Snow Day as we have a Solemnity... Immaculate Conception! Mary,"Mother of all the living."

 Snow day ultimate laser tag on a snow day to start the week!  Snow overnight with high winds and frigid temps gave them a day at home after a big weekend away for some. The two youngest girls opted to play dolls instead.

The feast days are stacking up and I am delighted to have so much to celebrate one on top of the other.  Yesterday the 2nd Sunday of Advent trumped the Feast of The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as she was to bear God to the world!  But it was too big to let go, so it was moved to today, which should be the feast of St Juan Diego, who brought to the world Our Lady of Guadalupe on his tilma along with roses tumbling out in winter!

Rose visiting the cousins for the weekend matching with her cousin, Josephine!  Getting ready for sharing mass on the Second Sunday of Advent!

Pat shared a story about their oldest boy, Augustine, who is now 8.  "He heard that some of the neighbor kids don't go to church on Sunday.  'Sunday is for going to church.' "  Yes it is, Gus, and we need to pray for those kids and share with them that church is important to share as a family with great JOY!

My Most Cherished Cross spoiling baby George... how he loves those babies!  They love him, too!

There seems to be too much to share today with all the amazing readings and meditations about how Mary was conceived without sin, so that she could bring to us our Savior!  She is our "Model of all holiness"...At Mary's conception, the Lord was already preparing the world for the Incarnation of his Son within her virginal womb.  Mary's purity, moreover, makes her closer to us than anyone else, for sin is what divides, while grace unites and heals.  Mary loves us with perfect maternal selflessness.  The Immaculate Conception overcomes the trickery of the serpent, begins God's recreating work of salvation, and renders Mary, in a new way, "the mother of all the living."  Immaculate Mary your praises we sing!

Mary is the New Eve!

 Joy with Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe after mass yesterday morning...

What scene is more special than to hear the words of Mary at the Annunciation?  Her trust and surrender to Jesus coming to the world through her "yes?"
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."

How different would our journey be if we could say "yes" so willingly and totally?  We do not give up our selfish and indulgent ways when we are asked.  Lord, help us to die to self so that you may lives in us!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Red roses and Red JOY for Our Lady, who came to us in the winter of our lives... all was silent and cold and dead, yet roses tumbled out of this cloak to show her ability to bring LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT into the world through her humble "yes!"  Bless-bless, Barb

Happy Feast Day
The Immaculate Conception
Feast Day: December 9
The Immaculate Conception, one of the four dogmas of the Catholic Church, maintains that from the moment the Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived in the womb, she was kept free of original sin, so that she was from the start filled with the sanctifying grace normally conferred in baptism. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. 

 The feast of the Immaculate Conception 2 years ago... today the school is closed due to brutal winter weather... a snow day!

 The glorious statue from St Mary's chapel at our beloved Catholic School!  She has watched over Pat's mother, he and his siblings, our 5 kids and now our grandchildren!  She instills deep love and gratitude in me!

 LOVE!  Joy always love your mother and your Spiritual Mother even more!  She brings us to our Savior!

So much JOY!