My Relaxing Birthday

Today was my birthday and I had a great time! Chris had to extend his business trip, so couldn't make it home to be with me today, but I decided to make lemonade out of lemons (which is very unlike me).

I launched the day by taking us to 7:00 a.m. Mass. I had forgotten that, in a sense, it is easier to get us to this earliest Mass than to the 8:00 or 8:30. For this earliest Mass, I wake the kids at 6:00 (which is around when they get up anyway), get them dressed immediately, grab a granola bar on the way out the door for them to eat on the drive, and load them in the van. Voila, we are there by 7:00. But for a slightly later Mass, I meander downstairs, drink my hot coffee, check my email, the kids want hot breakfast . . . and then we're rushing around, barely getting to Mass on time even though we had an entire hour "extra."

Anyway, we got to receive blessed candles for Candlemas. Yes, the children did try to use them as swords, poking devices, flapping things, and slender things to insert in holes in the pews during Mass. Meanwhile I got to practice giving the parental stink eye.

And did you know that my name, Katherine, is from the Greek καθαρος (katharos) meaning "pure", and I was born on the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary? A coincidence? I don't know, but minimally it is a handy dandy way to remember my birthday!

After Mass, we got doughnuts for breakfast to celebrate the day!

Then we came home and I enjoyed opening some gifties from loved ones. My husband hasn't been here this week to help the kids make me a gift, so my babysitter very thoughtfully did so: she and the kids made me sacrifice beads! Truly, I was so touched.

My dad gave me two books about which I am beyond excited: Christian slave narratives from the early settlers of New England! Aren't you as excited as am I? No, seriously, this is just my kind of reading, on several levels. I have already finished most of Mary White Rowlandson's book today: her husband was away from the house when Indians came, captured her entire household, killed her 6-year-old daughter, and kept her in wretched captivity for a long time. Following is the sentiment with which she closes her book:

"Before I knew what affliction meant, I was ready sometimes to wish for it. When I lived in prosperity, having the comforts of the world about me, my relations by me, my heart cheerful, and taking little care for anything, and yet seeing many, whom I preferred before myself, under many trials and afflictions, in sickness, weakness, poverty, losses, crosses, and cares of the world, I should be sometimes jealous least I should have my portion in this life, and that Scripture would come to my mind, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth" (Hebrews 12.6). But now I see the Lord had His time to scourge and chasten me. The portion of some is to have their afflictions by drops, now one drop and then another; but the dregs of the cup, the wine of astonishment, like a sweeping rain that leaveth no food, did the Lord prepare to be my portion. Affliction I wanted, and affliction I had, full measure (I thought), pressed down and running over. Yet I see, when God calls a person to anything, and through never so many difficulties, yet He is fully able to carry them through and make them see, and say they have been gainers thereby. And I hope I can say in some measure, as David did, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." The Lord hath showed me the vanity of these outward things. That they are the vanity of vanities, and vexation of spirit, that they are but a shadow, a blast, a bubble, and things of no continuance. That we must rely on God Himself, and our whole dependence must be upon Him. If trouble from smaller matters begin to arise in me, I have something at hand to check myself with, and say, why am I troubled? It was but the other day that if I had had the world, I would have given it for my freedom, or to have been a servant to a Christian. I have learned to look beyond present and smaller troubles, and to be quieted under them. As Moses said, "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord" (Exodus 14.13)."

I know, I bet you want to read it too . . .

Plus I received a croquet set I'd been wanting! I have dreams of our playing it in our little grassy lawn out back in the heat of the summer.

Thankfully, God gifted us with a brilliantly sunny day and 70-degree weather this February second, so we spent all morning playing croquet . . . five-year-old boy style! Can you just envision how excited a five-year-old boy is to be given a large wooden mallet?

I, myself, find the thwack of the mallet hitting the heavy balls very satisfying.

I was so relaxed today. We had virtually no structure at all. We did no formal schooling. I didn't prepare any food except for PBJs at lunch. I didn't even empty yesterday's dishwasher till two in the afternoon. I cleaned nothing and the detritus of the day slowly built up, but I didn't mind. We played croquet and then a thrilling game of mom-versus-son no-rules soccer. We were laughing so hard, John and I, that some neighbors walking through the neighborhood came to peer into the back yard to see what was going on!

After afternoon Quiet Time, we hung out on the driveway: the children rode bikes and I read more of the slave narrative.

The girls were bare-legged and bare-foot! We're still waiting for winter.

'I'm just going to go exploring, Mama. See you later . . .'




I was able to catch on video tape Margaret taking one single step, so that is sweet. Yesterday I saw her take two in a row without falling. She's learning to walk alright!

Then a certain sweet husband who wasn't able to be here as planned today sent me chocolate-covered fruit! Although clearly there must have been some kind of mix-up with the numbers indicating my age.

When I turned my back for a moment, Miss Mary, who loves fruit, quickly denuded much of the bouquet. Little scamp!

In the evening, we had previously made plans to join another couple and their three same-aged children as ours for dinner at a loud, kid-friendly restaurant. I just didn't want to cook on my own birthday. Chris encouraged me still to go out with them: no point sitting at home just because he can't be here with me! I'd have taken pictures, but the chaos that ensues when six children ages six years down to 10 months occupying one restaurant table precluded me pausing for photographs!

Thank you to everyone for your well wishes: I feel very loved.