The last visit with my mother a year ago, and she was so good!/prayer with John in the middle of the night- we are humbled before our Lord

I was away in PA when Simon and Mary led the singing at mass on one of the coldest Sundays of the year.  Yesterday when I was hoping to find Fr Denny's homily to listen to and take notes - I came across the mass and had the fun of listening to them including the applause at the end of mass in appreciation of these two wonderful young people sharing their talents in this way.  

Simon was 16 in September and Mary will be 15 in April - close in age and gifted with beautiful voices and willing to use them to give God the glory as mass!  I was sad that I missed their singing, so it was special to see them on the video of their mass.  

My mother a year ago on Leap year/Feb 29 after attending a funeral in Lindstrom.  Pat and I stopped in to see my parents in their Assisted living.  I had no idea that this would be the last time I would have a visit with my mother.  She was so very good that day!

A year ago -today was Feb 29th - Leap year!  We attended a funeral for a young man, who died after a long battle.  He was deeply in our prayers for a long time, and was a father to some of our family.  Pat and I attended and then stopped at my parents'.

A year ago with 5 of my 9 siblings at a family funeral.  

Always need more than one!  I have been focusing on the fact that we are rapidly approaching the day - March 16th when my mother died after a fall in the morning in their apartment and was dead 9 hours later.  Very quick and unexpected.

But with the end of February and beginning of March - I am recalling the last time I was in the home of my parents having a beloved visit with the two of them - looking so good and happy!

The reception and flowers that I took back for mom and dad to enjoy.

Beautiful voices and sharing our talents goes back to our Protestant days and beyond.  3 of my brothers and a sister sang at the funeral a year ago.  It was a beautiful tribute to Mike and his family.

The arrangement at my mothers and my brother, Jim, stopped in, too.  I was in there one other time as I spent a night with my dad before we had my mother's graveside service.  Yes, covid had struck with a vengence, but the staff were as devastated as we were to have our beautiful wonderful mother pass away in a day after falling in her apartment.

My siblings had gone to a lot of effort to make this like home with the familiar surroundings after living in St Croix Falls for 11 years.  It was hard for my mother to leave her home, but we knew that with winter coming that we could not continue with our around the clock 24/7 tag team living with them and caring for them.  I had midweek, and was so grateful for my precious time each week with my parents!

They only had this for their home from October till April when dad came to live with me for 6 months until his death on October 23rd.  He and mother were only apart for 7 months after being married for 70 years!

A gift to them after their years in Manistique, MI as deacon and wife.  She now is with me as dad had her here for those 6 months.  How I love to be graced by her beauty - a tie to my parents!

Pat went up to bring them to be with dad.  "They should be with me."  It was a special moment and one that showed us we with the help of hospice would go forward together for the duration.  

Mary crushing the head of the serpent is felt with each new day of praying through Mary to bring our needs to Jesus!

Dad knew how much pictures mean to me, and he indulged me when I asked for them.  Thank you, dad, these are most precious to me!  And now to have the honor of having them in my home as you and mother are both gone... I am truly the lucky one!

My award winning photo from a hospice photo contest - "Hospice allows patients and their families to walk peacefully into the sunset of their lives."  Ruth, John and Cody walking on beautiful beach at sunset about 15 years ago.

Dad and I with my special St Therese gifted me by my sister on the occasion of her anniversary - end of May 2020.  He was a good sport indeed.

Jim with my parents a year ago.  How they were blessed to have each other for 70 years!  So glad for this final visit with the 2 of them and how wonderful my mother was this day!

We brought them some of the funeral lunch...

I just found this from last year Ash Wednesday was much later on March 26th.  This year we did not get our cross, but had the ashes sprinkled on the top of our heads due to Covid...

I asked Pat to take this, and although I look awkward and silly - I cropped myself and dad out to have this gift of mom just a couple weeks before her death and looking so wonderful.  We had been through some rough patches with her dementia and depression, but she pulled herself up by the bootstraps when they moved into the Assisted Living in New Hope.

She would always rise and get herself dressed and be out across the hall for breakfast each morning, again at noon for lunch and 5p for supper.  She would smile at the others and look her wonderful self from the distance.  There was quite a shock through the place when she died in a day, and then my dad left to live with me and he joined her 7 months later.  They had appeared the picture of health... yes, they were 90 and 95, but it was quite a shock for the residents and the staff to lose them so quickly

The middle of the night with John as we overlap adoration times.  We share from the heart, and pray together and John adores His Lord in the monstrance.  We shared our struggles with lent penance.  I shared how I gave up one distraction and then found myself adding another rather than using my time well.  We decided that we might try to do the evening office on the phone as I used to do with dad after supper.  That would be a wonderful gift to me!

More snow and beautiful sunset with Our Lady of the snow.  

It is quite special that John and I shared how we are being humbled by our stumbling attempts as lent.  How special to share prayer in front of our Lord, make some fake plans to try to pray together instead, and then I am able to do the "litany of the family" - placing each one of both of our families one by one in the monstrance with Jesus!  Over 250!  So special as dad and I would pray for our family first and middle names every Monday and this is the first hour of Monday each week!  I know that dad is joining and smiling - let your LIGHT shine in the darkness!

Kind of deep in places...

I just was able to relisten to Fr Denny's homily from yesterday and took notes - it was full of so much!

The Transfiguration of Jesus strengthened the disciples.  Just as Jesus in The Transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ should give us strength to humble and selfless service.  

God is present and active in all the Sacraments - Jesus showing us the presence and action of God... Baptism - we become children of God and heirs of heaven.  Confirmation - we become the temple of the Holy Spirit strengthens us to live according to His plan for us.  "Love God first, and love everyone else for the sake of God."

6 years ago - my sister-in-law, Marge, who is responsible for my having my life here with my Most Cherished Cross - Patrick!  Pat's mother was on hospice 

Happy Birthday, Raterra!  

Jesus, we want to love you more and more.  Humbly we kneel down before you and ask that we may die to self so that you may live in us.  May we forgive as we have been forgiven unconditionally.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen

Mom a year ago... I talk to her daily and she smiles so warmly at me.  Dad and I found great comfort as she joined us for meals from her sunny window ledge.  Bless-bless, Barbara