Gifts Galore

61. Hugs from kids I haven't seen in a few days.
62. Especially being hugged by an autistic daughter.
63. Not having to cook dinner because the kids are so good at doing it themselves.
64. Coming home to piles and piles of clean laundry (thanks mrangelmeg)
65. Not needing the inhaler I left at my moms.
66. the feeling of accomplishment at having taken care of so much in the afternoon through phone calls and conversations.
67. Social Service people whose job it is to help when you don't know where to turn.
68. My comfy TV watching chair.
69. Salty potato chips.
70. The staff at the Starbucks that I frequent.
71. The church community I am involved in on Wednesday evenings for RCIA.
72. Realizing that I will always find new things to learn about this awesome Catholic Faith.
73. Being able to take correction, and grow from the experience.
74. Seeing my faults and hopefully not repeating them (with God's help.)
74. Realizing that I am good at helping people to understand theological concepts.
75. The comfort of using my own computer for a few days.
76. Good Night kisses
77. Sleeping in my own bed.
78. Having mrangelmeg's arm around me in the middle of the night.
79. My title to my car finally getting here so I can get the plates before the temporary runs out.
80. Watching my son's maturity level increase as he takes on new challenges every day.

I will write more later today, but I have a ton of errands to run if I plan to stay on track. You all have a blessed day and keep your eyes open for the fingerprints of God on your life.

Pax

More Ironic Reasons to be Catholic

Ironic Catholic has posted 10 more resons to be Catholic.

Being a Catholic with three names (angelmeg is my pseudonym, don't-cha-know) I have to choose that one as my favorite. I personally chose Loretta as my Confirmation name, and until I was ten I thought that the Church had named a saint after me because there was a saint in the Litany of Saints with my exact first and middle name; Margaret Mary. I was crushed to find out she was a real woman, until I read about her and saw how awesome she was.

Enjoy

Pax

Oooh, Oooh, More Gifts!

36. Sweet Potato Chips
37. The Company of friends at dinner, especially when they happen to be family
38. Being with mom on one of her good days.
39. laughing.
40. Hearing the same family story told over and over.
41. Cold Iced tea
42. Baileys Irish Cream
43. The Council of good friends.
44. Talking to my sister until we fell asleep, just like we did when we shared a room as kids.
45. A warm house.
46. Reading PD James' The Children of Men.
47. House, the television show.
48. Being able to work together with my sister to do what is best for mom.
49. Knowing, and being able to experience a GOOD Homilist like Deacon John-- Preach it Brother!!!!
50. Waking up and not feeling achy from arthritis.
51. The taste of Hershey's extra dark chocolate
52. cell phone plug in's for cars
53. web sudoku
54. The thrill of seeing your name in print for the first time.
55. enjoying the writing process.
56. the anticipation of going home after being away.
57. The Daily Show
58. The Colbert Report
59. The taste of morning coffee
60. Morning prayers

Pax

More to be Thankful For

26. The Readings at Daily Mass Today.
27. The sound of children singing (it was the school mass for my mom's parish)
28. The Grace of Tears (some will understand this better than others)
29. St Margaret Mary
30. My husband's voice, and his common sense which can calm me down.
31. Friends far and near, even when you can only spend a few minutes on the phone with them
32. Being given the gift of patience in just the moment that you need it, especially when you are dealing with someone with my mother's disease.
33. Having a sister who has worked in nursing homes most of her life and has the moxie to call and ask for help when she feels overwhelmed about what mom is going through.
34. Being able to work with mom, even to do something as simple as getting a haircut.
35. Christian music in my CD player.

more later.

Pax

Gimme Gimme . . . Tis the Season After All

I have decided that what will help me the most right now is to participate in this little blogger project. If you click on the picture above you can read more about it. I will be counting my blessings between now and the Feast of the Nativity, when we celebrate the greatest Gift of all, our salvation. This is supposed to help me get in touch with how blessed I am and how carefully God is watching over me. The way the past few days have gone I really need this.


1. Taking a long walk with my mother in the park.
2. Having a conversation with mom that was at times very lucid and present.
3. Having the patience to be here when she is in this condition.
4. My cell phone, which keeps me connected to my husband and children when I am here with mom.
5. Internet access, so that I can email friends for prayers and support.
6. Watching the dvd of pictures of the family with mom and being able to help her remember names.
7. The smell of Rose perfume.
8. Cooking dinner for mom and my sister.
9. Sleeping most of the night without waking up.
10. The taste of dark chocolate truffles.
11. The news that they have a professor for my summer class I need for graduation.
12. a portable keyboard so that I can practice piano while I am here
13. Warm weather these past few days.
14. The new story idea I have been working on.
15. The ability to laugh, which makes the harder things I have to face seem at least bearable.
16. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a show with writing that is intelligent and stimulating.
17. Perpetual Adoration Chapels, mom's church has one we visited Sunday. It was a calm hour that gave me a lot of strength.
18. The life and writings of Walker Percy thanks to my pals at Korrektiv who first introduced me to him
19. Alarm clocks.
20. Daily Mass.
21. The smell of coffee brewing.
22. The medications that keep my body working the way it should so that I can function as well as I do.
23. warm socks
24. Priests who do the work they do because they are called by God to a life less ordinary.
25. the ability to read, anything, anywhere (mom was reading the signs in the park as we walked. she may not be able to read books anymore, but she can still read)


I will be continuing the list as I see God's fingerprints over the next days and weeks.


If anyone feels compelled, they are welcome to join in. What an antidote for this season of excess than to be excessively thankful for all that we already have.

Pax

Update on my time with mom

I am still here taking care of mom. I am having some limited success getting her to do her daily bathing and care -- moreso than my sister who has been taking care of her and my sister who was staying here earlier in the week. I haven't really spent an evening here when she has been in full blown sundowning all by myself though.

For the past two days we have been taking advantage of the nice weather and taking a walk each day, something elese that my sister that has been living with her hasn't been doing (because of a weight/health issue on my sister's part more than any other reason). Mom has enjoyed the walk.

Mom is much more confused, but we have gotten along really well. I really don't want to put her in nursing care, but I suppose if she is this confused about where she is, to the point of not really knowing where she is, or continually asking when she will be going home, perhaps it is the right time to move her.

I know that in my work in the parish I visited enough nursing homes to know that I don't want my mother to be one of those people who are tied to their beds because the staff doesn't want them wandering around, or who is drugged up all the time to keep them docile.

I am praying and trying to listen for the voice of God so that I know that I am making the right choice for mom.

Keep praying for me.

Pax

Just in Time for your Hoilday Needs

When you can't find the right words to suit your needs look to the Divine Word.


The Biblical Curse Generator


hat tip to Ironic Catholic for the link.


Happy Cursing

Pax

I Must be Getting Smarter

Because I wasn't this smart in High School, I promise you . . .

You paid attention during 100% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

hat tip to Tony at Catholic Pillow Fight for the link

Pax

Humility Goes Where I Go

I wrote this a long time ago about a shift in my way of thinking about service and something as simple and humble as changing the toilet paper roll without complaining or having to be asked to do it.

I think that at home I have done a pretty good job of changing them without saying anything to anyone about the number of times I change the rolls in not only the master bathroom, but in the girls' bathroom and even my son's bathroom.

This evening when I got to my mom's and was getting ready for bed, what did I find when I sat down to go to the bathroom, but an empty toilet paper roll! I guess God was just allowing me to serve my sister and mom as well.

It just made me remember to do it without complaining that the person who used the last piece hadn't thought to change the roll after she was through. I suppose I was just lucky there was some tissue left in the Kleenex box.

Pax

Finding a New Way to Love

I have run away from home . . .


I am spending the next few days at my mom's house because my sister who does the 24/7 care for my mom needed a mental health break, so she went away for the holiday and was supposed to be back on Sunday the 26th. Only she called on Friday to inform us that she cannot get back until Thursday, so another sister and I are tag teaming to make up the full time care. Jeanne has been there since Friday morning and I am going to stay through the first part of the week and then Jeanne will be back on Wednesday afternoon.

I have stayed with my mom before, but this will be the first time I have been the primary caregiver. When you are dealing with someone with alzheimer's disease this can be very, very challenging indeed. You have to keep reminding yourself that the person you used to know is no longer there. Even though she may look and sound just like my mother, she can't reason, or remember in the same way.

She gets very upset when her routine is changed, so I have to be very careful to do things the same way they usually are done. Lucky for me that my other sister who lives here will still be here most of the time to help me out.

I know I can do this, one woman with alzheimer's can't be as challenging as my five kids and husband -- well at least can't be challenging in the same way. I have my daily mantra of prayers all set out.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference

and help me make it to Wednesday with some of my wits and most of my sense of humor.

pray for me if you get a chance.

Pax

I keep telling them I'm not a hoosier . . .

But when you have lived here for over half your life sometimes you begin to wonder. At least this quiz reminds me that I am not, in the deep dark reaches of my speach centers, a hoosier.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
Philadelphia
The Northeast
The Midland
The South
The West
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

hat tip to God Spede ye Plough for the link.

Pax

Direct Thanksgiving Help Line

SIC (spouse of Ironic Catholic) has posted a great Dear Communion of Saints just in time for Thanksgiving.

Being a great fan of Flannery we will forgive him placing her in the communion, after all aren't we all supposed to aspire to be in their number? She could be there.

I am sure that no matter how much fun he has had filling in for Ironic on her blog that he is very happy to have her back from her trip, especially since the ironic kids were sick while she was away.

Pax

A View of Spain

My Brother recently chucked his job and just about everything he owns and moved to Spain. He is unmarried and writes for a living, so there was really nothing keeping him here in the States.

If you are interested in learning about life in Valencia (he writes very well -- though I do not take responsibility for any foul language or his political leanings).

His Blog is called Leftbanker

Why not click on over and give it a view, you may just get the urge to visit Spain yourself.

Pax

Attention Dads of Daughters

Some Advice from a contemporary . . .





Pax

God's Personal Comedy Central

I am sure you have heard the old addage:

If you want to make God laugh, make plans.

That is exactly how I feel at this moment. I had my entire semester planned out, I was going to be taking a weekday course with the seminarians at Saint Meinrad on Mondays and Thursdays and still be able to visit my mom on Tuesdays as I have been. Things were looking pretty good in that direction. This was going to keep me from taking two Philosophy courses, which you all know that I love so completely, at the same time next summer.

Well, as things turn out, what a difference a week makes. I got a call from my sister yesterday and it seems as though my presence will be more necessary than ever at my mom's house next semester. My sister and I will have to trade off spending a week at a time up there to take care of mom so that mom can stay in her house instead of going to a nursing home. My other sister who is doing this care now has decided that she no longer wants to be there and until we can get better arrangements in place this will have to be how we work this out.

We have talked about this all along, I was just hoping that we could put this off till next summer or fall.

So, I will be spending every other week with my mother instead of two days a week with seminarians. To be honest I will prefer her company to theirs, but don't tell them that. There must be some reason that God wants me to take the two classes at the same time, and I am sure that it will become apparent to me when I am in the thick of them this summer.

And just so I don't get buried in reading this summer I can get a jump start by getting the reading lists for the two classes early and get started reading Aristotle and Plato and Augustine and Aquinas while I am at my mom's house.

Hey, stop laughing, it could happen!

Pax

For Those We've Lost

Today we had a special mass for the deceased members of the Knights of Columbus Council to which mrangelmeg and our our son are affiliated. We went to a different parish than our own in order to honor these men and in a special way to support their widows.

It was a very interesting Mass because there are many people in that parish that I know, so I got to see some people who don't know yet that I am no longer working, and one friend from St. Meinrad who will be graduating this Spring.

Now we are home on a cold rainy Sunday with a few things to do before the Colts game this afternoon.

Not a bad way to spend a day if you ask me.

Pax

Separation of Church and State of Matter?

Read This Awesome Post from Ironic Catholic, which actually was written by her devoted husband.

Having worked in a Home Economics/Food and Nutrition office in College this was extremely funny to me in ways I can't even begin to explain.

I was laughing so hard I think I may have done some aerobic exercise for today. So I have that going for me as well.

Enjoy.

Pax

Truth is stranger than - well - made up dictionary references

angelmeg -- [adjective]: Benevolent to a fault 'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

mrangelmeg -- [noun]: A poltergeist sent back in time to change the course of history forever 'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

hat tip to Ironic Catholic for the link and the laugh.

Pax

Why Mommy Carefully Chooses Which Books Angelbaby Reads

Because This trash passes for Children's Literature.


It was bad enough that Ted Kennedy wrote a children's book.

Then Madonna thought she had to get her two cents worth in the Children's Literature genre.


And even before that we had this forced into our libraries as a "forward thinking piece of literature".


So, when the angelbaby wants to buy new books, we go together to get them so that I can "help" her to make good decisions.

Besides, angelbaby's mommy will never be a Democrat so long as they continue to vote for a woman's right to kill her unborn child for any reason. Any other stance they take has no moral value if they can't get that simple decision right.

Hat tip to Korrectiv for the first link.


Pax

High Class Art?

Just when I thought things couldn't get any more messed up in the world I read a story like this one.


What next? Velvet Elvises for millions?

hat tip to mrangelmeg for the link.


Pax

Milestones Reached

I met with my advisor this morning and I am set to register for my penultimate class in my Masters Degree program.

I am going to take a class this Spring Semester at Saint Meinrad on Monday and Thursday mornings. Which will mean a commute, but it is the only way to get the class I need and not have to take two philosophy classes at the same time (every other weekend) next summer. It will mean taking a class which will be mostly seminarians except me. and having to trust that the weather will cooperate, but I am praying that I have a good experience.


After that I will have a class in the summer in Indianapolis, and then a final in the fall and I will be done.

Who would have thought that I would be so close to this goal? I am sure that when I began this journey way back in the fall of 2003 graduation was very far from my mind and here it is right around the corner!

Who knows what I will be doing with my degree, but from where I sit now the future looks filled with promise, and I am very excited about the opportunities I have to explore.

Keep me in your prayers, after all these last two classes are both Philosophy classes. I may just die before I get through them.

Pax

I'm in a Flannery State of Mind

We have had a month around here.

Car trouble like you wouldn't believe. I just bought a new car to replace the car that was hit and now my new car is in the shop because I found out that the heater doesn't work. Lucky for me that the place I purchased it from is willing to take it in and make things right for me.

But, just when my car worries are getting worked out, my husband's car is doing strange things again (and I mean really strange). So, lucky for me I bought a car big enough to hold the entire family.

God's grace isn't warm and fuzzy, sometimes it is dark and disruptive. That is just what the woman after my own heart Flannery was always trying to tell people with her fiction. God loves us and when we love Him that doesn't make our lives perfect it just means that we aren't alone in our troubles.

So, we are off to try to get our car situations worked out. God is good, all the time. Even when we have to pick up one car, just to take the other one to the shop.

Pax

Proof

A Franciscan, a Benedictine, and a Dominican were discussing which Order God loved best. The debate was becoming very, very heated. They each had extremely valid points in their favor, and they decided that there was only one way that they could ever get a definitive answer. They would write a letter to God, and let Him decide which Order was the one He preferred above all others in the world.

A few days after they sent their letter they received a reply on beautiful vellum stationary. It was written in the most majestic script any of them had ever beheld and this is what it read:

My Dear Children,

You are all cherished members of my
household, and I love each and every one of you equally. Please stop your
petty bickering and get back to the good work that you should be
doing.

Your All Forgiving Father

God SJ

Pax

Children of Men

WARNING: This Trailer made me cry,

I hope the movie lives up to the preview . . .






h/t to Mike at The Propaganda Machine for the link

Voticons

Those little emoticons just not expressive enough for the feelings you have about your ballot choices this election? The Curt Jester has come to the rescue with

Voticons to fill the bill.

my personal favorite, and the sentiment I wish to leave you with after my foray into that sanctum sanctorum, the voting booth in my precinct in Indiana this wonderful day . . .



It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged." G.K. Chesterton


Way to go Jeff, the man with the courage to say what we all think.

Pax

All Creatures Great and Small

One of the best things about living out here in the 4.5 acre woods is that on occasion we are visited by a sight like the one I got this morning. I woke up at about 6 a.m. and went out to the kitchen for a glass of water. Just outside the back of the house, as peaceful as could be was a young buck, much like the one in this picture. He was wide awake and just peacefully sitting there.

I tried to take a picture of him with my digital camera, but even on the night settings I couldn't get an image through the glass of the back door. I was afraid that if I tried to open the door I would spook him away.

We have seen as many as three deer at one time in the yard which can be both really cool and a bit frightening when you drive onto the driveway late at night and they run in front of the car. We are very careful of them. Many a deer has been hit on the highway near our house. In fact we noticed a dead deer in the field next door just yesterday. I sure hope it wasn't a companion of the one from the yard this morning.

I think deer are such beautiful animals, and I don't mind at all sharing my yard with the occasional one. Though we do have a suspicion that they feast on the goldfish in the pond on occasion. I don't think mrangelmeg envisioned his pond as a feeding station for wild deer.

Who would have thought that a city girl like me would learn to love the country enough to appreciate the occasional deer in her yard? Certainly not me.

God is good, all the time.

Pax

Beware: Your Pink Ribbon Might be Supporting Abortion

This Article was very eye opening for me.

I have always thought of the Susan G Koman Foundation as being on the front lines of the fight for women's health, but I refuse to support any organization that will be so short sighted as to give my donation for breast cancer research to an organization that is involved in any way in the abortion industry as Planned Parenthood is.

I have, in the past thought about giving to this foundation, but for one reason or another something has always come up and my money has always gone to another cause. Now I am very happy that I didn't support them. I want a cure for breast cancer, but not at the expense of the lives of unborn children.

Pax

I Found It!

Praise God, I found a car I actually a) like and b) can afford. It is a one owner Ford Taurus Wagon that is low mileage and looks great for being 9 years old.

Now if I can just go pick it up tomorrow without massive amounts of buyers remorse setting in. I think that the only thing worse than having to purchase a car is having to purchase a dress for a wedding and I am speaking of not the bride's dress, just a dress to wear to a formal wedding that I think looks good on me.

I know this is the car I want, it feels like the right decision. I am so glad I don't have to look anymore.

Pax

If I had a Champagne Bottle . . .

who am I kidding, if I had a bottle of champagne I would drink the stuff.

Anyway. I want to introduce all of you to a new blog in the Catholic Blogosphere:


The Speakin' Deacon

which is hosted by none other than my guest blogger Deacon John. He has begun with an awesome homily for All Saints Day. And I hope that you will all subscribe to his feed so that you don't miss a word that flows from the gifted mind of this awesome man. He certainly was led to the vocation of Deacon so that he could honor us with his ability to preach.

I have been blessed to hear a few of his homilies in person. I only wish that his blog was podcast equipped, because as good as they are written out, they are truly written to be preached and they are very powerful when you hear them preached.

I will be sad to lose him from this site, but I realize that it is a far far better place to which he has gone. (okay that was a bit hokey, but I am tired this afternoon).

add him to your blogroll, subscribe to his feed, be blessed by his gift of preaching, and let him become one of your friends.

Pax

All Souls Day

Wis 3:1-9
Rom 5:5-11
Jn 6:37-40

I have to admit, I worry. I worry about lots of things, most of them completely out of my control. Some worries are irrational, some are understandable, but almost none of them are things I can control. I worry about my daughter, my wife, my mother, my sister, my brother, my friends, you get the picture. I worry, and that brings us to today, All Souls Day, the day we remember all of those who have gone before us. Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of All Saints, everyone who has made it to the bigs, whether we know them or not. Today we celebrate everyone, especially those whose disposition is, shall we say, unknown. And that makes me worry. All of us have lost people close to us, people we loved, but people, human beings, subject to all of the frailties and failings that being human can mean. That leads to worry, one of those worries about something that I have absolutely no control over. I don’t have any control, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing I can do. There is much I can do because I can pray. I can pray for those who have gone on before; I can pray that they reach the ultimate glory. I pray because I love (yes love, not loved) them, and want only for them to be with God, to enjoy the perfect peace and love that is Heaven. I pray so that one day they can pray for me, who will undoubtedly need their help and a great deal more. I pray and I worry, but I also find comfort, comfort in today’s Gospel. Jesus says “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” Later Jesus says “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Everyone who believes, not everyone who is perfect, not everyone who is without fault. God wants us, all of us. Sure, we can still mess it up, but God still wants us, all of us. I find that thought very comforting indeed. Hope for me, hope for those I love, hope for all of us is there, there in the boundless love of God. Maybe today I can worry just a little less.
Deacon John
Feast of All Souls
Nov. 2, 2006

Haloween, All Saints, Day of the Dead, etc

We had three Dr's in the house for Halloween this year. Daughter number 1 was Dr. House, Daughter number 3 was Dr. Who (number 4 or 5 I can't remember) and the angelbaby was Dr. Allison Cameron from the show House.

Son was Samurai Jack, and Daughter number 2 settled for a plain old vampire. She put her costume together in about ten minutes.

Today for all saints the kids and I went to Mass at the Campus Newman Center because our parish doesn't have a Mass this evening for the Holy Day. It was a really nice mass. We have Dominican Priests here at our Newman Center and they have brought a very interesting viewpoint to our community.

Tomorrow I will celebrate Day of the Dead by searching for a replacement vehicle, as the insurance company has decided that my car had too high mileage for them to warrant doing the fix after all so they declared it a total loss and paid me off. Sigh. Is there a patron saint of used cars? I could sure use his help about now.

I just hope I don't end up being dead one after spending three days looking for a replacement vehicle, I am exhausted already and have only been at it two days as it is.

Pray for me.

Pax