I had the delightful job of watching the 3 boys while the girls went shopping for infant sized sleepers at a local thrift store. We went out and spotted the statue of Mary that has a history within our family. I happened to be in a big Catholic gift store here in the Cities with Susan/Hallel as she was heading home from the discernment house in May of 2008. She chose this statue of Mary as one that she liked the best of the ones there,and I bought it. Every time I look at it I think of Hallel and her love for Our Lady.
When Maria and Joe bought their home in St Paul about a year later... it left my deck where she looked after me and my home and took up residence in their back yard among the hostas. That house became the port in the storm for our family as Nancy lived with Maria and her little family there as she started her courtship with Bill and up until their marriage. It was also where John and I spent a lot of time as we dealt with his brain cancer from Father's Day through the winter and daily radiation. We celebrated Thanksgiving there with Hallel, who had come back from France to be with us and drive John for a week of radiation before she headed back to Kansas City. Such a wonderful gift to have this home away from home filled with the family of our married daughter, Maria, with her two little ones, and Nancy as her prayers were answered by Bill!
Two years ago...she drew the little children to her and she watched over us on our huge hard family journey called cancer/healing! Next she helped Maria and Joe sell their house as Joe was answering a personal and spiritual call to enter the . After their house sold - it came to reside in the yard of Nancy and Bill's new home. And yesterday the two Davids and I took some rocks and made her a more stable platform to stand on amongst the hostas at the base of a tree. How the boys love her and grandma had to tell them that this Mary was chosen by Aunt Little sister Hallel!
So today with struggles of adjusting to the first baby for Nancy - her milk is in and Gus is adjusting to breast feeding. There was a reminder that Mary went through this with her newborn, Jesus. And that she certainly can be asked for assistance, and just about then Gus latched on and got a good breakfast and Nancy had a smile of relief and contentment on her face.
"Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." Luke 2:19
Why not look to Mary's assistance for those hard things along the way - especially those things that involve being a mother and all that that means and includes... from caring for a newborn and the worries and frustrations that comes with that to the Cross of brain cancer in your 20 year old son. She is there to comfort and to help! I got through all these years and all that a mother faces with her always there with me and a rosary in every pocket that I own! How I love her and am forever blessed to have her in my life and helping me to be anywhere near the Mother of the Universe, the Mother of the Savior of the World, the Mother of God, the Mother of us all!
Jesus and Mary, One minute I am singing to little Augustine a Jesus song and the next minute we are asking for the help of your mother... we are filled with wonder and awe to have so much assistance with us every step of the journey of our lives. Gus in now 3 days old and has come to know you in song and prayer and in assistance from you. We are so grateful for the hard times when we call out in our need! When we are weak- you come to us and carry us forward down the path laid out for us. We thank you for the wonder of a new little one to care for, and know that your mother faced all that we are facing in these early days after your birth. WE can place our entire trust in you, and know that we are not alone. Jesus and Mary, we trust in you! Amen and Halellulia!
Bless-bless from Aunt Maria, Uncle John, and Barb the fervent and humble
Chosen through Mary
"When the archangel Gabriel was sent by God to the Blessed Virgin Mary to announce to her the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God in her chaste womb, he saluted her in these terms: "Hail, full of grace; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women" (Lk 1:28) These words, the most auspicious that any creature has heard, have been repeated from age to age upon the lips of Christians, and from the depths of the valley of tears they cease not to repeat... to the Mother of the Savior: "Hail, Mary!" The hierarchies of heaven deputed one of their chiefs to address to the humble daughter of David this glorious salutation, and now that she is seated above the angels and all the celestial chiors, and human race, of whom she is the daughter and the sister, addresses to her here below the angelical salutation: "Hail Mary!" When she heard it for the first time from the mouth of Gabriel, she conceived immediately in her most chaste womb the Word of God: and now, every time that a human voice repeats to her these words, which were the signal of her maternity, her heart is moved by the remembrance of a moment which had none like it in heaven or on earth, and all eternity is filled with the happiness which she experienced." Now that's the epitome of JOY!
Fr Lacordaire (1861) was a great Dominican preacher who refounded the Order of Preachers in France after the French Revolution
Grandpa's large hands really are amazing... and Gus seems to feel secure resting in them. He seemed very peaceful and relaxed meeting his grandpa for the first time! Maybe someday yours will be that big too! Hard to imagine that now though.
