<![CDATA[The Catholic Wife - Blog]]>Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:12:27 +0700Weebly<![CDATA[My current craft project]]>Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:48:00 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2009/01/my-current-craft-project.htmlSince I have several months before I need to start sewing for craft shows, I'm taking the opportunity to make somethings for the house.  Right now, I'm working on yo-yos that will eventually become a table cloth for my dining nook (pictured below.)

And here are the yo-yos I have done so far:

It's gonna be one rockin' yo-yo table cover when it's done!

]]><![CDATA[Obsessed!]]>Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:38:22 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2009/01/obsessed.htmlSo this is my second blog entry of the day.  I just wanted to post about my going-to-town experience.  When I arrived at the dreaded Wal-Mart, the parking lot was so crowded that I thought it was still Christmas shopping time.  Once I got inside, I first thought that we were either expecting a snow storm or about to be hit by a meteor based on the number of people in the aisles.  The frozen pizza aisle was so empty that it looked like it had been raided by college kids.  And then I noticed that about every 4th person was wearing a Colts jersey and it hit me....the playoff game is tonight.  Living in the Indianapolis area, I've learned that this town is OBSESSED with the Colts.  Absolutely crazy nutso for the Colts.  And it's not that we're not Colts fans, we just don't care about sports.  We have no interest in sports whatsoever.  Wal-Mart was so crazy and crowded that I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.  I hate going to town........ugh.  And I'm NOT watching the Colts game tonight!

]]><![CDATA[Busy weekend]]>Sat, 03 Jan 2009 09:56:56 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2009/01/busy-weekend.htmlI spent the first two days of my four-day weekend lounging around.  I'm spending the last two getting stuff done!  Today I finally took down the Christmas tree, took down all the lights on the outside of the house, put away the laundry, and I still have tons more on my list to do.  I'm working on a menu so that there is no question on what will be for dinner, thereby eradicating the urge to eat out.  Then we're running to town to get dog food and a few groceries.   

We wanted to go the Museum Center in Cincinnati this weekend but I think we may postpone that for a few weekends.  I really want to see the Cincinnati Goes to War exhibit since I'm a WWII nut and the fiction novel I'm writing takes place in WWII-era Cincy.  Next Sunday, I have another Oblate Inquirer's meeting at the Benedictine monastery.  I missed November's meeting due to homework overload but I'm definitely going next weekend.  And we also want to visit my maternal grandparents this month.  We love spending time with my grandparents.  They are so full of wisdom and country knowledge. 

Anyway, I will hopefully be very tired and worn out by the end of the day from all the things I accomplished today.  That's the best kind of tired - the tired that comes from hard work!

]]><![CDATA[Resolutions]]>Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:12:09 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2009/01/resolutions.htmlI gave up making resolutions for the New Year a long time ago.  However, I'm resurrecting it this year for two resolutions. 

1)  I resolve to NOT let my kitchen get the best of me!  I have a serious problem with dish pile-up.  There will be mounds and mounds of dishes if I don't clean up daily.  And that's the problem, I don't usually clean up daily.  We have a dishwasher but it's useless because our well doesn't have great pressure.  As a result, dishes must be handwashed - which I HATE!  I have decided, though, that I'm not going to let dishes pile up this year.  They will be done nightly before I go to bed.....I resolve to let that happen!

2)  We are not eating out nearly as much.  We make the mistake of eating out way too often.  While I know that this will increase my dishes to wash, I think it will help reduce our waistlines!

So that's it - two easy resolutions......or will they be easy?

]]><![CDATA[Unexpected 2008]]>Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:44:14 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2008/12/unexpected-2008.htmlI, like millions of other people, spent today reflecting on 2008.  It was a rough year for our family and the drama and stress is still not over.  However, I want to focus on those unexpected aspects of 2008 - the things that happened in my life that I didn't see coming New Year's Eave 2007.  Some of them are important and others are pretty trivial.  However, all of them made an impact!

1)  I started The Catholic Wife website.  I don't know what made me do it but I felt that I had to.  It's not anywhere near where I want it to be yet but I know that it all has to happen slowly.  I do, however, love hearing from people out there who let me know that its all worthwhile.  What started out as a "thing" is quickly turning into an apostolate for me and my family.

2)  We moved from Louisville, KY to central IN.  Further, we moved to a tiny town so that I can once again relish in country/small town living.  While we have the convenience of downtown Indianapolis being just 25 minutes away, we are still out amongst the cornfields and the stars.  A year ago, I was loving my little brick ranch on that cul-de-sac in Louisville.  Now, here I am in a house that I positively HATED when we first moved in.  We took it because the location and the price was right.  However, the house was all wrong.  It wasn't modern and streamlined like my adored brick ranch.  Over the past five months, though, the windows that are so high that I can't see out them, the beat up wood floors, and the stinky, gray well water have all grown on me and this little house on a dead-end street, where roosters crow early in the morning, has truly become home.

3)  I found a job that I love.  I didn't realize how miserable I was at my last job until I left it.  Only then did I see what kind of boss I truly had and saw what kind of boss I didn't want to be.  I'm finally satisfied in my career - something I thought I would never say.

4)  We didn't get pregnant....I really thought that this was the year for a baby.  But God has other plans.  And while this is a painful part of my life, I have to hope and pray that He will give us a child in the coming year.

5)  We bought a camper.  A year ago, the idea would have been preposterous.  Now, she sits in our backyard, waiting to be brought back to life.  I hope 2009 provides us with the means to restore her!

I guess that's about it.  I hope 2009 brings closure to many of our open-ended problems and fears - not just for my family but for the entire country and even the world!  As Sandra Bullock, as Gracie Lou Freebush, says in Miss Congeniality, "I really DO want world peace!"

]]><![CDATA[Another parish ]]>Sun, 28 Dec 2008 06:27:13 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2008/12/another-parish.htmlSince moving from Louisville, KY and leaving wonderful Our Lady of Lourdes parish, we have struggled to find a new parish.  We auditioned several and finally settled on one.  We attended Mass there for several months and although I had the membership packet, I was hesitant to fill it out and turn it in.  Not sure what stopped me - something did.  A few weekends ago, we were too lazy to go to Sunday morning Mass so we thought we'd find a church with a Sunday evening Mass (we used to attend Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption in downtown Louisville on Sunday evenings when our schedules didn't allow for Sunday morning Mass.  And as a holdover from the Protestant church, I don't like going to Mass on Saturday.)  Anyway, we found this new church that has Mass at 6pm on Sunday evening.  It was a church I had thought about earlier but didn't think Tim would like since he wanted a smaller church when we moved and this church is huge.  As it turns out, we LOVE this new church.  It just feels "right."  It's just as far away as the other church we were attending but I'm actually excited to go to this one.  The closest parish to us is about 9 miles away and not one I particularly enjoyed.  This parish is approximately 11 miles away but offers so much - including perpetual adoration!  So we're turning in our form to become members today.  And then I can start getting involved in activities there, which is really important to me.  It's taken 5 months to find our new parish home but I have happily found it! 

]]><![CDATA[Post-Christmas Update]]>Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:37:02 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2008/12/post-christmas-update.htmlI hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  Despite things going on personally in our lives, we did have a nice Christmas.  My husband got me a desperately-needed external harddrive and all four seasons of "Alf."  My parents got me many things on my wishlist and I bought myself a pair of pink and brown Ariat FatBaby cowgirl boots.  I got the book "MaryJane's Stitching Room" and have spent free time the past several days sewing up yo-yos to make a coverlet.  My parents bought my husband a 15 lb country ham (something he misses from Kentucky).  I have been soaking it in ice water for the past 30 hours to draw out all the excess salt.  In the morning, it goes in the roaster for several hours and then will be sliced.  We should be eating on that for quite a while!

I made it to the parish penance service on Dec. 22nd and was able to go to confession that night.  My confessor was also a convert to Catholicism, which made it pretty cool to talk to him.  He was also a very young, quite cute priest.  It always warms my heart to see young priests because they are the future leadership of our Church!

We did have family drama, as usual.  My mother's family gets together for every major holiday and we usually try to attend.  The past several years, though, have resulted in people saying stupid and offensive things to my husband and causing a lot of problems.  This year, though, it was my cousin who got upset and acted a bit ridiculous.  Tim and I have decided that we're not going to the family holiday events next year.  In all honesty, they help ruin our holiday.  We're going to stick to get togethers with my parents and siblings...usually no drama there!

Now it's time for 2009.  I pray that 2009 will be better for everyone than 2008 was - ourselves included.  It's been a rough year!

]]><![CDATA[Tis the season.....to be infirmed?]]>Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:43:31 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2008/12/tis-the-seasonto-be-infirmed.htmlOkay, so far this week, I have had or currently have the following:
1) shoulder pain
2) major head cold
3) tooth ache
4)  swollen arm from falling on ice

St. Faustina - Pray for me!

]]><![CDATA[Snowing again]]>Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:11:08 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2008/12/snowing-again.htmlIt snows almost daily in central Indiana, I think!  I enjoy the big, fat snowflakes as they fall - as long as they don't mess up the roads!  Slick roads are inevitable where we live because here in our tiny town, road conditions are ignored.  Slip and slide to the main highway and you're fine!  They're calling for more snow tomorrow.  Glad it's Saturday and I can stay home.  I think I'll finish up my Christmas shopping online and wrap some presents, perhaps.  It's the end of a week and I'm truly exhausted.  If you're anything like me, a working woman, by Friday night, you're ready to pass out.  Working all week, along with everything else we have to do as women, wives, mothers, etc., leaves us with very little energy by week's end!  Go get some rest, ladies!  That stack of dishes will still be there in the morning - at least mine certainly will!

]]><![CDATA[A happy 12/1]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:22:32 +0700http://www.thecatholicwife.com/2/post/2008/12/a-happy-121.htmlI have to admit, I was quite disappointed with my Merry Thanksiversary Celebration yesterday.  I cooked for hours and hours and it seemed like everyone ate and everything was done and over with in mere minutes!  I guess I expected everyone to eat and eat and eat until they puked - not eat a regular amount of food and be full.  But alas, we have tons of leftovers that Tim and I will be eating for most of the week!  Good thing I like turkey....and ham...and mac and cheese....and green beans....and stuffing....and corn....and mashed potatoes....and rolls....and cornbread....and sweet potatoes....and brownies....and pumpkin bread. 

On another note, this will be my first Christmas in two years that I won't be on Christmas shutdown.  And while I enjoyed not having to work the week between Christmas and  New Year, I think I have a VERY fair trade off.  Ya see, this year I DON'T have to plan and execute both a children's Christmas party and adult Christmas party for work.  I am sooo happy about that fact.  The thing I hate most about the HR field is the party planning....it stresses me out to no end.  We don't have parties at my new company so I am going to enjoy a December with a greatly reduced stress level as compared to last year!  At least once a day, I find a reason to be very happy to be away from my old job and at my new job.  I don't miss the constant talking behind my back done by my boss and a co-worker.  I've never met or worked with two more critical people in my life.  And my moles at the old job have definitely informed me of some of the things that have been said about me since I've been gone.  At my new job, I'm actually expected to use my brain and make contributions - something I wasn't allowed  to do at the last job.  I checked my brain at the door and wasn't allowed to use it for the two years I was there.  And I truly didn't realize how very stunted and miserable I was until I left that place!  I actually thought I was happy there at one time!  HAHAHAHAHA....very funny.  I love my new job, love my new employer, and am very happy about my role.  This Thanksgiving, I found myself being very, very thankful for where I am now and where I won't be this December (two work Christmas parties!) 

Anyway, I hope you are all having a wonderful 1st day of December!  We got a decent dusting of snow today and I can't wait to crawl under the blankets tonight!

God Bless you all!

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