Friday, October 31, 2008

Halloween Re-Cap


It was a beautiful day, despite my melancholy mood - a dear family friend, the priest that married Andy and I, Monsignor Kenny passed away 2 nights ago. Despite my sadness, I truly appreciated how gorgeous it was today. Clear and nice! Sarah Cate and I enjoyed spending time with Grandpa taking him to Publix. We played outside for a long time, had lunch, went back outside, had a nap and then got ready for the big night.
We re-cycled our Piglet costume from last year. It was a little short, but who noticed! All we did last year was hand out candy and being a cool night it was perfect to keep Sarah Cate warm.
Our neighbors down the street always have a get together before trick or treating and Sarah Cate was scared upon arrival of a big banana. Poor Trip felt horrible that he scared Sarah.... I mean he wasn't anything gory, just a big banana, go figure. I especially liked the Hanna Montana whose dad was Billy Ray Cyrus, nice mullet and good family theme!
The party was fun but the big event was trick or treating for the first time at dark. Elvis, aka Georgia stayed with us the whole time...what a sweetie! Sarah was in heaven - she loved being with Georgia and getting candy was da bomb. I am proud she was so polite only taking one piece of candy. She loved putting candy in her pumpkin which was full by the time we got home. I enclosed some pics below.
With Grandpa at Publix early in the day:



Trying out which Pumpkin will best hold my candy - the plush one won:



Our neighbor Georgia aka Elvis.note the skinny one, Fat Elvis, Owen, was as the party also. Love the pumpkin man.


This Tuu-tuu skirt gives my costume a lil sumpin sumpin.......

With DAd, Grace the Go-go girl and Georgia Elvis..these girls are SC's biggest fans in the hood!



Our family....man, Sarah Cate looks like Andy!


One Happy Trick or Treater!


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

What a Man Wednesday.....Shaken not stirred

I have long been a fan of James Bond films. I know, full of violence, sex and skimpily clad women. But, James Bond is working to keep the world safe from the bad guys and he is dealing with the losses of the women he truly loved. He is complex and out to keep us safe.

The JJ - Just Julie, Man of the Week is the new James Bond. Let me tell you that last film Casino Royale was AWESOME and I can't wait to see the new one Quantum of Solace, due in theaters . I will go see it in the theater if I have to go alone!

An interesting face this actor is familiar as he has been in many non-bond excellent films... such as Road to Perdition, Layer Cake, and Munich. Another blue eyed beauty with rugged good looks. Oh, and he looked awesome in the bathing suit in Casino Royale....and looks good in any other suit!

I give you our man of the week..... Daniel Craig









Monday, October 27, 2008

44 Reasons I Love Being Catholic...#5


Those beautiful bells during mass. They are called the Sanctus Bells....and most are made of Bronze.


This tradition goes back over 800 years. My cliff note version, NOTE: I am no theologian.....I am just saying my understanding.........they used to ring the church bells...the big ones like outside in the tower to signify mass was starting AND during the consecration and presentation of the Eucharist. By ringing the bells, people who could not make mass could hear that something divine and miraculous was happening at the local church. They could stop what they were doing and make a small adoration or prayer to the Lord. The bells also helped the faithful in the church...and they still do.....to refocus on what is going on if their minds have started to wander. Yes, it happens...... I also seem to recall, when the bells were instituted I am thinking the mass was in Latin and many didn't speak the language so it helped them know what was going on. At some point, the big bells were replaced with the little bells that are now rung in the sanctuary. Its a set of 3 or so bells.


They are rung as the priest elevates the Body of Christ and also when he raises the Blood of Christ. This is actually optional, so you might not hear it if you go to mass. My church will ring them so long as someone is serving with the priest. Its a BEAUTIFUL sound, 3 rings which represent the most Holy Trinity.


When I was pregnant with Sarah Cate, and was at mass when they would ring the bells she always moved in my belly. It made me smile and think of how in Luke when Mary went to tell her Cousin Elizabeth she was expecting and it excited John the Baptist who was in her belly at the time....
Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit,


After Sarah was born, she would look around for those bells, they seemed to calm her. I guess she remembered them. Now when she hears them she looks at me and smiles. It brings me so much joy as I LOVE those bells. I was thrilled on the CRHP weekend when I got to ring the bells during one of the masses. I cannot express how much that meant to me as when I was younger, girls were not allowed to serve on the altar....which has totally changed....lucky girls now who get to ring those bells.


I found the following on the site Adoremus Bulletin referencing bible verses mentioning the use of bells....

The use of bells is mentioned four times in the Old Testament of the Bible. Exodus 28:33-35 describes the vestments worn by the high priest Aaron as he approached the Arc of the Covenant in the Holiest of Holies:

On its skirts you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet stuff, around its skirts, with bells of gold between them, a golden bell and a pomegranate, round about on the skirts of the robe. And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord, and when he comes out, lest he die.

This description of Aaron's extremely ornate priestly vestments is repeated in Exodus 39:25-26 and again in Ecclesiastes 45:9:
And he encircled him with pomegranates, with very many golden bells round about, to send forth a sound as he walked, to make their ringing heard in the temple as a reminder to the sons of his people.

The bells were likely included as part of high-priest Aaron's vestments for two reasons. First, they created a joyful noise to God, which is something man should undertake as described in Psalm 98:4
Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth; break into song; sing praise.
Secondly, bells were long thought to possess apotropaic powers, or the power to ward off evil spirits. The bells were seen as tools to be used to avert dangers to Aaron before he entered the Holiest of Holies.

Bells were also used to signify adoration to God during early times, as shown in Zechariah 14:20:
And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, "Holy to the Lord". And the pots in the house of the Lord shall be as the bowls before the altar.

The ancient cymbals mentioned in Psalm 150:5-6 are said to have resembled water pitchers with wide open necks, similar to the bells of today:
Praise Him with sounding cymbals; praise Him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
SO there you have it folks....I learn a little something new each time I post one of these 44 reasons! I just love the sound and the reverence it adds t the Mass.
See you at #6

Friday, October 24, 2008

Movie Line MEME.....THE ANSWERS

Thanks for playing.....the lines, answers below....

1. You know, junk food doesn't deserve the bad rap that it gets. Take these pork rinds for example. This particular brand contains two percent of the R.D.A. - that's Recommended Daily Allowance - of riboflavin.

2. Can I borrow your underpants for 10 minutes?

3. It appears my hypocrisy knows no bounds.

4. I got a question. If you guys know so much about women, how come you're here at like the Gas 'n' Sip on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere?

5. I think it's safe to say that this party is about to become a historical fact.

6. I have a head for business and a bod for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?

7. Whenever we needed money, we'd rob the airport. To us, it was better than Citibank.

8. I'll have a half double decaffeinated half-caf, with a twist of lemon.

9. I don't care about losing all the money. It's losing all the stuff.

10. If you can't be in athlete, be an athetic supporter.

11. Who are those guys?

12. Somewhere out there is a lady who I think will never be a nun.

13. Have you seen these toilets? They're GINORMOUS!


THE ANSWERS:


1. The Sure Thing
2. Sixteen Candles - so many good lines in this one.
3. Tombstone, man I love Val Kilmer in this one!
4. Say Anything, yeah I know SHOCKER another John Cusack film
5. Some Kind of Wonderful - best kiss movie
6. Working Girl - big hair at its best and Harrison Ford at his prime I think.
7. Goodfellas
8. LA Story - I love Steve Martin
9. The Jerk
10. Grease
11. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
12. Sound of Music
13. ELF

Thursday, October 23, 2008

SHARE Atlanta Memorial Service

This Sunday is the annual SHARE Atlanta Memorial service for parents who have experienced a pregnancy or infant loss. SHARE is a wonderful support group that helped me make it through the first year after we said goodbye to our son Caleb. October is actually Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month.

The service is beautiful: music, a reading of names of the babies we are remembering, a balloon release and and many poems are read written by parents of the group. I will be reading a poem I wrote on Caleb's first birthday. I was sitting at my cubicle at work.....Lindbergh BellSouth Center and typed it out very quickly - then I cried for a while. I love this poem. I hope I can keep it together when I read it Sunday.....keep me in your prayers for that pulease and also say a prayer for all the parents who are going into the first holiday season without their babies..... its VERY hard that first year.

Beautiful Boy
Gentle Son
Fierce Independent
Loving one

Anticipation Excitement
Wonder and Joy
We wanted to know you
Our sweet baby boy

Determined to meet us
You arrived earlier than planned
Inspiring to others
A loss hard to understand

Engraved on our hearts
You love always to abide
We walk without you
Yet you are always at our side

Hold my hand
Kiss my cheek
My gentle strong son
Let me feel your presence until day is done

Come in our dreams
Let us hug you and kiss you
Gone from our lives
Now we so dearly miss you

With love from our family
More than one could comprehend
Happy Birthday Sweet Angel Caleb
Our Little Man, Son and Friend
written in loving memory of our son Caleb Andrew 08/17/05
Born at 24 weeks gestation, with us on earth 8 days

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

MOVIE LINE Meme

My sister from another mother Kathleen, challenged me to her movie line Meme. Boy did I suck at hers. So the challenge my few followers is to identify the film that each of these lines is associated with. I love all these movies, so shoudln't be TOO hard...and I am tired. So play along - don't be shy, just post your answers in the comments section. I will give you the answers in a bit.....

I tag Donna, Josie and Kim - doesn't take a scanner for this one...... to pass the fun along with coming up with a challenge of their own!

My Movie Meme......


1. You know, junk food doesn't deserve the bad rap that it gets. Take these pork rinds for example. This particular brand contains two percent of the R.D.A. - that's Recommended Daily Allowance - of riboflavin.

2. Can I borrow your underpants for 10 minutes?

3. It appears my hypocrisy knows no bounds.

4. I got a question. If you guys know so much about women, how come you're here at like the Gas 'n' Sip on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere?

5. I think it's safe to say that this party is about to become a historical fact.

6. I have a head for business and a bod for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?

7. Whenever we needed money, we'd rob the airport. To us, it was better than Citibank.

8. I'll have a half double decaffeinated half-caf, with a twist of lemon.

9. I don't care about losing all the money. It's losing all the stuff.

10. If you can't be in athlete, be an athletic supporter.

11. Who are those guys?

12. Somewhere out there is a lady who I think will never be a nun.

13. Have you seen these toilets? They're GINORMOUS!

What a man Wednesday....Great Movies, Great Dressing, Great everything

Well, I am late on this one. I saw a pic of our man today while at the grocery store and was struck by his beauty and his talent. What beautiful eyes and talk about someone who aged VERY WELL. Another generous celebrity in raising money for many charities and sending kids to camp who could not otherwise go.

We miss you, Rest in Peace.....

Paul Newman






What a great statement his love for Joanne, his Georgia bride makes toward the longevity of love and marriage.


Tuesday, October 21, 2008

44 Things I love about being Catholic #4




Honoring The Blessed Mother.....

I have always been drawn to her since I was a young girl. She is such a powerful example of acceptance of God's will. A loving and devoted mom with her Son to the very end. God gave her the task of being the mother of Christ and she stepped up.

. . she is our Mother. As a woman and a mom, she is one powerful role model.

Catholic Catechism 967

By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to his Son's redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and charity. Thus she is a "preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church"; indeed, she is the "exemplary realization" (typus) of the Church.

Catholic Catechism 968
968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace."

My patron saint from whom I took my confirmation name is St Bernadette. When I was young, I prayed every night to the Blessed Mother to come see me like she did to Bernadette. Not to sound like a nutcase, I believe she has answered my prayers and made her presence known to me much later in my life......when I needed it most.

What a role model. She said YES to God's call to her. He sent an angel, which had to be scary as heck....

In Luke 1, we read of the foretelling of the birth of Jesus. An angel appeared before Mary.
And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.
And the angel said to her:
Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.
Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.
And of his kingdom there shall be no end.





There are some truly beautiful inspired works of art of Mary.........just fantastic. I still need to get my backyard grotto going, just need to get my statue of Mary! I vow to have it by Christmas! My Grandmother had a Mary grotto in her backyard which is a tradition I want to continue. I mean, when I see Mary, I think of how she accepted God's plan for her, day after day as she mothered our Lord Jesus Christ....I have the perfect spot picked out right outside the window - I will be able to see it when I am doing mundane things like dishes and cleaning the kitchen.


My mother had faith in the power of Mary's intercession with her Son....she named my sister after her and dressed her in blue for 7 years to honor her and ask her for strength for Mary Beth...and for my mom. I am hoping that I continue to pass this devotion to my daughter. The cutest thing after Mass is watching Sarah Cate go to the Mary statue outside the church and blow her kisses. I hope she always knows how much Our Blessed Mother loves us.
A GREAT Marian Prayer is the Memorare....so if you need something, ask Mary to help you. She loves us and loves to help us. Its like asking a dear friend to pray for you!
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother;
to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.
See you for #5!






Monday, October 20, 2008

WORST HAIR Disaster...its called the 80s

My friend and sister from another mother Kathleen tagged me regarding a bad hair cut. Here's a gem from the 80's when I was going to a sorority mixer at Ga Tech where the theme was "Come as something you are not" - insert Greg Allman singing "I'm no angel". Apparently Angels do wear watches.

I have to say, my friend Kathryn went as a white trash UGA fan which was a great outfit and she had a nice Hefty Bag dress, though I think the best costume was my roommate Thelma who went as a lamp, AND got pulled over on the way home. She got out of the ticket, but the officer had asked her to get out of the car and asked her why she had an extension cord tied around her waiste. Thelma was a VERY cute lamp.
Me not so much........what was I thinking with short permed frosted hair. After seeing this picture and a few others, Andy forbade me from having short hair again. No wonder I didn't date much back then....ick.
Now, I tag Julia, Kim, Mellisa and Karen. Lets see some bad hair!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Rain Rain Rain

Its great to have rain, its been so dry here. Our yard is like concrete its so dry.

What is not so nice, we were planning on driving up to the pumpkin patch with Daddy. Oh well I guess we will make it another day.

I hate to complain about the rain, but why is it that it rains the one day I have big plans.

OK vent over.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

What a Man Wednesday......Hello Dawlin'

My man of the week is a singer with a smooth voice from the Crescent City. I could just listen to him sing for hours...........heck, with that New Orleans accent I could just listen to him talk......he could be telling me what to make for dinner and I would be more than happy. I think this Cajun has great thick hair and nice full lips.... Plus he is a decent actor, well I always enjoy seeing him onscreen - I think he is definitely a cutie. He really seems to care about the people of NOLA in his rebuilding efforts. Another blue eyed nice guy!

I give you...........

Harry Connick Jr




Pardon our dust

Just trying to change things up a little and find a background where you can easily read my posts. Happy Fall.

Monday, October 13, 2008

44 Things I love about being Catholic #3

You can dance if you want to.

Keep it clean people!

Psalms 150:4
Give praise with tambourines and dance, praise him with flutes and strings.

Wicked Fun!



Went to the Fox Theater on Saturday night to see Wicked for the first time. It was fantastic. For those who haven't seen it, its the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West - the green melting one and Glinda The Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz. Basically, its about how the green witch was totally misunderstood and how she got to where she was. These women were friends and roommates. Its a great show, I also liked the book. Below are my thoughts....

1. Upstairs at the Fox is FANTASTIC, we were in the 4th row. We were very far over to the side which made seeing the whole stage impossible. I couldn't see the back wall which was OK as there were only a couple times that I couldn't see what was going on. They really should label these seats "obstructed view" so people who might not be in the know won't be PO'd. We saw a play a few years back at the Ford Theater in DC which was "obstructed view" and discounted a little......I thought that was a GREAT idea. Anyway, if you go to a show at the fox, I recommend if you can't sit up close in the front, sit upstairs as the sound is so much better than UNDER the balcony.

2. The show was GREAT! Lots of funny one liners as a comedic musical, yet its a very serious story about how people judge others and how things are not always as they seem....think of the wizard, the man behind the curtain. I had some great laughs as did Andy and the story made me think about how our government and society is.

3. Great music. You should have heard the raves after "Defying Gravity", I have never heard applause so strong at a show before. "Popular" was truly funny and the actresses did a wonderful job singing and physically acting on stage - I have really got my double hair flip down. I got a tear in my eye during "For Good", the song the two witches sing the last time they meet. Unlikely friends, its a story of how someone can impact our lives for the better. I thought about Caleb during the show at one point when this song was being sung particularly these lyrics....... "I've heard it said That people come into our lives for a reason; Bringing something we must learn: And we are led; To those who help us most to grow; If we let them; And we help them in return; Well, I don't know if I believe that's true; But I know I'm who I am today Because I knew you..." Last night when I listened to it, I thought of all the friends and people I have been blessed with, esp my friends from the CRHP retreat.....I have definitely been changed for the better by knowing those wonderful ladies. Today listening to it, I am thinking of my sisters Mary Beth and Jill and am in tears. I am such a sap, and I love you all!

4. Midtown traffic sucks!!!!!! Peachtree Road is a nightmare as ALL the lights are timed so that you hit EACH ONE from 17th down to the Fox. Its nutty. That 17th Street Bridge is also crazy, and I guess people don't understand what a bus lane is for since everyone was driving down it and cutting in and out of lanes. Atlanta has gotten too big.

5. Parking WOAH!!!!! Twenty $$$$$. We did park close by and had GREAT access out of the lot onto West Peachtree which has MUCH better traffic light timing. Its so expensive to go out, I love that parking at the new Cobb Energy Center is free...wonder how long that will last?

6. Our babysitter, neighbor across the street had a miscommunication with her husband. She didn't mention they were watching Sarah and her husband didn't mention that he had arranged for their girls to spend the night out. OOPS!

7. I recognized the voice of the actor playing the Wizard of Oz from TV. He sounded familiar and I thought of the Turrets Guy in LA Law. So I looked him up and I was right.....that episode was from 1990, my memory scares me sometimes. - I guess he did a GREAT performance on that show ...yet some things I just can't seem to remember from yesterday!

SO go see Wicked! Its a great musical well worth the money. I enjoyed it so much and was moved by alot of aspects, most especially this song so I leave you with the lyrics of "For Good".... thank you my friends for everything.
I've heard it said That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led To those who help us most to grow
If we let them; And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...
Like a comet pulled from orbit; As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good
It well may be; That we will never meet again
In this lifetime; So let me say before we part
So much of me; Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
Because I knew you
I have been changed for good

Sunday, October 12, 2008

44 Things I Love about being Catholic #2

Infant Baptism.


















From the Catholic Catechism.....paragraph #1250....

Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called. The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.

Thanks Adam and Eve staining us with original sin - but you know, if they hadn't have fallen I am sure somewhere along the line one of their descendants would have because we humans are weak I tell ya. Isn't it great to know that though the Sacrament of Baptism, a parent can help wash this sin away once and for all. The parents need to take a class beforehand to understand the importance of the sacrament and all the responsibilities that come with it afterwards - but this simple sacrament is so beautiful as it makes our babies perfect.

I learned when Sarah Cate was baptized that traditionally, the white gown was not put on the child until AFTER the baptism, symbolizing the rebirth and clean spirit. So when we baptized her, she started out in pink and ended up in the white gown which her cousins also wore.....this gown was actually made by MY cousin, Kathleen.

I love Baptisms ......vows rejecting Satan and His Empty works, anointing with holy oil, the pouring of holy water and the baptismal candle. We had a small family party this year celebrating Sarah's first year as a Catholic on her baptismal Birthday. Fun tradition to start.

We had Caleb baptized the night he was born. It was just Andy, Fr Liam and the NICU staff......I am glad that Andy got to be there since I wasn't able to make it after my surgery. The only comfort in losing him is knowing that he went straight to heaven. I am glad as his mom, I gave him the gift of a perfectly clean soul through his baptism.

There is nothing more pure than a newly baptized baby...they are so small and so innocent....about as close to perfection as you can get I think. In a way, I see Jesus telling us this also......

Mark 10: 14-15
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."

The importance of Baptism goes back to well, Jesus himself. But its wonderful to see the first Disciples telling us how important it was and still is.

Acts 2:38-39 "But Peter said to them: Do penance: and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call."

Infant Baptism....about as good as it gets I think.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Tag you're it .....my MEME of 6 random facts

My friend Lori at kate's mama says tagged me to produce 6 random or little known facts about myself on my blog. Apparently its called a MEME and here are mine.......

1. I sang John Denver songs on air 99x to win a seat at his last concert 2/21/97. I was late to work because of it and said I had "an emergency at home". I am SO glad I did this as he was SO good in concert, he was my sister Mary Beth's favorite and I think in my life I have seen him on stage like 4 or 5 times. The concert was at the Fox and it was fantastic, I took my friend Jean the bride in my Always a Bridesmaid post yesterday. JD died in October the same year, so I was SOOOO happy I made a fool of myself to win the tickets.

2. My first concert was The Carpenters at the Atlanta Civic Center. I was only like 5 - thanks mom for this special memory.

3. I HATE crowds #1. When I was a senior in high school, I spent a couple weeks in Europe on group trip from school. We were in Rome on Easter Sunday and I chose not to go Vatican City for mass as I had heard it was really packed. My Granny was so mad that I gave up the opportunity to see the Pope John Paul II on Easter Sunday....and yeah, she was SO right....but you know what goes through my mind at the time.........what if I have to go to the bathroom, or get separated from my peops. I also heard the pickpockets were bad....yeah of all places. Plus on that trip I had an experience ina crowded bakery where a man was up against me very close and happy to be around me EWWWWWW! ANYHOO, its a HUGE regret of the few I have.

4. I hate crowds #2........ I once passed out in a bar that was VERY crowded - good old PJ Haley's Nest. I was in college and I wasn't drunk as we had just gotten there and I had purchased my first beer of the evening...the last thing I remember was my beer bottle hitting the floor, I totally fell down and was out of it. Of course EVERYONE thought the passing out and falling to the floor was alcohol related, which it wasn't, I just was getting anxious being in that crowd, got hot, dizzy, saw myself falling in slow motion and heard the clink of the Coors Light on the floor. I was really embarrassed. Later in life, I was at County Cork in Buckhead same circumstance, just got there, bought a pint of Harp, and was overwhelmed by the crowd - being short does not help.....but my buds helped me get outside and get some fresh air before I fell over. Lets just say, surrounding myself in a crowd of tall people is not good for me.

5. Andy and I met in a yahoo chat room "30's Looking for Love". Now, neither of us CHOSE that room, we just logged in and hit start chatting now and because of our profiles apparently that is where we ended up. Before I met Andy I was very skeptical about people meeting online. I suppose you could say it was the best chat of my life as he was in Cali and I was in Atlanta at the time.

6. I am a cradle Catholic very active in my faith and yet, I can't tell you off the top of my head all the Mysteries reflected on when praying the rosary. I can tell you the Sorrowful ones - Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the Pillar, Jesus Carries the Cross, Crowning with Thorns, and The Crucifixion....but I cannot rattle off the Joyful, Glorious or Luminous mysteries. I also know you say the Sorrowful ones on Tues and Fridays, but can't tell you for the life of me what days the other ones go with. So yes, when I say the rosary, I have a cheat sheet ......or I am doing it with CD in my car so I just follow along. I feel like such a downer that I can only say off memory the Sorrowful ones....need to work on my Joy and Glory and Luminessence!

WELL, that wraps it up.....so now I must tag 6 other people.....

I choose.....(click on name to see blog)

1. Kathleen
2. Rachel
3. Lori
4. Julia
5. Mellie
6. Josie.....

Sorry if you have been double tagged......I need to expand my blog circle.

Good evening!

SC Picture Fix

While this blog is not exclusively about my daughter, I thought it had been a while since I posted pictures of her cuteness. The blog is all about me, but I do have the vocation of being Sarah Cate's mom. Enjoy, these are from the last month or so.... she is getting to be SUCH a big girl. I miss my baby, but love my toddler, we have alot of fun together.






































Psalm 90:16

Let Your work appear to Your servants And Your majesty to their children.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Always a Bridesmaid


Here I am in 1999 or thereabouts. It was a gorgeous fall day.....some big hair going on.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

What a man wednesday......Happy Birthday Dude

Today our man of the week will be 38. He still looks young, and has that youthful look that I have always loved in my men. While I wouldn't say I have always been crazy about him, he is a GREAT actor and has a talent for picking out some great roles - well he has a great manager or whoever leads him to his work. Whether Bourne again or in one of the Ocean's - 11, 12, 13, this birthday boy really stands out as the Talented Man he is. You can catch a glimpse of him in the classic "Mystic Pizza", I think he had one line at the dinner table.
While not classic good looks, an interesting face - but interesting in a good handsome way - he has got some great features, cleft chin, nice eyes, and a great mouth. What a cutie. And again, I pick a man with a fabulous smile - look how his whole face just lights up. I think I like best that he is low key when it comes to publicity, and well so far he has seemed to have stayed out of trouble and you don't hear anything bad about him.
I give you Matt Damon.........




Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Mary Elizabeth Smith and a baby named Isaac

I went on a retreat last weekend and someone asked me to pray for a mom who was carrying a baby which she knew would not live long after birth. Baby Isaac was born today and lived 17 minutes. What a sad story, what a courageous and wise mom, to relish every second she had that child on earth, both in the womb and out of it. She spent the second half of her pregnancy knowing that her baby would not live long after he was born. I could not help thing of my sister born 49 years ago.....in the days before prenatal testing when these things were a surprise.



I think about my sister Mary Beth a lot....she was 5 years older than me. She was born with Turner's Syndrome and lived to the age of 25. Today they have tests to check pregnant women for chromosomal abnormalities - of which Turners is one. When my sister was born, she was VERY small and had a webbed neck which they fixed with surgery. She had no cartilage in her knees and had lots of issue with fluid in her ears for some reason all her life. The doctors told my parents they should put her in a home for special needs babies and children, but my mom ever faithful to the Blessed Mother prayed to her and told her she would name her daughter Mary to honor her and would dress her in blue for 7 years as a devotion - oh the things we Catholics do. Mary Beth did pretty well .....she was behind and a few years older than the kids in her classes , but she went to public school until 5th grade and then went to Christ the King. She never went to High School as her scholastic level had peaked and my parents and her teachers agreed that high school with its pressure to fit in were not the best place for her. So Mary Beth worked with my mom at the Church as a secretary. They loved her up there, she did data entry when they got the new computer, she did miscellaneous office tasks, and she loved working with my mom.

Mary Beth died in 1984........she had gotten very sick with a cold on a trip to St Augustine that summer, and she never shook the cold. She got VERY weak and ended up in the hospital, turns out the virus she had had gotten in her heart. Turner's kids can have heart issues and apparently Mary Beth had a hole in her heart valve we never knew about. She stopped breathing and they put her on a ventilator. When there was no brain activity, our family decided it was time to say goodbye and let her go home to be with Jesus and Mary the Queen of Heaven whom our whole family loves. Her funeral was a packed house as everyone at church loved Mary. She was so kind and such a joy to be around. She loved music, esp John Denver and the Carpenters - she was crushed when Karen Carpenter died. She was a HUGE Atlanta Flames Fan and she loved the Braves when few people did. I found the Eulogy that Msgr. John McDonough gave at her funeral and its so beautiful thought I would share.....


Homily Delivered by Monsignor John F McDonough at Funeral Mass of Mary Beth, Sept 14, 1984
Arise, my dove, my one and come-For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flower appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come and the song of the dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines in bloom give forth fragrance. Arise my love, my dove, my beautiful one and come.

These words from the Song of Songs are the words of Christ to his beloved Mary. Mary, who in her own simple way was one of Jesus chosen people: one from from birth, formed and fashioned by the love of Joan and Jack, of Jill and Julie and young Jack,of her grandparents and friends, lived completely the Christian life. Against unbelievable obstacles and pain, she was what Christ wants us all to be, His close and intimate friends.
The Gospel reading of today's liturgy tells the story of Mary in simple and plain language. She believed the words of Jesus - She was called to be joyous and she was, doing the right things putting up with her own special problems - singing at work - being kind.
She was called to be loving and she was, for her, if Jesus her Lord and master could love, so could she, and she loved her parents, and her family and her friends, her Church and her parish, with all the love she could in Christ, doing for others.

She was chosen to be a friend of Christ, not a slave, but a friend. She was called to be an intimate of Christ, like Peter and Paul and she was. There was never any doubt about her feeling for Christ.

She gave us all an example of how to meet the battles of life.

The store of Mary began almost 25 years ago. It is the story that almost had no beginning. Mary wasn't expected to live, but she did because of the love and care and the dedication of Joan and Jack and her family. Because God wanted to show us that if one little girl could do it, so can we.

Is there pain and heart ache at her loss? Of course there is, because one you kissed and touched is gone and now you can't in a physical way show that love. But what consolation can we give you - the consolation of a job well done, you have no regrets. The consolation of the many happy memories that you have had. The consolation that another soul has gone home to God, another soul has fulfilled its destiny.

Arise, my dove, my one and come-For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flower appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come and the song of the dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines in bloom give forth fragrance. Arise my love, my dove, my beautiful one and come.


Here are a few photos.....the one with my dad was taken in the summer about the time she got sick. It was a great trip! I love you my beautiful sister, I think Sarah has some of your features, your fair skin and your beautiful wavy hair. That's me with her and Santa...I think I was around 4yrs old in my winter western wear. Mary and I had so much fun together. My mom died just 8 months after Mary, I think she too fulfilled her destiny on earth and was sent to heaven. I can't imagine how hard it was for her to go into her office everyday after Mary died to an empty desk and a radio that didn't play songs Mary sang to. Then she left work and went home to an empty house. She is about my age now in that picture on the bottom left.



Today, baby Isaac spent just 17 minutes with his mom, and left this life. I hope others can see how precious life is from this. I know first hand that less than perfect humans can work miracles no matter how short the time on earth and any time we have with our children on earth is precious. Mom and Dad knew it, and Andy and I know it.

Monday, October 6, 2008

44 Reasons why I love being Catholic #1

I am a cradle Catholic, so I have been one all my life. There were years when I thought I knew everything in my youth and strayed away from the church....and from basic Christianity for that matter....but thankfully, my family and friends prayed me back.


On my birtheday this year it hit me how much I love my Church as it is such a powerful force in working on my spirituality and gives me so many tools and aids to helping me grow closer to God. My faith keeps me grounded and helps with the anxiety and depression that can seems to chase me.

I started a list of the 44 reasons why I love being Catholic - one for each year on earth. So as not bore my faithful few blog followers, I will do one at a time with a goal of having them all listed by my 45th birthday. They are in no particular order.....so here we go.....


#1 Transubstantiation.....aka The True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist


It is such a blessing to be able to physically receive Christ 2ooo years after his body was crucified and he died. While we aren't lucky enough to hang out in person with Jesus as the first disciples did....which I bet was WONDERFUL as he must have been such a nice, loving and fun person to be around - we can still recieve him after his death. Our communion is not a symbol of what he did, our Eucharist IS the body and blood. When we receive him, we are filled with Christ and His love and it fuels our desire to further look for him in our lives and to listen to the will of our Heavenly Father.



For any non catholic readers.....The Catechism of the Church states:

The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all sacraments tend." In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained." "This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present."
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church: paragraph 1374



I came across a website recently that really did not like the catholic church and stated we just made stuff up....which is not true. All beliefs, teachings and rituals of the church are scripture based. Here's is one on Eucharist....


John 6:53-58, 66-67
"So Jesus said to them,
'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.' After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, 'Will you also go away?'"


Its very hard to wrap logic around this belief....its a tough one to accept - no wonder when Jesus said this, many people no longer followed. To be honest, I have wondered sometimes....what if it is just a wafer and wine....but you know, then it always hits me.......CHRIST SAID THIS IS MY BODY AND BLOOD. He told us to remember him this way. And as a Catholic I believe and Thank God for giving us his Son.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

WHAT A MAN.....taking a break this week

To my few faithful followers......I know you are all sad there is not cute guy in my blog today. I am preparing for a retreat this weekend and just haven't had time to ponder. SO this week, no man will be honored....

HOWEVER, if you have any prayer requests, add a comment and I will take it with me this weekend. I will be praying pretty much straight for 2 days so don't be shy.

For you Catholic Readers, I am helping present Christ Renews His Parish at my church. Its a great retreat.

Peace,

Julie

PS. Happy Little Flower Feast Day....St Therese, pray for us.