Thursday, February 16, 2023

A heartfelt hug from John - "Thanks for having 12, mom, I was #9!"/Thinking as God does - +JMJ+

A day old Lucy Marie with her dad, big sister and grandpa Pat.  She is now 5 weeks old and changing by the day.  We have been seeing a lot of our Verly family since Lucy has arrived!  John is always very sweet about all the losses I experienced in my childbearing years yet I did not throw in the towel... I had all the babies the Lord had in his plan for me - 7 are in heaven and 5 are here taking me ever deeper in my Faith journey!  
First official family picture on day 1.
The flannel men and the new LIFE!  My hubby is my champion for LIFE and family!  He set the theme or motto that our family lives by - Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!

The story is that even I was getting confused at our Engagement weekend. When all the other couples were appalled that we wanted to "have 12 kids!"  Every single other couple only wanted at most 2 and said that it was such a awful world to bring any children into!  Turning to my husband, he did not hesitate one second - "The world needs lights!"  was his wise and wonderful response to me!  It took all the questions away!  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: Our marriage stories - "The world needs LIGHTS!" 

The 4 older girls in snow suits picture taken just before we moved to our farm in 1986.  I had a loss when Susan was 8 months old along with my 28 year old sister, Mary, dying from Lymphoma cancer.  I named him Thomas as she passed on July 3rd his Feast day.  I than lost another pregnancy which they saw 2 sacks -so I call them 2 and named them Joseph and Paul.  All boys - I was convinced that I couldn't carry boys!  
She was born on the day that the Paralytic was the Gospel and that reading was huge for John in his battle against brain cancer 14 years ago - it began on Father's Day 2009!  I turned to Pat and said; "The paralytic just had his 3rd child!"  It makes you put a real face on this man healed and asked to take up his mat and go home.  John too found his Faith through brain cancer!

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: John's cancer stories 

John's Spirit Juice Video about his healing and passion to share with all that Jesus is real and healing in the world still!  His story continues now with wife and children!  

Pregnant with Susan/Hallel in Basilica for the wedding of one of my siblings.  I had a loss between my two oldest, 2 after Susan, and 3 after John.  

Gathered around Lucy - our 23rd grandchild!

We recently shared our family brunch after mass, and as John was leaving he gave me a huge hug realizing that at #9 pregnancy that most would have thrown their hands up and called it quits.  "You were pretty far down, John." I said as he tearfully gratefully hugged me - that I continued to Trust and Be Open to LIFE!  

John celebrating his 34th birthday recently.  When I ponder what the world would have missed with no John, and I personally would have lost without him in my life!  In his cancer battle - he taught the world how to pray and to meet Jesus as he LIVES today and heals and loves and dwells within us!  
Bobbi and now 3 beautiful wonderful kids!  Such a masterpiece of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  
I have to share the miraculous story of Bobbi praying for her future husband, John Verly, for 10 years!

After being classmates for all 13 years for them to come together 10 years after graduating is kind of special.  She shared to the 300 family and friends gathered at the reception in her sweet humble way about how John Verly popped into her head and heart when they were seniors in HS as her future husband.  Time and time again the same answer came to her through prayer and roses from St Therese and opening her eyes to see him right in front of her at WYD in Australia... When we consider what John experienced over those 10 years... brain cancer, seminary, girl friends, ups and downs and how disheartening it probably was and how powerful her prayers were for him!!!!  Amazing!!!   And how patient and trusting and prayerful and waiting and praying for John, this sweet girl was!

The prayers of Bobbi!!!!  So powerful!!!!  "He isn't going to die from cancer, because I am going to marry him!"  
Lucy smiling at that!  
The best!!!  "Cheese!"
So blessed to pray together in the middle of the night with John!  He has the last hour of Sunday and I have the first hour of Monday!  We share from our hearts and then take it to prayer!  The words of the Gospel today remind me that we are called to "Think as God does" not as man/Satan.  Very much how we share what would Jesus do?
We always close our prayer with the Hail Holy Queen - how we share a deep LOVE for Mary to Jesus!  


Salve Regina - Hail Holy Queen as The Community of the Lamb sings it!  LOVE!  

John with his baby girl on Super Bowl Sunday... Tom just is up from his nap, so I need to call this good.
Jesus, we thank you for LIFE here and keeping our eyes on heaven forever with you!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 34 plus hundreds of Little Brothers and Little Sisters!




Danielle Rose - the Saint that is just me - the song I will use for my Talk at TEC - Church, people of God which includes the Saints, and we are all called to become saints ourselves!  






 

No comments:

Post a Comment