Spring Blossoms

Polar Bear was such a helper this afternoon and eager to cut more branches of forsythia for our kitchen table. The warmer temps today coaxed the Japanese Quince Bush to join in the blooming of our backyard, so he snipped a few of those to put amidst the bright yellow blossoms. Such a bouquet. He didn't want to stop. So we made another vase with Rhododendron flowers from our side yard. It is a single, well-established bush that is likely as old as the 30-year-old house it ornaments. I'm just sorry that the violet-purple glory only last for two weeks.

Easter Monday in the E.R.

Dorito wound up in the E.R. after lunch. He started telling me that his heart was beating fast and his chest hurt last night before bed. I made him drink a big glass of water, thinking it was indigestion. But the pains continued today even after breakfast and lunch. I didn't want to make the four-hour drive home without having him checked out, so we went to an urgent care clinic. They confirmed a heart rate of 104 and referred us to the emergency room. Once there, they acted quickly and confidently, hooking up an EKG. Lying still his heart rate was 107, and when the doctor asked him to stand, it went up to 124! I was beginning to get worried. Then the nurse asked us the pertinent questions about diet, rest, activity, etc. When he said, "Caffeine?" my brain clicked in to the truth. We had given up soda for Lent, so everyone chose a Coke at the Dunkin Donuts on Saturday night. Then on Sunday, the kids also chose Coke at the buffet lunch at Aunt Lori's house. I asked Dorito how many he drank, and he admitted, "Three or four." What?! Plus he had Dr. Pepper at Grandma's on Sunday evening! This was quite a shock to his system. I felt sorry for him, yet relieved. I hope Meggar sees that I was correct in keeping my growing children away from caffeine.

Easter in the Rain

Not a beautiful day outside, but we arrived in Wichita by noon to celebrate the baptism of Chad and Lori's #6. His name is Gannon John Paul (lovely!) and he is so long/tall. Very cute! Alleluia!

Easter Vigil

All the Schmidlings participated in a beautiful Easter Vigil mass tonight with lots of candles and incense. Meggar and I played the organ (three responsorial psalms and the litany). The boys were amongst the 14 people on the altar: Dorito was a candlelighter, Polar Bear was a torch bearer and carried the holy water bucket during the sprinkling, and Winger held the books for Father Totton. There are certainly a lot of details to memorize when serving a 2.5 hour mass. Everyone did a wonderful job. Such a great opportunity for my sons to work in cooperation with three seminarians and one deacon. I was almost jealous. During this morning's practice, Fitzpatrick told them a story about his mistake at the Bishop's mass. :-) That set them all at ease. We witnessed three baptisms, and later, three new Catholics were confirmed. Afterwards, we were too excited to sleep, so we stopped at Dunkin Donuts to celebrate (about 11 pm).

The Masters

Captain is already in Augusta today, and he called me as he headed in to watch the Masters! What luck that the pilots were given tickets, too!! No cell phones are allowed, so we will wait for his update later tonight. The twins hit the links today, too. Any weather above 60' and they are begging for me to take them to the golf course. I wonder if Polar Bear or Winger is in the lead after the front nine? Dorito decided not to accompany them since he already did a 5-mile hike this morning with the Scouts.

The Goodness of Good Friday

I told a friend that Good Friday was my favorite day of the year. It is such a dramatic point in the Church calendar and in salvation history: That day in which God answered millions of prayers--but not necessarily in the way anyone expected. In similar timing, God asked me to take up a cross of cancer and radiation treatment in 2004. There are always uncertainties when surgery is involved, yet I had a wonderful surgeon and supportive friends. Radiation made me very sick, but Captain took off work to be Mr. Mom. Then I was required to remain in seclusion for week while the isotopes lost their power. The end of my quarantine came at the Hour of Mercy -- 3:00 pm on Good Friday 2004. It was wonderful to feel the hugs of my children again! That evening, we went to Church services and I was particularly moved during the Veneration of the Cross. When I was a child, this custom of publicly kissing the feet of Christ was embarrassingly uncomfortable. When I was grown, I understood better the meaning of "Come, let us worship" at the foot of the cross with Mary and the disciple whom Jesus loved. But as a cancer survivor, I approached the wood of the cross with a powerful intimacy. I knew Jesus had been with me all along, and I could willingly choose to kiss the cross in love for my Savior. When we join our sufferings to His, we don't always find the answers but we feel certain we are headed in the right direction. The goodness of His love also brings us healing on many levels.

Spring Break

While other students had an early out, the "Fiddlers Three" had an afternoon concert at one of the local nursing homes. Of course, all the wheelchair residents were punctually in place 15 minutes early, so we started a bit early for their sakes. It was a nice audience and the Activities Director paid the boys in cash. They each had plans for their $10 bill -- one wants to go golfing, one wants to buy fishing lures, and one is looking for more hockey cards on eBay. "I am a master at eBay," Winger announced triumphantly. He loves bidding, and he's found this is a cheaper way to buy his favorite hockey cards in sets.