1. Fulton is at MDA camp this week which means I’m constantly checking the local MDA chapter’s Facebook page for more photos. Last year, they shared tons of smiling pictures of Fulton. This year, there’s fewer pictures of him overall and in 98 percent of the few I saw, he looks like this:
2. Of course, getting Fulton to camp became a huge mess when our van’s wheelchair lift sprung a leak and lost all of its hydraulic fluid right after we loaded up Fulton’s wheelchair Sunday morning for Mass. Without fluid, we can’t use the lift period (i.e. unload Fulton’s chair). Thankfully, Tony can lift Futon’s stroller in and out of the van with his massive biceps, so we took Fulton to camp in that in the hopes that we could get his powerchair to him later in the week. Monday, the second van repair shop we called was able to get us in, order the part, unload Fulton’s power chair with their fork lift AND give Tony a free loaner van to take Fulton’s chair to him at camp. We were so happy! The part arrived quickly and we got the lift fixed Thursday morning. Once again, Tony and I are so grateful we live in an age when there is so much technology to help Fulton and Teddy get around, but conversely, being dependent on all this specialized machinery comes with huge headaches every time something breaks.
3. It’s so weird when Fulton is away. This only happens when he’s at camp, or in the hospital. Teddy misses his brother, but also loves the opportunity to monopolize my time with his demands and lead all the Transformer battles with Byron. And since Teddy requires no special equipment at night, we’ve been carrying him upstairs to sleep in Byron’s room. It’s been great not running up and down the stairs at night to roll the boys over and Teddy is actually sleeping much better. I think he likes knowing Tony and I are closer and able to help him more easily.The demands on me are much less and I have pockets of free time when I don’t quite know what to do with myself.
And before I forget, thanks for your prayers, my cough improved by Sunday and I was able to accompany Fulton to camp. I’m probably about 90 percent and hopeful with all the good sleep I’ve gotten this week that I’ll be back to normal in no time.
4. We did go to Ocean City, NJ for a day pre-lift repair, which meant Teddy traveled in the stroller. Therefore, he didn’t get to speed all over the boardwalk like a drunk Nascar driver, which made it a very relaxing trip. Highlights were having the pool to ourselves at my grandmother’s condo, shopping at the new bulk candy store, discovering a new sushi stand on the boardwalk and taking a walk alone with Tony (and getting secret gelato…shhhhhhh.)
5. And my retreat book came out! Let me know what you think! And don’t forget to try winning your own copy here!
6. Thanks to some encouraging comments from last week, we went ahead and watched ‘Sister Act’ this week and man, I forgot how much I loved that movie. As a convert, I had to admit to the kids that that movie is the real reason I now know the words to the ‘Salve Regina’. And it still takes a lot of self-control to not break into a synchronized sway and clap routine when we sing it in Mass. However, my kids, although they also liked it, viewed it through much different eyes. When I fell in love with Sister Act, I was a protestant teen with no knowledge of the Catholic Church. My kids are all cradle Catholics brought up in the Latin Mass. The thought of nuns breaking into a Motown act featuring a tambourine immediately following the homily was a bit unsettling to them. But, they enjoyed it for what it was and are requesting Sister Act 2 for next week.
7. Last this, just this. Language warning, but for those of us who have pages of this book memorized, it’s totally worth it.
An Open Letter to the Female Hat-Wearing Dog From “Go Dog, Go”
How was your week? Write it down then link it up below. Be sure to include a link back to this post so your readers can find the rest of the Quick Takes. I look forward to reading your posts!
The local dinner theatre here is putting on Sister Act in Sept/Oct and I cannot wait to see it! I too only know Salve Regina from that movie and every time we sing it in mass I have to go home and watch the youtube video from Sister Act. I’m going to Ocean City, MD in August 🙂 really looking forward to it. YAY! Beach Season!
In our house, “I do! I do like your hat!” is common parlance for just about everything. We use it all the time, a propos of NOTHING. That piece was excellent. The family obsession with Go, Dog, Go! lives on. :-p
Secret gelato is the best kind of gelato 🙂 Haha, Fulton’s face is great!
A dear friend who thought it thoroughly unCatholic, perhaps almost criminal, that I’ve NOT seen Sister Act purchased it for my birthday (at least 3 years ago); I’ve still not watched it. IN fairness, I warned her that the reason I’d not seen it was not a intentional affront to Whoopi and friends; but that I am not much of a movie watcher. She bought it anyway. Perhaps it is the summer to breakdown, open a bottle (or box) of wine and give it a whirl!!!
BULK CANDY STORE???? Oh, my!!!
The choir at my parish did Salve Regina (the Sister Act version) for the closer for our Marian Concert last year. I was a bit concerned about how the older people of the parish would react to it, but I saw lots of smiles, heads nodding, and toes tapping!
Haha, my girls love to repeat the “Do you like my hat?” lines- that letter is one of the best things I’ve ever read!