Month: August 2010

St. Lawrence’s Tears

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J+M+J

Thursday night, Landon and I stepped outside, hoping to see a meteorite. Faint flashes of lightening from a far off storm played on the eastern horizon. It was after 12:00 on the peak night of the Perseids, one of the best meteor showers of the year, also known as St. Lawrence’s tears as it falls on or around the feast of St. Lawrence on August 10. After only a few minutes, we had seen one really good one. Mom and Maria joined us, and we stood out for almost forty minutes, and we saw over a dozen nice bright shooting stars, which is really good for being in the city with street lights all around.

Finally, it was nearing time to go in, and we all tried to tear ourselves away from the sky. There was a terrible feeling that just as you turned your back, another fascinating pinhead of light would dance across the dark night, and we would miss that triumphant feeling of having witnessed it. We did eventually make it inside, but  I just couldn’t take it any longer and I stepped outside until I saw just one more. Then I went to bed, knowing that outside my window the light show was still playing.

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Feast of Saint Philomena

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J+M+J

St. Philomena is my confirmation saint, so I was very happy to hear that our priest was having a special mass on her feast day, August 11, and that there would be a blessing with a first class relic (part of Philomena’s bone) and the oil that burns before her tomb afterwards. It was in a beautiful little church in the town of Salem about forty minutes away, and our whole family drove out for the mass.

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The altar is decked in red and gold in honor of Philomena's martyrdom.

The Carmelite nuns made this special Saint Philomena vestment.

The Carmelite nuns made this special Saint Philomena vestment.

Alexander with a holy card of Philomena.

Alexander with a holy card of Philomena.

After mass we were anointed with the oil, and then had a chance to kiss the relic. Alexander was a little confused when it was his turn to kiss the relic, and opened his mouth instead. I think he thought he was about to receive his First Holy Communion. Fortunately, Dad was next to him and he told Alex what he was supposed to do.

the

The anointing with the oil. (Different than the anointing of the sick)

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Daniel waits for his turn.

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The end procession, with Landon at the front.

After Mass, I took a close up picture of the pretty statue of St. Philomena and her relic.

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Transformation

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J+M+J

We took the baby parrots to the nursing home again today, and they were just as big of a hit as last time. THey puffed up their heads to be petted, and everyone thought they were really beautiful. I still can’t believe that they came from those ugly little pink things I pulled out of the nest:

From this-

From this-

To this!

-to this!

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The Muffin Man

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J+M+J

Sunday after church, Alexander declared he was going to be a priest. When we asked Joseph if he was going to be a priest also, he responded, “No, I’m gonna be the muffin man, remember?”

“Do you like eating muffins, Joseph?” Dad asked.

“Yes, but I even more like making muffins,” he replied.

So, today I made lemon poppy seed muffins with the muffin man.

Tasting the batter

Tasting the batter

Rewards of Baking

Rewards of Baking

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Waiting impatiently

Waiting impatiently

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Making the lemon glaze.

Making the lemon glaze.

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No Cavities

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J+M+J

At my visit to the dentist today, I was very happy to make it without any cavities!

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Flooding

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J+M+J

This year, South Dakota has broken the rainfall record for June and July by over two inches, topping off at over twenty inches total. This has caused a lot of water problems throughout the city, and thursday night, I awoke at one thirty, hearing a gurgling sound  in my room. A minute later, water was running into the basement for the second time in two weeks. Thankfully, nothing was damaged as the carpet had already been ruined and torn out by the first flooding. Everyone slept upstairs for the rest of the night while it was drying out. Now the house is starting to get back to normal, although we are quite cramped with the contents of the basement moved to our upstairs living room. I am looking forward to getting my room fixed, and being able to resume life as usual. In the meantime, we’re all doing our best to maneuver throughout the house.

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