Scout Business For William

The first few months of the year are always busy in the Scout world.  We start with pinewood derby, the last one for William, Lucy getting to participate in the sibling races, and James winning 2nd place.  It was a good day all around!

William then received his Arrow Of Light, reminding us all that he is growing up and finishing Cub Scouts soon! It also came on my birthday, which combined with my grey hair, made me feel extra old.

Crossover to Boy Scouts came later in the month, with an Outdoor camping cake competition, won by the Web 2's.  It was a joy to see all my boys in their uniforms together, and see the excitement from William continue as he came home and started to work on his Boy Scout Requirements as soon as he could.

(It's Still) Summer Recap

Yes.  Technically it is still summer.  I think I need to add some odds and ends about the summer, and will just have to do a birthday post for the boys and first day of school posts.  I must, of course.  :)

• First and foremost, Tommy, Paul and my in-laws all made it home safely, just before the 4th of July.  The trip was almost 2 weeks, and  they enjoyed the great western states so much.  Yellowstone keeps calling Tommy's name, and he would love to get back there soon!  Mom Reynolds had a great recovery and we are so glad everyone is home.  That trip was once in a lifetime!  I just have a few highlights.  And only 1 blown tire.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

#PrayForJoe

• While Tommy was away, William and I had a visit to the White House with the Webelo scouts.  William had never experienced the amount of security involved in going to the President's house and wasn't sure we would ever make it inside.  We even met a Secret Service Agent who was an Eagle Scout, and very encouraging to the boys to keep going.  I loved spending the day with my boy.  I bummed a ride from some really amazing friends who took such great care of us, since I am not a fan of driving to DC. 
  
   
  
   
  
• My oldest both had some service weeks this summer, and both came home joyful and happy to do it again!  Patrick attended the Parish Work Camp in Richmond for a week, and the photos and videos I received were such gems.  I love technology for the instant check in on the kids.  Emma worked in the music room at the Vacation Bible School at our parish for her Confirmation hours, as well as Middle School Mission: local service jobs with kids of her own age.  There is nothing more joyful than helping others and giving.  I need to find those kinds of things all year to keep up that feeling.
• The biggest event of the summer was the 10 day visit from my brother and his family of 6 girls!  We were able to enjoy 2 of the girls full time in our home and it was wonderful. Celebrating our summer birthdays, including my brother Joe.  We were missing about 9 from the big family photo.  Not bad though.  Even with some yellow jacket stings, we still had smiles.  The visit was filled with love and much giggles, and it was a blessing to be together as my Sister-in-Law, Melanie, was having surgery. It went well, thanks be to God. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  My in-laws celebrated  their 49th wedding anniversary!  It was lovely to be with family, even some from out of town arrived to be with them.  We heard some fun stories from my Mother-in-law's 2 brothers who came.  Family is such a blessing!  (Side Note: I realized at this event that my camera is a bit older than I would like, and I found that the iPhone X was taking better pictures than me.  The shutterbug in me is so frustrated with this piece of information, and didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked.  But I do love taking pictures, and having the memories.  Though I need to get better about albums so the kids can sit and look at them.)
  
  
  
   
• We celebrated 2 birthdays, dubbed "The best birthday ever!" More to come on those.  Apparently when Mommy doesn't plan, they go better.  

Wood Badge

7:30AM,  on a December Friday morning, I get a text message from my husband that goes sort of like this:

"Do you think we can host the Scout Christmas Party?"

"Yes"

I just said what?  My brain was yelling NOOOOO!  My fingers typed that faster than I realized. The party was Saturday, as in, the next day.  My big kids were home for the Holy Day of Obligation, and my thoughts were, well, if it's a Christmas party with the boy scouts we should probably put up the tree.  And decorate a bit?  And we did!  It took less than 24 hours (a record for me!) and we put up the tree and set up quite a bit for the Christmas party.  The kids totally rocked it.  I was kind of prepared for some teenagers and families to come over.  No big deal.

Except, as I realized about an hour before the party began, (at our home, because the snow outside closed our first location), it's not JUST a scout Christmas party. 
"Are there strangers coming to this party?"
"Yes, dear.  They are coming to award me and Eddie our Wood Badge."

!!!!!!!!

oh. OH!  That is why.  That is why I said yes.  That is why I didn't freak out (as much) as I normally do when he asks me for something last minute.  My guardian angel.  Wow.

 

 

This award is a really big deal.  Tommy been taking classes, earning his tickets, camping, and working very hard for this Wood badge.  It is something that helps him be a better Scout Master, and the boys actually were part of the process.  He wanted to show them the results, and thank them as part of his ceremony, which is why we were putting it with the Christmas party.  (I promise, he does tell me stuff, but I very often get distracted and don't remember)  His patrol was invited, as well as Eddie's.  Some of these people came from 2 hours away, in the snow to be there for these awesome scout leaders.

 

We are so proud of our Daddy, such a hard worker, and always trying to better himself for these boys.  I am also so glad my Angel guided my hand to help me make this easier for my husband.

   He has also been asked to help teach this course to other scout leaders, and has encouraged many of the leaders in our group to take the course.  That man is the pied piper.  :)

It's Hard to Know Where to Start

When you have taken a "blogging break" albeit unintended, but nonetheless, a break.  Life happened a lot this summer, but not quite in the ways that I thought it would.  I struggle to come back to the blog, as there are a few "events" that I *gasp* didn't blog about, and I hate to make those kids feel unloved.  I am all about chronology, and putting things in the way they happened, so sometimes blogging for me is tough.  But, I need an outlet.  And, my dear readers, all 5 of you, don't have to come along, but I am happy to have you.

Our families have had some issues that has changed quite a lot of what we are focused on, and I guess that when it came to blogging, it took a very far back seat.  My mother-in-law has had such a hard time with back pain that she decided to have back surgery.  Her recovery has been slower than we hoped, and it is such a stress to see her in pain, and struggle to walk.  The surgery went well, and she is finally without her walker or cane, but it is still a while before she will be fully recovered.  She has an incentive to keep going, as she has all her children in the same country this year, and wants to make a road trip to visit them.

My mother decided to have a full knee replacement in June.  That was a tough surgery, complicated with some infections in the skin, but it went very well.  We are so impressed with how well she is walking!  And, mom knows she will need to do the other one at a later date, and will feel more herself when she can walk.  We are so blessed that our family is close, as we all rallied to help after her surgery.  My sisters My sisters were amazing nurses.  My dad had to work, as he is his own boss, so the big sisters kept the pain pills, therapy, meals, and running of the household, as well as their own homes, running so smoothly. We also were able to have all the family together to see her, which is the best therapy around for my mom. 

But the biggest reason for the quietness here, is my younger brother.  Around the end of school, the Best Gregory of all, was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gerhig's disease.  It was a long time of testing until it was official, and we were hoping and praying that it was not.  But this has made our family all feel the need to come close, to be here, to see him, to try not to wear him out too much, but to pray and be here.  With all those feelings, we have had visits from the out of town families.  Joe is such an example of how love and suffering go together.  He has always touched lives, even as a little guy, and everyone wants to pray for him.  The grace and acceptance with which he has had with this diagnosis has been so beautiful.  Please pray for him and his family.  It has been quite a lot to process, and the kids seem to ask me if I am crying all the time, because I am. 

But, before any of this happened, our family had already made plans to celebrate an extremely special lady. My mom turns 70 this year (we also have 50 and 40 in our family).  We decided to do a party at my house, and it was another occasion where we could be together.  We were missing some cousins and in-laws, but all 7 kids again!  Longtime friends and family came, and everyone had a wonderful time.  I was a bit stressed out to plan the party, but my wonderful friend Lucia catered, and it was delicious.  The whole family pitched in to help make the day wonderful, with decorations, seating, a slide show, a special cheesecake (who knew that was my mom's favorite?), music, a punch that will knock the bad mood out of anyone, especially Sherman, and support for me each time I called in a panic. 

 

The best joy for me, was that my brother and 3 of his girls came to stay with us.  My kids were so happy to have them, and it filled my heart so much to hear them all together.  One of the girls actually brought a special toy from Vermont for Lucy to play with, as they remembered that she loved it during our visit.  And they left it here for her to have.  What sweetness!

 



 

We also had some birthdays, and a VERY long scout camping trip, as well as a family funeral.  It was a very full summer.  But not the kind that most think of when you say "we were busy." 

 

 

Friends: if you would like to join us in praying for the intercession of Fr. Al Schwartz for my brother, we would appreciate it! 

 



 

7 Quick Takes: Sickness, Birthday, DC visits, and Derby

 

 

1). It's been a long time!  Happy New Year!  I'm glad I didn't make any kind of resolutions to blog more or anything like that.  We are back in the school swing, though some days, I think James would prefer to be on vacation.  He asked me on the first day back if he had to go to school again tomorrow?  Yep. You do, kid.  My Patrick has mid-terms, and decided this would be the perfect time for the flu.  Seriously, kid?  We were due for our Epiphany house blessing and visit with our priest who married us, but had to cancel.  I am so bummed!  I am currently spraying all surfaces with thieves, diffusing my VERY last bit and praying.  The stomach bug went through the house around Christmas, and unfortunately it is still around at school.  I am wishing we didn't have to worry about the sickness during this time of year. We have had crazy Virginia weather (in other words, totally unpredictable hot and cold) so it hasn't helped with the germs. Praying that I am doing the best for my kids and getting them healthy. 

 

 

 

2). On New Year's Eve, we went to DC to meet up with my sister and her family in for the Congressional swearing in.  We enjoyed a quick visit to the Botanic Gardens.  My first time there.  I can't wait to go back!  We also were able to go with my brother in law to some special places in the Capital, and I was actually able to hear the whispering in the whisper chamber!  Dinner at Union Station, and a beautiful walk in DC and time with family was one of the best gifts our family could have!

 

 

3) My Emma had a birthday, and though I am not doing a whole blog post, I wanted to mention that my very tall, very sweet, and loving daughter has turned 12.  Twelve!  She has bigger feet than me, and is determined to be taller than me. I'm not sure I will allow it, but I am so thrilled with her joy of reading, coloring, and joy of singing for the Lord.

 

 

4) So, to piggyback above, the rest of my kids decided to get sick.  I knew there was something amiss with James, and Patrick had the flu, but when James tested positive for strep, I tried to make sure that we didn't have any others, especially when Patrick's fever spiked super high after he was feeling better, and he threw up (classic Patrick strep symptom).  Well, the odds were against me.  5 for 5 tested positive!  I find medicine amazing.  They were better almost immediately!

 

 

 

5) The annual Pinewood Derby happened this month, and my boys did quite well.  My big boys (Tommy and Patrick) worked the track, and the cars.  The little guys raced their cars.  William's den was the fastest den of all.  Super proud!

 

James won this race.  His car is lane 1.

 

6) Our diocese has a new bishop!  I am so excited to say that I we went to a Mass at our parish and were able to meet him.  I forgot about asking for a blessing, and didn't quite say everything I wanted to say, but it was special to be there.  His secretary asked my kids, "What do you call a bishop?"  Patrick's response was "your Holiness" which I knew wasn't correct.  Father Wagner got a twinkle in his eye and left us to our own resources, so we had to talk to him to be sure we knew the correct answer. 

 

 





7) Today is the March For Life in DC.  My husband decided to take the oldest 3 with him today.  Cold weather, extra security with the Vice President speaking, and shorter legs than his made for a very long day, but I know they will come home feeling good.  Prayerful and joyful experience is my goal. 

 

 

 

That's all for now.  As I am limited to 7 on this blustery day.  Go visit Kelly to see more!