Feast of St Joseph the Worker and Happy May Day

St Joseph Altar Cake March 2018

Happy Feast of St Joseph the Worker!!! It's been 3 years since I became an instant single mom again and 16 years ago next week that I became one for the first time.

Last fall a woman in town said, "I don't know how you do it all" to which I truthfully replied, "I don't. Some things stay on my to do list for months at a time until they fall off only to reappear-and then maybe they will get done." One of the many reasons I was starting to get down emotionally this past weekend. But sometimes we have to pause to see how far we have come when it seems like we haven't.....and cheer ourselves for the small things: the kids were fed and are sleeping, maybe we missed paying 2 bills this month, but we paid for propane tank to be filled one more time in this coldest month of April in the 14 years we have lived in Ohio.....

And my advice for when life gets too overwhelming: is take life 15 minutes at a time. When that to do list and situation gets too overwhelming, when you are grieving so hard that it hurts to breathe: pick the task that has to be done at that moment and focus on just doing it for the next 15 minutes, then what do I do for the next 15 minutes and you can survive the day 15 minutes at a time. Sometimes only 5 minutes will go by and you have to refocus, but sometimes you will realize that 2 hours have gone by or 6 or 8.... But at the end of the day you survived that day or overwhelming night of a sick baby or the work project that you hated every moment of, by taking it one small 15 minutes or small task at a time.

And if you feel stuck in life....the same place you were last year or the year before I have started to contemplate the hidden life of the Holy Family in both Egypt and Nazareth: how they were probably scared and looked down upon in Egypt as poor Jewish refugees, and again for living in Nazareth....much how people look down on those of us who live in Steubenville and Jefferson County or where ever you are stuck living...focus on the hidden life of your family...did you love them today?...in whatever way that means. Did you thank your spouse for mowing the lawn or dealing with the cable company, did you tell them you love them and forgive them for whatever small thing they did wrong? Did you show up to your kids softball game (even if it was an hour late because you had to work) and manage to bite your tongue when they screwed up and just gave them a hug at the end of the game and said, "I love watching you play." Even though everyone was exhausted, did you push through and get 2/3 of the kids bathed with a wet wipe bath for the third child not quite so dirty before managing to get everyone in bed so you can repeat tomorrow.....it is those small victories to cling to on this journey of life.

St Joseph Altar Cake #2: Taken to Church

Thank you St Joseph for protecting my family through one more year of the impossible. Thank you to all my friends and family for your love and support and prayers. May God bless you now and always!!!

Our "Easter Landing" back in March with beautiful flowers given to me by a business mentor.
There is a Holy Family Statue with St. Joseph guarding Mary and baby Jesus holding an lantern.

From the sweetness of my home to yours,

Always,

Stephanie