Leigh's Declaration

   With Mary off at school, we have all been pondering whether Clare and Leigh would like to go to school too, next year.  I am praying about it, and asking God to show me His plan for each of them.
    Yesterday, Leigh announced with great sincerity, "I have decided that I want to homeschool through high school.  I like our homeschool."  I was overjoyed!  I will keep praying, and whatever God wills, we will do.  But I feel really confident about homeschooling each child until about 6th grade.  I think the formation at home, as well as the education, is just what each one needs.  I like keeping a child at home through that period, so that I can make the most of this short time of life with them, and give them all I have to give them.  I do not want to coast on "autopilot" and then regret it later.
    While Leigh cannot even envision life past 6th grade, and so the comment about going through high school needs to be taken with a grain of salt, I am very pleased that she desires to be home, for the short term at least.
    And Clare?  I do not know!  Next week I am going to meet with the head of the one Catholic school around here that has room for her, and I will pray for discernment.
    But I will say that yesterday, I spent a lot of the afternoon with Clare.  She and I enter a whole new place, when she does not have siblings around.  She really lights up.  I want to make sure that I bring that light to the fullest, before she goes off to school.  I want to bring out the most of her faith formation, and her character formation.  She is a beautiful creature of God, and I want to make sure she is equipped. I want her to discover her identity in Christ, who she is and why she is lovable, in our home.  Then and only then will she be ready to brave the confusing messages of the world.
 

Being Misunderstood

     One of my biggest challenges in life is being misunderstood.   It happened again recently: a friend insists that I said one thing, when I am sure I did not.  Having tried to correct her opinion, and seeing her continued insistence, my ego burns and my insides sting.  I just hate being thought badly of, especially when its not even true.
     This incident reminds me of a time when I was in high school.  A friend accused me, but in that case, she was correct.  And it stung so bad that I parted ways with her and our friendship ended.  High school was just brutal!
    But now, I have been accused, and it is not even true.  A worse situation.
    The insight that I am just reeling over, that I am just astounded by, is how much being a Christian helps me in life.  I find my life before being a Christian bankrupt--devoid of resources to get through tough times.  In my current trouble, sure, my guts sting.  But I am comforted by Christ, who too was falsely accused.  I get to keep Him company, and find His companionship.  We are "buddies."
    In high school, I parted ways with a friend because of the pain.  Now, as a Christian, I have a way to deal with that pain.  Even though this pain is worse, I do not have to part ways with anyone.  I can be mercy: I can stay in the friendship, and forgive, and let go.  
     As a Christian, anything that helps us imitate Christ is a PLUS in life.  Anything that draws us into His path, His story, is good for us.  So, even through my stinging guts are not entirely cooled off, I still get the consolation that God wants me to suffer this humiliation.  God has a blessing for me in it.  (God does sometimes causes sufferings, despite what Calvinists claim: see Prov. 3:11-12; Isa. 45:6-7; Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6-7).  For, we have to admit that as awful as it was, the Father desired Christ's humiliation, passion and death.  It was part of the Divine Plan for the salvation of the world.  And so too, God desires my current suffering, because it burns away my ego.  That burning, stinging feeling--that is my ego, that needs to be purified.  I will not be like Christ, I will not be a saint, as long as there is anything to sting in the first place.  So, I say, "YES!"  I embrace my humiliation, and I say, "Let the sting continue!"  What I realized this morning is that I am really faulty.  I am not righteous, but often wrong.  In this case, I think I am right, but how often am I just plain wrong?  I want to be the kind of humble person who says, "Yep, I'm wrong."  I want to be the kind of person who can go there in no time--practically immediately.  Oh, I love being around people who are like that!  So humble!  I'm not yet one of them.  But I hope to be soon!  God help me, give me humility!

Tubes

I think little Sebastian needs surgery--tubes put in his ears.  We are back to the doctor today treat his third consecutive pair of ear infections.  Up in the night with a spiked fever--again.  Poor guy.
      I wonder what the doctor can do for me!

Offering Up The Flu

   I have had the flu for the past five days.  I kept trying to pray and offer it up.  But I couldn't really get into it.  Finally, I asked, "Why do we do that, again?  What is the point of it?"
    Suddenly, an image came to mind that I have never had before.  As I pictured Christ carrying his cross, I could imagine all the people before that moment, all the people during that moment, and then all the people after that moment, and their going to heaven or not, all depending on that one moment.  I mean, eternal salvation--that's a BIG DEAL for any one person.  And imagining that for each and every person who has ever lived.  And realizing that Christ's passion, death and resurrection made the chance for each of us to go to heaven.  The weight of it floored me.
    So suddenly, lying there with a 103.5 fever that just would not break, glistening in sweat, I thought, "Yes, I join myself to THAT MOMENT.  I join this suffering to that much greater suffering, in the chance that God would see fit to allow it to participate in that work, that divine and saving work."  I pictured my loved ones, one by one, and asked that God would bring us all to heaven together, to enjoy the divine banquet, the big feast.
    I can't wait.

A Mother's Ash Wednesday Prayer

Dear Jesus,
   Please help me to be renewed, restored and enlivened by the Holy Spirit this Lent.  Please help me to embrace the cross, experiencing it to the fullest, so that I may one day enjoy the Resurrection to the fullest.
    Let me say "Yes" to all of the day's challenges, each day this Lent: the fevers, the sicknesses, the messes, the tears, the bad behavior, the bad grades, the empty cupboards and the mountains of laundry.
    For the love in my heart of Jesus, for my becoming united to Him, please let me be united to His cross, and see this as a chance for delightful intimacy with Him.
    Please let me be purified of my sins, especially self-pity, anger, and impatience.  Please give me your eyes of faith, and torrents of kindness, patience and peace in moments of trial.  Please help me, despite my recalcitrance, immaturity and pride, to one day become a saint in your kingdom, and let my family and I enjoy heaven together forever.
     In Jesus Name I Pray,
     Amen

Changes are Afoot and the Rombs House!

    Mary is beginning school today!  I cannot believe it.  Here are our two school girls!  I have been SO SAD to lose her.  She is such a wonderful help and joy to be around.  But the good news is that Clare gets to be the oldest in the house for 8 hours a day!  Clare and Leigh get to become grown-up and learn some responsibility and manners!  I am thrilled about that for them.  I like this "send a child off for 6th/7th grade" policy.  It's looking good!

And Jake just completed his rocket for Cistercian--way cool!

Six Months Old!

I cannot believe that Sebastian Peter is SIX MONTHS OLD!!  Happy Birthday, Sebastian!
This time of his life is so precious.  It is passing so fast.  I know that soon, he will grow out of his little blue sleepers that used to be Jake's.  They will never be worn again!  I just can't believe how fleeting this time is.  I sort of want to cry.
     I am tired, and this six months has certainly worn me down.  He has a double ear infection, and is on his second round of antibiotics.  He has been up in the night with fevers.  My back is sore, my neck is out.  But wow, what a blessing!  I would not wish this time to go one bit faster.
    This time period is, in a beautiful way, like the cross: it is challenging, and it bears losses for me, but it is MORE than worth it. It is a life-giving sacrifice.  His little life is going to become a huge and wonderful reality.  I cannot wait to get a hug, one day, from my six-foot-tall basketball player!  I cannot wait to hear him call me "Mom."  I cannot wait to find out what he likes, what he dislikes, what makes him tick.  For the rest of his life, as he is out exploring the world and engaging in his community, I will think back fondly on this time, spending all day with him, smiling at him, interacting with his sweet self, and having him nestle sweetly in my arms.  Oh how I love him!

Angels Watching Over Me

   So I was driving down the street, and my radio was on.  I was singing and enjoying the ride.  For some crazy reason, I thought, "Turn the radio off immediately."  So, thinking it a strange thought, I did.  Well, I could hear this "Rat-a-tat-tat" noise.  So I pulled over.  I could not see any flat tires.  So I kept driving.  But I could still hear it.  So I pulled into a gas station.  The air pump was broken.  I pulled into a tire shop.  They were closed.  I pulled into a third tires shop.  Look what they found!

     A HUGE screw in the tire!  The guy said it was just minutes away from the whole tire bursting.  

Can you believe I avoided a flat on the highway??  Instead, I peacefully drove into a tire shop and paid a measely $5 to patch the tire.  A flat would have cost me big bucks and an hour of intense stress, redirecting traffic on the interstate.  

     Why, I ask you, did I even turn that radio off?  There was no good reason.  I am positive it was my guardian angel!  Mine is so vigilant--I am so grateful! 

Rombs Family

   What an enjoyable weekend in Alvin with Rombs family!  Ron's grandparents are approaching 90 and are still going strong!  Here is Aunt Elizabeth with her granddaughter, Peyton:

And here is PawPaw Ronnie making his famous vegetable meal: 

We are so blessed to have such wonderful family! God Bless the Rombses!  

Like, Immediately!

   We were up late, watching the Super Bowl.  At 9 o'clock, Ron said, "Annie, don't you think it's past your bedtime?  Shouldn't you go to bed?"
    She replied, "Like, immediately!"
    Good girl, she is, knowing her limits!

Only Once!

   The little guy only woke up once last night!  True progress!!

Sleeping Through the Night

   Little Sebastian is old enough to be sleeping through the night---and he is no where near it!  He would start out in his crib, but wind up in our bed, and nurse off and on, all night.  I called it "an all night, all you can eat buffet." :(
   So, Ron and I have begun an all-out effort to train Sebastian to become a great, night sleeper.
   First, we started with Ron going in, instead of me, so that Sebastian can't nurse.  Ron takes all shifts until 3 AM.  Poor Ron!
   Then, I take all shifts from 3 AM on.  The next shift, I nurse him one time.  Then, I take any other shifts, and rock him and get him back into his crib.  
   The first night, we were up every other hour!  He was upset.
   But the next night, he did much better.  I brought him into the bed at 3:30.  Now, about 5 nights later, he only awoke 2 times, and he was easy to get back in his crib.
   He is officially out of our bed.  That's a major plus!  He's down to one feeding.  Another plus!
   So now, we just need to wean him off those two wakings, and we-re done!