Pinch me... I must be dreaming!

On the beach today surrounded by so much beauty that I had taken so many pictures that my camera had to recharged by lunch time... the lake and sand and sky and sea gulls flying above in the beautiful blue sky with white puffy clouds... but the real dreamy part and what got me snapping my camera over and over was the wonderful fact that I was on the beach in Michigan on the inland sea... with all 6 of my grandkids!  Nancy had little 6 week Gus in her front carrier, and the other 5 were all having a great time getting a Geology lesson from Nancy and I...  we have always had a passion for fossils, and now that the kids are older and more interested in learning new things we found ourselves in the midst of a wondrous lesson about life that lived in the large sea that covered much of the earth 450 million years ago!  We walked down to a huge rock shelf and found fossils everywhere... there would be a shout of glee as another one was discovered and we would gather around and oooh and aaah!  The ancient snail shells called Gastropods were the biggest hits...

We are so happy to have the newest member of our family here to discover Michigan for the first time!  He is a delight to share the beauty of God's creation with such a beautiful new creation of human life!  All of this world and the people in it show us the love and truth that there IS A GOD!  There can be no doubt when you look at the wonder of all LIFE!

Bless-bless, Barb

"Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love endures for ever."  Pslam 107

Jesus, we trust in you and love you!

In 2 hours... I will see them and hold them!

5 weeks ago after a hopeful week that Maria had not miscarried her pregnancy, we sadly found out that she had lost it, as the ultrasound showed that the baby that had been there a week earlier was now gone.  The next morning she climbed into her car with her 18month old and 3 year old to return to her husband in Missouri.  The car ride was rough alone... little 1 1/2 year old Dave figured out how to get out of his seat, so there was numerous pull overs to get him safely back into his seat, until he finally gave up.  So when she just discovered that Joe would be away at training for the week... the thought of the drive to Michigan to be with her sisters, mom and nephews and neice was too much to consider.

She agreed to a flight...  well, the storm that sent us off in Minnesota last night moved on to the Chicago airport and delayed her flight.  I just talked to her and she will be here hopefully in 2 hours!  She describes running across the airport in Chicago with two kids and luggage..."They both wanted to be carried, and I had not checked any bags, so I had all that too.  I got there in time, only to find out that it has been delayed two hours!"  Well, with Ruth's laptop now working here in the waiting area, and I feel a nap coming on... I should be fine until I see their smiling faces and have them in my arms!

Our arms have been empty for 5 weeks, and it will be a joy to share the week with our little family minus their dad, who is gone on a training mission.  He was telling Pat yesterday about how happy he is in the .  "I love the physical part of the job, and like I am doing something good for people."  We have heard that he made a huge impression in boot camp... he was the one at the head of the column carrying the flag and yelling all the way as they ran!  We all say that this is not a surprise and we can so see Joseph doing this... He gives his all!

Big Dave is super excited to see Baby Dave and his wonderful Therese.  Dave will be 3 in a week, and Therese only beat him there by 3 months!  Being the same age means a lot to the two of them, and they are very close and loving.  Grandma also brought along her watercolors and lots of paper so that the girls big and little and probably the boys too, can paint many masterpieces!  There is something about being up at the BIG LAKE to bring out the artist in me!

Jesus, they say that absence makes the heart grow stronger... how I had been longing this last week to see my little family, and now with a few glitches we are to be together soon... Thank you for answering my heartfelt wish and hope and prayer!  Safe travels please for all those that are coming together with family this summer.  Jesus, we trust in you!  Amen and Halleluia!

Bless-bless, Barb...5 weeks ago I was cooling my toes in the water tank, while checking the cows for heat.  Now I am cooling my toes at the airport in Green Bay while Maria and family are on their way surrounded by angels in \the air!

A few days ago it was the feast day of wonderful Maria Goretti...

Official Prayer to St. Maria Goretti

Oh Saint Maria Goretti who, strengthened by God's grace, did not hesitate even at the age of twelve to shed your blood and sacrifice life itself to defend your virginal purity, look graciously on the unhappy human race which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation. Teach us all, and especially youth, with what courage and promptitude we should flee for the love of Jesus anything that could offend Him or stain our souls with sin. Obtain for us from our Lord victory in temptation, comfort in the sorrows of life, and the grace which we earnestly beg of thee (here insert intention), and may we one day enjoy with thee the imperishable glory of Heaven. Amen.

A big adventure starting with a storm...

As the thunder storm is brewing outside, and reports are coming from Pat in Marshall that it was there a while ago... we are working out the details of how we are going to get everyone there and picked up at the airport and getting 6 grandkids and 3 of my daughters along with grandma to the BIG LAKE!

Now with the parents.. 5 of the 6 great grandsons gathered today at the Verly pool party.  Two sets of twins and Gus and all boys... there was one that couldn't make it who lives on an island off of Seattle.  I had to miss the fun in the sun as I worked in the nursing home, packed and headed up to the Cities.  But it is fun to have these to smile about!

The great grandkids are getting older and the numbers are mounting!  Now with 6 new ones in the last 6 months... it is a crew!  I will have all 6 of mine in Michigan tomorrow and for the week!  There is a chance that the dads and John could get there for the weekend.  That would be a wonderful gift for us too!  Nothing can replace the family.  Thank you God for this little slice of heaven on earth.  With the sugar sand and the inland sea called Lake Michigan... we feel that we are on some beautiful get away.
Jesus, please protect all from this storm especially those that are farming the land and their livestock. and of course keep all people safe!  Jesus, we trust in you!  Bless-bless, Barb

"Am I good soil?"

At steaming hot mass last night... Fr Paul, the elder - we now have 3 Fr Pauls here in our cluster churches... asked us to reflect on our lives as the parable of the sower and the seed asks us... are we being the Good soil where the seed is planted and takes root and produces much fruit.  Very good to consider and hope and pray for and work hard to make true - pulling the weeds, watering and taking the harvest and making it into all the good food that our family needs and loves as well as feeding the world - we are big farmers also, so it must be taken to this next step too!

The sky is a continual artistic joy for me... Well, after putting in a Sunday at the nursing home today - Sundays always have Church going on and are just more relaxed and hopefully more manageable.  The same amount of medications are given, but it just seems to be different in intensity and better for me.  Sundays and worship do make a difference.  I even manage sometimes to go to mass with a lady, who can only go with supervision.  I hope and pray that it can work out today, Jesus.

I spent the afternoon with sweet 6 year old Simon a few days ago while mom had to go work at the hospital as wound care nurse.  He was hard at work making a feris wheel out of some building connectors.  We are to share the next week together in Michigan on the beach of the big lake!  I am off on a huge adventure with family... Ruth and family, Nancy and Gus and even Maria is flying in to Greenbay to spend a week at the lake with all of us along with her two kids, Therese and David!  It all fell into place, and I had to call my mom and tell her the joy of having all my grandkids at the lake with us!  The kids love the sugar sand and the big clean water to cool off in and enjoy day after day!  And I love to be with them!

As I was taking pictures of Simon.. he folded his hands and launched into a sharing of how Jesus died for us!  It was quite wonderful from a grandmother's perspective... Sweet wonderful Simon shared his deep faith and knowledge of his faith with his kindergarten class and his teacher shared that she would miss having Simon share his love and knowledge of Mary and Jesus!  Weekly mass is a gift to the heart of a child and sharing that with your family is a beautiful gift of family love and unity!  I will rush back from Michigan in a week with my son in law, and the next day jump on a plane in Sioux Falls to fly to France with Pat and John!  Hallel is taking her first vows and we will be there to support her and share in this deep and amazing step for her.

Much like a wedding to take your first vows.. we know that the final will be coming in about 5 years, but this is a huge committment and telling us that she has found her place to live out her life with Christ as his spouse!  Jesus, we trust in you!

John visits Gus...

John is very happy that his sisters are open to life and have neices and nephews that he can grow to love.  He has a special attachment to Augustine as this is the name of his patron saint.  He is lives the closest to him when he is working and living at his Fraternity on the ST Paul campus of the U of M.  So when he wants some family time... he invites himself over for dinner and an occassional overnight here and there, and it looks like he gets some time with little Gus too.  It appears that 6 week old Gus thinks that Uncle John is a nice comfy place to stretch out and relax after filling up on milk from mom.  From what Nancy says... he likes to nurse for half an hour every hour and a half around the clock.  No wonder he is growing before our very eyes!  "I like nursing, but it is a bit like I am his pacifier." reports Nancy.  It seems like you are tied down now, but it will all change so quickly as he grows and changes so much in these first 6 months.  Enjoy each and every minute of your precious little one!  Jesus, we trust in you!

Satuday and Mary Most Holy

Not only is it Mary's day as all Saturdays are devoted to her, but it is also another Augustine feast day - St Augustine Zhoa Rong and companions are honored today.  They are Catholics from China, who were martyred for their faith.  Augustine Zhoa Rong was a priest, who was killed in 1815 along with 29 priests and 6  bishops.  Blessed John Paul II canonized 120 Catholics and foreign missionaries martyred from 1648-1930.  Gus will have yet another holy and influencial man to look up to with his amazing name.

It is a beautiful thing to name a child after a saint in the Church, and it was something they felt very strongly about to name their first son, Augustine.  They had been married on the feastday of St Augustine - August 28, and had known what a great saint that he was and continues to be in the Church.  He happens to be John's patron saint - with the encouragement of his sisters... John chose St Augustine for his patron saint and guide through life.  Realizing that he is the "doctor of grace" and thanks to the neverending prayers of his mother, ST Monica, he had a huge conversion in his life... leaving behind a life of sin to become a bishop and huge leader in the Church.  He wrote many amazing things including his life story for all to ponder and learn from.

It is such that John was disappointed that they took Augustine and just like I have two grandsons named David... well, time will tell.  It is a beautiful and powerful name and will lead Gus into some deep thought and prayer in his lifetime - of that I am confident!  Your parents love you, Augustine, and wished for you to have amazing saints to be with you on this journey called life.  There is no doubt of that fact.

Gus in his baptismal outfit that both his grandfather and father wore... looks like a boy from the past, and his saintly heritage ties him to those that have gone before and are now in heaven praying for us and interceding for us with the Lord, for whom many of them gave their life and their all!  It gives children so much to name them after the amazing saints that we honor and love, and have helped us along in our ups and downs of life. 

Many of you are aware of Maria's considering religious life - she lived with the Poor Clares for 5 months asking God to show her his plan for her.  It was not to stay with them, and then she met and married Joseph and they have two children.  Her oldest, they named Therese after the saint that had powerfully touched her - ST Therese of Lisseux.  She had read her book - The Story of a Soul - on the way to study in Rome for a year, and this had given her the strong wish to check out a cloistered order.  It was very powerful and ST Therese is huge in the way that Therese has been raised with discipline to make her a sweet and giving child,who has not been indulged!  So good for her and eternal soul!

I must be off to work, but am filled with great joy in my heart at the beauty of life and how we are given tools to assist us in raising lights for the world!  Jesus and your Mother, Mary Most Holy... thank you for showing how a holy family should be filled with love and service one for the other.  Give us the strength to fill the world with lights that can bring the world to YOU!  Jesus, we trust in you!  Amen and Halleluia!

Bless-bless, Barb

"Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. "

                                                                  Saint Augustine

"You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love at which we do them."  St Therese of Lisseux