Jabberwocky

'thann's Journey With Weight Loss Surgery

Some time ago I made reference to myself as being "morbidly obese," and Rose was kind enough to refute that comment. Well, truth be told, I am definitely categorized as morbidly obese according to medical standards.

I have had a serious struggle with my weight for about 20 years, and I have decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery (GBS). I'm chronicling my weight loss surgery journey in a separate blog, which you can read here: http://ruthannzaroff.typepad.com/gbs/. I just made my first entry today (yesterday I had my first GBS consultation), including my "official" before photos.

It's hard to go public with one's weakness, but I know this is the right thing to do, and it's the right time to do it. Please keep my journey in your prayers!

'thann

My Love Affair With the Rosary

I've made rosaries for years. From October 2002 through October 2003, the Year of the Rosary as instituted by the late Pope John Paul II, I made rosaries for every female member of Ted's and my immediate family, and for a few other people. I lost count of how many I made.

The rosaries I make are sterling silver with either Swarovski crystal beads or semi-precious stones, such as onyx. For some people I add a medal of their patron saint. For our plumber (who came to the rescue countless times while Ted was stationed in Cuba), I added a medal of Saint Vincent Ferrer, the patron saint of plumbers. I love making rosaries.

When I was a child we regularly prayed a family rosary. I remember kneeling around the living room in a large circle, our backs to each other so as not to distract each other. The most coveted spot was in front of my dad's aquarium where I would be mesmerized by the fish as we prayed!

When my parents moved to Marco Island, Florida, they got as involved in their new parish as they were in Southfield (my mom even more so because she became the sacristan there). They attended daily Mass always preceded by the rosary. Every evening they would lay out their Mass things -- my mom's Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion medallion, my dad's lectionary, and two rosaries.

When my parents died (my dad after a long illness in 1997, my mom suddenly in 2000), I received both of their rosaries, and they were so precious to me. My father had his in his hands at the moment of death, and my mother had hers in her purse when she died. For two years after my mother's death, I used her rosary to pray daily -- it made me feel close to her.

My oldest niece strayed from the Catholic Church and found herself involved in Wicca. I was so deeply saddened by this -- I was her Confirmation sponsor, and I felt I had let her down. She, the only child of my late brother, was my mother's favorite grandchild, and my mother had no knowledge that my niece had left the Church.

Two years after my mother's death I received a wedding invitation from my niece -- a full-blown Pagan ceremony. She was pregnant and feeling pressured into marrying the father of the baby. I found myself in despair over the situation, and I prayed on my mother's rosary, sobbing. I prayed that God would somehow show me a way to bring my niece back Home to the Church.

When I was through praying the rosary I sat quietly, and as clear as a bell I heard my mother's voice: "Send her my rosary." I thought I was imagining things. Again, "Send her my rosary." It was as if my mother were right beside me.

I actually argued, saying, "No! This is MY rosary now!", but again, I heard my mother: "Send her my rosary."

I knew it was the right thing to do, so that day I wrote a long and inspired letter (I prayed to the Holy Spirit to give me the words) and sent the rosary the following Monday. (I admit to having second and third thoughts!)

My niece called to thank me for the rosary and said she had called off the wedding. She has since given birth to a lovely daughter, and while she isn't back in the Church, she's definitely open to the idea. Praise God -- He is good all the time.

I still make rosaries for special people and special occasions. Tomorrow is Teddy's girlfriend Angela's graduation party, and I've made a lovely rosary using aurora borealis and emerald (her birthstone) Swarovski crystal. The crucifix is the same that I have on my own rosary -- Christ on a dogwood tree that is in bloom. There is a legend that dogwood trees used to be very large, and that the True Cross was made from the wood of the dogwood. As  punishment, God made the dogwood to be small and to bear flowers in the shape of a cross with blood red on the petals.

Here are pictures of Angela's rosary.

'thann

Farewell to My Past

My parents were founding members of Saint Ives Church in Southfield, Michigan. We, as a family, were all involved in parish work in some way. At age nine I joined the children's choir, and when in high school I became a soloist at all weekend Masses and started the first "folk group" (which I either directed or was involved in for many years). I was also the "Saturday Secretary" for several years, answering phones, sorting collection envelopes, and handling all sorts of clerical tasks for the pastor.

My parents were all involved in parish life -- my father was president of the Usher's Club, president of the Parish Council (I was secretary for several years while in college), a lector, and advised the staff on financial matters. My mom was president of the Women's Club, president of the Rosary Guild, and washed vestments and altar linens. Any given day of the week someone from my family was there!

My sisters and I all were married at Saint Ives, my oldest brother celebrated his First Mass (as a newly ordained Jesuit priest -- although he left the priesthood 25 years ago), and my other brother was buried from there. Teddy was baptized there.

With the changing demographics of Southfield, Saint Ives is combining with all of the other parishes in the area and Masses will be celebrated at Saint Michael, a Franciscan parish (where I attended elementary school). I wondered what would become of the church, rectory, and hall. I found out this week that it will be taken over by the Albanian Catholic Church -- so it will still be used in the service of Our Lord.

Teddy and I will attend the final Mass at 10 a.m. June 24 -- I imagine there will be tears, at least on my part. It's so hard to say good-bye to something that played a major role in one's life. I'm the sentimental sort who, at every opportunity, drives by past my former houses, schools, and parishes -- just to enjoy fond memories. The last time I drove by Saint Ives was about a month ago, before I knew of its closing. I wish I had driven just a bit slower.

Farewell, Saint Ives. I will miss you.

'thann

Four New Things...

My friend Rose posted a meme on her blog (http://joyfulmomathome.blogspot.com/) which I thought I'd try -- two blog posts in one day! That's a record for me!

The meme: You have to share four things that were new to you in the past four years. Four things you learned or experienced or explored for the first time in the past four years. New house, new school, new hobby, new spouse, new baby, whatever. Then you have to say four things you want to try new in the next four years.

Four new things I did in the past four years:

1. I experienced being the mom of a teenager. What a surprise! Teddy (soon to be 17) is a gift from God. What joy he gives me every single day! (What happened to the rumored sullen teenage period?)
2. I learned to cook. Yes, I've been married 28 years, and until my husband went to Cuba for a year (with the Army National Guard), I couldn't put a proper meal on the table. I accidentally watched the Food Network show Good Eats, and the rest is history. I can now say I am an excellent and consistent cook.
3. I had LASIK surgery. I was experiencing all sorts of eye problems -- poor night vision, blurred vision all the time -- and I decided to give LASIK a go. It is perhaps the best medical decision I have ever made. I can see better than I ever have in my life, my night vision is excellent, and in the process of the pre-screening, my opthalmologist discovered that I have glaucoma, which is being treated successfully. If I hadn't seen an opthalmologist for the LASIK, I may never have discovered the glaucoma until it was quite advanced.
4. I decided to make a concerted effort to stop biting my nails. This was very difficult -- I think I came out of the womb biting my nails! Now they're not particularly long (I play guitar), but they're nice!

Four things I'd like to do in the next four years:

1. Lose weight. I am morbidly obese. This has been a struggle since I was pregnant with Teddy. I had preeclampsia and never lost the weight after he was born. Yes, eat less and exercise more -- easy words, hard to do.
2. Successfully attend regular Eucharistic Adoration. I keep signing up for a weekly hour, and I am good for a while, but then life gets in the way. I need to do better.
3. Get involved more in my parish. At one time I was always at church -- I taught CCD, I was in choir, I was a cantor, I led the youth Masses...but then Teddy needed to be driven everywhere, and I had too many conflicts to make a commitment. Teddy should have his license in the fall, so I am hoping to be able to at least get back to cantoring and choir.
4. Record a CD for my family. I made a tape of Christmas music many years ago when I was singing professionally, but I'd like to record a CD of religious and secular songs in a studio with a professional engineer. This would be strictly for my family (my professional performing/touring days are long past!).

That's it! If anyone feels motivated to take up this meme (not that anyone reads my blog!), please let me know the link!

'thann

Blogging Ennui

When I was little I read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. I thought, I'd like to keep a diary! And so I got myself a little locking diary and began, "Dear Diary" (not "Dear Kitty," as Anne Frank did). After a spate of excited girlish entries, I got distracted. My entries became shorter and less frequent. Then they ceased altogether.

I don't think I'm much of a journaler (hence my spotty blogging history). I think I have interesting things to say -- comments on world situations, particularly the sorry state of moral affairs -- but I am never near a computer when I think them. And when I am near a computer, well, I just don't have the time to write them down (or I've forgotten the clever and witty thoughts I had!).

Teddy is exactly the same way about journaling. It must run in families.

Teddy attended a school for gifted children in grades 1-5. In first grade his teacher taught the kids about journaling, and each child had one of those black and white composition notebooks. Every school day started with journaling.

Teddy was stymied. He couldn't think of what to write. Finally, frustrated, he asked Mrs. Earl, "What sort of things should I write about" She said, "Whatever you want! It can be about your family, what you like to do, what you like to eat..."

Teddy got the idea, but perhaps a little to literally. Here are the first several entries of his first-grade journal (which I have):

• I like mashed potatoes.
• I like to eat mashed potatoes.
• My favorite food is mashed potatoes.
• I really, really like mashed potatoes.
• Mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes.

Page after page, day after day, it was all about mashed potatoes!

Well, let's hope that my renewed interest in blogging doesn't continue the same way.

Although my favorite food IS mashed potatoes!

'thann

Marriage Meme

Rosemary from A Catholic Mother's Thoughts has tagged me for this marriage meme. (Rose is the mom of one of Teddy's schoolmates.) Actually I think this was more of a dare to get me to blog again!

1. Where/How did you meet? The first time I actually noticed Ted was in a class where he sat behind me (at the University of Detroit). He was really scruffy with LONG hair (he's completely bald now). The first time I ever spoke to him was when the boy I was dating introduced us. They were best friends. (I ruined a long-lasting friendship.)

2. How long have you known each other? About 33 years.

3. How long after you met did you start dating? Hard to say -- I had to break up with my boyfriend before I actually started dating Ted. I think it was perhaps a year and a half.

4. How long did you date before you were engaged? A year or so.

5. How long was your engagement? A year and a half. (We had to postpone our original wedding date because I had moved to Washington, D.C., to work for the government after I graduated.)

6. How long have you been married? Nearly 28 years.

7. What is your anniversary? June 1.

8. How many people came to your wedding reception? 75.

9. What kind of cake did you serve? The tiered wedding cake was cherry nut, and there were two sheet cakes, chocolate and white.

10. Where was your wedding? Saint Ives in Southfield, Michigan.

11. What did you serve for your meal? Traditional Polish buffet food (golobkis, kielbasa, meatballs). (My husband's Polish, so I thought his family would like the Polish food.)

12. How many people were in your bridal party? 3 (besides Ted and myself).

13. Are you still friends with them all? My matron of honor was my sister, and my flower girl was my Goddaughter -- still see them regularly! Ted lost tough with his best man (we occasionally get a Christmas card).

14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony? No.

15. Most special moment of your wedding day? My brother (who was a priest at the time) witnessing our vows.

16. Any funny moments? Nope.

17. Any big disasters? Nope again! (The wedding went like clockwork!)

18. Where did you go on your honeymoon? Evart, Michigan (Ted's Godmother's home along the banks of the Muskegon River. It was lovely!)

19. How long were you gone? One week.

20. If you were to do your wedding over, what would you change? Not a thing!

21. What side of the bed do you sleep on? Right.

22. What size is your bed? Queen.

23. Greatest strength as a couple? Patience -- and our sense of humor.

24. Greatest challenge as a couple? Ted's lack of sentimentality, my lack of frugality.

25. Who literally pays the bills? Ted.

26. What is your song? Misty.

27. What did you dance your first dance to? Either Misty or Strangers in the Night.

28. Describe your wedding dress? White cotton eyelet, sort of a peasant style (all the rage at the time!), with a train. I made it and I made my sister's and Goddaughter's dresses, too. (They were similar, without the train, of course.)

29. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding? My sister and Goddaughter carried baskets with yellow and white silk flowers (which I arranged). I carried a lovely silk fan that Ted had given me, and I had silk irises and roses sewn onto it.

30. Are your wedding bands engraved? No. Sadly my engagement ring and wedding ring were stolen during a burglary inn 1988. Ted lost his wedding ring somewhere in his parents' house (we'll find it some day!). We've since replaced them with simple gold (unengraved) bands.

I tag anyone who wants -- but please give me the link so I can read it!

Taa daa! My first post in two years!

And now for your reading pleasure...

Who am I?

• I'm Ruthann, sometimes called 'thann.
• I was born mid-century in Michigan, where I still reside.
• I am happily married to Ted, my college sweetheart -- a man who is a saint for having put up with me this past quarter century.
• We have a delightful teenage son, Teddy (er, TED), who is creative and clever and funny and smart -- and who is truly the joy of our lives.
• I am a devout faithful Roman Catholic, faithful to Holy Scripture, the Magisterium, and the Holy Father. I believe every word of the Creed and the Catechism and try to live my life accordingly.
• I am an Old Folksinger from the 1960s and early 70s, although I don't share much of the liberal politics of those crusty old songs. Still, you'll occasionally hear me hum a few lines of "Blowin' in the Wind" now and then!
• I am a classically trained vocalist and am a liturgical musician at my parish. I've sung in church since I was eight years old.
• I have a lot of hobbies, and get interested in every passing fancy (much to my husband's dismay!). I could probably stock a small arts and crafts shop with all of my STUFF.
• Oh, why "Jabberwocky"? I am also a fan of Lewis Carroll's Alice books, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-glass. Jabberwocky is a poem Carroll penned, full of nonsense words -- much like this blog.

Thanks for visiting,

'thann