Peaceful 2nd Sunday of Lent after Huge Day/Hector is 1/“This is my beloved Son...; listen to him.”

 John, Bobbi and Jude in their new home with Central Ave out their door... just a half block from the Catholic School!  Jude had just arrived at his new home for the first time after the moving crew of about 15 people and the cow trailer moved them in a day!

 Grandma had 8 for lunch!  Two by two - the baby boys, then the 3 year old girls, then the two boys Luke and Dominic, and then the two girls, Bernadette and Rose again!

 Jude and George getting acquainted for the first time... they are liking being in the same place doing the same thing... no real battles at all!

 Kids bring swim suits and swim in the tub... the little boys are content to watch and get their clothes wet in the process.

 Board book time!  I was kind of busy with all that was happening, so I didn't get near the pictures of the kids that I would have.  At one point I had my arms full with both boys on my lap, and the realization that this was what twins would feel like.  It was a good feeling with each boy being calm sweet and happy, but I can imagine that it would be hairy at times too!

George on the left is now 1 and Jude will be on March 26 in 3 weeks so right on cue Hector is having his first birthday today!  3 grandsons in 6 weeks!  Look how they are so much the same size!  They are peaceful and content to be close to each other and definitely have the same interests and grandma appreciates what good boys they both were for grandma!

Just back from our wonderful 8a mass with John and Bobbi and Jude right behind us, and grandpa holding Jude quite a bit.  Ruth and Paul were there too, with Simon serving along with 2 other young men his age.  Three Freshman boys serving at mass along with a brother of one that is a year younger!  Beautiful sight to behold!

Hector the birthday boy on Fat Tuesday... Happy Birthday sweet boy!  We love you!!!

 Exciting times and love how their move brought the family together for a great busy big day!

 The Saints have arrived in their new home in John's grandma Ann's curio cupboard!  I am sure she is in heaven smiling!  This house is just a block away from where she lived across from the hospital!  It just seems like such a wonderful prefect location on the quiet street leading up to HRS!  Rose and Luke brought their cousins from the Cities to the play ground and back a few times while the adults were moving in the furniture and boxes!  LOVE!

 Jude in the new kitchen - lots of cupboards to explore - show me the pots and pans so I can play!

 Cozy and snug and so much LIGHT!

Storage galore!  Never can have too much!

Jesus and Mary always with us! We love them and share that with the world!

I was in tears at Father's homily at mass today about the Gospel which is the Transfiguration from Matthew today!  Sharing how the disciples would witness this sight of Jesus revealed to them as truly the Son of God radiant in glowing LIGHT!  They were told to tell no one and God himself spoke to them this...a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

Matthew 17

Father shared that they pondered this miraculous sight and message and held it close to their hearts.  "This is why St John stood at the foot of His Cross... recalling that this was God's son and even this horrible death had some very powerful meaning for the world's redemption."  Father then repeated the words of Jesus from the Cross in which he gave Mary to John as his mother and her brought her into His home - "listen to him."  The tears leapt to my eyes!  I could hear John behind me verbally agreeing with Father also!

John then got up to minister Communion as a Eucharistic minister!  How he loves Our Lord and his Church since his prayer for Faith was answered through surviving brain cancer 11 years ago!

Overcoming brain cancer to find Faith!

 Joy showing me her new room and bed with her cousin, Josephine!  I guess Ruth had to lay with Joy on her first night in her new room and bed... Joy has been sleeping in mom and dad's room since birth.

 John and Bobbi celebrated with all the family helpers with a pizza party supper at Ruth's home!
Root beer floats for dessert - 22 of them for the crowd that gathered!

 Big Dave and Gus were huge helpers carrying many boxes up and down stairs!  Two trailers full and done in a day!  Wow!

Yes!  It was Crazy wonderful!!!  Even the wooden table is getting refinished!  I guess that they had lunch for the work crew on 3 tables in their new house... I can imagine the happy feelings for John and Bobbi to have so many their excited to give them support and help!  Family is wonderful!

 Jude waking up from his morning nap to find George there...

 George was very loving... Jude was accepting of that love!

 The two girls having carrots - both will be 3 when Joy is 3 on March 31st!  JoJo calls Joy by her first and middle name - Joy Jean, and is so happy to see her.  Nancy says that she talks about Joy Jean a lot at home.

Joy and Jude are comfortable together!  She had to come over and see him at mass.

Lord, we love you and know that you are alive and well in us if only we die to self so that you may live in us!  May we always listen to you in Word, in all the teachings and wisdom of your True Church, in the words and wisdom of your Saints, of St Paul to Timothy today and sitting at the feet of my father!

Beloved:
Bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God.

He saved us and called us to a holy life,
not according to our works
but according to his own design
and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,
who destroyed death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel.

2 Timothy 1

Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen

We showered my dad with cards for his 95th birthday!  He loved them and we are in love with him!  So blessed to still have my wonderful father, Deacon Robert Cross, with us and teaching us and praying each day for his family now numbering over 140!  Bless-bless, Barb and all!!!

 Simon with 3 other young men - 2 of which have been classmates in the 9 years of Catholic School!  Such a wonderful sight today at mass!

 Fr Todd, who I pray for on each Friday with 7 Sisters and Deacon Ken along with Simon and friends!  LOVE The Church!

 Jude got a Mohawk after Rose washed her hands and used the wet fingers to give him a crazy fun dooo!

 Hair style gives us a laugh!  Sharing our Faith with family JOY is our motto and key to passing on the True Faith in our domestic Church/family!

Jude just kept on eating his carmel roll while they messed with his hair.  He is an amazingly wonderful little guy.  Grandma sure appreciated how good he is yesterday as he was the youngest of the 8!

6 years ago before Joy joined them and Simon was missing too!  We just had our 3rd calf - a bull this time from a first calf heifer!
 
Baby Luke 6 years ago!  They sure look content and snug as a bug together!

Danielle Rose - Small things with great love

Danielle Rose - Nothing compares to you

Danielle Rose - Holy family

Danielle Rose - the Saint that is just me

Zach Williams - Rescue story

Casting Crowns - Praise You in the storm

"Christ showed His disciples the glory of His radiance
to which He configures those who are His." - St Thomas Aquinas

Fra Angelico

"Through your Transfiguration, O Christ,
you returned Adam's nature to its original splendor,
restoring its very elements to the glory
and brilliance of Your divinity." - Byzantine Liturgy

_______________________

"Christian faith's steady gaze upon Jesus
transforms us here and now." - Fr Hans Urs von Balthasar

_____________________

For over all, his glory will be shelter and protection: 
shade from the parching heat of day, 
refuge and cover from storm and rain (Isaiah 4:6).
_______________________

Excerpt below from:  Letters To A Brother Priest

Co-authors:  Rev Fr Vincent Martin Lucia/Rev Msgr Josefino Ramirez

"Peter, James and John witnessed the Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor. The whole world will witness the glorious transfiguration of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

It will have the exact opposite effect of the bombing of Nagasaki. At the transfiguration of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, there will be an explosion of divine energy which will release the power of His love and renew the face of the earth. Then the world will see Real Power! All will be made well. All will belong to His Heart. All will be  made one.

In the meantime, there are five graces we receive each time we visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. By His glorious wounds we are the ones who are transfigured and changed through His healing love.

Restoration, sanctification, transformation, reparation and salvation are the graces being poured out graciously upon us with each holy hour we make.

Like Peter... this is why we should exclaim in His Divine Presence,

'Lord, how good it is for us to be here!'"

"The Blessed Sacrament is the first and supreme 
object of our worship. We must preserve in the depths

of our hearts a constant and uninterrupted,
profound adoration of this precious pledge

of Divine Love." - St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier

Click here: The Cross is a Fruit-Bearing Tree – A Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent  (Msgr Charles Pope)