The Pat and Barb Verly family and their 5 children, in laws and grandkids along with many prayer warriors have been drawn together by John's cancer... sharing daily for 8 months started this blog- Family Soul Story - Our faith, family, farm and now our cancer journey called HEALING have colored and deepened our world. WE continue to share and depend on the support of our prayer warrior community, that has lowered us into the Lord's presence for His healing!
"Watch!" - Dad shows me how/Advent begins with JOY and family and cows all around/Thanksgiving family time
A parting group shot of Pat and I with part of the 8 grandkids that shared an afternoon and evening together including 2 meals, time at the park, riding bikes, and watching Home Alone 2 followed by ice cream bars. All in all a very special extension of Thanksgiving as Nancy was unable to come our way, so 2 days later we went to see them.
The entire crew as we brought the 3 middle kids from the farm... we have found that going up and back in the same day is very doable and that way we sleep in our own beds and get up and share our 8a mass followed by our wonderful Sunday brunch!
Little 1 1/2 year old George hardly ever left his grandpa's lap. He cried and reached his arms out for him when he left.
He did come over to sit on grandma's lap and show me his one year old book... Nancy makes a book for each birthday for her kids. How they love to look at them over and over. 4 year old ine is showing grandpa her 4 books - one for each new year.
Grandpa and George even painted together... very thick and covered the whole paper.
Ruth and Paul were busy while we were away... not only did they go caroling with the piano in the back of the pickup, but they did the lights all around the roofs and the porch and it was quite the sight to return home to! There plenty of Christmas lights already up on our trip and got you really in the mood for the Big First Sunday of Advent this morning!
The first candle on the Advent wreath lit with a beautiful prayer as Fr Denny lit it! So special to have him here officiating at mass this morning with Deacon Ken.
16 year old Simon has the job of placing the Sunday sweets on a big platter. They have installed a door bell that they can push when they want Simon to appear from his room up stairs. So smart and cuts down on the yelling up the stairs. I certainly recall doing that myself in this same house for his mother, her sisters and brother. Simon gives me such sweet smiles with his sweet tray, and grandma loves that soft happy look!
So stunningly beautiful!!! Joy shares the JOY of the beautiful Christmas stocking her mother did with hours of needle work back at the time of her birth... in time for her first Christmas - this is now her 3rd and the excitement is now shared by her with her 5 siblings! Behind her in the bright sun is our Sunday breakfast table with the Advent wreath lit on this first Sunday with the candle of HOPE!
Ruth's beautiful open floor plan of her old farm house! This used to be our bedroom and the kitchen on the other side of the house. Ruth knew that she wanted to be able to view the yard from her "command station" sink!
Today they arrived home to the cows out all over the yard! "Good thing I hadn't mowed for a few weeks, because they were all on my grass eating and very easy to round up and get back in the yard!"
How do you get Simon to relax and give a happy smile?... have him pose with his art work called Sweet Roll Tray. We love sharing our Love for Jesus and His Church which we join together to worship and adore... by joining as a happy family around Ruth's beautiful table!
Yes, Ruth made a work of Art for each of her 6 children. Each Christmas she also makes a nativity ornament for her children and Godchildren... a wonderful idea has come to her! She will incorporate these works of art and beauty into a tree skirt for each one to take with them into their own homes someday. Ruth is a master at thoughtful beautiful home made gifts for many over the years. She started with hundreds of afghans to all!!! Learning at the feet of her wonderful Grandma Ann, and carrying it forth!
Praying out on the porch with dad while he watched the cows around our red barn. The afghan is one the Ruth made for my parents on the lake. He used it with comfort from his home and from Ruth with love! I returned it to her now that he is gone.
Praying with the cat rubbing my toes and dad covered up with his blanket hug of Ruth's afghan.
The tree planted in their new landscaping now has Christmas lights on it... the cows back in the pasture, and trying to get out of the cold raw wind today.
Advent table set for our sharing of JOY and PEACE! Outside the pasture full of our cows.
Kids inside and cows outside as we prepare our Sunday joyful meal...
Ruth's command station with the fruit preparers... grandpa, grandma and Joy went and got fruit, yogurt, rolls, and drink and we come home and quickly the willing crew has it on the table.
The readings today on this First Sunday of Advent were great, and filled with us always "Watching and being vigilant and ready for our Lord to come! As Father was preaching and speaking about how we are to watch and not fall asleep to the task. I thought of my dad and how he prayed every day - we did our work and were good for one another to keep us at the task! Then remembering how Fr Denny came about a week and a half before he died and heard his confession and Anointed him... so powerful to have those two Sacraments so very close to his passing... he was definitely "watching and waiting with great vigilance for his leaving this world and seeing the Lord face to face.
Now the Christmas tree! The kids gathered around to put the top in place after they had moved some sections of the couch so that it could shine forth from the big huge picture window!
Oh, the joy and happiness of having a house full of siblings - so much better than things! There is on comparison from having brothers and sisters to having stuff!
One more because it is a picture of sharing in the excitement and beauty of Advent
I need to go and at least get my Advent wreath out... it looks like either Pat or I are going along with John to Rochester for his yearly MRI. His wife is unable so suddenly we are needing to be his companion. Things are so different now with covid - only one of us can go into Mayo, and it just reminds us of this messed up world we are in these days.
A picture that says a lot! Thanksgiving is stretched out this year and in many places as long as you can spend time with family and be thankful for that. Also that hubby Pat is between times on the farm - done with harvest and a while till calving. So let's go places and do things! And foremost is times with our family here and there... KC, Tacoma, Delano, and Marshall! Bless-bless, Barbara
Now the Christmas tree! The kids gathered around to put the top in place after they had moved some sections of the couch so that it could shine forth from the big huge picture window!
Oh, the joy and happiness of having a house full of siblings - so much better than things! There is on comparison from having brothers and sisters to having stuff! 
A picture that says a lot! Thanksgiving is stretched out this year and in many places as long as you can spend time with family and be thankful for that. Also that hubby Pat is between times on the farm - done with harvest and a while till calving. So let's go places and do things! And foremost is times with our family here and there... KC, Tacoma, Delano, and Marshall! Bless-bless, Barbara
First Sunday of Advent - HOPE!
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