This and that

Happy New Year! It's hard to believe we're well into January, with a snow storm looming around the corner. We celebrated Dave's 33rd birthday on the 14th, and continued the celebration over the weekend with a fun visit from Lolo and Lola and by seeing Star Wars up close. By up close I mean in the front row, looking directly up, because we managed to get there a little late and the theater was full except for the front row. I will say that since it was less of a visual experience I was forced to actually concentrate on the plot and scenes more than I would have. I would rate it a solid "good".

David got his first barbershop haircut. Dave said the woman not only shaved his little neck stubble with shaving cream and a flat-edged razor, but she also wrapped our little guy's head with a hot towel and massaged his neck. Oh to have been there. David seems only to remember that she gave him a mint.

In the kitchen, we've been having fun with Jeff and Kate's Christmas present: a sous-vide cooker and a vacuum sealer (see sous-vide carrots above). Thanks guys!

Off to read books to the littles. I'll post an update Monday when we find out the gender of baby Cook at my 20 week sonogram.  Any predictions? I can take bets...

The trees (and a quasi-announcement)

Not a great picture, but gives you a sense of the tree out front. The little white orb close to the top is a work in progress, according to Dave. Getting it closer to the top will take Herculean strength, but all in the name of perfection, right?

Loving the tree in this space, not to mention the pine scent, which seems to be morning sickness-friendly. I guess I haven't officially announced I'm pregnant on the blog yet, so here it is! Baby Cook is due June 10th.  Likely everyone reading this already knows, but just in case there's someone who doesn't.  We're counting down to week 16, when the nausea usually abates for me. In an effort not to waste suffering, though, let me know your prayer intentions and I'll keep them in mind over the toilet bowl!

Giving thanks

We're thanking God for another year filled with his blessings. We celebrated by frying a turkey for the first time. No explosions, and a tasty bird: success! The back-up roasted one (in case of catastrophe) was equally delicious. Aunt Hilary's pies were a hit, especially the pumpkin ginger crunch and coconut cream. And we may have started a new tradition with collard-green dolmades. 

We seem to have begun a yearly tradition of buying our "Advent tree" (which we've renamed to keep our heads on straight that it's not Christmas yet) the day after Thanksgiving. It fits beautifully in our new space. Dave and Lolo spent the rest of the day stringing the huge evergreen tree in our front yard with LED lights. It now stands as a neighborhood beacon, and the spectacle of Dave scaling this mammoth of a tree from within attracted several neighbors. One neighbor, a history buff, informed us that a Civil War skirmish took place in our back yard. Lo and behold, there was indeed a historical event called "Action at Annandale" that took place on the land behind our house, part of which we own. Dave can't wait until next Halloween scare the girls with stories about the ghosts lingering from the skirmish.  

The Advent wreath is ready for lighting tomorrow. We begin the season of expectation, preparing our house and our hearts for the sweet Child who changes hearts and saves souls. Happy Advent!

All Hallows Eve

Boo! Rose's work of art

The crew getting into character for their big night.

We have three princesses (Aurora, Cinderella, and Elsa), a cat, a bat, Dorothy, and a wicked queen. I think Maria could be the tooth fairy with her glittery gold dress?

Rose (on the right) with her look-alike friend Cara, who goes to our church and lives up the street. 

The loot. 

The morning after. See the flying pancake? Uncle Dave's specialty. The "three second rule" is based on science, right?


The cousins had a fun Halloween, trick or treating with our neighbor friends up the road and coming home together for a sleepover. Shout out to Aunt Natalie for leading the pack until Dave could catch up from work. I stayed behind to hand out candy, only to greet one 3 year old princess. I wish I had given her more goodies! Now I know not to buy three bags of candy next year. Aunt Natalie, feel free to post your pictures too. Happy All Saints' and All Souls'!

A little family baking

Francesca finished her tennis season today with semi-finals and finals (in Reston, which is not close...not sure I'm on board with traveling for sports). I'm embarrassed to say I don't know who won of the teams. But she did great personally, winning two matches and losing one (to a couple girls who looked like 6th graders). Very promising foray onto the sports scene. We'll see if she sticks with it. 

Dave left for Chicago Wednesday for a Catholic Stewardship Conference. He got back today and we're all very happy and relieved to have him home to relieve the monotony of life with mommy safe and sound. Teresa and David were bent on a baking project yesterday to ease the boredom of Saturday without Daddy, so we made dinner rolls. The results were surprisingly bread-rolly, given all the handling.

Count-down to Halloween with the cousins!

Lessons in gratitude at CVS

One of our favorite portraits by Rose. "Daddy" 

Very helpful, very Frankie.

The tennis team.

Today I went with David and Rose to CVS to get flu shots (not even a whimper from them, to the nurse's and my utter amazement) . On the way out, after latching Rose in to her carseat and turning the corner to get in myself, I became aware that an elderly man in the car next to us was talking to me and gesticulating. I got out and approached.

He was likely in his 70s, and his legs were awkwardly sticking out of the car as he sat in the driver's seat, crutches leaning against the open car door. In a thick southern Virginia accent, he said "They're quite a challenge, aren't they?" For a moment I was confused before realizing he was talking about David and Rose. I smiled and laughed. He went on, "You don't expect how it gets when you have grandchildren. I have an 11 year old grandson who went to..." He scratched his head a moment remembering. "Kindergarten! When he was in kindergarten they realized he was reading at a 4th grade level. His little sister who's 8 will be just like him. She called me up the other day and said 'Pop-pop, I love you'. I never knew I'd like being a grandparent." I smiled and said that's wonderful and agreed that the grandparent/grandchild relationship is indeed special.

He continued, "I had a bad knee and the doctor took it out. Don't have a knee now. Then he took out some of the bone up here," pointing to his femur, "and really messed me up.  I had an infection that cleared up, and he should have put the knee back in, but he wouldn't. I don't know, I think that doctor's in court now. But you know, it could be worse. Could be cancer." Looking at his mangled leg I saw that it was indeed without a knee and much shorter than the other one. It washed over me how much this man had suffered, and how he was simply resting in his car before beginning his trek into the CVS and wanted some company.

I told him how awful, what suffering. He changed the subject. "How do you like your car? Is that a Dodge?" We spent a short time talking about our van. I asked if I could help him get out of the car. "Oh no, I'll be fine." I told him it was nice talking to him, and that I would pray for him. I meant it. He smiled and said "Thank you. I appreciate that."

As I was pulling away, I watched him as he figured out how to lift the bad leg up over the curb. He made it. I'm still pondering the lesson this fellow human being, having suffered so much and seemingly without someone to help him, taught me about cheerfulness and gratitude. Whenever I have a trial I'll think of him, and that is a gift.  

Chiara Corbella Petrillo

Have any of you heard the story of Chiara Corbella Petrillo? I just devoured her biography, which apparently came out last month. It's the story of a young, joyful, ravishingly beautiful woman in Italy, her courageous husband, and their astonishing approach to suffering and death- both their children's and Chiara's in 2012.

There's something both irresistible and troubling about the lives of the saints. Their self-forgetfulness, charity toward their fellow humans, and love for God are mesmerizing. But their sufferings, which they view as their means to heaven (Jesus tells us the cross is the way), make us uneasy. How is it possible to suffer so much and remain not just faithful, but joyful?

If you're like me, you feel a little spiritual jealousy, realizing your disinclination to view each pain in life as a "kiss from Jesus" (Mother Teresa's words). And yet, I think we find that stories like Chiara's are the antidote to a fear of suffering and death that is particularly Western. Those being persecuted for their faith as we speak would likely not be as shocked by Chiara's story as we are. I would imagine joy and complete dependence on God in the face of poverty, death and destruction come more naturally to those who experience it regularly (witness little Miriam and her song).

We, however, who are privileged to have safe neighborhoods, access to doctors, good food, warm homes, jobs, loving families, etc., whenever we need them, would benefit enormously from reading how a fellow privileged Westerner heroically embraced tremendous sufferings and ultimately death instead of running from them in fear or falling into despair.  Chiara's story provides a beautiful template for those of us struggling to joyfully emulate Christ in our sufferings. I think it will also draw in many non-believers who are captivated. I'm confident we have modern-day saint on our hands here. St. Chiara, pray for us!