Thinking about Gratitude for the Three Fs: Faith, Friends, and Family

Gratitude!

I was thinking about it on Saturday while we celebrated 250 years of this great country. And how grateful I was to see all the enjoyment of the day with family and friends. What a blessing going in the pool with our little two-year-old grandson who sat on the steps and splashed with glee. What joy! What laughter! O beautiful for summer skies and little toddlers' feet!

My Favorite Kneeling Santa!

Do you have your priorities in order this Christmas?

Happy 4th of July, America - God Mend Thine Every Flaw

What do you think? If you asked the average man on the street why we celebrate 4th of July, do you think he could tell you? I have my doubts. But I'm sure Ray Charles could. What a man! Have a blessed 4th of July!

A Letter to Mom on Mother's Day

Dear Mom,

Thinking about you this morning, tears came to my eyes:

Tears of sorrow for all the times I failed:

to appreciate what a gift from God you were to me,
to remember all your acts of sacrifice for Daddy and your ten children,
to be the daughter I should have been,
And, above all, to appreciate you and say thank you more.
Please forgive me, Mom. 

Tears of gratitude for all the gifts you gave me:

life,
a cheerful disposition,
brothers and sisters to share experiences with,

Rejoicing in Family!

I love holidays because they always bring family visitors. Not everybody, of course; we have to share with the other grandparents...but we are rarely celebrating alone. This July 4th brings our Texas daughter and her family which includes five little princesses including one not-so-little sweet sixteen. We plan on a special outing to celebrate her being on the cusp of Catholic womanhood.

We won't be able to see the youngest member of our family party because she is still in her own little watery world of Mama's womb. But we'll see the evidence of her presence. And we've already seen her first photos through the wonderful technology of ultrasound. If you'd like to be introduced, check her out on my gramma blog. Hope your 4th of July is as full of family and fun as ours.

God bless America!

Did You Catch a Leprechaun Today?

Every year at least one of our grandkids constructs a leprechaun trap (with the help of engineer dad). This year was the most complicated of all.  See the trap demonstrated here. I wonder how much our first grader actually did. But he's smart as a whip so he was probably a consultant who suggested the laser beams. Oh, by the way, the leprechaun is prevented from jumping out by a plexiglass cover which was left off for the demonstration because of the glare.

Frankly, I suspect that the trap will fail because leprechaun's move at lightening speed and have acute hearing so the minute the magnet begins to operate, he'll here it and dash out under the door. (Did the door catch a bit of green cloth from his coat?) Hey, if Indiana Jones can do it, it's a piece of cake (or Irish soda bread) for a leprechaun! Proof for my theory? I'll bet the door was closed and there was no leprechaun in the trap!

Anyway, Happy St. Paddy's Day and I hope you catch a leprechaun, eat some corned beef and cabbage, and wish the top o' the morning to everyone you meet. We are all Irish on St. Patrick's Day, even St. Patrick who was really a Brit.