Sunday, November 24, 2013

What I Wore Sunday: My Husband the Hero Edition

Paul is amazing.

I got home from confession yesterday and slipped into the kitchen where I sat down on the floor in the kitchen, hidden from sight, sobbing.  I just couldn't figure out how I was going to get to Mass anytime in the near future and after talking with the priest I was feeling more hopeless than ever.  He had said that of course it was a valid reason and to try to watch it on TV (no TV...) or listen on the radio (no radio...) and settled with the Mass I could get through EWTN (at least we have that!) with our internet connection.  It was the answer that I knew he was going to give me, the answer I'd expected to hear and yet I was still depressed that there wasn't some magical answer that would alleviate the restlessness I feel when I think of not going to Mass indefinitely.  

Paul came over and asked what was wrong and I told him and he was quiet and then said:  "I have an idea.  I know what we'll do."  And when I asked him, sniffling, what his idea was he said "I'll go with you to the 9 am Mass tomorrow" and just like that the problem was solved.  

If you read the other post when I talked about Paul and his schedule, you know what a sacrifice this is.  What he suggested was something that I couldn't imagine asking of him. It's definitely not a matter of "sleeping in." It basically means that after working all day on a project that was due yesterday, he stood out in the cold last night while the temperature dropped quite a ways below freezing and checked IDs, and then he came home and after being awake for more than 24 hours, with only a couple hours sleep the night (now two nights before) he went with us to Mass.  


 He is an amazing husband.

Mass was... well... we survived (or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Mass was beautiful but a certain three year old was exceptionally wild).  I had no illusions about what we were in for after a monumental tantrum had us ten minutes late walking out the door, and so we stayed in the narthex.  Paul took Patrick, so I only had to worry about Mae.  Sadie sat next to me and listened to her little listening device and didn't make a sound.

Mae shouted "Abajo!  Abajo!  Abajo!" not infrequently because apparently it's her favorite word of the moment and it fit with what she wanted, which was to be down (and more specifically to be able to run wild).

And Patrick fell asleep in the carrier with Paul, which was incredibly cute and also saved Paul from the possibility of me saying:  "Oh my goodness, this is insane!  Trade with me!!!" during any of the particularly rambunctious periods of time when I couldn't believe how much wildness could fit inside one tiny little person.

It was wonderful to be able to go and to handle the kids as a team though, even with the crazy wild moments.  I am so, so thankful that he came with us.

On a totally different note (since this is a What I Wore Sunday post!)... It is now officially cold here in Michigan.  The temperature today has lingered around "25 feels like 12" which means that everyone was pretty bundled.

To get Patrick ready I kept on his base pajama layer (his room gets chilly so he wears a cotton and fleece layer at night) and put on a turtle neck and a sweater and thick corduroy pants.

Mae wore her weighted vest in hopes that it might calm her down (apparently it couldn't overcome to excitement of being out of the house in the cold) and I wore my new Thred Up find with a sweater over the top and thick fleece and knit tights underneath.

Now Paul is finally getting a little sleep, Patrick is having a nap, Mae is reading a Dora book and Sadie is dancing around the living room.

Can you believe that it's already almost Thanksgiving and Advent?  I mean, logically I knew that they were approaching, but in truth it feels like school just started and October should be right around the corner!  Where did this last year go?!?!?!

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11 comments:

  1. So glad you were able to make it today! Yay Paul! You look great..red is an awesome color on you!

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  2. I hope this doesn't come across as me telling you how to run your family because it is definitely NOT, but I had a thought that might help you. Perhaps you could find a teenager to help you at Mass, so Paul can sleep in. If there was someone at your parish who would be willing to hold Patrick, then you would have your arms free for Mae.

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  3. I do appreciate ideas because who knows what could end up helping! I totally would have thought that too, without knowing Patch. The biggest problem would be that he won't really go to anyone other than Paul since he's kind of in the clingy baby phase, which makes handing him to anyone else out of the question for a while (at least for longer than about thirty seconds).

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  4. God bless that husband of yours! God bless him a thousand, no, a MILLION thousand times for loving you so, so much! Now THAT ladies, is a MAN! What impresses me the most is that he sees your spiritual pain of not being able to attend Mass because of his schedule, and he actually sacrifices MORE! You two are incredible people. I hope you will always love each other as you do now, each sacrificing for the other, suffering so the other can thrive. What an example of true married love you display! These days while you are both struggling, he knowing how much you are doing without his being able to help, you knowing he must have time to do his school work in order to succeed, and he working, working, working, getting little rest to be there as much as possible; these will be days of rich reflection when you look back on them, when things begin to get easier as time passes, after he graduates, passes the bar, and he gets a job and the kids get older. Of course, I hope you have more kids, and can you imagine how big a help Sadie will be when she is older, say 9 or 10? But it won't always be this tough. I promise.

    Perhaps for the few weeks during the law school break Paul will be able to go to Mass with you and that will be a relief to your spirit at least for the next little while.

    In the meantime, I hope something works out so that in his last semester he can go to Mass with you more often. I know he cares deeply about God, and he values his family being at Mass, and I know God sees that, and how you suffer when mounting a heroic effort to get there. I pray God will bring about a solution for you, since He sees how you long to keep the commandments.
    God bless you both. I am praying for you and your little family, up there in cold and frosty Michigan! Stay warm. Bonnie



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  5. P.S. LOVE how that new dress looks with a solid sweater over it and black tights. Very nice. Bonnie

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  6. God bless your husband! I'm always amazed by how they can continue to sacrifice... So glad you got to go to mass!

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  7. What a great husband Paul is! You have a real gem. Before you know it, he will have graduated, and these worries will be a thing of the past.

    BTW - thanks for the ThredUp info; I just received my first box of goodies from them, and am extremely pleased. Great site!!!

    Marie

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  8. What a selfless man! And you look great in red!

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  9. Oh, that's so awesome of your husband! And I completely get how frustrating it can be trying to get to Mass by yourself with little ones. I've considered having a Eucharistic minister bring communion to me at my house on those weeks that I just cannot get to Sunday Mass. Have you ever done that or thought about it?

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  10. Yes, God bless your husband! So glad you all got to go to mass together, Cam. And you look great! I love your ThredUp find. :) Have a great Thanksgiving!

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  11. Cam,
    Maybe it sounds crass but could you nip in in time to receive Holy Communion? And then gradually start coming a bit earlier depending on what kind of morning you're having? (regular people do this all the time but in your case I don't see it as a bad thing)

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