Comfortable

I have mentioned from time to time that I wasn't happy with the parish in the small town, and I had tried some other ones but just couldn't find "the one".  I am finally feeling comfortable in the parish in the small town, which is the parish in which I grew up.  I am actually starting to feel like I belong.
A few weeks ago there was an announcement that "Why Catholic" groups were starting back up.  "Why Catholic" is a kind of adult religious education where small groups get together and "explores Catholic teaching with direct quotes from Catechism of the Catholic  Church, scriptural references, and reflection questions."  So, I filled out the form with my information, and requesting the "Working Moms" group.  And then I started worrying:  What if the group doesn't want me?  What if the group is really for moms with young kids? What if I just don't fit in?
The first question stemmed from when we first moved back to the small town.  I called someone about getting involved in a group, only to be told that they were all full.  Talk about feeling unwelcomed.    I mentioned that to someone a while back, and that person said that I should have never been told that.  Ya think?  While I was waiting for the leader of the small group for Why Catholic to call, I was secretly hoping that she wouldn't be able to get in touch with me.  But, the lady over the whole program called and told me that the leader of the group would be getting in touch with me soon.  A couple of weeks after that, I got an e-mail from the leader.  I had no escape.  Last Wednesday was my first week with the group.  I hadn't met any of the ladies except one of them a few weeks previous to that.  And they welcomed me with open arms.  One lady is going to have a baby Monday (her 5th), and she has children up to 20 years old.  A couple of other moms have elementary school/middle school age children, another one has high school kids, and the other one has a son in the Army.  So, it's a nice mix, and it seems to work.  I can't believe how comfortable I feel with these women!  This is what I was missing from SC:  friends who share my religion, who I worship and socialize with.  Okay, so I'm not quite to the "socializing" part with them, but there is some socializing going on during our 1 1/2 hours.
Then there's Adoration.  I've met a couple of women who have the hour after mine.  We spend a couple of minutes in transition (as I'm leaving and they're getting there) to catch up.
Yesterday I got a really sweet birthday card from our priest from Africa.  My mom told him it was my birthday, and he brought her a card to give to me.  And, he wrote the sweetest message in it.  It really touched my heart that he would take the time to write that sweet, sweet message.  It's like he knows everything I'm struggling with, and he's telling me he's there for me.  He is simply amazing.
So, I think things are looking up!  This parish isn't perfect, but I don't know of one that is.

April Fool's Hodgepodge

Joyce came up with some more great questions for this week.  I can't believe March is already (almost) over!

1. April rolls in at the end of this week and in celebration of that infamous date (April 1st) answer this question-What is something foolish you've done? 

1?  You only want 1 thing?  I'll go with this:  There is a bridge in the small town that everybody paints.  

During our rivalry week when I was a Junior in high school, I went to paint the bridge after band practice.  I used my car key to attempt to open the spraypaint can and it broke off.  Here's the thing:  I wasn't suppose to be at the bridge; I was suppose to go straight home after practice.  What did I tell my daddy?  I told him it broke off when I was trying to unlock the car door.  He didn't question it, but I have a feeling there's no way he believed me.  My daddy is a pretty smart man.

2. With April comes Easter and that classic edible treat known as Peeps...so tell me...what's your favorite way to fix/eat chicken? That wasn't what you were expecting, was it? I 'fooled' you. teehee.

I like chicken just about every way.  I don't know that I have a favorite.

 

3. What's the best museum you've ever visited? Or your favorite? Or the one you'd most like to visit?

The Holocaust Museum in DC.  Mindblowing.  I think that's the best one I've been to.  Although, the Museum of Natural History in NYC was pretty awesome, too.  There are a couple of museums in the big town next to us that are free that I need to explore.

 

4. You know what they say about April showers...what's your preference-a shower or a bath?

Shower.  When we lived in SC I would take bath every now and then, just to soak.  I've never even taken a bath in our current house.  Maybe after we get the tub refinished.

 

5. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"...fact or fiction? Why?

I think it depends.  If it's true love and not just an infatuation, I think it does.  When CH was at Army Schools, it definitely made the heart grow fonder.  However, there have been a couple of guys that I dated that would make me think it's fiction.

6. What's your favorite product made/grown in your home state/province?

Hmmmmm.....Jack Daniels?  Just kidding, I don't drink the stuff.  I would've said Saturn cars, but they aren't making those here anymore, and I don't drive a Saturn anymore.  Here's my final answer:

 Of course it was going to be something that has to do with food!  CH is convinced that the oatmeal pies are keeping his cholesterol down!  My all time favorite is the Swiss Roll, but this new one is catching up:

 

7. What is going on in the world today that affects you the most?

All this stuff going on in the Middle East causing the gas prices to sky-rocket.  Ridiculous.  We don't even get most of our oil from there, so why in the world are the prices so high?  I couldn't believe how much it cost me to fill up my tank the other day.  Craziness...just pure craziness.

 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

This isn't a great picture, but this is what I saw yesterday afternoon when I took the girls out:

  I just happened to look up and see it.  I don't know if  it's really called a rainbow or something else, but it was pretty cool.

 

To see how everybody else answered or to join in and link up, go visit Joyce.

Tomorrow

I have no idea how this happened.  Wait.  Yes I do.  I was in a hurry and didn't double check what I was doing.  That's how I managed to triple book myself with 3 IEP meetings tomorrow afternoon, all at 3:00.  Yes, I said triple book.  I thought I was supposed to have 1 meeting to place a student into Speech Therapy last Wednesday and the parent didn't show up.  For the 2nd time.  The teacher & I were scratching our heads, because this parent initiated the referral.  The next day I got the parent response in my box, saying he will attend on 30 March.  The teacher couldn't figure out how he got it back to us so quickly.  Uuuuuh, that would be because I'm an idiot and wrote the meeting down on the wrong date on my calendar.
So, what do you do when you've triple booked yourself?  Pray that one of the parents don't show up, of course!  I'm responsible for 2 of the meetings, and the special ed. teacher is responsible for the other one.  We will, at times, schedule meetings for the same day.  When that happens, I do what I need to do for my meeting, then rush down to her room for the other one.  It works for us.  It drives Mr. Principal crazy, I'm sure.
I have a feeling this will be the one time that both parents for my meetings will show up.  On time.  *sigh*
Tomorrow is going to be a crazy day.