Stories

Written December 30, 2011 while we were in South Padre Island for Christmas Break.  Memories...

I was watching the girls play in the pool and hot tub while finally writing Christmas cards on our back deck.  They were using the hot tub more like mini-pool, swimming around, even wearing goggles.  Seeing Mia's goggles sitting unguarded on the side for a moment, Grace decided to throw them in the pool, the idea being that Mia would have to jump into the freezing cold water to retrieve them.  There was a bit of heated discussion around the unfairness of this and I had intervened to tell Grace that she should either go get Mia's goggles herself or give Mia her own goggles.  Then--"SPLASH!"  Without fanfare, Super Sophie had jumped into the pool to save the day.  I was so proud of her.  Her sisters were too.

Chris read us the first Chapter of Ray Bradbury's Frost and Fire.  Listening to Chris read is probably the most soothing thing in my world.  He has a great voice.  Apparently the girls think so too because they all fell asleep.  Grace was lying with me, pretty much on top of me, and was asleep--and twitching--within seconds.  I think we may have discovered a new secret formula.  Unfortunately, it did not work on Ella and when Chris and I left Madeleine in charge a bit later, she was still awake and playing games on my cell phone.  (It feels like we have two teenagers in the house.)

Mother's Day 2020

     The girls (mostly Grace) have been asking me to blog about the quarantine.  For now, I am sitting down to write about something near and dear to my heart.  Mother's Day.  I love Mother's Day because I love being a mom.  It is a day when I bask in whatever happens.  I approach it palm open, holding lightly any expectations or preferences and my family never disappoints.
     About a week ago, Sophie handed me this list of possible Mother's Day activities.

I especially like the option to be left alone all day.  My family knows me well.  I ended up choosing the tea party option and, when Chris asked what I would like for breakfast, Eggs Benedict.  Like my girl Maggie Carpenter in Runaway Bride, I love Eggs Benedict and Chris makes it so well!

Our "corona altar" decorated for Mary

   


After breakfast, we attended Mass with Fr. Mike Schmitz.  His homily was inspiring (and very long) as always and covered much.  My favorite line was about motherhood, that it is "not elegant but powerful."  Perfectly put.
     We all dressed up for High Tea.  The girls outdid themselves with the decorations and goodies. Madeleine asked me to tell about my proudest moments as a mom so I went around the table and related specific moments for each girl.  Some of these were bigger moments like when Mia played Mary in the nativity play, The Promise but, as I told them, though I cannot remember each one, there are so many small moments of each of them showing kindness or courage when I've thought, "Wow!  That's my kid!"
After that, they each told of special mom moments.  Interestingly, most of them had to do with me spoiling them or buying them things!

Ready for Tea!

When they asked for my food preferences, my only request was a bundt cake.
We recently watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding in which there is a humorous scene
about a bundt cake.  This one was delicious and, best of all,
was perfectly positioned right by my seat!

Flat Joseph was at the tea party too.  We seem to attract flat visitors.  Joseph liked the food and conversation
but wished for more boys!  I know that Uncle Chris secretly agrees!

Grace's pretzel balls.  She was quite proud of them.

Sophie's Nutella pastries.  So yummy!

The whole day was wonderful but I especially enjoyed our re-creation of a picture we took Mother's Day 2011.  At the time, I was seeking the perfect pile-on picture.  I had hired a photographer to take one of our family Christmas 2010 but the photos were awkward instead of cute and fun.  Chris took this one and it is one of my all time favorites of me and my dames.  Nine years ago!  I was 40 and now, in just one blink, I am about to leave my 40s behind.  I think we did pretty well with the new photo.  Go back here to see the post about the original shoot.

   

Doyle Dames Mother's Day 2011

Doyle Dames Mother's Day 2020 (9 years later!)

To top off the day, C made me some really good sangria to drink while I blogged.

This may have been a perfect day.  Or maybe just a dress rehearsal for my birthday?
See you back here soon girls! 

a P.S.
Today was our goddaughter Josie's 4th birthday.  We FaceTimed with her while she opened the gifts we sent, three books about Frances--Bread and Jam for Frances, Best Friends for Frances and Bedtime for Frances.  Below, Chris is reading to Josie while she and her sisters read along from Bread and Jam for Frances.  Frances is quite the singer and writes many little songs throughout the book, all of which Chris sportingly tackled.  This was another highlight of the day for all of us!  We love you, Josie!

Babies

How many times have I wished to go back for just a day?  An hour even.  To see my babies as they were then.  I know there were moments that I cherished then, moments when I was acutely aware of time passing quickly, morphing my little babies into little ladies.  So many moments of those days were spent being busy, busy, busy.  I have never been one to stand still or sit for long.  But if I could go back, I would sit.  I would stare into the wonder of those small eyes so fresh from God.  I look forward to eternity when this movement of time and the pain it brings is behind me.  Then I will see each of my girls in her entirety.  Baby selves, little selves and grown up selves all in one.  Not that I am in a hurry.  I still have four of them at home with me every day.  Even that will not last long though as one more is due to head off to college in the fall.  Change.  It is the one thing that does not change!

I almost deleted this post.  It is one of my many unposted drafts and it had no title.  Fortunately, I opened it before clicking the trash can icon.  I think these were a hodge podge of photos of everyday life early 2012.  What a treasure they were to see!  Thank you Alice 2012

Send Off

This post was written March 7, 2012.  The pictures are from a balloon launch we did for Kirsten at "the horse playground" close to our house in Kingwood, TX.  I posted a video at the time to show that we were thinking of her and her family all the way from The Lone Star State.  I don't know why I never posted this.  Probably because I had more photos to add.  The ones I uploaded are mostly of Sophie and Ella.  Looking at it now, I can't believe how little the girls were and how much we have been through since.   

So, post before last, I talked about losing my cousin Kirsten.  I will be honest with you--I wanted to fly home.  I wanted to be there at the wake and the funeral.  I cannot think of anything I value more than my family.  And "family" to me, has never meant just mom, dad, brothers, sisters.  God gave me a big family--aunts, uncles, cousins, the whole shebang--and I love it.  I call it my "context".  I know I would not be me without them.  John Donne said, "No man is an island".  No woman either.  

A New Adventure

 Flashback Post Written 10/5/2016 when I was going to re-start the blog...HA!  So much easier to start than to re-start!

I have decided that it is time to blog again.  I considered a new blog with a new name pointing to a new theme but decided that a) it's easier to take up where I left off with the blog I already have and b) the title is appropriate.  I am the "Frodo Two" of Frodo Seven, this merry band with whom I travel life.  We are each "Frodo", with a destiny that is important, scary and full of adventure.  Together, we are seven.  When I named the blog, I wondered if I would have to rename it "Frodo Eight" at some point but seven we were and seven we are today.  We will not remain seven unless all of our girls become nuns.  Growing in Frodos is a blessing we look forward to.
My goal in blogging again is to document a new phase in our home school journey.  For those of you who do not know, we have been home schooling our children for over a decade.  There are a few different definitions of home schooling out there.  Mine is "keeping the children home instead of sending them to a brick and mortar school."  There are many different ways to home school or not school formally at all.  The key word to me is "home".
That said, there are those who might say that we departed from home schooling this year when we enrolled our children in a cyber school.  A cyber school is a public school.  It is paid for by tax dollars so the computers and books and printer that we received are all gratis to us.  (Or a small token compared to the money we have been paying in taxes all these years)  The kids have teachers with whom they interact over the computer wearing head sets like little telemarketers.  But they are home. And I am home.  In fact, I am working harder now at home than I ever have in our years home schooling.  Which is interesting but I will get to that later.
As with any new venture, there are pluses and minuses.  Good days and bad and definitely ups and downs (which is a given really with four girls and a mom at home together ALL DAY LONG).  I want to chronicle them here.  Why?  Because that is the only way to remember.  There are so many things worth remembering.  Like all the web mails I have been getting from eight year old Ella telling me, "I love you Mommy xxxxxxxxx."  And all of the many reasons Sophie has given me that she is not qualified for cyber school and should be exempt from school altogether.
I am way too serious many times when I should take things more lightly.  The important thing is not what my kids know or what they can do but who they are.  As incredible individuals.
I bet they forgot to clean the litter box again......

Till next time.

Bay of Fundy 2

Continuation of the Canada Chronicles
August 2018

Waking up in St. Martins, we got our first glimpse of the Bay of Fundy from our own private--don't go too close to the edge!--cliff.  I couldn't get enough of the view but the truly unique thing about the Bay of Fundy was something we wouldn't have known just looking at it in that moment.  It is home to the highest tides in the world meaning that the changes between low and high tide are dramatic.  To appreciate the difference, it is important to see the same place at both high and low tides.
As we drove to the caves, a highlight of St. Martins, we passed a dock where three boats were tied up, not one of which was in the water.  In fact, there was no water at all in the little cove.  We guessed that the water would come in later and we saw that afternoon that we were correct.  The boats could now float but if they left, they would have to be very careful to honor curfew lest they be stuck away during low tide!
The caves were impressive.  It was low tide when we arrived and there was an entire expanse of rocky beach between the parking lot and the edge of the water with all kinds of washed up treasure.  We were able to explore the caves, wade and search for rocks.  Poor Grace cut her foot badly when she slid down a rock she tried to climb.  Chris, being the better amateur doctor of the two of us, piggy backed Grace back to the car where I actually had a stocked first aid kit.  I had started to follow them but a couple minutes in lost my footing in a particularly slippery muddy area and ended up in mud from my ankles to my neck.  I even had seaweed hanging from me.  Fortunately, I landed in such a way as to protect my camera!  I got a few laughs from the girls but considered myself luckier than the man who had been walking his dogs when he fell and literally rolled over a rocky patch.
The day was blue-skied and perfectly temperatured and the girls and I minus Grace walked all over the rocks exploring every bit of shoreline.  Later, reunited with Chris and Grace, we had a picnic on one of the tables scattered around the area.  It was hot in the sun so we did not linger.  We drove around a bit checking out other possible spots to swim--there were none--and then headed back to the cottage.  After a quick trip to the lighthouse, we headed back to Mac's beach, the beach near the caves.  We swam.  Sophie and Ella the most.  It was very cold, not so much that it took our breath away but shocking.  There was much fun and laughter as the girls swam together and they were reluctant to head back to the cottage.
Chris grilled dinner and we ate in the backyard.

Bay of Fundy 1

Continuation of the Canada Chronicles    
August 2018

The drive from Quebec City to St. Martins was the hardest leg of our trip so far.  Despite being shorter than the drive from Niagara to Quebec City, it felt twice as long.  We stopped at the Basilica of St. Anne Beupere for about an hour which delayed our arrival until after midnight after losing one hour to time change along the way.  For me, the most stressful parts of the drive were the stretches of highway with moose warning signs.  The "meese" tower over the little cars in a very menacing way.  Clearly, if a moose and car stand off, the car--or van--will lose.  I put myself on moose-spotting duty which was very stressful particularly when it got dark.  We listened to Prince Caspian on this leg.  I had a hard time focusing due to my state of high alert but the kids enjoyed it.
     In the description of the cottage we rented was a reference to a cliff on the property with a 200 foot drop.  I wasn't terribly worried about the cliff in daylight.  The girls are certainly old enough to avoid it but driving down unfamiliar roads in the dark made it a bit more concerning.  I imagined fatal drops on all sides.  Still, we made it, assigned all the beds and ended the day excited.  The cottage was tiny and cute and it all felt a lot like camping only with indoor plumbing.  After the girls got settled that first night, Chris and I went out to the little bench built into the deck 35 feet from the cottage.  It was clearly meant to be an observation point.  The night was incredibly dark and at first, I could not see even an outline of anything around me.  Gradually, my eyes adjusted and as I looked heavenward, I could see dustings of stars across the sky.  It wasn't the normal points of light I see when I stargaze, more like someone had dipped a paintbrush in star dust and swirled it here and there across the black.  I sat on the bench overwhelmed with exhaustion and amazement until I heard a door open and a little voice wondering where we were.  The strange cottage and bed were too much without a parental presence close by.  Goodbye beautiful sky.  I will be back before we leave.  Actually, as it turned out, I did not go back out in the pitch black another night.  I have one memory of that scene and I will treasure it.
     Aside from the cliff, which turned out to truly be a 200 foot drop to a rocky beach, the highlight of the cottage was its proximity to a bonafide working lighthouse.  The sounds of horns and bells were a treat but the view from lighthouse hill was breathtaking.  I enjoyed the view from the cottage's cliff but it was a very small one because of all of the pines and other trees growing at the edge and literally holding the ground together.  The lighthouse view was entirely different.  It was wide in both directions and there was plenty of room to roam the hillside for different vistas--which Sophie did more than anyone.  Ella found wild blueberries that her dad gave her permission to eat.  Mia brought her journal and sat in a narrow spot that jutted out over the water a bit and then went back with Madeleine one morning to watch the sunrise.  The scene reminded me a bit of The Count of Monte Cristo because of the rocky jutting bits of cliff.  It was more beautiful than my heart could hold.  Even more amazing to me was the fact that we had it all to ourselves.  We have certainly done and paid for touristy things in Canada but so many moments that we have treasured have been personal and private, our tiny band alone in God's great, big, beautiful world.  To say we have been blessed is an understatement.  I feel lavished upon.
     Who is man that God created this incredible world for his delight?  Baffling, unanswerable question.  We have lived it on this trip and I am so grateful.