Paul and I and the kids all went to Mass tonight in honor of the Solemnity of Mary. It is such a beautiful way to close out one year and bring in the next- a time to reflect and thank God for all His blessings over the last year and a time to look forward and pray for the coming year by asking the Blessed Mother, Queen of Peace, to keep us close to her and bring us closer to her son. I can think of no better way to celebrate this holiday.
As tradition has it, people usually make resolutions for the new year after thinking about the past year. The priest asked us to think about how we have spent our time over the last year or better yet what we have "wasted"our time on. He challenged us to think about how much time we really "wasted" on God or things like taking a nap or playing a game. Of course he was referring to things that by worldly standards might be looked at as wasted time, but when looking at it from and eternal and spiritual perspective it is anything but wasted time. His challenge to us and now mine to you in the new year is to "waste" more time on God, to spend more time in prayer-simple prayers like "Jesus, I love you," "Jesus, You love me," or my personal favorite, "Jesus, I trust in You."
Looking back on 2009 brings me great joy; it was a year of stepping out in faith and learning to TRUST God not ourselves. We were challenged, and thankfully we have learned to trust Him a great deal. Real trust doesn't come with out a price, and it is not just something that happens with out sufferring and sacrifice; it takes faith and saying yes to the will of God even when you don't understand or like what you are going through. We are now thankfully reaping the harvest and have much to be greatful for.
One of the beautiful results of true trust in God is peace and joy. The kind of peace and joy that surpasses understanding, that's present even when you are sufferring. God gave me a beautiful vision for what He desires for us in the new year- PEACE. I felt Him calling us to make that next step out in faith where we can always be at peace becuase we trust so much. I know He has been tilling the soil, and our family is ready, but it won't be easy when so much can challenge our peace of mind and spirit. I think He's asking us yet again to step it up again and challenge our thinking and our patterns. I'm excited!
What is He asking of you in this new year?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you all. This has been an interesting holiday for us. We have been hunkered down at home the last 2 days because of the snow. We decided to er on the side of safety and not venture out in the weather which meant that we missed out on Christmas Eve with Paul's side of the family and today with mine. In our younger more reckless years we would have ventured out and took our chances, but we now have 6 little ones to consider, and we're not yet experienced in driving the 12 passanger van in snow yet.
We have managed to have quite a bit of fun, and to our surprise the kids have handled it very well. We explained that Christmas is actually 12 days long, so there would still be plenty of time for celebrating with the family. Yesterday, we baked up a storm and now have plenty of yummy cookies in the house. We played games and watched Home Alone. I would post pictures, but as I was trying to take a picture of Elizabeth sprinkling the cookies, my still feelingless fingers dropped our camera and it broke. Tell me I'm not a little upset that I cannot take pictures of my babie's first Christmas. Paul told me I had to get over it because there was nothing I could do. We had to settle for some video which I can't blog or put in an album, but I digress.
Today, we surprised the kids with presents under the tree. They normally don't since we celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas and Epiphany, but we figured this would lessen the sting of no presents on Christmas day. I made a big breakfast while Paul and the kids played their new games. Then Paul and Pauly went out and cleared the driveway and sidewalk, and the girls joined them outside to play in the snow. They came in soaking wet, but they had a great time. We had a snack style lunch and then a ham dinner. Now, they are all blissfully sleeping, and I'm hopefully soon to follow.
We are very thankful that we got to make some happy and unusual memories this Christmas. Someday we'll tell Cecilia about how we got snowed in on her first Christmas.
May the spirit of Christmas be born a new in each of you as you remember the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God bring you much joy and peace today and always.
We have managed to have quite a bit of fun, and to our surprise the kids have handled it very well. We explained that Christmas is actually 12 days long, so there would still be plenty of time for celebrating with the family. Yesterday, we baked up a storm and now have plenty of yummy cookies in the house. We played games and watched Home Alone. I would post pictures, but as I was trying to take a picture of Elizabeth sprinkling the cookies, my still feelingless fingers dropped our camera and it broke. Tell me I'm not a little upset that I cannot take pictures of my babie's first Christmas. Paul told me I had to get over it because there was nothing I could do. We had to settle for some video which I can't blog or put in an album, but I digress.
Today, we surprised the kids with presents under the tree. They normally don't since we celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas and Epiphany, but we figured this would lessen the sting of no presents on Christmas day. I made a big breakfast while Paul and the kids played their new games. Then Paul and Pauly went out and cleared the driveway and sidewalk, and the girls joined them outside to play in the snow. They came in soaking wet, but they had a great time. We had a snack style lunch and then a ham dinner. Now, they are all blissfully sleeping, and I'm hopefully soon to follow.
We are very thankful that we got to make some happy and unusual memories this Christmas. Someday we'll tell Cecilia about how we got snowed in on her first Christmas.
May the spirit of Christmas be born a new in each of you as you remember the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God bring you much joy and peace today and always.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Little Miss Cecilia- 2 weeks old and full of God's grace
Cecilia Louise was baptized this past Sunday, Dec. 20th. The day started out with a snow storm that soon turned into a sunny winter wonderland; beautiful and pure white- fitting for a baptism. We had a beautiful private ceremony with our dear friend Deacon Steve presiding over it. We had the privelege of sharing this special event with her godparent's little guy John Joseph Timothy. They are exactly 3 months apart and both were born on Marian feast days; he was born on the Feast of the Nativity of Mary and Cecilia was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We tease that we should bring back arranged marriages and set these two up.
After the baptism, we all headed over to our house and what a house full it was. I think we had 30 kids in the house- I'll let you guess how many mama's it took to get that number. We had a wonderful time; thanks be to God.
May the Lord bless and keep you all your days Cecilia Louise and John Jospeh Timothy.
We love you!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Some more pics of our new little miss Cecilia and the fam
For some unknown reason not all the pictures upload th
e first time I try, so I tried again.
This was the view from my hospital window.
Our loved photographer gets her chance.
I
Last night Deacon Steve came to the house for Cecilia's prebaptism annointing and blessing. It is a short but beautiful ritual that not all parishes do; most just build it right into the baptism itself.
I
We should all be this cozy and content on a cold winter's day.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Happy 1 Week Birthday Cecilia
So I've been meaning to post pictures since I got home Friday, but as you can imagine (or maybe you can't fathom) I've been a little preoccupied with nursing, changing diapers, and recovering from surgery.
I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers; they most definatly were heard by the Lord. Everything went perfectly, and I felt completely enveloped in your prayers.
Here, Paul and I are just as we got to the hospital a bit around 5:45am. Jesse and Laura actually got to the hospital before us because Gabriella woke up and was having a little trouble letting go; the nurses thought they were us-um no. We were very blessed to have them with us lightening the mood and covering the whole event in prayer. We had a beautiful prayer time just before I left for surgery which will be a very precious memory for us and calmed my nerves.
Everything went without a hitch for the surgery. The staff was amazing. My only trouble was that I could hardly keep my eyes open and feared I would miss her birth. Apparently my breathing was very shallow and made the monitors keep going off and made the anesthesiologist a little nervous.
Here she is... Cecilia Louise is born at 8:06 am. She was very quiet at first and theen started to cry. She fooled us and made us think she might be a quiet one, but alas she has a set of lungs on her just like the rest. She will hold her own we think.
After they got her situated, I finally got to meet her. Daddy brought her over to me. My first memory of her is her sticking out her tounge as if to say, "I'm hungry." And hungry she was. Then I had to say good bye for a bit while they headed up to our room to get all her stats etc. and I had to finish up and spend some time in recovery. As Paul departed the OR he said, "See you in 2 years." The nurses just laughed half of them remembering him saying something similar 2 years ago with George.
I got back to our room and finally got to hold my baby, and yes she was already wanting to nurse. Thankfully, the surgery went so well, and I didn't get sick, so I was able to. It's an amazing feeling to finally hold you baby in your arms; it was love at first sight- it never gets old.
I love when Paul and I get our quiet time with our new baby. He truly glows and radiates pure joy, and it's always a perfect reminder that God truly blessed me with a wonderful man.
This is a traditional picture. The nurse walked in and asked him how he was feeling and if he needed anything.
Sunday morning, Paul and Elizabeth made us an amazing breakfast to celebrate all of us being together. Paul held Cecilia the whole time he cooked, so I could get a shower. The food was delicious, and it was so nice to all be together around the table. It was a moment when you stop and say, "I have 6 children - who'd have thought?" We have a lot to be thankful for. God has truly blessed us. We love our family.
I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers; they most definatly were heard by the Lord. Everything went perfectly, and I felt completely enveloped in your prayers.
Here, Paul and I are just as we got to the hospital a bit around 5:45am. Jesse and Laura actually got to the hospital before us because Gabriella woke up and was having a little trouble letting go; the nurses thought they were us-um no. We were very blessed to have them with us lightening the mood and covering the whole event in prayer. We had a beautiful prayer time just before I left for surgery which will be a very precious memory for us and calmed my nerves.
Here she is... Cecilia Louise is born at 8:06 am. She was very quiet at first and theen started to cry. She fooled us and made us think she might be a quiet one, but alas she has a set of lungs on her just like the rest. She will hold her own we think.
Friday was going home day. I couldn't wait to see the kids. The hospital had a policy of not letting children under 5 visit because of the whole flu scare, so I was really missing my little ones. It was a joyous and boisterous homecoming. It's going to be an adjustment, but we're ready.
Things are continuing to go very well with my recovery and with Cecilia. Paul is off all week, so I am getting a lot of rest and bonding time with my new baby. The kids are busy helping Paul get chores done from our to do list, and we are having some great family time. Cecilia is such a beautiful baby, and we just love her. She is getting lot of attention. We are slowly but surely getting back into a groove.
Paul and I celebrated her one week birthday by going on a date to Adoration, Mass, and then out to dinner. We had a nice time. Thanks again for all you prayers.
Jesus, I Trust in You
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Cecilia Louise
Born at 8:06am
Weighing 9lbs 3ozs
Measuring 19 1/2 inches long
Such a beautiful baby!
Mom and baby (and dad) are all doing well!
Thank you for the honor of taking pictures and posting your news.
Congratulations, Meredith and Paul.
Posted by, Kristina
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