St. Valentines day is the "New Thanksgiving"

This holiday is changing bit by bit over time for me. Romantic love, hearts, candy, flowers. This year all those mushy things were replaced by sheer thankfulness....for many things. My hubby had a hard, long day of surgeries followed by several consults since he was on call. A normally short day became a very long one. At some point he called to check in and asked if I had planned anything for Valentines day (note to self....he is the romantic that usually takes care of these things, and his wife may take if for granted). I notified him Luke had boys scouts, but I had planned a nice dinner. I mean....I even candied nuts to put on a salad, but we were expected at scouts. I could sense his disappointment and with 2 sick little boys with colds, I decided to drop Luke off at a friend's house so they could take him to boy scouts, pick up the baby sitter, head home, put little boys to bed, take hubby out to dinner, take baby sitter back home, pick up Luke, and call it a night.

The plan worked great until we walked into the house from dropping off Luke/picking up sitter. That is when, upon entering the kitchen, Max puked spaghetti and green beans all over the kitchen floor. And when I thought he was done and took him to the kitchen sink to rinse his face and hands....I found out he wasn't, and then he hit the kitchen cupboards. So I put him in the shower with Patrick and I cleaned the floor, chairs, cupboards. I took the sitter home. And at 8:30 we grilled some steaks. Patrick suggested just eating the leftover spaghetti the kids had eaten, but I couldn't stomach it. And I sat back and contemplated not love, but thankfulness.

I am thankful for:
1. Those very important two minutes. The ones from the car to the house. The ones that allowed me to clean a tile floor and not a car seat and car carpet. Very thankful.
2. A husband that loves to shower whiney, pastey, sick kiddos.
3. The changes in a marriage over time. I read the Five Love Languages book a long time ago. I thought I had my husband pegged into his language. But I think that language is changing a bit. I think he is becoming more romantic and a surprise gift would be nice every once in a while. I need to remember this.
4. For kids, laundry, vomit, and everything in between.
5. For my #14 wallball that was my Valentine's Day gift. While some may like chocolate or jewelry, exercise equiptment is much more practical. And he knows it!

And now another day, another dinner. The date will wait until next week. Maybe I can plan something better. And hopefully no one will puke.

Catholic drummer

The kids and I attended Mass on the Feast Day of St. Blaise. There is a special blessing the priest gives at the end of Mass asking St. Blaise to interceed on our behalf to the Lord, specifically with problems of the throat (but against all evil....I like that part!). It was my little boys' first memorable celebration of the Feast. Oh yeah....St. Blaise was an early martyr of the Church and through his prayerful intercession a small boy was saved from choking a fish bone, hence the whole throat thing. Anyhow, the blessing involves the priest placing two blessed candles against the throat.

While at the altar rail, and while watching others being blessed, Sean leans over to inform me,
"But Mom the candles aren't lit!" (This is a good thing since clothes and hair would go up in flames, but a disappointment to a five-year old boy).

The next day while playing on the floor, Max walked over with 2 drumsticks held just as Father held the candles. He informed me he was a priest and he blessed my throat with drumsticks. I'm just glad he is paying attention!

I heard a funny one today

Mom: "Has anyone seen Max?"

Luke: "Oh yeah...he's in the garage. Naked. With snow boots on. And a bow and arrow."

Mom thinking to self......yep, makes sense, it's Max.

And just to clarify....he had on a pull-up.