Just getting my feet wet after the tidal wave of Family/"As you enter a house, wish it peace."- Maria and Major Joseph move - +JMJ+

Minutes before Major Joseph and Maria and their 7 children took off down the road to Fort Leavenworth, KS. A 6 1/2 hour trip from our home to their new home on base!  WE are all so happy for them to safely on base and so close.  Hubby is talking about a visit there next week after they get a chance to get settled.  There is also our other nun daughter just 40 minutes from them, so we can visit 2 of our daughters and their families on one visit! 

I thought these words from the Gospel today spoke of this new chapter for our military family - The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;  Matthew 10

The 3 four year old boys with 3 of their sisters in the white t-shirt photo shoot.

I am so amazed and happy that it worked out to get all of our grandchildren together!  There is a new member - Lucy Marie, so we needed an update.  

Two in the youngest group that has now added Lucy - 2 year old Maggie and 1 1/2 year old Regina Maria.  Yes, grandma dressed them in pink with the white shirts.  Ruth's amazing cone flowers as a backdrop.

Yes, many prayers for safe travels for our military family as well as PEACE dwelling in their new home on base.  So happy that they will have the safety of life on base after living on the wrong side of the tracks in Charlottesville, VA while Major Joseph attended a year of Major college at Uof V.

Luke, Dominic and Romeo are all soon to be 9.  

Rose was 11 in May, Patrick will be in October and Bernadette will be in November.  

The 3 military girls - Therese is 15, Evangeline is 6 and Maggie is 2.  They have 4 brothers in amongst them.

The 11 granddaughters - they have really caught up to the boys in that out of our last 5 grandchildren 4 have been girls!  

the 3 boys that are in 6 weeks - Jude, Hector and George.

the 12 grandsons in the spot on Ruth's porch that shows the prairie landscape of pastures and soybean fields.  Tom just got up from a nap so he was sad.

The 3 buddy boys!  

They were told that they could get ice cream if they were good for grandma.  It worked!  

Birdie Barbara had to join as she is just a year behind the 3 boys including her brother, Jude.  

3 boys and the tractor tire 

Now with Birdie...

7 years ago 3 of our daughters were all expecting at the within months of each other.  Maria with Evangeline Mary, Ruth with Joy Jean and Nancy with Josephine Francis.  JoJo just turned 7 and the other 2 will join her in the next half year.  They are the sweetest.  Grandma spent lots of time in the pool with them.  I have the strangest mixture of emotions today - relief that I got through the meals and all that was needed including the fun in the pool.  And a sadness that comes from missing them already.  

Even the farm family left today on a 5 day vacation to Washington DC.  It is just hubby and I. 

LOVE the water wings and the colorful beach towels on the railing that speaks of the fun and work that the kids all have on the farm.  The visiting grands helped with the fair calves and goats.  Grandpa also made a super cool fort out of round bales in the shed for the boys.

The 4 babies including new Lucy Marie!  Tom just got up from his nap for the pictures and is sad.  Maggie looks concerned for her "Tommy."  She would ask about "Tommy" when she did not see him.  

They are just 6 months apart and then Gina is just a month younger than Tom - once again 2 years ago Ruth, Nancy, and Maria were all pregnant together!  What fun for the cousins to have their groups!  Lucy is a year younger than the rest, but soon will be running in circles around the table with the other 3! 

Tom is usually happy, but...

The 3 youngest girls - they do have white shirts on with the rest of the pink from grandma in her craziness when it comes to little girl's clothes especially!

A picture of love and life!  

Pool girls!  JoJo and Evie!

Grandpa would stop in from time to time for some grandkid time- he and 1 1/2 year old Gina by Ruth's beautiful garden.  Which reminds me I need to pick Ruth's and mine, and by the way hubby is asking for prayers for rain this evening!  Lord and Lady hear our prayer!  

The fort thanks to grandpa - "They should be outside playing and not on screens!"  They had sentries on the wall guarding the fort.  

The wall of bales in the dirt shed...

Two little girls eating green beans just off the plants - that's Fresh!!!  

Half a year apart in Ruth's beautiful garden - sunflowers are way over their heads!  

The boys put the girls in the cattle water tanks when they tried to come into their fort!  

Grandpa sharing a sandwich with the Tom and Gina, who are both 1 1/.2 

My turn!

Big meals for lunch and supper over at the farm!  

Berna and Pat on KP - Kitchen Patrol for those in the fort!  "I made them all those sandwiches and they still wouldn't let me play with them in the fort."  reported Bernadette later.

They put the boys to work covering the bale pile, and that night we got an inch of rain!  Thank you, Lord and Lady, and now send more.  As hubby says - "you never turn down rain this time of year.  Pray for RAIN!!!"

These two are just a month apart and sure had fun playing on Ruth's bed with grandma's glasses!  

So fun to see them enjoying each other!  

with all the grandchildren - 23 now since January when Lucy arrived.  Jude and Maggie are sad and Luke has a left in his mouth... a picture of LIFE which isn't perfect - when you are including 23 from eighteen to 6 months- it is very much LIFE!!!

The Alleluia today says it all that I wish for each of them!...

Alleluia Mk 1:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

One more for good measure... Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and Patrick with the 23

Maria and John with their littles - saying goodbye last night.  We all hope to get down there and see the 2 soon!  Pat is saying next week for he and I to go!  So excited to see their new base and home!  

Hector and Birdie with a goodbye hug!  

It was a great family time, and I feel as though I have faced a tidal wave of Faith/Family/Farm, so much to share and such wonderful blessings... today I am just sharing a bit and that is plenty indeed!  

The two Patricks heading to get on the 4 wheeler to bring to our place. 

Our last pancake breakfast before they headed out with a wish and a prayer for their new life on base in Kansas.  

Pat showing them his scars - badge of courage after farming for almost 70 years!  

Yes, watercolor time with Evie - a self portrait.

The 3 older girls in Michigan 12 years ago - how I miss our time there on the Inland Sea - Lake Michigan.  We now gather on the farm where the cousins can play and help with the chores too.  

And they are off!!  

A parting painting of the 3 girls with teddy the dog, baby kitten, and Snowball the cow.  Safe travels and bless-bless

Danielle Rose