tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68155437668605420702024-03-05T03:36:07.182-05:00 These Joyful MysteriesKathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.comBlogger467125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-25281032738441844442020-05-25T13:05:00.000-04:002020-05-25T17:04:31.905-04:00A Downton Abbey BirthdayAbout a month or so ago, Mary and I started watching Downton Abbey. I realize we are a little behind since the series debuted in 2010! I had heard so much hype about it back then, but as my mother used to say, "I don't care much for period dramas", so I never had much interest to watch it.<br />
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But quarantine can make you watch things you never thought you'd watch.<br />
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I was hooked in the first 5 minutes. We fell in love with every character.....yes, even Barrow and O'Brien! We would mostly tune in early in the morning and watch 1 or 2 episodes before everyone else in our house was awake. Soon after, we'd catch an episode in the evenings while Bill and Matthew would sit and watch with us. Even they enjoyed it.<br />
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Mary and I would text each other gifs with characters from the show, sip tea from fancy china cups, and play the theme song throughout the house. I think I even walked a little taller, used words like "rather" and "perhaps" more frequently, and decided undoubtedly that I must go live in a castle somewhere. We lived and breathed it for a whole month. (#quarantinelife).<br />
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We sadly finished the series, but excitedly looked forward to watching the Downton Abbey movie that came out last year. We decided to watch it on Mary's upcoming birthday and make the whole day a Downton Abbey themed day.<br />
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I used everything I already had on hand.<br />
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First, I set up my desk in case she wanted to write some 'correspondences'. The little gift you see is a pen set, a stocking stuffer that I forgot to give her last Christmas and had been saving.<br />
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Next, I set up the bar in the foyer.....or should I say, the Great Hall.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">that's iced tea in there</td></tr>
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For lunch, I set up the dining room like this.<br />
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We had crackers with jam, and tea sandwiches (cucumber and cream cheese/cream cheese and jam) that Ann helped me make, and (iced) tea. <br />
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Around 4 pm we dressed and came down to the Drawing Room. It was time for Afternoon Tea.<br />
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I set the dinner table and had found a <a href="https://www.makelifelovely.com/downton-abbey-tea-party-free-printable/">Downton Abbey Trivia</a> on Pinterest.<br />
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Dinner arrived around 7, courtesy of Lord <a href="https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/2013/03/bethlehem_bethlum_or_bethleum.html">Bethlum.</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"> </a><br />
The Footmen (Billy, Tommy, and Matthew) were excited to serve us. (and *THAT*, my friends, is the greatest form of sarcasm you've ever read)<br />
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Mrs. Patmore had the night off. 😉<br />
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Only Mary, Bill, and myself actually<br />
watched the movie. We enjoyed it and it was a fun day all around.<br />
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Not to be forgotten are the usual birthday events....morning doughnuts and cake and ice cream.<br />
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Happy 19th birthday to our very own Lady Mary.<br />
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And an extra special thanks to all of our good sports for playing along - Children AND Dad alike.Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-23274550841282018412020-04-14T17:21:00.000-04:002020-04-14T17:21:16.508-04:00Burn The Ships<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Last year, after the unannounced departure of our two foster children who we raised since their births - one for 18 months and her brother for 6 months - I felt so many emotions that I had never experienced so deeply. Since writing about it would mean reliving it, I don't really want to do that. So I'm not going to. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just know that:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">* It has been a full year since the babies left our home.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">* We didn't get to say goodbye to them.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">* Some people in the children and youth business are wolves in sheep clothing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">These incidences left me in a downward spiral emotionally. I was filled with such hatred it was scary, and </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I walked around in an angry fog for months. Even though I had so much support from Bill, family, and friends, it didn't take away this overwhelming feeling that a huge door had been slammed shut in my face, taking away something that I believed was a true calling. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">At one point after many months of feeling this way, I was telling my brother-in-law how I hadn't been coping well and was in a full-blown funk. He listened to what I had so say, nodded as if he understood, and then gently posed this question: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">"How long are you giving yourself to feel this way?"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">And there it was. Something about that phrasing opened my eyes. His words had given me both the permission to feel the way I was feeling, but also an unstated challenge to move on for the greater good.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I started focusing on the positives. One big one was getting re-acquainted with my own kids. Life at the house with two infants had taken a lot of my time and attention away from them. It was a blessing to be able to sit uninterrupted and just<i> talk</i> again and to be fully present for them.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also started to think about forgiveness. I've heard it said that not forgiving someone is only keeping yourself prisoner. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Honestly,
I find it difficult to forgive someone who isn't asking for
forgiveness, so that will be a work in progress for me.</span></span> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">My
heart still aches to help children in such great need, but my fear of
dealing with those I can't trust has been holding me back. Even as I write
those words my heart breaks that I would put my own stupid fear above those
of children who live in situations far worse than anything I'm experiencing. I don't know if that is
the devil speaking or a real sign for us to move in a different direction. </span></span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is a beautiful song by the contemporary Christian group For
King & Country called, <i>Burn the Ships</i>. This song has helped me heal after
the hardest ordeal in my life. The song speaks about hardships and
isolation, prayer, then moving on and not looking back. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Burn the ships, cut the ties<br />Send a flare into the night<br />Say a prayer, turn the tide<br />Dry your tears and wave goodbye</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step into a new day<br />We can rise up from the dust and walk away<br />We can dance upon our heartache, yeah<br />So light a match, leave the past, burn the ships </b><br /><b>And don't you look back</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am moving on, in a slow but forward direction - I think. We'll see. Only by the grace of God will I know for sure. I'll keep you posted.</span></span><br />
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Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-9024335590780401012019-03-04T14:12:00.001-05:002019-03-28T10:20:52.462-04:00A Wedding In Pittsburgh - Part 3The Main Event was here and we were ready.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XNrG9_Nedb3lp_Pei1Qs-bnFzmIaCh_Zs6_KfgPARhaNHH4b2Q3YgQTjkQW61TPNZeBSmF1tI1GPgtZxQEFmXZ5EA7AzdB7V_REM6J2VUNd2FlbU1x4pixAPc_Z9e3iJrQY14EVSSsHb/s1600/wedding.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XNrG9_Nedb3lp_Pei1Qs-bnFzmIaCh_Zs6_KfgPARhaNHH4b2Q3YgQTjkQW61TPNZeBSmF1tI1GPgtZxQEFmXZ5EA7AzdB7V_REM6J2VUNd2FlbU1x4pixAPc_Z9e3iJrQY14EVSSsHb/s400/wedding.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blurry, but ready and excited</td></tr>
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St. Paul's Cathedral was breathtaking and brought a tear to my eye with it's beauty.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOgoWtd2BT8o9XlOHIwK5piuXVU_9vXTLPLgNy0y2JovxwMQ3_pRCpFN4Bz9zwHjd3CGT-pBcAAWbdgz8ZYnUZYshbBa3saRttQKs3WrEkyjWIOH7uesBtHxQsWQHGiAzfnFF5TSIlKgd/s1600/st+paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="500" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOgoWtd2BT8o9XlOHIwK5piuXVU_9vXTLPLgNy0y2JovxwMQ3_pRCpFN4Bz9zwHjd3CGT-pBcAAWbdgz8ZYnUZYshbBa3saRttQKs3WrEkyjWIOH7uesBtHxQsWQHGiAzfnFF5TSIlKgd/s400/st+paul.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Paul's Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA</td></tr>
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The program asked us to keep phones and cameras away and that was the <i>best </i>advice. We took it all in without worrying about taking pictures. We were in the moment.<br />
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Everyone looked beautiful, of course. But the ceremony was so much more than that. One thing I like to do when the bride is about to come down the aisle is turn around and look at the groom and the mother of the bride. I just love watching their reactions to the joy about to take place and imagine what might be going through their minds. So much depth in the perception.<br />
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Mass was wonderful. The priest, the music, the cantor, even the altar servers made it a reverent, beautiful sacrament. The love in that church - both the human and Divine - was palpable.<br />
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After mass, I got a quick hello in with Billie Jo!! And then we were off to the reception. It all took place in the lobby of the hotel and the adjoining rooms. It was transformed from what we had seen the night before at check-in. There was a pianist and a violinist to welcome us there.<br />
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Before dinner, many in Madison's and Nicolas' immediate family gave little speeches. This was one of my favorite parts of the evening. Standing there listening to the two families and their heartfelt memories along with their wishes for the couple, you couldn't help but realize this marriage had a strong foundation that it was going to build upon. <br />
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My first order of business, however, was to find and meet Danielle, another blog friend of Billie Jo's who I had heard was going to be there. (you can find her sweet blog <a href="http://danielle-daniellesweets.blogspot.com/">here</a> ) She and her husband and son were so nice to get to know in the short time we had together before dinner. Such nice people!! Next, I just had to meet BJ's mom and of course, Marian!!! She is so nice and easy to talk to; no wonder she's BJ's BFF. How wonderful it was to meet all of these people I had read about for years on BJ's blog.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheujECp7tf4HuZWbswX5reoxEUPWPeUtXpwmF6Xngw8m9eIrnHYQZsE5AycDy4Tk6lBP7PpAc4EuWX3aIhfXXEZJhURIAiwh7aM1okeGNXh1rXys00Y8HodC1MMBOeFaNyXZyASycm8qvX/s1600/wedding+4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheujECp7tf4HuZWbswX5reoxEUPWPeUtXpwmF6Xngw8m9eIrnHYQZsE5AycDy4Tk6lBP7PpAc4EuWX3aIhfXXEZJhURIAiwh7aM1okeGNXh1rXys00Y8HodC1MMBOeFaNyXZyASycm8qvX/s400/wedding+4.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My one and only pic of Billie Jo 🙄...2nd from right. She looked amazing!!</td></tr>
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At dinner, we sat with Madison's Aunt and Uncle who, as<strike> luck</strike> God would have it, introduced us to their daughter and son in law, who are also foster parents. We met Nicole and Andrew soon after dinner and it is a gift to find new friends who understand our journey. We have since gotten together and met each others kids....it was wonderful. Lovely, lovely people. Ironically, they were the family we had seen the night before when we checked in.<br />
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Here is the gorgeous happy couple.<br />
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And this is how nice Madison is....after we took her picture, she insisted on taking one of me and Bill on my camera just so we'd have one together.<br />
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Billie Jo and Steve made us feel so welcome. And all of their children-- The Newlyweds, Peyton, Rhett, and Flynn all greeted us with open arms and smiles galore. Considering we had only met once before, they made us feel like a part of their family. It takes some really special people to make someone feel like that.<br />
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The circumstances that brought us there was nothing short of divine intervention, I believe. A wish on my heart became a reality thanks to a feeling placed on BJ's heart. And now, we have new friends because of this. Friends who have already brought us inspiration and strength on this journey called foster care. It is truly amazing.<br />
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Sunday we left bright and early to head back home. One last picture.<br />
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I wish Madison and Nicolas much love and happiness and a very big thank you for allowing us to share your special day with you.<br />
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For more amazing pictures, check out Billie Jo's blog <a href="http://afternooncoffeeandeveningtea.blogspot.com/2019/02/madison-and-nicolas-are-married.html">here</a> and Madison's blog <a href="https://breakfastatmadisons.com/its-wedding-week-wedding-update-no-9">here</a>.<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-42928663874763512242019-02-24T19:09:00.000-05:002019-02-24T19:09:52.425-05:00A Wedding In Pittsburgh - Part 2Our house was clean, schedules were written, dinners were prepped, and our bags were packed. My in-laws were arriving in the afternoon the day before the wedding. We were staying in Pittsburgh for two whole nights. Even though the anticipation was half the fun, I was still excited to get in the car and GO!<br />
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We arrived to our destination around 10:30 that night.<br />
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Oh, the hotel!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mansions on Fifth/ Photo: Craig Photography</td></tr>
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Because we were taking the place of a family member who at the last minute couldn't make it, we had a room right at the venue where the wedding reception was taking place. It is called Mansions on Fifth. Fifth Avenue was home to the elite in the early 1900's. The Mansion was commissioned by a prominent lawyer back then. A 20,000 square foot home was to be built for his family. Large for a family home, the hotel now has twenty cozy rooms available for guests. <br />
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When we checked in we were greeted by a grand staircase, a fire in the fireplace, and a baby grand piano. There was also a side room with a small bar area, another fireplace and one family, sitting quietly and chatting. The ambiance was to die for!!<br />
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As much as I wanted to get a glass of wine and strike up a conversation with them (all the guests of the hotel were guests for the wedding), we decided to get some shut-eye. Mostly. 😉<br />
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Because Madison and Nicolas' wedding wasn't until 4pm the next day, we could sleep in and then do a little sight-seeing in the morning. I gloried in a shower that I didn't need to rush through before a baby cried. It's the little things.<br />
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We decided to have breakfast in the strip district at a little place called Cafe Raymond. Delicious. I gloried in the fact that I could eat slowly and not be distracted before a baby cried. It's the little things.<br />
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I enjoyed just how nice it is to be with Bill, sometimes talking, sometimes in a comfortable silence. We walked through a huge antique shop, stopped in for a wine sampling, and walked the streets that were wall to wall with Steelers and Penguins gear. Being from Philly, I still didn't mind. The people here were so nice and it was great to see the love they show for their city. Until I saw this t-shirt!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJt9L1czC0jFmqb6uLBRu3xAT3B2W5uWaKrxDwPn4dGOhUv1zFHPwUI0x9BXLq3dZcEWZbtSJkikn4pr8HBjGdCijjjlNVbjErwjIwB1fcfKGktaq0HMXHDA2A6hJZGqNh0TUOeCXV-ut/s1600/pitt+shirt.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJt9L1czC0jFmqb6uLBRu3xAT3B2W5uWaKrxDwPn4dGOhUv1zFHPwUI0x9BXLq3dZcEWZbtSJkikn4pr8HBjGdCijjjlNVbjErwjIwB1fcfKGktaq0HMXHDA2A6hJZGqNh0TUOeCXV-ut/s400/pitt+shirt.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div>
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You're killin' me, Pittsburgh. But I forgive you.<br />
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We also got to do this cheesy tourist attraction called the Duquesne Incline.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxltk-5s8LXsnBaRe-yhgnWvCRIAeXSLZuyaB5x5a_5OHPGzKid87L_XgczEy_WRBvWdJzqktNzo3c_2f8-pUkekJc2poZbdAoCGy-yRTGKqTxN2dzU0LB9czYOAgFe9doZ9bEQFB9ZR1/s1600/Pitt+2.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxltk-5s8LXsnBaRe-yhgnWvCRIAeXSLZuyaB5x5a_5OHPGzKid87L_XgczEy_WRBvWdJzqktNzo3c_2f8-pUkekJc2poZbdAoCGy-yRTGKqTxN2dzU0LB9czYOAgFe9doZ9bEQFB9ZR1/s400/Pitt+2.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the bottom of the incline</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgO7WSOOUxnPCiemQWW0dgTkR_xzOD8jmxvNIN-UrGejUQ_0u8NHZPWAgF-kKxkM1zbVMkp9cG3DdpBSSl_ftD-Y62YJ9GiwAhvtnu3QVoGFpUG7Ww-hOhmfydXSACJfU5lYyToFxehtB/s1600/Pitt+3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgO7WSOOUxnPCiemQWW0dgTkR_xzOD8jmxvNIN-UrGejUQ_0u8NHZPWAgF-kKxkM1zbVMkp9cG3DdpBSSl_ftD-Y62YJ9GiwAhvtnu3QVoGFpUG7Ww-hOhmfydXSACJfU5lYyToFxehtB/s400/Pitt+3.PNG" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great views from the top.</td></tr>
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We checked in with Mom and Dad to make sure all was well at home. They were doing an amazing job taking care of everyone there. They sent us these pics.<br />
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How grateful we are for them!!<br />
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Before long, we had to head back to the hotel.<br />
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It was now time to get ready for the <i><b>Main Event</b></i>!!<br />
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To Be Continued......Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-73930683368287444882019-02-20T17:14:00.000-05:002019-02-20T17:14:30.109-05:00A Wedding In Pittsburgh - Part 1<h2>
"I love how God strategically places people in your lives at just the perfect timing."</h2>
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That was a recent comment a new friend of mine wrote on her Instagram page. I thought it was the perfect way to start off this post, because without a doubt, God was in all the details I'm about to write about.<br />
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Billie Jo has been follower of my blog since I started back in 2011. In fact, if not for her and her faithful comments on each and every post of mine, I may not have stuck with These Joyful Mysteries for very long. She was a positive influence and silently encouraged me to continue to write and journal about my family and faith.<br />
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Our families had the opportunity to meet a few years back. They were lovely. I felt so fortunate to be able to meet them in person and see just how awesome they all were. (You can read about that meet-up <a href="http://thesejoyfulmysteries.blogspot.com/2016/02/planes-danes-and-automobiles.html">here.) </a>Unfortunately, we live about 4 hours away from each other, so that was our only visit.<br />
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BJ and I continued to keep in touch via our blogs, text messages, and Christmas cards. I had been following her updates about her oldest daughter Madison and her fiance' Nicolas in recent months. They were going to be married in February.<br />
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I frequently joked with Bill that I was going to drive out to Pittsburgh (5 hours away!!) and crash the ceremony. I had so badly wanted to see Madison get married. I heard she was in love with a great man, has an eye for elegance, and that the entire wedding would be a class act. I even thought about having my whole family do a weekend trip to Pitt just so I could catch a glimpse. I probably would have done that if not for the little babies making travel a bit difficult. Furthermore, I dreamed that it would be perfect if Bill and I could get away from all the crazy of our lives and go to Pitt by ourselves.<br />
No joke.<br />
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About 3 weeks before the wedding, as I sat in my family room watching Avengers: Infinity War with Bill and the kids, I got this text from BJ.<br />
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I must have stared at the screen for 5 minutes straight.<br />
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I passed the phone over to Bill so he could read it. I had tears in my eyes asking if we could make this happen. He called his parents. They said yes to watching ALL 7 kids. God bless them and their generous, giving hearts.<br />
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This was actually going to happen!!<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-47239032292354547442018-12-28T23:28:00.002-05:002018-12-28T23:28:23.840-05:00My Long HiatusHello, Friends.<br />
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It's been a long time. I have missed being able to sit down and write. Even if I found the time to do so, I was afraid it would be all negative. Instead of hashing out my feelings on here, I've taken a liking to food and have deemed myself an emotional eater. The lbs on the scale can concur.<br />
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It was back in mid-July that we found out that Baby J's mom was expecting another baby in October. Within days we were also told we could take in a second foster child because our oldest child, Billy, had turned 18.<br />
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From July until October we thought of nothing else.<br />
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What to do. What to do.<br />
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On the bright side, both Bill and I were on the same page of confusion. It wasn't like one of us was pushing to take in the new baby and the other one of us wanted nothing to do with it. We both knew the pros and cons.<br />
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We wanted Baby J to have her sibling with her. One who would be close in age; a playmate to grow up with if she were to stay with us.<br />
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On the other hand, we just had 11 months of not sleeping thru the night. We feel it in our bones everyday that we aren't as young as we used to be and it is taking a toll. We also knew, after experiencing it twice with our own kids, that having 2 babies so close in age is....well, a nightmare.<br />
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My mind would not relax in those months between July and October and I was beside myself emotionally. I was under the impression that there was only one way to look at the situation.<br />
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Take the new baby: Good Person<br />
Don't take the new baby: Bad Person<br />
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We met with a priest friend who, thankfully, put that terrible thought to rest. From there we were able to look at things more objectively. Once the end of October came, we made a decision: We would be a back-up to another foster parent who was willing to take the new baby.<br />
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Fast forward one week - mom goes into labor, the call from the county caseworker comes, and I tell her, "We will be a back-up; go ahead and call the other foster mom."<br />
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In that hour that followed all I could feel was a terrible hurt in my heart that we had made the wrong decision. We called back and said "We will take him."<br />
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On October 29th at just 3 days old, Baby JJ came to us. We feel that he is where he needs to be. The adjustment has been difficult. I shed a lot of tears. It is HARD everyday. When they are awake at the same time all my mind can think is, "This is the hardest thing I have ever done." And then I think what a brat I am complaining that this is hard. But still....<br />
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There is no real update on what will happen to either Baby J or JJ. Their endings will most likely be different, unless they end up with us, which is unlikely. The system is an ugly place; you hear that all the time and it is true.<br />
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I worry about my own kids. This has been the most selfless act on their part, thrust upon them by me. My guilt is real. And hard to bear. But they are championing this cross like you wouldn't believe. I pray when it's all said and done, that they will come out on top of this with more fulfillment than regret.<br />
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And I can't forget the man of the house. By my side every step of the way. Always ready to do the right thing, even if it means doing something that might break his own heart. He fights for the underdog, whoever that may be at the time...me, the babies, even their mom--who is a victim of circumstance and not a bad person. <br />
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Count your blessings.<br />
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I hope to get back to blogging on a regular basis. However, showering must come first 😉 I am on Instagram now so please feel free to follow me at kathleensweeney5. There I post some family happenings with heart emojis that hide the beautiful faces of J and JJ, which makes me sad. I wish you could see how cute they really are.<br />
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I wish you much love and happiness in the New Year and I hope to be back soon.....<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-13519276972562945992018-07-04T19:06:00.001-04:002018-07-04T19:06:25.646-04:00B-3It has been so long since my last post. I am happy to report we are all doing well.<br />There's so much going on around here so I think it's best to do quick post for each person in the house, starting with--<br />
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Billy, the Third.<br />
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This guy turned 18 in May. Crazy, isn't it? To think he was only 11 when I started blogging.<br />
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Turning 18 made him eligible to vote, too! And he was happy to do so.<br />
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Also in May was the prom. The junior and senior prom is combined and it coincided with the 8th grade farewell dance. Here are the 3 oldest. Busy night, but fun.<br />
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Billy went to the prom with his friend and coworker. They had fun. Pictures were taken outside the venue, which happened to be at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem_Steel">Bethlehem Steel.</a> Cool backdrop in pictures other than mine that only seem to capture random people in the background.<br />
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The biggest event was Billy's graduation!!<br />
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What an accomplishment. For ALL of us. *ahem*<br />
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Graduation was wonderful. I loved every minute of it.<br />
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A new tradition was started this year at our elementary school. The graduating seniors were invited back to walk the hall with the 5th graders who are headed to middle school next year.<br />
(This is the school where I am an aide and Matt is a student.) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Billy's 3rd grade teacher</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Billy's 2nd grade teacher (and Matt's 1st grade teacher)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">💓</td></tr>
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We recently took Billy to Villanova University for a weekend retreat for incoming freshmen.<br />
Most families dropped their kids at the front door. But we embarrassed Billy by walking him to his dorm room. <br />
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Billy is currently finishing up his last few weeks working at Rita's Water Ice while simultaneously learning to transition to become a Midshipman 4th Class. There's a lot to learn and memorize. He begins the college program for Navy ROTC in August.<br />
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We are all excited to see what the future holds for this guy. <br />
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<span id="goog_1623459628"></span><span id="goog_1623459629"></span><span id="goog_629505421"></span><span id="goog_629505422"></span><br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-78398144067942683652018-03-21T13:10:00.000-04:002018-03-21T13:10:02.857-04:00Inductions, Sacraments, and Birthdays, Oh MyAnother snow day, another blog post.<br />
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I gotta be honest. Last week started out really tough. On Monday I was dreading the week ahead. There was so much on the calendar and Bill was away for a few days and I just felt completely overwhelmed. It's funny, when you have a baby in the house, your schedule takes an ugly not-able-to-get-much-accomplished- kind of tone to it. And I don't mean funny-ha-ha.<br />
But when Tuesday came and I'm sitting at work (actually, standing because my job is lunch and recess duty, so I don't sit) I had this A-HA moment. <br />
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Everything I had going on was GOOD stuff. What was I freaking out about? Wait until you see what the week was like below. I have to say though, the change I had from one day to the next can't just be about having an attitude adjustment. It can't be that simple. It must have a lot to do with hormones, amiright? And that's all I have to say about that because my brothers read this blog and they might get weird-ed out about this revelation I had. <br />
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So, let's continue on to the greatness of the week.<br />
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Tuesday: <b>Ann's induction into the National Junior Honor Society.</b><br />
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Ann came home last month with a letter saying she was being considered for the NJHS. She needed to fill out multiple forms about her service, character, leadership, and citizenship accomplishments. It was pretty straightforward. She debated about whether or not she wanted to actually be a part of it. I think it was her lazy side not really wanting to fill out the forms. We <strike>forced</strike> encouraged her to do it because there are certain opportunities in life that you just don't turn down. She handed it in and found out soon after she had been accepted.<br />
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The ceremony and reception was really nice.<br />
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I could tell she was proud of herself. One more notch on the confidence scale for her. Bill was away unfortunately, and Mary had too much homework, but I <strike>forced </strike>encouraged the rest of the kids to go.<br />
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Thursday: <b>Tommy's Confirmation!</b><br />
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He is now fully initiated!<br />
Funny story. I had not ordered a red robe for him to wear because I figured he would just use Billy's old one. I hung it up the weekend prior to help get the wrinkles out. The day before Confirmation Mary says, "You know that the size for that robe says 5'3-5'5", right?" (Tommy is about 5'10") I hadn't realized that but I figured it would be fine, maybe just a tad bit short. So I nonchalantly ask Tommy to go try it on. Oh my word....the sleeves were up to his elbows and the hem was near his knees!! I scrambled to text everyone I knew who had sons that might be able to lend me one of theirs. In the end, a friend had one to give me and she dropped it off in the nic of time! You might say the Holy Spirit was looking out for us!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thomas Andrew Peter</td></tr>
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Billy was his sponsor and did a great job.<br />
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Tommy asked for a low-key celebration....pizza and xbox. We added cake so it would feel like a celebration.<br />
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Friday: <b> Ann's 13th birthday!</b><br />
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My little girl is now a teenager. We did morning doughnuts before school. After school she and Tommy had to go to their Jazz Band competition. Bill and I were able to head over to watch them perform. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann holding one of their awards</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlQdAEicG2RJpvaNLnF-Pz66Lo4-rC4OtEeDpSP3n4fczkKbAPOCidOwJYDnK6QRUVhlwpYHGmdTbuGL8c030qBm5V9bRKUJ8F99NsZAsyBxmIZrRyYfhyrqDRjt1yVOgS73Oxy_lyqk0/s1600/IMG_3655.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlQdAEicG2RJpvaNLnF-Pz66Lo4-rC4OtEeDpSP3n4fczkKbAPOCidOwJYDnK6QRUVhlwpYHGmdTbuGL8c030qBm5V9bRKUJ8F99NsZAsyBxmIZrRyYfhyrqDRjt1yVOgS73Oxy_lyqk0/s400/IMG_3655.PNG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tommy-Trumpet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
(a special shout-out to my friend Heather who manages to get great pics of my kids and sends them to me!)<br />
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We didn't get home until 11pm that night but we managed to squeeze in some ice cream cake to celebrate Ann before bed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_J_PN-AasLqfehzS5a9ciJFARkVMgPrnZ9ELOdQLuoTj_k_UowONHxxbBUi_xPFg6ewD2I0SsuQ_-XGonYcyTXGm67cSd4s6ZzlQAF2uyCyI2TR5wou7PKMEHrZ3XwaH-Wghnt5rvAz4P/s1600/Ann+13th+bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_J_PN-AasLqfehzS5a9ciJFARkVMgPrnZ9ELOdQLuoTj_k_UowONHxxbBUi_xPFg6ewD2I0SsuQ_-XGonYcyTXGm67cSd4s6ZzlQAF2uyCyI2TR5wou7PKMEHrZ3XwaH-Wghnt5rvAz4P/s400/Ann+13th+bday.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV9cnm1Hv9tQe22YniQOjdkzqlSF_EdRk-sjkUD-BanV0gluQ97vXx0BZV3aSIGHAZQRbFmoGLc6znHTahP4MIhLmSUVTk5Dj4vB6fxrDFUiL2Jaa5m4fXeqIM5sKHDf6ONhwK_89a6yT/s1600/Ann+13th+bday2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV9cnm1Hv9tQe22YniQOjdkzqlSF_EdRk-sjkUD-BanV0gluQ97vXx0BZV3aSIGHAZQRbFmoGLc6znHTahP4MIhLmSUVTk5Dj4vB6fxrDFUiL2Jaa5m4fXeqIM5sKHDf6ONhwK_89a6yT/s400/Ann+13th+bday2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The next day, Ann had some friends over to watch a movie and have pizza and cake. I neglected to take pictures. But Ann had gotten a Polaroid camera as a gift (so cool, so retro) so we took a picture for each kid to take home. This was a picture of the one Ann kept for herself. (she really was happy, just a bad pic of<br />
her 😏)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KEznmjVXnXo_bj7uK2yGk8PCPM6ZteSIVNwyZeL2c_Enr-2MJkCHEMqxPfDsX-z9Q9wU3i65QZteAVkUtF6XjYfkoZphxZjZUYTF7rnb3Jp83s2lbndXZ3lKOH8GvqBH2jz6mn3lY_2o/s1600/IMG_3659.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KEznmjVXnXo_bj7uK2yGk8PCPM6ZteSIVNwyZeL2c_Enr-2MJkCHEMqxPfDsX-z9Q9wU3i65QZteAVkUtF6XjYfkoZphxZjZUYTF7rnb3Jp83s2lbndXZ3lKOH8GvqBH2jz6mn3lY_2o/s400/IMG_3659.PNG" width="225" /></a></div>
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The rest of the weekend was spent doing social stuff with our parish retreat family. Lots of baking, gatherings, and masses but definitely one of my favorite weekends of the year. Bill and I went on our parish retreat 10 years ago and it was life-changing. We have the best parish ever!<br />
<br />
I'm so glad to have another snow day to sit back and document the good week we had. <br />
<br />
Signing off to spend it with my 7 favorite peeps. <br />
<br />
Happy Snow Day!<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-16815403000399306132018-03-07T18:08:00.001-05:002018-03-07T18:08:34.690-05:00Trust Or Bust"I really should update my blog" has been a recurring thought in my head for a couple of months now.<br />
<br />
Last week the stress was high for me. I had a court date scheduled that I had been anxious about for 3 months. We had the kids say goodbye to baby Jackie before they left for school - "just in case."<br />
<br />
Well, we all returned home here that day. But something changed. What I thought might be a goodbye to our girl has ended up being more time with her than we originally thought. We will still move along with the plan for reunification with Mom because that is what we are supposed to do. We will keep up with the weekly parental visits, sporadic court dates, bi-weekly home visits from our foster agency and monthly visits from the county caseworker.<br />
<br />
None of this is a surprise to me. I read all about it before we jumped in.<br />
<br />
But now that we are living it....Wow. It's tough. I want to know how it all ends. NOW! I want to know where my heart is going to be when it is all said and done.*<br />
<br />
On a much happier note, we are in <i>love</i> with this little one and that is exactly what she needs right now. Surprisingly, I think <i>she</i> is what <i>we</i> all needed as well.<br />
<br />
It took Tommy 3 months to hold her. We had to blackmail him. "No Xbox until you hold her". It worked. The joy the rest of the kids had the first time he held her was a moment I won't ever forget.<br />
Now I catch him picking her up, making silly faces, and sometimes just staring at her.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikK52kjXXzvV41-speRKCKKtKNryNBUJnehGeFoJKz1IltkgJ43iVUTK8dSc8oTyUOegwA1P0KrCytakizQQWqt4LrhSSeY4wYHaewVCanHYaqK5DbOAC_KS_U-jxqN3hypyezVHpHOG36/s1600/IMG_3496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikK52kjXXzvV41-speRKCKKtKNryNBUJnehGeFoJKz1IltkgJ43iVUTK8dSc8oTyUOegwA1P0KrCytakizQQWqt4LrhSSeY4wYHaewVCanHYaqK5DbOAC_KS_U-jxqN3hypyezVHpHOG36/s400/IMG_3496.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tommy holds Baby J for the first time</td></tr>
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Then there's times when I walk in the room to see something like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ38NGgVdnbsfYCw8UnmotI53qLrd2MRfzmH-MRcVX16vRABZvVL8EgXpiKwhyphenhyphendUVuvIs6FaBu1KKPtlwUxSMd0E4sDQ02MVJ_JaTn4IiMOYdnkv6z6LKCcbdr9T94CH9zt55zJBbcolT/s1600/IMG_3510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ38NGgVdnbsfYCw8UnmotI53qLrd2MRfzmH-MRcVX16vRABZvVL8EgXpiKwhyphenhyphendUVuvIs6FaBu1KKPtlwUxSMd0E4sDQ02MVJ_JaTn4IiMOYdnkv6z6LKCcbdr9T94CH9zt55zJBbcolT/s400/IMG_3510.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
The girls have been a huge help, saving my sanity at times.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOM21z5iT2_SC-pGU9inGQ1r790eshTa3yFqBIiAApIZ4LgErPsoD3ABVNe5oEf5CgHkS7F_EXiGCKaIeFMqc9fNUt1TLhlr1m6EH79P1qXWZ6TkkDu0Ni3IcLcrGl40CLNg2EyBMGbNl6/s1600/IMG_3447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOM21z5iT2_SC-pGU9inGQ1r790eshTa3yFqBIiAApIZ4LgErPsoD3ABVNe5oEf5CgHkS7F_EXiGCKaIeFMqc9fNUt1TLhlr1m6EH79P1qXWZ6TkkDu0Ni3IcLcrGl40CLNg2EyBMGbNl6/s400/IMG_3447.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">diaper-changing :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And last, there is no other person I'd rather be on this journey with than Bill. He not only helps so much with what needs to be done, but he is my rock. He always puts things into perspective. He is never selfish, always thinks of others....especially the "least of these". He loves baby J like his own and reminds me that I need to let my guard down as well. So now I am ALL IN. <br />
<br />
A good friend sent me the link to <a href="http://www.megduerksen.com/2018/02/22/lets-talk-about-foster-care/">this blog post</a> by foster mom Meg Duerksen. Oh my goodness. It is so good and is an amazing post with similarities to our own story. But my biggest take-away was when she wrote the following:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="background-color: white;"><b>*the “ending” is unknown and i wrestle with the not knowing.<br />
but you know what? the “ending” is unknown for ALL of us.<br />
we fool ourselves into thinking we know what’s going to happen with our families.<br />
we have an illusion of control but nothing is certain.<br />
so i pray about all of it.<br />
it’s all in God’s hands. He already knows about all of it. He knows.</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
Yes, YES!!<br />
<br />
My mother always used to say, "Worry is a useless emotion." And she was right because it really is all in God's hands. He's got everything under control. And that gives us the courage to do what we need to do, even if it scares us. <br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-36292623826065981302018-01-04T17:26:00.002-05:002018-01-04T17:26:43.396-05:00Old Year HappeningsI'm sitting here on this glorious snow day. We are off from school and work. Even Dad has made it home early. The girls graciously have played with the baby a lot and I just finished taking down most of the Christmas stuff. (The Wise Men told me it was okay - just this once) The older boys had to go up to church to help shovel. (They're <i>loving</i> the fact that I signed them up for that job ) But aside from that, it's a cuddle up, pj's on kind of day.<br />
<br />
I think the biggest happenings in the house is this incredible, awesome news. Here is Billy's tweet about it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpCqSJgEEwHbnU2BIsGxLfnB90VmGGHLWChyvAPjmafWgLPPgW2PpplhW4YudLJ3ulTKeayrRBYHMT1A27g4IDQPnLzt0nsPxGtFSBm-cah0gHigkVKa1xg_RYf1wxZaLELsvyLrlz26O/s1600/IMG_3387.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpCqSJgEEwHbnU2BIsGxLfnB90VmGGHLWChyvAPjmafWgLPPgW2PpplhW4YudLJ3ulTKeayrRBYHMT1A27g4IDQPnLzt0nsPxGtFSBm-cah0gHigkVKa1xg_RYf1wxZaLELsvyLrlz26O/s640/IMG_3387.PNG" width="360" /></a></div>
A dream of his since 2nd grade. And now <u><i>my</i></u> dream is to win the lottery. Ha! <br />
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Another exciting thing on the Billy front is that he finally got his license.<br />
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It's been a good couple of weeks for this guy.<br />
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In other news,<br />
-Mary, Tommy, and Ann had many concert performances between the 5 ensembles they play for. -Matthew, Tommy, and Billy have all started basketball.<br />
-Tommy and Ann are about to start stage crew for the school play. <br />
-Billy and Mary are doing winter track.<br />
-Mom has filled her gas tank a record number of times.<br />
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We enjoyed Thanksgiving with my side of the family.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XsRCdn0rGqkvckYVLQ1cb8P2T-7oiEGrlU1HrDjbkk1sCatxhQCiOojFcWHif8b8Mkix3gaNNds2TokekohUyWwyOACmyTJAsIKA6lWUwNh2a_TjEb_Rd_7le8_emoaMdQHSHe8MvG8Q/s1600/IMG_3342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XsRCdn0rGqkvckYVLQ1cb8P2T-7oiEGrlU1HrDjbkk1sCatxhQCiOojFcWHif8b8Mkix3gaNNds2TokekohUyWwyOACmyTJAsIKA6lWUwNh2a_TjEb_Rd_7le8_emoaMdQHSHe8MvG8Q/s400/IMG_3342.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grown up table</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGcf0TDfUDngyh5HFpK5ndZY32cgB2mesGWacQBK-3BdVrWQfWC6KRV202yakKpQr7jkP55elGNpFP1ucqoU_tsW9Z_0BHMv1v_dWn3QVjgy1eBnQQ3fQQwQyhRUQVHT-IjATztM67QKK/s1600/IMG_3341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGcf0TDfUDngyh5HFpK5ndZY32cgB2mesGWacQBK-3BdVrWQfWC6KRV202yakKpQr7jkP55elGNpFP1ucqoU_tsW9Z_0BHMv1v_dWn3QVjgy1eBnQQ3fQQwQyhRUQVHT-IjATztM67QKK/s400/IMG_3341.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kid table</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gtt5q1gtmehfmdbb-MYHx0I1AzQA2esS_86Rsde5v0lQnY1_ypGqXUQn320SUYa0Dc7YGKaX8Rto3v5W2Qlhan2o0zm7HbXcaXF0MOzN7TxwILZnvcWFCkIO_HxQhADaysW_4ZEXSiiV/s1600/IMG_3331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gtt5q1gtmehfmdbb-MYHx0I1AzQA2esS_86Rsde5v0lQnY1_ypGqXUQn320SUYa0Dc7YGKaX8Rto3v5W2Qlhan2o0zm7HbXcaXF0MOzN7TxwILZnvcWFCkIO_HxQhADaysW_4ZEXSiiV/s400/IMG_3331.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad and brothers</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMA0NeepdSEV25MwJJVfJmoPlnIh1D_x0G-jLU0FaX4rvDK1nxaLJHw-g5vfihjkQdlANBKMHgYCFNK-1vIBVWk-MkBPXcp2Y29mikYziCJj5Ne7jNlI0oujJFjTkFHSTjQ-Qz9IoSSQS/s1600/IMG_3337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMA0NeepdSEV25MwJJVfJmoPlnIh1D_x0G-jLU0FaX4rvDK1nxaLJHw-g5vfihjkQdlANBKMHgYCFNK-1vIBVWk-MkBPXcp2Y29mikYziCJj5Ne7jNlI0oujJFjTkFHSTjQ-Qz9IoSSQS/s400/IMG_3337.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary taller than mom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxQIO4b9Y18i_vF9aXv5Zdk_iFrbrR2UMWJbK5RXg5LX6Hjte8t_pm1vZt3a2AbWf6IdrxjLFnsnYgYSK7KpHlRzzWijfDwyALGCcgEqlssdtEiW8HgObHFmQZFOZNWK68mZmtVWvxN3A/s1600/IMG_3336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxQIO4b9Y18i_vF9aXv5Zdk_iFrbrR2UMWJbK5RXg5LX6Hjte8t_pm1vZt3a2AbWf6IdrxjLFnsnYgYSK7KpHlRzzWijfDwyALGCcgEqlssdtEiW8HgObHFmQZFOZNWK68mZmtVWvxN3A/s400/IMG_3336.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sister in law Kathy/awesome cook & host</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpqiG0f44THt97HHAjkUVDU8XiQ297XfLW-QkUVx5s4wUkLRmDLaNj-MixZS5nYVLqvc55jNIHAGbTZSTNAl86bqIhRnwAX8G7kHmOMKqI2cdqQEyJcOMNYTHFI3jWBrPxc1fl0QGeubr/s1600/IMG_3335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpqiG0f44THt97HHAjkUVDU8XiQ297XfLW-QkUVx5s4wUkLRmDLaNj-MixZS5nYVLqvc55jNIHAGbTZSTNAl86bqIhRnwAX8G7kHmOMKqI2cdqQEyJcOMNYTHFI3jWBrPxc1fl0QGeubr/s400/IMG_3335.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary with Godmother, Aunt Linda</td></tr>
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We also had a wonderful Christmas!<br />
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New Year's Eve 2017. Bill was helping to keep NYC safe while the rest of us hung out at home with Uncle John and cousin Johnny and stayed warm.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7 degrees</td></tr>
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And that's a wrap for 2017.<br />
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Happy New Year!! <br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-52804018044098524612017-12-29T18:10:00.000-05:002017-12-29T18:10:15.867-05:00Baby J HappeningsWe are almost 12 weeks into our new adventure with Baby J. Or Jackie, as we like to call her. (not her real name)<br />
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She's growing big, smiling more everyday, and cooing like crazy! <br />
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I won't lie--the first couple weeks after she came were really hard. There was so much going on:<br />
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-Newborn fussiness/colic.<br />
-My lack of sleep (I'm not as young as I used to be)<br />
-Constantly having to put her in the car to drive my kids to their activities-early mornings, late nights, and everything in between. <br />
-Flying solo in Week 1 due to Bill going on a work trip.<br />
-Phone calls and mailings regarding parental visits and court dates. <br />
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It was all very overwhelming at first. But then we seemed to get into our groove. J ate more regularly, slept more regularly, and became a lot more predictable in her needs. I was getting the hang of this! Just like riding a bike in a lot of ways.<br />
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Throughout it all there have been many blessings that are a constant reminder that God is looking after all of us.<br />
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-<b>My friend Eileen.</b> When I got the call about Baby J needing immediate care, I needed to provide a name of a care giver who I could use while I worked my 3 hour a day job. Otherwise, they either would not give her to me or I'd have to quit my job (not something I want to do for many different reasons). Eileen <i>happily</i> said she'd look after J until I found someone permanent. J wouldn't be with us if not for Eileen.<br />
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-<b>My friend Beth</b>. Dear Beth. My good friend who now watches J everyday while I go to work for my 3 hours. She has been my right hand gal, confidant, and sounding board for all the ugly that goes on behind the scenes. She loves J as much as we do and has so much invested. I love having her by my side through this.<br />
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-<b>Family.</b> Our families loved J from the start and treat her like anyone else in the family. <br />
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<b>-Coworkers</b>. My coworkers coordinated a meal train and restaurant gift cards to make our lives a little easier. And although it is food, it was the gift of quality family time that they really gave us.<br />
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-<b>Church family- </b>Many friends from our parish came and celebrated her presence in our family and loved her from the start. They came with meals, gifts, and even money!<br />
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<b>-Friends-</b> Near and far away friends who check in constantly by text or phone call asking how things are going are a big source of strength to help us keep on keepin'-on.<br />
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In addition to these are other people who I've met who have made an impression:<br />
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<b>-The stranger in the restroom at my first court appearance</b>. She asked me if I was okay and gave me a reassuring smile. (the look on my face must have given her the clue it was my first time) Just that one question meant the world to me.<br />
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<b>-The receptionist on the phone at a pediatrician's office.</b> I had been trying to find a doctor for J and her office didn't take the medical assistance that J had and it seemed this was going to be a difficult task to find one that would. She said, "Give me 10 minutes; I'll see what I can do." <br />
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In 10 minutes she called me back. Not only did she find a pediatrician for me, but also made an appointment for us! Incredible how she went above and beyond to help me. I was so touched.<br />
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-<b>The nice lady in CVS.</b> it was just a simple conversation, but she encouraged me in my work and gave me a booster shot of confidence.<br />
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For our family of 7, we are going on with life as usual. We take things one day at a time. We talk constantly about how she's only on loan to us and that although we're doing this to help her mom, we are ultimately doing it for God. It's all in His hands.<br />
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I just love watching Bill and our kids love her in their own ways. It's been a real joy.<br />
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That's the update for Jackie. There's more Everyday Happenings with the rest of the kids. I'm hoping to share them in the next couple of days. We have been enjoying a laid back kind of week with all of us home, including Dad!<br />
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I'm hoping you all had a very Merry Christmas! <br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-62723724435730235542017-11-07T19:01:00.000-05:002017-11-07T19:01:07.524-05:00Just One Year (JOY)It was just about one year ago that Bill and I began a journey that will probably change us forever.<br />
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Before I introduce you to the little person that has invaded our home with sweet baby love, I wanted to share the journal entry I wrote back in October, 2016.<br />
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<b><i>10/25/16</i></b><br />
<b><i>Today was the day we took our official first step in our foster care journey. Bill and I attended an information session at a local foster care agency.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>We met A and S who were very nice.</i></b><br />
<b><i>Afterwards, we went across the street to a diner for some coffee and dessert. It was then that we decided to move ahead.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Bill had to take multiple work calls tonight so I was playing around on my phone. On the USCCB website the readings were:</i></b><br />
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<b><i>First Reading: Ephesians 5:21-33 (Our wedding's first reading)</i></b><br />
<b><i>Responsorial Psalm- Ps128:1-2 3-5 Blessed are those who fear the Lord. (I sure was fearful of what the Lord seemed to be asking us to do!)</i></b><br />
<b><i>Gospel: Luke 13 18-21 The kingdom of God. What is it like?</i></b><br />
<b><i>It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.</i></b><br />
<b><i>(There's an analogy to be made there, I think)</i></b><br />
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<b><i>It may be the first official step, however, I do believe the seeds have been planted throughout my entire life.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>KMS</i></b><br />
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Baby J came to us on October 11th. She was 3 days old.<br />
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We still don't know much of her story, or how long we'll have her. But for now, we are enjoying her and showering her with love. <br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-22539126602775375602017-11-01T10:27:00.001-04:002017-11-01T10:27:35.829-04:00Senior Year HappeningsHappy All Saints Day, Everyone!<br />
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Yes, it's November and life goes on. <br />
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*The mailbox is full of college ads. Some addressed for Billy. Some addressed for Mary.<br />
We've done some college visits. We even took the long Columbus Day weekend to travel to western PA.<br />
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First, we visited Penn State. Billy's #2 in the line-up. From there we headed to Pittsburgh. We did, however, take a "pitt stop" in Shanksville, PA to visit the Flight 93 Memorial. It was beautiful and moving.<br />
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This picture above was taken at the memorial site looking up at the visitors center. Between the two is a beautiful path, about a mile long. A good walk for quiet reflection. (or goofing around, if you're Tommy and Matt)<br />
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I was touched by this.<br />
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I'm so glad we all got to see this.<br />
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We arrived in Pittsburgh late that night. The following day was spent site seeing. The zoo was having a free admittance day so we took advantage of that.<br />
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Then we rode around the city a bit. We had lunch and took some cool pics of the city.<br />
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The last day we spent visiting Pittsburgh University. It was really nice, but very far from <strike>Mom</strike> home.<br />
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*Senior Year for Cross Country. Here is Billy with his fellow senior teammates. <br />
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A tradition is the other teammates decorate their doors and trees. I could do without the toilet paper.<br />
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That's all for now. I guess before we know it, we'll all be blogging about the holidays!<br />
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Thanks for visiting here 😊 <br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-46834269334309185652017-09-28T10:02:00.000-04:002017-09-29T09:16:39.058-04:00Everyday Happenings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Fall to all of you. After a week of high temps....into the 90's for goodness sake.....I think it's finally cooling down today. I'm looking forward to that.<br />
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Now, onto the happenings...<br />
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End of Summer + Beginning of the School Year = Phone photo dump<br />
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* August brought band camp.....Tommy actually likes it; it's my picture-taking he doesn't care for.<br />
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*We all went horseback riding. The kids had never been and they loved it! It's so hard to find an activity that<u><i> all 5</i></u> enjoy, but this one hit the mark.<br />
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Afterward, we drove to Scranton, PA to check out the university and we stopped for dinner. They were good sports for "posing for the blog."<br />
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*We had the first day of school<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWx-EHLD8hl13MHLAyX0YShVFUp3TYsk9whYhWb351qGyViDHtjApNCjDpH-1XfNGMxjchinXOexVKAUxRA6RbcoJ9LoIJ1j5efNAWAl-8ahOZMps9oampXn4mk54NgfMq1bf4pw7XQk/s1600/billy+and+mary+first+day+of+school+2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWx-EHLD8hl13MHLAyX0YShVFUp3TYsk9whYhWb351qGyViDHtjApNCjDpH-1XfNGMxjchinXOexVKAUxRA6RbcoJ9LoIJ1j5efNAWAl-8ahOZMps9oampXn4mk54NgfMq1bf4pw7XQk/s640/billy+and+mary+first+day+of+school+2017.png" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Billy, Senior!!! and Mary, 11th grade</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tommy, 8th grade and Ann, 7th grade</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matthew, 4th grade</td></tr>
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*I already posted about Mary's piccolo solo<a href="http://thesejoyfulmysteries.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-piccolo-solo.html"> here </a><br />
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Billy also had a little fun that night in the Riot Squad<br />
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*Speaking of Billy and Mary, they are in the middle of their Cross Country season. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sugar fix after a race</td></tr>
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*The middle school band had a car wash fundraiser.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann (r) with friend Amanda</td></tr>
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* 4th grade at our public school means learning an instrument!!! Matthew picked Alto Sax and it sure looks good on him.<br />
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*Matthew's soccer team went against our neighbor's CYO team. These besties had fun playing in a real game together. It was a tough loss for our team, but they remained friends :) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matthew</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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*Ann wanted to see what she'd look like in my car's rear camera.<br />
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*And, someone got her driver's permit and is very excited.<br />
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That's all she clicked. Into the crazy fall we go. <br />
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Happy Weekend!<br />
<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-24344591412927079822017-09-18T20:10:00.000-04:002017-09-18T20:10:50.096-04:0020th Annual S.S. WeekendFlashback to Summer, 1998. <a href="http://thesejoyfulmysteries.blogspot.com/2011/08/30-years-and-counting.html">My lifelong girlfriends</a> and I were planning our first annual overnight get-together. Most of us were married or on our way to be, but we thought it would be fun for a girls-only get away. <br />
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Here we are, 20 years later, still keeping up with that tradition started long ago. We usually stay at one of our homes, but this time, we went "on location" to a place we borrowed from one of the girls' family members. It was a sweet home in the Pocono Mountains. <br />
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We did our usual planning of the menu and drinks and stuffed ourselves silly all weekend. <br />
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We visited nearby Jim Thorpe, PA, a cute little town with many adorable shops to see.<br />
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We even stopped for a wine-tasting break. (Ok, not really a "break" since it was our first stop)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One S.S had a family gathering and missed this fun part</td></tr>
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There was a small beach and lake a block away from the house that was beautiful. Mary Alice and Peggy went kayaking. <br />
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As always, it's hard to say goodbye at the end. So many good memories each year. <br />
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What a gift to have these girls in my life all these years.<br />
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And you can't put a price tag on that.<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-88910257368087930002017-09-03T20:00:00.000-04:002017-09-03T22:23:39.083-04:00The Piccolo SoloAs you know, our Mary is part of her high school band. She plays the piccolo. It has been a dream of hers to perform the piccolo solo during their rendition of Stars and Stripes Forever. The piccolo solo is usually played by someone in the senior class. The piccolo soloist for this year was going to be unavailable for the first home game. As luck would have it, she asked Mary to fill in for her.<br />
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She had been practicing for a month. Her grandparents drove a long way to cheer her on. The kids were given strict instructions not to disturb me during the performance. Ann was given the important duty of videotaping. We were all set.<br />
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And here she is:<br />
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Isn't that the BEST?? Oh my goodness.<br />
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Proud to the MAX!<br />
<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-80057520422626916812017-08-06T15:21:00.001-04:002017-08-06T16:34:16.432-04:00Avalon Vacation 2017<h3>
Avalon. </h3>
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Just saying that word makes me smile.<br />
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There is just something so special about being at the shore. And Avalon is my favorite. It is so pretty and peaceful there. The homes, whether they are the big palaces on the beach, mid-size "mansions", or quaint cottages, each have their own unique design and decor. I never tire of looking at them. Late night walks allow me to sneak a peek at what they look like inside when they're all lit up. (Wow, that sounds creepy now that I write that out loud.)<br />
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We had our usual highlights such as bike rides, shopping, arcades, pizza dinners, morning doughnuts, Carmen's restaurant in Sea Isle City, and an afternoon trip to nearby Ocean City, NJ for the boardwalk and rides. The night before we left there was a huge storm which caused the beach block to flood! Kids were actually swimming in the street! Crazy. <br />
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My brother John and nephew Johnny went in on the house with us again and I honestly don't know how the two of them put up with the 7 of us all week. Bill's brother Mike and family were also in Avalon the same week and having them with us at the beach definitely makes it more fun. Plus, their kids are the cutest ever, so there's that.<br />
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I made my vacation video, like I usually do. Definitely not my best work, but you'll get a glimpse into our week. The song was longer than the amount of video and pictures I took, so I had to get creative. I took stock photos of some of the places we visit there and added them in. Lame. Oh well.<br />
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Until we meet again, Avalon. <br />
<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-36852486318176085942017-08-03T23:45:00.000-04:002017-08-03T23:45:54.607-04:00July Jewels<br />
July was good to us.<br />
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We spent a weekend at my in-law's vacation home in Rock Hall, Maryland. RH is a cute town on the Chesapeake Bay. If I remember rightly-- (gosh, I sound like my mother when I say that!)-- it had been about six years since we last visited there. We enjoyed hanging out with my mother and father in law, Bill's aunt and uncle, and also Bill's brother, Tim.<br />
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My mother in law is an incredible host. In fact, it felt like we were at a Bed and Breakfast. That woman has a gift, I tell you.<br />
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My father in law moved the heavens to get two kayaks into his van so the kids could enjoy 2 days on the water.<br />
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Pool-time and dinner out, too. <br />
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Later that week we spent the afternoon with cousins and sisters in law at the community pool. My sister in law Kate hosted us and treated us to a fun day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "big" kids</td></tr>
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I'm pretty sure the kids would say this was one of their best summer days so far. Thanks, Aunt Kate!<br />
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The following weekend we celebrated my niece Julia's high school graduation. Here she is (front, left) with her sister Amanda (back, left) and some friends.<br />
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Congratulations, Julia!! You are one awesome graduate! Love you!<br />
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And lastly, we sent Billy off to his annual Quo Vadis retreat at DeSales University. This was his third year going. He loves it. They have mass and lunch for the families before we say our goodbyes.<br />
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This year tugged on my heartstrings a bit because two mom friends from my parish were sending their kids off to the retreat as well. Watching our kids grow up over the years and now sending them off to discern their vocations was a bit mind blowing.<br />
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There was one more special event that happened in July, but that will be in a later post.<br />
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But to give you a hint, it starts with an A and ends with an valon and I will have my annual video to accompany that post soon. (I hope)<br />
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Hello August!<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-9879257364750171162017-07-14T16:03:00.000-04:002017-07-14T16:03:01.051-04:00Everyday HappeningsMy last Everyday Happenings post was way back in May. We left off with Billy's 17th birthday, so I will be starting this one with our Sweet Sixteen's birthday.<br />
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1. Miss Mary Kate turned 16 in May. She asked if she could invite a few of her close friends over for<strike> junk </strike>snack food, an ice cream sundae bar, and a movie. (They watched Nanny McPhee.)<br />
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Her darling sister made them a cake, too. <br />
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She made beautiful roses out of fondant.<br />
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Mary's best friend, Riley (middle) gave her the sweetest gift. It was a box with little trinkets inside....16 of each....such as paper clips, push pins, band-aids, pencils, candy, post-it notes, etc. The best part was a journal where on each of the first 16 pages she wrote 16 reasons why Mary was her best friend. Truly a gift from the heart. <br />
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Happy 16th Birthday, Mary. You are the true meaning behind the word "sweet".<br />
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2. The girls and I have a tradition of going to a doll show when it comes to our town each year. (I'm always on the lookout for a vintage Bionic Woman doll that I remember fondly from my youth!). Anyway, we came across this Charlie McCarthy doll that I just had to have. Charlie completely freaked out Matthew to the point of tears when he saw him sitting in his bedroom. We all had a good laugh with Charlie, using the next few days to prank each other by hiding him in weird spots throughout the house.<br />
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3. Our friends John and <a href="http://marybonner.net/">Mary</a> hosted their annual dinner party for our prayer group. There were a few missing, but we still had a great time.<br />
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4. Last day of work/school for me and this guy. <br />
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4. Mary started her volunteer hours at a local urgent care facility. She'll be done her required hours by the end of the summer, but has a goal to do more before she graduates from high school.<br />
#overachiever #shegetsthatfromherdad <br />
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5. Shopping with the girls is always an adventure with lots of laughs.<br />
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6. Bill's fun to shop with, too.<br />
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<br />In other words, we are rolling along. <br />
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I hope you're all enjoying your summer as well.<br />
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Thanks for visiting us.<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-81049343832810903102017-07-07T12:26:00.000-04:002017-07-07T13:00:35.878-04:00A Patriotic, Fun-Filled WeekendSpoiler Alert: We are spoiled.<br />
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Thanks to Bill (and some very generous people he knows ) we had a weekend like no other. We had 5 days off together with some pretty special events mixed in there. <br />
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1. <b>West Point. </b>We made a quick stop at this beautiful military academy. We didn't have much time there, but we were able to see probably the most scenic spot! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random cutie picture</td></tr>
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<b>2. The New York Air Show.</b> We didn't have tickets for the actual air show, but we were able to sneak a peak at the rehearsal the day before. Wow! Watching this in person is nothing like watching it on TV. It was amazing. The sights, sounds, and death-defying maneuvers left me with my jaw hanging open almost the whole time. So cool. We even got to see the Blue Angels. Go Navy!<br />
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<b>3. Matthew's Birthday/Iron Pigs Game. </b>Our little guy turned 9. NINE!!<br />
You know the drill....morning doughnuts, plus waffles and ice cream as he requested....<br />
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We spent some time at the local community center. Dad taught us girls how to use the equipment while the boys played hoops. The birthday boy felt pretty cool getting to play with some older boys in a pick up game.<br />
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Then it was back home to eat chicken tacos and cake with strawberry icing. Someone had too many tacos and wasn't feeling up for the cake when this picture was being taken. It was a combination of feeling sick and feeling disappointed that the cake would have to wait.<br />
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And it just got worse. Here he is a minute later...<br />
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(Side note: Cake by Ann. Upside down "6" candle by Mom. #momfail.)<br />
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We were gifted tickets to an Iron Pigs baseball game. (minor league for the Phillies). The weather was beautiful, the seats were great, and it just felt good being at the Great American Pastime on the 4th of July Weekend. There was even fireworks and running of the bases at the end and special message for the birthday boy.<br />
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Then it was back to the house where someone still didn't feel like his cake, but was happier having his picture taken.<br />
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Happy Birthday to my favorite youngest! You bring us all so much happiness.<br />
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4. <b>4th of July in NYC. </b>On Tuesday we headed back to New York, but this time we were in the city. We made a pit stop at Bill's work to check in on those who help keep us safe. Then we had dinner at a nearby diner.<br />
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Waffles and ice cream are just as good for dinner as they are for breakfast, in case you didn't know.<br />
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After dinner we went on a boat tour of the East River. We traveled up to the Statue of Liberty. The sun was setting and the views were spectacular.<br />
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Once the sun set, we were positioned in this great spot on the water to watch the fireworks. These buildings were behind us....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Empire State Building</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chrysler Building</td></tr>
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And this was our view in front of us....<br />
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It was spectacular. To <u><b>see </b></u>the fireworks up close and<u> <b>feel</b> </u>the booming in your chest as the <b><u>sound</u> </b>bounced off the buildings behind us, and being so close to be able to <u><b>smell</b> </u>the smoke coming from them..... Oh, and the boat had cookies and coffee on board and they were<u><b> tasty.</b></u>..... So, every sense was incorporated. What a thrill. <br />
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So, it was an awesome weekend overall. I have to say, one of the best parts for me was taking a step back and watching Big Bill secretly looking at the kids. When he sees them all happy, that is when he is happiest. The look of joy on his face was one of those everlasting snapshots taken in my mind. <br />
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Love this guy of mine xoxo<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-124186728687242392017-05-21T19:21:00.000-04:002017-05-21T19:21:55.980-04:00Everyday HappeningsMy last Everyday Happenings post was way back in March. We have 2 months to catch up on!<br />
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Let's go!<br />
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* We have another teenager in the house. Let's hear it for Thomas Andrew.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning doughnuts</td></tr>
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He asked for a cake with no icing. (which makes absolutely NO sense to me) <br />
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Happy Birthday, Bomber.<br />
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* I finished another year of teaching 1st Grade CCD. One exciting day we were asked to be part of a Promposal for my aide, Maggie. Her boyfriend was so sweet and arranged for the kids to hold up a sign inviting her to the prom. She said yes. (Just like the Blessed Mother did...haha)<br />
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* I went to breakfast with some good friends from my old Moms and Tots days. It was a great morning. Love these ladies who always inspire me and support me. <br />
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* Before Matthew made his First Communion, he spent a morning on a retreat. Here are some friends from his school. <br />
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* Around Easter-time, I found out these are a thing. I bought them and didn't share. <br />
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* April had us attending a million concerts for Mary, Tommy, and Ann.<br />
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Ok, slight exaggeration...but we did have:<br />
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High School Band Concert<br />
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High School Orchestra Concert<br />
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Middle School Band Concert<br />
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Middle School Orchestra Concert (Ann won the Director's Award)<br />
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Middle School Jazz Band Concert (Tommy won outstanding 7th grader award)<br />
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They were all fantastic and it makes my heart happy to watch them. <br />
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* Billy and Mary finished their track season. Mary and her relay team even made it to the District Championship. I'm usually unable to make it to their meets, hence no pictures. 🙁 ( Blogger has emoji's now? Who knew?)<br />
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*We celebrated Easter of course, but I neglected to get pictures. We attended the Vigil Mass this year (my very first time) and hosted my Dad, brother, nephew, and Uncle on Easter Sunday. It was a great day.<br />
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*Bill's nephew celebrated his First Holy Communion. We high-tailed it to Alexandria, VA for an overnight trip. Since, Tommy and Ann were on their band trip to Pittsburgh, we only had Billy, Mary, and Matt with us. We met up with Bill's brother's family at a hotel, had some breakfast and some pool time together, and off to the mass and celebration. It was SO much fun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congratulations, Joseph!</td></tr>
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* Mother's Day was the same weekend and it did not disappoint.....my favorite Wawa hoagies and picnic with my family.<br />
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* Bill came into Matt's school (and my workplace) to talk at career day.<br />
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*And last, but definitely not least, our oldest turned 17. Is it just me, or does 17 sound so much older than 16?<br />
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Happy Birthday, Billy! We love you.<br />
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And that's a wrap. If you made it this far, thanks for visiting.<br />
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Only 12 more days 'til summer. And the countdown begins.....<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-22005308022244529182017-05-05T05:30:00.000-04:002017-05-05T07:36:37.162-04:00A Taste Of BoredomRecently we had a Saturday with not much going on. Not wanting the day to fall into a deep abyss of screen time, I had to come up with something for us to do.<br />
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I knew I had to go to the grocery store at some point. This coincided with the nagging feeling that I really needed to start having us eat healthier around here. <br />
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<b>Enter: My Grand Idea!</b><br />
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<b>Step 1:</b> Have kids find a healthy snack recipe online. ( I had to do this for the boys.....they were NOT into this - obvi.)<br />
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<b>Step 2:</b> Have kids write down ingredients on my shopping list. ( I had to do this for the boys....they were NOT into this -obvi)<br />
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<b>Step 3:</b> Make our creations. I did not do this for the boys. I had to draw the line somewhere. Plus, it made for some great pics. See how happy they look?<br />
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And now for the posed shots.<br />
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And now for the food. Matthew made Baa Baa Black Sheep.<br />
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There was also Chocolate Drizzled Fruit Kabobs, Sweet Spinach Muffins, Roasted Chickpeas, and Granola.<br />
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We needed an impartial judge for the taste testing, so we invited our neighbor Christian over to help. I'm not sure if he was excited or scared.<br />
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Turns out there were no losers. Just winners. A fun day. Well, a fun hour at least. I think afterwards we all went back to our screens.<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-10343971993712883862017-05-03T05:30:00.000-04:002017-05-03T05:30:18.877-04:00MaxWhen I was in college and working towards getting my Respiratory Care Practitioner degree, I worked part time at a pharmacy. The pharmacist I worked with there had a friend who was already a respiratory therapist. He jotted this friend's name down on a business card and gave it to me in case I ever needed career advice. I stuffed the card in my wallet and forgot all about it.<br />
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Fast forward about 5 years and I pulled out that business card one day. On the back was the name of my friend and co-worker, Max. Ironically, we had begun working together years before. I had never realized it was the name that was written on that card so many years prior.<br />
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I guess you could say our friendship was meant to be.<br />
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Max was always there for me as I set out on this new career.<br />
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-When I was nervous to treat a pediatric patient, Max went with me and helped me out.<br />
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-When we were stuck at work overnight during the Blizzard of '96, Max was there and making it fun.<br />
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-When we worked the day of Princess Diana's funeral, we secretly caught glimpses of the TV together in empty hospital rooms.<br />
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-He took countless breaks with me while I smoked a Salem (yes, I really was a Respiratory Therapist who smoked.....the shame!)<br />
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You could say Max was my biggest cheerleader at work. He was also the one who rallied the troops for our monthly gatherings to go country line dancing.<br />
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He always made me laugh. One day I told the story of how a tree branch fell on the top of my car as I was driving to work, swearing those darn squirrels were out to get me. The following day I found this creepy picture on my locker.<br />
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He gave his blessing when Bill and I got engaged and treated him like a long, lost brother.<br />
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More recently, when my Dad was having open heart surgery a few years ago, Max had a conversation with<i> everyone</i> who my Dad might come into contact with to make sure he got the best of care. From the staff in the Operating Room, the ICU, the cardiac floor, and I wouldn't even doubt the kitchen staff.....all knew that a VIP was coming and Max requested they roll out the red carpet.<br />
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Because he never <i>forgets</i> a birthday, and I <i>always</i> forget his, I started crafting this post.....a long overdue thank you to a good friend and mentor. Max, you are the best!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-OI8XY5LwQbFiORi_WLCOmWux3W7KHM3BkHjhRMtpvqv2PqLzVvSzZHrNHkP9oJwPHHfcj2JuM72bpwBvQXasgqNTd8zo5vNkvUZ8c_ZvJkrvPiq9Toqbd8dbH8_s_cTTk_C89b3VD0/s1600/BMH+coworkers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-OI8XY5LwQbFiORi_WLCOmWux3W7KHM3BkHjhRMtpvqv2PqLzVvSzZHrNHkP9oJwPHHfcj2JuM72bpwBvQXasgqNTd8zo5vNkvUZ8c_ZvJkrvPiq9Toqbd8dbH8_s_cTTk_C89b3VD0/s400/BMH+coworkers.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Bryn Mawr Hospital coworkers - June, 1998</td></tr>
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-18502300512752137132017-05-01T15:39:00.000-04:002017-05-01T15:39:33.513-04:00Matthew's First Holy CommunionThe priest said it best.<br />
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"Today is the day that you will be closer to Jesus than you have ever been in your whole life."<br />
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What an exciting thing for an 8 year old to hear. Matthew was indeed excited for his big day. Everything went well. He looked handsome, he smiled and played, and he was surrounded by love all afternoon. <br />
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It was a crazy morning before church, so I had asked Mary to snap some pictures of Matthew in his suit while I ran to the store to pick up balloons. Here are the ones she took. <br />
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Hilarious!<br />
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Now, let's get serious.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That face!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpop and Gran and Gramps</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Godparents Aunt Jenny and Uncle John</td></tr>
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We are so grateful to have shared this day with our extended families. They were there, yet I neglected to get pictures back home at our gathering. There was so much goodness in the day, from the big cousins playing with the little cousins, "jam" sessions with musical instruments, and great conversations with loved ones. Best family ever!<br />
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I am filled with such gratitude for the gifts of faith and family. My two favorite things.Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815543766860542070.post-18520833556485447402017-03-22T09:10:00.000-04:002017-03-22T09:10:00.377-04:00Everyday HappeningsHappy Spring! Even thought there is snow on the ground here, I feel warmer weather is just around the corner. Fingers crossed.<br />
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Backing up to February, we've had our usual and unusual happenings.<br />
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First up, our girl went to her first school dance. She and a group of her girl friends met up with a group of the boy friends (not boyfriends) beforehand and had some chow. <br />
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In other news, Billy got his driver's permit.<br />
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GULP!<br />
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The kids and I were off for President's Day. We went bowling.<br />
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And, not to brag (but really - to brag) check out "M" for Mom there. A Turkey and a pretty darn good score, if I do say so myself.<br />
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Matthew just finished up his first season of basketball.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqb3VQbbpDlXJEXzRMG2siEuscqoyDOGZkvIMmd3wJI_OKacIomAavsYRid9tttrMVM1qQvl-Jz2cH8iYMJ2nXb-GzSxBXyYwGmX5s6Au2EJKbMurDVa5DGAVbFAf6jrt4fmKsjbNRYh0/s1600/IMG_1774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqb3VQbbpDlXJEXzRMG2siEuscqoyDOGZkvIMmd3wJI_OKacIomAavsYRid9tttrMVM1qQvl-Jz2cH8iYMJ2nXb-GzSxBXyYwGmX5s6Au2EJKbMurDVa5DGAVbFAf6jrt4fmKsjbNRYh0/s400/IMG_1774.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt- #11</td></tr>
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"Fun" for the whole family. <br />
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Mary, Tommy, and Ann were in the Parade of Shamrocks. It was freezing, but fun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's Mary in the middle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thawing out on the ride home.</td></tr>
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Tommy's Jazz Band has had competitions every Friday in March.<br />
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And last but not least....<br />
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Our girl Ann just celebrated a birthday. It fell on the 3rd snow day we had last week, so she was happy there was no school that day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning doughnuts</td></tr>
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She asked for fondant icing for her present, so she worked hard making a cake and using some of the special utensils we got her. The jury is still out as to whether or not we <i>like </i>fondant, but it sure did <i>look</i> pretty.<br />
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Another big deal is that she can sit in the front seat of the car now that she's 12.<br />
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Apparently this fact needed to be documented on my phone.<br />
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Happy Birthday Ann. We love you!<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035231628115404437noreply@blogger.com5