Condolences to the Travolta Family
by American Phoenix | January 5, 2009
I want to offer my condolences to the Travolta family on the death of their son Jet. It’s an incredibly difficult and tragic thing to lose a child. Your children are supposed to grow tall and strong. They are supposed to bury their parents, not die prematurely.
They don’t know me and I’ve never met them. But I have some understanding of what they went through with Jet. During the time I was suffering from my brain tumor, my husband would not leave for work in the morning until after I had taken my shower. We were afraid that I might have a seizure while in the shower and, like the brother of one of my high school classmates, die.
If the reports that Jet was on Depakote, an anti-seizure medication, are true, I am not at all surprised why the Travoltas would consider taking Jet off that medication. I was on that drug during my brain tumor. Depakote is a great drug in the right dosages. But at high dosages, there is a risk of liver damage; regular diagnostic blood work to determine liver enzymes must be performed. Other side effects include increased appetite, weight gain and tremors. Once the blood work shows that the liver is impacted, you have to go off the drug, at least until the liver improves. While other drugs might be tried in the interim, finding one that works is largely a case of trial and error as everyone’s body chemistry is different.
Media reporting of this tragedy has been appalling. Why is the media looking to find fault with the Travoltas? They loved their son and I have absolutely no reason to think that they did anything but try to help him. May Jet rest in peace. It is my hope that he has been welcomed into God’s loving embrace. My prayers and thoughts are with his family.
Topics: Medicine | No Comments »
The Twelve Crazy Days of Christmas
by American Phoenix | January 3, 2009
I especially love the Fifth Day. But watch what #5 does on day #12!
H/T: The Ironic Catholic
Topics: Christianity, Culture, Family, Film, Humor, Music | No Comments »
Happy New Year!
by American Phoenix | January 1, 2009
O sacred and adorable Trinity,
hear our prayers on behalf of our holy Father the Pope,
our Bishops, our clergy, and for all that are in authority over us.
Bless, we beseech You, during the coming year,
the whole Catholic Church;
convert heretics and unbelievers;
soften the hearts of sinners
so that they may return to Your friendship;
give prosperity to our country
and peace among the nations of the world;
pour down Your blessings upon our friends,
relatives, and acquaintances,
and upon our enemies, if we have any;
assist the poor and the sick;
have pity on the souls of those
whom this year has taken from us;
and do be merciful to those who during the coming year
will be summoned before Your judgment seat.
May all our actions be preceded by Your inspirations
and carried on by Your assistance,
so that all our prayers and works,
having been begun in You,
may likewise be ended through You.
Amen.
Topics: Catholic, Christianity, Prayer | No Comments »
Our Christmas Transformation
by American Phoenix | December 27, 2008
Lisa Hendey over at Faith & Family has started a Christmas home decoration meme. Welcome to the home of the American Phoenix. Every year for the month of December until the Epiphany, our home is transformed into something wonderful. All of these decorations were done on a budget.
This is our dining room. The table and chairs were a wedding gift to my parents from my grandparents, and they have since been passed on to me. We refinished and reupholstered them and they are, once again, good as new. The tablecloth is a Christmas design bought on sale from Bed, Bath & Beyond. The small Christmas candles were bought from Target, and the tall, handblown glass candlesticks came from Tuesday Morning. Everything on deep discounts!
This is our Christmas tree. My favorite type of tree is a silver tipped fir, which I always get when I can find it. The branches are sparse, allowing the lights to play on the ornaments, showing them off beautifully. The ornaments on our tree are nearly all bells. I was in a handbell choir from sixth to eighth grade, and I have collected bell ornaments over the last three decades. If memory serves, I think it was our conductor who got me started. Some of the bell ornaments ring and some of them are just pretty. Many of these ornaments came from after-Christmas sales at Fred Meyers and some from Bronners via catalog. The lighted star tree topper came from a sale at Target. The Christmas tree sits in our living room next to a bookcase. My home is littered with books, treasures that I can’t bear to part with.
Next to the Christmas tree are our stockings, hung with care over the fireplace. These beautiful stockings were lovingly and painstakingly needlepointed by my mother
The mantle over the family room fireplace holds our Christmas Nativity, which was purchased at Costco. I had to make a decision between the $1000 Spanish Belen nativity set that I wanted, which is absolutely gorgeous, or the $100 Nativity set which we could afford. Frugality won out, but it is nevertheless beautiful. That said, I need to find a donkey for the manger. This set only came with the cow.
Next year, I’d like to find a lighted star to place over the manger. Perhaps another sale in the near future?
Since the three Magi don’t arrive until the Epiphany, they are not placed next to Christ until then.
The pointsettias and the Christmas wreath are from Costco - I did my level best to ensure that they did not come from Paul Ecke Ranch.
No Christmas decorations would be complete without an advent wreath. Ours sits at our kitchen table, lit every night during dinner. A small nativity sits just behind the wreath. I try to keep some fresh cut flowers at the table, with red, green and white colors at Christmas. The small glass holders came from Bed Bath & Beyond. The votives and wreath came from Target. Behind the table, on the wall, is an icon of the Virgin, the Christ child and the Magi, which appears to be in the Eastern tradition. It was given to me as a gift and, unfortunately, I do not know who the artist is. This one stays up year round. I just like it. It has a very austere and strange kind of beauty.
Lastly, there is my child’s advent calendar. Every morning during Advent, I hear “Mommy, can I open door number X now?” Behind each door is a magnetic nativity figure: a king, a shepherd, an angel, a star, an animal, etc. I really love this Kurt Adler Advent calendar because my child gets to build a nativity scene using imagination! You really have to love the cow doing a hoofstand! This was purchased from Amazon.com.
Merry Christmas!
Topics: Catholic, Christianity, Culture, Family, Prayer, Religion | 1 Comment »
The Twelve Days of Christmas: Family Style
by American Phoenix | December 26, 2008
Since we’re on day number two of the twelve days, here is this precious video:
H/T: The Catholic Key
Topics: Catholic, Culture, Family, Humor, Music | No Comments »
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