September/October Children's Book Club Pick

I'm thrilled to be offering Elizabeth Ficocelli's The Imitation of Christ for Children: A Guide to Following Jesus as the September/October Children's Book Club selection for children. I am a big fan of Elizabeth's writing. This book is truly a treasure. I'm slowly working my was through The Imitation of Christ during my morning reading and have found it to be an incredible book. I'm so happy to share the following letter to all our Catholic Mom readers from author Elizabeth Ficocelli. This is one book you'll definitely want to share with your children! Lisa


Dear fellow Catholic Moms:

I am delighted to learn that my latest children's book, The Imitation of Christ for Children: A Guide to Following Jesus, is being featured in the Sept./Oct. Children's Book Selection at CatholicMom.com.

Being invited to write this book by my publisher Paulist Press was truly an honor and a pleasure for me. I have long been a fan of the original classic, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a' Kempis, a book that is said to be the second most popular piece of Christian literature after the Bible itself. Yet, in six hundred years, no one has ever attempted to present the timeless teachings of this wonderful masterpiece to young readers--until now.

The book is targeted to children between the ages of eight and twelve, a time when most children have received their First Holy Communion and are working toward Confirmation. There is not much written for Catholics in this age group, although it is an impressionable time in their faith formation. I am pleased to have artist Christ Sabatino lend his talent to provide wonderful spot illustrations throughout the book to intice the reader further into the story.

Following the general layout of the original book, this chapter book is also divided into four sections. The first discusses why it is important to make Jesus the leader in our lives, giving practical and kid-friendly ways on how to do that. In this section, I discuss ways to talk to and listen to Jesus and how to apply the concept of loving one another as we are called to do.

The second section talks about ways to become a better follower of Jesus. Children are encouraged to reflect on their purpose in life, how Christianity calls us to positive attitudes and actions, and how to deal with everyday temptations.

The third section discusses ways to keep our faith growing with the rest of our lives through things like religious studies, reading the Bible, and discovering the treasure of the saints. It introduces the idea to the child about Jesus being our best friend.

Finally, the fourth section leads the reader to ultimate union with Jesus through Holy Communion. The book reviews what this sacrament means, how to keep it fresh and meaningful, how to prepare ourselves before, during, and after, and what the Eucharist really is calling us to do.

A special guide is provided at the end to give parents and teachers creative ways to use the book, including lots of activities and discussion questions.

Using contemporary language and situations, The Imitation of Christ for Children helps youngsters live out the gift of the Eucharist and find their unique purpose in life according to God's loving plan, while making them eager to continue in their life of faith.

My hope is that this book will inspire adults to enter into a lively faith exchange with their children and students, and perhaps experience the original classic, The Imitation of Christ, for themselves.

I hope you enjoy the book!

Elizabeth Ficocelli
www.elizabethficocelli.com

Do you use a missal?

Reader T. wrote today asking about teaching children (ages 7-11) to use a missal in Mass. Does your family use a missal when you attend Mass? I tend not to use one, and have never really encouraged my children to use one either - what does your family do? Do you have a missal you love or a favorite children's missal? I'd love to hear from you in the comments or at lisa@catholicmom.com.

Patron Saint of Lost?

When I was reading Daddy's "Lives of the Saints" book today, I was fascinated by the commentary on St. Joseph of Cupertino, nicknamed the "Flying Friar". I don't remember ever having read about him in the past - I think I would have remembered the parts about him levitating. He is the patron saint of aviators, and also of students and test takers!

If Joseph were alive today, perhaps he'd be a huge Lost fan, like the Hendey family! We've been enjoying our new complete Lost Season 2 DVD in anticipation of the start of the new season. If you're a fan of Lost, you're probably like me: needing a fix! Greg and I just saw the Season 2 finale for the first time last night and now I can't wait to find out what will happen next! We kind of skipped around through some of the episodes, so I'm still a little confused about a thing or two - I need to find some extra time to get caught up with the rest of the shows I missed. If you haven't seen Lost yet, consider renting the DVDs and watching it that way - I prefer it to watching the show on TV. No commercials and you can just jump right into the next episode. I may blog a bit about Season 3 this year, so please bear with me if you're not a fan of the show! If you are a fan, I'd love to hear what you thought of the Season 2 finale, especially then ending with Penny!

Bringing Home a New Baby

These pictures of Evan welcoming his new little brother Tyler arrived on Friday and I thought it would be fun to share them here. I'm having to get to know my new nephew via emailed photos - they reminded me of when we brought Adam home from the hospital almost 12 years ago.

I've shared with my sister that the night before Adam was born, I went into Eric's room to tuck him in and say prayers. I knew that my labor was being induced the next morning, and I suddenly had that panicky feeling - "Is there room enough in my heart to love a new baby as much as I love Eric? How will Eric cope?! His little world will be forever changed!"

Well, I was right - all of our worlds were changed by Adam's arrival on the scene. We never could have predicted the blessings that he would bring, or the best friend that he would become for his big brother.

Those first few weeks with a new baby are so hard. You're sleep deprived, hormonal and still expected to cope with all of your motherly duties for your pre-existing kiddos, who may be experiencing some adjustments of their own. "What?! Share my Mom?! Are you kidding me?!"

I don't have any words of wisdom for my sister - I can barely remember those first few weeks with Adam. When I look back at pictures of Eric holding Adam in those first days, he looks so little to me. I remember thinking at the time that he seemed absolutely huge in comparison to the new baby! Every day, I pray for Erin and other new Moms and their babies - for their good health, their peace of mind, and a few hours of uninterrupted sleep!

Here's an interested article on preparing your toddler for a new baby. If anyone else has any words of wisdom, feel free to pass them along. In the mean time, I'll be enjoying photos of my nephew Evan getting to know his new best friend, Tyler!

Scoreboard

San Joaquin Memorial - 0
Garces - 27

Notre Dame - 21
Michigan - 47

Ouch! My favorite SJM player started at left guard this week and played about a third of the game. He was alternating his spot with a much larger sophmore, since he was lined up against a massive guy. This weekend's game was the annual "Holy Bowl" where our kids play in multiple sports against Bakersfield's Garces Catholic High School. I'm not sure what they feed those boys from Bakersfield, but the sure do grow them big! We're looking forward to our league games, which should be a little bit more competitive.

No comment on the Notre Dame game, other than to say the atmosphere wasn't very friendly in my family room on Saturday afternoon. Somebody (and it's not me) gets grumpy pretty easily when the Irish have an off weekend. Hopefully we'll bounce back with a victory over Michigan State.

Interesting Ideas

From Harcourt's Faith@Home website - they seem to be clued in to what's happening around my house these days:

Faith@Home
For September
Make time for each other, even when you’re busy. Reorganize your schedule to make more time for your home life.

• Schedule one night a week for a family home cooked meal.

• Having a crazy week? Create time for a meal together even if it is a take-out lunch.

• Not going to see a family member this evening?-- leave love notes, or notes of support and affirmation.

• Communicate with your children on their terms—email or instant message just to let them know you are thinking about them. Using a cell phone or pager works too.

• Mark your calendars—schedule an entire day together with no outside obligations even if it is six weeks away.

Thanks to reader Shelby for this great suggestion!

Now Out in Paperback

One of my favorite authors is Meredith Gould, author of The Catholic Home : Celebrations and Traditions for Holidays, Feast Days, and Every Day

This great book has recently been re-released in paperback. It holds a place of honor on my most frequently visited bookshelf. You can read about it over at CatholicMom.com - For less than $10, this book is a great resource for Catholic families.

Our Lady of Sorrows

Thank you to Sue Terbay and Fr. Jerry for forwarding the following reflection on today's Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows:

Reading I: 1 Cor 9:16-19,22b-27
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 84:3,4,5-6,12
Gospel: John 19:25-27 or Luke 2:33-35

Today’s Reflection:Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” –John 19:26

I am a mom. From the day the little one was first put into my arms, I took on the title. As I eased into the garment of motherhood, I found that Mom is not just a title, nor a role. It became a part of who I am, my very identity, how I look at the world. It’s an amazing adventure with so many unexpected joys! Somehow no one had the courage to tell me, though, as Simeon told Mary, that simply by being a parent one opens up the heart to be pierced. There’s the usual difficulties of being a kid. A little teasing here. Someone’s campaign poster defaced there. Gossip hurts someone’s reputation. It breaks a mother’s heart a little. It gives me an ever increasing respect for the way that Mary stood by in Jesus’ life.

Her flesh and blood was misunderstood, mocked, humiliated, beaten, and eventually killed. And she stood with him in it all. At the foot of the cross she stood to minister to him in her quiet presence and in her tears. Did she lay her palm softly against the man’s foot that was once little and cupped in her hand? He acknowledged her there. His own flesh failing, he took her under consideration, handing her into the care of his disciple. And in turn, handing his precious mother on to all disciples. Here she is. See her grace. Model after her strength and dignity and love. Blessed, sainted mother Mary, teach me by your example how to withstand the heartbreaks of parenthood, and of living, and deliver only love in return.

Peace in Christ,
Michelle Vander Missen

Getting Ready for Sunday

If you'd like to spend some time preparing for this Sunday's Liturgy of the Word, take a look at the following resources:

* CatholicMom.com weekly gospel activities: We offer a coloring page based on the Sunday Gospel, Mass Worksheets for kids ages 7 - 14, crossword puzzles, and word search puzzles using terms from the Gospel reading

* This Sunday's Readings - read them online before Sunday's mass at the USCCB web site

* Crossroads Initiative - Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio offers wonderful reflections every week based on the readings. This week's reflection asks what we really mean when we say, "Amen!"

Do you have a favorite Sunday-prep resource? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below or by email at lisa@catholicmom.com

This Week's DWW Recipes

I've just posted this week's new Dine Without Whine Recipes over at CatholicMom.com:

Baked Potato Soup
Orange Coffee Cake
Cookies ‘N’ Cream Fluff

Suddenly I'm hungry for lunch! Do you know what's for dinner at your house tonight? If you're looking for meal ideas, check out our DWW recipes and consider subscribing to Christine's wonderful weekly service.

Congratulations Danielle

Congrats and best wishes to Catholic Mom extraordinaire Danielle Bean and her family on the birth of Daniel Jr. on September 10th! Can you believe she's already managed to post baby pictures over on her blog! He's a beautiful baby - no surprise with such a fantastic Mom!

Increasing Productivity

Squeezing more productivity out of each day is high on my list of priorities lately, with days packed full of fun stuff to do. This week, I'm enjoying the series on Increasing Productivity being run by Mike St. Pierre over at his Notebook. Mike's suggestions have been very helpful to me in prioritizing a few things in my own life. Take a look and I'll bet you learn a thing or two as well!

Baby Jesus' Mom!

My eldest just left for school sporting a Superman costume - it's Freshman/Senior Welcome Week at his high school and his senior seems to have a great sense of humor. I was trying to get him to let me take a picture and he said, "No Mom, you'll put it on your blog!" Boy, does he know me too well or what?! So I had to promise not to post the photo here. Rats!

Yesterday was "Dress Your Freshman as Your Favorite Biblical Character" Day. I dropped Eric off at 7:15 so he could be dressed by his senior. Since Moms aren't allowed to dally in the school lot (rules enforced by sons), I had to take off before seeing his costume. His senior had told him the day before that he would be dressed as the Baby Jesus. I would have loved to have seen him, but I didn't.

By the time last night rolled around, due to a crazy schedule, I still hadn't seen Eric. I was running the Notre Dame booth at our County College Fair. A young women sporting a Memorial (Eric's high school) tshirt came up to chat with me and I told her my son was a freshman at her school. She asked, "Do you know what costume he was wearing today?"

"He was Baby Jesus, but sadly I didn't get to see him in costume."

"Your son is Baby Jesus?! He was famous at school today! Everyone was wanting his picture - he had the best costume!"

Yes, I've been known as "Eric's Mom" for a long time - but now, for at least a day, I can add "Baby Jesus' Mom" to my list of accomplishments.

Scoreboard

In this weekend's action:

San Joaquin Memorial JV - 6
Dos Palos - 12

The scoreboard showed a loss, but this Mom thinks our kids were winners. #64 started at Right Guard and held his own, going up against a monster sized sophomore.

Notre Dame - 41
Penn State - 17

What could be better than a huge victory on opening day at Notre Dame stadium? This blog will officially be used to further Brady Quinn's bid for the Heisman! Go Irish, beat Michigan!

Still in our prayers

I wanted to write a loving tribute to the victims and heroes of 9/11 on today's fifth remembrance of that day, but I find myself unable to move beyond the huge lump in my throat to find the words. I'll leave that to others today - but our prayers for the many families touched by that day continue.

For those who lost loved ones, for the heroes who saved so many that day, and for our military and their families, our prayers for you continue.

You may want to visit:

* Write In Between - Pat Gohn
* Open Book - Amy Welborn
* Happy Catholic

Fifteen Reasons to Love My Fifteen Year Old

This weekend, we were busy celebrating Eric, who turned fifteen on Saturday. Both of my sons celebrate September birthdays. With the addition of little Ty, it looks like September will be solidified as a favorite, and very eventful, month on my calendar.

Eric, I’ve been contemplating you for the past few days, thinking about the gift that you are in my life. The following are a simply a few of the reasons I think you are so very special:

1. You love to read – a recent trip to Barnes & Noble found you perusing Matthew Kelly’s “The Rhythm of Life”, a biography of Genghis Kahn, a book about classic rock songs, and a fantasy novel…since you were a little boy, you’ve swallowed up books and retained their contents – I love that!
2. You’re the world’s greatest big brother – I saw you out back this weekend, playing at a sword fight with Adam, and it made me smile because you’re so generous with the small amount of spare time you have in your life right now. Adam adores you, and he’s so wonderful because of the great example you constantly set for him.
3. You are respectful – you may not like our rules, but you play by them. Unlike many of your peers, you keep your pants pulled up and don’t use bad language.
4. You are a gentleman – you hold the door open, shake hands with grown ups, and consider the needs of others before your own.
5. You love classic music – you used the iTunes gift certificate your grandparents sent you to purchase “Creedance Clearwater Revival’s Greatest Hits” without even knowing the poetic justice of your purchasing decision. All I could do was smile, wipe a tear away, and sing along with you when you put it in the Tahoe’s CD player – those songs populate the soundtrack of my childhood – I love that you love them too!
6. You are great with little children – when I watched you playing with your three year old cousin Jake this weekend, I was reminded about how super you are with little ones. Your volunteer efforts at the Children’s Hospital this summer were a gift to the many little ones whose hours of waiting you made more fun and less worrisome.
7. You try your best at everything you do – You strive to give 110% in your endeavors, whether they are work or play. You make me want to try harder to be my best too!
8. You are a good friend – You listen to your friends (especially one of them), you care about them, and you are devoted to them.
9. You love to try new things – You live life with a sense of adventure. You love to go to new places, to take a stab at new experiences, and to exert your independence. You might be afraid sometimes, but you never let that stop you!
10. You like your food spicy – you like hot stuff, the spicier the better and you love to experiment with cooking. You like to try new foods. You put up with your Mom’s pedestrian efforts in the kitchen and love to try new restaurants.
11. You are tough and you don’t complain – I watch how hard you work, at school and in sports, and it exhausts me sometimes. In life, sometimes we have to “play through” difficult periods when we may not feel like taking care of our responsibilities – you take care of business in a way that is inspiring to your parents, coaches and teachers.
12. You make time for family – at an age when many of your peers would rather be dropped off at the mall, you will sit and watch a movie with your family, will go in the Jacuzzi and talk for an hour, or will play games with your little brother. When you’re gone, we miss you!
13. You are brilliant – I know, as your Mom I’m a bit biased, but your mind astounds me. You take after your Daddy in this respect – I’m glad you’re around to help Adam with his homework when Dad isn’t! Whether it’s Biology or literature, Spanish or Social Studies, you take it on with an incredible enthusiasm for learning that will serve you your whole life.
14. You offer your talents to God and to others – I am so happy to see you up in the Sanctuary each week, playing your guitar at Mass. You are a good example of what it means to be a “steward”.
15. You are a wonderful son – You always make me feel proud and lucky to be your mother. You are a miracle that Dad and I could never have anticipated – you changed our world forever, and you continue to make our lives better every day.

Watching you grow up is hard sometimes, because I love you so much and I know that the more you grow, the more you move into the world on your own. The pride and love that fills my heart when I think of you is difficult to describe – but I want you to know how much I love and respect you sweetie! Thank goodness you’re not sixteen this year: I still get to spend another year driving you around! Here’s to a great fifteenth year and to all the future holds. I love you Eric! Mom

Tyler Thomas Patrick

Precious Tyler,

Now that you've arrived, the world is a better place! Through the miracle of email and digital cameras, I'm able to see your adorable little face long before I will have the chance to hold you in my arms. I thought seeing pictures would help me to keep from missing you too much, but instead it just makes me even more anxious to be able to snuggle you soon!

Your "big boy" cousins have been praying for you for months - secretly, they were praying you'd be a boy, another member of their dynasty! Your brother Evan must be so very happy to have a new best friend - he may seem a little confused right now about you and may not quite understand where you suddenly came from, but trust me: you're going to be lifelong buddies!

Tyler, you are the special miracle baby who enabled your Mommy and Daddy's hearts to grow even bigger, even more capable of love than they ever thought they could be. You are such a lucky boy, to be born to parents who will cherish and treasure you every day!

It's so fantastic that your Nana is there to welcome you into the world - get to know her: she's a pretty awesome person! Before you know it, there will be aunties, uncles, cousins and friends wanting to hold and care for you - you'll have to be patient with us...it feels like we've waited years for the chance to know you!

OK little Ty, it's time for you to take a nap and to let your Mommy get some rest too! She's going to be busy with two little red headed guys filling her kitchen and her heart! Until I can hold you, kiss you, and see your precious face in person, my prayers for you and for your family continue.

I love you sweetie!
Auntie Lisa

It's a Boy!!!

My new nephew, Tyler Thomas Patrick B. arrived at 12:33 pm today!!! He is 6 pounds, 15 ounces and 19 inches long. Mom and baby are both doing well, so thank you for those prayers! I'd give anything for a plane ticket to Chicago today!

Welcome Tyler!!! We love you!!!

Maybe They Should Ban Parents

You may have seen the video that's been all over the news today of the Football Dad/Coach rushing the field and shoving the player who late-hit his son. This drama unfolded in Stockton, about two hours north of where we live. It was strangely reminiscent of some of the games Eric played during his Youth Football career. In fact, I even blogged last fall about my frustration with obnoxious parents at football games.

I don't know the solution to this problem, other than to expect the best of my own sons in the sportsmanship department and to set a good example for them with my own behavior. Hopefully they will throw the book at this dad/coach and all the others who ended up in the brawl following the game - perhaps that will provide some deterrent for others tempted to misbehave.

Either that, or they should just make parents drop their kids off at the gate and let the kids play the game free of catcalls at the refs, obscenities screamed at both teams, and fear of having a dad punch you out.

Maybe I should have had girls - I'll bet this kind of stuff never happens at ballet classes!

Baby Update

No baby yet - Erin's doctor is busy with other deliveries, so her scheduled C-section is running behind schedule. Keep those prayers coming!

Anticipation!!!!!

At 9:00 tomorrow morning, or somewhere around that time, the world will welcome a new little person - my neice or nephew! My sister Erin is scheduled to have a C section tomorrow. She and her husband David and little Evan will welcome their new addition, whose gender is currently a mystery.

If she's a girl, she'll be the first female cousin in a family of boys. All of our siblings currently have male children. She will be the princess of the clan, undoubtedly spoiled by her Auntie Lisa with lots of pink clothes, adorable dresses and a Barbie or two (yes, I'll admit to loving Barbie!). She will take Irish step dancing classes, have long red hair like her Mommy, and will be force to be reckoned with I'm sure!

If he's a boy, he will be his brother's best friend and playmate. He will continue what my own son's refer to as our "Chinese Dynasty" - they are actually hoping for a boy. When I watch my own sons play together I know that Evan would be truly lucky to have a little brother.

In today's day and age, not knowing the gender and name of my newest little niece/nephew is very unique. It seems most people prefer to take the surprise element out of their pregnancies. I feel impatient for our newest family member's arrival - I will not sleep well tonight (Erin probably won't either) and will be on the edge of my seat until I hear that Mom and baby are both doing well. Thank goodness I'm not living in the olden days when news of nieces' births were delivered months later by pony express! I would die of suspense!

Please join me in praying for Erin, David, Evan and little baby - may the delivery be safe and healthy with no complications and may she/he live a life of happiness and joy, with a heart close to God and a world full of blessings.

Catholic Mom Sports Report

In significant weekend sports news:

San Joaquin Memorial JV - 3
Bullard High School JV - 7

Despite the final score, it was a moral victory for our boys, playing against a much larger and more experienced Bullard team. We lost our quarterback to a mild concussion early in the second half, but hope to have him back soon. Eric saw limited playing time, but at least got in for a few plays on the Offensive Line and didn't get smashed.

Notre Dame 14
Georgia Tech 10

Yikes, what a stressful game! We ended up with the win, so that's the good news! Next up, Penn State at ND - if you've never had the chance to go to a football game at Notre Dame, you've missed a slice of heaven on earth! Next weekend should be a blast for anyone lucky enough to have tickets.

Great New Resources

Can you tell I've been to visit my PO Box today? Two resources that I've been greatly anticipating are now in my possession and I can't wait to dig in and start exploring them. I'm particularly excited about the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, which looks just incredible! It's size is a bit daunting, but I'm hoping to incorporate reading a small segment into my morning spiritual reading. I have to say if I could only afford to purchase one of these, my preference would be the US Catechism. My reviews are posted over at Amazon and you can view them by clicking on the titles below:

Now Out for 2007

One of my favorite devotional resources is the Sacred Space web site. For the past three years, Ave Maria Press has published an affordable paperback version of the SS meditations. The new 2007 version is out and has me excited for Advent already. Hey, if the can have Christmas decorations for sale at Costco, I can be planning for Advent!

Football Mom

You know you're a Football Mom when you lay aside your routine spiritual reading at lunch in favor of the special "High School Football" insert in the local newspaper!

Eric had his first JV scrimmage as a high school player last Saturday. Blessedly, they turned the scoreboard off after the first quarter. David (us, the small Catholic School) got smashed by Goliath (our opponent, the mega-sized, state championship winning Public School). We had been warned by Coach that freshman might not see much playing time, so we were thrilled in the second quarter when we saw #62 stride confidently out onto the field. The score may have been lopsided, but getting to see Eric play out there with the big guys left us feeling like winners!

Speaking of Football, it's less than 49 hours until the #2 ranked Fighting Irish take the field against Georgia Tech. Hopes are high for a great season, but the only thing I care about this year is beating USC! If you're not a Notre Dame fan, and you like visiting this blog, be forewarned that you may have to put up with some occasional football talk here during the next few months. Don't worry, it'll be Catholic football talk!

Tonight, Eric has his first team dinner in preparation for tomorrow night's first real game. The team dines together every Thursday night - which means that practice ends relatively early. I'm anxious for tomorrow - Eric may not play much, but it will be the start of four fun years for him and his buddies. Football Moms around the country - I'll be praying for your son's health and safety. Please do the same for mine!

Treat Yourself!

One of my favorite new features at CatholicMom.com is our Dine Withouth Whine weekly recipes shared by Christine Steendahl. Each week, Christine shares great (and practical) family recipes with us. I've cooking impaired, and I have loved Christine's weekly Dine Without Whine service because it makes preparing a family meal seem much more fun and enjoyable. Beyond the weekly recipes we're sharing at CatholicMom.com, for a very affordable rate you can subscribe to Christine's Dine Without Whine program and receive a complete weekly menu and shopping list emailed to you every week.

One of my priorities for this year is to make sure we eat together as a family as frequently as possible. Last night, Adam and I were preparing dinner in anticipation of Eric's return home from football practice. Adam said, "Hey, let's have candles!" He dimmed the lights and put a small tea-light candle in front of each of our plates. The dinner I cooked wasn't anything special, but the time we spent together eating sure was! We had a great conversation, and Eric remarked the minute he walked in the door, "Is this a special occasion?" Isn't every night with our children a special occasion?!

This week, at CatholicMom.com, we're sharing recipes for Beef Stroganoff Casserole, Sausage Biscuit Bites, and Light Lemon Cake. Check out these simple ideas and make tonight a special occasion for your family!

Hola!

Inquiring minds who want to know why it's been so quiet here at the blog this week should take a look at my latest project, the web site for Hispanic Ministries at my parish. Thankfully, our Hispanic Minister did all of the text for the site, so I just had to put it all together. My favorite feature of the site is the video on this page , featuring our Hispanic choir...doesn't this look like a great place to go to church?! Web design is always fun, but requires a bit of concentration and time, so I apologize for neglecting the blog this week!

Orienting to a New Life

This has been a busy time for all moms sending children back to school or recommencing the homeschool calendar. As for me, things have been a bit slow around the blog this week as I've been busy being "Oriented" to the life of "High School Mom".

Yes, Eric had his own Orientation last week and in approximately forty minutes will have successfully completed his first week as a high school freshman. His orientation included a prayer service, scholastic and administrative overviews, countless syllabi and logistical details such as the subtleties of combination locks and how to get from one end of campus to another in under four minutes and 59 seconds. He appears to have survived, although my interactions with him this week have been way too limited for a mom's preference.

My own Orientation week continues. On Tuesday, after getting both kids off to the first "real" day of school, I met one of my best buddies for at the gym for an hour of "treadmill therapy". I've sworn for years that my husband owes my friend Mara a lot of cash for keeping me out of psychiatric counseling. Mara has been my friend through breastfeeding, preschool, elementary education and now beyond. Our friendship has been largely lived out during triweekly trips to the gym. She helped me again on Tuesday morning to recommit to my school year exercise routine, which is a critical part of my Mom suit of armor for dealing with life's many ups and downs.

On Wednesday morning, Orientation continued for Mom. My friend Martha, an alumna of my son's new high school, informed me that the two of us had a 9 am appointment with Brother Philip, the newly installed principal of Eric's high school. Martha had been a student of his during a time when he had previously been affiliated with the school. Now that he's back, she couldn't wait to see him again and decided to bring me along for the meeting. During a calming 45 minute "get to know you" chat, I felt my nerves begin to calm as I met this seasoned educator who clearly articulated his priorities for Catholic education. His values lined up so consistently with my hopes for my son's high school experience that I soon felt at ease. I also told Brother Philip that I was happy to be in the Prinicipal's Office for some reason aside from being summoned there for an "unfortunate incident".

Thursday's Mom Orientation activities were spread throughout the day. In the morning, I went on a field trip with my "Naughty Knitters" friends to a local yarn store. You may wonder why that's part of the Orientation, but just as lunch period is crucial to the experience of a high schooler, time with friends and personal hobbies are critical to any Mom's sanity. As much as I was missing my boys, it was so wonderful to have a morning of "girl time" to be spent how I wanted to spend it. I set my "to do" lists aside and luxuriated in time spent with special ladies.

Last night, Orientation hit full force with the Football Banquet, where I actually mustered up the courage to meet my son's football coach in person. No surprise, this man who spends more hours a day with my son (when he's actually awake) than I do is a great guy...and he didn't even make me do any pushups!

I headed straight from the Football Banquet to Freshman Parent Orientation - the official one! Two hours of meetings ensued: information system overviews, discussions on campus ministry and service education, academic overviews and a lovely talk by my now friend Brother Philip. One of my favorite speakers of the night was the new Dean of Students, who explained his philosophy for dealing with student infractions. His hope in working with student issues is to "help the student and his family to try to find a solution that will help the student grow, help him to make right decisions and good choices in the future." Hey, that's what I want for my son too - looks like we're on the same page! In my excitement, I limited myself to only signing my name on two volunteer sheets: Campus Ministry and Service Education. Both moderators seemed wonderful - I think I could learn a lot about being a High School Mom by helping out with these areas at the school.

Today, I attended a welcome meeting for the "Guild", the Moms who seem to be the driving force behind much what goes on at High School. I'm know I'm not cut out for much of the fundraising type of work, but it was so great to meet these wonderful women who are brimming with enthusiasm for our school. It was infectious!

Orientation continues this weekend with our first football scrimmage, where I'll learn that Freshman parents should cheer on the team but not expect to see much playing time for their Freshman sons.

A theme of last night's meetings was being involved in the school as a family, both in physical presence and in an emotional investment in our children's education. I'm still learning, taking lots of notes, and trying not to worry too much, but I think the year's off to a great start!

Catholic Literature

A few months back, I had the pleasure of interviewing Robert Dagney, author of Effigies in Ashes - a wonderful work of Catholic fiction.

Bob's book is the focus of a recent feature in Philadelphia Catholic Standard and Times. If you haven't had a chance to read this wonderful conversion story, take a look at this article. I think you'll enjoy it!

A Lovely Tribute

I'm unable to find my writing voice today due to a combination of severe fatigue (the 4:45 wake up call) and separation anxiety (Eric's full day at High School today. He left at 7:25 and we won't see him until 7:30 tonight). Thankfully, gracing my inbox today was an email from the lovely Pat Gohn, sharing her latest column for CatholicMom.com.

In "Things in Common" Pat shares a lovely relationship with a dear friend, Judi. Please take time today to read Pat Gohn's "Things in Common" and join me in a prayer for the repose of Judi's soul and for all who are battling illness in their lives. Pat, thanks as always for sharing the gift of your writing. You and our other CatholicMom.com columnists bless me with every word you pour out.

Listen to CatholicMom Live

Sorry for the extremely late notice, but if anyone is up and reading this before 8:00 am (Michigan time - yawn!) on Tuesday, August 22, you can tune in to listen to my radio interview with Denise Gorski of Michigan Catholic Radio at 8:00 am on Tuesday, August 22. Click here to listen live. I believe the interview runs 30 minutes. I greatly enjoyed my conversation with Denise and the chance to share about the great things happening at CatholicMom.com. I'm not sure if I'll be able to drag myself out of bed at 5 am California time to put myself through the stress of listening to me!

My Knitting Buddy

My friend Cindy is one of those amazing women who can do lots of things very well. She is the person who taught me to knit, thereby giving me a gift for which I'll be forever thankful.

Cindy's a great teacher - patient and so positive - even when she's dealing with rookies like me! Well now Cindy has a new area of expertise - she's now a knitting blogger! If you love to knit, you'll love Cindy's blog over at Yarn Paper Scissors where Cindy and her sister Carey explore all things creative. Unlike me, Cindy is a person who actually completes the projects she starts. I never see her with empty hands. When she's sitting in the parking lot waiting for her kids, she's knitting or sewing or doing other handiwork. That's what is so great about Cindy's new blog. You will see works in progress that will be completed faster than I can even cast something on to my needles. The cute socks above are just a sampling of Cindy's talent. If you love crafting, check out Yarn Paper Scissors and you'll be sure to be inspired!

A Catholic Mom's New (School) Year's Resolutions

I sit in the pre-dawn hours of the morning of the first day of another new school year, coffee and planner in hand, contemplating what lies ahead. The year is off to an auspicious start: I’ve set my alarm sufficiently early to allow for quiet devotional time and reflection before rousting my boys from their beds. Backpacks sit at the ready, filled to the overflowing with labeled school supplies. The number two pencils are sharpened to a deadly point with not a single eraser chewed off yet. School uniforms have been pre-laundered and ironed. We’re ready – at least for the first day of school.

In my quiet time, I contemplate how to make this the best school year ever for my children. With a sixth grader and one heading off to high school, I face the logistical dilemmas that confound so many other mothers – how to get everyone where they need to be, on time, with the things they need, all at the same time.

In my own life, I find great value in setting and actively pursuing resolutions, defined goals, to achieve desired results. I don’t wait for New Year’s to set resolutions – it can happen at the start of a new liturgical season, the beginning of a month, or even any day ending in the letter “y”. My goals for my sons’ new school year remain the same year after year. I hope this will be a year filled with spiritual and academic growth, fun times with their friends, and pursuit of new and favorite extracurricular activities.

Here are some of my specific resolutions to help make this school year the best ever for our family:

• Pray on the Way – Keeping prayer time central to our family life is important to all of us, but we sometimes let things slip around our house. This year, I commit to a time of prayer with each of my boys on our way to school in the morning. This is a tradition begun by my own mother and one that’s become reflexive in our family. As soon as the car is turned on prayer begins, setting the tone for the day and offering it to God as a sign of our love. A friend told me last year that she frequently asks her children, “What would you like for me to pray for?” This simple phrase has led to wonderful discussions and yet another way for me to support and encourage my children in their daily lives.

• Be Organized – I typically get off to a good start at the beginning of the school year, but somehow lose the “eye of the Tiger” on family organization just when it’s most needed. I will keep a family calendar, consulting it frequently and anticipating events in advance. I will communicate with my husband about times when he may be needed to “pinch hit” with rides, homework help, brownie baking and other facts of school year life. I will have a good sense of not only what each day holds, but also what the scope of the week looks like. Conflicts and surprises will occur, but not when I should have been planning for them and just dropped the ball.

• Family Dinner – I will make every effort to prepare and serve healthy meals for my family. This will involve being a better shopper, since a big part of my problem with cooking is not having the right things in the pantry. With our family members being busier than ever, our dinners together (whenever they are possible) will be a retreat and a chance for needed communication. I will not give in to the rat race and find myself “driving through” on the way home from Football practice because there’s nothing healthy to cook at home.

• Homework Helper – I will give my sons the tools they need to thrive academically. This will include a quiet environment in which to do homework, the supplies necessary to do the job, and a supportive attitude. I will encourage, not nag, and will try to help them to establish the good time management skills that will serve them in their future lives.

• Spread the Love – As frequently as possible, I will tell my sons how much I love them and how very proud I am of them. I will keep critical comments to myself and will encourage them positively to live up to their full potential. I will exalt in their happy moments and will lovingly support them through tough times without dwelling to much on the “I told you so” moments. I will remind my husband frequently of how much I value him as a partner, a co-parent and a friend. I will not let tiredness or frustration dictate the tone of my conversation with my family. I will collect as many hugs and kisses as I can get from growing boys!

I’m hoping to look back on my list of resolutions in the not-to-distant future and to be able to give myself a “check plus” on these few simple goals for our family. A Mom’s job is never done, but it’s great to take time along the way to refine and enhance our performance in what is surely our greatest responsibility – the raising of Godly and happy children.

First Day of High School Update

Heard in the car on the way home from High School:

"How was your day?"

"Great!"

"What did you do?"

"I can't really remember...not much..."

"Who's in your classes?"

"I'm not sure - lots of people I know though..."

"What did your teachers talk about?"

"I can't really remember. Oh yeah, I need a binder for biology..."

"Did you take any notes? They didn't discuss school supplies or give you a syllabus? Did you ask your Geometry teacher about the calculator you need? Do you have homework tonight?"

"Not really...oh yeah, there are these papers..."

High School son sets backpack, containing Student Planner, notebooks, highlighters, sharpened pencils, and color coded pens on the floor of the car.

High School son reaches into pocket and pulls out a wad of crumbled up papers, containing essential data.

It's nice to know some things never change.

I'm learning to play the "Mom of a High School Student" game. Later in the day, on the way to football practice, I did have a more fulfilling conversation with Eric about his day, but it took a little effort on my part. We went through each class on his schedule and specifically discussed the teacher, his fellow students, and the important facts given during the day. "Ask me specific questions Mom," Eric said.

I should have known that this is the way he's always been - he will share, when he's ready. It doesn't come on my time schedule. It helps if he's rested a bit and been recently fed and watered (like a toddler???). I believe that our family dinner hour is going to become more essential than ever this year - that seems to be our best time for conversations. Granted, it may happen at 8:30 pm most nights owing to football practice, but I need to do my best to provide that time for each of us to get caught up with one another.

So Eric has a break from school until Tuesday, when he will hit campus "for real" for the very first time with all the upperclassmen on campus too. In the mean time, I need to sharpen my skills at communicating with a tired, hungry teenage son.

Eric's First Day of High School

The lump forms in your throat. The tightness spreads across your chest. Your stomach churns, exhibiting the anxiety you feel inside. Tears form in your eyes, threatening to spill over and stain the new shirt you're wearing to mark the special nature of this day, but you hold them back because you don't want anyone to see them.

You're nervous about what lies ahead - it's the first day of High School.

And you've just dropped your son off to begin the next phase of his life, his journey away from you and towards his own destiny.

I'm sure the feelings I was having in the High School parking lot were commonplace this morning, as much among the students as among the parents. For High School parents who are veterans, this being their third or fourth child, their cars barely slowed as the kids vaulted from front seats of SUVs. But then there were the rookies like me - those sending our eldest off into the future for the very first time. It feels so monumental to us, like such a big step. I watched one father get out of the car, gently place his daughter's backpack on her shoulder and kiss her goodbye. As she walked away, I watched him closely and saw the tell-tale wipe of the eye and knew he was sharing my feelings too.

The kids are probably equally as nervous, but it's uncool to show it. Eric and I had a great drive to school, me reviewing the rules in the student handbook, reminding him to be good to his teachers, cautioning him about whom he should avoid sitting next to, and stuffing extra dollar bills in his backpack lest he starve to death before pick up time at 1:15.

Arriving at school, the backpack became a point of contention. His contained a few minimal essentials: his planner, a notebook, some pens and pencils, and the forms he was supposed to turn in today.

"Mom, no one else has a backpack," he argued. And he was right - probably 75% of them had nothing in hand but the forms.

"You need a notebook to take notes of the supplies you're supposed to buy, a pen to write with, and your planner has your schedule written in it. Plus, your teachers will be giving you handouts and I don't want to find them wadded up in your pockets. Humor me, take the backpack..."

"OK Mom, I love you."

And then he was gone - out of the car and immersed in a cluster of his gradeschool classmates, standing next to the one other boy carrying a backpack. A Mom can tell by the look on her child's face what he's feeling inside - the quick lick of his lips and sideways cast of his eyes confirmed for me the nerves he was feeling. No one else would probably see them, but I recognize the symptoms.

Time to go, I'd said my goodbyes, but for some reason I sat paralyzed in the parking lot, unable to move away. I sat and watched him for a few minutes as the clock ticked towards the 8:00 bell. "Better get moving," I thought. "You don't want to be late on the first day."

"Maybe they don't know how late it is," I considered. "I could just jump out of this car really quick and remind them they'd better be moving along to class."

I'm sure that would have gone over really well!

So I took a deep breath, said a final prayer for Eric (and for myself), and pulled away from the parking lot. Letting the tears flow, I called my sister Erin for moral support. Her two year old, Evan, is still in the phase where everyone comes second to Mommy. In Erin's life, separation anxiety is as it should be - the son crying when the Mom walks away, not the opposite as it is in my case.

Now that my tears have fallen and I've accepted that I'm not saying goodbye to Eric forever, but rather just for five and half hours, I've begun to remind myself of all of the fun and excitement the next four years will hold for him. He will be attending a wonderful Catholic school and will grow academically, physically, emotionally and spiritually beyond what I can even imagine today.

On the day I first walked Eric to Kindergarten, I could never have envisioned the friendships he would forge, the success that he would experience, and the fine young man he would become. Today is the same - I will look back on the commencement of his high school career four years from now and recall this moment with fondness.

And then I'll drop him off at college.

Surviving Your High School Reunion

Dear Class of 1982,

I just got home from my 25th Reunion from Mater Dei High School and I wanted to share a few words of wisdom with those of you who might be contemplating taking the plunge and attending your reunion next year. I have to preface this by saying that I was a skeptic and a reunion newbie - this was my very first high school reunion!

The following are my tips for you, to ensure a fun and stress free reunion experience:

1. Go with friends - My attendance at this event was owing to a friend who took the lead and convinced as many people as she could to participate. Like me, she had never been to a reunion and figured 25 was a great place to start. I took the drive down to Orange County and spent the day with my two good friends from high school. We actually turned the reunion into a slumber party, which was much more fun than attending only the party itself. It also afforded a lot more chance for deeper conversation with the friends I cared most about seeing.

2. Don't worry about your appearance - Everyone has changed in the last 25 years! We Moms can tend to go into these types of events thinking, "Hey, I can lose 25 pounds by then, no problem!" That type of stress dieting frequently results in pounds gained and lower self esteem. If you're happy, genuinely, happy, with your life, it shows in your face. My Daddy taught me to wear a big smile at shindigs like this, and I'm convinced it helps. I wore an old dress I love (hey, these people haven't seen it!), comfortable shoes, and the tan I picked up at my sister's beach house. I'm sure I wasn't the prettiest, thinnest or youngest looking girl at the reunion, but I wasn't those things in high school either. This difference is that now, it doesn't seem to make as big a difference to me as it did back then. The friends I met at the reunion came in all shapes and sizes. Do I remember what haircut they had or what clothes they were wearing? No - I remember their kids names, where they live now, and the stories they shared.

3. Go visit your old high school - For me, one of the highlights of the day was the trip our friend Cheryl led over to Mater Dei. It was great to see how the campus has grown and flourished. It was also fun to reminisce about places on campus we'd been and things we'd done. I have a terrible memory, but visiting campus brought back a few vivid images and helped me emotionally prepare for the evening Reunion party.

4. Don't drink too much - This should be a no-brainer, but apparently it isn't. Monitor what you're drinking and eat a good meal before you go, because you probably won't eat much at the party. It's a terrible thing to not see someone for 25 years and then be left with the mental image of them drunk for the next 25. Also, if you plan to drink, PLEASE arrange for a designated driver.

5. Have Fun - Talk with everyone, even the people you don't remember or never met in high school. Some of my favorite conversations of the evening were with people I was meeting for the first time. Our class was large, so there were many people in attendance I'd never met before. Everyone has a story to tell! I met the class science geek who now has long hair, is the CEO of a company and the lead singer and guitarist in his own rock band. I another woman who turned out to be good friends with someone I'd lost touch with long ago - thanks to that conversation I now have my old friend's contact information. It was so fun to meet and enjoy so many interesting personalities, and to savor the connection we shared during our formative years.

So, Class of '82, despite your fears or worries, you should start making plans now to attend your big reunion next year. Be the friend who calls everyone up and says, "Let's go, and you can sleep at my house!". You'll be glad you did!

Lisa
Class of 1981

Patron Saint of Checkers???

"Mr. Checkers" of the World Checkers Museum has declared the answer to be St. Therese of Lisieux.

Wow, you learn somthing new every day!

How Do They Do It???

Moms are truly amazing! I just spent two weeks in the company of my sister, who is - in my estimation - a superhero. She's chasing an active two year old while eight months pregnant and a mega-star partner in her law firm.

Another one of my Mom superheroes is Danielle Bean, whose blog I visit on a daily basis. Danielle, too, is expecting a new addition. In a recent blog entry, Danielle shared that she is taking on the role of Senior Editor for the fabulous Faith and Family Magazine. In addition, she's working on a new book for Pauline. This is on top of being Mom to seven wonderful kids and a homeschooler! Yikes, does she ever sleep? I simply love Danielle's writing and am thrilled to hear about her continued success and good fortune. I'm also looking forward to promoting her next book at CatholicMom.com!

Here's to all of the Moms in our world, who keep things running in their own little corners of society. For the working moms, the at home moms, the single moms, and those yet to be moms - you inspire me to do more, and to do it better.

Of course, my biggest inspiration always comes from my own Mom...you're the best! Thanks for all you continue to do for me and my brothers and sisters - we love you, and I know we don't tell you frequently enough how much we appreciate you. Thank you for always being present for us, and for the many ways in which you support and nurture us.

Media Moment

A huge thank you to Denise Gorski of Michigan Catholic Radio's Living Stone's Show for hand-holding me through my first "media" moment this morning.

Denise's show airs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 8:30 am. I'm not sure when my show will be airing, but the experience of speaking with Denise about CatholicMom.com was a tremendous pleasure. It was such a joy to speak about all of our columnists, about Elyse who makes our worksheets, about our many contributing authors and the great Catholic musicians we promote. It makes me ambitious to do a bit more outreach to promote the wonderful resources so many women are offering at CatholicMom.com.

I'm hoping I sounded coherent, as the interview was conducted fairly early this morning. Regardless, I had a great time! Thanks again Denise! I will let you know when the show will be airing and you can listen online if you're interested.

Patron Saint of Checkers???

OK, saint experts, does anyone have an answer to the following email query I received today? I've exhausted my normal channels and I'm stumped!

Good evening Lisa from the World of Checkers Museum. Today we received an
email asking us to name the Catholic saint who loved playing checkers and he
was far from being an obscure saint. His name is very familiar to all Catholics. His checkerboard was kept at the reliquary. Please let us hear from
you if you can assit us with this question. Don

Nerves!

Please say a little prayer for me...I have two events in the next two days which are causing me a bit of nervousness.

Tomorrow morning at 7 am California time, I'm being interviewed by Denise Gorski of Michigan Catholic Radio for her Living Stones show. Blessedly, the interview is being taped, not live, so that gives me a bit more confidence. This is my first "on air" interview for CatholicMom.com and it should be a wonderful opportunity to spread the word about our great columnists, the many authors and musicians we promote, and the kids' activities we are offering. I'm praying that the Holy Spirit will be on call to help me find the right words!

On Saturday, I'm zipping down to Orange County for the night to attend my 25th high school reunion from Mater Dei High School. I am going with two wonderful friends from high school, but this is my first time attending a reunion so I'm a bit nervous. I'm also astounded by how old I am! Yesterday, I was telling my fiddle teacher about the reunion and he said, "Wow, you've been out of high school longer than I've been alive!" Lucky for him he's such a good teacher, or I would have smacked him! Friends locally tell me that reunions are very fun, and that I have nothing to worry about. I'm hoping for nametags and a glass of wine to help ease the nerves!

Uniform Shopping

I've been in denial about the commencement of the coming school year, which begins here next Thursday for Eric, who will have his Freshman Orientation at High School. Seeing that in writing gives me an anxiety attack on many levels.

Our local school uniform supplier always has a big sale in June, rewarding the Moms who don't procrastinate until the last hour buying school uniforms. I never make it to the sale - telling myself that the boys may grow over the summer. Actually, this year it's a good thing that I did put it off: Eric has grown so much this summer that I'm sure anything I bought in June would be too small.

So today, it's time to pay the piper. Both boys are getting dragged to the uniform store for our annual "back to school" shopping. Knowing friends who have teenage daughters going off to public high schools, I guess I shouldn't whine too much about the one hour I will spend buying khaki shorts and polo shirts!

But I'm still not ready to go back to school!

Glad to be home and praying for travelers

Trying to make sense of the many things happening in our world today seems so complex. My only coherent thought is to pray, hard, for peace in our world. I'm very happy that our flight, and my mother's flight, were earlier this week. Traveling today would be stressful and scary. I'm praying for all travelers and for Our Lady's intercession for peace and an end to war.

Praying on the Go

As a busy wife and mother, I frequently lament my lack of consistent prayer time. I recently had a great conversation with a sixty-something year old grandmother, who shared with me about her Morning Prayer ritual. She described the corner nook in her bedroom where a cozy, overstuffed chair welcomed her each morning for her sunrise meditation. Tea in hand, she greets each day with an hour long session of spiritual reading, silent meditation and prayer. Her children are grown and her morning hours are her own to plan - she prioritizes her prayer time at the beginning of each new day.

Despite my best efforts, I must confess to frequently neglecting a long period of prayer and meditation each morning. That time all too often gets eaten up by parental duties and work, as I race to complete the multitude of tasks that litter a Mom's daily "to do" list in the limited hours of each day. There never seems to be enough time – intellectually and spiritually I know that prayer is tantamount to what I consider to be a “good day” – it is the key ingredient to my existence. But unlike my woman friend and her cozy morning ritual, my prayers seem to happen more often “on the fly”. I call on God frequently each day, but rarely from the seat of a chair. More often it’s in a parking lot, a supermarket, aside a sports field, or even while I’m brushing my teeth. I’ve long been concerned about making these prayers “count”, about making them substantive, rather than simply plaintive.  

A new book out from award winning author Barbara Bartocci has breathed fresh air and energy in to my prayer life. In Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray (Morehouse Publishing, paperback, 98 pages, May 2006), Bartocci acknowledges life’s frantic pace and offers her readers support and encouragement for making active, frequent prayer a part of their lives. In the beginning of the book, Bartocci describes her own frustration over trying to lead a truly spiritual life. With the following words, Bartocci hits at the heart of what, in my book, makes her Grace on the Go so special: 

“And I realized that “living spiritually” is not something that exists out there. It’s a commitment to make our lives – as they unfold – a gift to God.”

Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray is not like other tomes on prayer I’ve seen – it’s designed to be read in small bits. From its diminutive 2.6 ounce design to its format of being written in small segments, the book lends itself to any active life. Tuck it into your purse or diaper bag. Slip it into the front zipper pocket of your organizer. Set it in the glove compartment or cup holder of your car. Then pick it up and dive in. It doesn’t matter which page you land on when you open the book – you’ll find immediate inspiration and motivation. I’ve been enjoying and frequently reading it during my daily activities and have found it to be a wonderful spiritual resource.
 
In the closing pages of the book, Barbara Bartocci references Mother Theresa's statement that the busier her life became, the greater her need for prayer. The same holds true for you and I - grace comes in finding moments each day, no matter where life puts us, to turn our hearts to God.

For more information on Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray visit Amazon.

Help Your Child Make and Keep Friends

I'm lucky - my boys' best friends live at my house! Eric and Adam, separated by three years in age, get along famously. We do have buddies over for visits, but I never have a boy whining for a friend to come over because the two of them enjoy hanging out together so much.

It was really a joy to see them reconnected after our recent weeks of separation due to Adam's and my journey to the Midwest. I expect them to spend the remainder of summer with each other (as often as Eric's football schedule permits!).

I read an interesting article this morning from OSV's new "Take Out" newsletter on helping your child to create and maintain friendships. Click here to read the article online. In our age, where a "friend" is a statistic on social networking sites like Myspace, it's great to stress to our children the true value of friendship.

Prayer Podcasts for Kids

Thanks to Deb for sharing the following great resource, which is a podcast you can use with your children/students to help them learn their prayers. Visit Crossplace.com to check it out. When I have much more time and creative ability, this is the type of resource I'd love to add to CatholicMom.com. Thanks Deb!

Catholic Nursing Mothers

A special thanks to Pam, who wrote to tell me about a wonderful new apostolate, the Catholic Nursing Mothers League.

From their web site:
The Catholic Nursing Mothers League was founded in April 2006 to provide encouragement and support to breastfeeding mothers and to educate families, parishes and society about the Roman Catholic Church's support for maternal nursing.

Our Mission - To increase the initiation and duration of breastfeeding among Catholic mothers. To accomplish this mission, we will provide breastfeeding education and spiritual support to Catholic mothers, families and parishes.

This looks like a great, and much needed, support organization for Catholic families. Since I'm going to be an Auntie again next month to a baby who will be breastfed, I'm looking forward to exploring their resources and links.

Thanks for the heads up Pam!

A Note from Phyllis

Catholic author and academician Phyllis Zagano dropped me a note to share a link to an op ed piece she wrote regarding the recent "ordination" of female priests in Pittsburg. I found it quite interesting to read Phyllis' take on the situation and wanted to share the link here.

In other news, Phyllis shares that she has a new book coming out in September. Her latest, The Dominican Tradition (Spirituality in History), looks very interesting. If it's anything like Phyllis' earlier book, On Prayer, A Letter to My Godchild, I know that it will be wonderful!

Reader Request

Can anyone help with the following request?

Dear Lisa,
Please help me find a website that offered a kit to help students exercise their brains before doing school work. It had a balance board, beanbags to juggle, a ball on a string to be tapped with a wooden colored rod.
Thanks,
A Catholic mom in Texas

Post a comment or email me at Lisa@catholicmom.com if this sounds familiar. Thanks!

From the Mailbag

Reader Mark wrote to tell me about his web site, which has information on Divine Mercy and sells Divine Mercy Bumper Stickers in English and Spanish. If you'd like to visit Mark's site, click here

Back Home

But Overwhelmed........

If I owe you an email, please be patient with me for a few days while I dig myself out of the hole I'm buried in.

Our vacation was wonderful - I hope to share details and pictures here later in the week.

Hope you and yours are enjoying these waning days of summer vacation before the rush of the school year sets in!

Live, From Denver

Today's Catholic Mom Moment is taking place in the Denver Airport. Adam and I are on our way for a two week vacation in Chicago and we have a long enough layover to justify paying that ridiculously high wifi fee they charge for internet access.

My family unit feels a little splintered these days. Eric and Greg have remained home due to the fact that the football coach now determines Eric's schedule. We picked Adam up from camp on Saturday, so he was able to sleep in his own bed for two nights before setting off for his next adventure.

While in Chicago, we'll be in the city for a few days, but then we're heading off to my sister Erin's beach house on Lake Michigan for the bulk of the stay. Nana, nephew Patrick, and Gramps will be flying up to meet us. I am looking forward to a few weeks of relative quiet prior to the craziness of the school year starting again. How does summer always seem to fly by so quickly?

I'm not sure what my internet connectivity will be like for the next few weeks, so if you experience prolonged periods of blogging silence here, assume I'm sitting on the porch looking at the lake!

I can't wait to play with my nephews, to spoil my son, to talk with my mom and daddy and to rub my pregnant sister's belly! Isn't the anticipation of a vacation wonderful?!

Mom Faces Fears

Since Adam's away at camp this week, Eric's an only child in the house. He misses his little brother big time, and is starting to get a bit stir crazy. So today, we had a special Eric day with just he and I.

First off, we went on a very nice bike ride which culminated in a Starbucks outing where we enjoyed iced drinks and read the New York Times. I was counting that and my walk as my exercise for the day, but Eric had something else in mind:

Rock Climbing.

We're fortunate enough to have an indoor climbing gym in town. Typically, my routine is to take the two boys and a good book to the gym. They climb, I read, and everyone goes home happy. Not today - Eric said, "Mom, you have to climb too or it's going to be boring."

As the Mom of an almost 15 year old, I can appreciate the fact that these chances to respond to such invitations will soon be few and far between. Soon enough, he will not want to be seen with me, let alone actually have outings with me.

So I pushed my fears aside and dove in.

Fears: How big my backside is going to look when I'm climbing, how it'll look truly dorky when I make it a third of the way up the wall and have to come back down, and finally, the fear of actually trusting the auto-belay to keep me from dropping three stories to the ground on my head.

Facing your fears is a good thing. I thought that I had them conquered until I was halfway up my first climb. I was on the first wall - me and the four through six year olds! One of the Moms who was standing next to the line saw me and said, "That's why I wore a mini-skirt, so my kids wouldn't talk me into climbing!"

Great!

I mounted the wall with great confidence, made it halfway, and decided that was a good effort for the first trip. I was ready to come down, but that's actually the hardest part. You have to let go of your death grip on the hand holds, lean back, and let the auto-belay catch your weight. I didn't quite follow the directions and bounced into the wall twice. Then I landed in a very un-gracious pile on the cushy floor. I had the four to six year old crowd in stitches!

Their giggles forced my competitive juices into overdrive, so I made it to the top and came down perfectly (well, at least less badly) on the very next try.

Several trips to the top later, we were both ready to head home. My heart was racing, my palms were sweaty and my legs were shivering...it was great! I love trying new experiences, especially after I've tried them! Next time, I may even take on the number two wall!

So I'm not ready for a trip to the walls at Yosemite, but at least I learned something new and had a great day with Eric while doing it. Life is truly wonderful.

The Walker

When I was in college, my parents lived in Long Beach, California. I never really felt like I lived in Long Beach, as I was really only home for summers between my years at Notre Dame, but I do have a few vivid memories of my time there.

One of those memories is of a person we called "The Walker". He was a man, probably in his mid forties, who could be seen for hours on end walking around town. When we first spotted him, he was very heavy. We never knew the story of The Walker, so I sort of just made up my own story about him. In my version, The Walker had suffered a heart attack, forcing him from his job and putting the fear of God (and death) into him so strongly that he took to the streets.

The Walker would walk for hours on end. You'd see him at all times of the day, in various parts of town. He always wore the same outfit, but I don't think he was a homeless person. Over time, The Walker's physique began to change and harden. He went from very overweight, to moderately overweight, to thin. His walk went from a stroll, to a more purposeful stride, to an extremely slow jog.

I don't know what ever became of The Walker - I lost track of him when I graduated and was married and moved away from home. But I like to think that he found what he was looking for - he triumphed over the things that ailed him through his walking.

I was reminded of The Walker this morning when I was out on my own walk. This summer, I've been taking long walks (well, long for me...about one hour) several days a week. My route varies slightly from day to day, and the time varies by a few hours or so. One section of the walk takes me alongside a very busy artery with lots of traffic. Today I thought about all of the people passing by me in cars who must be wondering why some crazy person was out walking in the 90 degree heat. Perhaps some of them had even seen me on previous walks, as they went about their routine commutes to work. I began to wonder if they recognized me and wondered why I was always out walking. For some reason, I never pass other walkers along that busy stretch, so I might stand out to a passing motorist.

Maybe the Long Beach Walker was just like me - maybe he really wasn't walking all day, every day. Perhaps our paths just serendipitously passed by coincidence at varying times of the day when he was out taking his daily, hour long walk.

Have I become "The Walker" of Fresno? Only time, and a few more walks, will tell.

Canticle Magazine

Over at her blog, CatholicMom.com columnist Patrice MacArthur-Fagnant has given me a reminder about something I've been meaning to do for quite a while...subscribe to Canticle Magazine.

Canticle is edited by Heidi Hess Saxton, who also shares her Adoption column over at CatholicMom.com. From Patrice's comments, it sounds like Heidi's doing great stuff with the magazine. I'm subscribing today and will let you know when I receive my first issue. Another of my favorite magazines is Faith and Family - we have info on the CatholicMom.com home page about how to subscribe to F&F and have your subscription support CatholicMom.com.

Thanks for the reminder Patrice!!!

Mike's Wednesday Question

Mike's question this week is a real challenge to people like me! I think Mike asks great questions - they always get me thinking! You can read my response and share yours over at Mike St. Pierre's Notebook.

What's for Dinner?

Have you checked out this week's DWW recipes at CatholicMom.com yet? The Mocha Cocoa pie sounds so yummy. It's funny - cooking for three this week has been a little strange. Adam's at camp, so it's just been Greg, Eric and I. During the summer, we make liberal use of the gas grill, so cooking is basically grabbing meat, chicken or fish from the freezer, drenching it in marinade and grilling it up. Last night, the boys ate Mahi Mahi (easy when it comes from Costco all prepared) as we sat with our feet in the pool trying to stay cool. I love Christine's DWW recipes for the fact that they are easy, with few ingredients and little prep time. Soon, we'll be into the frenzied time of nightly football, so I think I'll be using her menu plans to help keep my sanity when school starts. What's for dinner at your house tonight? Who feels like cooking when it's 106 degrees outside?

For Today

Today's Readings

Today's gospel reading from Matthew is short, yet sweet and encouraging:

Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Today's Saint: St. Apollinaris - second century Bishop who sought the protection of his flock against persecution.

Todays in Catholic History - The parish of Mobile was established in 1703 to minister to the colonists of the area. The parish was actually established by the Bishop of Quebec, who sent two priests to the region. Today's Archdiocese of Mobile

Thank you, Lord, for another beautiful day. Help me to make today yours completely through my words, thoughts and actions. Give me the conviction of St. Apollinaris to live and uphold my faith. Help me to accept your yoke with meekness and humility. Thank you for the blessings of this day.

Today's Prayer Requests:
* Peace in our world
* Adam and his friends at camp
* The repose of the soul of Joshua
* For pregnant mothers and their babies, for health and safety

Amen.

You Gotta Love Ebay

Say hello to my new toy! She's a hot pink electric violin, purchased for $49 on Ebay by my wonderful husband. She doesn't have a name yet, but she can really rock. I just got home from my lesson, and my teacher had her hooked up on one of the big amps in the music store and was jamming away.

I will never sound that good, but who cares - a 43 year old mom with a hot pink electric violin...cool! Now I just need to work on those dance moves!

When I grow up

When I grow up, if I ever do, I'd like to be just like Lucious Newsom, a 90 year old man who's still busy serving the poor. Click here to read this inspiring story.

Like that 94 year old man who played pro baseball yesterday, or like Lucious, I want to be busy doing what I love. I want to be physically and mentally well enough to wake up each day with a mission, and I'd love it if that mission were to serve others.

Take a few minutes to read Lucious' story, and I bet you'll feel the same way I do - it's great to read about inspiring people who are really just ordinary people doing extraordinary things thanks to God's grace. Thanks Lucious - you're a great role model for people like me!

Lost Junkies?

One of my bad habits is TV watching, preferably reality TV (ie. Survivor, American Idol) and I came to the Lost party a little late when my sister Erin gave Greg Lost - The Complete First Season for his birthday. Well now, we're hopelessly hooked on the show. Unlike the rest of the Lost fans who are lamenting summer reruns, Wednesday night at our house now means getting caught up on Season II. I love the show, so I thought I'd see if there are any other Lost fans among those who read this blog.

Last week's episode, a rerun, was The 23rd Psalm, which had some interesting religious themes. I was especially saddened by Charlie's hoarding of the Virgin Mary statues (filled with heroin) at the end of the episode. It was interesting to watch the parallels between Eko and Charlie...relationships with Catholicism, with their brothers, with the drug situation, with having second chances at a new life in their new surroundings.

We watch the show with the boys, and it's brought up plenty of interesting discussions with Eric, our almost 15 year old. I don't think the show is at all appropriate for young kids, but it's been a good catalyst for conversation around our house.

I'm not completely obsessed yet - I haven't checked into the "Lost Experience", but I will admit to having a few Lost podcasts on my iPod, which make my morning walks go by very quickly.

So tonight, we'll be watching - will any of you?

Praying for Our Priests

I was at a staff meeting this morning at our parish office where I'm in charge of our church website and one of our new priests announced that today was the third anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Fr. Dinh is new to the United States, so English is his second language. He is a wonderful, compassionate priest and a great man. While we were congratulating him, he shared some of his priestly "stats" for the past three years: at least one mass every day for three years, over 10,000 confessions heard, thousands of sick calls, preaching his way through all three lectionary cycles, and learning not only English, but also Spanish and golf.

Now those are some truly impressive credentials!

Today, I'm offering some special prayers for Fr. Victor, and also for all of our other priests - the old, the young, and those who may not have even yet discerned their priestly calls. They do so very much for us and I know that I do precious little for my priests in return. Thank you to Fr. Victor and to all of the men who answer God's call to a priestly vocation!

What Do You Think?

I received a note from blogger Mike St. Pierre inviting your comments on the following topic - let Mike know what you think here in the comments section, over at his site, or by emailing me at lisa@catholicmom.com. I think his idea sounds wonderful and much needed! I would definitely register my boys for this type of a camp.

Mike writes:

We are considering a new program on the east coast and I'd like to ask a favor: we've got the regional Steubenville retreats and many other sports camps but no where (to my knowledge) does there exist a FAITH AND SPORTS camp.

Here's my favor to ask: would you mind asking your audience what they would think of a 5th-8th grader 5 day Sports Retreat which would feature sporting during the day but devotions, Mass and inspirational speakers in the morning and evening? We would pilot a 5 day experience here in Baltimore for east coast Catholic families but if it went well, we could replicate it in other parts of the country.

Jodie On the Radio

One of our wonderful CatholicMom.com columnists has some exciting news to share. Please take a moment to read the following "newsblast" from Jodie Lynn, our Parent to Parent Columnist.

Calling ALL Moms! Our new baby is here: Inside Parenting Success Radio Talk Show!

Want to be a better parent? Desire knowledge to help make life with your kids easier? Now you can! Get updated information, solutions, tips and current advice/suggestions for all of your parenting challenges right on our new radio talk show. Please join us at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time every Tuesday -- we welcome you with open arms, healthy spirits, and thoughtful minds.

Jodie Lynn, www.parenttoparent.com, will have a new parenting radio talk show. Our subscriber list for the program is already over what we ever dreamed (around 80,000) - thanks to Randy Gilbert's Inside Success Show.

Randy is the owner and creator of the Inside Parenting Success Talk Radio Show and has incredible response for the new show as well as his other endeavors. Please join us every Tuesday for a new show - www.InsideParentingSuccess.com – finally, a radio talk show that is like no other -- for real parents with real challenges bringing unique interviews through targeted parenting experts, authors and creators of educational products that really make a difference in raising kids in today's society.

The first Inside Parenting Success show will air July 18, 2006, at noon Central time. Please visit our site, www.InsideParentingSuccess.com for a current schedule, which will be updated frequently.

We are going to blast into the wacky world of raising kids from baby to teens by answering all of your questions. We can even dig into pre-pregnancy and pregnancy.

Grab your favorite drink, get settled in your comfy chair and get ready to rock...who knows this might be your best year yet with your family...we certainly hope so!

Coping with Separation Anxiety

One of my chicks is sleeping outside the nest tonight - he's over at a good buddy's for the night, and I'm feeling a tad uneasy.

Am I the only Mom who loves sleepovers, as long as they're at her house?

Adam's in safe hands, at the home of a Mom who's probably even more vigilant and much nicer than I am, so I'm not concerned for his safety or security. The truth is, I just miss him!

And this is just the warm up!!!

Adam leaves on Monday for a week of sleepaway camp, where he will be joining this friend and five others for five glorious nights of real summer camp. There will be sleeping in bunks with sleeping bags, nightly campfires, archery, swimming, games, crafts and more. He's going to have a blast - he's been counting the days for weeks now and can't wait to get there.

But Mom's already got that creeping sense of dread that happens when I'm not able to "tuck in" one of my boys. (The truth is, during the summer sometimes they tuck me in!).

So tonight should be good practice for next week...the anxiety I feel is outweighed by the joy that fills my heart when I think of all the fun Adam is probably having right now. We're lucky, Adam and I, to have such wonderful friends and such fun-filled life experiences.

Maybe I need to find a camp to go to too!

RIP Joshua

For an update on how to help the family of little Joshua Schmiedicke who died earlier this week in a tragic accident, please visit Danielle Bean's web site where she has an update available.

As we join in prayer for the family, you might want to take a few moment's to read Angel in the Waters by Joshua's Mom, Regina Doman online at the Sophia Institute Press web site. It is truly precious.

How to Cope with the Identity Crisis of New Motherhood

is the title of a newly posted article by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur over at her Spiritual Woman website.

No matter the age of your children, Patrice's article is a must read - filled with great insights on embracing our always-changing roles as mothers. I loved reading this article and would add one additional idea about making time/taking time for daily exercise, as feeling good physically has great emotional benefits too.

Thanks for another great article Patrice!

Be Honest Now...

Mike St. Pierre asked an interesting (and scary) question this week over at his Notebook about the amount of work we really get done during a typical workday. I know that my own productivity is highest when I take the time to focus at the beginning of the day on prayer, exercise and a detailed "to do" list for the day. During summer, the wheels fall off the cart when the wonderful presence of two perpetually starving boys falls into the gameplan. What do you think about Mike's question? Ask me again in September, Mike!

Dine Without Whine

Have you seen this week's DWW recipes over at CatholicMom.com? I'm planning to try a WW version of the Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake this weekend and the Simple Bacon Quiche for Sunday brunch.

I love featuring Christine's weekly recipes - if you take a look at her DWW service, you'll find the motivation to reinvest in family meals, and the recipes and shopping lists to keep it fun and easy. Our stock of her recipes continues to grow with new ones added each week, so be sure to check it out!

Joining Our Prayers

Our family joins countless other families around the country this week in praying for the family of Catholic author Regina Doman and her husband Andrew at the tragic loss of their precious four year old, Joshua Michael. Regina was kind enough to be interviewed for CatholicMom.com a few years back. She is a lovely, faith filled mother and a talented author. Please join me in praying for Regina, Andrew and their children.