Marcus receives First Holy Communion

We honestly couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day than what we had on 

Sunday, May 26, 2013.

The sun was shining, it was warm, there was a slight breeze. It was the last Sunday of the month which is the Tridentine Mass offered by Father E. B. Connolly at St. Joseph Parish in Girardville PA.  It was also the Mass in which Marcus was to receive Jesus Christ in Holy Communion for the first time. 

There was prep work involved for such a holy and joyous occasion.  First we (Brian and I) had to agree on a suit, originally I wanted black, but with the help of Father Connolly, I "gave in" and got a white one for our dear boy, It was certainly the right choice! After having the pants altered at Keller's, the suit was perfect!

Brian said keep the guest list small, not many will want to attend...when I showed him the list, he had his doubts, I told him, those that are to be there will be, sure enough, the RSVP's started coming in, turned out all but 4 of the invitees showed up. It was beautiful to see so many people that care about our child and our family attend an important event.

Even though I've been teaching Marcus his religion, in his school lessons at home, I wanted him to have more preparation for what was about to happen....Father Connolly and Miss King had a 

Holy Communion Class at 

St. Vincent in Girardville, it was about 2 weeks long, and two nights a week, which worked out well. Marcus did very well in the class, which helped put this momma's mind at ease that he was indeed prepared for his special day.

 I wanted to have some sort of small token of our appreciation for those that did come to support Marcus, so I made bookmarks, thank you Beth Ann Whitenight for the use of your machine to cut out the rosaries and cups!  There were several trips to Michael's until I had it together, but it came together well.

 

 

 The cake as you should know is where I had a lot of concern.  

I wanted it to be perfect....First Holy Communion only happens for a child once.  I shopped around and not being pleased with what I saw in the bakeries, I decided to do a bit of research and found a few things that I liked and the cake designing began. The end result was host and chalice with writing done in white, baby blue and gold.  In my eyes, it was perfect for our needs.  

 

And of course there is the "reception" after Mass...

We kept the menu simple, hot dogs, chips, potato salad, lemonade, iced tea, coffee, water, my mother-in-law was kind and bought a meat and cheese tray, the Potteigers brought fruit salad,  the Miller's brought ambrosia, and Father Connolly bought pizza and had it delivered to help feed the crew! 

The Mass was absolutely beautiful, everything went smoothly, and according to plan.  Mr. Feeney played the organ beautifully, we had 2 altar servers. 

Marcus was "introduced" to the people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

answering Father Connolly

Marcus answers Father Connolly's question: "What is the Holy Eucharist?" response: "The Holy Eucharist is the body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ hidden under the appearances of bread and wine."  Marcus spoke those words with such confidence, he made me so proud.

 

preparing for Holy Eucharist

 

 

 

The reverence Father shows here touches my heart, he is truly a man of God, and I am thankful that he has baptized 3 of our 6 children, and pray that he will baptize our next blessing in October, in the Traditional Rite.

 

preparing for Holy Eucharist

 This was the first time Father Connolly gave First Holy Communion in the Tridentine Rite, his homily was on the Blessed Trinity, and was very insiteful.

Jesus enters Marcus for the first time

 After Mass, Mrs. Thye took this family portrait, it is the first one we had done in four years, so this is special to me.

All of the beautiful pictures on here with the exception of the cake and bookmark are courtsey of Mrs. Thye.
She did a beautiful job capturing this special day, there are many more pictures but I chose the ones I felt made the biggest statement for me.

As you can see, our family has been blessed by God in more ways than one, a wonderful family, a wonderful preist, wonderful friends, good food. 

my sweet family.

I pray that this day will always be in Marcus' heart, and that God will always be with him when making any kind of decisions.  May God bless you not only today, but always...

Love you always little man!

We have so much to be thankful and grateful for, and words can't express our gratitude enough.

Memorial Day Weekend-2013

 I am looking forward to this long holiday

weekend with the family, and 

even some friends throughout

the weekend.

 This weekend will be a very special one for our 

DoodleBug..he will be receiving

his First Holy Communion, 

 during the 

Tridentine Mass.

There will be more on this

next week with pictures of our 

precious boy! 

Today, was busy for me as I had to take Pooh Bear to the 

doctor, unexpected trip for us, but things seem okay.

Then we went to WalMart so I could buy some supplies for Sunday,

got a bit of grocery shopping done, feeding the littles in a few minutes.

We will be picking Daddy up and attending Benediction/Exposition this 

evening. 

Tomorrow will be filled with finishing shopping for Sunday and for a picnic

we will be going to on Monday!  In the evening, it will be time to get serious.....

decorating our boy's First Holy Communion Cake then mommy will need

some rest. 

Believe me, I am looking forward to Sunday's activities and then the relaxing I get to do

at a friend's house, children get to play and see some baby chicks! 

Will be signing off for the weekend this evening until Tuesday so I pray that you

all have a very special holiday weekend, please be safe in your journeys!

God Bless

 

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?!?

I'm back and hoping to be back on here on a regular basis.

So, where have I been, and what's been going on?

I'll tell you....

We have been very busy with school work and other fun things:

Doodle Bug has completed 2nd grade and Monkey Man has gotten his Kindergarten class done.

They were both wonderful students...and I am looking forward to teaching them

fun things through the summer months and getting back into a regular school day in the 

Autumn.

Our Autumn will be busy as we will have a new baby to take care of and the addition of  Pooh Bear doing

more school work not sure if it will be more pre-k or kindergarten, Doodle Bug will attack 3rd grade and Monkey Man 1st grade.

We attended library programs on Tuesday evenings and Thursday afternoons when mommy was feeling

pretty good.  On Wednesdays, we have gone to AWANA for Doodle Bug, Monkey Man, and Pooh Bear, 

all three had another successful year and are looking forward to the next year.

Doodle Bug, Monkey Man and Pooh Bear all played a good season of T-ball.

Monkey Man is getting pretty good, and Pooh Bear had a fun first season. Doodle bug put his

best foot forward and had a good time as well. I am glad the season is over!

We are preparing to celebrate Doodle Bug's First Holy Communion this coming Sunday,

something we are very proud of him for.  He is very strong in his faith and for that I am able to 

thank God.

Tootlehead decided to become totally potty trained AND can do it all himself, but loves to have an 

audience (mommy) watch him pull his shorts/undies up.  Princess is trying to follow suit, but it 

isn't quite working the right way yet for her, her time will come.

I've been seeing my ob on a monthly basis and things are going along smoothly

with munchkin.  On Tuesday May 28, we go for the Level 2 Ultrasound, 

we haven't decided if we will find out if baby is a boy or girl..I don't want to,

but I think daddy does, will see how things pan out.  

Knowing won't make a difference for us, we need clothing for the child either way because 

of size differences and/or season differences...buying things early will lead to me only

having to return things after the child is born, so why kill myself with that, right?!?

(I hate doing returns if I don't have to!)

 Then there are the not so fun things:

Our family has been battling all kinds of colds/flus/viruses/bugs, but I think we are finally

on the upswing now.  I can only pray so anyway.

 

Van needed some extensive work to pass inspection, but at least it isn't a car payment 

for us, always a good thing.

We have also had some family members pass on in recent months, some were

more expected than others.

So, you can see it has been quite the adventure since I last posted, but that is okay,

that is what mothering is all about, and I wouldn't trade it in for anything!

I hope you will join me as we begin our summer adventures and see where life takes

us...all the fun twists and turns of life!

God Bless!

Counting our blessings!

Psalm 127:3

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 


You may or may not know but here is the news:

Our family is being blessed by God one more time--in early Autumn, we will
be welcoming baby number 7 to our family.

When we first told the littles, they were a bit quiet about it, but as time is passing, 

belly is getting bigger, making it harder for Monkeyman to get his little arms around me,

the thought is more exciting to him.

I love our night time prayers with the children as we ask God to bless each child, then

we always add, and the new baby.  I know His hand is at work with this precious

baby, and has been, even before I knew it would be happening!

This pregnancy is different, I feel a bit more tired, a bit more sick, but

a lot more at peace, for now anyway.

I am trying my hardest to make the most out of this and enjoy the time carrying this

child, because all too soon, he or she will make an appearance.

There is no where safer for the child than in it's mother's womb.  I am thankful to God

that he found my womb fit to carry my first 6 children to term with very little difficulties, maybe

some discomfort, but that ends eventually, and I want to remember that this time, no matter

how difficult it may get, I know I can rely on God for help during these times and in

times of doubt.

The big questions people have when you make the "announcement":

1) when are you due?
2) are you going to find out what it is?
3) names?
4) are you "done" yet?

I am going to get this out now:

1) around Oct. 7
2) we haven't decided yet
(the children want to know, but I am not sure I do...
I already know it will be a BABY, a gift from God, and that's all that matters
of course health is important too)

3) totally undecided at this point, and throwing names around, won't know
until we see our gift
4) it is God's will, and if He wills us to have more, we will gladly accept that fact.

At this point, I am patiently waiting for Friday to come, and it will hopefully be a very good day...
first of all, it will be my birthday, and I will get to see the baby during my Level 2 ultrasound, so
my birthday wish is that all will be well during my ultrasound. 
I am not going to bore people with the normal issues of pregnancy, as most won't really care,
(If for some reason, you do care to know, you can message me either here, facebook or email)
but if there is something major, I will ask for prayer.

I hope you will keep us in prayer on this day coming up, and throughout the pregnancy.


Proverbs 17:6

Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. 

There'd be days like this....

The Princess

My past week or two have been filled up with appointments in and out of the area.  For some we were able to take school work with us, for others, it wasn't feasible so we'd wait until we got home.

Fortunately this week hasn't been so bad, nor is next week as we are going to wrap  up our third quarter of classes! 

You would think that this would make for a pretty easy week for us, normally it does however, little Princess has decided to go "Cling-on"....If anyone tries to sit with me she gets mad and pushes him away then puts herself right into mamma's lap.  

If we aren't sitting together, and I am trying to get some work done, she is following me saying, "Hold you mamma, hold you."  Meaning, she wants me to hold her.

If she still had her crib, I could put her in there to cry and deal with it, but she doesn't so that is not an option.

If she weren't so heavy, I'd carry her on my back in a pouch all day, but that is not an option either.  She is much too heavy.  So I suppose I will sit and snuggle my baby girl because I know one day she will be too big to sit on my lap, or be held on my hip.  The day will come when she won't want these things either.

I will cherish this time, make the most of being with my little girl and not really worry about the things that will keep, such as dishes or the laundry to fold...I can catch up when daddy is here to help out.  

Spring 2012

Thank you God for letting me be here for my children, thank you for letting me be the one they come to when they are happy, have something important to share, and when they are sad, tired, out of sorts, sick.

Let me always be here for them and remember that they will one day grow up and know that they can always come back to mamma with their joys or problems.  I will love them unconditionally until God decides that my time is up on earth, but I will love them even after I am gone.

Shepherdless

 

For the first time in 600 years, the Pope resigned.

What does this mean for the Catholic Church, it's people and their leaders? What will happen in the future?

When will we get a new Pope, will he be able to withstand being the Pope while the former is still in the area?  Will he try to get back to the basics of our faith, will he get strict and get rid or try to eliminate the problems of the scandals our Church has been facing?

These are all questions we all have, and probably many, many more.  

Unfortunately, I have no answers to these questions, as I really don't think anyone does. 

What we can do is know that "He is with us always."

We need to have faith and trust that when the Cardinals do begin the conclave to elect our new Pope, that the Holy Spirit guides them and they do elect a most holy person to do the job.

I pray that the next Pope will be strong enough to stand up for what is right and just.  

Our culture is a mess right now, we know that Jesus built the Catholic Church with St. Peter as the foundation for the future.

The True Church can never fail. For it is based upon a rock. – T.S. Eliot

During school, we talked about the fact that our Church no longer has a leader and we must pray for the Church.  Marcus said, "St. Peter should just come back and be the Pope again."  He has a firm understanding of his faith, and the Bible.  I am so thankful that we can teach our children the faith here in our home, without all the disturbing things that happen in the schools....transgender children, bullies, drugs, sex, foul language, etc.

So, even though the flock has lost a shepherd, we will gain a new one, and hopeful one of a very strong faith.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 

Pray without ceasing,

This is all we can do until we have a new shepherd..

An eye opener

On Sunday, February 16, 2013 after Mass, I wanted to go over to Renninger's Market for some meat.  I decided to take PoohBear and Tootlehead with me for a change. Big deal, yeah, actually, it was.

You see, that day was my mother's birthday...she would have been 62 years old, if she were still alive.

I haven't been to my mother's grave for many years.  Never really felt the need to go there until this specific Sunday.

I told the littles that mommy needed to go to the cemetery where her mommy is for a few minutes to say some prayers over her grave.

They didn't really get it, it was cold, the littles waited in the van very near by.  I took the short walk to the grave.  Once I got there, I said my prayers for the dead, then really talked to her, as though she were there, meaning alive.

All at once, I was very sad, for many reasons....One was because I miss my mom more than I realized I did.  However, that isn't all.  My mother will not know my children (her many grandchildren) and their crazy antics in this world, she isn't able to interact with them, watch them grow up.  This made me very sad.

My mother's life was a difficult one, I know that.  I truly wish that things could have been different for her in this world, but God was in control even if she didn't think so or see it. 

At the time of her death, I grieved, and questioned God's reason, but knew that in general, it was better that way and kind of pushed her death out of  my mind.  Sure I have re-lived the whole day of the death and tried to let go, but it never worked.

I was finished saying my prayers, and was heading back to the van, but realized more needed to be said to her, so I turned around, marched back to the grave and talked more. After talking to her on her birthday, I told her I was sorry that she had a hard life, that she never got to remarry, or be able to see her grandchildren. 

Once I was finished, I felt a sense of peace wash over me that I haven't felt before when dealing with her death.  It will be 10 year in November that she died.  I understand I will always miss my mother (some times more than others), and even have regrets for things that were left unsaid, things that were said, or even feelings that shouldn't have been.  But after this special Sunday, I know, I can go to the grave and tell her what is on my mind and get it out there.  I may not have an immediate reconciliation with anything, but at least I know I'm able to do something to help me when it comes to missing my mom.

Even though it is late, I want to wish my mother a happy birthday, and I want her to know I love her, and always will...I am now at peace with things and feel like it will be ok.

I guess the big thing for me to tell you today is if you have said something, or not said something that is of importance you need to say it whether it is in person or by letter, just let them know what is on your mind, you never know if you will be too late.  I know I was.

 

God bless!
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