October 2009 Archives

Feast of Saint Jude

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(and of St Simon, but I have a slight bias)

Most Holy Apostle, St. Jude Thaddeus, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor who delivered your beloved Master into the hands of his enemies has caused you to be forgotten by many. But the Church honors you, and I invoke you as the special advocate of those who are in trouble and almost without hope. Help me to realize that through our faith we triumph over lives difficulties by the power of Jesus who gave his life for us. Come to my assistance that I may receive the consolation and succor of heaven in all my needs, trials, and sufferings, particularly (here make your request) and that I may praise God with you and all the saints forever.


Go and read!

Great quote!

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"You needn't act as if the world had come to and end," he said, "because it hasn't. From now on you've got to live in a new world and face a few realities for a change. Buck up, " he said, "it won't kill you."

------Julian in Everything that Rises Must Converge

Baby Greer Rose is HOME!!!!

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PRAISE BE TO GOD!

Oooooh! Great Quote!

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"Being a mother at any age is a blessing, but as we age and our children become interesting and productive adults we really begin to savor the joys of the harvest, the fruit of our labors. How could we have known when they were young and the demands so constant that we would ever have the luxury of simply enjoying their loving companionship?"

--Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Oh, yes!

Maybe the cutest puppy video ever!

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Happy Birthday, LaMamacita!

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Today's Daybook

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For Today, October 26th, 2009

Outside my window... it is raining. Again. As a Texas girl, I know I must not complain, but still.....Rain is not my favorite.

I am thinking... about how much needs to get done aroung this house. But this week is not nearly as scattered as last week was, and I think I should be able to make progress. I just have to discipline myself not to run and do things OTHER than what I need to be doing. Why do I do that so much?

I am thankful for... my precious husband. It has become manifest to me in many ways how blessed I am to have him as my partner. I hope I am a worthy helpmate, but I sometimes doubt it.

From the kitchen... I just put smothered steak in the crockpot for tonight. Full bore comfort food. I'm trying to find something that tastes like my grandmother's did, so I keep trying recipe after recipe. Maybe this one is the one! I will serve with noodles and roasted cauliflower. Yum!

I am wearing... brown corduroy pants, blue and brown striped blouse, blue boots and gold hoop earrings. My sister and I are trying to look better on a daily basis, so 4 days out of 7 we are trying NOT to wear our sweats. It didn't work last week, but there might be hope for THIS week.

I am creating... a really, really cute baby afghan out of purple variegated and plain lilac yarn. It is called a round ripple and I am so pleased with it. I should finish this week. Maybe it will be next week's picture thought!

I am going... to the grocery store, the bank, and Walgreens when there is a break in the rain. After that, I'm trying to stay IN most of the week.

I am reading... Out of Egypt by Ann Rice. It is her novelization of the hidden years of Jesus. Written after she reconverted to the Church, it is quite interesting--particularly in her treatment of the family unit that surrounded him. I want to read the next in the series soon--but I'm on a book buying budget.

I am hoping... that I can discipline myself to GET THINGS DONE this week.

I am hearing... the church bells playing a hymn from across the street. It is lovely.

Around the house... I finished changing out summer and winter shoes and clothes, putting the short sleeve t-shirts in the bottom drawer and the long sleeve ones on the shelves. Whew!

One of my favorite things... are Georgette Heyer romances. I just finished The Corinthian and hope to find another before too long.

A few plans for the rest of the week: laundry, housecleaning, finishing the baby afghan I'm working on, eating supper with my girlfriends on Tuesday night. Maybe, if I've gotten things accomplished, a trip to Decatur on Thursday. I'm holding it out as a bribe for myself.

Words I'm pondering "Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring." St. Catherine of Siena.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

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Rendezvous
Claude Theberge

Happy Monday, ya'll!

Smock Update

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Smock herself is home, with a boatload of new medications to control her heart issues. That'll take some time for her to get used to, and for the doctors to calibrate the levels of the meds. I keep telling her it took them 4 months to get mine straight, so not to worry. She, of course, worries and tells me that 39 is "too young for a cardiologist."

I say thank God that you've got one to watch over you and make sure that you live a long and healthy life with those babes!

Greer Rose is still in NICU, but yesterday she finished ONE WHOLE BOTTLE all by herself. That's a real milestone, and we're proud of her.

She is a most beautiful baby, and has gained weight and has done well in all other ways. She's just got to master the eating thing. And she will. We are all hoping that she is able to come home sometime this week. After she can take all her feedings from a bottle, then Smock will have to room in at the hospital for 24 hours (so they can make sure she knows what she's doing--I guess successfully mothering SIX other children doesn't count) and then Greer will come home. And MamaT will be over there in a flash to hold and smooch the baby that so far I have only been able to pet. Yay!

Keep those prayers coming! We know that they work!

For various reasons, life in Summa World has been out of control lately. We've none of us had the time or energy to post here. But we're not closing it down. Things may be looking up, just a tad, so here we go again!

Please pray for the Smock

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Smock's hemoglobin level is low and her kidneys aren't functioning up to par. This needs to change for her to get back on her feet and see her baby. She has only been able to see the beautiful Greer briefly in the delivery room.

Needless to say, this isn't an optimum situation for either of them. Mama needs baby and baby needs mama.

Please pray for the two of them.

We'll keep you up to date.

Welcome Baby Greer!

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Greer Rose Felicity

Smock's newest little one was born this afternoon at 34 weeks. Early, but nearly 7 pounds and pink and noise-making. Smock can grow a baby, this is for sure!

MamaT and I got to scrub up and pet her right after she was born, which was such a delight. She is beautiful and perfect, just as expected. She'll be in the NICU for a little bit since she was born so fresh.

Keep Mama and Baby in your prayers as Smock heals from the birth and little Miss Greer Rose learns the ropes of breastfeeding and living Earth-side.

Happy October!

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It really is the greatest month. One of the host of reasons being that it kicks off rabid baking/cooking urges in me that don't get old until after Easter.

We're welcoming this rainy first of Octobre with mushroom curry. This recipe is DELISH and always a hit. It's from the Moosewood Cookbook but I see it on the internet so often that I think it's okay to share it here:


Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 cups chopped onions
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon turmeric
* 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
* 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon clove or allspice
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 1 1/2 lbs mushrooms, coarsely chopped
* 3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
* 2 medium green apples, chopped
* 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
* 1 teaspoon honey, to taste
* 3 to 4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (I squeeze in the juice of a whole lemon)
* cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions

Melt butter in large skillet.

Add onions and garlic and saute over medium heat.

After onions begin to soften, add spices and salt.

Saute another 5-8 minutes until onions are completely softened.

Add celery and mushrooms.

Mix well, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You can add up to 1/2 cup of water to prevent sticking.

When celery is tender, add tomatoes, apples, coconut, honey and lemon.

Cover and continue to cook until vegetable are tender, but not mushy.

Additional water may be added if pan gets too dry, little bits at a time.

Add cayenne to taste (I make the kid's bowls here, with just a teeny amount of cayenne, then liberate a bunch into the rest of it), remove from heat.

Let curry stand, covered, for another 10 minutes.

Serve over rice. (I've used lentils in a pinch and they've worked well)

Get yourself some thick, flat bread and scoop it up and into your mouth. YuuumYUM. And MamaT! No tofu!

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About this Archive

This page is an archive of entries from October 2009 listed from newest to oldest.

September 2009 is the previous archive.

November 2009 is the next archive.

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