Happy Easter

Happy Easter from Thomas, Anthony, Charles, Maria, Cecilia, James, Joseph and Bill and Rachel

First Birthday

Oh, Happy Day!

Joseph's Journal-March

Charles and Joseph, Best Buddies

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Yesterday, I dragged the nursing stool over near the loveseat. I settled myself comfortably with my back against the cushions and my arm supported. You snuggled down and happily started to nurse. Then I saw your eye look up to my face, and you raised your hand and waved goodbye.

And that was last time I breastfed you.

O is for Obelisk

Bill's Christmas present from our nephew Laurence was a trip for the family to the top of the Washington Monument. We bought the tickets for the first day of the Cherry Blossom Festival so we could enjoy both downtown DC sights in one day. Unfortunately, some of the kids were sick, so Bill only took the older four. It was a beautiful sunny day, and even though the trees weren't at their peak, they were still very pretty.

Charles took this picture of Bill and Anthony and parts of Maria and Thomas:



Here is a view of the Lincoln Memorial from the top of the Washington Monument.

Charles, Thomas, Anthony, and Maria near one of the cherry trees. The first year we went, Charles asked if we could go back to pick the cherries. (In case you are wondering, these are ornamental cherry trees bred for their blossoms. They do not bear fruit.)



Uncle Bill says thank you, Laurence!

Feast of the Annunciation

I'm being mentored by a friend about how to live the liturgical year. She has helped me get a vision of which days the Church finds most important to commemorate in addition to knowing the seasons like Advent or Lent.
Today we are celebrating the Feast of the Annunciation which, naturally, is 9 months before Christmas. This is the day when the angel Gabriel offered Mary the chance of a lifetime and she said yes.

Since this was a new feast for us, we had no traditions to revive, but there were plenty of ideas on Jenn's blog to get me started. Maria is sick and we can't make it to Mass, so her suggestion about praying the Angelus was perfect. Charles got to ring the bells, and now everyone wants to pray it daily so they can have a turn.

And a suggestion in a magazine to have blueberry milkshakes for Assumption (this was a few years ago) has since cemented the relationship between Marian feasts and blueberries for me. That author doesn't care for them herself, but I LOVE them. So each of the kids made a blueberry pie which we had with fresh whipped cream after dinner. Heavenly! While we waited for dinner, we all just drooled looking at them on the table near Nana's statue of Mary and Jesus.

Here are two of my reflections on Annunciation day:

--how much less expensive would it be if God would just send an angel to tell me when I am pregnant?

--surely Mary was not looking to having a baby right then, but she said yes, and He was perfect. I want that faith.

Poetry Boot Camp

Every day after break time, the kids practice memorizing their poetry. I gently lead them through the poem, teaching memorization, dramatic interpretation, and clarity. Kids who aren't reciting are asked to sit quietly and attentively to learn "polite listening." After a few weeks at most, each child has a whole poem memorized which he then puts into a book of poetry and illustrates himself. And whenever it seems appropriate--while building wood trains for example, someone will prompt a few lines of the poem and everyone will join in as an enthusiastic chorus.







Today Thomas took over teaching while I was playing with the camera.

Poetry Humor

Everyone wanted a turn being a movie star, and these three were the comedians.