Ansely's Graduation Speech, Class of 2015

Ansely graduated in June . This is her graduation speech. IT was beautiful. Hope you can hear it. Congratulations Ansely and the Class of 2015

My speech to my daughter at her graduation

Ansely officially graduated High School in June. This is a video from the Recognition day . While I do not have issues with public speaking,this was so difficult and yes I cried. It is hard to hear as a friend was using my  phone . 

Congratulations Ansely ! Class of 2015 

Felicity is 9

I can not believe today my 5th born child is 9 years old. Felicity Agnes was born at home on this day. I woke up at 3 am feeling 'crampy' and knew this must be the time. I did not wake anyone but got up and walked around. I decided to call my midwife, Sharon, at Fruitful Vine . She had been at birth all night and said she would head my way because my labors were fast.

My midwife arrived around 6:30 am. She told me I was "complete" but left me alone because oddly for me I had not urge to push. I hung out in the tub, then walked and walked the neighborhood. 

My other children were all up puking it was so sad to hear them. The sweet birth assistant Tanya was taking care of their needs. 

This went on for almost 4 hrs I recall. Then Sharon had me lay on my left side and pull my right leg up ....well that got her in position. I began to feel the urge to push. She was born quickly "facial presentation to the left"She was born at 10:42 am and  was 9 pounds 8 oz and 22 1/2 inches long. 

Her first year was rough, she was very high needs and colicy. I learned when she was a year she had Sensory Processing Disorder.  Anyone with a SPD child knows what I mean I have two actually.

She has always been homeschooled. She is now very active in academy soccer (her thing)  locally and just started violin lessons . However this week she fractured her wrist so that is all on hold.

 Follow this link for a slide show on my photography page:

http://lisaolschewskephotography.com/blog/2015/3/nine-years-of-felicity

Violin lessons

️Felicity has been begging for a while to get a violin . I could never afford one and was not comfortable  getting her one . We have had guitars , keyboards etc not be well care for. Her little brother loves music but has been rough on instruments .

I decided this week since she was still interested to give it a try . I feel so terrible I have not been able to give my kids the little things in life . 

 We found a lovely violin teacher that also unschooled her own! We started lessons this week and we are renting a violin from her . 

This is her at her very first lesson 

Lenten thoughts 2015

 Some signs of Lent in my house . 

 In conversation with God is one of my favorites .

Sebastián's face as he looked at himself in my phone aka mirror 

Me and half of My children , the others are going to noon liturgy 

       

Marked for Salvation (from Magnificat )

  

 

At the beginning of Dante's Purgatorio, the Pilgrim discovers seven Ps scratched across his brow─one for each of the seven deadly sins (peccati). Through his laborious climb up the seven-storied mountain, one by one, the P's are wiped away. It is the image of a soul saved, but still struggling free of sin's sevenfold lack of love. 

     Lent charts us on a laborious course up a similar Mount Purgatory. And at the base today we too find our faces begrimed. Our ashes make public confession that we stand stained by our wicked deeds. We have earned the dusty death wage of sin. Yet, like the guilty Cain, who received a mysterious mark from the hand of the Lord, this sign we wear is also God's seal of protection (cf. Gn 4:15). We are branded today with the sign of the cross, as sheep of the Lord's own pasture, so that the devil (who would make on us his own mark of the beast) will know to keep his thieving hands off. The sign of the death due for our sins thus becomes the emblem of hope─if we believe in the cross and repent in dust and ashes. Ezekiel foresaw this mystery in vision when he saw the saved, who grieve over the sins of Jerusalem, having an X written upon their brow (Ez 9:4).

 

Reflection based on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

  Father Anthony Giambrone, O.P.

  

Heavenly Father, may the indelible mark of the cross sealed

upon me at Baptism be engraved more deeply upon my heart.

May my penance this Lent help put 

Today's suggested penance: 

Spend fifteen minutes or more praying the holy name of Jesus.

  

 

May God fill your Lent with his presence 

and lead you to a renewed experience of his love.

Advent , Art and more

So I think I need to get back to some positive posts and share what I have been doing so far during Advent with my children.

We celebrated the feast of Saint Nicholas by leaving shoes out to have a treat left.

 My first three early risers.....

I also really wanted to do a Jesse Tree this year. So with Ansely's help I stayed up till 2 am and made the ornaments....

I bought a purple little tree for advent. And each day we hang an ornament with scripture and we read and talk about it.

 I set up a little table with my manger scene and prayer books.... Believe me it doesnt look like this long. Felicity LOVES to play with it. The cats  destroy the tree every night. And my poor ornaments are getting destroyed by the kittys! I have not done a good job keeping up with the readings....But I am trying....

I already had a my advent wreath set up. HIGH. I had ordered a new one this year and it was two weeks into advent when it arrived. It is a candle chandalier! These are the first photos of it with artificial greenery. I JUST replaced it today with real greenery from our Christmas tree we just got...and No its not up and decorated yet,,

All Souls Day/ Dia de Muerte Art Project

Being a Catholic homeschool mom I am always looking for fun art projects. I came across this fantastic blog http://www.artprojectsforkids.org/2011/10/day-of-dead-skull-pattern-drawing.html  this link in particular is a art project for All Souls day! Enjoy Be artsy with your children!

Another book worm

It looks like we have another book worm. Sebastian loves books and will
actually sit in our lap and let us read to him.
This is one of the many things we miss about daddy being deployed. He
loved to read to the children every night.Of course he would fall
asleep a lot too while reading them to sleep. It is the little things
that mean so much.
Sebastian favorite book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It seems all
of our children love this book. It teaches so much to....