Looking forward to Lent

I might be crazy, but I truly look forward to Lent. It is a time to deny our own selfishness and unite ourselves to Christ, expecially his time in the desert before Palm Sunday when he triumphantly enters Jeruselem. When we start the discussions about Lent, the kids usually ask, "what are we giving up this year?" And of course we are going to give up something (help me, I really like this something!) But I want to approach this more comprehensively, as an emptying of self , as a curbing selfish desires, and as a humble servant. Since Lent starts so early this year (next week!) , I want to be thinking about the following this weekend. I read this and think it a great bit to ponder:
"Clean Monday”, the first full day of the Great Fast, is traditionally a day when people prepare to go to Confession in order to cleanse the body, soul and spirit of sin. In many places and cultures, it is the custom during the First Week of Lent to clean the house, to rid our dwellings of possessions that clutter our lives, and to find things to share with the poor. The month of February gets its name from the Latin word “februum,” which means to make clean! The “theme” of Clean Monday is found in the Prophecy of Isaiah, which is read on that day during Sixth Hour: "Wash yourselves and you shall be clean; put away from my eyes the wicked ways of your souls; cease to do evil; learn to do good. Seek justice, correct oppression, care for the fatherless, and plead for the widow. Come then, and let us reason together, says the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, I will make them white as wool" (1.16-18).
We are off to Dallas for the State BB Tournament, and one of the great things about travelling in a car is that there is plenty of time to talk! Hopefully we will have much of our Lent figured out by thetim e we get back home.
kanga

Mansfield Park

I guess it all comes from trying to condense a huge book into 1 1/2 hours. Though I liked the movie, I was dissatisfied as I watched. The development of these deep and complex relationships was so quick and surface level. Unless you've already read the book, it was too shallow and leaves too much unsaid. If you've read the book, then I guess it's a good reminder of the different scenes and characters...and a reminder of what the story really is. But if you did read the book, did Fanny really look like that? Did you think the realtionships were sufficiently explored? (I know that it can only be done in a representative way in film, but still! ) To be fair, all Jane Austen works have redeeming characters, and I especially liked Edmund.
So, this wasn't my favorite Jane Austen book-to-film. I am still dreaming of Catherine! I want to live that life...not the aristocratic one...the one of her childhood. A simple life in the country with tons of kids, laughing and running free in the outdoors, surrounded by family and good friends, and able to walk everywhere in town! Does it exist now? Oh, and the gorgeous dresses, but for sure that doesn't exist!
Can't wait until the next Masterpiece Theatre!

flu

Something might be wrong with me, but when my kids are sick I love them a little bit more.
So, Tigger was the first one to get it. He didn't really let us know that he was sick, but after practice and a game (16 points, no less) he was wiped out. Then he let on that he isn't feeling well (fever, bones ache, tired, etc). Pooh was just bedridden and HOT! Roo woke up early yesterday with what I originally thought was a bit of a temperature...'til I took it...103! Yikes. We went to the Dr. (thanks to my sis A-L who was wise and emphatic that I take the kids in)
'Twas almost impossible to get an appointment. Roo got in first and a positive flu diagnosis was made. Tigger's doc was double-booked all day, so was every other doc in the office. The nurse found one in another office (last double booking in Austin, I think!?) These 3 are now on Tamiflu, which should help shorten the sickness and reduce the symptoms. Piglet has, what I think is, a general cold.
Ah, but the part about loving them just a bit more. They are quiet (rare in the hundred acre wood!), thoughtful (when not asleep =)), snuggly (well, maybe not Tigger), and warm. Maybe I am understating the warm part, and maybe it wouldn't be so nice in the summer....but I haven't been cold in days! But seriously, I do love my lil sickies. They aren't complainers and how many more chances do I have to mother them? I don't know, so I'm making the most of it!
kanga

Basketball, January18 -19

The Varsity Girls defeated HCYA-Blue of Houston 47-26 to win their second straight Victoria Homeschool Invitational Tournament.
[SATCH] (Conroe) 60-32 Royals win!
Cobra Athletics (Victoria) 74-25 Royals win!
[HCYA] (Houston) 47-26 Royals win Tournament!

Pooh #3 is starting point guard and Piglet #10 is awesome sub-extrodinaire! Piglet's best game of the tournament was against Victoria, when she scored 7 points, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 rebound. Not bad for a 13 year old playing High Schoolers! Pooh had a great tournament also, even if most of what she doesn't show up in the "stats". Last year was a fun stats year for her, but this year she helps them win, helps the younger players grow, and bonds the team. She is team glue, and the games were all pretty even. This tournament, she averaged about 8 points, 4 assists, 1 steal, 3+ rebounds, and add a couple of blocks. I think she is really relishing her last year of High School Basketball with another 1st place in a Tourney.

The Royals varsity boys claim third place of the Victoria Homeschool Invitational by defeating CHSA 63-60.
Cobra Athletics (Victoria) 86-22 Royals win!
[HCYA] (Houston) 42-45 Tough loss.
[CHSA] (Houston) 63-60 Royals win!

Not too shabby without their head coach. And these teams that they are playing are legit, like the Houston teams normally plays 5A public schools and play them competitively. Tigger is starting point guard for the boys team. He really helped them win the 3rd place with 23 points (12 if 16 from the free throw line, 80% from the field),3 assists, 4 steals, and 6 rebounds. Yes, it's true...he wanted a win, especially after the stinging 2nd game loss. The above picture is Tigger in dribble mode. He was taking a lot of abuse from the other team. Oh well, years of soccer taught him to love contact (ahem, fouls, that is =)).
In addition, the boys claimed the tournament's coveted Christian Character Award for the first time.
This is the worst of the pictures but the guy driving the lane for a runner is Tigger. And it worked! Many points off that manuver.
Check out the website http://royalsathletics.org/ Pooh is the #3 on the top of the home page =)

Northhanger Abbey

We had our Sunday night at the Masterpiece Theater..at home of course! Northhanger Abbey was very well done. Though the book can be confusing, the movie was not. The story is interwoven with Catherine's many imaginations, encouraged by her novel reading so many of these imaginations are wild. The movie made this flow seamlessly.
Catherine is probably my favorite Jane Austen character. She is young, inexperienced, naive in many ways. As she begins to leave her childhood, the story begins. I want to jump in and guide her. The world is a hard place! Sometimes people will take advantage of you! Ack! Don't do that! Or, yes trust this person! But she manages herself fine (don't want to ruin the story for you!) , even if she must painfully evaluate herself. She even matures and moves beyond her childish ways.
And...aaahhh...a happy ending!

where's the date?

Does anyone know where the date on my blog has gone? It used to be above the title, but disappeared. I changed some settings so it shows on the bottom, but I'd still it rather be at the top. Let me know if you have any pointers?

lost luggage

As if 12 hours in airports or airplanes wasn't enough, American Airlines also lost a suitcase. It contained all of my, C. Robin's, and Roo's clothes for the week and a half that we were to be in Utah for Christmas. I was in a state of denial, continually thinking that they would find it and soon we would have our things.
C. Robin finally convinced me to go shopping, at least to have more than one outfit. We bought bare minimum (2 outfits for 10 days...thankfully we were at mom's so we could do wash!) I was sad, especially when I realized that there were certain things that are irreplacable... a wool sweater C. Robin gave me when we were dating, Roo's advent calendar, a Royal's T-shirt last year's version, etc....sigh... I consoled myself that all these material things pass away and I shouldn't be attached. I did cry, though, when I realized that the stockings that I cross-stitched for each member of the family was in the bag. Luckily I was mistaken! but what a fright.
We are home and I am satisfied that the airline will never find the luggage. I must go shopping to replace some things that I need. 'Tis been almost a month. Did I mention I'm not a big shopper? But Roo does need more than shorts and sport pants.
And then ****riiing, riiing*****We get a phone call, and unbelievably they have found our bag!
Apparently it had a piece of tape on the back that had C. Robin's first name...only...on it, and the employee remembered that someone with this first name had lost a bag.
Can you believe it? They found it!!!! Woo hooooooo!
-kanga

novena for life

Novena of Reparation for Roe vs. Wade, January 14-22 (from www.preistsforlife.com)

The Catholic bishops of the United States have designated January 22 as a special day of prayer and penance in reparation for the massive killing that has resulted from the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision (handed down January 22, 1973) which permitted abortion throughout pregnancy. Therefore, we at Priests for Life, invite you to prepare spiritually for that day by joining a Novena that starts on Monday, January 14 and concludes on the 22nd. We invite you to say the prayer below each of those days.
Prayer of Reparation
God and Father of Life, You have created every human person,
And have opened the way for each to have eternal life. We live in the shadow of death.Tens of millions of your children have been killed Thanks to the Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion. Father, have mercy on us.Heal our land And accept our offering of prayer and penance. In your love for us, Turn back the scourge of abortion. May each of us exult in hearts full of hope And hands full of mercy And work together to build a culture of life.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen

pooh's birthday

18 years ago, today, at 3 in the morning, a beautiful baby girl was born.
She changed my life. She expanded my heart. She made me understand what it is to give of yourself until it hurts....and still love. Love until my heart wants to burst.
We didn't understand what having a baby would do to our lives, our marriage, our souls. We just knew that we loved each other and wanted to expand that love. And, boy! does a child do that!
Some memories......
newborn: she was skinny, red, and dark haired. she came 5 weeks early.

toddler: she pudged up, and had curly blond locks.

preschooler: she had a interminable smile, very happy!

ballerina:she wore a pink leotard and had loooong legs.

first ski trip: she fell and I made her ski the whole way down (20 min !) when I checked her at the bottom, her goggles were busted and so was her cheek....but she got down.
recent ski trip: she can ski.....fast and fun....any run!

homeschooling: nature walks, reading aloud, history on the trampoline, a feild trip to Germany :-), watching her learn and grow in maturity, having talks anytime.

big sis: 'it was the best of time, it was the worst of time' just kidding! Pooh is a good first child who loves to help her younger sibs....usually appreciated.

teenage: so glad to have skipped the daughter/mother divide that often happens when girls are teenagers. To watch her mature into the young lady that she is now, and to have this open loving relationship is a blessing beyond words.

This post will have to be edited and embellished later. I am boohoo-ing so hard that the tears are interfering with my eyesight and the headache with my thinking.

She is too complex to express.
I love you, Pooh!

your mommy forever,
kanga

travelling-jones

Tigger has spent the better part of this week researching the best way to travel to Utah. He, and the other roos, are very taken by the idea of visiting the grandparents again. The G-parents are NOT discouraging this AT ALL. In fact, they are explaining all the fun things that can be done in Utah in the summer. Sigh. I want to go too, but have I told you how much I hate being in the car.
C. Robin thinks it's pretty cool to have modern kids, teenagers even...gasp, that want to go visit family.
Me too!
-kanga

what's in your ear?

Wanting to check out what the wind has done to our backyard and get my youngest out for some sunshine, Roo and I went on the trampoline this afternoon. He made up several different games: 'shock' because of the static electricity...ouch!, 'running contest' was one of us running about the edge and the other rolling to touch/ tag the other, and then his favorite, the 'why' game in which he asks an inordinate number of questions that have an equal chance of his already knowing the answer but all start with the word "why".
In an effort to dodge the 'why' game, I peered into his left ear and gasped. "oh my, you have a monkey in your ear" This elicited squeals of delight from little Roo. We decided that the remedy must be jumping together 27 times. 1,2,3,4.......26,27. Roo then wanted to know, "What's in my other ear?" Which there was a Banana Boat, and we had to jump 32 times to get that one out.
Then he was onto my ears. You can't believe there was an elephant (61 times), and elephant boats (21 jumps), and even a whole elephant family (100 jumps, which to Roo must've seemed like 1 million!).
The wonderful thing about an almost 5 year old is that he can do the same thing and continue to be amused...ad infinitum! The sad thing about moms is that they have to make dinner.....but at least we had some fun in the sun.
Roo thinks we need to go out tomorrow again because he thinks there is lots more in his ears!
-kanga

Masterpeice Theater 2008

Thanks to Kanga's friend, Cynthia, we have plenty of Jane Austen! She sent the PBS schedule for Masterpeice Theatre. Thank You!!

For your benefit too:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/austen/index.html

I originally posted the whole schedule here, but changed my mind. You definitely should explore the pbs site. There are some terrific resources there. I am so excited! I think we have our literature course for the Spring...and I spent no $$. The information at pbs is a treasure, especially for us Jane Austen-ophiles.

I can't wait to get started!
-kanga

saturday in the 70's

It's true. Today was in the 70's here. After being in Utah where it was snowing almost each day and in the teens temperature-wise, it feels downright balmy!
We had an out door BB game: C. Robin and I vs. Tigger and Piglet. It was so fun, even if they pulled out the win. OK, they didn't exactly 'pull it out' ( they were never in danger!), but age and effort (parents) couldn't trump athletic ability and skill. Still too fun, and Roo was happy 'cause his cousins, J and A, came also.

I was happy 'cause I got to see my lil cutie neice, Love, (she is so delicate and perfect, but she burps like the best :-) )

In the afternoon, we cleaned and washed all the cars. And now we are tired, so eating pizza and watching BB on TV.
I love Saturdays with my family!
-kanga

Maria Goretti, movie

Yes, it's true. What are we doing with are free time this week: being lazy, enjoying each other, and watching another movies.
Maria Goretti was given to Piglet for Christmas. I had been warned that there are a couple of frightening scenes for young'uns....and it's true. We just shooed Roo out a couple of times. Even though this brought about inevitable questions, I can predigest the information and he doesn't have to observe. That being said, I think that even those scenes were tastely depicted, though ugly enough, even I being 'most squeamish' could watch.
From the description "This film tells the inspiring and tragic story of the beloved saint of modern youth who died defending her purity at the hands of a knife-weilding attacker."
There is way more to the story. Maria is inspiring: cheerful, hopeful, faithful.....and forgiving. I love the parallel between malaria and hatred, with hatred being worse as Maria's father teaches her. And, she learns well because before she dies while in immense pain from her wounds she forgives her attacker and hopes that he is with her in heaven.
Oh, to have such pure and noble intentions! Maria Goretti, pray for us!
-kanga

Elizabeth Ann Seton

Today is the Memorial of Elizabeth Ann Seton.
"Elizabeth Ann Seton is a saint. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is an American. All of us say this with special joy, and with the intention of honoring the land and the nation from which she sprang forth as the first flower in the calendar of the saints. Elizabeth Ann Seton was wholly American! Rejoice for your glorious daughter. Be proud of her. And know how to preserve her fruitful heritage."
~ Pope Paul VI
Nearly 200 years ago, Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton founded the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph's, the first new community for religious women to be established in the United States. She also began Saint Joseph's Academy and Free School, the first free Catholic School for girls staffed by Sisters in the United States. Her enduring legacy now includes six religious communities with more than 5,000 members, hundreds of schools, social service centers, and hospitals throughout America and around the world. Her works led to her Canonization on Sunday, September 14, 1975, in Saint Peter's Square, by Pope Paul VI. The first citizen born in the United States to be Canonized, her remains are entombed here in the Basilica that bears her name.
The remarkable life of Elizabeth Ann Seton spans the full spectrum of human experience. She was a New York socialite, a devoted wife, a dedicated volunteer in charitable organizations, the mother of five children, a convert to Roman Catholicism, an educator, social minister, and catechist, and a spiritual leader and formator — a tireless servant of God.
from http://www.setonshrine.org/bio/bio.htm if you want to read more about her.
enjoy! -kanga

Emma

No, we are not getting any school done this week! I answer to C. Robin's question.
We watched Emma. At first I could not get over comparing it to Pride and Prejudice, and wasn't liking it much. After settling in, though, I think the characters in some way show many truths. Emma is immature and meddling, but she does accept criticism and grows in maturity and compassion by the end. The other character are likable, real, and I wanted good things for them! In the end, everyone married the ones I chose....so of course, it all ended well. I recommend this one too!
-kanga

Less is More

Prior to Christmas this year, C. Robin and I convinced the kids that no Christmas presents were necessary for anyone other than Roo. At first they thought we were kidding, then they were perplexed, then they thought we were crazy...or cheap, and finally they were reconciled to the idea.
We just didn't want the before Christmas "I need to dream up something I ~need~ and then go about begging for it" from our beloved offspring. We were also hoping for an outward thinking about presents too. Well, it worked! Pre-Christmas was relaxed and pleasant.
Roo had written a letter to Santy asking for Hot Wheels. (hot weels as he wrote!). So one of his elves (named kanga) found a basic track, and a super-cool-wonder-dragon track and had both sent to Grandma's house. Kanga also informed grandparents that cars would be good too! Well, the package came, but the super-cool-wonder-dragon track was damaged. Very badly damaged and we hadn't checked until late Christmas Eve. oops.
On Christmas morn, however, Roo couldn't have been happier. And, he was so impressed that Santy had taken the time to set up the track! He played with the simple track and cars for hours. He still is even now. So the super-cool-wonder-dragon track is headed back with no replacement necessary. Less is More.
Pooh received a camera; she has wanted one for many moons. Tigger got a palm pilot and a watch, which he is tinkering with too much! The best moment was Piglet when she realized that she was opening an ipod nano. She was in suspended animation....too cute!
Less is truly More.
-kanga

Vitus

We just watched 'Vitus', which my bro recommended and lent to us. It was so good! Makes me want to fly an airplane ~o~
Thanks, Mike!
-kanga

Litany of Humility

Litany of Humility
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart,
Hear my prayer…
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged ... Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected ... Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I ... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may, increase and I may decrease ... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside ... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything... Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should… Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Amen +