Library Paranoia

After discussing this with a friend who has the same problem, I feel liberated to confess a little problem I have with getting library books turned back in on time. Every time we go to the library (which by the way is a lovely local library the kids love that even has a coffee shop), I feel like there are invisible alarms going off. "There she is again, the one who can never turn in library books on time. Doesn't she have a fine that is due as well?" We make a lot of contributions to the library through this process.

Of course, dear DEAR husband never turns anything in late and won't even go in the library with me, adding to the paranoia. The only time he will get involved is when he can't stand looking at the books piled up by the door to be returned and will actually take them and drop them in the box outside the library. He must think there are hidden alarms that will go off if he walks inside with MY late library books (not his). To be fair, I always have good intentions which is paving a nice road to **** for me in this matter. This is not something I do on purpose, it's just that well, when you have mittens and hats and scarves and coats and shoes flying all over every time we go out the door, the library books just get forgotten in the shuffle. During the summer, I have no excuse that I can think of right now. Maybe that would be a good science project for the kids. Do library books get returned in a more timely manner during the summer? I can see the poster board charts now.

Anyway, my husband's parents were visiting this week and his mom took our oldest daughter to the library to read some books and enjoy the coffee shop. I know, I know, a coffee shop isn't even enough to get me motivated to get the darn books in on time. But I digress. The good news is that all our overdue books were already turned in (by dear husband of course), but I still need to go in and pay the outstanding fine. Dear daughter was going to get a new library card (because she lost hers like 5 years ago, obviously on the same path as her dear DEAR mom). Usually to get a replacement card is $1.00, but by the time she went in they did not have any records of her ever having one, so she needed to start the process all over again, requiring parents to fill out and sign the application. They would not let her grandma access our records in order to protect us. I told DH's mom it was probably a good thing for her because it protected her from the invisible alarms that would have been activated had they opened up my library record (blush). I'm not sure if she was too amused by this ;).

So, what is the point of this post? Nothing really, except that I am failing as a mom to teach my kids responsibility. But we can have a sense of humor about it all, so that must count for something. Anyway, it is almost New Years, and I am not even going to attempt to make a New Years resolution about this. And I don't want to make light of a serious problem that I am sure is the subject of a Parenting magazine article somewhere, "How to raise responsible kids." This article is of course right next to one entitled "How to regulate your body's normal hormonal cycle and not produce any more citizens that cannot turn in library books on time."

May God's Love Be With You

Love this song covered by Michael Stipe and Coldplay (original is Joseph Arthur). Wanted to share the song with you. The video is a French film I have never seen (Les Quatre Cents Coups), but was widely acclaimed in 1959. I don't know if I would like the movie or not (maybe I'll try to watch it some time), but I love the song!!

O Emmanuel

O Rex Gentium

O Oriens

O Clavis David

O Radix Jesse

Wow. Just. Wow.

Here is the power Reid does not want taken from him:

FY11OmnibusEarmarkDatabase


On the upside: possibly a more spiritual post coming up because I can't stand to leave this blog on a negative political note.

If you abhor politics, move along, nothing to see here :)

A Mother's Love

One of my favorite books is the original Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I also like each of the Little Women films as well. One of the most moving scenes in the 1994 film version of Little Women is when Marmee March returns home from tending to her husband wounded in the Civil War to care for her dying daughter, Beth. Every time I watch this scene it brings tears to my eyes. After doing all that they thought was possible, the doctor says that there is nothing left to be done but call for the mother. When Marmee returns home, she runs to her daughter and says "Marmee's here" and begins immediately to care for her daughter as only a mother can. Miraculously, Beth survives because of her mother's loving touch and care for her. Although Beth is weakened by this illness and years later eventually dies, her mother's love carries her through the suffering she endures.

While watching this movie again recently, a realization came that this is just what our Mother Mary does for us when we are on the brink of death, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. When we call on her, she comes in immediately and knows exactly what is necessary to bring us to life in Christ again, even if we are on the brink of death. Let Mary care for you only as a Mother can and show you the way to the Father's Love.

Scroll to about 2:45 to get to the scene where Marmee returns to care for Beth:

Test Strips for Rwanda

H/T Therese at Aussie Coffee Shop

Advent Moment of the Day

H/T Rocco at Whispers in the Loggia :)

Tota Pulchra es Maria

H/T Joy at Crocheted Mantillas and Chapel Veils

Time for Executive Branch to Watch Schoolhouse Rock

Well, I've already posted about how Congress needs to watch Schoolhouse Rock or maybe read the Constitution. It looks as though the Executive Branch maybe needs to do the same (not that this is any newsflash):


White House wants Transfer Authority on Appropriations



H/T Ed Morissey at Hot Air

Sugary lemonade to cool a hot temper

Gee, all I need is to drink more sugary lemonade! Wow, now that's easy!


Note/Disclaimer: I do not know anything about the website linked above, so ignore any politically correct or ideological driven science reports you may see there.


On a more joyful note: Hope you are having a blessed Advent. This is our most favorite season of the year. The kids love doing Advent prayers (that is when I'm not losing my temper asking them to sit quietly ;) ). Now that we have begun doing the lego calendar (as of yesterday Dec 1st), they have some more motivation to listen to the Jesse Tree meditations and other Bible readings we do during Advent. We just need to figure out a schedule as to who gets to do the Bible reading, lead the song, hang up the Jesse tree ornament, build the lego, blow out the candle, etc.... Doing a chart seemed too contrived to me, but we may just have to do that, because when they all know their role, then they will actually prayerfully participate. Maybe we should include sugary lemonade for Mom in there just for good measure ;) Dad doesn't need the sugary lemonade, he just rolls with punches :)

A Blessed Advent to you!