My View (vol. 29)

What I am reading: history books - I have three power points to finish this week. I am not freaking out, no, why do you ask? (WHY DO YOU ASK?!?)

Also, Doctor Grumpy's blog. He makes me laugh!

Love what I am eating: Apple Cinnamon Cheerios and Macintosh Apples (not at the same time) and THIS:

OH YES.

Meal planning: Crockpot week! I bought a family pack of chicken breasts - I'm currently planning on fixing creamy chicken and broccoli over rice (again, because it delicious, warm, comforting and easy-peasy) and am on the hunt for another chicken crockpot recipe. My friend Jess posted 33 three ingredient crock pot meals, which all look good.

We do have BBQ sauce, so I might fix baked barbecue chicken. Oh! If I remember, I'll e-mail my mother for the recipe for Chicken Crack, a ye olde family favorite. I don't know it's "real" name - our family loves it so much that we call is Chicken Crack, because it's addictively delicious. (Stay tuned! At the very least, I'll have her fix it when she comes in March.)

Any [delicious/ healthy/ easy] chicken recipes you love to share?

This week in history: It was an awesome week from the vantage point that Will was just home more. I am trying to jump ahead in work for when Bebe Deux comes, while simultaneously keeping up with grading and teaching. Will loves being back in the ER, and is studying for a big test at the end of this month. The great news is that he was granted a few vacation days after bebe is due!!

Meanwhile, I am big things poppin'...!

Grace is doing well in therapy - I am constantly reminding myself, "Slow progress is still progress." Some days are awesome days. Some days are fighting days. And then, some days are surprise-filled.

Yesterday, Grace and I went grocery shopping; I bought her a Valentine's Day balloon and she loves it.

This morning, Will was holding Grace next to it while they waited for me to put my boots on before leaving for mass. Grace started hitting the balloon with her right hand on her own - THIS IS HUGE. She does more with it when prompted by us, or forced to - we have not seen a lot of willingness to use it on her own. Okay, tearing up. Our daughter is a rock star!

She discovered PhotoBooth this week:

We're celebrating Mardi Gras from afar:

We had good friends come visit!

Prayers: This week, I encountered a young Catholic really struggling with the Church. The interaction was extremely hostile. I'm still feeling very troubled by the lack of mercy and compassion shown to our fellow Catholics and human beings, as well as boxed-in version of thinking.

Please pray for those whom are being spiritually attacked - let Christ's light shine into the darkness of our doubts and the drudgery of our life on earth, as Job said today in the first reading. This earth groans beneath the weight of our fallenness, and I pray for renewed strength to carry our crosses.

Also, tomorrow is my cousin B's birthday. She passed away 6 months ago - please pray for her, and our family. I miss her so much.

Next week, I am going to: NOT GO INTO LABOR. I've given Bebe Deux multiple reasons not to come before February 16.

If you're a lady and on twitter, you should join in the Blessed Is She's #BISchat tomorrow evening at 9 pm EST. Here's the transcript (most of it!) from last time/ January's session. Such a wonderful community of women!

Have a great week!

Follow me: Bloglovin // Facebook // Google+ // Instagram // Twitter

Internet Ire and Righteous Results

The readings for February 6, 2015:

First reading: Hebrews 13:1-8
Responsorial Psalm: PS 27:1, 3, 5, 8B-9ABC
Alleluia: Luke 8:15
Gospel: Mark 6:14-29

Pope Francis “hanging out” via Google with kids with disabilities from around the world

There is a lot of hostility being generated in the online worlds. I teach my history students that this is the result of fear. Fear prompts a tongue lashing, or a dismissing of people and ideas. Fear prompts distrust, disloyalty, and a vengeful spirit. There is no peace where there is fear, and the growth of hate.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid? 

Who do we hate? We hate the ones who disagree with us, who challenge us. We hate that our pope makes gaffes (like we all do – and none ex cathedra, I might add). We hate when fellow Catholics misrepresent the universal Catholic Church. The Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen rightly said, “Not 100 in the United States hate the Roman Catholic Church, but millions hate what they mistakenly think the Roman Catholic Church is.” The kaleidoscope of faith should keep us humble. Too often, however, we miss the irony of ourselves not showing mercy and love to others.

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart,
and yield a harvest through perseverance.

The ability to be kind in the face of cruelty is the redemption of humanity; to seek to benefit others, not just ourselves; to spread love instead of coveting it; to know the race is worth running, even when we struggle to keep up. This is what sainthood means: to be generous in this life as God is with us, and to bring Christ to others in reflection of the way He seeks us. To know of Christ and to know Christ are two different hearts.

Let brotherly love continue.
Do not neglect hospitality,
for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.

In all our interactions, we must love. These are the greatest commandments. It is our love of God which motivates us to love our neighbor as ourself. Hospitality is in the home, yes, and in all interactions. The internet is not a safe-zone. It is a place where hearts can be met, changed, and nourished. Today, let us not be as King Herod – let us not slaughter the righteous because they mis-worded their argument, or believe something we disagree with, or fear others if we do not publicly act in a certain way.

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you.
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus Christ is the same forever, no matter what someone’s Facebook post or Tweet said. Let the Lord be our light!

{Originally posted at Ignitum Today}

#5Faves: Staycations

Hello from the snow and the east coast! I am really missing New Orleans these days - Grace and I would take walks every day in the mild winter weather; could walk to mass (and then walk to donuts); live comfortably in our apartment without three layers of clothing or heat, for that matter.

Josef Pieper, in his book Leisure: The Basis Of Culture, wrote, “Leisure is only possible when we are at one with ourselves. We tend to overwork as a means of self-escape, as a way of trying to justify our existence.”

Here are ways I'm creating paradise in my world:

{one}

Skype! Facetime. Google talk. However you are able to see and talk with friends and family is my favorite indulgence. Mostly, I call family to check in and so Grace can see+hear her family (so as to better recognize and know them). I'm also trying to Skype friends more, because it's a coffee date without leaving the comforts of home. I've talked to friends in Germany, California, Michigan and Alabama in the past two weeks, all from Pennsylvania.

{two}

Citrus fruit. Grapefruit, oranges, pineapple - take me away! Tis the season, after all. If I was more motivated, I would fix pineapple upside down cake. I hear broiled grapefruit is also delicious, but I prefer the raw deal.

{three}

Explore locally. We live in a town with a lot of history. Our baby isn't old enough to care or demand, so we're able to enjoy ourselves without protest. I'm looking forward to going to a New Jersey beach this summer too! Eating out, on the other hand, is not Grace's cup of tea. We took her to Five Guys, and she doesn't like french fries. Who is this baby?!

{four}

Do whatever you want! Laundry always needs folding, the space always needs cleaning, there is always grading to catch up on... drop it. For an hour (or two) - write, read a book, catch up on a show... something to indulge. This is my new life goal: to embrace a little leisure, to loosen up the standards. Sometimes during nap time, but mostly after we put Grace to bed and clean up the kitchen - there is time for me. I like this time, and I try to use it very purposefully.

{five}

Learn something new! Get creative. I really love watercolors and ink, and I am currently getting back into drawing and keeping a daily devotion to Scripture as my inspiration - sort of an art prayer book? Plus I get to use my colored pencils and crayons more. Shazam!

Source

Joining up with Jenna and co.! 

What do you do for stay cations?

My View (vol. 28)

Okay, I think I need to start hitting 'publish' instead of sitting on posts... new-New Years's resolution? I keep repeating: perfect is the enemy of good. perfect is never done.

Source

What I am reading: Mothering: The Complete Guide for Mothers of All Ages by Dr. Grace Ketterman

A consignment book store find - and a favorite parenting book. She is so insightful!

Love what I am eating: grapefruit! fig newtons!

Meal planning:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with sharp cheddar cheese and a bit of ham; yogurt; ciabatta toast
Lunch: apples, ham & swiss on ciabatta (toasted), fruit twists/ fig newtons
Drinking: Coffee, milk, and a loooooot of water
Snacks: grapefruit, orange, popcorn, almond nut thins, colby jack cheese

New recipe try: I have been craving homemade macaroni and cheese and looking for an awesome recipe - TheKitchn delivered.

I altered the recipe a bit -

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pasta (I used egg noodles - on hand)
• 1 1/2 cups whole 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A squirt of mustard

Directions:

• Boil pasta, check
• Warm milk + add in flour (all at once - milk still had thicker consistency after a few minutes)
• Turn heat to low: add in cheese (stir), more cheese (stir), and more cheese (stir)
• Add in salt; squirt in mustard (stir)
• Add in half the pasta (stir); add other half (stir).

WA-LA! Delicious. Grace even liked it! The pasta dish was paired with baked chicken thighs and saluted spinach for me/ raw spinach salad for Will.

Dinner(s) this week: tilapia or chicken drumsticks; baked potatoes; spinach or green beans

{linking with Nell @ Whole Parenting Family!}

This week in history: I kept my head above water and had a lot of fun teaching classes - it's officially second semester! I'm 37 weeks, 5 days today - I meant to post a picture buuuut it's late and I'll post Grace pictures instead. Bebe Deux is head down, kicking me in the ribs, moving all the time and pretty content. My weight and blood pressure is all good, and I'm definitely not in a rush to get this baby out of me. These last few weeks are my favorite weeks of pregnancy!!

Grace is earning her stripes - not only does she love repeatedly climbing the stairs (and we have a lot of them in this old rental house), but now she's exploring with getting down. It's amazing how she'll swing her body off the bed, but when I put her on the cute little wooden rocking chair, she gets panicky. Then again, she'll climb on her cozy rocking chair against the wall in the front room, and stand on it. Luckily, she is following directions well ("Grace, sit down please!"). She is also self-feeding like a champ:

Lots of post-dinner baths, much to her pleasure!

Will finished his very last MICU shift. I just want to thank all of you - friends of the blog, FaceBook page community, tweeting pals, fellow grammers - for the words of wisdom, notes of support, e-mails, prayers and love. I do not think I could have survived this month without y'all. I don't consider myself a dramatic person... but this month was the worst.

I spent a lot of time trying not to feel overwhelmed and get through each day without Will (who came home late, ate dinner, tried to interact with us without falling asleep, and then went to bed early so he could get up early). Intern year feels a lot like trial by fire. I remember feeling overwhelmed by his ER shifts, and now I welcome them back with open arms after the month in MICU!

I think we've crossed critical care fellowship off our list of possibilities. Good experience, definitely, and he'll carry all the lessons he learned into more critical care situations (like SICU in March, and more ICU rotations in residency, at the very least).

For those of you who do not have an Instagram or other social media, you may not have heard of a cool site called Blessed Is She that publishes daily reflections on the Scripture readings by different women, as well as hosting community chats on Twitter and photography challenges on Instagram under the title #projectblessed.

Three days ago, the word of the day was "virtuous" and I'd just like to take a wife-brag moment and re-post the picture and caption:

#projectblessed + @blessedisshe__ : virtuous
:: I don't have any pictures from today, so here's a pre-IG picture of my favorites. Today in class, I taught about Teddy Roosevelt and servant leadership. I wrote a blog post on it too (today! Go read!) but I failed to mention the most virtuous servant leader I know - Will. It's not just because we're married - it's the way he tackles life. He came home after 10 am from his overnight shift, and spent the next 3+ hours helping a lady sort out confusing paperwork so she could donate blood to her mom in the MICU. He never projects on us after a long day, but kisses me hello and cuddles Grace. We both adore him. He'd deny, of course, any compliment - but his virtue is what makes him such an outstanding man, husband, father, friend, and doctor.

Anyways, a lot of emotions this week. If it's remotely touching, I've probably cried over it. Grace and I also survived IKEA last Sunday. Busy week!

Prayers: The Middle East, our Church, single parents, and all special intentions.

Next week, I am going to: Enjoy Will being home more!!! Also, keep plugging away at getting ahead in my classes...

Happy week, all! Happy Groundhog Day!

Follow me: Bloglovin // Facebook // Google+ // Instagram // Twitter

Stretching Minds, Creating Hearts

As I plowed through the last six essays to grade and sent out a few friendly e-mails for students to better watch deadlines this semester, I'm amazed at all the changes in the classroom.

I was a frightened novice my first few weeks of class. I talked confidently, and smiled a lot. I say that with an embarrassed tone in my voice, but at least I had the enthusiasm to carry into each lesson while I yawned constantly (oh, pregnancy!!). I survived teaching with a virus that would not leave, my husband's horrible schedule, getting used to Grace's new schedule, and the general uphill battle of a new job.

But I loved it, and I tried harder every week. My students gave me positive feedback, asking questions and participating in class. Other days, I lectured and had to prod them, reminding them that class is interdependent, and the Socratic Method. I have taught thesis statements to 5th-12th graders, and graded hundreds of essays. I've cheered and grumbled over students' work, prayed for them, and - probably - care too much. Grading is easier, and the work - overall - is much better.

This is how I feel in class:

This is (more likely) how I look:

I was especially struck by my younger students when I was grading their Civil War quizzes - there was a question: Write 1-2 paragraphs in response to: “Has your understanding of the War Between the States changed over the past two weeks? If so, how?”

One student wrote:

“In addition to expanding my knowledge of the Civil war, my opinion changed on who's fault the war was. I at first thought it was the South, but now I realize that both the Union and the Confederacy both played a role in The Civil War. It is important to try to see both sides of an argument, and this history class is helping me with that greatly.”

Students wrote phrases like, "Now I realize I should have looked at the whole picture" and "I understand better now!" while they expounded on what they learned, like the different issues, strategies, and people involved. Then, of course, there are always going to be the students who didn't learn anything and their mind didn't change because they have "very strong opinions on the subject"

... okay. Humble pie moment for me, I suppose. ((Every day is a work in progress.))

For a majority of the students, I am so pleased to see real mind growth. I love seeing improvement. This is why I love teaching so much.

There is so much in the visual world that encourages simplified thinking. It's easier to box people or events up - easier to "sell a story" this way. I saw it when I was a journalist - the seduction of clickbait.

Then, there is the doing. The talking, the question-asking, the reading. There is the curiosity, the aha-moments. This week in US History, we spent the whole class on Theodore Roosevelt's presidency.  I had such a great time creating this lecture and discussing the idea of servant leadership with the kids.

A servant leader is someone who does not believe any task or person is beneath him/her. They strive for the greatness of the cause, not the honors it could bestow. 

As I teach this class, I like drawing distinctions to different leadership styles. TR's is definitely one of my favorites, because it requires a taste of dust now and then - being thrown to the back of the line, or off the horse, or not receiving the recognition of distinction perhaps due. It requires pride in self, and humility. It is a difficult leadership style, especially if affirmation is desired. (I know it's one of my love languages!)

The other ingredient of servant leadership is being willing to lead, even if that is not where you were aiming. I always think of Father Benedict (as Pope Benedict XVI now prefer to be called) as the pinnacle of servant leadership - a man who rose through his virtues, not his desire for power. A man who sought to education and enlighten people's hearts to God, and wrote extensively for the glory of God. He tried to retire so many times on his road to the papacy, and we were blessed to have him for even a few short, sweet years.

Even if my students do not remember all their lessons from this class, I hope they remember the valor of virtue and morality, in leadership and in servitude.