Feast Day: Feast of the Immaculate Conception

This is a BIG feast around here: the feast when we honor the fact that the Blessed Mother was conceived without the stain of original sin ... was pure from her conception ... so filled with grace that God chose her to be the mother of His son!

This is such a big feast that even dh "parties" -- on his way to work he stopped to get a sausage biscuit and coffee at McD's.  For those of you who KNOW my husband, this is really kickin' back for him.

Unfortunately my littles are sick!  String Bean has been down with a horrific cold since Friday -- she's getting better but her voice sounds like a bad impression of Lauren Bacall.  BamBam is sneezling and generally icky while poor LegoManiac has been feeling the pangs of a horrific cold that has his stomach so upset that he's been in the bathroom off and on for about 2 hours now (it's 6:00 a.m.) and generally unable to sleep.  The poor kids ... we don't even know if we'll make it to Mass today, that's how pitiful all are.

But, as the kids awaken and feel like it they'll be joining me in a new tradition: on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we will each make our own Nativity sets as well as put up and decorate our family one.  My plan is that each year, as the children's skills improve, the Nativity sets become more and more elaborate -- something that will become an heirloom collection that they can take with them as they grow into adults. 

This year, String Bean and LegoManiac have opted to make theirs with felt, making sewn 3-d shapes and stuffing them.  BamBam wants to make his from wood -- painting a simple, thin-wood set.  I'm going to make a "bread dough" set.  We will at least finish the Baby Jesus figures today as our Pastor will bless Jesus at Sunday's Mass (which is also the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe) -- so those kids better get better!  Although, somehow when we have a school day that includes crafting, miraculous cures take effect.

Prayers that your day is blessed with the intercessions of Our Lady and that you continue to experience a holy, healthy and happy Advent season.
 

Birthdays: guess who turned 48?

Birthdays are funny ... when you're little, it's all about the presents you get and the great stuff you get to choose for dinner/dessert and the surprise and excitement of it all.

As you age, you begin to see birthdays as a time of review ... have I done what I wanted to since last birthday?  Am I where I wanted to be at 30 ... or 40 ... or whatever?  Birthdays almost become "death knells" ... days to worry about and stress over.

But, all of a sudden ...

you're at a point where birthdays are really fun again -- it's all about the surprises and the treats and the happiness of all around you.  Some folks remember and some don't ... but the important folks always do ... and I'm so thankful for all those who thought of me today and prayed for me and sent good wishes ...

but especially, I'm thankful for my dear husband and my three youngest "babies" who made my day so extra special today (while my older two sent emails and cards and even called) ....

God bless them all .... and all of you who sent good wishes, prayers and cards ...

I love you all!

And for those who were wondering -- the kids and dh pooled their money and I got the scroll saw ... well, actually the beginnings of a fund for a scroll saw so that I can get a really good one.  We're over half-way there (thanks to gift money from my darling in-laws and a bit from a teacher-friend), so I should have enough to get the goregous thing before Advent starts so we can make those Nativity figures for this year's Christmas celebrations!
[Oh, and a fellow home-school mom had an old beach cruiser bike she wasn't using and was getting rid of so... I'll get that too -- isn't God good????]

Books: never too early to start planning for Advent

You probably don't want to hear this ... but it is just 87 days until the first Sunday of Advent and 89 days until the first day of December!  Advent is coming soon ... are you ready?

Here's a book I just finished that we'll be using this year ... and for years to come ... to help us on our Advent journey.  Destination: Bethlehem – A Family Advent Adventure, steeps the reader in this idea of a journey, a pilgrimage we undertake each year to understand more completely the event that occurred in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago.

Mother and daughter authors, Sharon Altman and Christine Winkelman, teemed up to write this book which they say is a gift “for the children in their lives”. And it is a gift that gives every day of December!  Broken into 24 bite-sized chapters (each only taking 10-15 minutes to read aloud), the book tells the story of 10-year-old Isaac, who lives west of Bethlehem, and his cousin Jediah, who lives near Zippori north of Bethlehem. The story begins the Advent journey with Isaac traveling to Jerusalem with his neighbor, Zachariah. The ensuing events of Zachariah being struck dumb in the Holy of Holies, of Elizabeth conceiving John the Baptist, and of Mary’s visit to her cousin are all told from Isaac’s perspective.

The story than shifts to Zippori and Jediah’s family hearing about the Roman census. Jediah's father is of David's family, so they must return to Bethlehem to “be counted”. For Jediah’s family, this is a long, arduous journey that includes meeting up with fellow carpenter, Joseph and his wife Mary, a shepherd family (where the reader gets a very good idea of what a shepherd must do to protect his sheep), meeting Simeon  and finally arrival at Bethlehem where they connect with Isaac's family and help Mary and Joseph find shelter.

I love how the authors kept the chapters light, but meaningful, so that each night of December, the chapter can be read, discussed and we can join in the journey. The book is packed with information about the social mores of the time, the cultural ins and outs that are so different from today.  I learned so much reading the end notes!  I highly recommend this book which you can get from Hillside Education.
I’m excited to use this with my own family as part of our Advent celebrations this year (and many more after). The authors suggest 24 items, one for each chapter, that can be used to reinforce the events of the journey. I think we’ll use this list (with slight changes), to fill our Creche as we near the birthday, using the book almost like an Advent Calendar or Jesse Tree.  For instance: when we read the chapter about the shepherd family, we'll add shepherds and sheep to our Creche; when we read about the Roman soldier, we'll add a horse to our scene. 

How are you going to do Advent this year?

Author(s): Sharon Altman and Christine Winkelman

Copyright: 2008  ISBN: 978-0-6152-1800-7 

Publisher: Bella Maria Books

Binding: Softcover

Number of pages: 187 pages

Subject(s): Advent

Grade / Age level: Grade 4-High School, Adults, Family read-aloud

available at Hillside Education