Gloria in Excelsis Deo: {SQT} The All Saints Day edition

1. Wildlife Encounters

Last Saturday, I was upstairs when five-year-old Joseph came racing in from out of doors, screaming, "This is an emergency! This is a big emergency!" I was fumbling and bumbling to get to him quickly, while myself screaming, "What is it? Tell me immediately!" Joseph was so distraught that all he could do was keep shrieking that "this is a big emergency, Mama! Come quick!"

I feared the three-year-old had run down the street again, or maybe even been scooped up by kidnappers at the bottom of our driveway.

I grabbed the baby and flew down the stairs, following Joseph who couldn't stop screaming. Outside we raced and then he gasped and pointed, "The garbage can is moving! I think there is something alive in there!"

Indeed, the garbage can was pitching and rocking, with something alive scrabbling around inside of it. I crept up to it with my cell phone on 'camera', pointed my arm way over the can, snapped a pic, and then looked at it to find out what was in there. I thought it would be a raccoon and that I might peer my head over the garbage can, only to be bitten.

But it was a little squirrel, scared out of his wits.

I snapped some closer-up photos of the little guy, knocked over the can, and set him free. It was a big emergency, but only for the squirrel!

Later that same afternoon, Chris was gone again--always gone for the wildlife!--when a fat mouse waddled through our kitchen in broad daylight, with kids running around, and then stopped to casually clean his whiskers while he watched me.

2. John's Master Class

Last week, John had the privilege of being invited to participate in a Master Class to polish the dynamics of his Concerto in C Major by Haydn with David Brooks of Wingate University. I was so glad he had that experience!

3. Trump Rally

On Friday night, Chris took John to the President Trump rally. We're not much for throngs of people or loud noise or getting 'amped up,' but the president coming to town was a pretty special experience and worth checking out. People starting to line up 24 hours in advance--and for 24 hours of a rainstorm and weather in the 40s!--but our fellas still got good seats.

They had great fun!

4. Reel Scottish Weekend

Meanwhile, back at home, I took the kids to the Friday night concert of Reel Scottish Weekend, which is a Scottish dance event for which people fly in from all over the world. Folks were invited to perform at the concert, which was a presentation of piano, accordion, violin, voice, and some demo dances.

John was invited to perform but had the schedule conflict with the rally, so only Mary performed.

Chris was then in charge of taking the kids back on Saturday for a dance workshop, a dinner, and a social dance.

5. Haircut

After the hustle and bustle to get to Mass on Sunday, I was settling in when I looked hard at our three-year-old for the first time.

Proud of his self-hair cut

"Thomas, did you cut your own hair?"

"Yes, Mama."

Thinking hard. A three-year-old has no concept of 'why' or time, so how could I find out more details?

"Where were you when you cut your hair?"

"Me was in Margaret's room. Me was trying to cut paper. [serious pause] It's not an emergency, of course."

6. All Saints' Day

Click here to read all about All Saints' Day!

All of us endeavoring to become saints!

7. Miscellaneous

I try to bring my little ones close when I'm cooking so I can keep an eye on them. It's so hard to cook with children around, but it's harder to interrupt cooking repeatedly to break up fights and get them out of mischief.

On Sunday, I parked the one-year-old by the utensils drawer and let him dig through it, including throwing forks on the ground; I let the five-year-old cut potatoes with me; and I let the three-year-old transfer already-cut potatoes into the bowl. Each of the boys felt Very Important.

You can hire a professional baby-proofer to come to the house, but you can't babyproof away all the stools, chairs, and random objects that a 14-month-old can stack and climb to get where he wants!