Sunday, August 19, 2012

The Family That's Sick Together...

A cold is wreaking havoc in our house.  It started a week ago when Mara developed a fever that lasted for 3 days.  She had no other symptoms but I soon developed a nasty cold.  I was fairly well out of it for 4 days but fortunately my mom provided some much needed help, and company, while I struggled to care for myself and the kids.  (I am very blessed to live as close as I do to family.)  I am on the mend now, though, just in time for the rest of the family to be taken down with congestion, fevers, runny noses, hacking coughs, and a bout of croup.

It can be very frustrating, not having time to fully recover before needing to be on full health alert.  Trying to keep 10 hands sanitized, tissues from taking over, keep track of medicine schedules,  and give enough comforting (while trying not to let the house swallow you in laundry, dishes, and crumbs) is draining.  But I'm trying to stay focused on the positive; that I was sick first so I can better take care of my family now; that there are always more cuddles and kisses; and that Progresso makes tasty soup.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Feast of the Assumption of Mary

To celebrate this feast day we did a special craft; a triptych!.

The first thing I did was to cut some blue card stock into house shapes, making tabs to fold back on the sides.   I found some artwork depicting different parts of the assumption (leaving earth, entering heaven with Jesus, and standing among the clouds) and printed them out, 5x7, on card stock.  Then I set the kids up with glue sticks, cotton balls, and star stickers to decorate their pictures.  While they worked I read a description of this feast day and we said a special prayer.  After their pictures were finished I glued the side tabs together and we stood up our triptych!  To complete our centerpiece we added a white candle with ribbon, surrounded by a ring of ivy.


After their lunch I made a special treat, assumption parfaits!  That sounds much more fancy than it was; cool whip and blue jello, layered in a narrow glass, look like clouds!  I actually used quilted canning jars.  Before they ate we lit the candle and prayed a Hail Mary.


Happy feast of the Assumption!

Father in heaven,
all creation rightly gives you praise,
for all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom
she who bore the Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul in glory to be with him in heaven.
May we follow her example in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.