St. Monica, Patron Saint of Patience.

I right this one with the best intentions...i am about to embark on a very long road trip...with 4 children...a husband and his parents. I have nothing against any of them. But I know my patience with be tried, truely. And it scares that crap out of me. I can only imagine that the reason it scares me is that i will be stuck...stuck there with people that will get irritated with my children...just as I do on a daily basis...however...I AM ALLOWED, they are not. St. Monica isn't technically the Saint of Patience...but she needed much patience. I need patience in other areas as well. I feel like there is something out there, something I should be doing...but I can't right now. Yet, I see my friends succeeding in whatever it is they are doing and I get mad...but not that they are succeeding...I get mad because I am not. I am stuck...caring for a nearly 2 year old and her 3 older siblings who, as of late, have develped a sense of entitlement that quite frankly, is pissing me off....but....i have to have patience....school will start in the less than 2 weeks. Lily will be off to school before I know it...and then surely by then...I will have a plan to succeed...what ever that success will be. So ... St. Monica....I need you dear friend....

St. Bibiana....saint for hangovers....

The past few weekends...I have over endulged, to say the least. I guess being held up with the kids all day...too hot to do anything but sit around....and with no energy to explain why I am sitting next to so and so and not "me"....I have resolved to hide out in my room when ever the opportunity happens...usually when my youngest takes her nap. I watch recorded shows, read a book, plan some event coming up....and watch the clock. At around 4:30, I feel slight relief in knowing my husband will come through the door and I will get a true break. A "retreat" if you will, as I am blessed that he does the majority of the cooking...(Thank you Saint Pasqual, Patron Saint of Kitchens and Cooks...) And he understands my plight and sends me on my way...now, if I am lucky enough to have an outting...I begin my "getting ready" ritual. And when I exit the house....I am free, if only for a few hours....but in the back ground I don't hear babies crying, kids arguing, or "Mommy ?" .

The first drink is the always the tastiest, coldest, and smallest. Why is that? So of course another is ordered. This one is less cold, but who cares....we feel good now! By the second one...you think, meh....whats one more? The fourth one, lets be honest we just order it out of habit. And yes....this mommy's night out is almost over.

Then...I get home and it hits. The rooms spins...and I am left thinking "what the french was I thinking? Really? Sick?" blegh. Never drinking again, I am a grown woman! What possesed me? The next morning, room still spinning...but of course we don't really get a day off/sick day so we have to put our big girl undies on...and be a mom...maybe just a fraction of a mom...but a mom nonetheless....Resolve to get thier needs met and lay down when you can. And by the end of the day, I feel better...can finally eat...and yes, hubby walks in the door...and thank you St. Bibiana, I can rest a little...the next day we start ALL OVER AGAIN. Less endulgent, and hopefully St. Bibiana can tap me on the shoulder before I order drink number 4. blegh.

I am going to go camping with my daughter tomorrow...it is a "Mom and Me" Girl Scout camping trip. Now...truth be told. I don't camp. I am a creature of comfort. I take my own blanket...a body pillow, and a regular pillow. Yes indeed...I am about comfort. I can't sleep in my own house much less a tent or cabin with other people in it. So...I lean on St. Agnes...the Patron Saint of Girl Scouts....their is a Saint for Camping as well...St. George, but it turns out he is the Patron Saint of Boy Scouts as well.... I will probably be conversing to both of them this weekend...

St. Margaret Clitherow - Patron Saint for Business Woman

Someday...it will happen...I will own a business. My hope is sooner than later...but as a certain dear friend of mine keeps reminding me...be patient... so I am looking to St. Clitherow for patience....lots and lots of patience....

Patron Saint of Sadness and Desperate Times...

I friend just posted this on FB: "Sept 11(NY), Jan 11 (Haiti), March 11 (Japan) Luke 21: 10-11 Then Jesus said to his disciples, Nation will rise against Nation and Kingdom again Kingdom, there will be great earthquakes famines and pestilences in various places and fearful events and great signs from Heaven." Jesus says "Behold I come quickly".

It struck a chord pretty hard...it seems like each tragic event is more tragic than the next...my heart is heavy for all the people who have been effected by all of these events...in the mean time...what do we do? Is being "right with God" enough? I am no Saint by any means...I could always do better, but I am not even worried about myself. What about my kids...the life they expect to live...the plans they are making for thier futures.

Growing up Baptist, I always heard about the Rapture...it was always a fear..."if you didn't do the right thing, you would be left behind..." Scared the beggezzezzes out of me. I am not sure that is what God intended anyone to do...to fear him? But, now...with so many things happening...the time between them seem to be getting shorter...I believe these are desperate times...I am scared... for my kids. For my family. for my babies. Why was I given such precious gifts? Only to fear they won't grow up free, strong, ...at all?

..."it will be better in Heaven...we will have new bodies, we will be perfect" My Grandmother used to tell me this whenever I questioned the Rapture...or dieing. She is perfect now...but I still don't like that answer...

So, St. Jude...this is me...a Mom of four...a wife, an imperfect human...looking to you for guidance and strenth...maybe even hope......Im not ready for all of this heavy. Its too much. =(

San Pasqual, Patron Saint of the Kitchen

My husband is painting our house...starting with the kitchen....it is a wonderful blue color...so beautiful. It reminds me of the waters in Playa Del Carmen...I just love it. He, however...not so happy. But I know it the end...we will enjoy our (not so close to the) beach retreat we are creating...So we hope San Pasqual keeps my husband sane...especially since every one of our 4 children would like to "help"..... I may have to get that wooden statue pictured too....its kind a cool! =)

Saint Jonathan, Patron Saint of Friendship....

Through out my life...it may surprise some...I was never really good a keeping friends...I moved a lot as a kid. So it was pointless. Until I moved to a school where no matter where you lived in the town...you could pick the school you wanted to go to, in that town. So...no matter how many times we moved...I stayed at one school for all 4 years! It was sooo great. And I made my closest friends there. I am still friends a with a handful, but I am not with one...and I miss him. He was a great friend. While I hung out with the "punk rockers"...he hung out with the normal folks...but for whatever reason...we had a friendship connection that was awesome. We never dated...it was just a friendship. And I adore that past.

A little about me....i never got along with other girls growing up, i was always friends with guys...I don't know why. But thats how I was. I was the girl the guys didn't want to date...but i was the girl the guys could hang out with. So, has I speak of the man....it was not a romantic thing...it was friendship.

The other day, I had a dream that all of my closest friends lived in the same neighborhood...including this friend. And all the sudden, I had to move to another area...and we couldn't be friends anymore...and in my dream i became so incredibly sad. Upon waking I found that I was crying. I was pretty much bawling.

Now, thanks to Facebook we found each other again....but its different. We are both married. Both have kids...both living our lives for our families. He is doing great, but regardless of the 20+ years that pass...I am still sad for that friendship. I miss it. Its not that i don't get that friendship from my spouse...its just different. When you saw someone as a brother...and that brother is no longer a part of your life....it hurts.

I guess in the time that past, I always thought we would be a part of each others lives again...neighbors...something. But I have realized in the two years since we found each other again....life goes on with out that friendship. So I am leaning on St. Jonathan today...as i see him living a wonderful life....as am I .... but just as different types of friends. Facebook friends. Not the best, but I will take what I can get to keep those memories close.

I am thankful for the friends that I have now...I have gotten over the "not being able to be friends with girls thing" and actually have a circle of friends that are girls and while we can get caddy sometimes...we are great friends. My best male friends are the ones i gave birth to, and the one I married.... =)

Lent...Good Health... Infant Jesus of Prague

So we are 3 days into lent...I am giving up my comfort food...all of it. I am doing the South Beach Diet for Lent. On purpose. Maybe its a shamless way to try to loose weight...but there will still be some sufferage along the way right? Plus, in Lent...you want to be mindful of what Jesus went through in those 40 days...hence giving up "something". I realized in my thoughts of what I was giving up...I needed to give up the wieght I had aquired over the past two years thanks to my 15 month old daugher. And in order to do that...I will have to give up...sugar, carbs, processed foods, Starbucks, etc.... (although I found a Starbucks loop hole with the skinny chai latte...) Thats giving up a lot! I chose South Beach because I happen to have the book...with meal plans and recipes. And I am proud to say that I have stayed on track sticking to the meal plans...and I am excited to see the outcome of my health at the end of the 40 days. So, in my journey through Lent, in search of Good Health...I will lean on the Infant Jesus of Prague...who is not only the Patron Saint of Good Health but many other things including Family Life...which is so perfect. As my journey continues our regular meals will change to accomodate my meal plan...as such...they will become healthier too! This Lent may prove to be less painful than one may think!

Music....St. Cecilia

I love music. I don't play it, I like to sing a long but I don't sing solo....I love to become in engulfed in music. I love the musical Les Miserables...what a story....oh my word! There are so many casts...I don't have a favorite...I could listen to "On My Own"...."Bring Him Home"...."Master of the House"....ALL DAY. I love it. But I am an avid listener. I can't tell you when a certain song came out...what number they were on the charts...however I could probably tell you the name of the singer/band when I hear one bar....

So of course I searched for the Saint for Music... Saint Ceclia....she sang to God as she was dying. WOW! She is the Patron Saint for Musicians, instument makers and poets as well. She has an amazing story.....a little on the gory side...but we'll keep it light. All to say, she died a martyr...and after 4 attempts of her death she finally passed after taking communion. She is said to have the song of the Lord in her heart. I can relate somewhat...I am not sure I am as spiritual but I have a love of music that often times makes me feel like I am outside of my body when I hear Ava Maria or Moonlit Sonata...and yes...truth be told I feel the same way with the retro and modern music like...Janes Addiction or Duran Duran. I love the escape. I wonder if that was the same with St. Ceclia.

Not to mention when my priest prepares the Eurcharist during Mass...I can float in the music of thier voices (okay some of them...not all Priest's were given ribbon like voices...but luckily God isn't picky...) but that is my favorite moment in Mass...when its quiet....and we are all about to take part in another Last Supper...is amazing...and I am so glad music is a part of it. =)

Time Management and Mary

This morning was such a busy morning...I had to go to the grocery store, go to a parent teacher conference, drop something off to a friend...all before my 1 year old melted down. The time she melts down is around 11am. From then on we try to stay in doors...until well...the next day. So I wondered about a Saint for time management. I found St. Peter. He is the Patron Saint for workers, including clock makers. I thought..."close enough!" Surly St. Peter has heard many a mom call upon him for a little nudge of help during those time in which we seem to have to be in several places all at the same time. Now I have read that Saint Peter is not only the Patron Saint for workers including clock makers, but also the Patron Saint of Popes...now, there is some debate on whether or not he was the "first" Pope. Apparently he acted as the Pope but was never called "Pope". Either way, he is the Patron Saint for Popes...so I am not arguing...if he was called to be the Saint for Popes...well...that says a lot about him!!! His feast day is June 29th.

Speaking of all this Saint business! I have to acknowledged a friend of mine who amazed me with her knowledge of various Saints....her name was Mary Bartlett. She had stacks of Saint prayer cards and it just so happened....what ever was going on in your life... you better believe she had a prayer card for you...if not she knew of a Saint to help you out! My favorite memory of her was when I was cleaning the chapel where Jesus rests' ... I was washing the windows...and she came in and said "The last time I washed these windows I kept hearing little giggles...then Mary came to me and said 'Jesus giggled like that when I gave him a bath too'" ....She gave me a sense of ease when she said that. I always try to remain reverent, but there are times we forget in spite of Jesus' work...he was human like us. I like to imagine Mary had to have rolled her eyes at some of the shenanigans Jesus must have done when he was a kid. It helps me appreciate being a Mother...I will never forget the gift ~both~ Mary's gave me....=)

An introduction to new beginnings: St. Gerard and St. Luke

So, add me to the list of those who blog. I always wanted to blog, but what in the world could I offer to anyone and have a meaningful blog? I do have 4 awesome kids and my husband IS a Super Hero (don't tell him I said that....) so what or WHY would I want to blog? Well Thank You dear friend Lori Miller...and blogger extraordinaire of whom wasn't feeling well and I thought "I wonder if there's a Saint for that"...and here we are....with our smart phone love ...I did borrow the phrase from.."there's an app for that". (I am pretty sure you got it, but hey...I just got my smart phone about just a few months ago so...there some people out there they may not know the connection...I'm just sayin'! )

Now let me preface by saying I am a Catholic, I love my faith...but I am still learning...I am not an ethereal Catholic, actually I am still a new Catholic having converted when my oldest daughter was born, 10 years ago. I stay home, I go a little nuts often but I am inspired to make a difference in peoples lives...so here is to new beginnings...and yes...there IS a Saint for that.

The first one is St. Gerard. Probably one of my favorites, as he is the Patron Saint for expecting mothers. When I was expecting my second child, one of my Priest's gave me a cloth that had St. Gerard on it, and I laid it on his crib before he was born...and then when it was time to give birth, i put it in his diaper bag and had it at the hospital while I was delivering. It was so comforting to know that not only Jesus was guiding me...and his buddy St. Gerard, was with us too.
St. Gerard died early but it seems as though God gave him a gift to help woman who were not only expecting, but helped those who were trying to conceive as well. Many mothers gave him a nickname the "Saint of Happy Deliveries" (I am sure that is open for interpretation to many) His feast day is October 16th.

And then for my new start in this blogging hobby... ...for that I go to St. Luke....an incredibly focused man, a doctor, writer and artist...he is a good friend to lean on when you are pondering new ideas, or going into a new venture.

As a Mom, I am always trying to think of new ways to deal with, help, and guide my kids...I might be talking to St. Luke a little more often. I am sure St. Anthony is getting a little tired of hearing from me on a daily basis....(i will save him for another entry!) Ironically, St. Luke's' feast day is October 18th just a few days after St. Gerard!

Now....I know there are many people that will have more knowledge than myself about Saints, about being Catholic, about blogging. I'd like to respectfully ask that you refrain from commenting negatively and understand that my reasoning for this blog is to reach the Mom's that could use a little giggle (respectfully) in the fact that there are SAINTS everywhere! Some might be serious...some not so much...but all under the same umbrella of knowing that we could all use a little support in our lives, and as a baby Catholic myself...I could use all the support I can get ...and if that means reaching out not only to Jesus...but his posse too...
=)