Thursday's Small Successes, Big Graces

1) My daughter finally got to experience the sacrament of Reconciliation this week, it was delayed by the snowstorm. Watching her go and watching her smile and cope well with some stresses from her brother that loves to tease and sometimes torment, I attributed to the extra grace.

2) My son asked me to go for a walk yesterday, and I did.

3) Instituted a 3 hug a morning policy in an effort to keep everyone in the right place as we rush through the morning. It has had a measurable effect already; melting some bad moods that could have made morning car rides a misery for all. It even works on the bigger kids. (Shhhhhh). May have to put three hug policy into place in the afternoon as well.

4) Practiced piano, wrote poetry and ordered a plane ticket to go the week after Easter to see my folks and sister and brother and any other family, very psyched.

5) Introduced kids to the Flying Karamotzov Brothers. Have to occasionally stun them a bit with something flashy, five long haired slap stick jugglers counts.

6) It's birthday week; actually it is the start of Birthday paloozah (five birthdays, one Easter, first communion and Mothers Day all in a ten week period) as my kindergartener turns six on Thursday. He's very excited. We've been to Chick Filet for shakes, and Wednesday after school, we went to the park.


7) Our culture currently encourages diligent sloth via a virtual world. One need look no further than the couple who let their daughter die while raising a virtual one by devoting 24-7 care. A friend spoke of having to give up Facebook because her virtual plants were in better shape than her actual ones. Listening to others talk about their struggles with the consuming quality that television and the internet and blogging and twittering and Facebooking and Youtubing can bring, felt like a little push from the Holy Spirit.

Banishing the personal gritch has required me to assess triggers lead me to chose being angry and pressed rather than loving; being pressed for time is one and being interrupted from something I'm really focused on is another. When I'm writing, the world drops away. The same is true for reading, playing music, anything where I have to focus.

So I'm putting the laptop away during Mom working business hours, as a means of "lead us not into temptation" frittering away time searching for clever things to watch instead of watching my clever things 1, 2 and 3 that have the run of the house when things 4, 5,6,7, 8 and 9 come home. For those of you wondering what Mommy hours are and when I'd ever blog again; not to worry, I'm just putting the self imposed ban on myself from 7 to 7 for internet surfing/blogging purposes. But I will be armed with a pencil and paper so that first drafts of funny stuff can continue.

I tried alternatives like just an hour here or there, but as I've said before, Moderation isn't something I excell at, and the purpose is be properly present; which a laptop also requires, but not when there are kiddos around to take to parks and read books. I know it's the right thing to do because, I don't want to do it. Even now, I'm thinking; well when the baby naps. I'm not sure I'll be able to hold to this promise, but I'm going to at least hold it through the rest of Lent.

So you're wondering, "Sherry, this post is listed and it's Thursday, how did you do this without breaking your word from the get-go?"

"Ah hah! I wrote this post Wednesday night and scheduled it to run so I'd be on time but not pressed to create this piece when it is prime breakfast/dressing/serving toddlers and baby time!"

"How did you link it at Family and Faith Live when she doesn't post until around 7 in the morning?"

Okay, um....so maybe I haven't solved all the problems.