Lest I Forget

On the needles: A shawl for a friend. I am close to finishing the knitted part. Then there is a crochet edging. I am a little nervous since I rarely crochet and am not that confident in my ability to do so.  I was also worried about reading the pattern from a chart. That has been going quite smoothly, praise God. I am contemplating buying some actual blocking mats and pins for this project, instead of my usual haphazard method of blocking it on the mattress of my bed. On the nightstand: "So Big" by Edna Ferber. I actually just finished the book, which Ginny had recommended on her "happy reading" list, and I really enjoyed it. I have another of her picks on the nightstand, ready to start. this is very close to the true color of the yarn, which a very happy vibrant purple! Joining Ginny as usual.

From the Magnificat's "Reflection of the Day": "The first goal of spiritual combat, that toward which our efforts must above all else be directed, is not to always obtain a victory (over our temptations, our weaknesses, etc.), rather it is to learn to maintain peace of heart under all circumstances, even in the case of defeat." -Father Jacques Philippe Umm. Yeah. I am a total and complete failure at maintaining peace of heart. I forget every single day to ask for the graces needed to stay peaceful amid the hardships. I forget every single day when faced with the smallest annoyance, to turn to Him. I start out with the best intentions. Then I get out of bed. I may even get the coffee made with a peaceful heart. But then my day starts in earnest and I falter, I flounder, I struggle. I am anxious like Martha. I desire to have the peace of Mary. Father Philippe continues, "It is uniquely the grace of God that will obtain the victory for us, whose grac...

Friday March 13, 2015 We prepare to leave for a four day trip. We have booked a small apartment through Homeaway.com and we I am hoping to save money by eating in as much as possible. I made zucchini bread for breakfasts and froze it. It will keep the other food cold in the cooler. So will the sweet and sour chicken I also froze. I brought along the crockpot too. I brought some things from our pantry, including my coffee pot and coffee, but since there will be a Commissary nearby, I decided to buy most of the ingredients once we arrived. Of course, food is part of the experience, but we decide for lunches rather than dinners. We arrive in Garmisch and check in and then hurry over to our good friend's house to have dinner with them. After catching up, we head back to the apartment for some sleep before the adventure begins. This is near Sembach, where Tony is stationed. It is mostly farmland and rolling hills. The mountains suddenly appear through the fog as we get nea...

Have you ever witnessed something that left you speechless? Yesterday was one of those moments for me. Ever since we created the "dormitory", we have wanted our landlords to come and remove the very large, very ugly sectional sofa that came with the house. The landlords have always shown up at the most inopportune moments. Usually it involves me still in my pajamas, but not yesterday. Yesterday, I was teaching piano lessons. So, imagine if you will, 10 kids and 2 mamas trying to keep some sense of order when the landlords pop on in. In the chaos that ensues, the decision was made to throw the couches off the second floor balcony. I was a little concerned, what with so many kids playing in the back yard and all. It was at about that time that my next family showed up. Four more kids and one more mama. Cars had to be moved, kids were running amok, and I was trying to get my student to the piano when "THUD", a piece of the couch lands inches from my laundry drying on...

Outside my window...      Cloudy, sunny, cloudy, sunny. Repeat every ten minutes. Being a hater of the cold, I easily find excuses not to go outside. But the sun! It is trying so hard to break through the continuous gray of winter. Following the sun's determination, I have been making myself get outside for the last few days, even if only for a short time. I am thinking... about everything! My mind just won't settle on one thing. It is hopping from one idea to the next hither thither, never long enough to decide on anything. School, spring, knitting, sewing, children and their problems, my faith, and so forth and so forth. I am thankful for... ...the fact that it is March! ...my family. ...Lent and the opportunity to grow closer to God. From the kitchen... The crock pot has been in pretty constant use lately. Anna and Jack have play practice two evenings a week, which puts us home after 6:30. I have never been a huge fan of the dishes that come ...