{SQT} Third Week of Advent

1. Rorate Mass

Saturday began bright and early with a contingent of us attending the 6:30 a.m. rorate Mass, described as follows by our pastor:

"This votive Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary takes its name from the first words of the Introit: "Rorate coeli, désuper et nubes pluant justum," which is translated: "Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down the Just." What is special about this Mass is that it is celebrated early in the morning using only candlelight, a reminder that the world was in darkness before the coming of the True Light of the World, Jesus Christ. As the Mass is offered, and the dawn begins to break, the Church - through the prayers of this Mass - expresses her deep longing for the coming of the Messiah in the darkness of our fallen world. It is thus a Mass that is so wonderfully suited to the Advent theme of hopeful expectation of the coming of the Christ Child."

Photo courtesy: B. Williams

I was home packing suitcases and loading the van so we could leave for Atlanta as soon as possible, which was an hour and a half later than our planned departure which, combined with the 3.5-hour trip taking 5.5 hours, made us much later than we'd hoped to the Grandparents' Christmas.

2. Saturday in Atlanta

We did arrive, however, safe and sound! Chris' mother designs the most picture-perfect Christmas in her home with Chris' father dutifully moving this here and moving that there and doing whatever needs to be done.

We enjoyed a snack of hot cocoa and appetizers, the exchanging of gifts, eating a feast of a homemade meal, and then some caroling before we had to depart for our hotel.

3. Sunday in Atlanta

In the morning, the children busied themselves with playing our newly received Payday board game, making numerous potholders on the newly received loom, and listening to me read from our latest read-aloud, "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster--a favorite from my childhood and never yet read aloud to my own children! I chose this book intentionally because it is so delightful and not at all academic that I hoped it would lure my brood back into a reading aloud family culture. Indeed, they are asking me multiple times a day, "Would you read us another chapter, Mama?!"

Then we zipped to our former home parish where John and Mary had been invited to sing with the choir that day--what a blessed joy for them! After Mass, we enjoyed lunch with the children's loving godparents.

We had just enough time to meet the grandparents for the Christmas concert of the Atlanta Master Chorale. This year, I got to attend while Chris kindly kept the three little boys outside playing.

After a quick dinner after the theater, we got back to the hotel . . . where everyone was very, very tired.

4. Movie Date

Chris and I hired a sitter and dashed out for dinner and a movie date to see "Richard Jewell." Except for one, brief immodest scene in a bar (just turn your head) and a little bit of rough language by cops, it was a good, clean, crime movie and an important reminder about how an overreaching government can easily ruin any one of our lives.

5. Preparations

Getting back to my prayer life, disjointed lately . . . purchasing final Christmas gifts . . . putting up exterior Christmas lights . . . housecleaning . . . visiting with my baby goddaughter . . . planning holiday menus . . . attempting to resume any exercise at at all . . . battling terrible insomnia . . . running on fumes . . .

6. Miscellaneous Moments

Joseph (almost 7) lost his first and second teeth in one week!

7. Christmas Music for Seniors

The oldest four performed with other homeschoolers playing Christmas music for seniors in a nursing home. It was a jolly time and the elderly seemed to love it.

A contingent of us have been experiencing some illness, so pray for us that it is all passed by the time Christmas comes! If God allows otherwise, then it will be one of a good handful of Easter and Christmas feast days when we've celebrated ill and in our PJs!

David asleep from sickness,
Mama asleep from taking care of him for three days

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Nebraska: Grandma Camie's Memorial

This has been a summer of unexpected difficulties and sorrows on my maternal side of the family. In April my grandmother Linda died (shockingly unexpected), in June my grandfather almost died but recovered, we traveled to Nebraska in July, and in late September my grandmother Camie died (also fairly unexpected), so we traveled to Nebraska again this past week.

The four last things have been much on my mind (quietly in the background amidst the unceasing hustle and bustle): We must be wise and prudent in making plans and know that our plans may be so much dust tomorrow.

Monday October 14

I flew to Nebraska with David (too young for me to want to leave) and dear Margaret (8--my big helper this time!). Chris took three days off work to manage the four sweeties at home.

I fed everyone else breakfast but forgot to feed David, so I bought him Bugles for breakfast at the airport.

I had to leave our family's iPad behind at home (long story), so ended up having to entertain a two-year-old for three hours with only two board books, five matchbox cars, and some crayons for coloring. I did it!

We bought lunch at the airport (I didn't know that they don't feed you on planes anymore!), rented our car, drove the hour into Lincoln, and checked into our hotel, where we were happy to refresh ourselves with fresh cookies.

We were pooped and rested for a while! Margaret and I are both introverts, so we immediately stuck our nose into books and did not talk.

Then we stopped by Grandpa's house to visit family.

Uncle Steven

Every new photo with Grandpa is treasured!

Grandpa John

Tuesday October 15

We ate breakfast at the hotel, where David dragged his blankie, as he calls it. I've had other children who had a special stuffed animal or doll to sleep with (only), but this is my very first child of six to have a transitional objects he carries almost everywhere with him.

We had lots of time to kill, being on East Coast time, so we were able to attend the 8:00 a.m. Mass at the lovely FSSP parish.

I drove David around for a nap, returned to the hotel to dress up, and headed to the beautiful cemetery and reception facilities for the memorial.

Grandma Camie's friend made her an astoundingly wonderful photo board!

I was in and out with loud David regularly, but heard important speakers. At one point I walked around the gorgeous cemetery.

The Celebration of Life was very fitting for Camie and I think she would have loved it and approved of it.

Cousin Ethan

Two fellas and their wheels!

Beloved Aunt Erica

I treasure this family photo so much! Not everyone could make it, but many of us were able to gather!

After the memorial, I drove David around for another nap, then we enjoyed visiting and eating back at Grandpa's house before another night when my kids crashed within five minutes of reaching the hotel at an early hour.

Wednesday October 16

We went to the Hi-Way Diner (open 24 hours) for breakfast at the crack of dawn, in order to visit Grandpa's home one last time by 7:15 a.m.

I wrote out a time schedule for all my tasks to leave town, but then stayed too long visiting family and had to race, race, race to drive the hour to Omaha, fill up on gas, find the new rental car facility to return the car, and check in. The Omaha airport is formatted in a WEIRD WAY such that I walked straight from the rental car facility to the walk-through security area, still with my luggage-to-be-checked in hand. Only then did I realize that I needed to have walked far out of my way and to a basement floor downstairs to check my luggage. By this time, I really thought we'd miss our flight and we had to start running.

I checked in the bags, made it back through security, and got to the gate . . . where our boarding was delayed by an entire hour! Numerous people switched flights, such that Margaret ended up having an empty seat next to her, which was a boon. David did not do so well on this flight and many passengers were subjected to his screaming.