Unconditional Love

“All I want is a healthy baby.”


How often do we get this answer when we ask a mother if she wants a boy or girl?
This is another one of those societal norms that “everyone” just says without really thinking about it. Of course you want a healthy baby. Who would not want a healthy baby? No mother in her right mind wants their child to be born “imperfect”.


PERFECT. This is certainly a word I’ve uttered after my children were born. She is perfect. He is perfect. As I sit here and think about it--really think about it --they are perfect. Not just because they are my children and all mother’s think their own children are perfect but, my children are perfect for the same reason your children are perfect, God created them. Each and every single child, God created. And He doesn’t mess up!


Did you know that 92% of women that find out their pregnant with a child that has down syndrome abort that child? 92%!!!!!

 Bioethicist Luke Gormally argues “ In part, these pressures are the natural temptation to avoid the burdens of care for the handicapped….In part, however they are the pressure of cultural attitudes assimilated by many Christians, toward the child.”


He continues, “ For many it has become merely quaint to think of each child as a unique gift of God; children are more like planned acquisitions in our culture, acquisitions which should fit into our expectations about how our lives should go, about the ease and enjoyments that should characterize our lifestyle. A child who might threaten our ease may, if he or she is viewed as an acquisition, be thought of as a replaceable acquisition. And indeed genetic counselors will tell parents: You can terminate this pregnancy and try again for a ‘normal child’.


Just thinking about a child as an “acquisition” makes my stomach turn. However, Gormally is exactly right. Children in today’s society are thought of in just such a way. The common “ all I want is a healthy baby” phrase is so far from how we should think. Does it matter if your baby is healthy or not? Of course you want a healthy baby, that doesn’t need to be said. What needs to be said is “ I will love this child unconditionally no matter what.”


As Christians it is imperative that our thinking shifts. Our children are not acquisitions that should fit perfectly into our lifestyle. Children are blessings from God, they must be safeguarded and nurtured in the embrace of unconditional parental acceptance.

Don't forget to count all those little blessings!! :)

It's Almost Here...

I’ve been so busy trying to get things ready for Christmas and traveling that I haven’t been good about getting blog posts up. I’ll try to do my best in the next couple weeks, but I might not get very many up.


Today I was thinking about a 7 day to do list for Christmas. Once I started thinking about it I realized that today is almost over, and Christmas is on day 7, so I have re-visited my idea. Instead of a to do list of 7 items I wanted to give you 3 questions to think about between now and Christmas. Sometimes I think the best way to prepare for something is to simply ask yourself questions and critically think about the answers.


1. What have you done this Christmas season to make yourself better?


2. How have you prepared yourself for Christ’s birth?


3. Have you taken time to do something truly child-like this Christmas season?

　
You have a few days to improve your answers. So if you answer one of the questions with a no or an answer that isn’t satisfactory take some time to change it between now and Christmas.


Don’t forget to count your blessings!! J

Can We Change Society??

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.”
― Mother Teresa

Today a friend and I were talking about the society that we live in. We were discussing how different it seems than when we were younger. We talked about how hard it is to raise children with the screwed up morals in today’s world. We expressed concerns for different people in our lives.


The more we talked the more I thought about this huge task of raising my children to be wonderful and loving adults who contribute to society in a positive way. Wow! Just sit and think about that for a second. My job as a mother is to raise my kids to be wonderful, loving, contributing members of this society. That can be a very daunting thing to think about.


Anyone out there have any secrets??


My grandfather, Frank, is a very wise man. I have been thinking about him a lot lately. He suffered a stroke about a month ago and has been fighting his way through recovery. There are two things that my grandfather told my parents that always seem to stick out to me when I think about raising my children.

1) Do the best you can every single day. That is all you can do.

2) Did you think all your kids would be perfect?

　


For some reason when I think about these comments a calmness comes over me. I realize that even though society might overwhelm me, my job of raising kids to be kind and loving individuals is do-able. I just have to take it one day at a time, and if that is too much I’ll take it one hour at a time. If I am doing my best then I really don’t have anything to worry about. There is no reason for me to stress about the future because I can’t control it, I can only control what I do today.


As I’ve said before, I am my kids greatest and first teacher. The best way for them to learn from me is to set a good example. What an awesome task! Mother Teresa directs us to “be the living expression of God’s kindness”. I want to challenge all of you out there, whether you are a mother or not. Do the best you can every single day. Live so that God can be proud of you every day. Live so that the strangers you meet will see God’s kindness through your words and actions.


We are society. We can’t just talk about how it needs to change. We MUST be the change and live the change. The truth is that not a single one of our children will be perfect, but I sure plan on setting my expectations high enough for them to strive for perfection. What are you going to do so that no one comes to you without leaving better?


Count those little blessings!! J 　

Looking for Inspiration

Today I am looking for inspiration from YOU. Maybe it's because it's gross and rainy here or maybe it's because Wednesdays are always a little wild, but whatever the reason I'm having a hard time coming up with something I really want to write about today.


So I'm taking suggestions, maybe you have a topic that has been discussed a lot in your life lately, maybe you have had something on your mind that you'd like discussed, or maybe you're just curious what I think (haha).


Feel free to e-mail me or post ideas on here. Even if you just have questions you'd like to ask, ask away!


E-mail: Lgraefnitz@gmail.com


Don't forget to count all those little blessings!! :)

Don't Ever Forget...

The third week of advent is always marked by the lighting of the pink candle. Growing up I loved this week of advent the best. I’m not really sure why I loved the third week. Going to mass and seeing the priest wear pink always seemed funny to me, so maybe it was that. Or maybe it was because I knew we were half way to Christmas--the second half of advent always seems to go so much faster. The first two weeks of our advent journey we empty ourselves of the extra and unneeded. The third week of advent we open ourselves up to be filled by Jesus. The pink candle reminds us that even though Advent is a penitential season, joy is all around us. This week is all about showing and feeling love.


In the crazy world out there it can be so easy for us to forget how much God loves us. There are people wrapped in constant pain, there are innocent lives being taken each and every day, there are people suffering with physical and mental illness, and somehow we are supposed to remember that God loves each and every one of us?


I wish I had some unbelievable epiphany to share with you about why all the “bad” things happen in this world. However, I am not a philosopher. I am just trying to figure it all out as I go. I can tell you that through my own sufferings I become closer to God. Through my own sufferings I learn to appreciate my loved ones even more. Through my own sufferings I remember to breath in all the little moments with my kids. The sufferings really do make the good times even better.


The awesome thing about this crazy world we live in is that along with all the pain and suffering is a whole ton of good things. How do I know that God loves me? I look at my children’s smiling faces. I watch my husband wake up day after day, tired or not, and go work his butt off for our family. I watch my grandmother’s hope as the family joins together and rallies after my grandfather’s stroke. I see God working in my life. I see prayers answered before my very eyes. I KNOW God loves me, because he told me by every little blessing in my life.


It’s easy to go through this life as a pessimist and always looking to criticize others. There’s always someone doing it wrong. What if--for this one joyful week of advent we truly loved everyone around us? What if--we thought of others before we thought of ourselves? What if-- this week we lived like Jesus Christ was truly on his way?


Could you imagine??

Why I Run…

I have been thinking about this question a lot in the last week. I equate running to life. I think the two are very similar. When I run I feel like I am solving the world’s problems, or at least I feel like I am solving all the problems that I’m facing that day. Life is a mental game just as running is a mental game. You can go about your day and be miserable and complain and make excuses or you can step up and overcome. You can push through and climb just a little higher then you did the day before, you can run a little harder, a little faster, and a little farther or you can sit at home thinking about how you really should be out there.


So below are some reasons why I run, maybe one will give you some inspiration to get out there and do something. Start by putting one foot in front of the other, it’s amazing where the road can take you.


* I run for myself.I love the way I feel after a good run. Whether I’m doing an interval run, a sprint workout, or a nice long run I feel wonderful when I’m done. I feel like I can do anything. Pushing through a hard run puts me on top of the world. I also know I’m making myself stronger. Plus, I’m a little vain, like the rest of the world, and I love looking good--after a hard run I feel like I am just helping to make myself look a little better.


* I run for my husband.This is the man I’m going to be with for the rest of my life. He’s the only man that I really care about looking good for. There’s a great satisfaction when your husband says you look beautiful and you KNOW that he means it and isn’t just saying it. Running is one of the ways I can look good for him. Plus, thinking about him often helps me run that extra mile, sprint, or interval.


* I run for my kids.I run for Eliza and Jackson and I also run for all my future kids. Being a mom is my job, and I can’t be a good mom if I don’t take care of myself. Running allows me to get all those mom stresses out and allows me to keep my mom body in the best shape it can be in. It’s important for my body to be in peak condition when I am growing a human being, and it’s important for my body to be in shape so I can keep up with the kids I already have.


* I run for others.I love to think about other people while I’m running. I like to dedicate my pain to them. It’s like my way of praying for them while they suffer through a tough time in life. Sometimes it’s the only thing I can do to help. It’s incredible how motivated I can get while thinking about someone I love going through a tough time!


*I run for fun.There’s something about running that brings me back to my younger years. 10 years ago I was in high school playing soccer, playing basketball, running track--no worries. I didn’t know that then, but I know that now. Running helps me reminisce on those days. It helps me stay young. It helps me appreciate where I am today.


* I run to think.There is no time to think about everything and anything then while running. It’s the perfect time to clear my head. I feel revitalized and ready to take on the world after a run.


I hope you have something in your life that gets you feeling alive. There are all sorts of exercises that can get you where you want to be. Have fun and let the road take you where it will.


***As I’ve said before, I don’t think it’s healthy for a person to run every day mile after mile. Chronic cardio has been debunked over and over again. So be smart with how you run, change it up each workout, and don’t overdo it.

In Her Shoes

Can you imagine watching your child die? Can you picture them being tortured and beaten to near death then walking their beaten body along the path to their own death? Can you imagine God telling you that your child must suffer this fate for all of humanity? How would you react? What would you be thinking?


Now imagine that God came to you and told you that you were pregnant with His son. How would you react? What would you tell your husband?


God chose Mary to be the mother of His son. She had such faith in God that she not only accepted the fate of giving birth and raising Jesus Christ, she also watched him die. She was with her son every single step of the way. I’d like to think that if God came to me and told me I was going to give birth to His son I would have enough faith to accept all that came with it, but then to imagine watching that same son die-- I don’t know how Mary did it.


I honestly can’t put into words how important Mary is to me personally. I don’t think I could have gotten through my miscarriage without her. I know that she was with me every step of the way--and she truly understood my pain.


Yesterday we celebrated Mary being conceived without sin. She was the perfect vessel for God’s only son. She was the perfect mother for Jesus. If all mother’s strive to be more like Mary--can you imagine what our children would be like?

An Intimidating Realization

Last night I watched the movie, “The Help”. If you’ve never seen it--I highly recommend watching it. I won’t spoil the ending for anyone, but the movie is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960’s. The whole “separate but equal” movement is at it‘s peak. A young white writer breaks the mold of those white women around her and decides to write a book from the help’s perspective. Her book ends up turning the town upside down. This movie shows courage, compassion, hope, and what can happen if no one stands up for what’s right. It’s one of those movies that you continue to think about long after it’s over.


So of course it got me thinking. Obviously, whites grew up believing that the black maids in their houses were there to serve them. They observed how their parents treated these black workers on a daily basis. When they came of age they got married and started their own household. In Jackson, Mississippi they hired help. Usually the help came in the form of a black maid and if they had a large household and a lot of land to take care of they might have other black workers as well. Then the cycle began again. Their children would observe how the parents treated the workers.


No one seemed to think that the poor treatment of these workers was wrong. The children just did as they had always seen and heard. Honestly, there isn’t any difference in today’s society. We might not have the race clash that they had in the 60’s, but children still grow up watching how their parents behave. Most of the time children grow up to be just like their parents. Occasionally someone breaks the mold, but more times than not the children live their lives in the same manner as their parents.


As a mother of young children this “realization” kind of threw me for a loop. It’s not like I didn’t know it already, but if you stop and think about it your breath can almost be taken away. There is nothing that will say more about me as a person than how my children are raised. Every single day we have encounters with people, and every single day my kids observe how I treat these people whether they are friends or strangers. My kids also get to observe the things I say about those people when they are gone. Above the treatment of others is how I act as a human being. My kids will know better than anyone else the things that matter most to me and the things that I find important in the world. My kids will know what makes me sad and what cheers me up. My kids will witness my break-downs and my perseverance. My kids will see my most evil side and my most loving side.


The thing I am left with after all these realizations is that I sure have a BIG job ahead of me. As a mother I must live as close to how Christ lived as possible, because at the end of the day the salvation of myself, my husband, and my kids is what this is all about. I MUST live my life like Christ so that my children LEARN to be like Christ to everyone around them. Afterall, our actions really do speak much louder than our words. At the end of my life I hope that my children can say, above all else, I taught them how to be Christ-like and how to love.
　
Don’t forget to count your blessings--especially the little ones!! J

Repentance and Forgiveness

I mentioned in an earlier post that we are reading a small advent reflection each night for Advent. Each week has a theme as well. Week 2 of Advent is all about repentance. The readings are all geared for children, but the one we read last night really spoke to me, so I wanted to share it.
　
　
Repentance and forgiveness go hand-in-hand. We say we’re sorry, and we are forgiven. It sounds so easy, but often it’s not. What if the other person doesn’t really forgive us and holds a grudge? What if we are so hurt we have a hard time forgiving? What if we don’t really think we should have to apologize?


Christmas is getting closer. Have we made our peace with those around us? Are we acting in a way that wouldn’t embarrass us if God were to show up in person? Do we treat the people in our lives like the gifts they are?


We can see God in the people around us, from our parents to our siblings to our friends. The most difficult and annoying people are still children of God, and we are to treat them as Jesus would. That means that even if we’ve been hurt by them, we need to forgive them.


We can’t be forgiven if we don’t ask. We have to say we’re sorry--we have to repent. It can seem like a lot of work, but God will help us. We just have to pray for His help.


I think the part that stood out to me the most was the part about loving annoying people. Sometimes the people we love the most can also be the most annoying people to us. Looking at those annoying people as children of God sure makes me take a step back and re-evaluate the situation.


The reason that this week of advent is focused on repentance is because it is something we all need all the time. Take some time this week to go to confession. Remember that we must prepare our souls for the birth of Jesus Christ. If I were to meet God face-to-face today, I would want to make sure that I had asked forgiveness for all the sins I’ve committed. Remember that forgiveness needs to be granted as well as received. Is there someone who you haven’t yet forgiven? Let it go!


Don’t forget to count your blessings--especially the little ones!! J

Christmas Prayer

My sister-in-law, Jen, sent this prayer to me today. I thought it was perfect to share with everyone.

The sleigh was packed

the reindeer were fed,
But Santa still knelt
by the side of the bed.

 

"Dear Father," he prayed
"Be with me tonight.
There's much work to do
and my schedule is tight.

I must jump in my sleigh
and streak through the sky,
Knowing full well
that a reindeer can't fly.

I will visit each household
before the first light,
I'll cover the world
and all in one night.

With sleigh bells a-ringing,
I'll land on each roof,
Amid the soft clatter
of each little hoof.

To get in the house
is the difficult part,
So I'll slide down the chimney
of each little heart.

My sack will hold toys
to grant all their wishes.
The supply will be endless
like the loaves and the fishes.

I will fill all the stockings
and not leave a track.
I'll eat every cookie
that's left for my snack.

I can do all these things Lord,
only through You,
I just need your blessing,
then it's easy to do.

All this is to honor
the birth of the One,
That was sent to redeem us,
Your most Holy Son.

So to all of my friends,
lest Your glory I rob,
Please Lord, remind them,
who gave me this job.

Do You Need God??

Yesterday during the homily our priest discussed the idea that our society doesn’t “need” God anymore. Living in the United States leaves us wanting for very little and our needs are almost nothing. We are lucky to have a solid government, protection of a great military, food on our table, houses to call home, and we are never lacking for entertainment. Most of us are more worried about getting our Christmas shopping done then we are about anything else this time of year. Just because we are blessed enough to live in this country doesn’t mean that we don’t have “need” for God though. In fact, I believe we have just as much “need” for God as anyone else living on Earth.


I’ve been thinking about the homily a lot over the last day or so. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out if I “need” God. Kind of a silly thing to think about, but nonetheless interesting. I tried looking at it the other way, and came up with my answer. If God was taken out of my life, would my life change? (Perhaps this is a question you should ask yourself.) Luckily, my answer was that my life would be entirely different. Not just because my belief in God helps make up my very essence, but because if God was not existent in my life EVERYTHING would be different. There isn’t a decision I’ve made in my life that God wasn’t a part of. However, I know there are days that I go about my day to day routines and think very little about what I’d do if Jesus showed up at my doorstep that very day.


We are supposed to yearn for God. The birth of Jesus Christ changed the world, and it’s still changing the world each and every day. He’s coming to visit us, and we want to be prepared when He arrives. The needs that we have in this country are very different than those of people in 3^rd world countries around the world, but they are needs nonetheless. Yearning for God is something everyone should be doing. Perhaps we need to sacrifice a bit more so that we realize that need. I know Lent is usually the time of year to give things up, but perhaps in preparation for our Lord’s birth we each need to give something up to remind us of our longing for Him.


The time for celebration is not yet here. We’re still getting ready. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the season we must continue the preparations for our souls. Jesus will return. Will you be ready??

Don't forget to count your blessings--especially the little ones!! :)

Fingerprints of an Angel: Sunday Snippet- A Catholic Carnival

This morning I woke up and took a look around at what needed to get done around the house. There seems to be thousands of things I could do all day long, but today I decided to tackle the fingerprints. Any mom understands what I am talking about. Just go to a house where little kids reside and you will see their loving marks all over everything from the walls to the kitchen appliances. As I began scrubbing down the different surfaces my mind began to wander. I try to say prayers for different people as I do house work, and it seemed fitting to pray for my children while I was cleaning their love marks.


It wasn’t too long ago that I wondered if I’d ever have fingerprints to clean up. I suffered a miscarriage on January 3, 2008. I cannot even begin to explain how horrendous it was. It was my first pregnancy so I went from being surprised to be pregnant and super excited to thinking about what the future holds with my new baby to having it all shatter in one simple moment. It was a pretty miserable few months of recovery.


Today as I washed fingerprints away I began thinking about my sweet baby Emily. Eliza calls Emily her guardian angel, and in a way I think Emily is my guardian angel as well. Whenever I begin thinking about all this “work” my kids have made for me it takes just a simple thought about Emily to remind me how blessed I really am. I don’t think I’d be the mother I am today if it wasn’t for Emily.


There’s that old saying “everything happens for a reason”. I got that one A LOT after I lost Emily. I wanted to punch every person that said it to me--even though I know they meant well. I don’t like that saying to this day. There is no reason that a mother should ever lose a child. I think the saying should be “awful things happen to a lot of people, try to learn from those things and make the world a better place from those lessons.”


There are a lot of lessons that I learned from losing Emily, I could write pages and pages about those lessons. Emily continues to teach me to this day. I would love to wash Emily’s fingerprints off of my walls and kitchen appliances. Instead I get her angel fingerprints on my heart and it’s my job to live the lesson of losing her to make this world a better place.


The next time you get angry at your children or upset that they made another mess for you to clean up--stop and count your blessings. They might just have an angel whispering in their ear.


Emily Marie Graefnitz was celebrated each and every day she lived. Help me celebrate her life by giving your kids some extra love today.　

Tis' the Season

I LOVE Christmas! I have always loved Christmas. I was always the kid that would wake all my siblings up way too early on Christmas morning. We’d sneak down to take a peak at all the gifts that Santa brought us without mom and dad knowing. My brothers and sisters and I always had a slumber party on Christmas eve. It was Santa’s way of monitoring us, but we just thought it was for fun and it always seemed to get us even more excited for Christmas morning.


The truth is we still have a slumber party on Christmas eve. There are a few party poopers who don’t participate anymore, but I’m still in that upstairs room waiting with all the little kids for Christmas morning, and yes, it’s usually still me who wakes everyone up way too early in the morning. What can I say, I love traditions!


I’ve always been pretty excited for Christmas, but this year I’m looking forward to it even more because of my kids. Jackson probably won’t have a clue what’s going on, but Eliza is already asking every day if it’s Christmas yet. She screams with pure joy each time we pass a house that has Christmas lights up, even if it’s the same house we pass every night. She shrieks with glee whenever we pass Santa decorations in the store. The crazy thing is, I’m smiling right along-side her. There’s nothing better than seeing the pure joy and happiness that she exudes.


One of Eliza’s favorite things to do is sing. (ie: My Life the Musical) So of course we have been getting in the spirit by listening to and singing Christmas songs. It’s hard for me to pick my favorite, but Eliza continues to sing “Jingle Bells” over and over. There are those couple songs I look forward to hearing each and every Christmas season. Those songs that put a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes no matter how many times I’ve heard them. What’s your favorite Christmas song? I hope you take time to sing it out just like my little Eliza does!


Here are links to two of my favorite Christmas songs: (You might want a tissue) J


Christmas Shoes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJoz8L3631w&feature=related


Gown Up Christmas List:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfH_rfEe-F0

What’s All This Waiting Really For??

Each day for Advent our family reads a small thought provoking reflection, says a small prayer, and performs some action to help the kids get prepared for Christmas. It is perfect for Eliza because she is able to pay attention and understand what we are doing. Below is a small excerpt from what we read last night:

“Advent is a time each year to realize we are awaiting a grand guest. He will be just a baby, one who is totally dependent on us, but we have to be ready for the gift of his visit. He is trusting us to take care of him, and we want to do that to the best of our ability.”

When I think about Jesus I rarely think about Him as this innocent child that needs my help. It’s usually the other way around. I think of myself as bowing down kissing His feet and asking for His help. And the more I thought about the passage that we read last night, the more I realized that Advent is meant to be a time to prepare for baby Jesus. In fact, I think that if we all thought about Jesus as an innocent and needy baby more often our actions would be much kinder on a daily basis.


Just think about the way you feel when you hold a newborn. Whether that newborn is my own or not I know that I want to make that baby as comfortable and happy as possible while I’m holding him. If he begins to cry I do my best to comfort him. Jesus Christ, the newborn, needs our help to be “comfortable”. We have to be the people that Jesus Christ came to this Earth to save. Each and every one of our hearts house Jesus, and we must make our hearts clean and ready for His visit on Christmas.


Our duty goes above and beyond this though. That baby Jesus depends on us each and every day! We must stand against the social norms of our time and fight for a world that Jesus Christ died for. Let us remember as we wait eagerly for Christmas morning to wish ALL a Merry Christmas, be charitable, be prayerful, be thoughtful, and be better each and every day of this advent season. It is up to each and every one of us to change the world--and let it begin with me.

Don’t forget to count those blessings--especially the little ones!! J

Fingerprints of an Angel

This morning I woke up and took a look around at what needed to get done around the house. There seems to be thousands of things I could do all day long, but today I decided to tackle the fingerprints. Any mom understands what I am talking about. Just go to a house where little kids reside and you will see their loving marks all over everything from the walls to the kitchen appliances. As I began scrubbing down the different surfaces my mind began to wander. I try to say prayers for different people as I do house work, and it seemed fitting to pray for my children while I was cleaning their love marks.


It wasn’t too long ago that I wondered if I’d ever have fingerprints to clean up. I suffered a miscarriage on January 3, 2008. I cannot even begin to explain how horrendous it was. It was my first pregnancy and the emotions that came along with it were all over the place. I was so excited to be expecting, but that changed in a simple instant when I found out I lost her. Emily Marie Graefnitz is our little angel in heaven.

Today as I washed fingerprints away I began thinking about my sweet baby Emily. Eliza calls Emily her guardian angel, and in a way I think Emily is my guardian angel as well. Whenever I begin thinking about all this “work” my kids have made for me it takes just a simple thought about Emily to remind me how blessed I really am. I don’t think I’d be the mother I am today if it wasn’t for Emily.


There’s that old saying “everything happens for a reason”. I got that one A LOT after I lost Emily. I wanted to punch every person that said it to me--even though I know they meant well. I don’t like that saying to this day. There is no reason that a mother should ever lose a child. I think the saying should be “awful things happen to a lot of people, try to learn from those things and make the world a better place from those lessons.”


There are a lot of lessons that I learned from losing Emily, I could write pages and pages about those lessons. Emily continues to teach me to this day. I would love to wash Emily’s fingerprints off of my walls and kitchen appliances. Instead I get her angel fingerprints on my heart and it’s my job to live the lesson of losing her to make this world a better place.


The next time you get angry at your children or upset that they made another mess for you to clean up--stop and count your blessings. They might just have an angel whispering in their ear.


Emily Marie Graefnitz was celebrated each and every day she lived. Help me celebrate her life by giving your kids some extra love today.　

My Life: The Musical

Maybe it was the constant chatter and singing of Eliza on our drive to and from Indiana or maybe it is all the Christmas music beginning to play, but I feel like my life belongs in a musical right now. I used to think that musicals were so wild because whose life is actually like that?? Well, it seems like those people with toddlers are living the musical life day in and day out.


I guarantee that as most of my family is reading this post they are laughing out loud at MY LIFE as the musical. I have been asked by multiple siblings to stop singing during mass because my beautiful voice was giving them a headache. However, I get songs stuck in my head just as bad as the next person, and because I have a toddler living with me and a husband that enjoys modern music (aka: rap) I have a wild array of music floating around in my head. As my sister, Hannah, can tell you I don’t know the right words to ANY song, so I find myself making up words quite often.


Although, I’m not musically gifted I still turn to music for inspiration, for hope, for help, for joy, for prayer, and for relaxation.


My musical took an interesting turn today. This morning Jackson was getting tubes put in his ears. Brian decided to stay home with Eliza while I took Jackson to the operation on my own. After hours of no eating and a long day of traveling Jackson was a champ before surgery. He was laughing with the nurses and talking to the doctors. However, after the surgery he wasn’t so happy. Anesthesia does crazy things to little babies. They are so disoriented when they wake up that they are in a fit of rage for quite a while. Jackson sure was raging! My mothering skills were certainly tested as he half fell asleep and then began kicking and pushing off of me while yelling at the top of his lungs. It was at this point that I turned to music. I didn’t think the nurses would appreciate me breaking into song, so I just began to hum the first thing that popped into my head. Amazing Grace started pouring out and it didn’t calm Jackson down one bit, but it sure did help me! As he cried and struggled I just hummed louder. We both made it out alive. J


I guess my whole point with this post is that 2 year olds have some things pretty well figured out. I think all the songs they break into during the day are as much for fun as they are for calming. The next time you get into a stressful situation and can’t seem to escape try a quiet song. God loves listening to our songs almost as much as he loves listening to our prayers.


Remember to count your blessings--especially the small singing ones!! J
　

Excuses: Is it worth it??

Anyone that knows me knows that I have a pet-peeve list that could wrap around the world-- twice. My number one pet-peeve always seems to change. Family and friends often give me looks when I say “that is my number one pet-peeve”. Really my list probably shouldn’t be a list at all, it should just be everything that drives me crazy is number one. I used to let these little “pet-peeves” drive me crazy, but as I’ve gotten older I’m learning how to deal with them better. Unfortunately, this post is going to be a bit of a rant on a BIG pet-peeve of mine: excuses.


I’ve never been a fan of using excuses in any aspect of my life. Honestly, I never really saw the point. I’ve always figured I’ll either do or I wont, but I’m not going to make an excuse either way. I find that people come up with excuses for all areas of their life. People give excuses for not working out, excuses for binging on alcohol, excuses for skipping mass on Sunday, excuses for eating poorly, excuses, excuses, excuses, and more excuses. I JUST DON’T GET IT! What good are excuses anyway? They really don’t do anyone any good. The person making up the excuse is no better because of it, and the person they are telling the excuse to (even if it’s themselves) is no better off.


I know it comes like second nature to so many people, but have you ever stopped to think what your life might be like if you didn’t make an excuse for so many things? I’m going to take a BIG leap (haha) and guess that your life will only be better without the excuses. The next time you think about “getting out” of something with a lame excuse, stop yourself and really think if it’s worth it. Those little excuses that we tell ourselves each day are some of the worst offenders.


Start stepping up instead of making excuse after excuse. You could always take my crazy approach and go above and beyond when you feel like making an excuse. Often times while I’m exercising if I tell myself I can only do 5 more minutes, I’ll go 10 more minutes just to show myself. (weird, I know!)


So how does all of this tie in with God and religion? In the end isn’t an excuse just a lie? And weren’t we all taught that a lie is a sin? It’s time to cut those out of your life. Do you think Jesus made any excuses while he was on earth? In fact, he begged God to take the pain from him if it was possible, and then he still carried his cross, was nailed to it, and died for all of us and our sins.


We are all called to live as Jesus lived. It is impossible to be as perfect as he was, but it is possible to take little steps on that path. Excuses are just sin hurdles that we all need to jump over. Why not just remove the hurdle?


　
Don’t forget to count your blessings--especially the small ones!! J

The Marriage Comes First

Being a mom of two young children means that I am in demand pretty much all the time. It seems like when I sit down and think I need just ten minutes of quiet time the baby starts crying. Those evenings when I wish the kids would go to bed just a bit early are inevitably the nights that I am up 4 times. It’s not just me who is in demand though. Brian gets bombarded with requests from the moment he walks in the door. “Daddy come play in my room with me.” A very common phrase out of Eliza’s mouth is “Mommy, stop talking to daddy about his day I have something to say.”


It would be easy to let our children run the household, and I don’t mean that in the “let them go wild” sense. I mean it would be easy to let them guide our every conversation and our every activity. There are certainly those days where by the time our heads hit the pillows Brian and I have only spoken a few short sentences to each other, and then we’re usually too tired to talk much about “us”. However, I was given some great advice when Eliza was born. Someone told me to always make time for those date nights and for husband and wife time. As a young naïve mother I, of course, thought I had it all figured out and didn’t need those “date nights”. My romantic husband (cough, cough) would tell people we had a date every night after the kids go to bed.


I get it now though. We have to make time for our marriage and OUR relationship. That “date night” is just as important as the time we spend with our children. It is not a selfish thing to go out and enjoy my husbands company every once in a while. In fact, it’s the opposite of selfish, it’s necessary for our family to function at it’s best!

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church- for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.

~Ephesians 5: 22-33

If our marriage struggles then our family struggles. Brian and I are responsible for showing our children what a marriage is at it’s core. We are responsible for showing them how to love and how to care. The greatest example of love in the bible, other than Jesus Christ giving his life for ours, was the example of marriage that Mary and Joseph had. How blessed we would all be if our marriage could even somewhat resemble that amazing marriage.


So, as the weekend draws near remember to take some time for your spouse. If you aren’t able to make it out for a date this weekend then take a mini-date in your bedroom after the kids are in bed. Re-connect if you need to. Try sacrificing just one time this weekend for your spouse. That might mean giving them a back rub when you’re exhausted or that might mean letting them sleep in a little extra. (notice mine all have to do with sleep…haha) Whatever it is that you do--do it with your whole heart, just as Christ would do.

Remember to count your blessings--especially the little ones!! :)

Faith-Based Diet and Exercise

Today I’m not going to write about a traditional faith-based item. Instead I’m going to write about diet and exercise. I state that this is not a traditional faith item because I believe most people don’t look at diet and exercise as having anything to do with faith. I believe that treating our body as a temple is just as important as our daily prayers . We were blessed with this one body, and it is our job to take care of it just as God would. That doesn’t mean I think it’s sinful to eat candy. However, I do believe it is sinful to treat our bodies like trash cans.


As you’ve probably read I’ve started eating a paleo lifestyle. This is day 11. The way this lifestyle is making me feel is what inspired me to write about it today. I have followed the lifestyle almost perfectly for 11 days. For those of you who don’t know what paleo is I’ll explain it briefly. When living a paleo lifestyle you eat no processed foods. That includes grains, legumes, condiments, pretty much anything that comes in a package with a nutrition label. Your diet is based around meats, veggies, fruit, some nuts, some healthy fats, and the occasional dark chocolate or red wine. Eating as organic as you can is strongly encouraged. The exercise portion of the lifestyle is very simple as well. You are encouraged to sprint one day a week, “lift” twice a week, and play the other 4 days. If you haven’t read about Paleo or Primal living I HIGHLY encourage you to take some time to read about it.


I know it’s a bit cliché but you really just have to try it to believe it. Some benefits that I have noticed from this lifestyle so far are:


* Weight loss ( 4 lbs. already)
* Improved mood
* Improved energy
* No more “fat” days ( all you women know what I’m talking about!!)
* My body isn’t run down after working out anymore, it’s revitalized and ready to go the next day
* I’ve tried so many new foods in the last 11 days


I’m only 11 days in and I already see all these benefits! As a wife and mother I believe it is my responsibility to show my family how to live a faithful life. Eating right, exercising, and treating my body like a temple is just one way I can lead by example.


Please talk to me about this new lifestyle if you have any questions! Do a google search and you will have a bunch of hits that you can look at for information. Isn’t it time to start honoring yourself the way God does?


Don’t forget to count your blessings--especially the little ones!! J

Call EVERYONE to Holiness

　

“You cannot please both God and the world at the same time. They are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions.”

~St. John Vianney

It is time we all start pleasing God! The crazy thing about Saint John Vianney’s statement is that we can please everyone around us if we choose to please God each and every day. By pleasing God our “world” can be pleased as well.


I have been thinking a lot about holiness the past week or so. Maybe my wheels got turning because of All Saints Day or maybe they got turning because it was such a challenging week last week. Regardless of the reason-- my thoughts have been surrounded by this idea of holiness.


St. Vianney notes how the world is utterly opposed to pleasing God in thoughts, desires, and actions. I believe it is our job to hold our “world” to a higher standard. We, of course, are supposed to strive for holiness each and every day. However, we MUST call those around us to holiness as well.


I’m so tired of this “don’t judge me” junk! What a person is really trying to say when they say that is don’t hold me to your standards. I live the way I do because I believe God calls me to live in such a way. He also calls us to show our neighbors the way. We may hurt some feelings along the way, but I’d much rather hurt someone’s feelings then remain silent.


Why are we so afraid of the confrontation? Didn’t Jesus deal with much worse each and every day of His life? If He was standing next to us each day would he not speak up at the things we are biting our tongues over? So if we’re really living by the coined phrase: WWJD, then shouldn’t we speak up??


Chances are you aren’t running into “major” injustices every day. But I guarantee you can think of a few times in the past day that you could have stepped in and said something. I’m simple saying for you to try saying something next time. God has this awesome way of giving us words in those situations. You don’t have to say much, and chances are the person will get offended, walk away, or worse. But you know they will be thinking about it later--and all God needs is that small opening to pour a little grace on that individual.
　


Paleo UpdateAfter a week I’ve lost a total of 3.5 lbs. I feel great!! I’m trying to experiment with some different recipes this week. Eliza and I made some paleo banana-nut bread this morning. She gobbled it up. I’ll admit that I’m missing my breads a bit this week, but I’m not “hungry” for them so it’s not as bad as I thought it would be.
I’m going to have to start getting more creative with workouts because of this crazy weather. Luckily, the weight workouts I’m able to do indoors with no equipment. I think I’m going to start waking up early and doing my walking and jogging before the kids get up. (I have to get used to the time change first!) Last week I did 2 weight workouts, 1 sprint workout, 1 easy run, 1 soccer game, 1 “fun” day with the kids (indoor workout in which I used the laundry basket to push the kids around among other fun moves), and 1 rest day. This week the only thing I’m going to change is to throw some intermittent fasting in. I’ll let you all know how I progress! J


Don’t forget to count your blessings--especially the small ones!!

Unashamed: Sunday Snippets-A Catholic Carnival

I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

 My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God’s hands. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ’s presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God’s grace.
My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.


I won’t give up, shut up, let up, or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until he stops me. And when he returns his own, he will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.
- Unknown Author

Sunday- Snippets-- A Catholic Carnival

“The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.”

~Pope St. Gregory the Great

Do you every get overwhelmed? I think it’s safe to say that any normal person gets overwhelmed every once in a while. I had a good friend of mine tell me that I never look frazzled a couple weeks ago. The very next week she saw me at our kids story time at the library and said I looked tired and she’d never seen me look tired before. I guess I just do a good job of hiding it most of the time, but I get overwhelmed just like the rest of you. (Just ask my husband)

This past week has been particularly overwhelming. We celebrated two birthdays, finished getting Halloween costumes ready, had 3 get-togethers with friends, and dealt with a sick baby boy. So let’s just say that the lack of sleep mixed with all the happenings got to me a bit. I know I haven’t been the most pleasant person to be around the past couple of days either.

So this morning as I was saying my morning prayers, and looking for some inspiration to start the day off well, I came across the quote I posted at the top. So today, instead of being grouchy I decided I would just work as hard as I could and put a smile on my face. Every time I thought I was getting irritated with the kids I just asked for a little patience, and worked a little harder. I realized that sometimes it’s in the quiet times that you love your family the most.

Loving our children is one of the greatest gifts that we can give them as mothers. But let us remember that we love our children much more by our actions than by the words that we speak. The love that we have for our family should propel our work. Jesus loved us so much that he died for us. Even though Jesus spoke loving words every time he opened his mouth it was what He did while He lived on this earth that we remember and try to emulate. Be like Christ to your family! Sometimes they are the people that are hardest to be Christ-like to.
　
Don't forget to count your blessings--especially the small ones!! :)

Prayer and a little Paleo

　
　

“Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.

 Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.”

~St. Ephraem

When I was in college my mom used to always end our correspondence with, “don’t forget your prayers”. A priest once told me that praying is just like talking to your best friend. Would you go a day without talking to your best friend? Then why would you go a day without talking to your Creator?

I fall back on prayer a lot. Even during times of my life when I felt like it was worthless and wasn’t helping me a bit, I just kept on praying. Why? I do it because of what St. Ephraem stated above. I have had my fair share of sadness and disappointments in life. I’m not going to tell you a sob story, and believe me I know there are a lot people who have had it worse, but nonetheless I’ve dealt with some stuff. As powerful as prayer has been to me during those tough times it’s during the day-to-day trials that I find I need prayer the most.

Sometimes I wonder how people who don’t pray or don’t believe in God get through a day!

Going into this season of “thankfulness” I encourage you to continue praying. Make sure that you have thankful prayers during the day. Say a prayer for someone you don’t usually pray for. Spend quiet time just listening to the Lord. Try going to adoration. Pray for wisdom, guidance, forgiveness, help, grace, patience, and pray for yourself. Prayer is a very powerful thing! Don’t underestimate it.

Don’t forget to count your blessings--especially the small ones!! J

P.S. I've been doing the paleo plan for 5 days now and LOVING it!! I have lost 3.5 lbs already...which is huge b/c I've been stuck at a plateau for a little while now. Plus, I feel great and I can't wait to continue trying everything that goes along with the paleo lifestyle. I feel like a whole new chapter is starting in my life.

PLAY DAY

We have had so much going on around here lately that we needed a play day. Today I woke up and didn’t do a thing other than play with my kids. Eliza and I started the day by watching some cartoons in my bed while we waited for Jackson to wake up. Then we all ate some breakfast and got ready for the day.

By 10:00 we were out the door and headed to the indoor play ground. It was a little chilly this morning, otherwise we would have gone to the outdoor playground. We spent all morning playing and having fun. We even packed a lunch and had a little picnic at the playground. It was just what we needed. By the time we headed home at 1:15 both kids were worn out! Jackson fell asleep in the car, and ended up sleeping until 3:30. Eliza was ready for her nap once we got home. She slept until 3:30 as well. Once they woke up we had a little snack and bundled up to go to the neighborhood park. We took the long way there and enjoyed the outdoors. We stopped at almost every house along the way so Eliza could investigate something new. By the time we made it home it was already time to get dinner started. It was a pretty perfect day!

Honestly, I wish this is how every day could be. Sometimes I think, “Is my house ever going to get clean and stay clean?” Or I think, “Yup, I’ll have more laundry to do tomorrow.” There’s even the weekly, “Ughh, it’s time to meal plan and grocery shop for next week.” Today, all I was thinking was “Man, soon these kids will be all grown up and we won’t have days like this!”

Being a mom is a tough balance. If all we did every day was play, play, play, then all the other area’s in life that we are responsible would suffer. Housework, laundry, cooking, paying bills, yard work, grocery shopping, all the errands we run, and all the other “little things” we do every day still NEED to be done. Being a mother is so much more then just playing with our kids, but having a play day every once in a while is SO important for mom and kid.

Growing up I can remember thinking, “Man, all dad does is come home from work and play with us, and mom is always working.” Now, obviously my dad did a whole lot more than just play with the kids and my mom did more than just “work around the house”, but those were the things I noticed. I’m not faulting either of my parents because I know my dad did work around the house and I know my mom spent time playing with us kids, but isn’t this how every household works? Why is it that the dad comes home and is the “big playmate”, while mom works?

If there is one thing I’ve learned while being a parent, it’s that I NEED to play with my kids as much as I can. God has loaned them to me. Who is a better playmate for my children then me? There is an old saying that teacher’s pass around: “Everything a child needs to know, he learns in kindergarten.” The lessons that a child learns while playing are so numerous. It’s an awesome gift to be able to be the first teacher to my children, and to teach them while we are having fun makes it that much better. Hopefully, as my kids grow up they can remember that the lessons they learned while playing with their parents were just as important as lessons learned at other times.
　
Don't forget to count your blessings--especially the small ones! :)

Purity in Marriage

Purity is essential to love. It is a virtue and must be practiced. As married people, our every word, our every touch must signify to our spouses that they are more to us than just bodies; they are precious and immortal souls belonging to God.

An absence of purity destroys our peace and makes it impossible to think of anyone but ourselves. Impurity has an obsessive, addictive quality that withers our sensitivity and empathy for others. ~Lisa Mladinich
I wish I could take credit for the words that Lisa wrote above. They are such perfect words for every married person to read. Lisa is a freelance Catholic writer that wrote those words in an article that I read this morning.

(http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Sexy-in-Context-Is-Holy-Lisa-Mladinich-11-02-2011.html)

It seems that in our world today purity is almost a taboo subject. Everywhere we turn we are being bombarded with sex, and not the good kind of sex. Everything from commercials to television shows to music is being sexualized in today’s culture. This is not a new thing, just like talking about purity is not a new thing. The big distinction that Lisa makes is that purity is not just for the unmarried. Purity is essential to love. Husband and wife have an obligation to be pure for God and for their spouse.

Marriage is the foundation of the family. The foundation needs to be built on rock and not on sand. Impure thoughts or actions are like quick sand for a marriage. I’d venture to guess that most married people don’t think about their own purity very often. When’s the last time you watch a sexualized television show or stopped to notice the attractive man on the magazine add? Why do we continue to watch stuff like that? Our society has normalized it. God has called each and every one of us to be better than that! You should have more respect for yourself and for your spouse. Shrugging it off and saying that it doesn’t affect you is not a proper response. Instead, evaluate what it has done to your mind and the pure thoughts that you should have about your husband/wife. An absence of purity makes it impossible to think of anyone but ourselves. Remaining pure is not a passive thing. Purity requires action. Our mission of purity does not end when we get married. We must continue to strive for purity in our daily lives. This is sometimes easier said then done. Especially in today’s society, although that is still no excuse.

We are called to be nothing but loving and selfless to our spouse. It’s easy to think of yourself and your needs, especially when we are surrounded by a culture that glorifies immediate gratification and the “feel good” attitude. We are called to rise above the norm. We are called to be like Christ to one another and especially like Christ to our spouse. Love your spouse the best you know how--remaining pure is a step to a fuller love.

Overwhelmed??

“The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.”

~Pope St. Gregory the Great

Do you every get overwhelmed? I think it’s safe to say that any normal person gets overwhelmed every once in a while. I had a good friend of mine tell me that I never look frazzled a couple weeks ago. The very next week she saw me at our kids story time at the library and said I looked tired and she’d never seen me look tired before. I guess I just do a good job of hiding it most of the time, but I get overwhelmed just like the rest of you. (Just ask my husband)

This past week has been particularly overwhelming. We celebrated two birthdays, finished getting Halloween costumes ready, had 3 get-togethers with friends, and dealt with a sick baby boy. So let’s just say that the lack of sleep mixed with all the happenings got to me a bit. I know I haven’t been the most pleasant person to be around the past couple of days either.

So this morning as I was saying my morning prayers, and looking for some inspiration to start the day off well, I came across the quote I posted at the top. So today, instead of being grouchy I decided I would just work as hard as I could and put a smile on my face. Every time I thought I was getting irritated with the kids I just asked for a little patience, and worked a little harder. I realized that sometimes it’s in the quiet times that you love your family the most.

Loving our children is one of the greatest gifts that we can give them as mothers. But let us remember that we love our children much more by our actions than by the words that we speak. The love that we have for our family should propel our work. Jesus loved us so much that he died for us. Even though Jesus spoke loving words every time he opened his mouth it was what He did while He lived on this earth that we remember and try to emulate. Be like Christ to your family! Sometimes they are the people that are hardest to be Christ-like to,especially on those days that we are overwhelmed the most.
　

Happy Halloween!!

This year my kids are dressing up as Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy. They have homemade costumes!! I did not make them, I don’t have a creative bone in my body. A friend from church offered to make them, and I am so happy she did because they are adorable.

While our kids will be enjoying candy today Brian and I decided that we are going to start a new “lifestyle”. We’ve started the Paleo lifestyle. We’re going to transition from “sugar-burners” to “fat burning beasts”. (At least that’s what the book tells us) Mark Sisson has a website: marksdailyapple.com. You should check it out. He has done a ton of research and has a lot of proof to back up his dietary and workout suggestions. We’ve decided to try it first hand and see what we think.

We have already made some changes in our food over the past few months by trying to purchase more organically, but now we are doing a complete overhaul. I just got home from the grocery store and I was quite surprised that my grocery bill wasn’t higher. I only spent about $40 more than I usually do. I had turkey lettuce wraps for lunch. They were pretty good, but I’m already missing my grains! The Paleo challenge lasts for 21 days, which will bring us right up to Thanksgiving. (No we’re not going to give that meal up!!) I’ll keep you updated as we go. If you’ve never looked into it I highly suggest reading about it.
　

Traditions

My siblings like to call me the “Tradition Nazi”. Since I was very young I’ve always insisted that we do the same thing on holidays. Whether that be having our sibling slumber party on Christmas eve or eating turkey sandwiches before bed on Thanksgiving, we have to do what we’ve always done. (Just ask the in-laws!)

I didn’t think too much about my family traditions until I became a mom. My mom once told me that it’s important for a mother to set traditions--especially in large families because then everyone knows what’s going on and no one can get their feelings hurt. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have our share of hurt feelings still-- but no one is surprised by what “the family” is doing on any given holiday. This is yet another piece of wonderful advice that my mom has given me over the years!

One tradition that my mom set up was making us each our favorite meal and cake for our birthdays. I always looked forward to bbq ribs and black forest cake. I remember one year I asked for three different main meals and my mom made each one. ( My eyes have always been way bigger than my stomach) I have tried to carry on the same tradition with my own family. My kids aren’t old enough to realize it, but I’ve tried to make birthdays very special and unique for each person.

Today is Brian’s 28^th birthday. (HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!) Brian is not a huge sweets fan, but he loves cheesecake! As I write this I have a Reese’s peanut butter cheesecake baking in the oven. (Only 1300 calories per slice!!) His pile of gifts is waiting for him on the table. Unfortunately, I have to go play in a soccer game tonight so we wont be having a grand dinner, but we’ll still have something special. The thing that I’ve learned by making birthdays a “big deal” is that it’s as much fun for me as it is for the person that gets spoiled. I have enjoyed every minute of making Brian’s cake and wrapping his presents. It’s not just a task that has to get done. I’ve used the time to pray for Brian and our family. Instead of being stressed out by all the work I have a wonderful kind of peace and calm. I’ve come to realize that the traditions aren’t just about the “doing”, they are about all those things you can’t see.

Even though it takes a lot of work to continue traditions, I plan to do my best to keep them going. It’s one of the reasons I look forward to holidays so much. Hopefully, as my children get older they will look forward to celebrating the traditions as much as I do. J
　
Today I am thankful for the blessing of my husband, Brian. God sure knew what he was doing when he brought him into my life so many years ago.　
Don’t forget to count your blessings today--especially the small ones!!

Simple Tips for a Healthy Life

Staying fit and healthy is something that most people try to achieve in their day to day life. I’ve always considered myself a very fit and healthy person. I was blessed to be raised in a family that encouraged lots of activity and I had a mom that served delicious healthy food-- most of the time. (She is an amazing cook, so she has to cook those fatty delicious foods every once in a while) Exercise and healthy eating really became a way of life for me at an early age because of all the sports I was involved in. In order to be the best you had to do everything you could to get an edge over your competitors. This mentality helps me to this day. Even though I’m not out training for an upcoming sports season I still strive to be healthy.

This is probably the most important time in my life to be healthy. Going from growing a child in my body to raising that child once he/she is out in the world with me, I strive to make my body as healthy as possible for my kids. I want to give them the best fighting chance, so I figure if I can be the best “vessel” possible I’m doing my part. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m just as vain as the next woman. It’s a sin that I wrestle with on a daily if not hourly basis. I want to look the best I can too. I realize I wont ever be wearing a skimpy bikini again-- all my beautiful stretch marks made sure of that. However, I want to look the best I can. As you all probably know, this is so much easier said than done. When your body is in constant flux of pre-baby, baby, post-baby, and getting ready for next baby it’s hard to have your OWN body.

Today I’m going to share a few tips that I follow for getting into shape and staying into shape. I am no expert, and it’s a constant battle. However, I have done a lot of research on healthy eating and I am constantly looking for new workout routines to try out. I could probably write my own book full of things that have or haven’t worked for me. So chances are if you are struggling I can probably give you some good advice.

Tip #1: Follow the 80/20 rule.- This goes for eating and working out. This is especially important for moms. Whether you are pregnant, nursing, trying to get that baby weight off, working on getting pregnant again, or done having babies your body needs a break. So workout hard 80% of the time and take it easy 20% of the time. The same is true with eating. 80% of the time eat healthy and 20% of the time enjoy your guilty little pleasures.

Tip #2: Change up your workout routine often.- I have learned this one from experience. Our bodies are very smart and they figure out workout routines very quickly. This is why when you first begin an exercise program you are sore the first few days and gradually your body gets less and less sore. You need to confuse your body. This means you should be doing all sorts of workouts. Weight-lifting and cardio are essential, but how you get those in is up to you. I’m constantly trying new workouts. Especially when I feel like I am at a plateau. I try to do different workouts each day of the week. Usually I’ll take one day off and on the other days I’ll mix in different kinds of cardio and weight routines. (I have tons of ideas, so if you need some let me know)


Tip #3: Eat often and eat enough.
- This is a concept that women really struggle with. A lot of women think that if you eat 3 small meals a day you will lose weight faster. The opposite is actually true. You should never feel hungry. I like to eat 5 to 6 small “meals” a day. Each of those meals is around 300 calories. (300 good calories) Eating this way helps me continue to eat healthy all day and eat enough. When I find myself at a plateau I immediately look at what I’ve been eating. Most of the time it’s that I haven’t been eating enough. Our bodies go into a starvation mode and the scale wont budge.

Tip #4: Get down and play with your kids.- Have you ever tried to follow a 2 year old around during the day? Try it. It will be the best workout you’ve ever done in your life!! Whether you have a 2 year old to chase or not try to get in little workouts throughout your day. Keep your body active. Park a little farther away from the door, wrestle with your kids/dog, carry your own groceries to your car, power walk while shopping, the list could go on and on. When we keep our bodies active we are more likely to make healthy choices. Plus doing all those little workouts will work muscles that don’t get as much work in a normal workout.
　
Tip #5: Drink lots and lots of water.
- This one is pretty self explanatory. Stay away from the caffeine and soda. You should always have a water bottle by your side and when it gets empty fill it up. Our bodies need water! This one alone will help you feel so much better during the day.

A Little Me Time

I think that as a mother finding me time is the hardest thing to do. There are so many things that we HAVE to do every day. Feed the kids, change the kids, play with the kids, do the laundry, discipline, clean, run errands, pray, take care of our husband, work out, the list could go on and on. Finding that me time is challenging not only because of our lack of time, but because of the guilt that so often comes with that time.

I am blessed to have many wise women in my life. A few months ago some of those women sat down with me and explained to me that I need a break every once in a while. I argued that only the selfish moms need breaks and that I was strong enough to do everything I was supposed to do and not wear down. They helped me see that it is important to have that break. It is not selfish to take some time for yourself, on the contrary--it is better for your children and your spouse.

So over the past few months I have made it a point to take time for ME. Sometimes I’ll go out with a friend other times I’ll go out all by myself. (I swear I still hear my children yelling mommy even when they aren’t with me) I’m slowly getting better about just going and getting away for a while AND not thinking about what’s going on at home while I’m out. I truly cherish that time now. Even if I only get away for 1 hour out of the entire week. I take that hour to breath and to appreciate my life. It seems like I am always ready to come home after my break. ( So far at least--I’m sure I’ll have my day where I’ll want to stay out and not come home;))

Now I look back at the days where I didn’t take a break and I wonder what I was thinking. God puts wise women in our lives for a reason and it’s safe to say that I’ll not question their advice anymore. (Ok I’ll probably still question them a bit)

I LOVE being a mom. There isn’t anything I would rather do with my life. I know how blessed I am to have healthy children and a loving husband to raise a family with. I am only human though, just like you other moms out there. Do yourselves a favor and take some time for YOU each and every week. Don’t feel guilty and don’t stress about it-- just do it!! You’ll thank me later.

Blessings I’m counting today:Fall weather
Yummy recipes
Good friends

Remember to always count your blessings--especially the small ones! J
　

Blessings

　
Monday mornings are always a bit wild around our house. We are always trying to recover from the weekend. Usually the day is spent running errands, catching up on laundry, and cleaning. This also means that Mondays are usually a bit overwhelming. I’m prepared for that though and try to plan accordingly. When I get overwhelmed during the day I do one of two things. I either say a quiet prayer to myself, or I turn on some Christian music. ( I guess I also have the occasional “freak out”)

This morning after listening to a song that my mom posted on facebook I googled the artist, Laura Story, and listened to a few of her songs. I came across her song entitled “Blessings” and was truly touched. The chorus is posted below.
　
　

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

I think it’s so easy for us to forget that God is with us every second of every day. One of the reasons I titled my blog “Laura’s Little Blessings” is because I truly believe that we are given millions of little blessings throughout each day. When is the last time you thanked God for those little blessings? When is the last time you thanked God for the challenges of your day?
　Check out “Blessings” on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nynUqUZ5zX8&NR=1

I hope it gives you some inspiration as you start your week!!
　
Blessings I am thankful for today:My children
Quiet moments during the day
My brothers and sisters
All the inspirational women in my life, especially my mom
　
Remember to always count your blessings--especially the little ones! J

Defiance Defined

“Mommy take me out and spank my bottom!!”

This was just one of the things that Eliza decided to scream during mass this weekend. She also added her favorite songs , Old McDonald, Twinkle Twinkle, and The Itsy Bitsy Spider which added humor for those that sat around us. However, it allowed for Brian and I to become increasingly frustrated as mass wore on.

Eliza is one of those kids that drives you crazy, but also makes it hard to discipline her because she defies so happily. Rarely does she ever “throw a fit”. Usually her defiance consists of continued chatter when I’ve asked for quiet or continued singing when we’re in places like church. We’ve had many people give “suggestions” on how to handle such a child. Anything from take her out and spank her when she misbehaves to just ignore her. So far she has out-smarted us on all fronts. Luckily, she doesn’t misbehave every Sunday to the extent that she did today.

When I became a teacher veteran teachers used to explain to me that they learned new things each year that they taught. Now that I’m a parent I am learning new things each and every day.
I believe that a defiant child is just another one of those wonderful lessons that God throws at parents. Instead of discouraging me has become a challenge for me. I figure that if I can make it through the day dealing with a child like Eliza then I can make it through most anything in life.

My mom once commented about Eliza saying “I wonder how she’s going to focus all that energy when she gets older?” It was her nice way of saying, “What a wild child.” But as we crawl through these defiant days I too look forward to Eliza focusing her energy.

St. Catherine of Siena once said ,“By Humble and faithful prayer, the soul acquires, with time and perseverance, every virtue.” Time and perseverance are very important in parenting. As Eliza grows I hope she continues to be just as spunky as she is now, and I pray that I have the virtue to deal with her spunk.
　
Blessings I'm thankful for today
Eliza

Remember to always count your blessings--especially the small ones!! :)

Back to the Basics

Have you ever listened to a good coach? I mean a coach that can take any kind of talent in any sport and make the players really fun to watch? There's one phrase that you will hear a good coach say over and over-- "practice and master the fundamentals".

I’ve had the opportunity over the past few weeks to return to my “glory days” just a bit by playing some indoor soccer. I’ve learned a couple things while playing. The first, is that I am not 17 years old anymore and the second, is that having 2 knee surgeries and 2 c-sections really takes a toll on a woman’s body. So last night we played against some young men that were not from this country. They were athletic, in their early 20’s, and totally ran circles around us. These guys were running circles around our team while speaking to each other in their foreign tongue. My first thought was, well even if I was still 17 I wouldn’t have a chance. (Don’t tell my 17 year old self that--she would kill me for thinking this way) My second thought was, return to the basics. I was not going to be able to stick with those guys, and I surely couldn’t out-run or out-move them, so I had to get back to the fundamentals. We ended up losing anyway, but I did score the only goal.

I think that our spiritual life is very similar to all those sports we love to play/watch. The players that are GREAT are those that focus on the basics and master them before trying any fancy stuff. Our spiritual life should rely on the basics as well.

Confession, the rosary, adoration, novena’s, and a multitude of written traditional prayers are all basics that as Catholics we should fall back on when our spiritual life may not be very inspired. We’ve all been there. We’ll all probably be there again at some point in our lives. “Going through the motions” isn’t the way that we’re supposed to pray or act in mass. However, the grace of God is still being given to us! It is through His grace that our spiritual life will become inspired again.

When you’ve had a long day, week, or month remember that God’s grace is ever-present. Get back to the basics. Let the basics transition you into the fancy stuff. God doesn’t call us to be perfect. God just wants us to be the best we can be each and every day, so we fall back on the stuff we know by heart and let the rest fall into place.

Always count your blessings--especially the small ones! J

Is it morning already?!?

I hate eating breakfast. At least, I used to hate eating breakfast.

When I worked outside the home I would take the extra sleep over breakfast any day. My bed and I have a love-love relationship. I LOVE to sleep in my bed and my bed loves giving me restful nights of sleep. I can’t remember a morning I woke up and really wanted to get out of bed.

So now that I have a two year old running into my room every morning, passing right by Brian and running to my side of the bed screaming or sometimes singing “it’s a beautiful day Mommy, time to wake up!!” I have learned that if I don’t eat a good breakfast the rest of the day is doomed. Sometimes I’ll wake up extra early to go running-- I love those days! Even though it means less sleep, it also means some peace and quiet at the beginning of the day. It’s a tough choice though, having a sweet little girl to wake me up or some peace and quiet.

Breakfast is not a tough choice though. In fact, I’ve made it so that breakfast is a no-brainer. (since my brain usually hasn’t started working yet anyway) Whether I run first or not I eat one of two things. Either a smoothie or some sort of scrambled eggs mixed with veggies. Today I am going to give you a wonderful recipe for a smoothie.

This is a very basic recipe for a smoothie. (Bold) The coolest thing about smoothies is that they can be so nutritious and you can add so many different things to them without changing the taste too much. (I’ve put the extras in italics.) So if you have a hard time fitting in fruits and veggies during the day, add some. If you have high cholesterol or not enough good cholesterol, add some fish oil and flax seed. The smoothie below is about 300 calories and packed with protein!!

¼ cup organic-skim milk

¼ yogurt ( I like to use Greek--but you can use whatever)

1 scoop protein powder ( I love the target vanilla-- 25g protein per serving!!)

4 to 5 frozen strawberries (any berries can work or a mixture)

2 eggs

2 tbls. Flax seed

1 scoop Greens+

Stay tuned, in a later blog I’ll give a great recipe for a make-ahead breakfast burrito that will please everyone in the family-- health nut or not!

Blessings I’m counting today:Story-time at the Library
Sunny Fall mornings
Being able to stay home with my kids (Thanks Brian!!)

Remember to always count your blessings-- especially the small ones! J

Simply do better...

We’ve had a tough couple days around our house. Both Brian and I have been sick. Taking care of two little kids is very challenging when both mom and dad just want to lay in bed all day! We did our best taking turns, and today Brian is back to work and the kids and I are going to catch up on everything we’ve missed out on the past 2 days. I came across the following quote yesterday and it helped bring everything into perspective. I hope it touches your heart as well.
　
“Listen to me for one moment and you will see that only the service of God will console us and make us happy in the midst of all the miseries of life. To accomplish it, you do not need to leave either your belongings, or your parents, or even your friends, unless they are leading you to sin. You have no need to go and spend the rest of your lives in the desert to weep there for your sins. If that were necessary for us, indeed, we should be very happy to have such a remedy for our ills. But no, a father and a mother of a family can serve God by living with their children and bringing them up in a Christian way. A servant can very easily serve God and his master, with nothing to stop him. No, my dear bretheren, The way of life means serving God changes nothing in all that we have to do. On the contrary, we simply do better all the things we must do!” ~St. John Vianney


Let us all remember that our most important job is being a parent. Our children are on loan to us from God. One day they will return to him. So even on those most trying of days, lets look at our kids as the wonderful gifts they are.

Some blessings I'm thankful for today:
Sick days
Comfortable beds
Chicken Noodle soup
Kids who snuggle

Remember to always count your blessings-- especially the small ones!

Enjoying Mass...

Will I ever be able to enjoy mass again?

Not too long after Eliza was born I remember asking my dad this exact question. It felt like “getting through” mass was all that I was able to do each week. My dad responded with some comment like “ yeah, it’s been like that for more than 20 years for me”.

I honestly didn’t think too much of it at the time, but as the weeks passed I really began missing the mass. After Jackson was born I even thought about going to mass by myself on Saturdays and then with the family on Sundays. However, it wasn’t just me that was missing the mass. Brian made comments almost every Sunday about not being able to pay attention or only catching one of the readings.

When I sat and really thought about it I began to realize that I MADE time for so many other things in my life. I always find time to fit in a workout during the day, I find time to watch my favorite television shows, and I even find time to mess around online during the day. I say my prayers daily, but that just wasn’t enough. So I decided we needed to do something about this mass problem.


Recently Brian and I have begun reading all the readings for Sunday mass on Saturday evenings. We read through them, sometimes more than once, and then we discuss them together.

It’s amazing what I am able to get from the mass after just doing this little thing.

I encourage all of you with small children to do the same thing. Take some time to not only pray with your spouse, but to go over the Sunday readings, and even the daily readings. Mass is something that sets Catholics apart from all other religions. We are blessed to receive the body and blood of Christ each and every week. The least that we can do is study His word and get the most out of each mass that we can.

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

Have you ever held up a baby to look at themselves in a mirror? Have you ever dressed a two year old and told them to go “check themselves out” in mommy’s mirror?

The way they look at themselves is the way that I think God wants us to look at ourselves each and every day. There are days I look at myself in the mirror and think I don’t look so bad, and then there are those days where I look in the mirror and change my outfit 20 times because nothing looks good. We’ve all done it.

Not little kids though. Little kids LOVE looking at themselves. They try to make the baby in the mirror smile and laugh the entire time they are looking. This is the same way that God looks at us. Each and every day God wants us to be happy and wants us to bring some happiness to those around us.

In college I knew a girl that never looked in a mirror. It seemed so odd to me at the time. However, now I think it was a brilliant idea. Why bother looking in the mirror if all you’re going to do is criticize yourself? For the next week I’m challenging myself to think positively when I look in the mirror. I’m going to try to be just like my kids and make myself smile and laugh as I see that beautiful reflection that God blessed me with. I challenge you to be child-like as you look in your own mirror this week.

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” ~Matthew 18:3


Some of the blessings I’m counting today:
Watching my kids dress up and play together in front of the mirror
Sleeping in on the weekends
Working in the yard on beautiful days
Halloween Festivals

Don't forget to count your blessings-- especially the small ones. :)

The beginning...

So, I’m new to this whole blogging thing. I’ve been told that this will be a good way to document this crazy thing I call my life. It seems like at least 3 times a day I’m telling myself “ I should really write this down”. So here’s my small attempt at writing all that “stuff” down.

I don’t have a ton of extra time during the day to make these posts long and eloquent, plus I never was a very good writer, so some will probably only be a few sentences. I hope that along the way you will find some inspiration for your own crazy life.

Some of the blessings I'm counting today:
Going to the park with my kids on a sunny fall day.
Smoothies for breakfast.
Target brand baby supplies saving me money.

Always remember to count your blessings-- especially the little ones. J