"My name is Amy and I talk to myself."

My husband thinks I have a problem. See, I talk to myself. He thinks I do it a lot. I probably do. I don't even notice it anymore. I have been working on some things lately and he'll be in another room and I'll hear him go, "What?" and I'll say "What?" and he'll say, "Were you talking to me?" and I'll say, "No. I must have been talking to myself."

I think I do it because it helps me to think clearer, to organize my mind as I work on a task. I have already told the people I work with that I talk to myself and to feel free to tune me out; that if I need them to pay attention, I'll say their name.

Any other self-talkers out there who want to come clean? Self-Talkers of the blogosphere UNITE!

Of loaves, fishes, and turkeys

In today's Gospel, we hear about the miracle of the loaves and fishes. You may have heard some talking about this being a "miracle of sharing:" that all of the people who were on the mountain with Jesus had food in their pouches and shared it with each other. As our celebrant at Mass said today, such an interpretation indicates a real lack of faith.

He then went on to share his own loaves and fishes story with all of us, which I will recount here. I recall hearing Father tell this story the last time this Gospel reading came around and it's still pretty awesome (funny...same priest, same Gospel). Father went to college at St. Joseph's in Brooklyn, NY, which is where he heard this story.

Every year, some of the young people went with the chaplain to a The Lord's Ranch in New Mexico, about 20 miles west of El Paso, TX area to work with the very poor people there. The people they worked with would earn a very meager living by going through the local garbage dump to collect whatever they could to resell: scrap metal, clothing, etc.

In Christmas of 1972, the people who worked at the ranch, led by Fr. Rick Thomas, SJ (those darn Jesuits! ;) ) who ran the ranch, decided to offer a holiday meal for the people they worked with. They got enough food for about 160 people. When they announced they were going to have this dinner, over 300 people showed up. The workers were horrified. There was no way what they bought would feed everyone. There would be riots when they ran out of food, they feared.

Fr. Rick gathered everyone in the kitchen and led them in prayer. He recalled the miracle described in the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to St. John and asked the Lord to help the people. He asked God to remember the hungry people gathered there and to remember that some of them would have their faith in the Lord shaken if there was no food for them to eat. He reminded God that it was "the Lord's own good name on the line here" with the 300+ hungry men, women, and children. They ended their prayer and began to serve dinner.

They fed the first 150 and there was still more left over. They fed the next 150 with plenty to spare. It was as if the hams and turkeys grew as they were cut instead of getting smaller. They fed 300 and more people without running out of food. Everyone who came to the ranch that day for dinner left with a full stomach. And they had so much left over that they took the food to two local orphanages and fed more people there. They next went to a local nursing home where they were able to feed all of the resdient and there was still so much food left over. They left everything there at the nursing home at the end of the day. You can find a brief recount of the story within another story about volunteers going to the ranch at this link.

Little miracles really do happen every day. It's just nice to hear every once in a while about a really big one happening. It's some reassurance for us silly little people still here struggling on this earth that the Lord is still working, in through, and among us.

Advice for other pregnant ladies

Here are some hings that I have figured out over the last 3 pregnancies that might be useful for anyone else expecting:

1. Instead of that big bulky body pillow which takes up half your bed and will force your husband to the sofa for a good night's rest, try folding a twin sized comforter twice lengthwise. It still supports you, but it doesn't take up as much room. Plus, on the off chance you ever get cold again, it can be unfolded to cover you up in the middle of the night!

2. Peppermints or lemon candy will ease your morning sickness. Peppermint tea is also really good for overcoming any last trimester overindulgence you may engage in (I can't believe I ate the whole thing...)

3. You MUST drink 2 litres of water every day in order to avoid swollen ankles and feet. Flavored seltzer is getting me through...

4. Likewise, stay away from prepared foods and processed foods during this time, or you're going to need three litres of water a day. They're loaded with salt. Too much salt and not enough water equals swollen face, ankles, fingers, etc.

5. When your fingers get too swollen for your wedding ring to fit right, take it off while you can still get it off and wear it on a chain around your neck. It's better than them cutting the ring off your finger in the ER when your finger starts to turn blue from lack of circulation. If it makes you feel better, get a cheap golden band in a larger size to wear unitl you return to normal.

6. Your Labor and Delivery nurse (or technician) is your best friend. She will be the bad guy for you. Visitors getting annoying? She will kick them out for you citing some medical reason that may or may not exist. She will be with you through most of your labor. The rumors are true. You OB/GYN really does show up just in time to catch the baby.

7. If you have a question call your doctor. They've heard everything. There is no such thing as a stupid question.

I'll add more as I think of them. If any other women have words of wisdom, please add them in the combox.

RC Mommy announces D-Day

Delivery day, that is. I can't go past August 30, since my good doctor has scheduled my c-section for that date. Of course, if I go into labor before then, they'll take me for an emergency C-Section. Since my other children have had to be pried from the womb, (I have never experienced labor) I seriously doubt that I'll be going into labor early.

Why the sections? Well, I give birth to poultry, not children. Primo was 9 lbs. 6 oz and Bubba was 10 lbs 1 oz. Seeing as I'm only 5' 2" and how OB/GYNs don't like to be sued, I have always had scheduled C's.

Some folks have been asking me: "How are you handling the heat?" since the thermometers toppped 100 last week. Barb, whom I had lunch with week before last, knows just how huge I am and so can imagine how many hundreds of times I've been asked that question. The answer is: I don't leave my air conditioned home or office if I can help it. Seriously. I don't go outside. Today was in the low 80's though, and for the first time in over a week, the AC is not on. It's sort of nice to breathe fresh air. Our neighbor has an outdoor fireplace going full tilt right now and it smells GREAT!

So, say a prayer that the weather here in NJ stays relatively cool and that I make it to August 30. :)

More from Bubba

Bubba will be three in September. Being a nearly three year old American Boy, Bubba REALLY likes Thomas the Tank Engine. One of his favorite things to play with are the sheds the trains sleep in, which have doors with a rounded top.

Each week when we go to Mass, we sit on the side of the church with the Blessed Mother Altar, ususally just one or two rows back from the front. It is in a shallow alcove, with a rounded top.

Last week, after the homily, Bubba asked, "Does Mary live in that shed?"