It's the Little Things

 July has been full of simple things. Normal things. Regular, delightful, painful, enjoyable, frustrating, EVERY-DAY things. I have been so grateful.

8/8 asleep = V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!

Sarah, all ready on the wardrobe end for her Confirmation. 

Now awaiting the sacraments to be rescheduled.

Esther made her First Reconciliation, and is eagerly awaiting the date for her First Communion.

My gardens are so beautiful, three seasons out of the year. The previous owners of our home were excellent at landscaping and gardening. Everything is so colorful and well-planned. I know there will come a day when the flowers will remain in the garden for more than 24 hours after they have blossomed so that we can enjoy them for longer periods of time.

It is not this day.

Lucy will need some pretty hefty malpractice insurance if her technique doesn't improve soon.

She takes no direction and will not allow anyone to help her during surgery. 

Matt, working on our ever-growing list of repairs. In this particular picture, it happens to be a stringer of steps that lead off our porch. Joseph put his foot clear through them just a couple months ago. This project has been slow and painful. Most of the wood has split, the concrete for the footers didn't set properly, nothing is lining up...you know, the usual.

 Matt is working hard on building character.

There is never enough beer for projects like this.

We've been spending immense amounts of time outdoors. Walking, running, biking, digging, playing, and swimming.

One of our favorite times during the day is when the "Packagery Man" arrives. He brings packages, obviously. Boxes. Boxes containing who cares what...and PACKING PEANUTS OR BUBBLE WRAP!

The package above contained strawberry jam, sent with love from Mary and Art in Syracuse. 

Lots and lots of jam. It has been heavenly!

Catching crayfish in the yard. This crayfish is named Anne Marie.

It's strange having a crustacean named after you.

Really strange.

Kind of unsettling, really.

I've asked them not to do so, but the children insist it is a compliment of the highest magnitude.

Matt, fixing more things. I would get into a deep story about this one, but that belongs on a post about the Recent Doings of One Daniel Benjamin. So, I'll save it.

Our neighbors went on vacation and allowed us the use of their pool while they were gone. It was perfectly delightful.

Charlie has been most helpful with the steps coming off the porch that have broken. Matt has been working on replacing them for the past 5 weekends. It is slow and frustrating work. Having extra (small) hands around doesn't usually help as much as you'd think. But they DO bring much needed comedic relief when things aren't lining up properly...

As I look back on July, I am filled with gratitude for the slower pace, positive visits to the doctor, things getting done, and finishing up school. We are taking turns going back to Church now. Matt occasionally goes back to the office. Things seem to be progressing to a new normal. I never want to lose sight of the challenges that God has brought us through or of the slow summer days that keep our emotional tanks filled. 

Sundays

On Sundays, we dress up for Jesus. We wake up early, prepare our hearts, and set up the living room in an organized fashion. Our domestic church has become the building where we worship God on Sundays. We were attending Mass at Sacred Heart in Imlay City before the pandemic. The children served on the altar. Matt is a lector. We came down like locusts attended social hour with coffee and donuts after the 9a Mass. Then the churches closed. When they started reopening, many protocols were put into place. 25% capacity. 6 ft. between parishioners. Masks must be worn at all times. 

The children simply cannot comply.

I still pace in the back of church with screaming Lucy at every Mass.

Charlie still has to pee twice during every service.

5/8 of the children can't tolerate masks.

So, we worship Him at home.

Funny thing is, Matt and I still pace on the porch with a screaming Lucy during the Mass online. Charlie still has to use the bathroom twice during the service. 

It's like they are keeping us well-trained for when we do return to the physical church building.

  Online Mass wouldn't be complete without Jerry Lewis Thomas

(The guns were confiscated before Mass began.)

We've "visited" many different churches over the past few months. We've done Mass with Father Mike Schmitz at Ascension and the Archbishop of Detroit in our incredible cathedral. Our very favorite is Father Gabriel, Aunt Emily's brother, in Minnesota. He baptized Lulu last year when we visited Steve, and he makes the masses reverent and brings us much joy.

We ache for Jesus in the Eucharist and look forward to a time when we can return safely to church.

We are patiently awaiting Esther's First Holy Communion and Sarah and Joseph's Confirmation. Esther was able to make her First Reconciliation outdoors a few weeks ago. This gave us hope that maybe more outdoor sacraments will be available soon. 

Until then, we will continue to worship God here and pray for a swift end to the virus and healing of the world.