This Week

What’s touching my heart and going on in my life this week…

I’m so excited for the start of Advent this week. This year, I am trying to focus on all of the ways that Advent invites us to deep reflection, penance and joy in our life in Christ. 

I’m also thankful for the very first week of the Church using the new translation of the mass–it’s beautiful! Thank you Blessed Pope John Paul II for your vision and boldness in making such a major change. You truly let God work through your life to inspire an entire generation of Catholics. And dare I say that it was your pontificate that inspired so many of us to “wake up” to the awesome, solid teachings of the holy Church that Christ left us to help us know, love and serve Him. 

The food co-op I’m doing has been going well. Last week, I had a bit of a flub because the soup I made was so spicy that you could practically use it like Tobasco sauce (my description, not theirs. They were too nice about it). After adding a little milk, it was edible though. This week it’s been nice and safe–I made a winning pot of spaghetti and meatballs (thanks for the recipe Nicole!), salad and garlic bread on Monday, and they are bringing over lasagna and salad tonight. It’s been working out well for me to have a meal brought to us on Wednesdays, because Thursday is always Family Dinner (I make or buy just one dish for that) and Fridays we generally have leftovers or pizza because we do Family Night at home and spend the evening hanging out with the kids and then watching a movie. So, I don’t feel like I’m in the kitchen all the time. Nice. 🙂

Faith has refused to take bottles or pacifiers, and it’s been starting to get a little tough. She is a week away from being three months old, and I’ve only been away from her for more than two hours one time (and it was a disaster for our poor babysitters and for Faith.) I know it’s completely my fault for not introducing bottles frequently enough when Faith was younger. I’ve been working with her every day though, and yesterday she took an entire bottle and took a pacifier for a few minutes! I am going to continue to introduce a bottle to her every day until she is completely comfortable and familiar with them. I feel like being able to take an occasional bottle is a necessary skill for my babies. Besides several obvious reasons (like wanting to go on the occasional date with my husband), I want Faith to be comfortable with a bottle in case something happens to me. 

I started lighting a little candle at meals–to Gabriel’s delight. The candle helps to get his attention and to create some structure and routine for meals, which has helped me to stick to the little prayers and devotions I’m trying to incorporate at meals and all through the day. Lighting a candle has been helpful in teaching him manners, as well as patience in waiting to begin eating and finish eating. He also loves blowing the candle out. 🙂 

I’m in Christmas music heaven! My favorite CD right now is Dave Barnes’ Very Merry Christmas. He’s got some classics as well as some beautiful original songs (my favorite is “Family Tree”:). We are getting our tree on Wednesday evening, and I can’t wait to finish decorating the house, inside and out. Such a wonderful time of the year!