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| A beautiful picture my husband took and emailed me recently while working "In the Woods" |
Outside my window...
Fire season is in full force in our area. Sean spent Saturday on an engine, and then left early yesterday morning for a wildfire assignment in Central Oregon. Today he called to say hello (and that he was still alive!) following a morning spent strapped and harnessed into an open helicopter, flying over the fire searching for hotspots with his infrared detector. Fun! :/
I am thinking...
that my husband sure hasn't been home much this month! Between long work days, his eight-day trip to Idaho with the older boys, and now this fire assignment, he will have had a total of three days home all month - the weekend of our Latin Mass on the 5th-6th, and last Sunday, which was our oldest son's 14th birthday. It's "survival mode" for me.
I am thankful...
for the outpouring of kindness, generosity, and support that has been shown to our friends. Deo Gratias! Our local newspaper had an article about the success of
the fundraiser on the front page of the Sunday paper. Thank you all for your help, prayers, and generosity! Please continue to keep the Snodgrass family in your prayers.
Learning all the time…
We are getting closer to completing the
Saints Joachim & Anne Lap Books we've been working on this month, but a few of the children still have some pictures to add once a replacement ink cartridge for my printer arrives. I ran out! :)
Celebrating the liturgical year...
I wanted to bake the
Bacon and Chocolate madeleines in
We Love Madeleines for the feast of St. James, which is
our oldest son's a certain bacon lover's name day. . .
… but July 25th fell on a Friday this year, so I opted for the
(meatless, but not at all penitential) Chocolate-Hazelnut recipe instead. I think I'll bake the
Bacon and Chocolate madeleines for his baptismal anniversary on July 31st!
From the kitchen...
I also made an Anna Torte (Gateau Sainte-Anne) for the feast of St. Anne on July 26th, adapting the recipe from
Cooking with the Saints. I'll have to post both of these recipes over at Catholic Cuisine soon, or at least schedule the posts for next July.
I am creating...
interesting meals from the random ingredients in the freezer and pantry. Must grocery shop soon...
I am going...
to be staying home most of this week, but I did add a new
St. Therese Glass Tile to my key chain which I recently ordered from
Bridgie & Green. I love it!
I am hoping...
to take the older boys to meet
their new cousin. They were away at summer camp when she was born.
I am praying...
… for the
Snodgrass family.
… for the repose of the soul of Sarah Harkins,
The Clay Rosary Girl, who
passed away following her baby Cecilia in the womb, and for her family and friends. May she rest in peace+
… for
Christine who recently miscarried her baby, and all other mothers who are currently suffering following the loss of a child.
… for my husband's safety while he is away fighting wildfires.
… a novena with my husband, to St. Rita "Helper of the Hopeless," for a special intention for our family. God's will be done.
I am reading…
Blessed are they that Mourn by Mother Mary Loyola. Such a beautiful, beautiful book, filled with encouraging and comforting words that I've really needed to hear this past month.
I've also been skimming through
Legends and Stories of Italy by Amy Steedman, which I ordered at the same time as
Blessed are they that Mourn (My goal is to eventually purchase
all the books re-published by St. Augustine Academy Press! They are all excellent!) I'm trying to decide whether I should just go ahead and start reading this with the children now as our next read aloud, or if I can wait and save it as a Christmas gift for one of the girls. I'll probably wait... and read it myself in the meantime! ;)
Pondering these words...
from Mother Mary Loyola in
Blessed are they that Mourn:
"Yes, you can. With God's help you can make that little move towards Him which will open the way to further grace. Try. He will meet you more than half way. Try-and you will find the wall between you and Him crumbling down; your heart softening; His grace entering; courage returning. Then will come the brave resolve to set yourself loyally on His side by meek acceptance of His Will, patience, and trust."
I am listening...
to
The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow. The boys pulled out their audio version of the book to listen to once again while organizing their bedroom.
Around the house...
we are all working on deep cleaning the bedrooms this week. I promised the children a surprise outing if we can get through them all and fill up the back of the van with items to donate. Probably not the best goal to set while in "survival mode" but I just can't put it off any longer.
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| Random picture from earlier this month. |
One of my favorite things...
the precious pocket rosary which
Jennifer Anne sent me following my miscarriage last month. I haven't added my little baby's picture to it yet, but will soon. Thank you sweet friend!
This week's plans…
I'll be hosting another Online Curriculum Sale Blog Hop from August 1st-7th, so be sure to get your books and posts ready to go!
A little peek at my day...
I never know what I'm going to see when my husband sends me one of his "In the Woods" emails. Sometimes it's a beautiful picture like the one at the top of this post, sometimes it's
pictures of all the wildlife, and lately it's been a lot of pictures of all the salvage logging he has been working on following
last summer's wildfires...
