I had every intention of linking in for 7 quick takes Friday....I even had a list going! Until.....I had a fever Thursday night that made it feel like the.longest.night.ever. My throat hurt and, when I said "Ahh" to myself in the mirror on Friday morning, my right tonsil was covered with white ick! (No wonder why the glands on the right side of my neck were swollen and painful!)
A trip to the doctor yielded a diagnosis of acute tonsillitis and I am on another round of antibiotics! Ugh...this long winter and now Lent...of illness just will not quit!
(A bright note to interject into this whine fest was that Jay took the day off to take care of me which was so sweet because, after a night with very little sleep and feeling so lousy, I was not looking forward to entertaining Kate all day and having to go get Luke at preschool. I am blessed to have such a caring hubby!)
Saturday I was fever free. It was a really long and emotional day. I had to do the grocery shopping that I couldn't do Friday early on Saturday morning. Then, Sarah and I went to an 11:30 funeral Mass for her 8th grade teacher from last year who passed away unexpectedly. Jon was one of the pall bearers. It was a beautiful Mass for a very dedicated and loved teacher. The whole school is hurting over such a sudden loss.
Everyone at the school did an incredible job. She passed away on Wed. at 3:30 am, and by 6:30 there was a school reach phone call to every parent to let them know what happened. Grief counselors were already at the school by the time the kids arrived. The middle school all went to the 9am Mass to pray for Mrs Morris, her family, and the whole school community. Grief was placed within the context of our faith, which not only brought comfort and the "peace beyond all understanding", but also taught the children how to grieve. For many of the kids, it was their first close experience with death.
Posters and memory books were created. There were lots of talking and lots of tears for the remainder of the week, but everyone made it through. The middle school students formed an honor guard as Mrs. Morris' casket was brought up the church steps. She would have been so proud of her students...and I'm sure she was smiling down on all of her students, both past and present, who came to her wake and/or to her funeral to pay their last respects to a woman who meant so much to them!
I am so grateful that my children have been part of a school that has such a living faith!
With another round of young adult struggle hitting our emotional tanks hard this weekend, I have to say that this Lent has truly kicked my butt! Involuntary penances have been flying in from all angles...and my Wonder Woman reflective wristbands are completely broken! Watching your children suffer and being unable to fix it is such a hard thing. I find myself reflecting often today of Mary sitting at the foot of Jesus' cross. I know what we are going through doesn't in any way come close to the level of Mary's pain over watching her perfect child who is also the Son of God be tortured and killed....but I know she understands. My own mother's heart is so tired from trying to offer emotional support and so broken over the emotional pain and doubt he is going through.
This Lent has truly been a walk in the desert in so many ways. I am fervently praying that the power of the Resurrection will send in a flood of graces that wipe out much of what we have been "blessed with" this Lent!
All I can say is....Bring on Easter!
