How did we spend Saturday night? Monday, Apr 30 2007

Making rosaries by candle light for the First Holy Communion kids. It was the perfect way to celebrate the feast of St. Louis Marie de Montfort.

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Look what my husband found in the woods Sunday, Apr 29 2007

My husband loves going for a walk in the woods behind our house, and is always finding something new. Here is what he found this morning:

We’re hoping someone can identify it.

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Happy 9th Birthday, Joseph Saturday, Apr 28 2007

My sweet baby boy, you have gotten so big, so fast. We are so proud of you. Do you know one of the things I love about you? You are always the first one to come downstairs to our "Rosary Room" and give me a great big hug and a kiss. That always makes my day. We love you very much. What a blessing to be born on the feast of St. Louis Marie de Montfort. St. Louis Marie de Montfort, pray for us.

 

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When was the last time you… Tuesday, Apr 24 2007

I am so exited! Jenn and Lisa tagged me for this Meme, so here it is.

When was the last time I …

1. kissed someone? A little bit ago, when I was taking a nap with my 4 year old.

2. drank coffee? A year ago. I gave it up for a special intention.

3. read a book? Last week to the kids, "Mr. Popper’s Penguins"

4. cursed? Last Friday I said the D word, sort of as a joke : (

5. had a nightmare? I can’t remember.

6. checked your email? About 4 hours ago.

7. had a crush? As soon as I met my husband.

8. drove a car? Yesterday morning, for Mass. Everyone who knows me, knows I do not like to leave my house, unless it’s for Mass or the grocery store. : )

9. rode a roller coaster? I don’t do rollercoasters. Ever.

10. took a nap? About an hour ago.

11. went to the movies? Sometime last Summer, with the kids. I can’t remember what we saw, but it was something rated G.

12. drank alcohol? About 12 weeks ago. I’m 11 weeks right now.

13. went to a party? How about a thank you luncheon for our outgoing DRE on Sunday?

14. said “I love you"? 2 hours ago on the phone, to my husband.

15. cooked a meal? With morning sickness, My husband and the girls have been cooking here lately. I did make spaghetti last week.

16. exercised? Does housework count?

I tag Kim, Mary M and Mary.

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Spring is all about flowers Sunday, Apr 22 2007

My husband and I always look forward to Spring, because it means going to the Garden Center every Saturday morning after Mass to buy a plant for our ever growing flower beds.

We live in an area where it’s a miracle if you can grow grass, so what we have done is make as many flower beds as possible where the grass refuses to grow. We’ve only lived here for a year and-a-half, and so far we have four flower beds. They all have different themes.

Here is our Hummingbird Garden. This was taken last Summer, before the Humingbird flowers bloomed.

Here is our "Mary Garden." We recently added a statue of Our Lady of Grace, the Pope John Paul II Hybrid Tea Rose and the Our Lady of Guadalupe™ Floribunda Rose . I can’t wait to see them in full bloom.

Here is our Rock Garden:

And here is how it looked like before we added the Rock Garden:

By the way, that beautiful grass you see there, it died last Summer. We just planted some more this past Fall, but it doesn’t look like that yet : )

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My Tuesday Surprise Tuesday, Apr 17 2007

There is a devotion to St. Therese I read about a few years ago, in which you pray three Hail Marys every Tuesday in her honor, and she will grant a special surprise. Our family has been praying three Hail Marys on Tuesdays for many years, and St. Therese has given us many wonderful surprises. These include, my husband surprising us by coming home early, some financial help in the mail, a visit from a dear friend, and the list goes on and on.

Today, I got another wonderful surprise. I had been worried about our unborn baby since Sunday, and I was praying to have peace without asking for a sign. I’m a big "sign" person. I can relate to St. Thomas very much. I told the Lord I would trust Him, and would not ask for a sign, but to let the baby be o.k. Well, this afternoon I was feeling down, and then the kids saw a package at the front door. I’ll write about that in a bit.

A few months ago I made a novena to St. Therese for a new baby, and about three weeks later I received a rose as I went to pay for some work done on our van. I was speechless as the lady handed me the rose. I had asked St. Therese for a rose as a sign she heard my prayer. We conceived this baby three weeks later.

I continued to pray the same novena, but this time for our baby’s health and safe delivery. This is where the surprise comes in. When the kids brought in the package, it was the roses I had ordered on April 3rd. I hope this is a gift form St. Therese to give me peace about the baby and that our precious little one is safe and healthy. Please continue to pray for our baby.

Here are the roses I ordered, which I found from a post by Elizabeth Foss. Boy! She has the best resources.

Pope John Paul II Hybrid Tea Rose

Our Lady of Guadalupe™ Floribunda Rose

I hope to watch these roses grow, and pray our baby grows strong and healthy. Praise God!!!

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Who knew cups could be so much fun! Thursday, Apr 12 2007

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Who’s having more fun? Tuesday, Apr 10 2007

I love these pictures. Angela wouldn’t let her daddy play piano, so he grabbed her and let her have it : )

 

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I Thirst For You Wednesday, Apr 4 2007

This is a homily called, "I Thirst For You," given by one of The Missionaries of Charity Fathers, which our priest read during Mass last Sunday. It is well worth reading it all the way.

It is true. I stand at the door of your heart, day and night. Even when you are not listening, even when you doubt it could be Me, I am there. I await even the smallest sign of your response, even the least whispered invitation that will allow Me to enter.

And I want you to know that whenever you invite Me, I do come – always, without fail. Silent and unseen I come, but with infinite power and love, and bringing the many gifts of My Spirit. I come with My mercy, with My desire to forgive and heal you, and with a love for you beyond your comprehension – a love every bit as great as the love I have received from the Father ("As much as the Father has loved me, I have loved you..” [Jn. 15:10]). I come – longing to console you and give you strength, to lift you up and bind all your wounds. I bring you My light, to dispel your darkness and all your doubts. I come with My power, that I might carry you and all of your burdens; with My grace, to touch your heart and transform your life: and My peace I give to still your soul. 

I know you through and through – I know everything about you. The very hairs of your head I have numbered. Nothing in your life is unimportant to Me. I have followed you through the years, and l have always loved you – even in your wanderings. I know every one of your problems. I know your needs and your worries. And yes, I know all your sins. But I tell you again that I love you – not for what you have or haven’t done – I love you for you, for the beauty and dignity My Father gave you by creating you in His own image. It is a dignity you have often forgotten, a beauty you have tarnished by sin. But I love you as you are, and I have shed My Blood to win you back. If you only ask Me with faith, My grace will touch all that needs changing in your life; and I will give you the strength to free yourself from sin and all its destructive power.

I know what is in your heart – I know your loneliness and all your hurts – the rejections, the judgments, the humiliations. I carried it all before you. And I carried it all for you, so you might share My strength and victory. I know especially your need for love – how you are thirsting to be loved and cherished. But how often have you thirsted in vain, by seeking that love selfishly, striving to fill the emptiness inside you with passing pleasure – with the even greater emptiness of sin. Do you thirst for love? “Come to Me all you who thirst. . .” (Jn. 7:37). I will satisfy you and fill you. Do you thirst to be cherished? I cherish you more than you can imagine – to the point of dying on a cross for you.

I thirst for you. Yes, that is the only way to even begin to describe My love for you: I THIRST FOR YOU. I thirst to love you and to be loved by you – that is how precious you are to Me. I THIRST FOR YOU. Come to Me, and I will fill your heart and heal your wounds. I will make you a new creation, and give you peace, even in all your trials. I THIRST FOR YOU. You must never doubt My mercy, My acceptance of you, My desire to forgive, My longing to bless you and live My life in you. I THIRST FOR YOU. If you feel unimportant in the eyes of the world, that matters not at all. For Me, there is no one any more important in the entire world than you. I THIRST FOR YOU. Open to Me, come to Me, thirst for Me, give Me your life – and I will prove to you how important you are to my heart.

Don’t you realize that My Father already has a perfect plan to transform your life, beginning from this moment? Trust in Me. Ask Me every day to enter and take charge of your life – and I will. I promise you before My Father in heaven that I will work miracles in your life. Why would I do this? Because I THIRST FOR YOU. All I ask is that you entrust yourself to Me completely. I will do all the rest.

Even now I behold the place My Father has prepared for you in My Kingdom. Remember that you are a pilgrim in this life, on a journey home. Sin can never satisfy you, or bring the peace you seek. All that you have sought outside of Me has only left you more empty, so do not cling to the things of this life. Above all, do not run from Me when you fall. Come to Me without delay. When you give Me your sins, you give Me the joy of being your Saviour. There is nothing I cannot forgive and heal: so come now, and unburden your soul.

No matter how far you may wander, no matter how often you forget Me, no matter how many crosses you may bear in this life; there is one thing I want you to always remember, one thing that will never change: I THIRST FOR YOU -just as you are. You don’t need to change to believe in My love, for it will be your belief in My love that will change you. You forget Me, and yet I am seeking you every moment of the day – standing at the door of your heart, and knocking. Do you find this hard to believe? Then look at the cross, look at My Heart that was pierced for you. Have you not understood My cross? Then listen again to the words I spoke there – for they tell you clearly why I endured all this for you: “I THIRST…” (Jn. 19:28).Yes, I thirst for you- as the rest of the psalm-verse I was praying says of Me: “I looked for love, and I found none…” (Ps. 69:20). All your life I have been looking for your love – I have never stopped seeking to love you and be loved by you. You have tried many other things in your search for happiness; why not try opening your heart to Me, right now, more than you ever have before.

Whenever you do open the door of your heart, whenever you come close enough, you will hear Me say to you again and again, not in mere human words but in spirit: “No matter what you have done, I love you for your own sake. Come to Me with your misery and your sins, with your troubles and needs, and with all your longing to be loved. I stand at the door of your heart and knock … Open to-Me, for I THIRST FOR YOU…”
           ____________________________________

           “Jesus is God, therefore His love, His Thirst, is infinite.
     He the Creator of the universe, asked for the love of His creatures.
                                     He thirsts for our love…
                 These words: “I thirst” – do they echo in our souls?”
                               – MOTHER TERESA –

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Thank you, Cay Tuesday, Apr 3 2007

Thanks to this post from Cay, I purchased this wonderful nature book,

The three little kids have been enjoying so much. They haven’t put it down since we got it on Monday. They have learned so much about Snapping Turtles, Skinks, King snakes, and where lizzards live. Here are some pictures from this week.

 

The boys are looking for lizzards in our rock garden.

 

This is definately one of my favorite Nature books.

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