Traditional Catholic Mamas - Fall 2009

[xekomaya]

Are any of the Traditional Catholic Mamas still around?

I would love to have another thread if we can get one going. Could use some TCM.

And assuming there is anyone out there..

What are you all up to?

Any plans for the Nativity of the BVM on Sept 8th? Any ideas for making it special with kids?

[cagnew]

I'm here. This thread usually has trouble staying up.

We don't have any plans for the 8th. We were invited to "birthday party" to celebrate this, but I don't know if we will go or not. Maybe I will make cupcakes... the 2 year old would like that and it would be a good way to get her to recognize Mary as a real person.

Have you been following the thread on religious studies? I've been posting a lot, but it seems kind of pointless. I hardly ever read that stuff because it upsets me and I always feel obligated to defend the faith... which usually just makes me frsutrated. Oh well.

Gotta go put the bread in the oven!

[xekomaya]

Originally Posted by cagnew

I'm here. This thread usually has trouble staying up

IIRC, it was usually the "big" Catholic thread, no? I thought we just lost our thread keeper for this one, but maybe I'm wrong. Either way, when I get a chance I will edit the first post to remind everyone about the tone and "support-only" nature of the thread.

We don't have any plans for the 8th. We were invited to "birthday party" to celebrate this, but I don't know if we will go or not. Maybe I will make cupcakes... the 2 year old would like that and it would be a good way to get her to recognize Mary as a real person.

Have you been following the thread on religious studies? I've been posting a lot, but it seems kind of pointless. I hardly ever read that stuff because it upsets me and I always feel obligated to defend the faith... which usually just makes me frsutrated. Oh well.

Gotta go put the bread in the oven!

A birthday party sounds like a lot of fun! I do wish we had more people around to do that with.

I have been following the threads and can I just tell you how much I appreciate your posts? It's so frustrating and downright painful to watch people say the things they do. I wish I were more eloquent and could stick around the discussions longer without getting so worked up, but I totally can't. I'm sure its not pointless to post in defense of the Faith. You never know who's reading, now or in the future. And it makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one.

I'm cleaning and packing but I'll be back around. We are leaving tomorrow for a wedding in the Bahamas, and when we get back we're moving to Alaska. Teeny bit busy around here

[cagnew]

Wow! I guess you would be busy! I've never been to Alaska or the Bahama's but I have heard both are beautiful. I've been to other areas of the Caribbean and they were gorgeous. I don't think I'll be making any big trips like that for awhile. Too hard and too expensive with little ones.

Have fun at the wedding!

[COMamalac]

Traditional Catholic Mama here! :)

Greetings!
I've been here before, but not recently. I'm a Catholic homeschooling mom of six kids, age 5-19. I'm a retired LLL Leader (actively leading from '92 through '01), and now I'm "just a mom" (who homeschools and does whatever else we need to do!).

We used to live in OK, but moved to CO in summer '03. I love it here! We have a small parish, and we're fundraising to build a "real" church (building). We are blessed to have a great homeschool group, as well as just a lot of great families (who use public and private schools in our area).

Nice to be here! Hope to meet some other traditional Catholic moms. I think we'll plan something fun for Mary's nativity, too. Hadn't made plans yet, but it's time to think about it.

God bless,
JoAnn in CO

[Ofwait]

I'm here, I haven't been on much before, a little in the studies section of the forum, but it stresses me out horribly.
Homeschooling mom of 4, ages 8, 6, 4, and 2. Originally from Alaska, currently in the Pacific NW, hoping to go back one day, but visits to the family once a year or so are probably going to have to suffice for now.

We don't have anything beyond Mass and a craft project planned for the 8th.

[CherryBomb]

I'm here. I had left mdc out of frustration quite awhile ago, but I'm expecting baby #4 so I came back for the ddc. I'd love to try a supportive traditional Catholic mamas thread again :

So I guess I'll reintroduce myself! I'm a homeschooling mom of 3 girls, ages 8, 4, and 17 months. Our 4 year old has cerebral palsy and attends developmental preschool and I homeschool our oldest. We lost a baby to ectopic pregnancy in May and I ended up losing fertility from that ovary, so I was surprised to get pregnant so fast! (We abstained 1 cycle and I was pregnant by the 3rd cycle after the loss) So, this pregnancy is bittersweet.

Dh and I converted to the Church together in April 2007. I blog at justanothercatholicmom.blogspot.com (I have my 3 part conversion story there!)

[springmama]

I'm in RCIA and just thought I'd pop in and say hello!

[CherryBomb]

Oh and JoAnn, I'm an active LLL Leader :

[moonshoes]

Welcome back, Cherrybomb!!!!:: So glad you are back! Guess what!? I'm expecting in mid-March!!!

Ladies, I never thought DH and I would have such an incredible experience. I've hesitated posting about it here because it is so difficult to put into words, but the Holy Spirit has guided us to an incredible place and we are now entrusted with a new soul. I have been able to feel this baby move from the very beginning of my pregnancy, this is such a different and spiritual experience from anything else I have ever experienced or been blessed with in my life. I am so humbled and awed by everything that is going on in our lives, and I thank the Blessed Mother for her patience and incredible devotion to bringing souls back to her Son.

I promise to tune in to this thread as much as I can, glad you are all here.

~Catherine

[BMG580]

Hello, I suppose I belong here too, if Traditional means "orthodox" and follows the doctrine of the Church, not attendance at a TLM. I also pop in and out of RS discussions, there have been a lot of Catholic related ones lately.

[CherryBomb]

Moonshoes!!!! I was wondering if you were still around! Congratulations on baby #3, that's so wonderful!! It's so wonderful to hear about your experience with the Holy Spirit, praise God!

Charbeau, I remember you I think you were considering converting the last time I was around here. Welcome home!!

[cagnew]

Great to "see" everyone! Congrats to the expecting mama's! I wouldn't mind another one now, but I'm kind of scared. The last one ended up in a c-section and the whole experience was very traumatic. I know my chances of a VBAC are good, but I'm still nervous about it. Oh well. My cycles still haven't started anyway since I'm still bf'ing.

I'm a stay-at-home mom of two- 2 1/2 and 6 months. I plan to homeschool, even though my dh is a public school teacher (choir teacher). He wasn't sold on home schooling until he started teaching I don't know what the school will think when they realize that his kids aren't enrolled there.

springmama: That's great! I'm a cradle Catholic, but dh is a convert as of 2003. His brother followed him to the Church in 2006! Do you have much support in the real world?

char: I think traditional means orthodox The TLM is cool though. I have been learning a lot about it lately and it's pretty amazing.

ofwait: Yeah, MDC can be pretty stressful... especially the RS section lately. I have posted a lot there the last few days but I think it's getting to a point where there isn't anything left to say. I'm not very good at debating....

COMama: My family just returned from a trip to CO and said it was beautiful. I hope to visit someday.

Ds is finally asleep so I better get to bed too. He still wakes up every couple of hours to eat (I guess that's why... I feed him for a few minutes and he goes back to sleep). Dd was always a GREAT sleeper... he's so different. Oh well. I'll get a full nights sleep again someday. Being a mother is a much bigger sacrifice than I could ever have known.

Quick question: For those of you who are moms, how has your life as a mom and wife evolved over time? I am trying so hard to get into a routine and get myself disciplined, but it's so hard. I don't know what I'll do if I'm not organized by the time it's time to home school my dd. Managing bills, cooking, cleaning, and keeping the kids happy can be a bit overwhelming! I try not to think about the lack of "me" time b/c I believe that my life isn't about me anymore... but I still find myself wishing to slip out from to time and get away.

Wow... that question wasn't as quick as I thought it would be

[cagnew]

Katie: I checked out your blog and I love your layout! I didn't get to read much yet, but I will pray for a healthy pregnancy. I have had two m/c and I know how scary a pg after a loss can be. I'm glad all is well so far!

[CherryBomb]

Originally Posted by cagnew

ofwait: Yeah, MDC can be pretty stressful... especially the RS section lately. I have posted a lot there the last few days but I think it's getting to a point where there isn't anything left to say. I'm not very good at debating....

I thought you did fine RS can be an exercise in futility.

[CherryBomb]

Oh and glad you liked the layout! I was so happy to find a place that had free templates, you know if you get it custom made it can cost hundreds of dollars! BOO!

Also, my oldest is 8 and I think I'm in a pretty good routine. I tend to procrastinate and I'm horribly disorganized, so I was nervous about homeschooling, but this is our second year and it's gone really well! I also believe that my duty as a wife and mother takes precedent over "me time" (not a terribly popular way to think these days!), but I do find time to do things that I enjoy, like knitting/crocheting, reading, vegetable gardening and canning, cooking and baking, etc. A lot of my extracurriculars get me out of the house but are still focused on my vocation- being and LLL Leader, for example, and we're part of a great Catholic homeschooing co-op and there's a mothers' meeting once a month. I do think it's important to make time for dh and I to get out without the children. It doesn't happen often, but it's good for our marriage We just go out to a movie or dinner or something.

[cagnew]

I second the dh and me time! It's really important... but, like you said, it's hard to find time (and a babysitter). We aim for once a month, but that doesn't always happen.

Dd got into my nipple cream last night and smeared it all over her face and neck. Good thing it was organic! Anyway, I have to go and try to scrub it off her now. Mass is at 11... that should be enough time

[Ofwait]

LOL Cagnew.. Thats hillarious.

For trying to do date nights, a number of families in my area have been swapping child care. We have 5-6 families that participate... its at our house later today so we, along with two other couples, have the kids for 3 hours while in 2 weeks it will be us who gets to leave the kiddos behind... for 3 whole hours The kids love it too, Date Night is thouroughly exciting.

So we have March, April and May covered... twill be a busy baby spring.
The Holy Sprit has decided to drop a surprise in our laps too, guess, we needed to be brought back to earth.

[cagnew]

Ofwait: Congrats! Y'all are giving me the baby bug

[jest]

I think I belong here, if you mean traditional with a small "t". I attend a novus ordo mass but I'm faithful to the magesterium.

Congrats to the expecting moms!

Cherrybomb, I'm sorry for your loss. I remember that your 3rd was due around the time that my 2nd was due. I used to post here more around that time but I'm not here as often now.

My oldest is 4.5 and I'll start homeschooling next year. I'm looking at my curriculum options now and feeling a little overwhelmed.

I think I'm going to make a cake on Tuesday and have a "birthday party" for the Blessed Mother. I've never done it before but I was thinking it would be a nice way for my kids to honor her. Does anyone else her do anything to "celebrate" the Blessed Mother's birthday?

Also, I'm wondering what kind of behavior expectations you have for your 4 year old during mass. Now that it takes a lot of effort on my part to keep my 18-month old under control, I'm finding that I have little to no patience for any misbehavior on my 4-year-old's part. I waver between thinking that my expectations are too high or my expectations are too low.