7 Quick Takes Friday

1.   Happy New Year!  It's 2011!

To everyone that visits, may this year bring you good health, peace in your hearts and home and unexpected joy.   Every year my husband and I chose a prayer theme for the year.  This year's selected phrase is "Wait in joyful hope."   Fitting as we're in the final weeks until we see Anna-Maria.  

2.  Conversion Diary  Saint Generator

Yesterday I mentioned that this would be a year of getting to know Saint Valentine.  I promised to explain more.  Jennifer over at Conversion Diary --creator of this little Friday exercise, developed a saint generator.  As a lurker and sometimes participant, I saw the saint generator and thought about it but didn't push the button. Then I saw a link again when I was over at First Things on the Anchoress. I decided to try. I got Saint Valentine of Rome. Feeling vaguely disappointed, like oh, I already know this saint....I scanned his biography but didn't give the matter much thought.


Two hours later, my second daughter was helping in the kitchen and explained out of the blue, how she loved all the celebrations at her school except for Valentine's day. I asked why. She said, "It is just an excuse to give paper and candy, it doesn't have anything to do with the real Saint Valentine." I knew right then and there I needed to go back and start to know this saint better. God doesn't do random.

Now as you know, my middle daughter has struggled with double vision since November. We have been scared out of our minds about the possibilities --cancer, tumors, stroke, blindness, diabetes, you name it, and had all sorts of tests to try and determine the cause but to no avail. We also had her eyes tested in November and December and visits to a Neurologist and were in the process of trying to bang down a door for an Educational Psychologist on the theory that she might be seeing things that weren't actually there. All we ever got was "We don't know. Let's do more tests."

However, they had asked that this week, I take her back to the eye doctor and lo, they were finally able to address her vision properly and now she has glasses that correct her vision and her handwriting which had deteriorated to the point of being illegible is beautiful. She is 8. She fell asleep the last three nights reading. I can't tell you the last time that happened. It was a great joy to me and a blessed relief.

I went back to reread the story of Saint Valentine and the part about the daughter of the jailer being cured of her blindness leapt out at me. I had not seen it or taken it in before. Again, the non randomness of God struck home.  Here's the link for the Saint Generator if you want to try it too.  http://jenniferfulwiler.com/saints/

3. How Am I doing?

With less than twenty days to go, I have to tell you, of all the months of pregnancy, I hate the ninth.  It goes on forever, nothing is comfortable, I feel as big as a house and tired of being as big as a house, no one fits in my lap and there isn't a way to sit or stand without feeling just the sheer weight of being.  It is the only time I get really grumpy about this condition.  Honestly, if I thought jumping up and down would be a safe way to get things going, I'd take up jump rope on a trampoline.    But I'm fine really, just impatient.

4.  Setting up for Christmas was ....easy.

We now know how Santa does it.   Having four additional elves in on the deal made for swift work in the wrapping department.  Normally, we wind up working well past 3 to give everyone a joyful and lavish experience.  This time, all lights out and bed by 1--a land speed record by our standards given that we traditionally don't start on this until Dec 24th.   Now, how to streamline Christmas (Epiphany) cards.....

5. Date  Night --reestablished...needed my date to be home for it to actually work.

Saw True Grit.  It was good.  It's been a long time since I saw a "grown up" movie.  It made me hopeful for more good cinematic fare in 2011.  

6.  Resolutions. 

I make them.  I make my kids make them.  I make them for my kids that don't make them.  They will be posted on our refrigerator as encouragement to all.  

7.  Today

Making black beans and rice (with ham bone) in a slow cooker today, also venison chili in  a regular pot.  As an added bonus, I'm taking my oldest daughter shopping for a Winter Dance dress.  Hoping we will find something we can both agree on and without multiple stops.   Wish me luck.