Hello.
I'm here!  Been doing that thing I do where I want to write and yet I don't write and I get lazy/distracted/melancholic/analytical/busy and then just don't do the writing and then feel agitated/sad about it.  Soooo…how about a daybook?  Do people still do those?  Is that even a thing anymore?  Whatever.  It helps me with the thought gathering and the putting of fingers to the keyboard.   So that's that.  A daybook of randomness on this beautiful feast of my girl, Therese.

Outside my window…
The sun is shining but it's a chilly windy fall day!  Can you believe it's October already?  September flew.

Hearing…
The hum of the monitor as the wee one naps and the rustle of Legos through the floor.  Our playroom is upstairs which is good and bad.  And piano lessons for John Paul and Michael that I'm supposed to be paying attention to.  Ahem.

Thankful for…
Today's feast of St. Therese.  My middle namesake.  All the little ways that her little way has helped me grow in motherhood.
The gift of overall health for my boys.  I don't feel like it's fair sometimes.
The pope's visit and all the fruit growing from it in visible and invisible ways.  And for all those who prayed with us!  I have no doubt that it made a difference.
A wonderful weekend away this past weekend.  It was such a God gift.

Thinking about…
My role in the blogging world.  What my goals are here and how to discern when and what to write.  It's been weighing on me a lot, actually.  I've grown concerned about sharing too much of my children and home life online and just don't know what is worth it and what is not.  As this blog has grown I've actually found it harder and harder to write because I can't pretend anymore that people aren't reading and then I feel naked and weirded out.  But this place has also been a huge blessing so I just keep praying for guidance on where to go with it.

Learning…
We've been doing a pretty adequate job of keeping up with our main lessons and it hasn't been too bad with the littles.  Lists and routines WRITTEN OUT make all the difference.  The older three each have a schedule on the fridge of what they work on each day and (for the most part) they just do it.  It's funny but when it's all official-like on a list, they don't seem to argue (as much) about it or try to get out of it.  NOT to say that it's been all roses around here by any means but we're truckin' along and things are okay.  David is reading which is awesome and Luke has been wanting to learn more letters and showing interest in adding.

Struggling with…
Sleep.  I think the up at night nursing has finally caught up with me.  I was doing pretty great with that the first three months but the last few weeks I feel that sleep deprived crazy knocking at the door.  The one where I am edgy and broody and the melancholic side of me likes to come out and play a bit too much and makes me question all the things about life.

From the kitchen…
Well.  I'm kinda proud of myself because tonight we're having chicken cordon bleu, French cut green beans, and baguette for the feast.  Feelin' fancy with all that.  And hungry.  For Michael and Benedict (Raphael)'s feast day the other night we had pan-fried breaded tilapia and our traditional devil's food cake for dessert (made with help from a very excited Michael).  But other than that things haven't been all that exciting in the kitchen world.  We're eating and have food so guess I can't complain.

Reading...
Created to Relate by Kelly Wahlquist
Divine Intimacy by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen


Creating…
Hmmm…not all that much, really.  I need to pick up the knitting needles for a brand new nephew who was born last week and another who was born a few weeks before that!

Around the house…
Our porch floor is finally getting replaced!  I was gone for the weekend and Brian and the boys got the wood cut and all nailed in while I was away!  (Thank you, dear, for sparing me that chaos.)  It still needs to be sanded, primed, painted, and the skirting fixed.  So we've still got lots more left.  But it's started.

I'm toying with the idea of replacing the countertops that I so meticulously painted.  There are work-heavy parts that aren't holding up well and those parts just look awful.  I wish I had sealed it better because the other parts look really great still.  Also running through my head are plans to put carpet in two rooms upstairs and paint the garage.
Oh, and yellow jackets and spiders are around the house, too.  Because we couldn't go one year without them, now could we?

Praying…
For my sister and her little unborn baby girl
For the conversion of abortionists and those who work in the abortion industry.
For all those who are pregnant and scared.
For a friend's remission.
For joy and healing.

{phfr} picture thoughts to share…
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{happy}



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