Jesus Calms The Storm

The Calming of a Storm at Sea. One day he got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, "Let us cross to the other side of the lake." So they set sail, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A squall blew over the lake, and they were taking in water and were in danger. They came and woke him saying, "Master, master, we are perishing!" He awakened, rebuked the wind and the waves, and they subsided and there was a calm. Then he asked "Where is your faith?" But they were filled with awe and amazed and said to one another, "who then is this, who commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him?" Luke 8:22-25

I was at a wonderful Catholic Women's Conference on Saturday and surrounded by wonderful Catholic women and great speakers! (Dr Janet Smith was the main speaker and she was wonderful!) A local, young priest was one of the speakers too and he gave a wonderful Homily. I have never heard the Calming of the Storm explained the way he explained it. He talked about our lives and how busy they are, with activities and stresses and that is like the storm. God is always there. Although, He might seem to be sleeping to us sometimes, He is always there. In the boat, He was able to sleep, He was God afterall. All it took was one word from Him and it all stopped. All the troubles, fears, anxieties, stresses. He is there still, and He is in control, no matter how bad this storm gets (life) He is there waiting for us to "wake him" (pray) and ask Him to help us.

Look at the 2 pictures closely, they are beautiful and well worth contemplating.

Blessings to you all!

Feast of St John Bosco!

He is one of our favorite Saints! St John Bosco was first a great Saint to aspire to when my husband worked with troubled youth at a local Children's Home. Then, once Ballerina Rosie started having nightmares (a couple years ago) we started asking his intercession in helping the children to dream happy dreams about Jesus and to surround their beds with Angels and Saints.

St John Bosco received visions through his dreams, or God spoke to him through his dreams. His life is amazing and very interesting to read about and to watch!


(taken from our Children's Book of Saints)
When he was a boy; John learned many tricks by watching circus men. He gathered boys around him and put on little shows. Then he repeated the sermon he had heard in church.

At thirteen John left home and went to work with a farmer, then a tailor, a baker, a shoemaker, and a carpenter. In this way he worked himself through college and seminary, and became a priest.

Boys loved Father John. He found places for them to meet, to play and pray. When neighbors complained about the noise, Father john rented an old barn in a field. He called it "The Oratory." He started many of these oratories. He believed that prayer and the sacraments are the best ways of making boys good.

Don Bosco also founded the religious order of the Salesians, a group of priests who would help him in his work for boys. They went also to other countries to educate boys. Father John set up shops of all kinds to teach boys different trades. He wrote many booklets and the boys printed them and sent them out for people to read.

Father John died at the age of seventy-three in 1888.

St John Bosco, Pray for us.

Cookies and Cream Snowman Dessert!

We make this dessert every January! It's easy and fun and delicious! It's a Kraft recipe and you can find the recipe here!

Now I cannot figure out how to get these pictures side by side, so this is my effort to do that!

Homemade Play-Dough!

This recipe is from Margaret and it is our favorite!! The colors have gotten darker than pictured here from playing with it each night for this past week!

Babycakes loves to make snakes, or she loves me to make the snakes for her. She also loves to mix the colors and then say "I sorry" with a big big smile that melts your heart!!

Valentine Ideas

I love having a St Valentine party!! These pictures are from last year, (I see I was painting at the time) but since I usually post pictures after the fact, I thought these would help if anyone liked these ideas. For our centerpiece we filled a jar with candy conversation hearts and found a branch for our tree, then we filled it with conversation hearts of our own! The kids really enjoyed thinking of messages to put on their hearts. "God Bless you" "Jesus Loves you" "You're a Sweetie" Ok, I loved doing it too! One year we painted the branch white, but that was really unnecessary, as you can see, it is still beautiful all natural!

We made giant heart cookie pizzas, the kids decorated them with pastel candies and sprinkles! I just bought that pre-packaged cookie dough and rolled it out and made a heart shape giant cookie and baked it, then we used strawberry packaged frosting and shredded white chocolate bars for the "cheese"! (it works to freeze that white chocolate first, a it melts fast in your hands!) The kids loved it and they sure turned out pretty! I will have more ideas as the month goes on, but I thought this would be fun to show you ahead of time.

Our Craft Wall

This picture is for Suzie, a picture of our craft wall in our school room. We will be taking it down and starting our February crafts this next week! Onto pinks and reds and purples!

Tote/Impromptu Meme

Jamie with her "tote" purse! (Go ahead click on the picture, see how stylin' I am up close!)

Barbara tagged me for this meme. This is me, I usually shower each morning, but today I was lazy and straightened my hair instead, (of course that turns out to be the impromptu picture day) so usually it's curly. My style? Pretty much anything around $10. Hate to say it, but it's true. I have no style, except color. Can't you tell by my flowery K-mart shirt? I have a turquoise one too. I usually wear plain long sleeve tees with no design or print on them (don't you know prints are supposed to make a person look heavier?) and they are all the same, just different colors. I'm terrible, I find a shirt and buy several different colors of it over several weeks, then I'm set. Oh, and the tees are big, so I'll be able to wear them for a while!

I really wish I was a Land's End style person. But I don't have the money or the body. In the end, who really cares anyway? No one. SO, my kids will not be wanting to "share" my clothes or shoes, I'm just not that cool. That's ok, there's enough of them to share eachothers, right?

Purse/tote? Yep, Wal-Mart, cheapest purse that had a long enough strap to put on my arm and not fall off and big enough to put all my stuff in even a diaper and wipes if needed. Again, no style. When I have a baby, the diaper bag becomes my purse. I am a bag person, I have lots of big bags for putting "stuff" in like the pool bag, the dance bag, the church bag, the library bag, the picnic bag.

OK, tag time!! How many can I tag? How about: JessicaJo Tracy

Christine Melissa-MN Melissa-NM Jen JOT JMJ-Allison Sarah Paula Regan

Oh, and Suzie too!! (even though it's a kitchen blog) Therese and Soul Pockets! If I missed you, consider yourself tagged!

*****update*****Check out Suzie's new blog (not the cooking one)!!! I'm adding Celeste too, we do share a birthday!!

Cups!!!!

No more. I decided yesterday the kids will pick their cup for the day and use it for every meal or every time they need a cup. Otherwise by the end of the day, I have at least 12 cups to wash, (at least) and if I decide to skip a night washing dishes, (a new thing since becoming pregnant) that's at least 24 cups!! My dishwasher is always full of cups on the top but then bottom is empty!

It worked really good yesterday to assign a cup for the day. Dishes were sure a lot easier!

What do you do about cups?

Fondue

Growing up, my husband and his family fondued. It is one of his very few good memories. We decided we'd try it and if we liked it, we would fondue for Christmas Eve next year and for whoever wants it for special occasions, like birthdays or whatever.


My husband went and bought this pot this past weekend and we tried it last night. We had an array of different foods: Mozzarella and cheddar cheese chunks, onion rings, chicken, steak, mushrooms, pineapple, grapes, strawberries and bananas. We had a beer batter (made with water), a onion ring batter and a Italian bread crumb/egg coating. Oh, and of course a chocolate fondue. (for the fruit) We also had numerous dips, sweet and sour, mustard, spaghetti sauce, ketchup, and some spicy stuff only my husband had.


I have never done fondue. I had no idea what it would be like or even taste like. We filled the pot with Canola oil and waited for it to get hot and stood there for the next 2 1/2 hours or so to eat a little at a time, as it got done. We decided in order to feed this many people we'd need another fondue pot with oil and another one for the dessert. We had to wait for the oil to cool, clean everything up and then melt the chocolate. I kept thinking this is just like deep fat frying, isn't it? I could feel my arteries clogging up as I tasted. I just don't like greasy things. I do eat healthy. (I have really really good cholesterol) I love fruit and vegetables and fresh stuff. The chocolate was good, but pretty rich and after trying each piece of fruit in the chocolate, that was about all anyone could handle.


The kids did have a blast though. It was fun to see them try new foods and try to experiment. They can't wait to do it again. We would do less next time, one less batter, the onion ring batter was the best! I could see using this fondue pot for special desserts sometimes too. It was worth it to try it and fun to do something like this together as a family.

It Must Be Spring, the Deer are Coming!

I did not take this picture, but this how us Minnesotans feel about now. My neighbor is in Mexico for the week. The mind does tend to wander this time of year to someplace tropical.

My Book Club Books

For those of you who asked, the above book is the book we are doing right now, with one chapter left, the book below is our next book. Courageous Love is a actual study book with homework, bible verses to look up and thoughts to write down.
Holiness for Housewives is not a book study book, so we will just read the chapter for the particular week and each come up with a question to discuss. We meet 2x/month at my home and we read the coming Sunday's gospel and discuss a resolution for the next 2 weeks. We really have wonderful group of women. Melissa and Christine are in the group. One woman, Susan, read my blog the day I posted about being sick and she, being a mother of 9 children, cooked a meal for me (and 2 others!!) Now, how sweet is that? I think of the sacrifice she made that day, so I'd be relieved from the nausea for a evening, well, it just amazes me. She really is a treasure, as are all the ladies in the group!


The group started many years ago going through "Familia" and then turned into "Together" and now we are a Catholic Women's Book Study Group.


"Courageous Love" is a good book study book, but to tell you the truth, I really just mostly enjoy the conversations that stem from the book, not necessarily the book. Does that make sense? We women can talk.

January 22, 2009 Remember, Pray, Fast

7 week old baby in the womb.

This is what my little baby looks like now.

I'm Hooked!! It All Starts Tonight, The Beginning of The End!

LOST! (click on it to see the previews and any past episodes you missed!)

The last season begins tonight!! I'm excited for some answers to finally to come. I hate being "hooked" and having to watch something, but it's winter, not much else to do, right?

I just wish every episode was on the same time every week!! Last year, I ended up watching most of them on the computer a few days afterward, it's great, no commercials!!

I guess the filming is done in Hawaii. It does make Hawaii look good, especially this time of year!! Are you "hooked"?

Embracing the Sickness and Weight Gain (or at least trying to!)

Yes, my blog is contradicting right now, trying to embrace the winter, with the above snowflake and yet dreaming of Summer flowers, butterflies and gardens!

That kind of sums up pregnancy for me. Trying to embrace the good out of the bad. Trying to dream of the end.

I am sick. I have no problem saying it all. day. long. My kids keep saying, "but mom, that's good right?" Me: "Yes, it's good, but (as I put my head down on the table), I'm sooo sick!" So far, no throwing up, just that jaw clinching nausea over every smell (including perfume and lotion and well, everything) and even thoughts. This past week my husband made popcorn one night and I could not even come downstairs where he was, I had to close my door the smell was sooo strong. Yet, the very next day, I had popcorn for lunch!

I always crave healthy things, like salads & carrots, (I just bought a huge bag of huge real carrots, not baby carrots, they have to be the real thing!) sub sandwiches, (from a particular sub place here in town) These are things I crave when I'm not pregnant too, it's just that now, it's a much stronger craving. Like I will crave them until I get them. Like I HAVE to get them.

With the girls I have craved oranges and apples (yellow apples to be exact) but with this baby no fruit cravings yet, except bananas, which I always love and crave!

No mood swings (yet), but you better ask my husband about that. I did get a little sad this past weekend and did tear up for almost the entire Mass on Sunday, every song and reading and during the homily. (pro-life homily)

I have no. energy. at. all. I just want to lie on the couch all day or better yet, not get out of bed to begin with.

I also get a little frustrated and sad about the weight gain that is happening and will continue to happen for the next 7 months.

With my Type 1 Diabetes, (I've had since I was 10) I will gain 60 lbs. I've already started. How, you ask? Well, the doctor explained it to me this way, when there is tighter control of the blood sugars, no sugars are spilling out into my urine and so all that sugar stays in my body and has to go somewhere. SO, yes, I have already started to gain, even though I'm actually eating less.

With each pregnancy, I've not lost all of the weight gained. In between pregnancies, I have not gained weight, I've either lost (in the beginning) or stayed the same (this past year) so I will be the biggest ever by the end. So, in accumulation, it's a lot.

The frustrating part for me is the darn diabetes. I hate that it actually does control me. Oh, I have a handle on it, I take good care of myself and the baby, (it is so worth it) but if I were not a diabetic, I would not gain the weight. (not that much) I would be the person I want to be (body image wise) I hate that it is out of my control, I have to give in and just accept it.

Maybe I am moody, re-reading this post, it sounds negative, but believe me, it's not. It's just my struggles. My way to get it out and not keep it bottled up inside. I am still very happy and very positive. I feel so very blessed with every feeling and hard thing that comes my way.

SO, I accept it all, one day at a time getting closer to that end. Those beautiful flowers and butterflies and baby!

I pray daily for all of you out there hoping to conceive. I do know your pain, I do understand. If you have not already read my post about the very special womb blessing done by a priest, please read here!

Congratulations Jen!!!!

Congratulations to Jen at This Family of Ours! She is having a baby too now! This will be her 5th C-section too. Yes, let's start a club for multiple C-sections, we'll show those doctors!! If you haven't been to her blog, you are missing out, she really is a gem. We have a lot in common and I've had the opportunity to talk on the phone a couple times with her and it's like she's right next door! (I wish) She is just so much fun!! Anyway, go on, visit her blog and wish her congrats!!


***Yes, I have Spring fever and will continue to show pretty Spring and Summer pictures!***

A Great New Cooking Blog

Now see, spring and summer are coming! I like to look over summer pictures on these cold days to remind me of good times in the warm sun.

I have a good friend, Suzie, who started a cooking blog, named Domestic Family Dining. Please check her blog out, she has great ideas!

I am happy to say she is a real life friend who does not live in my state, but was introduced to me by my good friend Sarah and we quick became friends. She is elegant, sweet, pretty, sincere and very easy going and easy to talk to. She's a good cook too!

Q-Tip Painting

Babycakes gets her own paint plate because she mixes it all!!
We make these paper plate snowmen every year, but they turn out so cute and different each year!

Trace stencils of snowflakes, mittens, snowmen and paint with Q-tips. I make a whole bunch of traced stencil winter sheets and we water paint them and color them too.

Too Cold for Clouds!

Yes, it's too cold for clouds here in Minnesota. I guess that's the silver lining, that the sun is shining bright on these cold, cold, days! Our low today was -26 and the temp right now is -16 with an expected high of -6. Now, for you southern warm climate people who don't understand what wind chill is, the wind chill today is -31 right now and that means that if you go outside that's the temp it feels like. So, basically frost-bite happens within 10 minutes on any exposed skin. So the local schools have delayed school 2 hours. Even though the warnings are out until noon. Hmmmm....yes, 2 hours will help. Let's just say, I'm soooo glad we homeschool.

Good news though, above zero temps are coming this weekend!!! Yahoo!! You should see us Minnesotans after a string of below zero days, that above zero temp, even if only a few degrees, feels soooooo warm, we even venture out without hats and mittens and might even unzip our coats!!! Really, I'm not exaggerating.

We are staying in and the kiddos are going to watch a movie with popcorn and hot cocoa as their snack. Picture this mama laying on the couch with 4 kiddos sitting on her, trying to doze off. Oh, I can do it, really I can. And I'm going to.

Stay warm wherever you are. It won't last forever.


*****Update******
The local schools did close today!! Now, my kids are wishing we did not homeschool...we still have school.

What I'm Craving!

Awards! (My Thoughts on Them)

No, it's not the Academy Awards, or any of those Red Carpet Award shows, you know the ones where no one really cares who wins what, but they do care what everyone is wearing? I admit, I like to watch the "after shows" to see the best and worst dressed.

It makes me curious as to what their lives are really like. Why this is important. Is it important? Is it just a party? Do some of them try to get on the "worst dressed list" ? Do they have to go because they are promoting a current movie? Why do they get all this "free" stuff when they are so stinkin' rich already? (OK, I know the answer already to that one, but it still bugs me)

It makes me think about my own life and be so very thankful that my life is not theirs. That I have my simple life here and don't have to worry about all that they seem to need to worry about, or not worry about.

I wonder, do they think about God? What do they think? I think about how liberal the majority of them are (only excluding a handful). And how much they push their own agenda for condoms, abortion, Obama and being "green".

I wonder why Angelina Jolie, who I think has a huge heart for some wonderful causes and tries to do what is right and uses her money to help a lot of people, can be so messed up? She shows mercy towards other countries yet, has no mercy for her father. I wonder, how did she lose the weight?

How do they all stay so thin?

Award time brings all these and many other thoughts to my head.

I think the award shows make it clear how SIN is made to look glamorous and beautiful in the world's view.

OK, this got way out of hand...these awards pictured on my post today have nothing to do with SIN or anything bad at all. The first award on the top is called the "Marie Antoinette Award" and is given to bloggers from other bloggers for being "real" or for "bloggers who are real in who they are". This was given to me from Tracy at Pinewood Castle. Thank you Tracy!

This award "The Octamom Award" is well deserved. It is for the blogging mother who has multiple children and is too busy to even post awards given to her and comes with the command to eat a few pieces of chocolate with each step to finally post it! Thank you Jessica!

Now, I must give my opinion of "blog awards" in keeping it "real" in order to deserve the top award. (which is an oxy moron in itself)

I do not like them.

I think we are all real and that is why we blog. At least the blogs I read are all real in what they blog and post. That's why I read them.

I think they make some people feel bad, that "Oh, is my name on the list of 7 picked by this blogger?" feeling. When people are not picked, it can make them feel inferior or less than popular. We all know who the popular blogs are and why we read them.

I feel that if I pick 7 people, 7 of my favorite (I have more than 7 favorites) then many will be left out. (although pretty much everyone has received these awards by now, which shows they mean nothing)

Maybe I was picked to be last for Volleyball too many times in high school! (I was bad, very bad)

Now I hope I have not stepped on anyone's blogging toes, I'm sorry if I have. I just have to say how I feel. I just think it makes our good little blog world a little sticky, if you know what I mean.

Novena Against FOCA

A friend emailed me this letter and I felt it was important enough to pass on to my readers. The novena starts today, please join me!


The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) could be passed by Congress as soon as January 21-22 of 2009. If signed by newly-inaugurated President Obama and made into law, FOCA will remove all limitations on abortion:

1. All hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, will be required to perform abortions upon request. If this happens, American Catholic bishops have vowed to close down Catholic hospitals, more than 30% of all hospitals in the United States.

2. Partial birth abortions will be legal without restriction.

3. All U.S. taxpayers will be forced to fund abortions.

4. Parental notification will no longer be required.

5. The number of abortions will increase by a minimum of 100,000 annually.Perhaps most importantly, the passage of FOCA will place the issue of abortion under government control. This could result in a future amendment that would force women by law to have abortions in certain situations (rape, Down syndrome babies, etc.) and might even regulate how many children women are allowed to have.


Catholics and all Christians must stand as one against this menace. We must stop this horrific act before it becomes a law.


The Plan:To say a novena ( nine days of prayer ) with fasting, beginning January 11th. For Catholics, the prayer of choice is the rosary, with the intention to stop FOCA. Non-Catholics are encouraged to pray their strongest prayers with the same intentions, also for nine consecutive days. The hope is that this will branch and blossom to become a global effort with maximum impact. There is very little time so we all must act fast.


Please do three things:

1. Pass this letter to five or more people.

2. Do it in three days or less.

3. Start the novena on January 11th, and pray with fasting for nine consecutive days.

May God bless our efforts.

The Baptism of the Lord

Me: "Who knows who baptized Jesus?"

Ballerina Rosie: "John the Baptism!"

Oh, Baby, Baby!

Well, Babycakes moved out of her baby bed and is in a "big bed" now. We did it this last weekend. I was actually excited about it. She's not been going to bed very good lately, running and hiding in her sister's beds, constantly messing them up after they make them. I felt it was time, she is 2 1/2 now. In the past, we've already had another baby to fill that baby bed and the transition is made because of that. SO this time it was different. It didn't really hit me until I came home from an errand during her nap and my husband had taken down the crib already, in that short of a time. Almost 9 years of having a crib up and it was down and placed in the store room just in a errand's time! That was fine, but then when I saw the pile of baby blankets, I grabbed them and folded them right here on the table, then I cried. My baby is not a baby, she's officially a big girl!! Thank you God for that feeling, that desire of wanting a baby all. the. time.

Isn't her new bed cute? When we moved a year ago, I ordered an extra set of this comforter set knowing that Babycakes would be using it within a year. So they all match, since they are all in the same room!

Wouldn't you know, as soon as we take down the crib, we find out that we are pregnant and having another baby!!! I'm thinking this baby is due in early September but since they take me early, I will deliver in late August. That will make children's birthdays in June, July, August and September!! (and one in March)

OK, now from the moment I find out I'm pregnant, I worry. I run to the bathroom every time I feel something, I worry every time I have blood sugars above 120. (I'm now testing my blood 8-10 times a day) SO please pray for this baby to be healthy. I worry from the time I find out until that sweet little baby is out and in my arms.

I know it's early to tell, but, I want those prayers. Please. I'll pray for you too. I also believe in acknowledging it is a baby at the moment of conception!!

Thank you, God for a 6th soul to entrust us with. We are SO blessed and SO thankful.

***update: Since people are asking, I am feeling a little more tired, even with going to bed between 10-11pm every night. (this is a big step for me) I have lost my appetite but am not sick yet...that will happen in a couple weeks, so I am enjoying it now. I gave up my Diet Coke, but am sure I will break down once in a while and have one. I do get really sick and will not even be able to look at the computer screen in a few weeks without feeling dizzy. Feeling sick is a sign of a healthy baby, so bring it on!!! All my sickness is offered up for the health of the baby. All suffering has a purpose. I threw up with Ballerina Rosie (now 6) the most. I threw up at least 3x a day and gagged a ton more. I remember leaning on the kitchen sink and crying..."I'm one more day closer" One day at a time is the best advice I can give. SO you won't see any baby widgets saying 200 and some days left...that's just too overwhelming for me! Maybe at the end I'll do that!! Remember with diabetes, I will have to somehow get those calories back in me after throwing up, because the insulin is already in me. I will be buying sugar 7up soon.

Thank you all for your prayers, you are all wonderful!!

An Easy Winter Craft!

Now, aren't these pretty?

More Snow Coming Today!

Although, only a "freezing mix" is expected, I think we have enough now.

Our mailbox can't take much more! JMJ- you are all welcome to come visit and slide down our snow hill and then head on over to Christine's for some pond fun!

Yes, we are back to school today, but somehow I don't think it will be as fun as this picture! Sticking to a schedule, homework, not as much play time...It will be fine. I do think we NEED that schedule and am actually excited to start back again today. I've just enjoyed these past 3 weeks off, it's been so nice! But the kids need some order. I need some order.

Happy New Year to everyone! I don't really make resolutions except the same things that I am already working on anyway. Like getting up early, working out every day, praying more. I do feel the new year is a clean slate, a nice starting over point. We took down our tree yesterday and our decorations and the house seems so much bigger and cleaner!! It makes it kind of exciting to start school today in a clean school room, no crafts on the walls yet and the calendar is not full yet.

We have a ton of snow here in MN, I'll post a mailbox picture later, you can hardly see our mailbox. We got another 2 inches over the weekend and it was way below zero yesterday. Today is supposed to be above zero which means it will actually feel warm to us Minnesotans, and all the kiddos and I will go outside to play today!!

Have a great day back at whatever it is you are doing today!

Angel of Alcoholics Anonymous

Sister Mary Ignatia Gavin (born on this day in 1889) was a music teacher for 21 years. But at age 39, she suffered a nervous breakdown, and decided to leave teaching.

In 1928, she was assigned as a registration clerk in the admissions office of the Sisters of Charity's new hospital in Akron, Ohio. Here at St Thomas Hospital she met Dr Bob Smith, a recovering alcoholic, who co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous. The two soon became friends.

Dr Smith and Bill Wilson (another recovering alcoholic) had just published a book, outlining the 12 steps of spiritual healing. But in order for this healing to occur, Dr Smith needed to find a hospital willing to provide care for the alcoholic's medical needs.

In the summer of 1939, he asked Sr Ignatia to help him find a hospital where alcoholics could detox as they learned to live without alcohol. It was a risky request. Back then, alcoholism was seen as a character defect rather than a disease requiring treatment.

But Sister Ignatia wouldn't be deterred. She admitted alcoholic men into the hospital during shift changes and before nursing supervisors could object. Eventually Dr Smith and the nun convinced hospital officials to change their policy, and St Thomas Hospital became the first religious institution to recognize alcoholics' right to receive medical treatment.

When an alcoholic patient left the hospital, Sr Ignatia would give them a Sacred Heart medallion, representing their commitment to God. If they were going to drink, she'd say they should return the medal first.

Sr Mary Ignatia died April 1, 1966, in Cleveland, Ohio.

**This was taken from my "The Little Blue Book" (a 6 minute daily reflection book)
For more information on Sr Ignatia's life go here.

For a great movie about how Alcoholics Anonymous started watch "My Name is Bill W" starring James Woods and one of my favorites, James Garner! (I love him, my dad always watched the Rockford Files, remember Lance White? Who can guess who played Lance White?) ***OK, I will give you a hint: He later became Magnum P.I.

For those of you who don't know, my husband celebrated 19 years of sobriety this past May and runs a half-way house that houses 24 men in recovery. (He's a drug and alcohol counselor)
SO, I found this very interesting about Sister Ignatia!