BRR!!

So today the weatherman is teling me that #1, its going to be -5 for a high. That sounds wrong! and #2, that the wind chills are putting the temp more like -40 for a high. Also, sounds very wrong. How can a number below zero be considered a high?? must mean we're crazy cold up here in SD! I would love to be staying home today, but school is in session, so off I go. I will update later and let you know what the drive was like. I'm hoping uneventful and WARM in my jeep!

COLD!

Once again, we are below zero. They say it is supposed to warm up soon, but I'm not completely sold on that thought! I do want it to warm up, but i'm just not sure when they say its gong to warm up that it really is going to.

On my way to school today, my jeep's thermometer said -15. BRR! Thats cold! Plus, there was a major wind chill, that put us around -30! BRR!! (have i said that enough?)

I saw a local rancher has his cattle out in the pasture this time of year. Those poor animals without any wind break! I'm not usually one to say 'oh poor animals' because I know they are way tougher than us humans would ever think of being, but seeing these cows... I said brr!

Well, I had some a free spots to day at school and we are short subs, so i cancelled some of my speech therapy and filled in where I could, how i could. It was a good day. NOw, i'm jsut doing a couple more speech kids and then I work with my Destnation Imagination kids after school and I'm off for home around 5pm! This is good, because I have a lot of cleaning to do at my house and some packing to do for this weekend. I am taking a group of kids to a DI meet on Saturday. We're leaving school at the wonderful hour of 6:30AM! aren't we nuts?? haha. We have a 2.5 hour drive ahead of us and need to be at our location around 9:00am. I think we'll make it!

Well, I should go for now. The kid I'm working with is almost done with her computer game. No, I didn't just randomly pick one, I have some speech-related games that have the kids work on goals. Its a good thing to have. They like the computer more than me and it keeps their interest much more than I ever could!

Up to his shoulder in a cow...

Well, I meant to write on Saturday night, but I fell asleep. I was rather tired!

It was cold out! (as in negative something!) and what was I doing? Was Icuddled up with my blankie and a cup of hot chocolate, watching something good on television? Was I in a warm place visiting with friends? Was I doing anything that involved being warm? NO! I was out chopping water tanks open with an axe and helping my dad with a cow that was calving.

Yes, we have a cow calving in January! Crazy, I know. My brother purchased some bred heifers and some older bred cows, knowing that they would calf early, and hoping that he could save the calves and then sell them early and turn a profit. Anyways, good theories, but not fun when it is below Zero.

Needless today, my brother wasn't home to watch his cows. He was helping at the sale barn. Dad was at the sale barn, too. This left me to tend to the ranch. No, it didn't disintegrate under my watch, nor did Hell or the ranch freeze over... but it was close on the ranch! Anyaways, I found the cow that was starting to give birth. She didn't look just right, so I called dad, who was the sale barn, remember. He came home immediately (which translates into a half hour later) and we watched the cow for a long time. Dad was hopeful that something might change and she would give birth on her own.. no such luck.

Around 6:30pm he told me that we better start working on her. He called the neighbor, Glen, for backup. I was the lucky fool who held the light and the tail. Those two lucky fools took turns going inside of her to try and find the calf. Much to their double dismay, there were twins. Both were backwards. Yucky! So, Dad and Glen worked for 2 hours, but they got the calves out. Sadly, neither lived.

We were so cold, and Dad and Glen moreso than me (since I wasn't up to my shoulder in a cow), so off to the house to warm up after that experience.

I read the blog "Pioneer Woman" every day. It is a lady named Ree from Texas. She lives on a cattle and horse ranch with her husband, whom she calls "Marlboro Man." I mention her only because this post reminds me of her and hopefully is something that she doesn't get the priviledge of helping with! haha.

Well, off to my work. I'm lucky to be a teacher in a nice warm building during the day!

Updates in life....

What has been going on in my life? Oh not a whole lot of excitement. I thoguht I would just fill you in.

We are back in session at school and things are going as good as can be expected.

Life is good too. I am working on getting over a sinus infection, but other than that, things are going well.

Just thought I'd check in. More to talk about later. I have a long weekend so hopefully I will post.

The Reverence of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Greetings one and all, Happy Feast of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory the Great! Also, Happy New Year 2008!

I write this post today because I wish to share with you the reverence I was priviledged to be a part of during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on New Year's Eve, Vigil Mass for the Feast of Mary, Mother of God. The Celebrant was the Reverend Monsignor Charles Martin Mangan, STL. He is a priest of our diocese that has been serving in the Sacred Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life at the Vatican.

Monsignor Mangan served a very reverent and Holy Mass, pausing from time to time during Mass to collect his thoughts and remain in prayer with the Lord. One could tell this Mass was a love affair between priest and God, not just a duty he needed to perform and move on. Msgr Mangan even took the time to pause from purifying vessels after communion, allowing the Deacon time to put Jesus in the Tabernacle. Msgr. turned, following with his eyes as the deacon took Jesus to the tabernacle and then genuflecting in unision with Deacon Kelley, and then returning to the purifying. It was like Msgr was watching his true love return to their place of honor. It was just wonderful.

A couple other points from Msgr's homily- When we say "Mary," She says, "Jesus." Which unites our and her prayers and points them to Jesus! Also, we need to make the Rosary our weapon, in which we fight the spiritual battles that are always present.

Thank you, Monsignor for a very Holy and reverent Mass. It was very refreshing!