November was a tricky, tricky month for us.
It absolutely had it's ups. Like family pictures. Tim's our photographer and seems to capture each child so well! Simon's go-go-go. Felicity's extreme joy. Vivian's peppy confidence. Miriam's maturity. And looking back, we have to marvel at these perfectly beautiful kids.
November 1st means All Saints Day. It's a fun time at our parish! Fr. Tim, our pastor, asks all the kids and any willing adult to dress up as a saint. Tim and Sarah were Sts. Louis and Zelie - St. Therese's parents. Simon was St. Isadore the farmer. Vivian was Mary because she could bring a baby doll to church. Felicity chose St. Elizabeth of Hungry - a queen. And Miriam was St. Helen. After Mass, there's a trunk or treat-the kids gorge themselves on candy for a second night in a row.
We went roller skating at the beginning of the month, too. Mommy, Simon, and Vivian loved it. Miriam, Daddy, and Felicity were less enthusiastic. But all claim they want to go back again...so we'll try it again in a few months. Maybe by then Miriam and Felicity will get the hang of it-their little bottoms were so sore by the time we called it quits!
Vivian turned EIGHT! Which meant a birthday date with Daddy to Caruso's complete with cannolis. After dinner, at Vivian's request, they went to the Country Store at Cracker Barrel because Vivian LOVES to shop. No one saw that coming, but the girl loves to save her money, browse, and buy. She came home with a unicorn that makes all kinds of noises.
As Vivian's birthday came and went that special time of year arrived when Miriam and Vivian are the same age. Two 8 year olds this year. Miriam's still not appreciating this!
In the middle of November, Sarah began a short-term subbing position at the girls' school in Felicity's Kindergarten classroom. It was just for a month, but Sarah truly enjoyed being in the classroom and watching the children learn. And getting to see the older two throughout the day was a superb bonus. Perhaps someday when the children have grown, Sarah will get to teach. Simon was able to spend each day with Aunt Bridget and Elijah. He was never upset to be dropped off and sometimes we could hardly get him to leave. There's nothing quite so wonderful as having family living nearby!
Other high points of November: Simon being officially two. We've heard of the terrible twos, but have yet to live with them. He's certainly growing more independent, but is about as sweet as they come. He loves the outdoors, music, trying to do everything himself, all the sugar (he inherited his mother's sweet tooth), Aunt Bridget and Elijah, and anything with wheels and a motor.
Around here, Thanksgiving weekend is an EVENT. Wednesday night is Light Night in Fort Wayne. Complete with our annual visit with Santa and the Gingerbread Festival.
We host Thanksgiving at our house for around 40 people...plenty of food!
And then Black Friday (yup, we celebrate this great festival of spending). We were able to squeeze in Miriam, Vivian, and Teresa's birthday party! The two older girls wanted a game party so Aunt Maria made them a marvelous cake to go along with their theme!
There was lots of good happening in November, but plenty of grief to go around...we suffered a miscarriage early in the month. The internet seems like such a cold place to share this news, but this short life was sacred to us each second that it lasted and our family blog would not be complete without acknowledging we loved and lost someone. We named this baby Cecilia. Sometimes, we call out in our hearts, Cecilia, pray for us! when things feel difficult because we know this young soul is sitting on the Father's lap in heaven thinking of us as we think of her and asking our Good Father to unite us all there one day.
November also meant the passing of Sarah's grandma, Clara. These pictures from April 2018 capture just a bit of her humble, loving heart. She loved babies. Loved them. And children. She would ask over and over how many children we had because her own children brought her so much joy that she wanted to be able to share and see that joy in us. Even when her mind was escaping her, she was proud of her marriage and her children - the things that endure. And singing. And being with people. We went as a family to visit her a few days before she died and said the Divine Mercy chaplet at her bedside. Sarah was able to return with her mom just a day before Grandma passed away to sit with her and the rest of the family. There's nothing quite so rewarding as to sit beside a life that is fading, ready to meet the Maker, to let them know they are not alone, and to pray that they will see God face to face soon. Tim would like to be a hospice volunteer when he is retired; what a good calling to hear and respond to.
Just a couple of weeks later, Sarah's other Grandma was hospitalized late one night. Sarah and Tim were able to drive to the hospital to be with her and the rest of the family. The doctor thought this was the end. So we cried, laughed, sang, prayed, sat with her...
...and she kept going. That heart just wasn't ready to give out yet. Thank you, God, for not asking us to make another hard goodbye in November! We took the kids to visit when she had stabilized. We don't try to protect them from these goodbyes or guard them from seeing life becoming more frail. We all need to see what a good life, a good death look like. Our children know this great-grandma well. We go to the nursing home most Wednesday evenings to pray the rosary with Grandma and sometimes she is still even able to pray along. However, most of her communication is jumbled words strung together in impossible to decipher thoughts.
As she sat in a the hospital bed a day after we thought she had reached the end, she looked at Tim and Sarah and said, plain as day, "If God would take me, I would go." She's not afraid. And her eyes are on the prize.
Yes, eyes on the prize. That's a good life and a good death.
When we weren't celebrating birthdays (there was a lot of that) back in November, we enjoyed normal life with four children.
Normal can mean different things to different people.
A typical day means the two older girls and Tim rolling out of the garage around 7:40 while the other half of the family waves goodbye. Often Sarah is on the phone with her mom as Mom drives to work. Simon loves this part of the day! Just waving and waving!
Simon goes down for a nap around 8:30, Sarah and Felicity sit down for preschool activities.
Simon wakes up around 10 AM. Practices walking. But has no interest in taking any steps alone. When we encourage him to walk on his own, he bends his knees and goes limp. Not happening.
Occasionally we go to story time at the library.
One week Felicity got to be the "book holder". She was extremely proud of this job! As the third girl, her responsibilities at home aren't as "large" as her older sisters' but this time as the big girl in the librarian's chair made her feel so capable and important.
Then lunch. Playtime. Both kids are down for an afternoon nap around 1 PM.
Pick the girls up off the bus in the afternoon, come home, snack, homework, playtime, dinner time. Days go so quickly! Mommy remembers how slowly time moved in the late afternoon when there were just two little girls in our family. Sometimes it would be so nice to be able to go back in time to a "slow" day to appreciate the tempo of our lives like we didn't then.
One evening, just after dinner, Tim showed the girls "selfies".
It gave us some amusing photography.
Tim gives Simon a bath after supper. This was during the phase when he half-hated baths and cried every time we put him in. (WHY?) He now loves baths and would take them four times of day if he could. But two months ago it meant tears until he acclimated to the water again. Odd.
Bedtime for Simon was around 7:30 PM-ish. The girls were in bed around 8.
But some days were not as normal. Like when Tim got to take the girls to see Wild Kratts Live at the Embassy! This was Miriam and Vivian's birthday gift and such a fun night for these four.
Miriam had her very first piano recital in November. She played two short songs very well. So proud of how hard she is working to learn the piano. Mommy never played an instrument and Daddy is, frankly, so busy with work that she is kind of on-her-own when it comes to piano. It's amazing what 30 minutes a week and nightly practice for just three months produces!
The end of November meant Thanksgiving weekend. It is a BIG, FULL weekend in this house! The Wednesday before Thanksgiving we went to Fort Wayne's light night. Our traditional stops include the Gingerbread Festival, Santa, the Cathedral Bookstore, and several of the huge light displays on downtown buildings. This is a pretty special night for Sarah's family. Somehow it seems to signal the beginning of weeks of festivities. Annette (very pregnant), Catherine, and Tom even make it all the way from Canada!
Simon took a grab at Santa but Santa was too quick! No one cried when they met Mr. Claus, so all was a success.
Thanksgiving Day we hosted for about 35 people at lunch and supper. Including Tim's parents! Papa had recently been released from the hospital after 11 weeks of treatment. His presence was it's own miracle and something to be continually thankful for. No one knew how or if his body would heal. But Nana's faith never wavered. She spoke repeatedly about her certainty that God was taking care of every detail - He did - and that she would not worry. Papa's healing continues in his own home now as he regains physical strength each day.
Then Black Friday shopping! Sarah, her mom, and sisters really enjoy this time spent together. None of us is running through stores at 4 AM trying to grab the last 102" TV. We just like shopping together and Black Friday is a great excuse to do it! Friday night we all - men, women, and kids - went bowling. Our girls LOVE to bowl! And Simon was pretty content to hang out, too!
Saturday morning we did a family fun 5K at Sarah's parents. Then, Daddy went off to join the men for an auction and the Escape Room. This was also Miriam's birthday so we made sure to sing to her several times all day long.
With November wrapped up, we are firmly into the magic of the holidays!
