Throwback Thursday

On Facebook people often post old photos on Thursday.  I thought I'd give you a slice of this day from 1996.  For some odd reason, I have a 1996 calendar on my desk.  My daughter found it some time ago and when she looked at it she remarked that we seemed quite busy.  Let's see if we were on Feb. 27, 1996.
Hmmm, it seems we had two events.  A den meeting for Peter and a parish council meeting for me.  Of course they were at the same time and so I am guessing that since Elisa was only seven she went with her father and brother to the den meeting while I went to the parish council meeting.  My brother and his wife were visiting but they stayed at our grandmother's house.  Lent had started the previous Wednesday.
Overall, I'd say busy, but not too busy.  Looking at the rest of the month is seems Peter was playing basketball, Elisa was a brownie and playing softball.

Sadly, I cannot find a picture from that time!  Yes, organizing my pictures is on my list for this year. However, just so you can see how cute they were, here's the picture from the first day of school in August of 1996!

Random, because I get distracted by shiny things

I am linking up this week with Jen at Conversion Diary and all the rest of the bloggers who are committing to 7 posts in 7 days.  Join us!

I opened the garage door this morning, put all my bags in my car and went over to the driver's side.As I turn there is a toad in the driveway, eyeing me.  I suspect it's the toad who lives in the yard and he knows I dislike him since he hops around and creeps me out when I weed.  I shoo it away but clearly it thinks I'm inviting him into the garage.  It hops under my car and I think, "please don't get under my tires", because as much as I dislike a live toad in my garage, a dead one would require an intervention and I just want to go to work. The toad is not dead but I do think it's still in the garage.

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There is a church I see from the highway on the way to work.  Sometimes there is a sign on it advertising a program or VBS; sometimes a phrase.  Currently it says "Speaking where the Bible Speaks".  Lots of questions about that idea.

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Bumper sticker:  "Sometimes you're the bug; Sometimes you're the windshield"  Okay, so who is winning on this one.  The bug dies when it hits the windshield but the windshield winds up with a yucky dead bug on it.  I don't want to be either since it seems to me the only two options are dead or dirty.

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Okay, on a serious note.  I was debating if I should go to Mass this morning.  Stop yelling at me, I know I should go whenever I can but, blah, blah, blah.  Anyway, I had time before Mass so I decide to check my inbox if there is anything that needs my attention ASAP.  (as if that ever happens, NOT) Instead I read this: "No where is the Church more experienced as mother than in the liturgy. "With a mother's foresight, she lavishes on us day after day in her liturgy the nourishment of the word and Eucharist of the Lord" (CCC, 2040). "  — from Christ Our Compass  Ahem.  If you would like to receive little notes in you inbox or via twitter, sign up at American Catholic.  

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I made a new breakfast treat for this week.  Egg Cupcakes.  I got the idea here.   I totally simplified it and did not add liver, but it's a winner!  I'll post the recipe I used one day this week.

It's Wednesday

I have no idea how we have arrived here already and I broke my promise to myself to post regularly.  I have a few excuses but none of them are reasons so we'll dispense with the list.

St. Ignatius, from St. Peter Basilica 

Today is the feast day of St. Ignatius, one of my favorite saints.  He founded the Jesuits and now I have a favorite Jesuit Pope.  Well, we all have a Jesuit Pope, but Pope Francis may not be your favorite, which is fine, but I hope you lat least like him very much.

This morning I was actually a bit busy at work.  I had two people stop in and three phone calls.  Now it is after lunch and the phone is quite silent.

What is better than hearing from a friend you haven't heard from in a long time?  I am so happy when that happens and yesterday was the day for me.

I think I may be a Floridian.  I had lunch outside because of the breezes and it not being 90 outside, only 86.

Today will be workout #10 at Boot Camp.  As I drive into the parking lot I often wonder "what fresh hell is in store for me today?"  Sometimes I check the website to see the workout, but I usually have little to no understanding of what they are talking about and if I watch the demo video it's a bit freaky.

When I was a girl, I played jump rope all the time.  At school, outside in the street, at the park.  I am so embarrassed that I can barely do it any more.  Let's face it, when I go to boot camp there are many things I cannot do, but the other day jump rope was on the schedule and I thought, "great, no help needed to figure this out!"  !WRONG! Yesterday I did 10 jumps in a row!  Yea for me.

Just an FYI, these ramblings in no way reflect the state of my mind.

Christmas Adam, What's it all about?

What's Christmas Adam?  Well, it's the day before Christmas Eve of course.  Why, well, because Adam came before Eve and when you are a little kid you want as many celebrations in your life as possible.  It happened long ago on a probably warm winter evening as we sat under the ceiling fan discussing plans for Christmas and Christmas Eve.  One of our children, truly I have no recollection of who said it, asked what the day before Christmas Eve was called and the other replied, Christmas Adam!  And so it is, at least at our house.
Our family dream is for this idea of celebrating on this day spread throughout the land.  Joyous celebrations for embracing fun and all that is good about this season.
Try it.  Use it as a day to get together with people you love but may not spend Christmas with because they go to mom's house. Make it the wrapping day so on Christmas Eve you relax and welcome Jesus with peace and calm instead of wrapping paper and tape. Call people you haven't spoken to in a while.
Do something fun; anticipate the birth; be present to those you love.

And make our little family dream come true.

Holy place

Most Monday nights I am with a small group of women talking about our spiritual lives at Panera.  Tonight was no exception.  What struck us tonight was how many other small groups were there doing something similar.  We were not eavesdropping but three other groups around us were definitely Christian groups getting together for coffee and conversation related to faith.  We think Panera may be one of the holiest places in the neighborhood and ecumenical as well.  When we left I checked for a halo over the place but there wasn't one.
It really does remind me of what Jesus said, "Where ever two or three are gathered, there I am in their midst."  It doesn't matter where, he is with us.  Always.

Family Feud

Next weekend we are having a big ministry fair at church.  The theme is "Holywood Studios" and to get people excited we are going to play Family Feud.  So, this weekend we handed out survey questions before each Mass and asked people to fill them out. 
I learned some very interesting things and thought I'd make a list so you could have a little chuckle as well.
1.  Name a mystery of the Rosary - the mysterious one.
2.  Most popular Sunday Mass time at St. Peter - Christmas
3.  Favorite Old Testament book is Revelation, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
4.  Name one of the seven deadly sins - murder.
I suggested to our religious education director that we use some of the answer as the basis for what to focus on for catechises.
There's more funny stuff, but I can't give it all away since some players may read this and get inside info to help them win.  Not that we are giving away money or anything of value, except maybe some indulgences. 
First game is clergy vs staff.  I wonder who will win?