Catholic Family Vignettes

...the flu, that is! Egads, this thing is long-lived. Yesterday, my dear husband fought a fever all day. Today Clementine is down. The little ones continue to cough, but have been fever free for the past 3 days. I was finally able to attend Mass for the first time in nearly two weeks.

Total number of family members who attended Mass last Sunday: 3

Ash Wednesday: 0

This Sunday: 3

The lingering coughs still shake the rafters...thus far Arthur, Galahad and Mom remain uninfected. Keep praying, dear friends!! This stuff is bound to pass soon enough.

On a slightly more hopeful note, look what I spied peeking up through the dirt:



The recent rain and springlike weather seems to have awakened these "sleepers." The problem? Yesterday it was 50 degrees. Today it is 15 and it feels like -3.

Poor little daffodils...hope they can survive this... Read more!

The past few days have been exhausting. One by one, the children are succumbing to this devilish illness. The little girls have remained feverish, with temperatures exceeding 103. They feel a bit better, then they feel worse. The boys are suffering as well, though their temperatures haven't been as high. Thank you, friends, for your continued prayers!

As we approach the holy season of Lent, I've decided to take a bit of a sabbatical from blogging. I'm preparing to renew my Consecration to Our Lady and feel called to limit my distractions as much as possible. Having devoted so much time of late to tending the sick has helped me to realize that I really need to shift my focus...

It's such an odd thing: I'm never so patient, so solicitous of the needs of my family as I am when they are sick. Why is that? They are the same dear children and I am their mother, yet I find myself annoyed by the constant interruptions and distractions that make up day to day life.

Except when they're sick.

They can interrupt me anytime. Even when I'm sleeping. I'm charmed by how happy they are when I serve them hot tea (when they didn't ask), sat down and read a book to them (when they didn't ask), and watched a young boy play a video game (and he didn't ask)...

Over the past few weeks, I've developed a nasty habit: I've been spending a lot of time filling requests, rather than genuinely serving. I enjoy serving, willingly, so much better. So I'm going try to be present. I'm going to try a little harder to give those little acts of kindness before they have to ask. And I'm quite sure, my patience will be tried more than once.

But I'm going to try...

I'll be thinking of all my dear friends, and will keep you in my prayers. Could you pray for me? Thanks...I knew you would! Read more!

How do you console the suffering, the ones who didn't get to attend Candlemas and a First Holy Communion?

With tea and candles...



Thanks to dad who remembered his suffering family, bringing home a variety of over the counter pharmaceuticals and yummy teas. Not to mention the oh-so-important blessed candles.

Charlotte is very ill, at present. Please continue to pray for her recovery. Little Emily is bouncing back like a rubber ball...she is so much happier today. Gareth has joined the ranks of the sick. Meanwhile, we continue to pray that none of the other children will fall to this dreadful virus.

Thank you for your prayers, dear friends. A blessed First Saturday and Candlemas to you all!
And here is the rest of it. Read more!

I suppose it was inevitable...everyone we know has been sick. Miserably so.

Last night, Charlotte had a fever and began to cough. This morning, Emily awoke with the stomach "bug" and all the lovely symptoms that accompany it.

Prayers, my friends! Both girls are feverish and miserable and extremely sad that they will be missing Candlemas tomorrow. A dear little girl we know is making her First Holy Communion. Read more!