Noticing...

October is my favorite month.

It's also a time when I seem to pause and take notice.

On Friday, I noticed my darling daughter imitating her brothers. She decided to make a "battle" but her armies were of a different brand. I was surprised to hear that Cinderella was a bad guy, not surprised that Pooh was a good guy.


I noticed that my homeschool group mom friends were not available for our usual First Saturday Mass and breakfast. (We've been meeting for 3 years and it's less than a handful the times that we miss each other.)

Instead of "repairing the Immaculate Heart" on my own, my 2nd son asked if he could join me for some one on one time! He woke up early to leave his Saturday morning slumber sac, before 7:30, for 8am Mass. We went to the usual diner where I treated him to a hot chocolate with his eggs and bacon. What a delightful companion! We even went shopping together...BOGO shoe shopping and more Legos. :)
When we came home on that sunny, glorious Fall Saturday I noticed "my littles" playing in the backyard. My 7 year old son was trying to lift his baby, his 4 year old sister into the swing and being so big-brotherly in taking care of her and entertaining her.
I noticed some color on the leaves outside and new, colorful friends at the birdfeeder. There's some purposeful, colorful decoration on the inside too.

Did you notice that Sunday was RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY? After Latin Mass, many of us and 4 other homeschooling families manned the LIFECHAIN in peaceful prayer on a busy biway. Holding signs as cars passed by we lost count of how many times we were flipped off. We noticed this crass behavior was not reserved for rough living men, but from women too who have never been taught lady-like manners. They were young, they were grandmothers and they shared the same spittled mouth, contorted faces of rage. Even sadder were the cars that passed with the rosary hanging from the rear view mirror when they ignored us and avoided our eyes as their vehicles stopped at the light. We were surely buoyed by the waves and thumbs-up from those who believed that a baby was a person, a life...with rights.

To sweeten our Sunday, we went out to lunch in the time to kill between church and LIFECHAIN. At the landmark burger joint, giddy on milkshakes, we took these family photos.

What I notice is our smiles, the love. We are a team with the same goal ahead of us.