Once again reminded of the beauty of family coming together... Pat, the middle of 10 children, means that there is once again a large loving and joyful bunch... sharing wonderful food and catching up with each other's lives... we are blessed unbelievable by FAMILY!
I will be working overnight at the nursing home, and have a quiet window in my house, as they are still at Pat's mother's house, and I just woke up from a nap... I know not when I will be able to share with you tomorrow... I know that I will have to bid farewell to Nancy and Bill, when I get home from work... their long wonderful visit, and Bill's first Christmas... experiencing the craziness of our world, with the two huge families, that we both come from, as well as our ever expanding and young bunch! So wonderful, and yes, sometimes a bit too much with the yelling, and screaming, and the kittens climbing in the Christmas tree!
We are having a postcard winter... the frost had clung to every tiny branch and pine needle and the white blanket of snow and the blue whispy sky... All I could do on the way "over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house" was exclaim over and over how breathtakingly beautiful this winter is! 
We arrived to grandma's house to have Little Sister Hallel on the phone... calling us all from far away France! WE all got to talk to her except for Ruth, who was working across the street as a nurse at the hospital! She did get off early to come and have a wonderful meal and see everyone! So great to talk to Susan/Hallel... we all felt that she was happy and in a good place and that it certainly helps to talk to her earlier in the day - 7p-8p her time - noon our time! Nancy, who got to talk to her first said that for once she sounded rested! 
She told us to our delight that she had gotten her box on Dec 24th and had just opened it today! It was so great to know that it had arrived on time! But most of all we all were so happy to have our turn to speak with her... even Grandma Verly had a chance to hear her happy and excited voice!
Hallel shared a cute story with me... "Mom, do you remember Helen? She received her habit at the same time that I did? Well, when you send reeses peanut butter cups... she has discovered that she loves them! When she saw my box arrive... she kept saying that she just knew that there would be some in there and today when I opened it and she saw that there were some in there... She exclaimed; 'Thanks be to God!' " She must be pretty confident that Hallel will share her wealth with her! 
Nancy is getting her kid fix while here... She is realizing that her time of taking them or leaving them is quickly coming to an end! She has had some practice in mothering, but your own 24-7 is definitely a bit more extreme than what she is used to...
Little 2 1/2 year old Therese gets to speak to her Godmother in France! She had made her many pictures and labored over many "letters" that we included in Hallel's box that arrived, thankfully, the day before Christmas! WE wondered what she kept saying "No" to her Godmother...
Hallel told Maria that she had been asking her if she could pray for her... I am sure that mommy reminds her to pray for her at bedtime, but sometime all of us need to be reminded to pray one for the other...we were surprised when we were in Rome and would meet priests and religious... we would ask them to pray for us and they in return would quickly ask for our prayers! Just a good reminder that no matter how holy our lives appear to be... we still need those prayers! 
Little Therese is a delight to her Godmother! Hallel loves the little ones, and I know that it is a hardship for her not to be able to be here and to share with them... She would have beamed ear to ear, and laughed, and clapped her hands to hear her little 6 year old Simon march around the dinner table singing ..."Happy Birthday, Jesus! Happy Birthday, Jesus! Halleluia! Christ is born!" 
She also would love to see the two year olds having some hug time in the midst of their running around and playing... A grandma has learned to always have the camera open, and on my lap, to grab the quick and special moments... this will have to part of Susan/Hallel's next card... I must add many pictures to illustrate them for her... I know that she is not allowed to keep them very long, but at least she can have a glimpse of our life here without her physical presence here with us!
Mary telling Hallel about her new experience with preschool in her life! John is waiting to say goodbye to his special Sue... he loves her and misses her, and looks to her to help him with advise in things that he is facing in his life... I wish that I would have been listening in on all of their conversations, but they each got their own time with her... the best gift we each could have had today!
Simon got to talk about tractors with his super hero and model farmer - Uncle Eddie! I gave Simon a John Deere - tractor - calendar for the wall in his room. Not only can he study a new tractor every month, but he can write down things about the farm - like days that he rides in the combine or planter or sprayer wtih Uncle Eddie! I am sure that grandpa would like to look at it to remind him about when they are doing things on the farm...
Ruth got to come over to share in the day... put on call after they were down to just a few patients on the floor... Little David was happy to see her as was her hubby, Paul! 
Home for some rest... the beauty of the frosty world made me once again try to capture the beauty of this white and frosty winter! I was thrilled to read some amazing truths about family shared by Pope Benedict..."The family is an intermediate institution between individuals and society, and nothing can completely take its place... The family is a necessary good for peoples, an indispensable foundation for society and a great and lifelong treasure for couples. It is a unique good for children, who are meant to be fruit of the love, of the total and generous self-giving of their parents...
"The family is also a school which enables men and women to grow to the full measure of their humanity..." He also shares this prayer for our families..."O God, who in the Holy Family left us a perfect model of family life lived in faith and obedience to your will, help us to be examples of faith and love for your commandments." Pope Benedict XVI
Holy Family... there is so much filling us with gratitude, after all the celebrations, that include those that you have blessed us with to share our journey in life with... our families! We see that for us that have wonderful and supportive and listening to your voice - families... are so lucky to "know You" through their love and faith! For all those that do not know that love and forgiveness and support... allow us to reach out to them and to know that the poor and suffering are... you in our midst... the poor and the lonely that we are called to serve and to clothe and to feed and to love! Give us the strength and the ability to love as you did! Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb..................."Make us, Lord, worthy to serve our brothers and sisters who are scattered all over the world, who live and die alone and poor. Give them today, using our hands, their daily bread. And, using our love, give them peace and happiness. Amen." Blessed Teresa of Calcutta"And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3: 12-21
No comments:
Post a Comment