kids and swords, my shoes are gone, Mary's "yes" and thoughts on more time. Yes folks.

And I like how I imply that I only ramble on Fridays.

So apparently my bag of shoes never made the move to the new house. Instead, they took a detour and went to Goodwill. This was not an intentional almsgiving, folks. This was an enormous mistake. I have slippers, snow boots and rain boots. That is it. And thanks be to God, we have had nothing but snow, and rain, and so many reasons to wear slippers.

I got a call from the school principle this week. I really hate when she calls me. I should block her. I let her go to voicemail and I never listened to it. I did ask my son WHY she was calling and he started by saying, "Oh yeah...so stupid mom...I mean...you know my sense of humor, right?" And at that, I told him to stop talking and I walked away. Because yes. I DO know his sense of humor. No need to say anymore.

I sat down to write about Mary, but I couldn't stop thinking about my bathroom and how things disappear. This week it is my mascara, razor, and make up wipes. So just close your eyes and you can only imagine what I look like right now.

We had a two hour school delay today and if you want my opinion, which you probably don't, but I find extra time completely unhelpful. I know some people like having more hours to get more done, but I disagree. I don't need more time to get things done, I need less time, actually, so that I only do the things I actually need to be doing.

Today is the Feast Day of the Presentation of the Lord and so Mary is heavy on my mind and heart. Yesterday I spoke to moms in the parking lot, and received e mails from moms....all who are standing by as their children suffer. And I always fall into that temptation of thinking that Mary was different than us...she could handle the sword in her heart better. But was she? Could she? Her heart was pierced so that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed. I don't know, but that kinda sounds horrifying. I barely can stand my own thoughts, let alone the thoughts of many hearts. And as I drove home in the rain last night unable to see the road because good grief people, stop with the brights...I thought about how in all of my efforts to be more like Mary...with humility and grace and things I fail at so miserably....the only thing about me that resembles her is the sword in my heart. I plan on unpacking all of this more at Adoration today...because I am also thinking about how Mary said YES with no guarantees. And that might be quite possibly the biggest obstacle to my own faith. To my own fiat.

I want a guarantee. But kids don't come with guarantees. They come with swords.