My two KC granddaughters... so much fun being able to do their hair after a relaxing Thanksgiving morning preparing food to take to the Community/family feast following a wonderful mass with two daughters! I told Nancy that she gave her girls her beautiful brown eyes!
Bernadette just turned 5 and Josephine was one in May... wearing blue to see The Little Sisters is special to us all!
Gathered around John and Bobbi's engagement pictures... Hallel kept them in her pocket to show everyone. After praying John through brain cancer and all the ups and downs over the years since... they are truly his family! He has also shared about his journey and prayed over a young girl, who died in the last year of brain cancer,
The LIGHT house on the hill!
Such a beautiful day here! How wonderful to stand out in the warm sun in shirt sleeves waiting for mass! Catching up with Hallel in person!
The biggest news for her to catch up on is her baby brother is getting married on June 2nd! She will not be able to come to the wedding, but I have a feeling that they will be coming to meet Hallel and share some time with her over this gift of a year that we are given with her!
Mass in the beautiful light filled chapel and Hallel there leading the singing! Such a special time to have her here in the U.S. this year. She did share that she misses Rome and her love of hearing the Italian language spoken all around her! The wonders of this world she is discovering through her "yes" to Jesus to follow His plan for her, and allowing her family to share in the JOY
Wearing their winter capes has begun!
Leading the Psalm in the mass today.
Hallel lives in the U.S. and she loves to spend time with the kids! Ruth has fake plans to come and visit during Christmas vacation, and Maria will bring her family when they come for John's wedding. I also think that John will try to come and spend some time with her so that she can meet Bobbi. We all want to get here to see her during this precious year!
With her Dominic, who is named after the patron Saint of their community! I also drew his name to be my patron for the next year! St Dominic, lead me ever deeper into The Truth of your LOVE the Cross/the Tree of LIFE!
While we ate our wonderful Thanksgiving feast there was a pilgrim and Indian present along with round after round of wonderful food! As we ate to our hearts' content there was a microphone passed around and many shared what they are thankful for!
Wonderful moist turkey with fresh made cranberry sauce were the highlight!
All gathered around a special young adult of the Lamb/Curt, who is celebrating his 40th birthday. He shared that The Community came to KC for him..."I didn't think I would live to see 40/I was lost/The Community came here to KC for me!" Tears of deep emotion at how the Lord had shown him such love to bring them here to the U.S. I feel similarly in how just as Hallel was making a decision about her call to be a Little Sister they came to the U.S./Kansas City, Kansas!
Many miracle stories all around us! Having them in our lives and now our family through our 4th daughter, Susan/Hallel!
A sleeping baby gives Hallel the gift of her arms full of sweet baby girl Josephine Francis!
A much needed nap and more time to visit with or daughter! We shared updates on kids/she heard about her Simon's first Jr high dance and all the firsts he has experienced this last summer. We spoke with the postulants she is working with about how Hallel is teaching them about the LIFE the community lives.
I am so happy that they have this American girl, who listened to the call and said "yes" and shows her great JOY and LOVE for Jesus in his Sacrament/Body and Blood and The Word on her beaming face as the Word is processed forth at mass! That these two girls, one from Minnesota and one from the KC area, can glean from her deep love!
With the Cross of the Lamb and her sweet rosy cheeks! In the next few years Hallel will receive her Lamb when she takes her final vows! We have fake plans to all be there when she does and that probably means all 26 of us heading to France! Time will tell!
A picture that I took way too many of... but I am wanting to hold every moment close to my heart for this next year. It was so special to sit next to her while she sat and enjoyed her arms full of her baby niece and share our shared family life and her stories of how the love her Community has for the poor has changed the lives of so many!
Lord, I thank you for this Thanksgiving like none other before it! We shared your LIFE giving meal/The Eucharist and then with JOY with our Community/Family of the Lamb! "Wounded, I will not cease to love!" Jesus, we trust in you. Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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