Bits of Tid

What an emotionally draining weekend!  We had some kind of stomach bug going around, and so all of our fun plans were cancelled.  There's nothing like making a whole crockpot of chili for company and then realizing you have to eat it for the rest of the week.  I guess that nasty iron side effect won't be an issue this week (if you know what I'm sayin...)

Plus these hormones are making me a wee bit emotional.  I usually have one crying breakdown per pregnancy and at only 12 weeks in, I've already had it.  I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.  What was I crying over?  Something about Phil flipping through too many stations while watching tv in bed. So, you know, nothing too dramatic ;)

This commercial makes me cry every single time.  Phil doesn't see why.  It's not what the son says, it's the mom's reaction to her son that tugs at my heart.

Okay, so that commercial would probably tug at any mother's heart. So would this next one:


 But what about this one?  I think I'm the only one who teared up at this Pepsi commercial:

It was the military scene.  I don't know either.

~

But, some good things happened too!  Like the homily on Sunday.  It was about detachment from wordly things.  Why should we be detached from things of this world?  So we can be attached to things of the next!  So simple.  

Monsignor told the story of two priests...one who "retired" but still wanted to help out a parish and so he moved into the new parish with nothing but 2 suitcases.  All his worldly possessions in 2 suitcases!  Then he told of his priest friend that he went to visit who was moving to a new parish and had boxes and boxes of stuff that needed to move with him.  Monsignor came home from that trip and took anything out of his suitcase he hadn't used and gave it to St. Vincent de Paul.  

He reminded us that when we go to buy something, ask ourselves if we need it, if it helps us get to Heaven, or if it can help someone less fortunate.  Basically I don't think I'll be buying anything ever again! 

The message was solidified later that night when Maggie innocently asked me what my favorite toy was when I was a girl.  I had to think about it because we really didn't have many toys.  Not because we were poor, but because we were always outside playing with friends.  I honestly remember having a "pet net" with some stuffed animals and Cabbage Patch Kids, and a bunch of My Little Ponies, and that's it.  My kids were shocked at this revelation, as they glanced over at the toy room (yes a whole room dedicated to toys!).  

Excess much?

I quickly realized we had a whole lot of simplifying to do in our house.  

~

My friend Michelle texted me this weekend asking me to pick what I liked from a list of meals because she was going to cook and bring us some meals this week!!  What?!?!  She has only eight kids of her own, and is going to prepare some meals for our family because she knows how hard the first trimester can be.  How pro-life is that?  So nice, and while I feel guilty accepting, after an emotionally draining and puke-filled weekend like the one we just had, I am sooooo looking forward to it!

Her kind actions make me want to do something nice for someone else "in need".  I just need to figure out who and what.  

You know what I've learned about helping someone out?  I've written about it before, but the point is that you can't just say to someone "Let me know if you need anything!"  That's a cop out.  You have to actually do something, suggest something, or really get them to tell you what they need.  Every time after I have a baby, people say "I'm here for you" then disappear until my post-partum fog lifts.  What we should all be doing is actually showing up and physically being there (if possible).  I know how hard it is to go out of our comfort zone and give our precious time and energy to another family, but even just ordering them a pizza or having their older kids over for a playdate can help a mom so much!  Or if they live too far away, send a nice note encouraging them in their vocation, or call them to check in.  I really need to make myself do these kind deeds more, and truly be pro-life.

~

Finally, I got to read Cari's new book!!!  It was sooooooooo good!  

You think you know someone, and then they go and write a book and you like them even more.  You guys have to get your hands on it as soon as it comes out, and you can pre-order it now!  This would be an easy way to help a mother (of six!) out :)