I can’t believe it, but in just a week from tomorrow Lent starts already; next Wed. is Ash Wed, beginning the holy and penitent season of Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter, incl. fasting and abstaining from meat, and trying to deepen our faith, build ourselves up spiritually, become closer to God and to Jesus and His Passion. It is a time of deep reflection, prayer and penance. Are you ready? Is your life lived in such a way to please the Lord? Is your “temple” holy? Are your affairs in order in living with godly standards? Lent is a time for all of us to “clean our houses” so to speak; to make things right with our souls, deepen our faith and become close to God.We must meditate on Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice. As an added bonus to my prayer life I also do Novenas during this time and extra readings and more time in prayer.As a family we also go to Confession and watch our Jesus videos and increase our Rosaries and other prayers.

Please pray for Jack Layton.He is the leader of the socialist NDP Party and although it’s highly unlikely he even believes in God(based on his politics)and certainly does not obey Him, God still believes in him and he needs our prayers. He has prostate cancer. He is not exactly a person I can say I like and I do not agree with most of his policies, such as strong and intimidating unions,increased gov’t control and intrusion into our lives and families, universal daycare, and defending and supporting sin(eg. abortion, same-sex “marriage”,trying to legalize euthanasia and marijuana, for example) I still feel badly for him and pray for him. I am also concerned about the state of his soul(and when one’s mortality is endangered this becomes even more of a crucial issue; when there is a chance of facing death) since his policies go against God, but many times people have actually discovered God and turned to Him in time of sickness and are repentant and develop a strong faith, so who knows! Nothing is impossible with God and He loves everyone. Please also pray for Kate, Majesta, Ina, Sung-ae, and others who are sick and struggling, incl. the people of Haiti and all those in need.Amen.

These are Zhu Zhu Pets; small toy hamsters that move and make cute little noises. The kids got them and are having so much fun with them! They are cute little things and feel nice and soft! A couple of years ago I got one of the kids something similar in Germany; a hamster that came in a big clear plastic ball and rolled around. These are similar but a bit smaller, have no ball(but do come with extra accessories) and make sounds.They cost 13$ and used to be called Go Go Pets. So cute!

I seriously don’t know what’s gotten into Wilson He is a year old now and had been behaving so well and even running around indoors and going outside every few hours to “do his thing”, but since December has been peeing on the floor in the house and now he also chews the carpet AND has started growling and snarling at us every time we go near him! What is THAT all about? If he doesn’t smarten up I’m afraid we’ll have to get rid of him,and we certainly can’t have him being aggressive and turning on us like that! WHAT is his PROBLEM? That is not acceptable! We can’t keep a dog that is fierce and is nothing but trouble; he has to behave or we have no choice but to sell him! I hope we don’t have to get rid of him but seriously I am tired of this and we shouldn’t have to put up with it. What happened to him? Why can’t he just behave? Why did he turn so bad and so aggressive?

I came across a wonderful Italian saying: ” Dimmi con chi vai,e ti diro che sei” which translates as “Tell me who you go with and I will tell you what you are.” Who you associate with, which class of people influence you and who your friends are will cause you to become as they are,  be it for good or for bad, which is why we must choose our friends and aquaintances very carefully. We must also watch over our children’s friendships, to ensure they are fostered with the right kind of people; good wholesome, moral, upright and godly people,who will encourage, enrich and fellowship with them, and not worldly people who will only bring them down and harm them spiritually.You will be known by who you associate with. Have you chosen wisely? Who are YOUR friends?

NO matter HOW often I keep hearing about it(and believe me, it’s often; like ALL THE TIME!!) these are 3 things that I couldn’t care LESS about, will NEVER give a rat’s ass about,think are completely useless and a waste of time and $$$$(think of the good the $$$ wasted on them could be better put to use to trying to eliminate poverty and homelessness instead!!) and am SICK TO DEATH of always hearing about all the time, every time I turn around:

1. THE SUPER BOWL

2.THE ACADEMY AWARDS

3.THE OLYMPICS

Not everyone CARES, or wants to always hear about it OR have their regular TV shows pre-empted because of it. ENOUGH already!!Thank you.

This will make my friend that laughs I’m a hypochrondriac happy(although I don’t IMAGINE it; my symptoms ARE very REAL I just never knew what it WAS!!) by chance I came across an article on something called Marfan Syndrome and to my surprise found out *I* have the symptoms! It is a genetic disorder; an abnormal gene on chromosome 15, and incl. the following ALL physical features and maladies I happen to have: a high flat forehead, jaw defects and TMJ, headaches, stuffy nose, long narrow face, high narrow arched palate,crowded teeth,neck and spine pain, flexible joints,breathing problems and shortness of breath, fibromyalgia, abdomenal and leg pain, flat feet that “roll” inwards, small chin, gastro upsets, flat cheekbones, poor circulation and feel cold,and heart palpitations, but ALSO possible abnormal heart rhythm AND at very  high risk for FATAL aortic dissection or aneurysm or mitral valve prolapse! It certainly would explain a lot(and my symptoms and unattractive physical features!) but whoa….this is some heavy stuff! I suppose I must have inherited it from my father’s side if so as both he and my grandfather HAD long narrow faces and high foreheads like I do as well, but now I fear my KIDS might have inherited it! (not that anything can be done about it)but it all makes sense, now…I have so MANY things WRONG! I feel defective and broken!

My hubby saw the surgeon about his knee surgery and he will be getting a General anesthetic, probably knocking him out so they won’t have to listen to him whine and cry like a girl!( ha ha!) He will also be on crutches and need physio for 6 weeks. They will get back to himwith  a date but likely not until June. As well, my friend will be seeing her doc tomorrow to find out her test results, and from the looks of it I’d say likely kidney trouble…

In other news, Wilson continues to have a bad attitude, incl. growling at me when I yell at him for barking, chewing up the outside porch carpet, and he still pees on the floor so he may not be staying here afterall; he is just more trouble than he’s worth! The 15 YR old had a nosebleed too I hope is just the dry weather; whenever things like that happen to the kids(or they get a cold or fever) I worry THEY have cancer too, like our almost 12 YR old did.Ever since then I have this unnatural fear; that ALL the boys will end up with it, and that the youngest 2 will get it when they’re 7 like he did,too.

As you know by now I first started shaving my head to support our son when he had leukemia. He is now in remission but I have still kept the style and it raises cancer awareness. I belong to several groups on Facebook for bald people; both male and female, by choice and for medical reasons. Today a friend from Greece and I made a pact to both shave our heads together on the same day and it got me thinking: wouldn’t it be cool of ALL of us in the group all got together at a certain time and ALL shaved our heads on the same day, at the same time, as a group? A mass head shave; a bold act of solidarity,brotherhood,and unity.How awesome would THAT be?

Catching up on our lives:

I have a few new Facebook friends and yet another of my kids has joined the ranks and has an account now,too! Wilson turned a YR on the 25th, so he’s now officially a dog and no longer  a puppy, and just today as I taught the 10 YR old about expository paragraphs the 6 YR old misheard and said, “I HATE suppositories!” and a plane from the nearby base was flying over our house so low I even heard the landing gear lower and looked like it was going to land on our roof and it even woke up one of the kids it was so loud and it cast this large shadow over the front of our house as it passed by! It also had been rainy and mild 9 C and we had a flood 60mm rain and washed away roads and they had to sandbag it, and it got rid of all the snow, dull, dreary,dank and yucky but yesterday and today it’s snowing once again and looks like it should for winter! Tomorrow is dropping down to -27 C again,too!