{7QT} On Parenthood, Writing, and Adoration

Hello! Anyone out there? If you are, I just want you to know that I have not forgotten this dear little blog of mine. I may have a trillion things going through my brain at any given time, but thoughts of this blog and what I might want to write about are often at the forefront. You wouldn't know it right now since things seem so neglected over here, but I promise that the wheels are spinning.

One day, more will happen. Just in one of those seasons of my life right now. BUT!! I come here today to share a little bit of what our life looks like right now in the form of a Quick Takes post. Thanks to Kelly at This Ain't The Lyceum for hosting!

#1
Potty training. I told some coworkers (who both have grown kids now) that potty training has got to be the hardest part of parenthood. And if it's not, please don't tell me otherwise right now. I don't want to know. Maybe it's because I'm doing two at once and they've been pretty resistant to the idea for a long time. Man oh man, this has been difficult. But there is good news!!

#2
We had major breakthrough last weekend. They started cooperating more last week and we started putting them in underwear. No more protection! By Saturday they were having lots of accidents but some successes, too. Sunday they started telling us when they needed to go (or thought they needed to go). We've now been doing this a full week, I can't believe it. They are almost completely accident-free as well. It's like night and day. I think I even hear angels singing.

#3
I promise this is not a post just about potty training. As proof: I had a book review published yesterday at Catholic Sistas (see it HERE) and I think everyone needs to go check it out and then go buy the book.

#4
While I'm pointing you to my review at Catholic Sistas, have you also seen my series over there for the Year of Consecrated Life? If not, you should go check it out. I've done three posts so far, one as an intro and the other two are interviews. You can get to all three posts at this link HERE. I am hoping to do one interview a month through January 2016. I have one for April but could use some more. If you know someone in religious life, have them contact me to be included in this series. My email: kasclar [at] gmail [dot] com. Thanks, friends!

#5
The weather in our area finally started to warm up. We're still wearing long sleeves and jackets in the morning, but afternoons are nice and we have had the opportunity to take a walk after dinner on a few occasions. It got cool again Thursday and will be on the cooler side for a couple days, but spring is definitely in the air. Even if we have a bit of snow on Friday, it won't stick around. I love knowing that!!

#6
Guess what?! I finally have an Adoration hour again!! So, sometime around 2005 or 2006 I signed up to take an hour in my parish's Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. I held that spot until February of 2011 when I ended up in the hospital to have an emergency cerclage put in to keep my twins from coming early (I was almost 22 weeks at the time). I was put on bedrest and told my coordinator to just take me off the schedule. It was a 6am hour and even after the babies came I didn't know how my life would change and if doing an hour at 6am would even work. So I had to end it a bit earlier than I had planned. Since then, I've been so busy with twins and then eventually a third child got added, that I never considered finding a way to work in adoration again. But I had been feeling a nudge over the last few months and so I started looking to see where they needed people. I think I found the perfect time slot and I have now gone two weeks in a row! I'm now an evening person (9pm) and that works so much better with three small children. They are all in bed before I have to leave. It's actually quite perfect. And I love being back in there on a regular basis!! So peaceful, so amazing, one-on-one time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. We are so blessed to have such a beautiful chapel!

#7
Okay, so I'm going back to the topic I kicked this post off with: potty training. Hey, it's a big deal. Anyway, very, very early Thursday morning (3 AM) I was awoken by a tiny voice right next to me. In the dark I could see one of my children standing there, but since they look identical I had no idea which one had woken me. It was 3 AM!! Turns out he needed to go potty!! I woke up so fast and practically leaped out of bed. I was so proud of him!! Woke himself up, came and got me, sat and actually went, and then went back to bed. Can night training be a possibility already???

Feels good to be adding something to the blog again! Hope you enjoyed and I hope to be back sooner rather than later. And don't forget, go check out This Ain't The Lyceum for more #7QT posts.