Answer Me This- Link-up- Happy Clappy Edition

I saw this link-up a few weeks back over at Catholicallyear.com and finally got around to participating in one. She gives out questions and you answer them.  Fun and thought provoking.  Come join in the fun!


1. Do you hate happy clappy church music? 

I confess I do not.  In fact, I love it.  I also love a mystical, solemn Gregorian chant.  Depending on the occasion and how the Spirit leads, either one (and everything in between) has been a means of praising my Lord many times in the past.  After all the Bible says in Isaiah 55:12 "You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace.  The mountains and the hills will burst into song before you and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands"  If the trees of the fields get to clap to honor and praise their Creator, why not me?


2.  What is your priority: eating or sleeping?

Neither, most of the time.  And both, every once in awhile.

I'm a mom.  It's pretty normal for me to get to nap time and realize I ate next to nothing because I was so busy serving Kid 1, then Kid 2, then Kid 3, then repeat two times (our kids love food), then clean up after Kid 2, and hose off Kid 3, then we go to the park to get some exercise and fresh air, and head to the store to get more food so we can come home for lunch and repeat the earlier meal routine with lunch food instead of breakfast.  After that's all through, I scuttle them up to bed for naps and realize that I'M STARVING!  But relax, that only happens about 3 days of the week.  The rest of the time I at least make myself a fruit smoothie for breakfast and have a PB&J for lunch.  But I LIKE eating and cooking and baking and eating what I cook and cake, so eating is probably the priority I suppose.  And sleeping....gee, I love the idea of it, but I just never have time.  But I'm working on getting more since my youngest is currently 18 months and I have NO GOOD REASON not to be getting at least 8-9 hours a night.

3. What type of milk do you drink in your house?

Generally the whole milk (from a cow).  Yeah, we're fatties.   Sometimes we go down to 2%.  No skim for this fam--we want big boned kids with thunder thighs around here.  ;)

photo found at minimalistmum.blogspot.com

Yeah, we drink the milk from this cow.  Makes you healthy and fun, right?


4. What is a book that changed your perspective on things?

I've just been discussing books that have impacted my life with the girls who have joined me for 33 Days to Morning Glory....

but changed my perspective??  hmmmm.....

I'd say Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge.  I read it in high school and remember being touched by the idea that the life of a woman is not just  cooking, cleaning, and caring for children.  It's about so much more when you allow God to touch your life and reveal your true beauty (which is a reflection of His beauty).  But it also makes those sometimes menial tasks seem more incredible sometimes because you can see the bigger picture instead of just another task.
I also love books on any of the saints, because every single one changes my perspective about life and makes me want to be more holy and receive even a small part of the grace that is bestowed on those spiritual champions who have gone before us.


5. Who is your favorite Saint?

That is such a tough question.  I love, love, love so many.

St. Cecilia- I love music.  Since a very young age, I could identify with her and wished to have her childlike faith, her purity of mind and body, and her gift of song. I chose her for my Confirmation saint and our eldest daughter's middle name is Cecilia.  It is a joy to hear her speak of her love for this favorite saint of mine and hear her chatter about how she wants to love Jesus and sing for him and become a patron saint of music someday too.  

St. Rose- She's my namesake Saint (my middle name is Rose) so I've always been drawn to her.  Her story is one filled with much sacrifice and many countless acts of love.  She only ever wanted to love and serve Christ and never wanted to draw attention to herself.

I could seriously go on and on...but here's a story that I just came across recently; Chiara Corbella Petrillo  Her story is incredible.  I cried a lot and it gave me a lot of perspective as a mother.  Wonder when she'll be canonized....I hope it's in my lifetime.


6. Introvert or Extrovert?

Extrovert.  I love being with people.  My hubby, my kids, my family, my friends.

I do also value my alone time though.  And crave it when I've gone through several weeks where everyone is up in my business constantly or I'm out of my routine (i.e. when we go on vacation, or when lots of family gets together, or when my 5 year old has been talking non-stop for the past 10 hours and counting...can you give me 5 minutes to myself in the bathroom, darling?  Mommy needs to hear nothing for a couple minutes.