I Object!

Do you think she looks like a lawyer?

Colleen is taking a Practical Law class this year and as a part of the class she has the opportunity to participate in a Mock Trial competition. The competition is today at the County Courthouse. Hopefully all those years of pleading your case with your parents and examining and cross examining your siblings will come in handy today. Good luck Colleen!

God bless,

Theresa

Colleen

Notice anything different about Colleen?

No more braces!

Top of The Hill

I Didn't Realize Our Driveway Was This Long!

Here are my helpers as we tried to get at least enough snow off the driveway so that Gary could get off the road. We got about 1/2 way up when our neighbor with a snowblower came and rescued us. The title is a quote from Colleen as we were shoveling.

That Four Letter Word

I went to bed thinking about this last night. I heard this word at least a dozen times this week. Obama said it, the Pope wrote it in his letter to Obama, a number of senators and representatives and others at the March for life emphasized it, and I heard it at Mass last night. Have you guessed what it is? HOPE!
Want to read more about it? Pope Benedict has written an encyclical "On Christian Hope" (Spe Salvi). Sometimes the Pope’s writings can be a little challenging but they are definitely worth the time and effort.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html

God bless,
Theresa

"Hey mom guess where I am going?"

I got a phone call last night from Michelle. She said something like "hey mom guess where I am going?" and of course I didn't have a single clue. I sensed excitement in her voice and so I was pretty sure she wasn't talking about a trip to Walmart. I gave up and she said "I am going to the March for Life!" Well in the next few minutes I discovered she was actually in a car on her way to Washington DC to stand up for life. I am proud, excited, and ok a little nervous. I did recieve a text at 3am saying they made it. I have not heard from her today but my guess is they are probably heading home as we speak. May God bless all the travelers with a safe journey.

Theresa

PS The poster is one Michelle made when she was about 12 to hold up when we joined in the annual Respect Life Chain. The baby in the little picture is days old Colleen and of course the 2 year old squeezing her is proud sister Michelle.

1st Little Bird Flies the Nest

The last week has been a little crazy with snow days and delays and so finally today I will take a few minutes during our lunch break to blog. Yesterday we went to visit Michelle after her first week at Franciscan. Last week I took her down on Thursday expecting to spend the night with a friend that lives about 50 minutes from the college and then come home on Friday and go back again with the family on Saturday but the winter weather threw a wrench in that plan and I ended up staying Fri and Sat in a hotel by myself in Stuebenville. That was weird. I don't know that I have ever stayed in a hotel by myself before. I did have a chance to see afew TV shows I have never seen namely "What Not to Wear" and "John and Kate Plus Eight". I was reminded how easy it is to get sucked in by the television and hours to go by. I did also manage to get some reading/paperwork done I had brought along and was able to attend some parent sessions at the orientation that I hadn't planned on.
Leaving Michelle on Sunday was one of the hardest things I have ever done. She stayed in the parking lot and waved until I was out of sight. There were lots of tears especailly that first hour driving home. I miss her like crazy but am grateful she is doing well and I know this is part of "my job". I love being a mom and I am soooooooooo grateful for the 18 years I had with her in the nest. Now that said, even though she has left the nest I am hopeful she will come back often and even when the time comes that she starts her own nest or whatever God calls her to do I will always be her mom!
I was talking to my mom the other day about how different it is than when I went away to college. My father died when I was 12 and I was the oldest so needless to say it was traumatic for my mom when I left especially since she turned 40 that same month. Now with cell phones, texting(yes I have learned how to text), and email we can stay in touch. When I went to college there was one phone in the lobby of the dorm and it wasn't likely somebody would answer it and then come up 3 flights of stairs to get you!
Oops lunch is way over, time to get the boys back to lessons.
God bless,
Theresa