Favorite song of the moment.

Thought I would share. 

Old Love

By the Rocket Summer

I had a dream that could save my life.
Airplane hands in the wind in a vintage time.
I want to love like my grandfather loved his wife, but I got some problems with the way I tick.
We are addicted to the world and we want more of it.
My generation heard of old love and commitment, but did it stick?

Based on what you've heard, does it work that old pastime love?
Because I can't help but observe the sinking ships just giving up.
So come on give me that old love. I just want to try and make that work.
Come on give me that old love.

Carving their names into sap bleeding songs.
The movie script it lasted sixty-six years long.
And there was hurt and there was death and there was friction but better yet, an adventurous story as they told it.

But I've got some problems with the way I tick.
We are addicted to the world and we want more of it.
My generation heard of old love and commitment, but did it stick?

Based on what you've heard, does it work that old pastime love?
Because I can't help but observe the sinking ships just giving up.
So come on give me that old love. I just want to try and make that work.
Come on give me that old love.

Based on what you've heard, does it work that old pastime love?
Because I can't help but observe the sinking ships just giving up.
So come on give me that old love. I just want to try and make that work.
Come on give me that old love. Is this chance or a red alert?

So come on give me those bright eyes. Teach me how to widen mine.
No I don't believe in the lies that it's not alive.

I had a dream that could save my life.

Guest Post: A Beauty Protest!

Hi all.  I did a guest post for Christina over at Reflections of a Catholic in Formation. Feel free to check it out.  Hopefully I will do a real post here again soon.

In the mean time we have been trying our hand with potty training which has been quite an experience. Totally didn't expect the 2 year old to do this until he was almost 3. But I guess when you are given lemons you make lemonade right?

A little conversation ditty with Ben

Today on our walk over to one of neighbor's house a few streets over, Ben exclaimed to me: "Mama, I make a cross with my fingers. "
My response: "That's good Ben."
Ben continued: "Jesus is on the cross"
So I asked: "What's Jesus doing on the cross, Ben?"
Ben answered: "He's all messy."

Theology lesson for the day from a 2 year old.

A cringing moment that ended pretty okay

Last Wednesday I took the kids to Target by myself when Keith had class. I had the toddler out of the car with his baby Jack in hand and had just put the baby in the sling on me. I looked down to see if all was well with the toddler and then moved to close the car door. And that's when it happened.

The toddler screamed bloody murder, as he had somehow managed to stick his fingers between the two car doors in the split second it took me to close the door. Unfortunately the car was locked and I have a no frills car, I had to manually unlock it. So I did.

The kiddo was now free, still screaming. I looked at his hand, it was red with a lot of skin pulled off from where it was supposed to be. I looked up and like a godsend saw someone who could help me. My neighbors were just heading into the same store and they had and extra set of hands to help. And help they did.

They took the baby for a few minutes so I could calm Ben down and get him washed up.  He could move his fingers fine so we assessed that they probably weren't broken. There was some swelling, but once we got it cleaned up, Ben was totally fine with just being held in the sling and so we reversed Ben and Ephraim's spot for the shopping trip. From there it was a pretty good shopping trip. Ben just asked for his friend the whole time we were in the store and was mad when we got duplos for someone other than him.  But in actuality it was better Target excursion than we had been having.

So as I look back, I like to think that God was looking out for me.  Putting the right people in the right place at the right time.  Giving me the ability to comfort the bigger kid while entertaining the little one in the still entertaining grocery cart.  So despite being mock mom of the year for slamming my kids fingers accidentally in the car door, God's hand was there, and I'm thankful for that. 

What is love?

Today I was reading How to Win the Culture War, and it was asking this very question.  What is love?  The author's answer was that it is war.  And its like what the heck?  That doesn't make any sense.  But then I get it, because in love you want the best for some one.  And sometimes that requires war, or going against their will. I think in the land of raising small children, the land that I am currently in, this really makes sense. More times then not in the last few months of 2 year oldness I have had to fight against my son's will because I love him.  I have to fight him not to stand on tables, or to walk on chairs, or not go running into traffic.  And I have to fight him in this because I love him and I want the best for him.

But is love always war?  I'd like to think not if you are in alignment with God's will, but how often are we really doing this or are we like my 2 year old and putting ourselves in danger by making poor choices.  I guess that when it comes down to it, we need to listen to be loved and then maybe we can not be at war in our love but in love the way that Hollywood romanticizes it. 

I leave you with one of my favorite songs of all time. 

This is Love by Cool Hand Luke

Is this loveor something to think of?
We fool ourselves for comfort,we're swayed by every wind.And if this isn't true love,then we can just pretend.But what is love?
This is lovethat you would die for me.
Is this real,or something to feel?
Confused by our emotions,confused by what we see.We trade in our patience,for false security.But is this love?
This is love,that you would die for me.
When I'm falling down,you save me.
This is how I know what love is.And I'd die for this.

The contraception issue

Read this. It's good stuff. Does The Contraceptive Mentality Exist?
In it Rebecca Teti does it again. This lady makes such elegant arguments for important issues. I on the other hand struggle. But the pull away from this is that children are blessings not burdens and until we stopping thinking that we may ourselves just have a bit of the contraceptive mentality.

I know this is a struggle amongst our society, because there are so many things and people telling us our lives are about us instead of God and others. We have to be done having children after the appropriate 2 because we need to be able to have our pre-children life back. We can't leave it open to God to decide otherwise.

I have to say that sometimes I do struggle with what I think I can handle versus what God thinks I can. Sometimes I try to do too much or too little and forget to ask God for help. It's a life long challenge, abandoning yourself to God's will for your life. I think we always want a false sense of control, when if we knew better we would know we don't have it.

Last night I was finishing up a book called "Style, Sex and Substance". In the last section there was a quote from Bl. Mother Teresa. In it she said, "Do not seek an easy life. Seek to be a strong person." This quote rings true to be countercultural. To not have that contraception mentality. To take on the challenges that God gives you and do so willingly and maybe even smile through it, knowing God is in control not you.

My husband says that most people are just trudging through life trying to make it as easy as possible on themselves. This is probably true, and I know that I've definitely coined the phrase "Well, whatever's easiest." But to truly live out our faith in Jesus, this can't be our lifestyle, right? So let's fight the current and be countercultural and bring ourselves back to the source, Jesus.

2 year olds..

They kill me.  It's like they are super cuddly and want to be on top of you, and then they bolt out of the grocery store or Target straight into traffic with no fear.  There have been great moments, where the kid is adorable or shows intelligence. Like going around saying "Thomas, He's the cheeky one." or actually not refusing to eat things but eating whats on his plate at least to some extent or another. But then he can scream for no end about something that makes absolutely no sense like not picking up milk out of the cooler at the store, because for some reason all milk is his.

So to hopefully stop the running out into traffic bit, I rigged a lady bug backpack with an Elmo leash to hopefully make it more appealing to wear.  And we are going to try it out next time we are out and I only have so many hands.  I'll have to take a picture of it later, if it really does work.

Anyway, say a prayer that I make it through 2 year old antics, and really try to practice patience with it all.