Life as a Carmelite--When St. Francis is Your Realtor

In this past week, we had offers on two different houses fall apart. Yesterday, (when I was in the grocery store toy aisle trying to come up with even more bribes to keep my clan happy before yet another long house hunting expedition) I ran into a row of Holy Statues.

It was so shocking to see them calming standing there, lined up neatly in a bottom row of the Giant supermarket aisle.

There they were: St. Francis of Assisi, Our Blessed Mother, and an Angel. The statues were about 3 feet high, made of stone colored plastic and cost only $25. A perfect fit for the garden that I've always wanted to have!

I grabbed hold of St. Francis' tonsured, bald head affectionately with both hands and said out loud "I want to take you home now, but I've got no place to put you. You better find me a house with a garden 'right quick'!"

Little Nervous About Going to My Parent's Home this Weekend

This song is helping a lot!

Why I'm Trying to Fake It Until I Make It Today

Have you noticed that following Holy Scripture is really hard?

There are so many critics out there, people who think the Bible was created by a bunch of dumb males who randomly pieced together what they "thought" was important. Whenever I hear that kind of dismissal, I think in my heart "have you read it? Because it sets a pretty impossible standard. There's nothing easy or natural about it . ."

This morning I'm up at 5:30 AM, worried about the offer we're going to put on a new house today.

But my buddy St. Paul tells me to "take a chill pill and go back to bed!"

"I tell you, (Cousin Abigail)*, the time is running out.From now on, let those (who are) buying (act) as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully." 1 Corinthians, 7:29-30.


*Did you know that St. Paul was a Benjamin? I like to pretend that he's my concerned "Uncle by Marriage" who is sending me individual advice whenever I read his glorious letters in the New Testament.

For all of you new Mamas who are melting over the crawling phase

Just wait until you attend your first ballet recital! (Bring tissues!)

 

For The Friend Who Asked How My Week Is Going

This picture sums it up!

Thank heavens I'm reading St. John of the Cross for my Carmel homework. He's a good saint to hold onto during turbulent times.

My Town and Country Kids

 

Here's my family refueling on frozen yogurt on Divine Mercy Sunday. Good looking crew right?

 

This is a shot of my local city library across the street from our city ice-cream stand and very near our city church.

This is our neighborhood! We've lived in our same apartment complex for the past five years, in our exact same two bedroom apartment for the past four years.

 

In the middle of Lent, (three weeks into my blog fast) we got handed an eviction notice for having "too many kids." (Technically, we were over the occupancy limits of 2 people per bedroom and couldn't renew our lease in 2011.)

(continued, keep going to "older posts")

 

To move into a 3 bedroom apartment in my neighborhood costs an extra $400 to $800 a month. We effectively got evicted not just from our apartment complex, but from our entire City.

 

We found out with a shock that we qualify for a special County "low income" housing unit. We knew we we're "struggling". We thought it was simply because we had big student loans and had Tessy's NICU bills.

My husband has a good job and a graduate degree. He's at the top earning potential of his profession. We didn't know that by simply by adding two kids over the past three years that we would drop out of the middle class. This wasn't a matter of being frugal at the grocery store anymore. We could no longer afford to shelter our family of six.

We picked a low income unit that was in walking distance to our church. The new apartment was extremely small and looked out over a trash dumpster. I thanked God for it anyway.

 

The low income apartment place told us that we were welcome to move-in. The rent was super cheap. Only one problem. . . . .

No new babies!

Turns out they have the "only 2 people per bedroom rule" as well. They told us that without any four bedroom units available we'd have to move out the second baby number five turned six months old.

So we said "NO WAY"

 

Because I just refuse to stop decorating my house with these cute faces!*

*(Hey, I'm 36. Both God and my body might decide that I'm done having kids. Believe me, after 4 c-sections, part of me will be okay with Baby Tess staying my youngest. STILL, I'm not going to hand over my intimate childbearing decisions to some nameless corporate legal office!)

 

So we're leaving in three weeks! We're saying goodbye, not just to my over-priced City, but to my entire "living in an unreal housing bubble" State. We're taking these city kids and moving out to the country....

my old home state of West Virginia! (everyone who has known me from high school can properly faint at this moment!)

Things are moving along. We bought a mini-van. No more bus!

We got pre-approved for a mortgage. No more renting!

Soon, God willing, we will buy our very first house. (My first pick fell through this past week but there are other fish in the sea.) Maybe you have to know us personally to get the wonder at the amazing power of God--but trust me it's awesome. We are two poor, clueless Carmelites. Financial savvy did not get us into our first home. Jesus did!

(God LOVES the poor.)

St. Joseph, patron of families, pray for us!

I Spent My Mother's Day at Our Mom's House!

 

(Me with my extremely photogentic crew!)

 

 

 

Karate

 

Today my 6 year old son, Alex, broke a board with his bare foot. Crazy!

 

Prayer Request from a Neglectful Mama

I neglected to order the most darling photograph of my daughter actually receiving her First Communion last year from a professional photographer. When I finally got around to ordering it (one year later!) I discovered that the company only keeps images on file for the past 6 months. They are "looking, but the chances are not good."

We all know that Our Blessed Mother can work miracles. Can you say a quick prayer that they find the image for me?

Thanks!

A Must Read

Don't leave without checking out Father Dan's inspiring homily on the truly important part of Motherhood--sharing our Faith.

Thank you for blessing us with your Carmel insights dear Father Dan. Keep 'em coming!

Praying for all the Mommies Stuck in the NICU on Mother's Day

Can you please take a moment to say a prayer for Miss Ella's Mommy who spent her Mother's Day in the hospital. Miss Ella is inches from getting home from the PICU after a long 8 month journey.

This Mother's Day will find me.....

Celebrating a First Mother's Day with these lovely Mommies:

Abigail's Mommy

Hannah Grace's Mommy

Hannah Rose's Mommy

Issac's Mommy

Joseph's Mommy

Michael & Eli's Mommy


Enjoying a First Mother's Day of Siblings with these lovely Mommies:

Dominic's Mommy

Luke's Mommy

Laughing with these Experienced Mommies

Vivian's Mommy

Zelie's Mommy

Rejoicing in a Successful Homecoming from the NICU with these Courageous Mommies

Addison's Mommy

James' Mommy

Joey's Mommy

Sklyar's Mommy

Praying for These Expectant Mommies

Baby Cheesehead's Mommy (my own affectionate nicknames)

Baby Texan Number Five's Mommy

Grieving with These Mourning Mommies:

Micah and Judah's Mommy

Impatiently Hoping with These "I so want to become a Mommy!"

God Alone Suffices

Hebrews

This Cross I Embrace

Mary, the Mother of God, pray for us!