Milestones…

I swear, if I have to experience one more “childhood milestone” this week, I am going to have a nervous breakdown.

Isabella turned 5.
Isabella lost her first tooth.
Isabella rode a school bus for the first time today and had her orientation at school.
Stephen crawled out of his crib for the first time today (more like a thump than a crawl)
Stephen said his first sentence “I like that”
Isabella is going to Kindergarten on Wednesday.

No big deal, right? Okay, I am about one step from being a puddle on the ground. That’s right! If you look for me on Wednesday I will be in a corner crying.

Okay, so I exaggerate slightly but seriously, so many changes are happening right now. My little ones are growing up and it is so hard to realize that I am not always going to be the center of it! How pathetic do I sound?

My consolation is that when they are not with me I know God is watching over them and that their Guardian Angels are working overtime.

God has blessed Marc and me with two amazing children and up until now we have been the major part of their lives, especially with Isabella. But now that she is going to “big girl school” she will have teachers, bus drivers and many children to interact with on a daily basis. With Stephen, he is no longer “portable”. He goes where he wants WHEN he wants. His afternoon nap is now a fading memory.

I am grateful they are growing up because that is God’s plan for all children. We are to prepare them for the world and as much as we want to shelter them, they must experience the joys and sorrows of growing up whether we like it or not. We can pick them up and hug them after a fall from the crib. We can share in their excitement as they show us what the Tooth Fairy left them.

It is a roller coaster ride that I never understood until I became a parent.
I am so grateful…and so exhausted! :)

Half a decade...

Happy Birthday Isabella!

It seems like just yesterday that my water broke and Marc was rushing home to take me to the hospital.

Almost 24 hours, 3 epidurals and surgery prep later I heard a throaty cry. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. Isabella was born: 8 pounds 2 ounces, 21 inches long.

What a blessing she has been. She has brought us so much joy. She has taught us love, understanding, patience and the value of life. She came into our life and brought so much meaning.

All the “tough” times have been outweighed by exciting milestones: First teeth, first steps, potty training, first day of preschool, giggles and many, many “I love yous”.

God works in mysterious ways. At one time Marc and I wondered if we would be good parents. We prayed for her while she was in my womb and it is us who have been blessed. God has created a little girl with so much joy, and endless energy, and an innocent outlook on life with so much wonder.

So here we are, 5 years later and it fills me with gratitude and a sense of melancholy. She is growing up. She will enter Kindergarten this year and has two loose teeth!

She is the embodiment of Faith. Children are hopeful and loving and eager to learn. Although it is hard to watch your children grow up, I am thankful for every moment with her.

So today our family is celebrating Isabella’s birth, and all the blessings in our life which have come from that wonderful day!

Out of This World...

Black and white...I am covered in paint.
No, I am not painting my walls.
No, I am not painting my house or the shutters.
I am not even finger-painting with the kids.
I am building a rocket ship.

Isabella's fifth birthday is next week.
Did she choose a Princess Party? Nope. (Much to my pleasure, as I am sick of the Disney Princesses.)
She didn't want Disney, Curious George or any other character themed party.
Isabella wanted a Planet party. No, not a Space party. A PLANET party.
So, for the last 3 weeks I have been searching for all things planets:
Glow in the dark solar systems, check.
Planet pencils, check.
Pin the planet to the solar system game (my own idea), check.
Cut outs of plants for the walls, for decorations, check.

Even though I have searched and searched for all things "Planet" I have made an executive decision to branch out and include other aspects of our vast universe. Rocket ships, three legged alien races and a big moon cake are a few things I have come up with.

Seeing as though I don't have enough to do, I decided to make a rocket ship. That’s right, a huge cardboard craft that the kids can play inside and get their pictures taken in. I thought it would be easy as pie.

Have you tried to build one?

The reason I am writing this in my blog is that I realized, while painting, that I get just as excited about birthdays as my daughter does. I get to go all out for her special day. After all, you only turn five once. As much as I complain about all there is to do, it is important to me to do these special things for my children.

So, next Wednesday I will have 10 guests over to celebrate the birth of my little girl. My little five year old who will be entering Kindergarten next month. It will be fun and exhausting and incredibly loud!

I wouldn't miss one moment of it. Not for all the stars in the sky!

A Few Bad Apples...

I am ticked off. No seriously, I am.

My children have pretty bad colds. The usual hacking coughs, runny noses and congestion are to be found in the kiddos along with trails of used tissues.

I popped into a drugstore near me and while there I picked up some Infant Cold and Cough drops. You can imagine my surprise when I was asked for my Drivers License, date of birth and my signature at the checkout. What?! As the line grew behind me I became flustered and very annoyed.

As it turns out our government passed the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005. (Well, yippee skippy for me.) According to this law any person purchasing any product containing ANY amount of Pseudoephedrine must present identification, address, signature along with the product sold and the amount of this drug in the product.

Are you kidding me?

Apparently, because some junkies like to use and sell methamphetamine, I am made to go through an interrogation in order to buy medicine for my family.

The use of “Meth” is disgusting and I don’t disagree that drug abuse is a serious problem in this country and a financial drain to our society. It tears apart families and friends. As a former drug abuse counselor I understand it and I pity those who suffer from addiction. Addiction is a personal demon that we all struggle with at some point.

However, government regulation of Infant cold drops is not the answer.

If a drug dealer/maker wants to make “Meth” he will find a way. I liken it to gun control. You can create all the laws you want about restricting the purchasing guns, but if a bad guy wants one bad enough (and has enough money) he will get one. It is the law abiding citizen who suffers in the end; filling out endless paperwork and jumping through bureaucratic hoops to register to carry a gun (which of course is a Constitutional right).

I bet the legislators who passed this Act are very proud of themselves. They have one more piece of legislation to put on their website under “accomplishments”.

I can see the fall election campaigns in my head now.

Mr. Joe Legislate the Americans to death is standing there proudly in front of an American flag saying…

“I’m running for Congress. In the last year I was part of a bipartisan effort to limit the amount of Pseudoephedrine in an effort to combat methamphetamine abuse…blah blah blah”

What he should say is:

“I’m running for Congress and my goal is to regulate Americans until they fall to their knees begging for mercy. God help that mother who is trying to buy medicine for her child. And, the man who wants to buy those super size French fries, forget it. Just wait for the Fast Food tax of 2007.

Where will this end? What happened to personal responsibility and common sense?

All I wanted to do was buy Infant Cold Drops. What I came home with was the medicine and an enormous grudge.

Open Letter to Vogue...

Jamie Pallott
Vogue Magazine
4 Times Square
NY, NY 10036

I am writing regarding your July 2006 article entitled “Our Bodies Herself: the Abortion Battle’s Fearless Warrior”. As a feminist I am all for honoring women who make a difference in our society. I am, however, disappointed with the intellectual dishonesty in this article.

If it was an honest article then Cecile Richards may have discussed the risks of abortion. She may have mentioned that the controversial issue of abortion is not viewed by all as a religious one. For many of us it is about protecting women, born and unborn.

What exactly is she a warrior for?

The physical dangers to women, as a result of abortion, include: uterine perforations, cervical damage, infection (including pelvic inflammatory disease), excessive bleeding, endotoxic shock, fever, hemorrhaging, possible future miscarriage, infertility, ectopic pregnancy and labor complications (a women who has an abortion is 3 times more likely to have complications) and sadly even death.

The mental dangers to women who procure an abortion include: depression, increase in abuse of drugs and alcohol, post traumatic stress disorder (often called Post Abortion Syndrome), feelings of guilt, relationship difficulties and suicidal attempts or successful suiciding. Studies have showed that a woman who has had an abortion is 6 times more likely to consider or attempt suicide.

If Vogue would really like to challenge itself, it may consider interviewing women who are actually willing to talk about their abortion experiences. Women deserve to know all the facts about this issue and your article did not tell the whole story.

I consider myself a warrior in the abortion battle too. I will fight to inform women of the dangers of abortion. I will peacefully battle to ensure that every life is protected, born or unborn.

My Friend is Having a Baby!

I don’t think there is anything as exciting as having someone you love tell you they are going to have their first baby. (Of course, if they tell you it is their second, third, fourth, etc., it is also great news!)

Tonight, one of my best friends told me she is pregnant and I couldn’t be happier for her and her husband. As she told me her eyes sparkled and she glowed. She expressed her excitement and nervousness. Tales of her early food cravings and aversions took up most of our conversation. She ordered a large ice cream at the restaurant (Banana ice cream with peanut butter cups) and then ordered a pint of the same to take home with her. It made me so happy to watch her providing so much calcium for her little baby, only 8 weeks along.

I have never seen her so happy, well, maybe on her wedding day. I couldn't stop thinking about what an amazing mother she will make. Her patience and love will go far while taking care of her newborn. Her joy and silliness will bring laughter in the home as new parents play with a new baby. It is obvious that the love her and her husband share will provide a secure and happy home.

Too often we celebrate things which can be bought: A home, car, a vacation… While some things are wonderful and many times earned, it can not compare to the moment that you find out you are expecting a baby.

I ask you to pray for my friend and her hubby as they extend their family to include a child. Nothing can compare with the joy of a new life!

Getting Ready for College...

I am young enough to remember my college days like it was yesterday but old enough to see many mistakes I made along the way.

Here are the Top Ten Mistakes (in my opinion) you can make as you begin your journey at college:

10. Don’t expect your professors to constantly remind you of your due dates. It is your job now, not theirs.

9. Eat healthy! While eating on campus it can be a struggle to find healthy fare but you must try! Bad eating habits are set in stone during college. There is no one to make sure you are getting a balanced dinner. Trust me; the woman who would eat a box of Twinkies in a day, nothing good comes from it.

8. Never wait to the day before class to buy your books and supplies. If you go early enough you can buy used books and save a TON of money.

7. Don’t neglect your family and friends back home. In the first month or two you may miss them but as time goes by and you are busy with your schedule you may forget to “drop a line” to those close to you. While e-mails are fine you will discover that sending a letter will make someone’s day!

6. “Oh, I’ve got time…” The art of procrastination is perfected in college. What would you rather do, go out with friends or work on that paper that is due in two weeks? Duh! I learned that if you write down long term due dates as “due” one week before they actually need to be handed in, you will never have to ask for an extension from a professor.

5. Just say no to credit cards! What college kid has a bunch of money? Not many that I knew. It is tempting to use plastic to pick up that blouse for a party or to charge things to decorate your room. But a bad credit card history will follow you for years. Someone once told me to place my credit card in a Ziploc bag and put it in a plastic tumbler filled with water. Then put it in the freezer until frozen solid. Next time you think you “need” that item, wait until it defrosts and reexamine if you really “need” it after all. Think ahead, leave the plastic at home.

4. Professors deserve respect! I knew students who talked to professors like they were beneath them. Can you imagine? These professional have studied for years and don’t need to waste time with a nasty little twit before/after/during class. If you give respect, you will get respect. Look the professor in the eye. Come to class on time. If you have an appointment let him or her know ahead of time that you will need to excuse yourself. Turn off the cell phone. Etc. Etc. Etc.

3. Ask for help. Once you miss a couple of classes, or if you are struggling with the material, you can get behind in your class work. If you need help then by all means ask for it. There are learning centers, tutors and professors who want you to do well. They aren’t there to watch you fail.

2. Student loans: Don’t take out more than you need. It is tempting to take out extra money for living expenses when you are applying for student loans. It is true that knowing that you have some spending money will ease your mind for a short time. However, you will find that this is a huge mistake. Paying between 8-10% on a $30,000 will have you paying for years to come.

1. Look outside the classroom. Your classes are where you will learn what is needed to get your degree. It is excellent to have this knowledge but don’t be too narrow-minded. The years you are in college will provide an education beyond the classroom. This includes interpersonal skills with other professionals, money management, volunteer opportunities, political involvement and interning in your field. The opportunities are limitless.

So there it is -- my two cents. Welcome to the real world. It is a nice place to visit but an even nicer place to live.

The President Did A Good Thing Today...

Finally, some strong words against embryonic stem cell research!

“These boys and girls are not spare parts. (Applause.) They remind us of what is lost when embryos are destroyed in the name of research. They remind us that we all begin our lives as a small collection of cells. And they remind us that in our zeal for new treatments and cures, America must never abandon our fundamental morals.”

“If this bill would have become law, American taxpayers would, for the first time in our history, be compelled to fund the deliberate destruction of human embryos. And I'm not going to allow it. (Applause.)

I made it clear to the Congress that I will not allow our nation to cross this moral line. I felt like crossing this line would be a mistake, and once crossed, we would find it almost impossible to turn back. Crossing the line would needlessly encourage a conflict between science and ethics that can only do damage to both, and to our nation as a whole. If we're to find the right ways to advance ethical medical research, we must also be willing, when necessary, to reject the wrong ways. So today, I'm keeping the promise I made to the American people by returning this bill to Congress with my veto.”’ (President George Bush, July 19, 2006)

The truth of the matter is that, as someone who has Rheumatoid Arthritis, I could potentially benefit from this immoral type of stem cell research. But do I want to see helpless babies killed for my cure? Heck no!

It is time for the American people to stand up and recognize that throwing money at ESCR (embryonic stem cell research) is not the answer! There are so many advances in adult stem cell research and umbilical cord stem cell research.

The pro-choice followers love it because once again it keeps us from looking at an unborn baby as just that. The scientists look at it as a cash cow to fund their research projects in the hope of being the first to have a positive outcome. In the end it devalues an embryo (baby) to a mass of cells which can be pulled apart for a “cure” in the name of science.

Who will stand up for the unborn children? President Bush did today. We, as tax-payers, and as compassionate and moral individuals must not rest until babies are safe from harm in their mother’s womb.

Have kids, will travel…

I have been neglecting my blogging. Actually, I didn’t think anyone read it until Marc and I took the kiddos to visit some dear friends. It was then that I was gently scolded (though not so subtlety) that I have not posted in months.

The past is the past so instead of trying to catch up on everything that has happened, I will start fresh…tomorrow.

Our four day family vacation to Youngstown, Ohio and Pittsburgh, PA was so much fun but completely exhausting. Luckily for us, Isabella kept the “Are we there yets” to a minimum and Stephen slept enough for us to have some quiet in the car.

We went to the Zoo and Aquarium, went swimming at the hotels everyday, ate out daily (which we aren’t going to do for months!) and visited with our dear friends and family whom we have missed so dearly.

When we got back to the house it was 87 degrees inside and the air conditioning isn’t making a dent in our humid abode. I feel like we are in some kind of tropical rainforest, minus the cool monkeys and colorful birds.

So tomorrow I will write more about our adventures but first we need to recover from our road trip!

Lock down...

Every day I "imprison" my son behind the bars of his crib.

It was never quite so bad but that was before we took away his bottle. I was dead set against this wicked decision, but my husband stood firm. “He is old enough to be off the bottle”. I, however, was not done with the bottle.

Well, it is a good thing Mr. Lewandowski does not have to be home when the little guy naps because I practically have to bring out the tear gas to get him to bed. Actually, he just brings out the tears and the wailing and gnashing of teeth.

I hand him his cup of milk, let him fill his little belly and lovingly put him in his crib with a big stuffed monkey to hug. I gently stroke his hair and shut off the light. Each time I do this I get my hopes up that this time will be easy. It has actually happened a couple of times, though rarely.

After about 10 minutes of screaming my patience is nonexistent and I feel like I am a cruel enforcer of naptime. I know he is tired. I know I am tired. I know his sister is tired. Why does he fight it?

So, alone I sit in my office working wondering how long it will take for the little boy to fall asleep. Oh the guilt. It is almost too much to handle.

Wait until he is my age. He will jump at any opportunity to take a “Nanny-noo” (nap). I know I would.

Mary Dwelley - Rest in Peace

It is really difficult when someone you know dies.

It could be a family member, a friend or an acquaintance but it doesn’t matter how you know them, it is that they have made an impact on your life.

Mary Dwelley was the President of Feminists for Life of New York. That is how I knew her. She was also extremely active at her parish of St. Bridget’s and a tireless advocate for peace and justice causes. I knew her as the woman who wouldn’t quit when it came to saving the lives of unborn babies. She was amazing.

The first time I met Mary was when I was looking to make pro-life contacts in Upstate New York, as I had recently moved here with my husband and didn’t have the opportunity to meet many in the pro-life network. Mary came to my house and we talked over dessert and coffee and I remember her being so pleasant and giving me so much information.

Later on I started working with Mary with Feminists for Life. She was always helpful and pleasant and never wavered in her passion for the unborn. She was very blunt when it came to correcting me when I made mistakes. That kind of honesty is always hard to hear at first but a person can’t help but be grateful for the opportunity for growth. You knew that when dealing with Mary that she was a defender of life and skilled in the ability to make her point known, using emotion and reason.

I just talked to Mary a couple of days ago. She had a busy week preparing for Holy Week and was “up to my eyeballs…and still trying to do my taxes!” It is hard to believe she is gone.

Mary was killed in a car crash yesterday. She was only 57, much too young to leave us.
A truck crossed the center line and hit Mary's car when she died instantly.

The news showed a picture of the back of her car. The bumper sticker read:
Peace begins in the womb.
That was Mary, protecting the unborn, even until the end.

The blow to this community is overwhelming. There are so many who knew Mary on a personal level who must be devastated. Her family, no doubt, must be beside themselves with grief.

She was a faithful Catholic, a friend to Feminists, an ally to the unborn. How fitting it is that she is meeting God during Holy Week.

Please pray for her friends and family during this difficult time.

Please pray for Mary Dwelley, that her soul rests in peace.

Maestro please...

When I was a child I wanted to play the violin or the cello. I REALLY wanted to play but due to various circumstances I was unable to do so.

I liked my Grandma’s reasoning the best. “You don’t want to play the cello, it is not ladylike. They have to have the thing between their knees, it isn’t right.” I love my Grandma so!

My second favorite was the public school I went to. After “testing” my musical aptitude it was determined I was tone deaf. Thanks for having a little faith folks.

Cut to the present.

My daughter loves music. She is now 4 and catches on pretty well to tunes and has a good memory. Last summer we bought her a guitar for her 4th birthday.

Well, that was in August and since then we have heard several times that she really wanted was a violin. Of course, that was music to my ears, as I had always had an interest.

So about 4 weeks ago we signed her up for a 10 week introduction to the “Suzuki method” class and she loves it. I mean she really LOVES it.

Oh wait….that’s me who really loves it. She likes it whole bunches. But me? I really love it. Do you see where I am going with this?

This class requires a parent to rent an adult size violin to learn on and then trade it in after 4-5 classes for a child’s size. They say that if the parent learns then they can better help the child learn. Well, that was just a mistake. You will have to pry that violin out of my hands.

I am 31 years old and when my hubby and the kiddos were out of the house I stood in front of a large mirror and played my heart out. I could hear the crowd cheering! People were throwing roses onstage. Children were begging for my autograph.

It was the most moving performance of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” you had EVER heard.

It brings me great joy to play. No matter how poorly I play I know I have been practicing and for once I am not watching a musician, I am the participant.

No, I am not a stage mom. My little girl loves to practice and it is great quality time that we get to spend with each other. If she decides someday she doesn’t like it then we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

For the time being I will relish each moment that I pull out that bow and shiny violin from the velvet lined case. It is like a treasure chest for me filled with excitement and the unknown.

My oldest sister calls it “a dying cat”, I call it music.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…and now a word from our sponsor

My husband and I suffer each morning.
It is terrible.
It is horrible.
I can barely write the words to describe it, but here I go.

Each morning we actually have to leave our bed. There, I said it.
Maybe it is a deadly sin I am participating in: Sloth.

It is a daily struggle because we invested in a Select Comfort bed last year. I say invested because comfort apparently has a price but when you consider health problems it is wise to invest in quality.

It all started with those crazy commercials about “sleep numbers” and “adjustable settings”. I disregarded them as a fad until my own doctor recommended that I seriously consider this purchase due to my arthritis. My hubby and I did our research: the cost, the statistics of pain relief, could it hold up to children jumping on it and the fact that our old mattress was 10 years old.

They offered us a 30 day trial with free delivery and set up. It was too good to pass up so one fine day our bed was delivered.

We spent a week playing around with our “numbers”.
Pssssst….huuummmmmmmmm….pssst…..huuummmmm
Pssssst….huuummmmmmmmm….pssst…..huuummmmm

That was the sound of the inflation and deflation of our new “toy”.

Within two weeks I was sleeping through the night and waking up with less discomfort.
They really should put a warning on the bed:

“Warning, this bed results in side effects of: comfort, fluffiness and general
happiness. Use of this product during the day can result in decreased
productivity”

I usually don’t promote items on my blog but when something is good, I like to share it with the world.

What's Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander...

My daughter is going to her first birthday party!

A young girl from Russia is in her preschool this year and she has invited Isabella to her party.
I have been thinking long and hard about which gift to get her. Should it be educational? Should it be a toy? Should it be a typical gift that I have seen other people get for preschoolers? Then I thought about the culture that she comes from. What if her parents don’t want to indoctrinate their child to the American merchandising craze?

I picked up a Disney Princess book that has little disks to you can hear the narrator tell the story. I thought ‘This may be a good compromise”. Then I looked at the pictures through a new set of eyes. I looked at Arial with her seashell top and exposed midriff. I saw Princess Jasmine with very low cut harem pants and revealing top. Even the three “admirers” in Beauty and the Beast are well endowed, throwing themselves all over the villain of the movie.

It made me uncomfortable. Was I being a prude?

I decided not to get the book. And then it occurred to me: If these stories were not good enough for this little birthday girl, why were they okay for my own daughter?

Isabella has been going through a Disney Princess faze and although I see it as fostering her imagination I can’t help to feel that I am conditioning, even condoning this type of image. No matter how “strong” these heroines are they are still portraying a sexy image which shouldn’t even be brought to a child’s attention. In addition, my sister brought up a good point at how sanitized the Disney stories are. For instance, in the real story of the little mermaid she ends up dying and endures great pain during the story. The story also has a point about the consequences when she doesn’t listen to her father. How does the Disney version end? The father accepts the choices she makes even though she defies him, she gets what she wants and it is all happy in the end. What does that teach a child? (I will stop there as I sense a rant coming on…)

I spoke with my husband last night and he agreed with me. My only challenge now is how to start weaning Bella off these images. There must be a better way to foster her imagination than to subscribe to the entire Disney package.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

The Duck Sweater...

My mid teenage years are the reason my parents have gray hair today.

I went through the “usual” period of self discovery, sharp tongue and self “expression”. It was a time of adjustment, finding a way to belong and this often happened at the expense of my parent’s sanity. There was a clash between what my peers did and what was expected of me as a member of the family.

I would leave the house in grunge attire, as was the fashion at the time, and my mother would often offer some of her clothes to spiff me up a bit.

One of the articles often offered to me was a sweater. It was oatmeal colored cardigan with round silver buttons with snowflakes embossed on them. The sweater was adorned with a few apples, ducks, spinning wheels, Amish people and stalks of corn. (It sounds busy but believe it or not it is pretty tasteful looking.) I hated it at the time and would ignore my mom’s requests to put it on, seeing it as “lame” and so “Mom”. I continued to wear my dark clothing for a couple of years.

Later on I ask my Mom to wear it and she said no. Over and over again she said no. I let on like it didn’t bother me, after years of her trying to make me wear it, but I didn’t understand why the offer was now refused. Why couldn’t I wear what I had now labeled, “The Duck Sweater”?

One Christmas we were going light on gifts. Every family has "tight" Christmas seasons and this was ours. Although, looking back on it we were always blessed and my parents so very generous. I opened each gift, thrilled with each one. My Mom handed me a box and I tore through the wrap with excitement that can only be brought on by Christmas morning. As I opened the box and unfolded the tissue paper I found the beloved duck sweater.

It was a gift of understanding, a personal and meaningful gift.

I sit now wearing my duck sweater, many years later, and am grateful. I am grateful for my Mom’s generosity and also for sticking by me during those years where I had been difficult and contrary.

As I put on my sweater, as my son plays with the snowflake buttons, I think of Christmas’ of past and how blessed I have been. I am also grateful to both my parents who never gave in and never up on their little girl.

McDonalds is a Bad McInfluence…

Today was crazy. Out pipes under our kitchen sink finally went kaput so Marc made his way to Home Depot, full of confidence, though well aware he would have to make multiple trips.

My sister is in town from the Big Apple and decided to get the kiddos a treat, a McDonald’s happy meal, while I started to bring out a few Christmas decorations.

I heard the usual chorus of “Oh Boy! Chicken Nuggets!” My sister threw me the “toy” that came in the happy meal.

Oh boy, a W.I.T.C.H. figurine, what a great idea. I mean sure, if you like teens that can control wind, fire and water etc. and feel empowered by this, why not? Oh, and the title, “W.I.T.C.H” that must be harmless, right? After all, it is just the first letter of the first name of each of the characters. And let’s face it, it is created by Disney, how could that be a problem? Did I mention they had their little midriffs showing? How totally modest and hip of them…

The problem is that my 4 year old is getting this toy in her HAPPY MEAL! It is a treat for her because it isn’t exactly a regular occurrence due to the nutritional information. (I use the phrase nutritional very loosely.) What am I supposed to think when a toy (and the bag the meal comes in) has the word WITCH all over it? These characters battle “evil” by their own “magical” powers. So that makes it okay, because it is a “good” kind of magical power? I will be upfront and say that the term WITCH is the phrase that makes me sit up and take notice. I am uncomfortable with it and my motherly instinct says “NO!”.

No, I do not believe I am not overreacting. Am I crazy or is this a slippery slope? As a parent I am responsible for the nurturing and protection of my children. I am selective about television programming, books, etc. what would me act any differently about a toy? I will put my money where my mouth (a big mouth maybe) and tell them this is not okay.

I can tell you how grateful my little one was that she didn’t get a toy today. How do I explain that to her?
Thank you so much McDonalds.

Christ the King and Thanksgiving...

Today is the feast of Christ the King.
Incidentally, it is also the week of Thanksgiving.
And there is so much to be thankful for.

The feast of Christ the King has great significance to me and my family.

My husband and I started dating during the feast of Christ the King.
We got married the feast of Christ the King.
We got pregnant during the feast of Christ the King.
We moved to Rochester the week of Christ the King.
We moved into our first home on the weekend of Christ the King.

I am so very grateful for these events, as they have altered my life forever.

With Christ at the center of our lives I continually consider myself blessed. I have a wonderful husband, beautiful children, a family who loves and supports me and friends which are loyal and bring me joy. And of course I am thankful for the one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church which Christ established in order to bring us to Him.

I think of those who are going without this Thanksgiving. I am not talking about those who are without food. Of course, I pray God brings them comfort, shelter and nourishment for their bodies. However, I am talking about those who are lonely and without inner peace, the kind of peace that comes from knowing Christ. This Thanksgiving I pray that they may be made aware of the tremendous gift God has given them in life. I also pray that they may use every moment to worship Him and be open to His mercy.

May Christ the King bring us all joy and the knowledge that He is the King with whom we strive to be with in heaven. May we also thank Him for all that we have in our lives.

All Souls Day...

It is All Souls Day.
Let us remember the dead and ask God to bless them and keep them close to His merciful heart.

Stephen H. Banas
Thomas W. Shanahan
Jeanne K. Shanahan
Frank Mignano
Amelia Lewandowski
Adam Lewandowski
Theresa Mignano
Michael Mignano
Marie Mignano
Loretta Boss
Helen Zerkoski
Marie Starks
Catherine Kipp
Bernice Cokely

And for all those not listed…

Faith through Art

I received a print of a beautiful oil painting by Sr. Mary Grace Thul, O.P. called “St Dominic and Our Lady ”.
It is a beautiful image of Mary holding baby Jesus in her left arm and together they are draping a rosary on St. Dominic, who is kneeling at the foot of them.

I have it resting on top of my desk and look at it frequently.

At times I imagine myself kneeling where St. Dominic is. I can almost feel Mary’s garment against my back and the rosary beads gently grazing me. Am I worthy of such attention by Christ and his mother? There are moments where I contemplate my sinfulness and think “No”. But then I picture myself walking in the footsteps of St. Dominic and know that I am called to the Third Order. I am not without sin but rather I strive to be without sin and walk in the way of the Dominicans so that I can better serve God.

In this image I see the rosary as a reminder of the prayer life in which I am called to have. The nurturing nature of Mother Mary reminds me that I am constantly under her protection. Seeing the Christ child allows me to contemplate Christ’s life from birth and how I must work to have the innocence of a child. And St. Dominic represents my calling to preach and study in order to better serve God.

It is amazing how one image can lead you understand your role in the Church.

Thank you Sr. Mary Grace Thul, O.P.
http://www.sistermarygrace.artspan.com/

Hair today, gone tomorrow...

Isabella had beautiful one length hair. I even had fun putting it up, braiding it and making it look cute.

That was before. Before what, you ask?

Before my dear 4 year old decided to hack it off with child scissors.
Why wouldn't she cut it now? She has school pictures next week and she will be in a wedding next week too.

Didn't St. Catherine of Siena cut off her hair? Maybe Isabella was just trying to be holy.

I was pretty upset when I first saw it. I guess I should work on the virtue of patience and detachment.

I will save her hair for when she is older. I will show it to her when she asks why my hair is grey.