The Yearly Newsletter(2007)

Technically, this is not the latest letter we sent out. As was done last year, the names of various family members have been replaced with the term 'Noisykid' with the number indicating each child's order in the lineup.

Without further ado, here is the 2007 newsletter:



“The novelty has worn off.”
- After three days working his first job at a restaurant, Noisykid #1 came to tell us that.

Christmas Season starts on Christmas Day, but one would not know that while driving around in North Texas. Dead evergreen trees with remnants of tinsel fluttering in the breeze lie rejected on the curbside. Limp bodies of inflatable Santas, snowmen, and reindeer are scattered over miles of front yards as I drive, looking like the victims of some type of biological holocaust. A lone Santa lies facedown and deflated except for his right hand, which points defiantly towards Heaven. On the night of December 25, Christmas is over in the eyes of the world, and inflatable symbols of the birth of Our Lord are relegated to the attic or, even worse, the garbage.

There is one exception to this rule - inflatable NASCAR displays.

That’s how I was planning to start the newsletter when I first sat at my desk a few days after Christmas. That was almost a month ago. Now most of the people reading this are looking forward to a Lent filled with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. So, what better way to start mortifying oneself than to read this newsletter? And what could be more sacrificial than one more Christmas song? This is sung to the tune of ‘Hark, the Herald Angels Sing:’


Hark! The Herald angels sing
Looks like another Christmas thing
Envelope and card are new
Perhaps it’s from a you-know-who?
Just for you, what could be better?
Warmer than a tacky Christmas sweater

Late for Christmas, our tradition
It’s the new you-know-who edition
News from missus, lies from me
You decide whom to believe
Don’t you wish in all our mess
We misplaced your address?


January 2007 started with the whole family going on a pilgrimage to Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana. We visited the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, AL – Mother Angelica’s cloistered nuns live there. It was a wonderful time, where we attended daily Mass, met with a dozen of the cloistered nuns, and even visited a Benedictine monastery in nearby Cullman. We visited Fr. Robert J. Fox, a priest I met at Christendom College in 1986. After a few days, we headed for St. Petersburg, FL, where we visited Nana and my brother P------ and his family. We attended daily Mass, went swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, and I took some of the boys on a sailing excursion to look for dolphins. Too soon we headed for home, but not before stopping at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile, AL. We made this visit to pray for God to bless us with more children, and then it was back on the road to Louisiana to visit the P----- family. It was two of the most wonderful weeks we spent together as a family, and it was providential that Wifeofdadwithnoisykids insisted that we travel rather than plant pecan trees on our property.

February started with me getting diagnosed with high blood pressure. Being a good doctor, I waited until I was having chest pain, dizziness and a massive headache before dealing with the problem. I had the dubious pleasure of walking into a hospital and saying, “Hello, I think I am having a heart attack!” I survived, and am on medications now, but it is still strange to be a children’s doctor with the disease of a grownup.

July brought a reminder to us that our oldest children are not so little anymore, as Noisykids #1 spent two weeks at a college’s summer program. He liked it so much that he applied and got accepted for matriculation in August, 2008. Noisykids #1 and #2 both got their licenses in September, and they both revel in the joy of running errands, picking up groceries, and using the cars to go to classes, work, and any other reason they can think to consume more fossil fuels.

In August, Wifeofdadwithnoisyids learned she was pregnant – the answer to so many of our prayers. Sadly, this child was not meant to be with us for long, and she suffered a miscarriage in October. We named our little child Therese Mary Catherine, and along with Anastasia, we pray for the repose of her soul.

The joys and blessings of 2007 far outweigh the sorrows that we experienced. We are still blessed to have twelve wonderful and beautiful children who daily remind us of the greatest gift God has given our marriage. Here we include a summary of 2007 as seen through the eyes of our own children:

“I want to go to confession.”
“Noisykid #11, you’re too young.”
“Okay, then. I’ll keep sinning and sinning and sinning and it’ll just keep getting bigger and bigger….”

Noisykid #1 (17) is finishing his teenaged years and preparing to become a Boring Adult. He is now a senior, and attends chemistry classes at a local community college. He attended a college summer program in July, and enjoyed it to no end, what with the dancing, visits to Washington, D.C., dabbling in college courses, deep philosophizing, and general hanging-out. The rumors that he intends to marry someone he met there are baseless. He still plays piano and reads books a lot, but has taken up running and guitar playing. He wishes y’all Happy New Year.

Noisykid #2 (16) Her favorite things to do are read, practice piano, sing, listen to music, spend time on the computer, and hanging out with her friends. She received a learner’s permit in February, and now has her driver’s license, which she got two days after her birthday. She is president of the home school youth group. She does not know how she is going to ”survive” when Noisykid #1 goes off to college; because after four days off him being gone in July she said “ok that’s it he just NEEDS to come home.”

Noisykid #3 (15) spends his time drawing airplanes, collecting military vehicles, and in general enjoying living in Texas. He still suffers from seizures, and we ask for your prayers for him.

I, Noisykid #4 (14) have had a good time this year. I haven’t done much. In January me and my family went to Alabama and then to Florida. I’ve had lots of fun in the youth group and I hope to run for some term. My favorite subjects are reading and arguing, and my least favorite is all the rest. I hope to start driving next year. This was written by Noisykid #4, the Ridiculous, Senseless, Naïve, and Virtuous boy.

Noisykid #5 (12) has made great strides in mastering humility: “This year we went to Florida. Also, I joined the Youth Group. My favorite subject is reading and I enjoy playing outside and grilling.”

Noisykid #6 (11) THE DUDE I like to play battleship  risk  Legos  end war especially when I win or die  and I like KNIGHTS KINGS and PRINCE Edward the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, end I am the eleventh PRINCE Edward I LIKE THE DUDE DRUM A LOT it is half made up that I am Noisykid #6 because I am PRINCE Edward or Dude Edward and I like Flags Id like to catch a snake I am waiting for a ether orange green blue or red moon but it will come in maybe April 66 if it comes YES a red moon tomorrow I be came a dude because moved to TEXAS then became a Dude  did you  laugh  at all I did not but you laugh hard .

Noisykid #7 (10): Sorry I have nothing to say. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I like to play with my siblings. I love Christmas because it is when Jesus was born. I want my mom to have twin babies (boys or girls). On December 16 was our piano recital. Christmas is so much fun. I like decorating cookies; it is fun. I like playing the piano, it is fun. On my birthday I had one of my friends over. I got one of the American Girl dolls. God bless.

Noisykid #8: (age 9): for my birthday, December 15, I got to go to the new American Girl doll store in Dallas. I got to eat lunch there and Nelli got her hair done. I had lots of fun. For my birthday I got Felicity. I play the piano and I enjoy it. I want to play another instrument like the violin. I used to like phonics but now I don’t because I went up a grade and now it’s harder, same with reading. Noisykid #1 went to college for two weeks and I really missed him. When he came back I gave him a big hug! My favorite thing to do is play with Noisykids #12 and #7. I want my mom to have twin baby girls. Please pray for her, too.

Noisykid #9 (7) enjoys shopping at Bass Pro Shop. He wants to go to Cabela’s some time. His favorite subject is reading. I like playing Uno Spin and plain Uno. I like my new cap gun. When I turn eight in August, I want to go to Bass Pro Shop and buy a Soft Air gun if Dad will let me. I want to get wood to build a fort and get more Legos.

Noisykid #10 (age 6) I don’t love school. I love my cars. I’m happy I have cones and signs to play with my construction cars. I like to dance for Our Lady of Guadalupe and I use a bucket and sticks for my drum. I like playing with my friends the D's, M's and J.B. I love playing with them best, but my best friend is Noisykid #11.

Noisykid #11 (age 4) recites the alphabet: “A, B, C, D…H, I...Q, R, S, T, U, V, WWW (DOT) COM Y, Z.” He continues, “I’m never never never gonna break stuff because that cost money. And I don’t like to waste money. I like to eat cookies and have Aunt G. come to our house. I wish we had nine more manger scenes, five fireplaces, and four Christmas trees. I’d like a pistol or a bow and arrow, a machine gun and a big gun like the D's. I like to do things outside and build forts.”

“Noisykid #12 is not spoiled. It's just that whatever she wants we give it to her.” - Noisykid #8

Noisykid #12 (2 years) is Our Little Princess. She has enjoyed good health and has advanced to the level of junior boss of the house. She is not afraid to tell anyone what they should be doing. She has grown enough hair that she needs a clip to keep her bangs out of her eyes. She and all of her siblings pray for all of you, and wish you a blessed new year, and a spiritually fruitful Lent.

Hair shirts are not needed if one can read a newsletter like this. Two things should strike you after reading this: one is that God has blessed us beyond measure – even our sorrows are handed to us on a bed of roses. The other is that we need your prayers far more than you need ours. So this Lent, remember us in your hours of prayer and sacrifice.

That is all for now, from the Dadwithnoisykids, Wifeofdadwithnoisykids, and the Noisykids

This newsletter was composed while listening to Stan Getz play the saxophone. I have to lie down now….