Outings, projects and worship, oh my...

I spent most of the day out yesterday with Laura and all the kids - went to my recently discovered Plaza of Wonder, where there is a bead store, a yarn store, a scrapbooking store, a baby furniture store, a hippie children's clothes store and a skate shop (seriously, !). Several of these stores also either have a big play area full of toys with a low picket fence, for kids to be in while moms shop, or super kid-friendly owners that want to babysit and make them laugh while you shop, so how cool is that. Laura had never been there. Then we went to Wild Oats, had lunch, and got my vitamins and chlorophyll. Came home and she joined us for pizza night. Shaun was here too, which made it downright crowded once G Sr and Robbie came home; but in a pleasant way.

We went in this maternity store while we were out and I found the BEST MATERNITY SHIRT EVER. It was a plain tshirt that said, "Birth Control is for Sissies". I mean seriously, can you imagine seeing me out in a few months, with all the kids at the Farmer's Market or Publix or whatever, big and pregnant and wearing that? It really, really cracks me up. Unfortunately it was $36 and I think that's insane for a tshirt, but I'll make my own with a printed out iron-on or through cafepress or something. Maybe I could embroider it. There are some on ebay but they aren't as cool.

Grant went out with Shaun after I'd taken Laura home, to this restaurant nearby where there was a band playing, and while he was gone the kids all acted like they were on crack and were obviously not going to all go to bed simultaneously with just one grownup running the show, so I corraled them in my room and we read prayers and quotes of Mother Teresa's together for a long time. It was really, really awesome. I think Ananda understood everything and Aaron most of it (we discussed all of it, of course) and it led to praying and talking about forgiving each other.

When we were finished I looked in the back of the book - it lists all the Missionaries of Charity houses(Mother Teresa's religious order, they "wholeheartedly serve the poorest of the poor") in the United States and Canada, with phone numbers. I glanced through them and then saw that they actually have one in Miami. I got goosebumps. I am extremely excited about the possibility of being able to visit them.

And of course this leads me down my familiar path of thinking - this time it was, "Remember how C.S. Lewis said that Jesus had to be real, logically, because you can't say someone is just very smart and wise and says many good things all people should live by...but they are also a raving lunatic who's delusional. That just doesn't make sense. Either he WAS the son of God, or he just didn't have his head screwed on straight, which obviously wasn't the case" (paraphrased). Well...isn't it kind of parallel, like, I say, "Everything Mother Teresa said rings true for me, her words and actions have moved me so much and made me feel closer to God in so many ways. The Lord moved mountains through her, it's truly miraculous the innumerable lives she touched and improved. But, she was really deluded to be a part of the Catholic church and obediant to them and I'm not sure if this whole 'her being a saint thing' gels with me." I mean, hello. She accomplished everything she did within their bounds and through their leadership and aid. Most of the prayers she prayed that were recorded and have touched me, are old Catholic prayers. That was the faith that inspired and nurtured her to go on to such great things - although she had a very simple personal faith that centered almost completely around the gospels; she was definitely not a Catholic theologian. And probably would have thought I was very silly, analyzing every single in and out of each and every denomination in it's historical context...rather than just having faith.

My sister is contemplating watching the kids for us tomorrow so Grant and I could go to Mass together. If not I'll go alone.

I felt SO CLOSE TO GOD last night, it was the first time in quite awhile that I had that full-in-the-chest feeling like I could say, "Well, Jesus..." and He would be right there listening. The song on the radio in the van, the places I was passing, my first alone time in days...I got home crying I was so grateful for everything I have and how much I've grown up. *sigh*


It's very hard for me to make myself work on dolls for orders, when all I want to knit and crochet are Jake's birthday presents. His birthday is 2 months away, and so far I'm making him longies (coolest wool EVER, it's thick and thin in a light blue, deep blue and purple gradient), and a sweater (dark teal-y, sport weight alpaca). I'm sure I see a hat in his future, too, though, and possibly some socks as well.

For now, though...for now it's all about FOLDING LAUNDRY. Possibly for hours, until Grant and Ananda get home from a birthday party and we can go to ArtSouth and see Alex's painting show.

Hmm.

So, I have this person, in my previous entry, who's wigging out on me big time - s/he is spitting out lots of information I freely admit here, publically, as if it were all very insulting and some big secret - like that we live with Grant's dad, only recently got married, Jake's birth didn't go as planned - along with lots of exageration (Annie is not just shy but petrified of other people, I've jumped from man to man) and some outright lies (I've been on welfare, and Isaac is a poorly adjusted child who gets no attention). They also seem to think we resent Grant Sr (we don't) for helping Mindy so much (he doesn't).

At first we thought it was a relative (they're commenting anonymously, of course, as they obviously are not willing to let other people know they think these things), since they called Grant "Joey" which was his childhood name within the family (To differentiate from his dad). Then I saw how some of the stuff they're talking about seems straight out of booju_mooju, so maybe they are some dumbass from in there. Either way I could do without any more talk of how incredibly unchristian and judgemental (seriously, the irony!) I am, from someone who says they aren't christian anyway (?). They seem to think they get extra cool points for dropping as much personal information as possible - like that G goes to Chamber of Commerce meetings. Yet, obviously, he's not doing anything to earn a real living, because working 12+ hour days 6 or more days a week counts for...nothing?

We logged their IP address and got Ormond Beach, Fl as the city, our mother in law says there ARE some cousins there. Who knows. I wouldn't really care if it was some random nut, but it really FEELS like someone on his side of the family, who wants to spout off all this crap, dig as deep as possible to be as hurtful as they can, and then smile and nod when they see us next in person. Bethany recently found out I have a blog? I know that we have not done everything in an ideal way or with as much planning as would have been perfect, but we have a lot of love and I think we've done very well with what we've got. I don't really understand this sudden unsolicited - and very particular - hostility. Perhaps this person would like to tell me which of the children they would have me send back.

Aaaaaaaaanyway. We had a really good day. Jamie is coming Tuesday afternoon so G and I can go to the movies. We went to ArtSouth today, all of us - Melissa hung out with A and A in Alex's studio for a long time playing with his cat, Killer (who is incredibly sweet and shy). Grant is getting a studio there, free in exchange for web services. Jake, as always, has been super affectionate and adorable all day long, and is so content and easy to be with. Isaac did dance numbers for a small crowd and then preened for the cameras of strangers for awhile - he is so, so hilarious. And has been noticeably sweeter to me since I cut back on the nursing, though he is still not just a, but the, Tyrant. Shaun is over and I made a highly kickass dinner for all of us.

My sister isn't going to watch any kids, but I will at least go to Mass by myself, tomorrow. I would like it if Grant and I could both go, as they have three in a row at different times. Enough so that I would be willing to sacrifice some sleep and be the one to attend the earlier one :p I've been thinking that maybe in the same way that Non-D.O.C. protestant denominations all seemed so diluted and missing something to me - without Lent, Advent or Communion - maybe that's how D.O.C. seems, compared to being Catholic. Which, as a word, I learned means "Universal". I've been reading the Catechism when I nurse Isaac in the evenings. And serendipidously enough, one artist at ArtSouth today was doing a big painting of Mother Teresa, and the kids recognized her from the book cover that we were reading last night :) I thought that was cool.