Don't forget the Peeps for your edible nests...
(White choco chips melted, choco eggs and pretzels)
Jelly beans for your Sacrifice Bean Jars....
and
Don't forget your Empty Tomb Roll supplies:
Large Marshmallows
Melted butter
Cinnamon and sugar
Crescent rolls
Directions Here
Open up and where's Jesus the marshmallow?
I called the doctor yesterday in hopes we could bring Simeon to Easter Sunday Mass
(and, well, everywhere)
but
the doctor said
Simeon is still too little
(he's 9 lbs 1 oz as of Wednesday)
(he's 9 lbs 1 oz as of Wednesday)
and
there are a lot of things going around
especially in old people and small children
and there are a lot of those at church.
We'll have to split it up I guess...
It's always so fun to all dress up in our Easter attire and go out together
We can do that in May (hopefully)
It's been a hard week
I've broken down and cried twice or maybe 3 times
I have a very fussy baby
I'm tired of pumping and feeding and teaching school and doing laundry and cooking and not having time for anything except those things and I'm tired of being cooped up in this house and not being able to go anywhere with my baby, and...
well, you get the picture
I just break down and cry
"Lord, I know You think I can handle this, but I can't"
"This is too much for me"
Then, I look at the cross.
and I know it's not too much.
I know how much I need Him.
I know how much I love Him.
I know how much I need the cross
and
how much I need the Ressurection.
And
I'm so very thankful.
Oh, Jamie. I wish I could go up there and spell you for a bit- teaching or cooking, or even just holding little Simeon!
ReplyDeleteYour ideas are wonderful- I wish I had the time this weekend to try some, especially the little birds' nests. You are always so creative!
Happy Easter to you and your family!
Good attitude. I hear you - you are not alone in feeling this way. I find it amazing how you've kept up the pumping. Zoe nurses every two hours (though for about a week it was more like 1-1.5 hours) and while exhausting, I know it's not like pumping/feeding from my teensy experience with pumping. So kudos to you.
ReplyDeleteYou'll get out with your family. There is a lot of illness out there. Look at us, sick nearly all of Lent with a fresh virus for Easter. Yay. Keep Simeon safe and healthy.
Have a joyous Easter!
Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteJamie Jo, you've had a difficult week, and still you're celebrating Holy Week with your children and keeping the family all together!! Sometimes, it can be too much, and we all need a little break now and then (my break consists of crying sometimes too!!) Sorry to hear that your little S can't attend Mass yet, but those germs indeed are everywhere right now! I love those empty tombs. And I've seen the birds' nests before but never with the little peeps on top of them --- too cute. God bless your Easter !!!
ReplyDeleteoh, your Q on my blog, yes, ideally, we add a card as the week progresses from Palm Sunday on through, but this year, I was a little pressed for time, didn't get the calendar done until Good Friday, so we did kind of the evelyn wood speed reading course from Palm Sunday until the crucifixion, then we're taking it day by day through Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Next year, we'll be able to take it a little more slowly through the week! (I got those stations of the cross images from Catholic Artworks' faithkeepers holy card CD, but also found some other free images of the Stations online that were as nice.)
ReplyDeleteHang in there! You ARE doing it and your family is blessed because of you.
ReplyDeleteI hope you know if we were closer we would find a way for you to have that time. I feel your pain and pray you will be blessed with some help from your area soon.
ReplyDeleteJust keep thinking it will get better after Simeon has his surgery. Hang in there sweet thang.
Hugs,
Odie
Thank you everyone, I'm being a baby....so sorry.
ReplyDeleteShelly--I SO wish you could come!!
Nicole--I know--it sure helps to know others out there struggling too--not that that's a good thing, just that I'm not alone...make sense?
Gardenia--thank you, and you are right, we have so much to be thankful for, we are all together and that's what matters. Thanks for answering my questions about your great calendar!
Felt Family--You are right, I'll be thinking about that one all night!!
Odie--Do you know how sweet you are? Very sweet indeed!
What you accomplish amazes me, Jamie. Let the joy of Easter wash over you and hopefully you can take a break from school and crafts and find a moment to exhale deeply...change your pace. Sorry to hear the little guy is fussy. That is so hard.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you and saying a prayer.
I wish I could send you a housekeeper! Most women would not keep up with the pumping. So selfless. Take care. You are NOT a baby!
ReplyDeleteJamie..HUGS to you and little tiny baby boy. YOU are not a baby. I AM. Look how soft I am with even my bloggy...I was crabby so I quit. I am glad you do not quit. Your family is blessed to have you.
ReplyDeleteSometimes crosses seems hard. I do not share too much of my crosses. But sometimes my sadness goes so deep. I do not know why. A lot of stuff from the past.
I feel for you though. Not being able to go to Mass together is hard.
Next year will be different. I gotta come over and help out. I am close enough. I just know you are busy with school and do not want to interrupt your lessons with kids. I tend to just get in the way I feel.
Your ideas are so nice.
I hope you have a Blessed Easter. I love you Jamie.
You are so loved by all of us.
You are a great friend. Hang in there.
I'm so sorry you can't all go to Mass as a family on the most special day of the year. :-( Have hope- think how far Simeon will have come by next Easter, and what an incredible celebration you will have in just one short year.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could come throw some laundry in the wash for you!
As moms, we know that the days are long but the years are short. Hang in there.
Happy Easter. Jamie Jo!
ReplyDeleteI read a writing from a Catholic priest that addressed the issue of "God only giving us what we can handle." He said the truth is, God gives us MORE than we can handle...so that we HAVE to rely upon HIM. This completely changed my outlook on life...
...it helped me understand that when bad things happen to good people, God allows it b/c he is there to carry us.
Cry to him, Jamie Jo. He hears you and is wrapping his arms around you.
A huge cyber hug from me and lots of prayers for you during these trials. They are real!
Blessings,
Valerie
Allison--I've already changed my pace, I think that's part of what is so hard!!
ReplyDeleteMama Bear--I feel I need to do this pumping thing, it's the best I can do for him & my goal is to do it for a year. (Thanks to other mama bloggers who gave me courage to do it, Beth, at Beautiful Day, she did it for her cleft palate baby....so I know I can too)
Christine--share your crosses, what are friends for? Let me know when you are sad or want some cheering up!! HUGS back to you too!!
I don't quit. It's kind of a fault too. I wish I could quit some things. Thanks for reminding me about next year, you are right, next Easter will be totally different!
Monica--I love that saying, about the days being long and the years short, how true....I'll have to think about that one more...And, yes, as you know next year our babies will have come so far won't they have? And us mamas too!
Valerie--Oh, my gosh, I love that, and how true that is, God DOES give us more than we can handle, because He want us to need Him and He wants to help us! Thank you so much!
Jamie, thinking and praying for you during this difficult time! I had identical twin boys with various congenital issues that required a combined nine surgeries before age two. I also nursed and had to weigh them before and after each nursing session and then finish up with a bottle. The struggle was so worth it and as it turns out, I cannot even remember all of the hard times. They are now doing awesome and are amazing six year olds. Some things to think about and maybe ask your doctor about: could you add a high calorie concentrated scoop of formula to Simeon's breastmilk to increase his calorie intake? It may help with weight gain. Also, my boys had tummy issues too, especially after all the antibiotics they give with surgery. You may want to research some probiotics for infants that you could add to his bottles before surgery. I'd hate to see his tummy become worse.:)
ReplyDeleteGod Bless You All!
Jamie, you do so much and are so selfless. I think it is so amazing that you are still pumping. I hated pumping and whined a lot when I had to do it. You are so strong.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to break down and cry once in a while. It gives Our Lady a chance to wrap her mantle around us.
Simeon is doing so well because you work so hard. Your family is so blessed to have you. You are also such a witness to your little girls. Imagine how strong they will be as mothers because of your example. You are also a great witness to us other mothers. Your surrender to God's will is amazing. It is not easy, but you give so many of us strength and hope.
You can count on prayers from us. God Bless and have a blessed Easter Monday!
MB--Amazing what you went through...I DO keep telling myself, that after this year, we will look back and be so happy and thankful we made it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions, I will check into it...you know, come to think of it, he was on antibiotics when he was born, for 2 weeks, because of his kidneys, I wonder if they have something to do with his fussiness now? Oh, well, had to do it...I'll look into those probiotics..maybe--asadopholis? (sp?) I'll also ask about the formula thing....he'd still be getting my breastmilk, so that might help....thanks again--and thanks for your prayers too.
Tina Marie--You know, the other day, my oldest girl told me that she was calming Simeon down, and Sweetie Pie wanted a book read, Simeon finally burped and was happy, so she sat down with them both and read a book. She was telling me how hard she was working at making them happy--I told her what a wonderful mother she will make someday. You are right. It's hard to see that in the middle of it all sometimes though. Thanks for all your prayers, they are a blessing.
Hugs, Mama friend:) Praying a little grace reigned down just when you needed it most...It always seems to happen that way when we turn our teary eyes to our saving Lord. His Mama sure brings us close when we need it too. Thank God for the Cross!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tiffany--It does, that grace comes at the right moments, if anything, just enough to keep going. That's the way I feel anyway!
ReplyDeleteJust because I showed those treats, doesn't mean we actually made them this year...we made the resurrection rolls today (Monday) and will make the nests probably Wednesday!! It's Easter for like 50 days right? Plenty of time for treat making, why rush into it all during holy week? :) (we didn't do pretzels this year either, I opted for that unleavened bread Jessica had at her lenten tea--much easier and quicker)
Prayers for you!
ReplyDelete