.m. After a tube of that, a bottle of Sarna, and some Benadryl, it stopped. Well… it started up down here so I took some Benadryl and just showered. I’m hoping it’s not my shower gel or something — that would be really bad.

— 7 —

*grumblegrumblegrumble* The only thing worse than being married to a Dodgers fan when the Giants are playing the Dodgers is to be married to one when the Giants are at the bottom of the NL West. C’mon boys! #BeatLA

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

Five Favorites: Taizé Chants

Posted on by

Five Favorites

You can credit Thomas of Strong Catholic for inspiring this week’s post. He was posting Taizé prayers on Twitter last night.

One

In the Lord, I’ll be ever thankful. This one that we used to sing in seminary on Mondays or Fridays when we’d have Taizé worship. I have fond memories of singing harmony on this one with a couple male classmates.

Two

Nada te turbe. The words are by St. Teresa de Ávila. I learned this during monthly Taizé prayer put on by the Christian groups at UCSC.

Three

Ubi caritas. This was one of the first ones I learned during Maundy Thursday 1997. It’s still one of my favorites and one that I think I’ve sung to Daniel.

Four

Jubilate Deo. I actually learned this as a grace at Girl Scout camp before I knew that it was from Taizé.

Five

Misericordias Domini. This is another one I learned while in seminary when I played piano for Taizé evening prayer.

Go love up Hallie and the others.

Blogging with a Purpose: 5 Years From Now

Posted on by

This week’s topic: 5 years from now…

In five years, I will be 38. While that is still young in the grand scheme of things, there are still things that I am hoping will be worked out. Anything I put here is up to God in terms of whether it happens because I know fully well that when mortals plan, God laughs. So this is what I’m hoping will be in place in 5 years…

The puzzle that is Daniel, my medical mystery, to be assembled. Every time I think we have Daniel figured out, something new gets thrown at us. I’ve finally stopped crying every time it happens… most of the time. (The latest is him having mild hearing loss.) I’d like to have things with Daniel more figured out and for him to be able to be mainstreamed into a regular classroom.

My family to be “complete”. This could mean that Daniel is an only child, that I have another one naturally, or that we are called to adopt. Whatever it means, I’m open to what God has in store for me in this direction.

To have my respiratory therapy training or whatever it is that I’m going to be when I grow up figured out. Yes, I’m 33 and I’m still trying to figure out what it is that I want to be when I grow up. Current thought: respiratory therapist. I’d like to have it figured out and my training done.

Being part of a community choir that allows me to indulge my “great works of choral music” itch. I love to sing. I don’t have a place to really scratch that itch at the moment.

To have grown in grace and love for God. It’s my goal pretty much every day and I pray in 5 years to be better at conveying God’s amazing grace to others and to be better at loving God and His people.

Now go see Becky and where everyone else who is linking up hope to be in 5 years.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 1, 2013

Posted on by

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 1, 2013

Outside my window… dark. It’s 3:15 a.m. so I’m trying to blog out my brain so I might be able to fall asleep.

I am thinking… that climate deniers need to be shot. This could also be the triple digit heat talking.

I am thankful… for A/C right now.

In the kitchen… teryaki chicken marinating.

I am wearing… olive-colored t-shirt and running shorts.

I am creating… blog entries on various subjects

I am going… to hope and pray I can eventually get some sleep. I took some more Benadryl so hopefully that works.

I am reading… Between Heaven and Mirth by Fr. James Martin, S.J.

I am hoping… the heat goes away soon.

I am looking forward to… seeing my in-laws this week.

I am learning to be patient with myself.

Around the house… the Roomba is broken so I’ll be chatting up tech support today to find out what they want me to do.

I am pondering… my faith.

A favorite quote for today… “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance.” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… cool rainy weather. I want some. NOW.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Trying to get caught up on devotions, ABA therapy on Monday afternoon, Morning Prayer on Tuesday, heading down south on Wednesday, my nephew’s baptism on Thursday, coming home on Saturday.

A peek into my day… Ernie singing “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon”. It’s been stuck in my head so I thought I’d share.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

What I Wore On Sunday: June 30, 2013

Posted on by

What I Wore On Sunday

I actually made it to church today. *waits for applause*

But Jen, you’re the pastor’s wife.

Yes, I’m the pastor’s wife but I have a sick kid, have my own health issues and have been gone at least 2 weekends this month.

So anyway…

I woke up with enough time to have some personal devotional time before going and getting the little blond boy up and having a tickle fight with him before getting dressed. We made it to church with a little bit of time to spare and one of my church women did the most gracious and wonderful thing ever: she offered to take Daniel outside during the service if he got grumpy so I could focus on worship. I felt really bad turning her down but it was about 85F outside around the time church started at 9:30 and is going to hit at least 104F before the day is through — I didn’t feel like I could ask her to do that if it was going to be that hot. The little monster and I lasted until after the sermon hymn before he hit the point of no return with his grumpiness so we headed back to the parsonage, grabbed my purse, and went out to take care of a couple errands before the day got too hot. (It was 90F by that point.) When Jon got home, he communed me. (The deal we have is that if I’m not present at the altar rail to receive, he brings the Eucharist to me at home.)

So… onto the pictures!

Do you know how heavy that laundry basket is???

I hate just posing by myself and Edda (my beautiful house panther) was off skulking somewhere so I decided to hoist the bear child in a laundry basket. If I look a little grim, consider that Daniel is almost 35 lbs so that laundry basket was heavy!!!

I've got 33.4 lbs of boy in there!!!

My clothes
Shirt: Kohl’s.
Skirt: Kohl’s.
Flip flops: Old Navy.

The skirt is one that I got a year ago and forgot about. The nice thing is that I’ve lost some weight so I can actually pull it up over my hips without unzipping it. I love the length because it works for chasing Daniel and taking him around the block during worship on days when the temperature doesn’t approach the surface of the sun.

It's a good thing he's cute because he's breaking my arms!!!!

The bear child’s clothes
Shirt: True Fan. Go Giants!
Shorts: Circo.

Go check out the better dressed people in the link-up!

The Strength to Carry On

Posted on by

For those not familiar with what’s been happening lately, Daniel underwent a sedated ABR on Thursday that showed mild hearing loss. This is not a surprise and while it seems like horrible news, it’s actually a blessing to find this out. Daniel is like a jigsaw puzzle of sorts and this is a puzzle piece that we’ve received as to why he hasn’t developed language yet. The next step is hearing aids and the fabulous audiologist is working on getting that in motion.

I truthfully exist in a state with a stress level of 7 or 8 being calm and normal. My FNP jokes that if I come in and my stress level is that low, things are going well because it’s routinely an 11 out of 10. I don’t whine a lot on this blog about how hard it is to be Daniel’s mom because so many other people deal with harder things regarding their kids and do it so gracefully. I will say though: it is incredibly hard some days to be the mom of an autistic kid with so many health problems and I don’t know how I do it, save for the grace of God who gives me the strength I need to persevere.

There are some thank-yous in order however.

Thank you to my wonderful husband Jon who kept the house quiet today and took care of Daniel (even cuddling him this morning while Daniel napped on his lap) so I could spend the day sleeping and trying to get some strength back. It’s been a tough few weeks and I’ve appreciated the chance to recuperate after beating myself to a bloody pulp as I’ve tried to push through.

Thank you to my wonderful mom and dad who hosted us last weekend for the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia, especially my mom who pushed me to finish the three mile walk and watched Daniel so I could take a hot shower and try to avoid my muscles spasming. She also walked Daniel around so I could attend the program portions of the walk. 4 years ago, she caught the first flight she could get to be with me for a week while I tried to heal from my c-section and dealt with the trauma of everything, holding me as I sobbed every time I left the NICU and ripping the neonatalogist a new one after he made me cry.

Thank you to my friend Mary Kathryn of Crochet Chiq who posted a prayer request to Facebook on *my* behalf, asking for prayers for strength for me to continue being the mom I need to be. I don’t think there are enough words to say thank-you for that and it made me cry tears of gratitude.

Thank you to Jeanne, Mandi, and everyone who emailed me to let me know they were praying for us. You give me strength as you reaffirm that I’m not alone and there aren’t enough words to express how much that means to me.

Thank you to my wonderful #Cathsorority sisters who bless me with prayers for myself and for Daniel despite the fact that I’m not Catholic. I appreciate all of you so much and wish I could tell you how much you bless my life.

Thank you to Thomas of Strong Catholic for letting me babble to you on Facebook as I was sitting in the Recovery Area waiting for Daniel to wake up. I appreciate you listening to me when I’m sure I wasn’t making a huge amount of sense.

Thank you to Audrey Bracchi Au.D of UC Davis for working so well with Daniel and I, helping me formulate blog entries to enlighten people as to the findings, for explaining all of this to Jon over the phone, and for taking care of figuring out the next steps so I don’t have to. I really look forward to working with you.

Thank you to everyone at the UCD Children’s Surgery Center for being so awesome and making this process so painless. From Child Life meeting us at the desk to awesome nurses, a wonderful anesthesiology resident, and everyone else, you made my life bearable on Thursday morning, This is why I love working with UCD Health Services — y’all are just so awesome and patient-focused.

There are many other people (like Mrs. H, Daniel’s teacher) who deserve my undying gratitude but I felt the need to give some massive thanks to all the people who have gotten me through the last couple weeks.