Mama-luia

2015 was a wonderful year for our family. Not wild and crazy like 2013 -- when we sold a house, bought another house, moved, bought a new van, AND had a baby (better known as Anna). It was more of a steady year of growth for children and adults alike. January We got to meet the kids' new cousin for the first time, having travelled to Nova Scotia to spend Christmas and New Year's with family. She is more precious than words can say. The visit was just a wonderful boon for our children's hearts. February This is always a difficult month for me. Seemingly endless snow, frigid temperatures and stir-crazy family. But we get home projects accomplished. For instance, Patrick made some built-in bookshelves in the entrance of our laundry room. Because clearly when laundering, you may need to pick up H. Daniel-Rops. Obviously. March The temperatures began to climb up to some level of normalcy. Snow melted. People rejoiced. April Noah turned s...

We are alive. More than that, we are so very content. We arrived in the little town that is our new home, and will be moving into the home we hoped and prayed could be ours, in just a week. We have already been met with warm welcomes, a bottle of wine, and a box of pantry items. (Thoughtful friends give you Saran Wrap and all-purpose cleaner when you're moving, for your information. They have both proven to be imminently useful.) We faced what seemed like many setbacks getting here -- our initial offer not going through on our house, our van breaking down in rural Quebec, among others -- but we are here, and so happy. **** We had our first glimpse of Baby Lemon this week via ultrasound. Imagine our surprise and delight when we discovered the hospital here allows women to bring three guests in to watch! Noah, Isaiah, and Patrick all got to meet our very active, sweet little baby, who did his or her darndest to allude the technician's efforts for a clear images. She ...

Remember that woebegone post where I wallowed in how I wasn't exactly thriving? { First off, what I wrote wasn't especially articulate. It wasn't getting at what was really driving me bonkers. I read the Jennifer Fulwiler piece I linked to that morning and was just stuck on it all day. It was the words "contraceptive culture." Ugh. When I re-read it tonight, I agreed with her; yes we can and SHOULD try and fight against the mindset in society that children incapacitate us and thus we should get through the procreating phase as quickly as possible, sterilizing ourselves so we can be 'free' to enjoy our jetset lifestyle or to wear Gap size 0 jeans. But I just bristle at the use of 'contraceptive' to describe anything that isn't literally contraception. I could rant on and on about this, but I won't. Suffice to say, it's such a tedious attitude I've encountered in orthodox Catholic circles, to be so against actual birth control to...

Ever wanted to test your patience, sanity and ability to love your husband and children despite all sorts of weird circumstances? No? Clever you. I, however, appear to enjoy walking on the wild side. My current plan, which you are welcome to modify to your own life as needed, is as follows: 1) Lose your water pressure. In fact, better yet, have your well run dry, which appears to be our dilemma. (This, however, makes no sense given how it has rained pretty consistently all spring and summer.) But in any case, this means a) no dishwasher b) not being able to do laundry until it's fixed (. . . !) 2) Have a newborn. Y'know, to feel sleep deprived and all. 3) Take said newborn AND a two-year old on a road trip from Nova Scotia to Ontario. What would normally be about 16 hours of driving suddenly becomes much, much more. 4) When you arrive at your destination, be sure to stay for a whole week at a camp without electricity or running water. Call i...

Noah is not even three weeks old, and he has already gone on two road trips. Last weekend, we took him to Toronto to meet his very proud great-grandmother among other relatives. He was as cheerful as could be. Just this past weekend, we took him to our former Catholic mecca, Barry's Bay. What an angel he was, sleeping soundly in his carseat for what should have felt like a very long drive (it certainly did for me, the recovering c-section recipient, who tends to forget to "take it easy". Oy.). And of course, he was a star at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy's graduation ceremony. He even got an honourary mention on stage from John Yakabuski as being by far the youngest person in attendance, at the fresh-picked age of 17 days. What sticks out to me the most from this trip was the graduation Mass. I had hoped to nurse him when we arrived -- prior to Mass -- change his diaper, and even make myself look presentable. Given that we squealed into the church parking lot at 10:...

I don't own a car. Heck, I don't even have my driver's license. This means I am familiar with a bunch of tediously humbling means of getting from here to there. Begging, pleading, looking tragic in the presence of those privileged enough to own a vehicle (this is especially effective when pregnant, I have discovered!) Public transit. I am a big fan of the Ottawa system (which means I obviously don't live there, and didn't have to suffer through the strike!) and the TTC impresses me, too. The HSR, however, not so much. . . . Over-priced taxi rides. And, for longer trips, the Greyhound. It is the Greyhound that has led to the most interesting of trips for me. I have yet to ride it without finding myself in a deep discussion about religion. I don't bring it up with the people around me. In fact, I normally try to sit quietly on my own, looking forward to reading or napping. Yet, without fail, a nearby passenger will ask me, "Where are you headed?...