Revolution of Love

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

7 Quick Takes (1/24/15): Brian & Opa Updates & Lent Preparations

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Wow, yesterday was a hell of a day. For those of you following on Instagram and Facebook, you’ve heard the initial news, but I’ve included a few updates as well. I am also linking up with Kelly for Seven Quick Takes Friday…but on a Saturday.

 

~ 1 ~

(FRIDAY RECAP – If you haven’t already heard.)

Revolution of Love Blog - bv_os_6_2014Brian and his dad Bill sharing a bday party last year.

Okay, so yesterday morning as Brian was preparing for his cancer testing stuff, we got a call from my mother-in-law (Elizabeth) that my father-in-law (Bill) had a stroke. he couldn’t move and he was rushed to the ER. I freaked out. Brian freaked out. Bella (who was home sick) freaked out.

Luckily, our freak out was short lived. We got a grip and tried to figure out what to do next. Brian’s mom said we should continue with Brian’s testing since there was nothing we could do at the moment. I told Brian a cancer-free diagnosis would give his parents the boost they needed right now. (Also knowing the opposite diagnosis would pretty much do them both in and maybe me along with them.)

I left Brian at the testing center, told them I’d be back and headed to the hospital. I only got to see Bill for a couple seconds but he looked really bad. (Secretly, I am glad Brian didn’t see him in that state.) The docs decided to move Bill to Stanford Medical Center. They needed to preform surgery to get the blood clot out of his head. I kissed Bill on the head and prayed he survived the drive and then the surgery. ( I also pleased with God to let him survive the surgery otherwise Brian would never get to say goodbye if he didn’t.)

After picking up the kids from school I headed back to Brian to pick him up. When they led me into his room/cubby he had “that look” on his face and I wondered if he was worried about his dad or worried about the prognosis he was given. He immediately asked about his dad but I told him to hold up, what did his doctor say?? No cancer.

Siiiiiiiigh! A HUGE weight fell off my shoulders. He had one polyp but they removed it and it didn’t look cancerous at all. It’ll be tested of course but doc said everything looked good. I can’t tell you how relieved I was. Like the angels were singing from on high.

Now I could deal with my FIL and helping him get better. I filled Brian in on the details and told him that if anyone could pull through this, it was Dad. He is the most stubborn and feisty (as well as generously loving) man I know and he wouldn’t let this beat him if he had anything to do with it. Brian just smiled.

Fast forward to later that evening. Brian was not able to travel yet so a family friend drove my MIL to Stanford. They finally called in the evening and told us that the surgery was successful. The doc had been worried that it wouldn’t work but he got the clot out and Opa was recovering nicely. When he came to, his speech was a little slurred and he was a disorientated but my MIL said he was insistent that she call me and let me know that he wouldn’t be able to pick up the kids from school today. That touched my heart. It showed you where his mind was – thinking about his precious grandchildren, who were now asleep in bed. πŸ™‚

~ 2 ~

SATURDAY UPDATE

Β© revolution of love blog - opa_5_12Opa with John-Paul and Matthew a couple years back.

This morning Brian drove to Stanford with his mom. I decided to stay home with the kids since myΒ  FIL is in the ICU and they can’t go in there. I just got off the phone with Brain and he said the MRI looked good, dad’s speech was much clearer and although he was still confused a bit (concerned about wanting to pick up the kids) he carried on a conversation and understood what they were saying. Brian said there are moments when he talks like himself and other times when he can’t figure out where he is and why we won’t give him his car keys to leave. We made him a Get Well card with photos of the family and he told Brian that was the only medicine he needed. Lastly, he starts physical therapy tomorrow and may be able to come home as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday. Brian just kept saying, “Its a miracle.” Seeing how bad be was yesterday and considering his advanced age, I’d tend to agree! Now we just have to adjust to the new version of Opa and help him to cope as he heals.

 

~ 3 ~

Gracias!!

A big part of that was due to all your prayers!! From the “I woke up in the middle of the night and had to pray for you but didn’t know why” to the sacrifices and rosaries and to the prayers from kitchens to the convents – all of these made a difference with both Brian’s diagnosis and his dad’s recovery. Thank you!! Blessed be God!! (Did I mentioned how relieved I am!!!)

 

~ 4 ~

Blessed Is She Lenten Journals

The trials of the last couple of days has brought me to my knees, literally. Someone posted on FB that Lent is less than a month away. Is that possible?? I feel a like I am in Lent mode already (well, except for the fact that I ate a tad bit too much stress chocolate yesterday…)

bis_lent_journal_1But this morning I started preparing for Lent by ordering my Blessed Is She Lenten Journal. For those who enjoyed the Advent journal, this one is very similar but there are also a few more options, like the two beautiful 8 x 10 color prints that can be framed or placed where it will give you daily inspiration. I can feel the peace flowing already. πŸ˜‰ Be sure to pre-order yours today! (The Advent journal did sell out!)

~ 5 ~

Restore Workshop

restore_2015_1_640Photo credit: ElizabethFoss.com

The second thing I did for Lent was to sign up for Elizabeth Foss’ Restore Workshop. I took the course last year because I was physically and emotionally drained with Brian’s illness and trying to keep the family running smoothly. I did feel burned out and I wasn’t sure how to get out of it. The course was the balm for the soul that I desperately needed.

However, this year I debated whether or not I should take the course (for about 5 seconds) because I don’t feel burned out. Sure I still have my moments of stress and interior chaos but I feel like I am slowly working through it. However, the course did me such good! The essays. The meditations. The podcasts. The creative activities. (Can you say homemade granola??) Even now, I still go back to Elizabeth’s words and my notes and remind myself of the things God taught me.

No, I may not be burned out but I could definitely use a little TLC for my mind, body and spirit so I signed up this afternoon. The cost is $65 but it’s worth every penny. To find out more, visit NurturingJoy.com. If you click on Elizabeth’s post here, she also has a few words and a larger version of the above graphic that contains the schedule for the course.

~ 6 ~

Martha’s Still My Girl

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I also wanted to mention that I switched my cleaning challenge. I’ll complete the more intense A Bowl Full of Lemon’s Challenge later in spring but for now I am doing the 31 Day to Clean: Having A Martha House the Mary Way hosted by Christian blogger and author Sarah Mae.Β  God has been putting Mary and Martha into my life left and right and since St. Martha is my saint of the year, well, come on! It was a no brainer. I can’t exactly follow the schedule since some days I spend more time in the hospital than home (ahem) but on the other hand, when I am home sitting by the phone, like today, I find comfort in scrubbing my kitchen. (From the looks of it, I don’t sit by the phone much.) πŸ˜‰Β  I’ve already started and I must say, it is just what I needed. I’ll blog more about it next week.

 

~ 7 ~

Well, I have supper to make and kids to bathe so I better stop here. Have a blessed rest of the weekend and thanks again for all the prayers! Much love to you…

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd or Instagram. πŸ˜‰

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Throwback Thursday: At This Time Two Years Ago…

One of my favorite things about Thursdays on Instagram is #tbt when you repost photos from your past. I was looking at some older posts and was smiling at these photos I took this week in December two years ago. It’s funny how some things change and some things stay the same. (I’m looking at you daredevil Matthew.) πŸ˜‰ So here is my Throwback Thursday photo post just for fun.

* * * * *

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Here are my favorite photos and instagrams of the week.

{pretty}

From Day 12 of #adventphotoaday – My favorite photo of Mary. I think I already mentioned this icon when I redid our bedroom but it is still one of my favorites. I got it shortly before I met Brian and I took it with me to all the kids’ births. Whenever we travel, it is always set up in our hotel room.

Our Lady of Guadalupe that hangs in our home.

{happy}

Andrew was sporting his James Dean hair for 50’s Day and he was excited to be holding the cookies he decorated at school. (He made sure to decorate four so he could give one to each of the his brothers and sister. That is so sweet…even though he didn’t bring one for me. πŸ˜‰

{funny}

We keep our shoes on a shelf by the front door. It works out well until Matthew decides to rearrange the shoes. Brian texted me from work and showed me what he landed out wearing that day. That gives whole new meaning to casual Friday. LOL.

{real}

Speaking of my little spit fire, it’s been awhile since Matthew has tried to give me a heart attack. He is usually not allowed in the bathroom but one of the boys left the door open and he made a run for it. The kid is a fast worker.

Have a great evening!

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads or Instagram. πŸ˜‰


tl;dr – The Cliff Notes Version of August 2014

Linking up with Jenna over at Call Her Happy.

August has been super busy at home and super slow on the blog. I think I only posted 4 or 5 times this whole month. Since I haven’t been around much, here is the rundown the happenings.

Aug 1 – I get a little dizzy at how fast the summer is going!

Aug 3 – For the first time I made a set of goals I wanted to accomplish for theΒ  month of August. I blog about it here. (Next I’ll blog about how it went!)

Aug 6 – My baby Matthew starts his first day of pre-school! I’m still getting used to not having a little guy by my side a couple days out of the week.

Aug 12 – For my Pinterest Party I made homemade granola bars. Brian and the kids really liked them. (BTW, Elena, yes they were more chewy than crunchy.)

Aug 15 – We celebrate the feast of the Assumption and Niki tags me for a blog hop about writing. (I promise I’ll answer next week, Niki!)

Aug 18 – I celebrate another year of life. πŸ™‚ My mom called and asked if I was stressing out that I am another year older. I was happy to say that I wasn’t. Nowadays I am just happy to be alive another year! I also posted my Online Daybook and talk about cleaning projects (like my disastrous laundry room), prayer, and TV, particularly with Kendra’s Answer Me This.

Aug 24 – John-Paul turns 5 years old. πŸ™‚ He is such a little man.

Aug 25 –Β  The bigger kids start their first day of school – a 7th grade, 1st grade and Pre-K.

Yet I can’t stop thinking about when they looked like this just a few short years ago!

Aug 26 – For the Pinterest Party I work on my daily schedule and offer a free printable – Daily Goal Sheet.

Aug 27 – My sister arrives for a visit and I am giddy with excitement.

Aug 28 – Sweet Bella has surgery to remove five baby teeth that weren’t coming out then she gets the rest of her braces on. She is a trooper!

Aug 29 -Brian leaves for a Catholic conference in SoCal. I’m glad he will have some time away after all he’s been through but I don’t like being separated from him!

Aug 31 – Brian returned home and the following day we went out on a date. It was seriously one of the best dates we’ve had in years. We jokingly decided that he should go away for a few days more often. πŸ˜‰

There were a lot of other things but these are the highlights. πŸ™‚ What have you been up to lately?

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd or Instagram (It’s set to private but I’ll approve you.) πŸ˜‰

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.

 

 

 


The Top Ten Theme Songs of My Life

Hey guys. I feel like I haven’t posted in ages. We had a great time in Lake Tahoe and I was not online much and that spoiled me. We’ve been home for a couple days but I still haven’t touched my computer . However, I thought it was time to get back into it, at least a little bit. Last night I went to go see the move Begin Again and it got me thinking about music. Then I saw thatΒ  Jen asked us to share the theme songs of our life. Anyone that knows me well, knows that I love music and I always have mental soundtracks that accompany the memories of my life. So here are my Top 10 theme songs that hold meaning to my life.

photo credit

 

~ 1 ~
The Childhood Years

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

When we were growing up, my parents liked to listen to the oldies station that played a lot of motown. I remember my mom telling me this was one of her favorite songs. I like this one because it seems to represent my parents early years of marriage. Barely 20 years old (or so) they had rough childhoods and their own demons to fight. Being the oldest, I best remember the early years and the troubles they faced. God was not an active part of their lives then and you could see the effect. They struggled. But as the song says…

Listen, baby
Ain’t no mountain high
Ain’t no valley low
Ain’t no river wide enough, baby

If you need me, call me
No matter where you are
No matter how far
Just call my name
I’ll be there in a hurry
You don’t have to worry

God was always there beckoning them, calling them, ready to fly to their sides if they called out to Him. Thankfully, they did. God’s grace healed their relationship, healed the issues they were facing and breathed new life into our family. God became the center and we slowly learned to live for Him. As the years passed and more babies came (eventually 9 kids) mom and dad’s love grew even stronger. There was no valley low enough to keep them apart from one another. After 45 years of marriage, they are going as strong as ever… still loving and still feisty. They are a living example of how God’s grace can completely transform a life.

~ 2Β  ~
The Teen Years (TIED)

Love SongΒ  by The Cure

Suedehead by Morrissey

You get two songs for the price of one because I had a ridiculously difficult time narrowing it down to one song since there were numerous tracks dominating my headphones. Runner ups were The Smith’s Ask, New Order’s True Faith, Depeche Mode’s Policy of Truth and Psychedelic Furs’ Heartbreak Beat. Back then these songs were the soundtrack of driving around So Cal. Now they are the playlist I use to scrub toilets, do laundry and wash countless dishes. My how times have changed. πŸ˜‰

~ 3 ~

Young Adult – The Dark Years

Head Like A Hole by Nine Inch Nails

The song itself is not really bad but the memories that come with it are not good. They conjure up the years I fell away from God and into sin.

 

~ 4 ~
Young Adult – The Reversion Years

Confession by John Michael Talbot

I think the lyrics say it all. (I started crying again just posting it here.)

I see a struggle now within
Alive in my soul
As I’m dying to sin
I do the things that I hate
So I hate what I do
Who will deliver me?
But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ
For there is no condemnation at all

This is the message we have heard
We have seen with our eyes
We have touched with our hands
The Word of life appeared
The Word became flesh
The Word dwelt among us
The Word of life
The God of light
And in Him there is no darkness at all
If we claim to have fellowship with Him
Yet we walk in the dark
We live in a lie
If we claim to be without sin
We deceive ourselves
The Word is not within us
If we confess our sins and cry out to God
He will forgive and purify our human hearts
For those who are in Jesus Christ
He has given us of the Spirit of God

I see a struggle now within
Alive in my soul
As I’m dying to sin

 

~ 5 ~

Young Adult – The Discernment Years

Dreams by the Cranberries

As the song says…

Oh, my life is changing everyday,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams, it’s never quite as it seems,
Never quite as it seems.

My 20’s held the most changes in my life. After my reversion and coming back to God, He completely changed my heart. I then contemplated a religious vocation. It was very difficult for me because my dream was to always be a mom one day and to give that up was almost more than I could bear. However, I knew that I owed everything to God and if this is what he wanted of me, than I would follow. Like Abraham, God only wanted my willingness to sacrifice my Isaac. In the end, I realized I was called to the vocation of marriage. This song represents those years of waiting and yearning for The One. I never thought my dreams could be so completely fulfilled until I met Brian. He was everything I dreamed of and then some.

 

~ 6 ~

The Dating/Long Distance Relationship Year

Return to Me by Dean Martin

Β Brian and I met online in November of 1998. We met in person in April of 1999. We were engaged a few months later. Up until one week before the wedding at the end of that year, we were separated by 400 miles. It was very difficult, to say the least. Brian sent me a cassette (remember those?!) of a Dean Martin album with special emphasis on this song. πŸ™‚
~ 7 ~
The Honeymoon Years

What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong


I was finally married to the man of my dreams. Need I say more?

 

~ 8 ~

The Motherhood Years

Hey Mama by Mat Kearney

Motherhood did not come easily for me. After we were married it took us a year to conceive Bella. The next six years brought us secondary infertility and two babies lost in miscarriage. Thankfully, we found out about The Creighton Model of NFP along with a great NFP teacher and doctor who helped us figure out the problem and a solution. The result? Three bouncing bambinos within the next six year span. God is good.

This song fills me with nothing but good memories because we listen to it all the time as we are driving in the car or when I am cooking dinner and they are “breakdancing” on the kitchen floor as they yell, “Hey mama! Look at me.” Happy sigh. “I’m looking, sweetie. I’m looking.”

 

~ 9 ~

The Cancer Years

Hold You Up – Shane Harper

I’ve posted this song on the blog before but it still means a lot to me. Here is a portion of the lyrics:

When it’s coming apart, you had it all.
It wasn’t enough. No, it’s not enough.
They tell you it’s not worth the price, so just let it go.
But you know you can’t. You know you won’t.

It’s not easy, no.
Finding the words to say.
When you’re feeling lost, you’ll find your way.

The world is so broken and sometimes it leaves you cold.
At nighttimes you can’t feel the fire to guide you home.
The demons will harm you and try to steal what you know.
But the angels, they brought you, and they’re gonna hold you up.
They’re gonna hold you up.

They see the fear in your eyes, heart sinks like a stone.
‘Cause when you’re afraid, it weighs on your soul.

It’s not easy, no.
Finding the words to say.
When you’re feeling lost, you’ll find your way.

The world is so broken and sometimes it leaves you cold.
At nighttimes you can’t feel the fire to guide you home.
The demons will harm you and try to steal what you know.
But the angels, they brought you, and they’re gonna hold you up.
They’re gonna hold you up.
They’re gonna hold you up.
They’re gonna hold you up…

* * *

I love the lyric “The demons will harm you and try to steal what you know. But the angels, they brought you, and they’re gonna hold you up.”

When I am feeling overwhelmed and am stressing out I am tempted to lose it, I can give into my weakness and the negativity in my head and allow the demons to steal what I know – that God is with me. That he is strongest when I am weakest and He can accomplish amazing things. If I am docile in the hands of God and surrender to him in the little things, as well as the big things, He will hold me up and carry me through. That is especially timely these days. πŸ˜‰

 

~ 10~

Modern Day

Pompeii by Bastille

The current soundtrack of my life is the entire Bad Blood album by Bastille. I’m addicted to every song but the one that touches me the most right now is “Pompeii.” When we found out that Brian’s cancer came back in January, I felt just like this…

And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Great clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above

But if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like
You’ve been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

Our life has been turned upside down with his cancer, but there are moments when we are lost in our love and we forget what we are battling. It has brought us closer together and with only one chemo cycle left, I am optimistic about our future.

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd or Instagram. πŸ˜‰

PPS – Some of the links on this post may be affiliated links.

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Day 3 of 7: An Update on Brian (2/26/14) & Embracing the Cross

Today is Day 3 of my participation in Jen’s 7 Posts in 7 Days Challenge and I am rethinking my decision to participate because right now I am exhausted and I am too tired to think. LOL. There is a rain storm outside and we are thanking God for it since this is only the third time we have gotten rain all winter. I forgot what it sounded like to have the rain pounding and the wind shake the windows. On nights like this Brian always wants to watch a mystery for movie night so I am sure he will want to tonight too.

Speaking of my sweet man, today Brian had his outpatient surgery to put a port in his chest for his chemo treatments, which start March 10th. (If you are squeamish or afraid of needles this may be TMI.) Basically, the port is small medical device inserted beneath the skin. A catheter connects the port to a vein and it is used to inject the chemo or draw blood. It looks like this. Just picture it under the skin.

Source

Thankfully the whole process only took about 3 hours and he was back home resting by late this afternoon. After the procedure I helped him get dressed and as I was kneeling on the floor putting on his socks and shoes for him, I looked up at him and he smiled at me and my heart was filled with love. I know I am selfish and I complain a lot and I get bent out of shape when things don’t go my way, but in that moment, I was happy to be on the floor helping him dress. It was my little way of telling him that I loved him and that I appreciated all the love he gives to me and the kids. And that we value every moment that he is here with us. Yeah, a lot to say over a pair of socks but the grace must have been flowing. πŸ˜‰

This whole fight with cancer is something that we never wanted. However, in the last month there have been emotional and spiritual things revealed to us – as individuals and as a couple that have brought us closer to God and closer to each other. I know Brian has been through a lot this past month and physically the cancer had weakened him and made him sick, but he has fought bravely and grown stronger physically and spiritually. When I was talking to him this morning before his surgery he was joking around with me and I saw a look of happiness and playfulness that had been missing for awhile. I can see God working in him and I pray and hope and trust that God will continue to strengthen Brian and heal him.

But isn’t that how God so often works. Something terrible happens and suffering is endured but when we trust in God, we allow him to do amazing things. He can take the ugly and make something beautiful. He can lift us up off the floor and help us to walk once again. He can take our weakness and make us strong. He can take our doubt and replace it with faith. He can perform miracles. It is not easy since it requires us to first kiss the cross but with it comes the embrace of the resurrection.

Once again, thanks for the continued prayers. Please keep them coming. Brian is ready to watch that mystery movie so time to sign off. πŸ™‚

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads or Instagram. πŸ˜‰