Happy Blogging Anniversary To Me!

Today is the third anniversary of Home In Douglas!

I have really enjoyed the experience of writing this blog and I so much appreciate my readers and followers!

I thought I would share some of my favorite photos from 2013 with you.

Charles painted and installed this shrine to Our Lady next to our Mary Garden

Frida loves me!

Windy and 6 degrees F!

That dang mouse!

St. Agatha icon shrine

Charles' birthday celebration

Habemus Papam!

I will do more pics in the days to come.  I don't want to overwhelm you!

I have enjoyed blogging and sharing my life.  I don't do big decorating posts, nor am I a "mommy blog".  I don't have hundreds of followers and I am not "famous".  I consider Home In Douglas a personal journal and chronicle.  Thanks for letting me share my days with you!

Merry Octave of Christmas!

I love the Octave of Christmas - it gives us a chance to celebrate, and celebrate, and celebrate.   We remembered St. Stephen on the 26th, St. John the Evangelist on the 27th and today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents

Today is a more somber feast.  The feast commemorates the killing by King Herod of all the little firstborn sons two years old and younger, in Bethlehem and the surrounding areas.  This was to ensure that the newborn King of the Jews would also be killed.  Fortunately for the Holy Family, they had received a warning from an angel and had escaped to Egypt.  I can't imagine the horror of this day in history.  Here is a version of the Coventry Carol, which tells the story:



Tomorrow is the feast of the Holy Family.  On the eighth day, we celebrate the feast of the Solemnity of Mary.  Lots of celebrations and remembrances packed into the week after Christmas!

I thought I would show you some of my favorite ornaments from our tree, which we finally put up on Christmas Eve.  They are all either hand made or were gifts.  No glass baubles on our tree!

Our clothespin reindeer, which we made a few years ago.

Phoebe's styrofoam bell, which she made 20 years ago, and 

a close up of one of the little trees from the banner our friend Deirdre made for us!

Miguel's eagle that he stitched in third grade.

This grumpy reindeer is saying "Watch it, bub!" to the dove.

A print of Our Lady of Guadalupe that Charles made.

The finished product!

And, as an added bonus, my snow man collection!

Have a wonderful week and the Happiest of New Years!

The Death of a Good Priest

It was a sad beginning to the month.  We lost one of our priests to cancer.  Fr. Jim Blaney, OMI (Oblates of Mary Immaculate), who had been in our Diocese for over 25 years, died at the age of 76.

He had ministered in Haines and Skagway, Prince of Wales Island and Sitka during his tenure here in Southeast Alaska.

He became part of every community he lived in.  He was adopted by the Tlingit tribe and was a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.  He was a chaplain for the fire department and all of this was in addition to the work of being pastor of his parish, which he loved.  His favorite quote was "Be good to God's people."  Even as he was dying, he would assure visitors that he was fine.

He comforted his sister and brother in law and his brother OMI, Fr. Pat (our pastor) by telling them: "My bags are packed and I am ready to go!  I'll see you in eternity."

Charles and I traveled to Sitka for the vigil and funeral.  Charles planned and coordinated all the liturgies, morning prayer, evening prayer, the procession and the funeral itself.  It all went like clockwork.  I was very proud of Charles (I always am)!

Here are some photos of the events.

At the vigil

The procession was led by a Coast Guard honor guard

We processed from the Church to Centennial Hall for the funeral

Arriving at Centennial Hall

The priests removed the casket from the hearse...

...and served as pallbearers.

With Fr. Jim's death, we lost 1/10 of our priests.  Please pray that we will be able to get another priest from somewhere and pray for vocations for our diocese!

For an obituary and photo of Fr. Jim please click here.

One Rung At A Time

Here is a link to a lovely post on my husband's blog, Loaves and Fishes.

I am so proud of him - I can't say it enough!

Here is a photo of St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Anchorage.  

Charles painted the icons for the church.

Look What I Made!

I got this kit for the little fox brooch from Mollie Makes magazine, my newest favorite.

Mollie Makes features several projects in each issue, and includes a kit for one of them!  The magazine is published in Great Britain, so it is full of fun expressions like: "We've always quite fancied..." and words are spelled the British way (of course) - for example: "fibre" and "colour".  But besides the British charm, it is chock full of great ideas.

This is going to be my next project - a pretty felt Dala horse.  They have an article about a woman who collects wooden Dala horses and talks about their history.  So I learned something new!  I love working with felt, and Mollie Makes always has a couple of felt projects to work on.

It is pretty spendy, but I am going to ask Santa for a subscription.  But, in case you are interested, here is the info about how to subscribe.  They carry the magazine at JoAnn Fabric and Crafts as well.

I didn't receive anything from Mollie Makes for this post, but if they want to give me a free subscription for the free publicity, I would accept it (Are you listening, editors?  Hint, hint!)!

Linking up to A Bowl Full of Lemons - One Project At A Time and Cozy Little House - Tweak It Tuesday!

Why I Love My Husband

I love my husband because:

He is sweet and considerate.

He is smart.

He is funny.

He is thoughtful.

He is faithful.

He is loving.

He is good looking.

He is devoutly religious, but not stuffy.

He is talented.

He is humble about that talent.

He is kind.

He is concerned about the needs of the poor and marginalized.

He donates to charity, especially Catholic Relief Services.

He is a loving father.

He is tender.

He loves romantic movies especially the one we saw last night - About Time.

I love my husband because after we had the same fight last night that we have been having for 31 years, he got up this morning and cleaned up the kitchen, and then came over to me sitting on the couch and said he was sorry, even though the fight was (and usually is) all my fault.

I love my husband.  Just because.

We Now Return to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming.

I can't tell you why I haven't blogged since October 6th.  I have been busy, but not THAT busy.  I guess I lost my blogging mojo for a bit (not that everyone couldn't use a break from the "me me me" that blogging, at least, MY blogging, is).

However, I am back.

Here are some highlights from the past month:

Our parish women's group, the Martha Ministry hosted a tea in honor of the two religious sisters who serve here in Juneau.  Sister Marie serves as the Pastoral Associate at the Cathedral and Sr. Dee works part time at the AWARE Shelter, our local agency for battered women, and also has a private counseling practice.  About 40 people attended the tea, which featured homemade goodies and, of course, tea.

I made a "Works of Mercy" money tree with a branch from a handy tree and attached little clothespins to it so that folks could give a donation for the sisters.  The Marthas also presented gift certificates to the sisters to local restaurants so that they could go out for dinner.  We provided blank note cards so those attending could write notes of thanks and appreciation to Sr. Dee and Sr. Marie.  Janet, the coordinator of the event, brought several hats so that the sisters and the women hosting could each wear one.  Here are some photos:

Janet and the goodies!

The beautiful place settings

Sr. Marie and Sr. Dee

Women Wearing Hats!

The Works of Mercy Tree

It was a great event, such fun and a wonderful opportunity to honor these great women!

In other news, I have been substitute teaching.  I did a whole week at our local neighborhood elementary school, Gastineau Community School.  It was fun, but absolutely exhausting!  I worked in the preschool classroom, and also worked with special needs children and subbed in a kindergarten class.  I was pooped at the end of the week!

Charles went to Baltimore for a week for a Catholic Campaign For Human Development training.  He learned a lot and made some good connections.  He also got to see our friend Rachel, a former schoolmate of Phoebe's and one of our favorite people.  She is going to grad school in Baltimore.

Lastly, please keep my brother in law, Robert ("Kontry" to his friends and family) in your prayers.  He has been in the hospital with a serious illness.  Please pray for healing for him and strength for his family, especially for his wife, Meg, Charles' youngest sister.

That's all for now.  Thanks for sticking with me, loyal readers!