52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose: My Biggest Weakness

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The topic this week: my biggest weakness.

This is easy.

Self-care.

I am ruthlessly efficient when it comes to scheduling stuff for Daniel but I am so bad at doing it for myself. It took me 2 years of living here to get in to see a rheumatologist for my fibromyalgia and forever to get referrals to other specialists and that was because I kept forgetting to ask for referrals. I’m also due for my annual physical which needs to get scheduled ASAP while Daniel is in summer school. It’s been MONTHS since I cut my hair last and it would easily be another month if my nail person hadn’t dragged her co-worker over to me on Monday and told her that I needed to get on her schedule. (I love my nail person.) I get my nails done ever 3-4 weeks only because I live in my flip-flops unless it’s raining or snowing and I have fewer problems with my feet if they take the calluses off of my heels with a belt sander. (I’m kidding — it’s a Dremel of some sort.)

Now go see Becky and what everyone else has as their biggest weakness.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 8, 2013

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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!