Catholic Animal Lover!

So it’s been a while (again) since I’ve updated. But I figured I’d better drop a note. I really want to find a “mommy” blog & make a new one…even if it’s not for pay, heh. Since Today.com hasn’t turned into the most lucrative deal for me anyway (probably would if I was interesting or consistent!)–maybe blogspot.com or something…But I haven’t gotten around to it.

It’s  June 3rd. Baby is supposed to come on the 10th. But I am SO ready to get him out of my pained belly, lol! And off my bladder, but that’s another story altogether… I am as big as a house, and Sunday I had such hard contractions and pain I was sure Dominic Raphael Josefek was coming that night! But nope. Just my body adjusting and being slow.

I finally have my bag pretty much ready to go to the hospital, and am now just hoping it happens soon. I want to meet my baby! I mean, I feel connected to him and everything, but I can’t wait to begin being an actual hands-on Mother.

Of course there are worries and nerves–but as Peter and I talked about the other night–most of that stuff is for his future, and the future of our family–not for the parenting-of-the-baby part. Being a traditional Catholic in today’s world, is going to be tough. Raising up your children in the way they should go, so when they’re old they won’t depart from it, is a monumentous task, and a brand new one for us and our familes (at least in the Catholic sense). Life is tough, and finding others like ourselves has been a real challenge.

The Catholic Church today isn’t really much to look at mostly. It’s hard to find traditionalists, and even harder to find ones that really do want to be in the world, but NOT of it. Like every “Christian” avenue–there are many lukewarm people in the mainstream.

Even the Catholics in our familes aren’t people we’d want raising our kids when it came down to it. So obviously God wants us to start our generational family anew…Question is, how do we, when it seems like so much is against us?

We have to trust Him. There is no other way. If God shows you a path He wants you to take, though the world may go against you–you MUST go forward in trust and obedience. Or there will be dire consequenses. Listening to His will brings untold joy, though

So we shall try to raise a good family, and children that know truth. Even in a dying world.

Contractions that are fake suck! I pretty much envy my fellow-new-mom friend Grace–she was due a day off from me, but instead went into labor about a month before, having her baby boy the night before Mother’s Day! Her water broke hard-core, and her labor was only–craziness!–5 1/2 hours!!! Lucky stiff! She didn’t get the random “think-you’re-in-labor-but-have-no-idea” problems like I’m dealing with!

Ugh..every day I’m hoping he comes! Except, tomorrow is Peter’s and my anniversery, so we’d rather Dominic’s birthday not be on that day!

We shall see.

I’m making pancakes for dinner tonight! Ember Fast day, so I figured that’d be different. Also, I’m finishing watching Ice Age–one of my all time favorite movies! Cracks me up!!

Well, I guess that’s enough of an update. I shall try to update as things progress. I may go into labor any time now! I really hope so..it’d be nice to get it over with, heh..

So my goal is to sometime today/tonight find out the true background story behind St. Valentine’s Day, and why in the world America has a random Catholic holiday?! I mean, at least St. Patty’s Day goes along with all the Irish immigrants, right? So when hubby and I read the Propers for today, I’ll look into it.

Today was the first day for husband’s new job–it’s a 12hr shift that he had to be up by 5:30am for. But the day will end up being really long for him (and brother), because he left at about 6am. He’s gonna be hurting today, I know that much. Not much longer till he gets home, thank God. I miss him, and feel for him; I woke up earlier today, but made myself get back in bed just trying to kill time till I see him again–my heart misses him when he’s gone, even to work. Especially since I know it’s going to be tough day for him.

But he and my brother lucked out with this contract job, and because they wouldn’t work on Sundays–they get tomorrow off, and only have to work a few days a week before 2 or 3 off. It’s a weird schedule, and shift, but beggers can’t be choosers, right? I am thankful for the job, I really am, and am hoping we can save the $ that comes in from it, though I pretty much suck at that aspect of life (oy vey!)!

The tough thing about this job is it’s a temp job, really. The branch they’re working for is normally a swing shift–which hubby can’t work, with me and everything–and doesn’t give Sundays off. So, this job is only guaranteed for about 2 months. Then they may kick them out, or say they have to work swing, which my man won’t. So we’re still looking for a “real” job, and it’s tough.

I know it’s tough on him, and his provider instinct. But he doesn’t realize what an amazing man he is, and how much he does indeed provide for me. No man tries harder, and he has it where it counts–in his heart. We must just accept God’s will for our lives may be to struggle right now *or forever lol*, and we have to learn to trust Him…But man, it’s hard!

Older Sister and her hubby and baby came up today for an overnight stay. I was planning to stay away, but after searching my heart, and praying for strength, I decided against it, and was glad I had. The baby loves her Aunt Audrey, oddly enough (I have a thing, and kids just like me, I swear!), and I am glad to see her and respond to a baby, even if I don’t approve of everything older Sis does with her fam.

But it’s alwaze been like that; we’ve never gotten along too well (except when maybe we were little kids), and have never been on the same track of life–we do so many things opposite, and rarely approve of what the other does. Plus, given the lack of God-factor, it’s tough to connect with her. But I connect with the little one, and that’s what matters to me.

I am trying to be a good Aunt, so when the little baby is older, she doesn’t only remember raging showdowns between her mother and me, but rather a good Catholic Aunt that loves her. It’s an area where I can be a witness, of some sort.

So, it IS indeed St. Valentine’s Day today, which is of course a highly commercialized holiday, and one which I really don’t enjoy, because of that aspect. I hate the concept of a specific day when you’re supposed  to give your loved one/s gifts/flowers/candy, etc. That’s one of the things I love about my Man–he’s amazing, and will buy me something special and heartfelt when I don’t expect it, thereby making the gift so much more special. Expecting stuff on Valentine’s Day is obnoxious!

But, silly man that he is, he got me some kind of secret gift!!! The rat! I love him so much, heh. I guess Mom and little siblings knew about the gift, which was something he ordered and arrived with his name on it. Mom had the box in her room, and I only found out last night when Little Sister found a package with my name on it, and I wanted to see if it was the ATC cards I ordered to paint. She didn’t want me to open the package,and told me why. So I let her open it, and sure enough it was what I ordered from Artfire.com.

But I guess husband’s gift arrived today and was in Mom’s room hidden, till Dad brought it out, asking what it was. Mom tried to stop me from getting it, but BWAHAHAHAHA! I really want to open it, but heh, I’ll wait till Hubby gets home, so he can give it. He’s so cute, really. I have no idea what it is, though it feels  like a VHS or a book or something. I have no idea…

Excited! Surprises are fun–even if it is St. Valentine’s Day, and I don’t normally enjoy that concept, heh!

More on the ATCs later…I’m really trying to get my creative level up; got a couple more plaster animals–turtle and a dinosaur–to paint and hopefully sell. I want eventually to get some classes on painting so I can be worth a dang, but for now I’ll have to practice with my own brain!

My last blog was a bit on the stressful wave…Sorry about that friends! Been having a bit of a tough time.

Last night was a great time because husband (mostly, and me a little bit) got to speak in depth for about 4 hrs to one of my brothers about the Catholic Church and faith, and salvation. It was hubby’s birthday, so after he ate some great berry crisp that I’d made him (if I do say so myself!!), my brother came home from work at almost 1am, and just started talking. I don’t remember why they started speaking about salvation and the Church, but whatever the reason, God was moving through the conversation. The discussion became heated, in the sense that this particular brother is sharp as a tack, and was actually challenging husband to know his stuff, heh.

My brothers hold some pretty screwed up views of Catholics, as well as salvation and the road to heaven/hell, due to having been raised in a screwed up Baptist home, and then having years to just wander their own way, coming up with whatever they pieced together, without a Bible or any church. The mind can be a dangerous playground, y’know?

Anyway, I went down at around 2:45am because I was finally wondering where my hubby was, and I’d already written a letter, did some singing, folded clothes–and finally prayed for the conversation downstairs, asking Christ to bestow wisdom to my husband in his defense of the faith. The discussion was in full swing. I actually became interested, due to my brother actually caring to listen, and presenting arguments I knew well.

And though he used me as an example at first of one who just is confused/backslidden/crazy (lol), when I finally sat down next to my mate, and got involved, and presented things, I was amazed….

Brother was actually listening to me, and using what I said, and letting me give examples (due to me having understood where he’s coming from), and he was actually equating husband and me as being Catholic, and a team!

It was breakthrough to me because this particular brother and I don’t really ever interact/connect, yet here he was, being the first person in the family to actually consider me on the same level and part of the same faith as my husband. It felt good, and strong to be on that playing field.

My husband and I don’t alwaze see eye to eye on things in life, and even when we’re trying to talk about our faith to each other–but last night God showed me that we ARE of the same faith, and in the SAME Church, and ARE following Him together, as a team. And when we are focusing on what’s important, we make a pretty nifty team! We each bring something different to the discussion table, as it were. He’s the historian, technical, I know the Church person, and I’m the I am learning my faith from God, slower, but realizing it’s really real person (lol, if that makes any sense!).

Anyway, it was amazing to be seated next to my man, and to be a witness for the Faith with him.

My brother was really interested, and I am praying he’ll do some searching for himself, on his own, and come to Christ through the Church and God’s leading.

It was a good night, and a conversation that probably could’ve gone on all through the morning, but it was nearing 5am, and we finally had to get to sleep. But I am so thankful that God was leading, and the Blessed Mother was no doubt praying along with our own hearts during the conversation.