Mary the first tabernacle/The Visitation/My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

I found this today from Maria in Washington... big sister, Therese, made 2 1/2 year old Evie a flower child!  LOVE!  As I call myself a flower child from the 60's.
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

Another flower child...Bernadette in the climbing tree with full blooming lilacs last evening... first campfire of the year while the kids played in the sand pile.  

Grandpa is so happy that they are having quality time together on the farm.  He loves to see the kids together playing and playing and playing.  It has convinced Nancy that she is going to dig a large hole and put a truckload of sand in it!

My two assistants going out to feed and check on the chickens this morning.

There are plans to a end of the school year party with the 11 kids, Ruth and Nancy at our state park this hot afternoon!  Many frogs will be caught, and swimming will occur.  Summer seems to be possible but the farmers are still unsure about how to proceed this late and this wet.

Still some really wet muddy places to navigate to the chickens.

Dominic spots the crippled chicken.  We helped him to the feeder to eat.

They like to help, and grandma likes their company too!

It was a nice surprise to find that today was the Feast of the Visitation.  About 3 months from the annunciation... Mary would be 3 months pregnant with the Son of God, while Elizabeth was about 5 months, when you feel the baby moving.  Not only did John move in her womb... he jumped for JOY!

 Mary stayed with her about 3months, and by then she would be feeling the LIFE in her womb moving... so amazing for the first time and so exciting and fulfilling to feel that realization of new LIFE!  As someone, who has had numerous losses, there was so much comfort and yes... JOY... when the baby moved in my womb!  My two stillbirths were at 5 months, just when I would have felt them move, but not to be.
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

Evie, the flower child with her baby brother, Hector!  He seems to love his sister's attention!

So sweet and so much love!  Maria describes Evie this way...

Do know there is a real thing called "cute aggression" where you want to squeeze, 

pinch, or even bite small cute things like babies, kittens, puppies and the like?

It is true, and EV has it BAD towards Hector.

Kisses and squeezes are allowed and Hector is good with it!

I loved the way ST JPII spoke about the Visitation today...

 “Mary also anticipated, in the mystery of the Incarnation, 

the Church’s Eucharistic faith.  When, at the Visitation, she bore 

in her womb the Word made flesh, she became in some way a ‘tabernacle’ – the first ‘tabernacle’ in history – 

in which the Son of God, still invisible to our human gaze, 

allowed Himself to be adored by Elizabeth radiating His light 

as it were through the eyes and the voice of Mary.

And is not the enraptured gaze of Mary …

that unparalleled model of love which should inspire us 

every time we receive Eucharistic communion?"

Pope St John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 55

Good hug!!!  A little boy that knows he is loved a lot!

These two are going to welcome their fellow little girl, Evie!  How excited is grandma to have all the grandkids together?

Words cannot express how much I am praying and making many fake plans including a grandkid picture with matching shirts!  Then the different groups... the two older girls, Therese and Mary, the 3 older boys... Big Dave, Little Dave, and Gus, the 3... Rose, Berna, and Patrick.  Next we have the 3 girls in about 10 months... Josephine, Evangeline, and Joy.  Finally we have the 3 new boys... George, Hector and Jude born within 6 weeks of each other and getting together for the first time!  Simon is the lone oldest.. now entering high school, and he will probably join Mary and Therese.  It makes me smile inside and out!

Little urchin girl with lilacs...  Joy is adorable even at the end of a long day of play and eating... chocolate bar on her face.

Jesus, Mary's words today in the Gospel... the Magnificat... gives voice to our own gratitude for your presence in our lives in so many ways!  May we receive you in the Eucharist and then carry you forth into the world!
And Mary said:

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name...."
Mother Mary intercede for us with your Son, and may we share His LOVE/LIGHT/LIFE with all those we meet... most especially those the closest to us in our domestic Church/family.  Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah

I love lilacs and it was delightful to share them with 6 year old Bernadette.  Her dimples are a delight and hereditary from her mom and grandpa Pat!  Bless-bless, Barb

“Is it not this also the joy of the Church, which receives Christ

incessantly in the holy Eucharist and takes Him to the world

with the testimony of active charity, full of faith and hope?

Yes, to receive Jesus and to take Him to others is the true joy of the Christian! Let us follow and imitate Mary’s profoundly Eucharistic

soul, and our whole life will become a Magnificat.”

Pope Benedict XVI

31 May 2005

"Let Mary's soul be in each of you to proclaim 

the greatness of the Lord. 

Let her spirit be in each to rejoice in the Lord. 

Christ has only one mother in the flesh,

 but we all bring forth Christ in faith." - St Ambrose

Blessed Mother Mary and St Elizabeth, pray for us!

Danielle Rose - Jesus within you/the Visitation from her Rosary album

Take me to the Holy of Holies - Kutless

Nothing compares to you - Danielle Rose