Are you a Catholic blogger that would like some free items to review?

I have been part of the review team for The Catholic Company during 2008, and I have really enjoyed the chance to get new books (plus a computer program) to review.

They are currently accepting applications for more reviewers, so if you are interested, be sure and check out their reviewer application page to read more about the program and apply.

A helpful boy

On a recent trip to Walmart with my parents, Noah went through the line with them, and Eric and the other kids and I all went through another line. When we met up, my Mom filled me in on what happened at their check out.

She told me that Noah had been doing little things to try to help the cashier. At the end, she commented on what a helpful boy he is.

And do you know what my beautifully sweet boy said to her?

"I just like to be helpful. That's just the way I'm being raised."

Needless to say, even though pride is a sin, I was beaming with it as we walked out of Walmart, while saying a prayer of thanks for being blessed with such a wonderful son.


(On a side note, I have to say that I sometimes hate the way people stare at Noah when he is stimming from his Autism, but his truly geniune nature is one of the many reasons that I wouldn't take away the Autism if someone offered it up as a possibility tomorrow. How blessed our lives are to have him!)

Many Little Blessings: December 2008 Recap

Top 10 Referring Sites to Many Little Blessings for December 2008

1. Rocks in my Dryer

2. 5 Minutes for Mom

3. I'm an Organizing Junkie

4. The Homeschool Classroom

5. The Inspired Room

6. Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

7. Catholic Mothers Online (The Blog for the Blog Roll)

8. Catholic Blog Directory

9. Lifetime Moments

10. Happy to be at Home

Thanks so much to the top ten list, as well as to the many, many other sites that sent traffic my way in December!

Do you think Mary ever went swimming?

This fall, our parish had an outdoor living rosary.

If you are unfamiliar with a living rosary, let me explain -- 59 people each held a candle, each one representing a bead on the rosary. Anyone from our parish was welcome to come, and they could all hold small candles throughout. We then recite the rosary as a group.

It's really lovely, and it is a night that I look forward to each year. This year, we were able to all stand together as a family, which made it extra lovely.

Of course, no evening is without its giggles in our family.

At one point, Jack turned to me, "Why does he keep talking about swimmin'?" (He said, referring to the priest, who was reciting the first portion of the Hail Mary.)

"Swimming? Who's talking about swimming?" I tried to quietly ask.

"No," Jack looked annoyed, "swimmin'. He keeps talking about swimmin'."

"Jack," I said with a shortness in my tone, "Nobody is talking about anyone swimming."

"Swimmin'," Jack mutters under his breath.

I shot him a look that said, "Don't you dare try that again."

And, we continued praying.

Well...until I had to stifle my laughter.

You see, we usually say, "...Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of they womb, Jesus." But, one of our newer associate pastors was saying it like this: "...Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of they womb, Jesus."

Yeah, say that "amongst women" aloud, and you can hear the swimmin' that Jack kept hearing.

When I quitely (and kindly) told him what was really going on, he looked relieved. I'm sure he thought the new pastor was clearly insane. And, quite frankly, I suspect he thought I wasn't far behind.

photo by Angie ~ Many Little Blessings