Just keep blogging...

I want to say first that I so appreciate all your prayers and condolences in response to this post.  There's no way I can respond to every comment, but every little note you leave me means so so much and I thank you.  I can absolutely feel the prayers working.

Things are very strange around here...  I'm cooking and baking up a storm to try to fill my mom's refrigerator and freezer as much as possible.  Andrew thinks that's silly, because it's not like anybody cooked at her house before my dad died, but it's one of the few things I can do, since I can't pick up with all 4 kids and try to help clean her house...  So cooking, baking, and various other funeral preparations are how I'm trying to help.

Taking some time to snuggle little cuties like this is probably the best medicine.  Ohhh how precious they are!  Do you see the adorable smile?

 

I was going to step back from blogging for a while, but then I realized that my blog is one of my mom's absolute favorite things, so this is probably a good time to keep blogging, and to blog more than before because I know it's always a bright spot in her day to read the happenings around here.  Tuesday's link-up is still on, as strange as it seems to be focusing on laughter during a time of mourning...  But we've been laughing so much amidst the crying these past few days (which seems inappropriate from the outside, but in our family it's so very appropriate) that I think it's a perfect time to keep going on.

I can't help but laugh at this picture, which belongs in a caption contest...  "Jonathan takes preemptive action against wrinkles by ironing his face" is a good one.  Or perhaps, "Little boy pees in pants, burns face, still doesn't drop cookie?"

We've started the St. Andrew Christmas Devotion, with the specific intentions of the repose of my dad's soul, as well as the conversion (well, the reversion I suppose) of my two brothers, Patrick and Timmy.  Daddy always said that he knew they would return to the Church, although it feels as though it would have to be a miraculous occurrence.  And that's what the St. Andrew Christmas Devotion is for, isn't it?  So if you're praying it, I'd love it if you could add our intentions to yours. 

And Patrick and Timmy, if you're reading this, I've been praying for you both for years - I'm just going to be even more fervent about it now ;)

 

These two insisted on a photo after Mass (and Cecilia had to take her "perfect puppy," which is either a puppy dressed up as a reindeer or a reindeer wearing a hat, we're not sure.  But some sweet friend left it on our porch last night with a lovely card!), so I thought I might as well try to take one of myself and link up with What I Wore Sunday to ask for your prayers!

 

 

Schoolmarm-chic, I call the look.

 I'm just proud of myself for owning something purple.  I bought that shirt SPECIFICALLY for Advent!  Liturgical win!

 

And speaking of Advent, it could not have come at a more perfect time.  I need this so badly right now, when all I want to do is curl up and cry, but our routine is in place and we've got that calm being almost forced upon us...  But it needs to be forced, or I'll whip myself into too much of a frenzy!

 

We're getting the Christmas and Advent books out one by one, lighting our Advent wreath for a very quick morning and evening prayer, reading from our Advent calendar, and very slowly preparing for Jesus' birth. 

 

What SHE wore Sunday

 

Andrew had a rare Sunday off from singing so we went to Mass together and it was not a disaster!  Sure, the babies were talkative and nobody behaved perfectly, but the big kids stayed in the pew the whole time and the babies didn't even have to leave the church!  That's a victory in my book!

 

 

One more picture for good measure.  Bet you wouldn't guess this baby has been refusing to sleep and now has SEVEN teeth protruding from her little gums!  Don't worry, Elizabeth isn't sleeping either.  We're a barrel of laughs over here.

 

 

One last thing before I stop babbling...

 

I'm astounded by the generosity of friends and strangers.  I set up a fund to help pay for my dad's funeral and other incidental costs - I set an arbitrary goal of $10000, thinking there was no way we'd meet that.

 

48 hours later, and (as of right now), we've raised almost $8000.  This will go a long way, I hope!  If you can spare money to donate, we all greatly appreciate it.  If you can spare a prayer, we appreciate it!  You are amazing, beautiful people and I'm so glad to be part of such a supportive community.