Little Boy, Big Museum

All of our kids enjoy museums, but it's a different type of enjoyment for Thomas. The rest of us have fun on days like this, especially spending time with friends. Thomas, on the other hand, is our home-body. He would rather be at home than most other places. But the museum is one of those places that makes him gladly leave his comfort zone!

But visiting a museum or zoo with Thomas is intense. He has strong opinions about animals...which ones he wants to see, in what order he wants to see them, what information he wants to read about them, and there's always some kind of situation he gets fixated on, relating to the animals he does or doesn't get to see on that visit. This time he was insistent that there was an American Crocodile in the wildlife exhibit. We found an American Alligator and an African Crocodile, but it took a good 30 minutes of him circling the exhibits and then me stopping a docent in the middle of a tour to confirm with him that there was not an American Crocodile there!

With Katie Grace in the mix, it makes things a bit tricky. KG is getting tired of her stroller at any location these days, and of course she was not wanting to be strapped in there while also being forced into a room with huge dinosaur bones and then one with huge stuffed wildlife creatures. "I (s)cared!" She was constantly going one way while T was going the other way. Finally some friends found us in the wildlife area and were able to help me keep an eye on Katie so I could help Thomas through his crocodile concerns.

After lunch, we had a scheduled tour of the Our Lady of Guadalupe exhibit with all the children. It was beautiful and informative. I thought Thomas would lose interest quickly, but actually he followed the docent around and kept raising his hand to ask or tell her different things like where Jesus was born. My little evangelizing 5 year-old!

Although the two little ones are pretty high-maintenance these days, and we had to brave a rainstorm to get there for the big kids' science classes, we did have a nice day at the museum and can't wait until next month! This has been a special treat, to finally be able to register for these museum classes which our friends have taken for years. Just one of many things I am so thankful for this year.

House Blessing 2016

I think we started trying to coordinate a house blessing around October! Along with the holiday season, our pastor has been very busy the past few months with all the exciting things going on for the Ordinariate. We were finally able to schedule it for last weekend. 

We had our pastor and his family (he's married, a convert to Catholicism, see Ordinariate link above!), some friends from church, and our other long-time friends who have seen us through quite a few moves (SEVEN homes since we've known them!), so it was a time of joy and thanksgiving for this new beautiful home we've been graced with. My parents stopped in too, and we shared in some good Texas BBQ grilled by Steven, and spent time enjoying the gorgeous February weather we've had this year.

We are so grateful for this home!

Father starts in prayer.

Steven Joseph had his first baseball game, which we all missed except my parents! But he made it back in time for the blessing and got to hold the holy water!

We paraded around the house, as he prayed and blessed the living and dining areas, the kitchen, the bedrooms and bathrooms, the front door, the cars, the garage, and even the backyard and porch!

In each room he offered a beautiful prayer for what would go on in that space and thanking God for those gifts. 

He blessed the children in their rooms.

And he had the funniest blessing for MC, mentioning how she gets her own, quiet room! But he also prayed that having time in her room alone will prepare her to go out alone into the world to follow Christ.

It brings a new peace knowing that we have prayed in this place and had it blessed. It was also nice to get the house in tip-top shape, probably the cleanest it has been and the cleanest it will ever be! I took photos of the rooms so that I can do a house tour soon. Thanks to all who have prayed us here to this place, and I hope that it will continue to be a home that we're able to share with others, and a place where we encounter Christ every day in our own little family. 

O heavenly Father, Almighty God, we humbly beseech Thee to bless and sanctify this house and all who dwell therein and everything else in it, and do Thou vouchsafe to fill it with all good things; grant to them, O Lord, the abundance of heavenly blessings and from the richness of the earth every substance necessary for life, and finally direct their desires to the fruits of Thy mercy. At our entrance, therefore, deign to bless and sanctify this house as Thou didst deign to bless the house of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; and may the angels of Thy light, dwelling within the walk of this house, protect it and those who dwell therein. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Project 366

Days 42-51

On Her Birthday

On Katie's birthday we had a full morning hosting a 4-H meeting, working on flower arranging, and then having some time for the Food Challenge kids to work on their aprons. We decided to head to the park after lunch to have some cupcakes and blow bubbles with the friends who were still there. Of course I took way too many pictures, but how could I not?!?

Katie with her flowers made by MC and her friend A, cupcakes made and decorated by the girls, and her special birthday balloons!

Singing Happy Birthday

Present from her family

Ballet shoes and a leotard with tutu!

She wants to put them on right now!

Bubbles!

NeNe and PaPa arrive with a fun present!

A puppy dog!

Back home to try on her ballet outfit!

She's not sure about the ballet shoes, so she takes them off and dances barefoot.

But she loves the tutu!

Happy Birthday, Beautiful Ballerina Baby!