On the Second Day of Christmas...

Big snow of 2007 -- 2012 couldn't measure up.

We got snowed in!  Our son and family were going to Pennsylvania from our home to visit his sister and her family. It was snowing vigorously this morning causing speculation and vacillation about whether they would try it or not since west of us the weather was even worse. As he left, David said we should pray if they weren't meant to go that they couldn't navigate the hill down the road. Larry and I began our rosary praying that if they would be in danger the Lord should prevent them getting up the hill through the intercession of St. Scholastica. Why St. Scholastica, you ask? She was a nun and the twin sister of St. Benedict of Nursia one of the founders of monastic life. Scholastica and Benedict usually arranged a visit once a year at a residence halfway between their respective monasteries. On one occasion, the last time they would ever meet, Benedict got ready for the return trip since, according to his rule, the monks could not be away from the monastery overnight. Scholastica begged him to stay so they could continue their holy conversation but he refused. At that, Scholastica prayed that God would prevent Benedict from leaving since he would not listen to her pleas. Such a torrential storm began that Benedict and his companions were forced to stay. God granted her prayer and filial love that day prevailed over Benedict's monastic rule.

Today, our visit with our son and his family was extended by inclement weather and an icy hill that forced David to back up the car all the way to our driveway, about a tenth of a mile. While we are delighted for the extra time together we are sad for the grandchildren who were disappointed not to be going to see their cousins after all. 

The prescription for disappointment is (after exhortation to offer it to get forgotten souls out of purgatory) a six-hour Pride and Prejudice marathon for our very unhappy almost teenage granddaughter, outdoor snow play, Yahtzee, a jigsaw puzzle, and plenty of goodies. It is certainly an appropriate way to continue the celebration of Christmas! 

We hope all those affected by this big snowstorm are safe and enjoying the blessings of family life. 

Celebrating the New Year Family Style

In late December we had no plans for New Year's Eve and thought about how we'd like to celebrate it. With grandchildren! So we solicited the two local children who were in town and had five little people join our celebration. Cheese fondue was the hands-on favorite for dinner. We played a modified charades (act out an animal or activity for everyone to guess), musical chairs, and had a treasure hunt for the "goodie" bags. We had early fireworks for the go-to-bed younger children and then watched Christmas Story with Brendan. We rang in the new year with sparkling cider watching the ball drop in Times Square.

Oh yes, and we also had two birthdays to celebrate. Happy birthday, little snow bunnies!

Hear the Pitter-Patter of Baby Feet!

Neil called a few nights ago with "good news and bad news." He asked if we wanted the good news or bad news first, not a good strategy since I will always ask for the good news first. So he replied, "I'll give you the bad news first. We won't be coming for a visit next summer." My immediate thought was, "Are you moving back to Virginia?" It is a little hope always in the back of my mind. Larry, on the other hand, was more tuned in. "You're expecting a baby!"

Bingo! Must be the scientific mind. Next mid August or so a new little Kreitzer will enter the world stage.

So as we contemplate the Savior's birth we have another little baby on our minds and are already carrying the little one in our hearts.

Little nameless-for-now was heartily welcomed by his/her siblings when Neil and Martina announced the good news. And now Neil's project of the playscape has the future prospect of two more little hands and feet climbing, swinging, sliding, and playing.

Please pray for an easy pregnancy and delivery for this latest little grandchild, number nineteen among the earthly angels. The girls are currently up 10-8. So we will all be excited to see what this new baby does to the balance. (Twin boys would even things out, Martina.)

A Quiet Week at Camp Kreitzer

Things have been quiet at Camp Kreitzer this week. We miss the giant (aka Matthew) and all his buddies. I especially miss having no excuse to go back to the roller rink and get back on skates.

Don't anyone tell me there is nothing to do in Woodstock. We have entertainment options galore. Hey we have a movie theatre with three screens. And a Cracker Barrel. The roller rink is more fun than the video arcade at Springfield Mall ever was. Brendan calls it the closest thing to paradise he can think of. And the County Fair is coming up in another week. (High times in the old town!)

The roller rink has a bumper car area and I was really eager to try them out, but I'll save that for another day. Ashley, Brendan, and Rachel seemed to enjoy them a lot and it sure looked like fun.


Meanwhile we've been catching up on laundry, sleep, lawn-mowing, bill-paying, returning things to their proper places, and watching The Monarch of the Glen on Netflix. I love the Scottish accents!

All My Daughters (Except Alice)

Sounds like a soap opera, doesn't it? But the only soap is the well-scrubbed, squeaky clean, all-American-girl goodness of these beauties!



Our 40th anniversary celebration got all of us together for the first time in about six years. All our children and grandkids were together for one big happy family celebration. But the overlap portion of the visit (with both Texas families here) was only a few days and they were filled with commitments, so I never had a chance to take all the girls out together. We finally had a girls' day out last Friday shortly before Neil and Martina left for their return trip to Austin on Sunday. I wish we had called Alice from the restaurant to say join the party in spirit, but I didn't think about it until just this minute. Sorry you couldn't be there with us, Alice. I love all you darling girls and hope you know it! Thanks for filling my mother's heart with joy. And keep loving those handsome husbands and those absolutely perfect grandchildren!

Status update on John -- Keep Praying!

From my niece Heather, John's daughter, sent yesterday:

Dad is doing much better today. He extubated himself again this morning (the 6th). They were already planning on weaning him today too, just like yesterday. He expedited the process. Then, he did so well that they removed the ventilation system from his room. Therefore, he is also off of the sedatives. We are all hoping he will be back on the 6th floor, which is where the stroke ward is, by tomorrow sometime. It has been a good day so far.

So keep those prayers coming. We're looking forward to a full recovery for John and many more years serving the Lord and enjoying his family, like he and his youngest son were at this family wedding last October.

Love you, John!

Hospitality and Feeding the Multitudes

Today is about multiplication. The Gospel at Mass was the story of Jusus blessing five loaves and two fishes to feed a huge crowd. Larry and I may have to try that later. Alice and her family are returning from the beach this evening and we don't know whether they will be here for dinner. We aren't planning on them since it's about a seven hour drive and with little ones and multiple stops we figure they'll probably arrive around bedtime.

But if they turn up for supper the challenge will be to transform dinner for two into dinner for nine. Can it be done? I am the ultimate optimist. Besides, I have a bag of chicken dumplings in the freezer and that old kid crowd pleaser, mac and cheese. So if the multitudes arrive we'll practice multiplication of the loaves and fishes to feed the hungry crowd. My can-opener is always ready for extra company too. As my mom used to say, "Add another can of water to the soup." That's hospitality!

Enjoy your Sunday and don't forget to thank the Lord for all His blessings.

Setting the table for dinner

Awhile back I had a little visitor. She was about eight years old. I put her to work setting the table --- well I asked her to set the table. Turned out she didn't know how. Her family didn't often eat together and it was sort of a catch as catch can event. What a pity! Meals are the family's daily celebration of eucharist in the domestic church. Please don't misunderstand; it certainly is not the liturgy of the Eucharist (with a capital E) where Christ is really present on the altar. But if the family is the domestic church, the daily meal is the closest we come to gathering to pray and celebrate and rejoice in the gifts God gave us. Dinner should be a time of sharing the events of the day, engaging in the art of conversation, and just enjoying each other's company. One gift for which I'm profoundly grateful to my mother is we almost always had dinner together as a family. With ten children that was not an easy task, but Mom did it.

I was thinking about that today because my husband an I are having a little dinner party to meet with several young couples in our parish to ask what activities they would like to see the Knights of Columbus have for families. I like to set a pretty table with flowers and cloth napkins. If I had any of my grandchildren with me today, they would get a lesson in the art of setting a nice table and how to design a nice centerpiece with flowers from the garden. I'm using my good china and silver, but you can do the same thing for a birthday party with paper plates, paper napkins, and little party favors. And cookies on popsicle sticks make a great kids' centerpiece! Bon appetit!

Knights of Columbus: All About Families

Larry and I just got home from the year-end party for the Knights of Columbus in our parish. It was a delightful affair with awards for outstanding young man and young woman in the parish, the Knight of the Year, and the Family of the Year. Listening to the beautiful stories of each of these award winners was touching. The family of the year have eight children and have been active in Boy Scouts, Little Flowers, community outreach, and many parish activities all centered on family and children.

Larry is taking over as Grand Knight for the coming year and his focus is getting more young families involved and active. Of course I'm along for the ride and our first joint activity will be a dinner party with some of the young member couples to talk about what kinds of activities they'd like to see for young families. Up til now there are few incentives for young fathers to get involved because it's all work and little play and most of the activities don't include the youngsters.

So please pray for the St. John Bosco Fr. Cyril Karlowicz Council and the new Grand Knight (as of the first of July) that this is the year of the family for our parish K of C council.