 I'm back, and there's a lot to catch up on!!! Prepare to be inundated with entries over the next few days.
First up, parenting anxiety. I believe my friend, Nicole, coined something along the lines of "First-time Parenting Syndrome" in which us new parents freak out over every little thing we may have done (or not done) to somehow screw our kids up forever. I had one of those moments the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. His class was doing a special show for the parents to showcase their songs and crafts as a fun send-off for the holiday weekend. I showed up with the throng of other parents only to feel slightly panicked that my son was not among his classmates. His teacher caught me trying to find him and motioned to the empty corner of the room - far away from the rest of the students who were happily singing and dancing in synch. I didn't see him at first. I didn't see anyone at first, actually. As I slid past parents holding cameras and videotapes, I noticed an aide's head peeking over a bookshelf. Behind the bookshelf she was sitting with my son on her lap. They were reading a book together. I was confused. Why wasn't he with the class? Did he do something wrong? The aide explained that he refused to participate in the sing-along. They had tried everything to get him to participate, but he would have none of it. So instead of singing with the class, he sat off in the corner, physically separated from his peers, and looked at books. Immediately, a thousand thoughts raced through my mind. Did he suddenly get stage-fright? No. This ham of a kid is willing to dance and sing for complete strangers. Shy will never be a word used to describe him. Maybe he wasn't feeling well? No. He was happily reading his book and looked perfectly fine. Was he being disobedient? Yes, but he's not typically the rebel and was very likely skirting the show for a reason... so why? And then that terrible feeling set in... the parental anxiety I spoke about above... the one in which you can't help but feel ultimately responsible for everything. I remembered several instances of Vincent being corrected - by his classmates - for his speech impediments. As many of you know, Vince was practically deaf for two years of his life. He finally got his hearing corrected two days after his 2nd birthday. I spent countless hours and likely thousands of dollars getting him treatment and professional help to work on the skills he never developed due to his hearing issues. So even though he's made incredible progress in the last year, he's still not caught up with his peers - at least verbally. Everything else he's either on par or excelling with. Speech and comprehension, though... he's behind. Making progress, but definitely behind. I cringed at the thought that Vince might finally be understanding his impediments. I don't think he really understood that he was behind his classmates with speech. He just babbled happily at everyone and typically got his point across because his basic communication was passable; however, now that his peers are speaking in complete sentences and articulating clearly... You see where I'm going with this? They're picking up on Vince's weakness. I don't think anyone's been outright mean to him, but kids are kids. They don't realize how mean they sound as they say things like "Vincent sounds funny" or "Why do you talk like a baby?" *heart break* I can't help but wonder if Vincent wouldn't sing with the class because he felt self-conscious about his own ability to articulate the words as well as the other kids. He can't really sing along to very many songs because he just can't articulate the words fast enough. He's great with beats and can "babble" in time with the music, occasionally getting out a clear word or two where they're meant to go. By and large, however, he babbles along and I've heard kids call him out on it. I've seen Vince look at them cock-eyed and keep on going, oblivious to what they meant by correcting him... but what if it's finally dawning on him that he's not "on level" with the other kids? What if he's starting to feel bad or not smart because he can't communicate as well as the others? I had to choke back tears as I took him from the classroom. Again, all those thoughts of inadequacy came flooding in. I should've gotten him more help. I should've found more doctors to side with me on surgery before he was two. I should work harder with him at home on his communication skills. I need to hire a new speech therapist to coach him one-on-one! Mostly I just kicked myself on the way home, angry for having put him in a position where he could possibly feel stupid or shut-out from the rest of the group. God forbid he was embarrassed or something. Even now just thinking about it... I'm upset. Rationally I know this isn't really my fault. As a parent, you can't help but feel responsible, though. There are just days that you are overcome with fear of being the source of your child's pain. The fear that you did something that could possibly harm the most precious little heart you know... it's enough to make your heart bleed. And that was how I felt the entire night. I talked to John about it, crying the whole time. I couldn't help myself. I felt like such a failure - even though I knew full well I'd done everything in my power to salvage his hearing from when he was nine months old. John patted my hand and told me what an amazing mom I was and that I might've just caught him on a terrible day. Maybe he just didn't feel like singing that day and wanted to read a book instead. Who knows? He didn't seem upset or sad when I picked him up, so maybe John was right... maybe it was some freak incident and I got myself riled for no good reason. This is just the end result of having children, though. Constantly worrying that their issues are somehow caused by your inadequacy as a parent. *Shakes head* Goodness. It's a good thing I trust God to make up for all the things I'm lacking. I'm not a perfect parent. Far from it. But I do love my son, and I trust that even though I will do a litany of things that will cause my little munch issues, God will be there to set him straight again... to somehow take my broken-ness and fix it up enough so that it IS enough. At the end of the day, that's all I can hope for, huh? :)
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We made it to Florida just fine! It is beautiful here. Bonus is that I don't feel the need to bundle up in sweaters because the temperature is so mild. Yay! I'm sending this from my phone, so forgive formatting and spelling. Here is a shot of the view I get to enjoy with my husband and little munch. Happy Thanksgiving! Be blessed everyone!  I promised you fine folks that I'd snag pictures of the Basilica one day. That day, dear readers, has arrived!!! After Confession, I took a moment to snap a few quick pictures while the sacristan was setting up for Mass. As others began to file in for the service, I stopped so they wouldn't be distracted by my camera flashing itself off every conceivable spot of gorgeousness in the place. The building itself is nothing special on the outside. In fact, some folks might even call it ugly. What it lacks outside is more than made up once you walk through the doors. I'll let the slideshow do the talking. Enjoy - especially that statue of the Blessed Mother handing St. Dominic the rosary for the first time. I LOVE IT! Warning: You might not be able to view these images if you're using Mozilla (and I haven't a clue why). You can still enjoy, though! Just follow this link to my Flickr page! Special thanks to Kathryn H. for this find!!!
Remember a week or so back I posted this picture of a mother - daughter duo voting during a parliament meeting? Apparently it wasn't a fluke incident, because Reuters had ANOTHER shot of them doing it again in their Top 24. How awesome is that??? If you're interested in seeing the adorable pair (this time with the little girl yanking on mommy's nose while she raises her hand in support of some measure) follow this link and scroll over to the 14th photo. YAY for being able to take your baby girl into work with you and proving you can still get work done!!! :) I LOVE this!!! Again, thank you Kathryn!!!  WIN THIS! Okay, one more, and then I'm done. Whew!
Almost forgot to post the great contest going on over at Liturgical Time. Michelle is giving away one of her gorgeous veils but there's a catch. Gentlemen, this one is on you!!! Ladies, you need to beg, barter and plead with the men in your life to enter for you!!! We can't do it ourselves, we need them to do it for us. Michelle's got the rules on her page. Check it out and see if you can't talk them into dropping her a line so he can surprise you with an incredibly beautiful gift under the tree come Christmas! As always, good luck!!! P.S. - Frank, please enter for me. Mike W., you too. My husband, thinking I'm insane for going to Mass let alone going with a veil, probably won't be too keen on jumping ship for this.  Taking some good advice from Fr. Levi of The Way Out There, I'm seeding you his entry on an impossibly tragic case involving a pregnant mother, her unborn child, possibly a misunderstanding of Church teaching, severe miscommunication, and definite mistreatment resulting in a grieving husband, family and friends who are left with more questions than answers.
Please keep these folks in your prayers. ALL those involved need prayers right now. May the mother, Savita Halappanavari, find herself encompassed by Christ's mercy, may the father, Praveen, find solace and peace. May their family and friends use this tragedy to better the treatment and awareness for other mothers in potentially similar situations. May these doctors / nurses / medical staff gain understanding, wisdom and compassion to handle such trials in the future. Oh Ireland... you are enduring such a period of confusion right now. You were always my favorite country outside of the US. I'll keep you, your leaders and your people in my prayers. Keep us in yours. We need each other now more than ever.  Eric posing with Carmella A few of you have asked what perks I get working with the Archdiocese. There are a ton - prime among them having a chapel directly above my head my entire shift, followed closely by the fact that I could stumble into Archbishop Chaput on the elevator.
Another great perk is access to priests and seminarians. I work with a lot of them. It sorta goes with the territory. A few of you have asked me to ask questions of these fine gentlemen. Dom, you'll be particularly tickled by these responses, I think. *Grin* Anyway, a fine fellow named Eric agreed to an interview today. I made the mistake of choosing the cafeteria for the interview (in part because you've got a great view of the basilica there). Thus, I'll have to find someone willing to sound edit this for me. That being said, he was a great sport and answered several questions about the Seminary now that he's studying for the priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo. Exciting!!! So I promise to have that posted after Thanksgiving at some point. Since I'll be away the next week or so, nothing will be happening with it, but I wanted to give you the heads up that yes, it will eventually get posted, giving you a glimpse into the life (and mind!) of a real seminarian! Keep him and all our wonderful seminarians in your prayers, please! They, too, make the list of "Things I'm Thankful For!" :)  Here I am again. I leave for a trip to Florida in less than two days and I finally get up the nerve to think about preparing.
Bleck. I hate everything about packing. I'm always afraid I'm going to forget something, that I'll over-pack and the luggage will be too heavy, that I'll pack something that can be somehow misconstrued as a deadly weapon, that I'll forget something, that things will leak and ruin clothes, that I'll forget something... To top it off, I've got the anxiety of flying, itself, gnawing away at me. This will be Vincent's first time flying, so I'm also nervous about how he'll handle airplanes and airports. Bah. I'm just ill-equipped to handle travel of any sort. I'm terrible. I have very little experience, so since I'm out of my element, I tend to grumble my way through the necessary preparations. Tonight I finally buckled down and packed our bags. Vince will have a carry on bag for himself stocked full of treats, diapers, wipes and games. He'll also have the iPad for books and such. I'll also have a carry on with an extra change of clothes for him, an extra T-shirt for me (in case he does actually get sick). Of course I'll have the obligatory books and treats, but I will also do the "Look what surprise Mommy's got for you!" gifts to take his mind off the ascent. I'm actually hoping he sleeps through most of the trip (1.5 hours) since it's smack in the middle of his nap time. A mother can hope, right? I'm excited for the trip, however. It will be Vincent's first time in Disney. He's more of a Nick Jr. fan, so he's not really aware of who all the Disney characters are. He only recently found out who Mickey Mouse was. So this will be a thoroughly new experience for him. I'm also glad he'll get to experience it all with his cousin, Alliya, in tow. The two of them don't get to spend nearly enough time together. I always feel terrible for taking him away from her. He loves her so much and they really enjoy playing together. Giving them a full week to run amok in the happiest place on earth is a great way to reset your "Things I'm Thankful For" list. Thanks to a wonderful woman named Cari-Anne of Simple Clean Designs, My Broken Fiat has a button. She called it an avatar, but the only avatar I know is named Aang, and this button looks nothing like him. 
Is this the button??? Why, yes it is! It's the very same button you can have for your own page if you'd be so kind as to grab it! How, you ask? Well, here's how! Copy the text below (kindly provided by Michelle from Liturgical Time) and paste it as HTML code in your sidebar, along your banner, into an e-mail, or onto a T-shirt. Actually, I don't think it'll do anything if you put it onto a T-shirt. But you could try. I appreciate the effort and creativity. I've also got a cute little banner to go with the button, but I'm not altogether sure what I want to do with this just yet. Ideas, anyone? 
Since I don't get to post as often as I used to, the moment I get a chance to write, entries spill out left and right. :)
Anyway, today I wanted to go to Confession as part of my "Get on a plane to die" preparations. Can you tell I'm just a tad scared of flying? So I tell my coworker I'll be a little late for lunch because I needed to go to Confession and he sorta laughed. Firstly, he's not Catholic, so the concept of Confession is foreign to him. Secondly, he finds it amusing that I legitimately fear death by way of flying. Some people double check their wills are in order before they fly. Me? I double check my soul. I feel like it's the smarter of the two. Heh. Another coworker overheard me saying as much and he asked if I liked going to Confession. Hence the topic of this entry. The answer is no. I don't actually like going to Confession. I push it off regularly. That being said, I also LOVE going to Confession. I try to go regularly. It's like those two sides of me are CONSTANTLY bickering - right up until I finish my confession (because even while I'm 'in the box,' my mind is trying to say "Eh, that sin isn't big enough to report" or "Oh man, do NOT tell him that... he'll try to exorcise you right now!" Until I get everything out, part of me is trying to claw its way out the situation. Even walking to the basilica today... I was walking towards the confessional with dread because I knew I'd have to confess all my dirty little sins. However, even walking towards the church with that dread, I was practically skipping because I was walking towards Jesus. My heart was a little "Don't do it, you'll embarrass yourself, it's shameful, just go grab your lunch and do this later!" while a dopey grin was plastered on my face since my soul was practically chirping a "Jesus, get ready, 'cause here I come!" song to drown out the shame working its way through my system. You'd think going regularly helps. I guess it does to a certain extent. It's a good way to train your body into relaxing a little because you know that once it's all out, the world isn't going to end and the priest isn't going to try to drive a stake through your heart. It'll allow that part of you that buzzes with excitement to grow confidence. However, it hasn't yet stifled the negativity for me. I dunno that it ever will. Maybe it shouldn't, either. Confession shouldn't be something I am overjoyed to run to every day, ya know? It should be a Sacrament that I make use of regularly, of course, but it's good to have a certain degree of dread going in there. Maybe not dread of the priest, but dread of facing yourself in the reflection of Truth. Trying to see yourself as God sees you... in the light of His Commands. Doing a thorough Examination of Conscience and then owning up to how you faired on the exam - it's not an easy thing. However, the worthwhile things in life rarely are. So again, maybe a bit of dread isn't the worst thing in the world if you cling to the fact that Jesus is on the other side of that grille waiting to take you back with open arms. He's practically giddy with excitement as He rushes to meet us with His Mercy through the absolution of His priests. The knowledge that my soul is clear should I die in a fiery plane crash a day or so later doesn't hurt, either. ;) Ha ha ha. But yes. Those are my feelings on Confession. I mostly love it. But there is definitely a part of me that really, REALLY wishes I could go without it. Heh. Then again, who actually likes taking medicine? I've got a few pictures I wanted to share!
This is technically the same one twice. My friend and fellow pastoral council member, Lydia, came to our last meeting wearing this beautiful necklace. I immediately realized it was her late-husband's wedding band. I figured that the heart inside was made from hers. I asked her about it after the meeting and she affirmed that it was, in fact, a combination of the two that she had made after he passed. She wouldn't let me take a picture of her, but she DID let me take a picture of her jewelry. :) I wanted to share it with you as well. What a beautiful symbol, huh? I absolutely ADORE this idea!!! 
Kids and boxes (or in this case, tupperware). Vince has been obsessed since he was a baby. Toddler-dom is no different, I guess. I was trying to pack away some of his old clothes, and before I could get anything into this bin, I found him inside using it as a makeshift fort while he played a game on his little touch screen. :) It's too cute not to share. 
Another one for the too-cute file, this is Vince hanging out with Daddy after Daddy's super long day. After school, all Vince wants to do is curl up with Daddy and play video games or watch "Water." After work, all Daddy wants to do is sleep. I guess this is the happy compromise.
These two make me half a minor heart attack. On right right is me holding my nephew, Addison, when he was about Vincent's age. On the left, Addison now holds Vincent (and my sister, Shannon, pokes her face in, too). I almost can't believe how quickly time has gone by. It's almost impossible for me to believe that Addison has grown so much... or that Vincent is going to do the same just as quickly. Mind-boggling to me. Just mind-boggling. 
Eventually Vince gets tired, and when he does, he knows that Jesus and Mary are there to help him get some well-deserved rest. Each night he chooses which one he wants in bed with him. Sometimes it's Jesus, sometimes it's Mary, sometimes it's both. Usually Jesus ends up making the cut. I couldn't help but want to snap this shot, though. It makes my heart melt every time I look at it. :)
 Intentions involving children have always been very close to my heart. Intentions for children who have cancer typically top the list.
Today, I ask your prayers for a very special young woman who has been battling cancer for four years. Treatments have been unsuccessful, and as a result, she and her family have made the decision to stop treatments and make whatever time she has left comfortable and memorable. Please keep this young woman in your prayers. She has remained courageously optimistic throughout her ordeal, being a source of strength and a real beacon of hope to friends and family alike. Instead of internalizing her struggle, she's instead reached out, hoping that through her suffering, others would benefit. Proof of this is her Christmas wish this year. Instead of saying, "I want an iPad" or even "I want a cure" she said, "I want everyone to donate a toy to the toy drive so other kids can have a something." ... The generosity and beautiful spirit of this child astounds me. So please, keep this young woman in your prayers in a very special way this holiday season. I've promised my friend, Faith, that I'd do my part to put together a spiritual bouquet for her, her family, and her friends. Join in with prayers of your own. Faith, unsure of what prayers might be best offered in a time like this, asked for my opinion. I, myself, always fly to the Blessed Mother with these intentions. Regardless of religion, race or background, the Blessed Mother has been given to all of us. She loves each one of us and as such, takes all of our intentions to heart. She's also the most powerful ally we've got in Heaven. Thus, I tend to use the Memorare for intentions like these: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand - sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petition, but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen. I also keep as my intention that any suffering this young woman or her family endures during this trial fulfills any remaining Purgatory so that each of these souls is made worthy of Heaven. Considering how exemplary this young woman is at this point, I have little doubt that her family will be gaining quite the saint if Christ should choose to call her home soon. May the angels surround her, her family, and all her friends. May they surround the doctors who work to make her last days peaceful. May they surround those of us who pray for her recovery / peaceful passing. And then may those same angels swiftly lift our prayers to their Queen, Mary, who can pass them gently to the ear of her Son as she kisses His Head. In all, may His Will be done. <3 Thank you in advance for your prayers. I'll be sure to print them / pass them along so she knows we're blanketing her in prayer. ***** The young girl, Kiki, I had requested prayers for has passed away. Please keep her and her family wrapped in prayer. May she be with Jesus tonight. ******  Most of you know I'm a huge cat lover. I have fostered and found homes for almost 70 kitties. Help me make Moo #70! His wonderful momma can no longer care for him as the economy has forced her to relocate to a place that will not accept animals. She has no other family that can take him, and she feels as though she's being forced through finances and circumstance to give up her child. Please don't judge this woman for the scenario she finds herself in. Anyway, here is a bit about Moo from his momma. As you can tell, she's a doting, thoughtful parent who really wants to make sure Moo finds a good, loving home. Thanks in advance for any and all help / prayers you send Moo's way! Moo was born in mid-July, 2000 and was declawed shortly thereafter. He tested negative for feline leukemia virus. He did receive the vaccine as a kitten, and received his annual booster until 2009. At that time, I was advised that since Moo never went outside, he no longer needed to receive it. I was advised to get it again should his “status” change to indoor/outdoor cat. His status has not changed. Moo is very friendly and loving. He prefers to come to you, but will come when called (usually). He does not like sudden, loud noises. If you run a vacuum cleaner, he will run and hide in a different room. He does NOT like the garbage disposal, and I have learned to run it when he is in different room with the door closed. I will open the door a few minutes later, and he is fine. I have only seen him hiss and spit twice – once at the vet’s office while he was in his crate and a dog was sniffing around it, and once when a toddler was trying pet him when he was hiding under a bed.  Moo eats Science Diet dry food: a combination of Hairball Control Light and Mature Indoor Cat. Both can be purchased at pet supply stores. I will fill his bowl twice daily with about a third to a half cup of dry food. He does not always eat that much, and occasionally will let me know he wants more food by standing near his bowl and mewing. I do not keep food in his dish constantly, and therefore, he does not overeat and then get sick from too much food. Moo loves the water and a bit of fish from a can of tuna, and usually comes running when I open one. He does like any variety of canned food as a treat, but usually only about 2-3 ounces at a time. He likes to lick bowls that held tomato sauce, he likes chicken broth and stock, and beef broth. Moo does not drink a lot. He frequently ignores his water dish. He will usually climb on the bathroom vanity and drink right from the tap when I am brushing my teeth. Sometimes, he will stand in the powder room doorway and call. I turn on the water, and he will go up and take a drink. Moo does not seem to care for any crunchy cat treats, but he does like the “moist” treats, such as Whisker Lickin’s or Pounce, any flavor. I leave 5-6 every day on the floor near his food, when I leave for the day. He usually declines the treats when I offer them from my hand. Moo also likes “Cat Milk” in small amounts – about and eighth of a cup – in a bowl as a treat. For litter, I buy Fresh Step Multi-Cat Formula, which can be purchased anywhere. I don’t know how he would feel about different litter, I have seldom been unable to find it, and think it’s just better to be consistent. Moo does not like to be brushed much. I usually have two brushes at time, a while I am brushing with one hand, he likes to be able to sniff the other. He will bat the brush with a front paw and walk away when he has had enough. Moo is picky about his toys. He likes toy mice that have something inside that “rattles”, but they are hard to find. He likes toys on the smaller side that have feathers, but he chews the feathers off quickly. I find them to be among his favorite. He likes fuzzy mice with long tails. Plain toys that look like mice don’t seem to interest him. He likes to bat small balls around, too. I once fished four out from under the kitchen stove. He likes the toy shaped like a bee, the ears seem to really interest him. It does not look like he plays with it, but he does. I hear it sometimes in the middle of the night. Moo will get very curious about cardboard boxes that are about the size he can get into (18x12x12). He likes to sit and sometimes lie in the lid placed on the floor. I have purchased several beds for him over the years, and he has not used one since he was a kitten. He is creature of comfort, however. I often find him curled up on either my bed or the guest bed. So much so that I have taken to covering the beds in a clear vinyl shower curtain to cut down on having to use a roller on the cover. He does not mind laying on that at all.  When I go to bed, Moo usually comes up when I turn off the light, and will lie near my head, or more frequently, at the foot of the bed. Around the holidays, or even whenever there is a gift around, moo loves to chew on curling ribbon. He will eat it, and he will get sick, every time, so I am always certain to keep curling ribbon away from him. The wrapped gifts are kept covered at all times. Moo will bat at ornaments hanging from the bottom of my Christmas tree. He really seems to enjoy this, so I do hang inexpensive dangling ornaments of no sentimental value from the bottom branches. Moo also is very curious about snow. He watches it for hours at the sliding glass door on my patio, or from a windowsill. Because he won’t jump from the second floor patio, I would let him out to explore. He only stays out for a few minutes at a time. Previously, when that was not possible, I would put a pile on a cookie sheet and bring it right in my apartment on put it on the kitchen floor. When he was done, I would just dump it in the sink. As I told you, Moo really likes that green blanket. When I put in on my lap, he gets right up and starts kneading and purring. When he is very happy and content there, he will drool a lot, so have a napkin nearby! So if you're interested in helping this little guy out, please don't hesitate to let me know! I'll be sure to pass you along to Moo's Momma. And keep them in your prayers. Moo so that he finds a great home, and Momma so she has a safe, successful and blessed move for herself and her family. Thank you!
 Check me out in my little blue gown.
That's me in the "changing area" of the Women's Center yesterday before I went in for my mammogram. I was tickled by the fact that these changing areas had mirrors. It was like they were saying, "Please feel free to remove your clothes, put on this adorable paper gown (and sash!) and take a look at how STUNNING you are!" I guess if you know you're going to third base with the radiologist, you wanna look good doing it. Heh. So yes, I definitely took a snapshot of that little giggle for your amusement. You're allowed to keep on clothing from the waist down, but from the waist up, you're in this sexy number. I walked out of the changing area to the waiting room and saw another woman about to endure the same fate. I felt so bad, then, because she looked genuinely worried. I realized that I was very lucky to be seeing the humor in my situation because, regardless of the outcome, I understood it was in God's Hands. Not everyone has that luxury, and the scared looking blonde woman gave me that sober reminder. She silently walked into the changing area after accepting the blue gown from the nurse and came back out a few moments later looking like she'd been crying. I really felt so terrible, then. Maybe this woman had already gotten terrible news, maybe she'd lost family to breast cancer and was just worried her number had been called, or maybe she was just really scared about whatever might show up on these results. I grabbed the tissue box off the side table and handed them to her saying, "So I see you got the memo. Flimsy blue gowns are totally in right now." She looked at me cockeyed for a quick second. I guess talking to strangers in clinic waiting rooms is taboo or something. She smiled, though, and then she chuckled. She actually did a little spin and said, "Yeah, but you would think they'd be pink, right?" I laughed with her and agreed. Considering we were there to get checked for breast cancer, and everything else in the office was pink, you'd think the stupid gowns would be, too. Ah well. An older woman heard our exchange and she mock-lamented that she didn't have a blue gown to match. I was grateful that she joined in our little conversation. I think she noticed the blonde woman's anxiety and wanted to help, too. The three of us sat together in the waiting area just chatting until the radiologist called me back. The mammogram, itself, was painless. I was afraid it'd be really uncomfortable, but honestly, it was only slightly annoying trying to maneuver your body into the contortions they need for clear shots. The technician was really sweet and I thanked her for making an awkward situation less-awkward. I could tell she really enjoyed her job and felt like she was really helping her patients stay well. She kept going on and on about how important self-exams are and how important getting clear mammograms done regularly is. No doubt she's saved many, many women by being so thorough and careful in her exam prep. Once I was done, I went back out to the waiting room (because I also needed an ultrasound of the area). The older woman was still there, but the younger blonde had already been called back. The older woman offered to share her shawl with me. Isn't that so sweet? She was now in a blue gown, too, and I guess she'd been through mammograms enough to know to bring a shawl. Smart woman. I declined because I knew I'd be going back again in a moment anyway. I asked how the younger woman was after I'd left. Apparently she was still super nervous and confided that she'd had an aunt pass away recently to breast cancer. The blonde didn't have lumps or anything, but she was worried that she was at-risk for cancer and now that she was 40, she wanted to be sure. Good for her for being more pro-active than me. I have no idea what her results were, but when she came out of the room a few moments later, she looked to be in much better spirits. We passed each other in the hall as I was going back for the ultrasound and I gave her a big smile. We didn't say anything, but she smiled back. She'll be okay. Turns out I'll be OK, too. They found a cyst-like thing in my right breast, but the doc is pretty sure it's nothing. Yay for that! I'll be going in for one more test, but from the results he got back thus far, I'm A-OK. So thanks for the prayers, everyone! I'll keep you posted if anything changes, but I doubt they will. Let's pray that there other women receive the same news today. <3 And again - if you don't already, please make sure you're checking yourselves regularly. It can make all the different in the world. Oh, and as I was driving into work this morning, a thought occurred to me. It's good the gowns were blue and not pink. It was like we each got to be covered by Our Lady's mantle that day. So whenever you put on the blue hospital gowns for whatever procedures you need, think of Our Lady. Maybe she worked it out so that hospital gowns are all blue so we can all take comfort in knowing she's right there beside us. Michelle at Liturgical Time gave me an idea to have an "Other Shops" link-up in my own shop section. Cross-promotion is always a smart idea, so if any of you wonderful readers have shops of your own, I want to hear from you!!!
However, I do have some ground rules for admission to the "Other Shops" feature. 1) Offensive or anti-Christian merchandise will not be promoted - period. I will be checking through the various shops to ensure that I don't promote something accidentally that ends up undermining my prime mission of spreading love for Christ. 2) I will have to review an item from your store so I don't end up promoting chintzy materials to my readers. Sorry, but I feel like I owe that to my readers. 3) To snag a spot on the "Other Shops" page, I'll need some sort of button that I can post. I haven't the foggiest idea how to make them, so you'll need to provide it. Any questions, feel free to ask. I'm entirely new to all of this myself, but as I said... My Broken Fiat is undergoing a LOT of changes in the coming weeks! :) Hi all!
I'll be making some adjustments to the site over the next few days. I'm hoping it makes My Broken Fiat more user-friendly while allowing me to market my earrings a bit better. I'll also be adding a fun sharing portal for you folks to post photos and such of your families and / or selves at the suggestion of a friend (you know who you are - THANK YOU!). As always, thank you so much for your support and prayers. I really can't believe how much this little page has grown over the last year. You guys are wonderful. Know you're in my prayers. {Hugs} ~Gina  Anyone recognize this fella? It's MEGA MAN!
My husband, a huge retro-gamer, has been playing a lot of old-school video games with Vincent now that Vince is old enough to care about what Daddy's games are. Mega Man and Sonic the Hedgehog are his two favorites. So for Halloween this year, I figured I'd dress him up as his favorite character. I simply got two unitards in the proper colors (sky blue and royal blue) and cut the pieces out as necessary. I super-glued his "underoos" to a super bulky diaper to give it a bit of shape, and I found a cheap pair of rainboots that I sanded down and then spray-painted to match. I was lucky enough to find a Mega Man "helmet" online. Go eBay! For his Megabuster (the arm-cannon thing on his hand) I used a wonton soup container. I actually used two. The first one broke when I tried to figure out how to fashion it. So we had Chinese food twice in a row, but I got the darn thing to work the second time! Instead of trying to bore a hole in the sides of the container with scissors (as I had originally tried), I took a lighter and simply melted two little holes into the sides of the container that were large enough to slide a thick, plastic kids' straw through. Since he would be "wearing" this on his arm, he'd need something to hold onto inside the container, so the heavy plastic straw served that purpose. To help anchor the straw in place, I threaded two pieces of yarn through and then around the container, itself. I then replaced the lid of the container and cut out a small circle for his hand to fit through. To keep him from cutting himself on the sharp plastic, I padded the wrist-entry with duct tape and extra fabric. I then colored the bottom of the container with a red Sharpie marker. Once that was complete, I covered the entire container in the royal blue fabric and hot-glued it through the wrist-hole, thus giving his little hand even more padding. Then, to make sure his little Megabuster glowed just like the real thing, I stuffed a couple red glow-sticks (the kind you can get from the dollar store) into the bottom. He was absolutely in his glories running around like Mega Man! :) I was pretty proud of myself. Considering Mega Man is just not popular at all anymore, it was impossible to find anything to help me put his costume together. On the plus side, though, I was able to find some unitards that matched colors. I don't think I'd've been able to create this without those!!! Oh yes... and God bless the glue-gun. Ha ha!  It’s been a full week today that I’ve been sitting on this entry. I wanted to wait until I’d spoken with my mom (who sometimes reads this) before posting anything. Last Friday I finally went to see my doctor about a sharp pain I’ve been having in my ear. It’s been coming and going for a month and, to be honest, I was starting to get the creepy paranoia that something had crawled into my ear. Gah! Anyway, I went to get my ear checked and I came out with a prescription for a mammogram. Yeah. Confusing, right? My thought as I left the office was, How the heck do you walk in for a possible ear infection only to walk out with a prescription to have your chest squished between two panes of glass? After giving me the once-over, my doctor asked me when the last time my GYN appointment had been. She wanted to be sure I was going once a year like I’m supposed to. Normally I do, but I had completely forgotten to reschedule this year’s appointment. Usually I go in January, but because of that whole wisdom tooth debacle, I’d pushed it off indefinitely. So when I told her I had not, she asked if I’d been doing regular self-exams. I admitted, “No, I honestly don’t feel like there’s a point in doing one since I don’t know what I’m supposed to be feeling for. Everything feels the same to me, so I leave it to [my GYN].” That’s right. I said it. I don’t do self-exams because I don’t really know what I’m supposed to be looking for. Breasts are naturally lumpy due to our milk ducts, lymph nodes and fatty tissues. Attempting to figure out if a lump is cancerous vs. if it’s what I used to feed my son is a bit like this:  Okay, I get that Seashell and Hermosa are a bit different, but Chiffon, Calamine and Bashful are all the same. C'mon now. However, ignorance is really no excuse when you’ve got a family who depends on you. And that’s why I’m writing this entry at all. I’m not really worried or concerned about having cancer. I’m relatively confident the mammogram will come back negative due to the many factors that are currently in my favor. I’m young, I don’t have much family history of breast cancer, and I breastfed Vince for 2 ½ years. All of those work in my favor. Besides, even if I do end up having breast cancer, I’ve got a good shot of it being in the very early stages. And again, even if the remote possibility of things being worst case scenario comes to pass, I’ll be able to endure it with the knowledge that I’ll secure the souls of my trifecta because of it. So, there is my news. I apologize to friends who are reading this and are currently thinking, “I’m gonna smack her the next time I see her!” The reason you didn’t get calls is because this news is not news. I'm not really sure how to bring up this up in conversation. I have nothing to report. I will in a couple weeks when the results come back. You might get a phone call when that happens. But for this? Eh. It’s negligible. The only reason I’m writing this in the blog at all is to remind folks that it IS important to learn how to do self-examinations. So if you’re not sure (like me) how to do one, go online and find out. Ask your doctor. Ask a friend. It really could save your life. Ignorance of this is no excuse… not with all the information available to us. So I’ve made myself aware, and I’m currently teaching myself to be more proficient. I hope you women reading do the same. And to those men who stop by, please remind the lady loves in your lives – mothers, sisters, wives, cousins, friends. <3 |
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