Treasure box summer

Treasure box is a part of my mother's story we are reading this summer in Michigan.  Mary found a small plain box in a local Treasure City, and had a great time making her box according to the way that Suz had decorated her box with the clam shells, and a small watercolor painting of the Lake on the lid.  She has some treasures in it already.  These are great shared times for grandma and her Mary.  I think my mom is quite thrilled that we are doing this project here on the Lake - 3 generations of those with memories of times on Lake Michigan.  I am sitting here at the table with the door open to the cool air and the sound of waves as that wonderful sound of the Lake.  How that lulls me to a peaceful sleep at night.  I don't need my fan to use for white noise here.

Beautiful Michigan girl in her homemade shell necklace and bracelet made my her aunt Nancy.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

My husband should be here to be with us tomorrow.

 

And they are off!!!

Dad's carrying the two girls back from the lighthouse last night.  The mom's already miss their help with the little ones... they were just 10 minutes down the road and they wanted to hand off a crying Rose to her dad!  Grandma just had so much fun with her with the kitties in her room and with Rose on the sink while I brushed my teeth and washed my face.  She is like a one of my little girls looking up at me.  It knocks my socks off to have my girls over again!

The 4 Lanoues hugging dad goodbye - Rose in the middle getting squished and letting the world know.  I know dad will miss the love and time with the kids, but probably not the loud outbursts of Rose... she can be so sweet too! 

Bill says that he loves it here, and he had a very close time with the two kids.  Gus cried when daddy left this morning, and that touched his dad in the depths of his heart! 

John had a wave of kids wash over him too!  Waves on the lake and waves of LOVE/LIFE/LIGHT as family time abounds on the Big Lake!

It was a good week with the dads and now for a week with the granddad!  How he loves family time and has lived off the knowledge that we are having a wonderful time together.  The girls will miss their husbands, yet they know that a week was enough and now they need to get back to their jobs.  It is so special to see how the kids have thrived on having their dads with them and taking special time with them individually as well as at times with the whole crew.  David wanted to go home with his dad, and Gus cried to see his dad, who held him close during the "BOOMS"/fireworks.  It was very heartwarming to see them bond so much as his strong loving daddy protected him from those loud bright scary things in the sky.  It really was a model of fatherhood to watch these wonderful men loving and caring for their children.  And now to watch the champion for LIFE here to love and cherish the LIFE he is responsible for bringing into this world!  Not only that but to promote the respect and openness of LIFE in his children.  The knowledge of the Truth has been passed on from father to daughters and son.  WE are forever blessed by LIFE!

Bill saying good bye to the two girls...

Bill at the lighthouse with his two little ones - "I love it here.  It was a good week!"  We love you too dads!  You remind us of how wonderful a family can be.  Jesus, thank you for your love for us, and how that is reflected in a family that brings LIFE and LOVE and LIGHT into our world.  May we embrace our Most Cherished Cross and find LIFE everlasting.  Jesus, we trust in YOU and boast of your Cross.  We find great JOY in leaving ourselves behind and finding your Spirit there to fill us with your Truth.  Amen and Halleluia

Arms full of LIFE, and blessings.

Bless-bless, Barb

The three in Texas on the 4th - they were in Texas with their dad too!  "Nothing can replace the family!" from Moonstruck

 

A crazy family night before the dads go home

Mass, supper, and a walk out to the lighthouse is our tradition the night before the dads go home.  It just got crazy late tonight with the little ones - three of them 2 and under!    We laughed that it could have rivaled National Lampoon Vacation with the scene we had at supper with crying tired babies.  Rose decided that she liked to walk out to the lighthouse between mom and dad and we did get the sibs to walk along for a while.

 A fairly good family picture out at the Lighthouse is our reward after the craziness we endured at supper.  All except Rose went back in to the fireworks in town at dark. 

Some of Billy and his kids on the steps leading up to the lighthouse.  Daddy will be busy with work at home, but will miss you this week!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

John getting some time with Simon and Mary on the way back from the lighthouse.  Family time will be different this week with grandpa here.

Siinging and dancing at the Big Lake - St Maria Goretti, pray for us!

Rose has discovered a love for the big waves rolling in at the edge of the water.  She starts down there on her own, and soon mom and dad are there to hold her up and make sure that they don't carry her away or wash over her.  They try to bring her back on the beach and she wants to turn around and go  back !  This last day with the dads has turned into one filled with the sweet voices of children, as Simon goes from one Christian song to anther, and Mary follows his lead.  They are just a year apart in the Catholic School, and so they learn the same songs for the Christmas program and Spring concert.  Their voices are a delight and such uplifting words too!  Then after the coffee table was moved to valcumn up the sand that gets tracked in... the dance began!  We found some Spanish music - "No wonder the Mexican people are so happy!" said Nancy as the kids - including Rose bouncing on her knees and Simon being a robot danced gleefully.  Dad even got Rose up on her feet!  Will she walk in the next week?  We know that grandpa will work hard at it...

The Joyful gleeful dance with the dads!  The sun is shining brightly once again as we fill every minute of this last day with dads and John o the brim with happy sounds and activity!  I am full of great happiness with the times shared visiting, holding, feeding, kissing, hugging, dancing, praying, eating with, rocking with, cleaning up after, ( I can't say cooking for, because my girls have done all the cooking so far!  This is wonderful!), walking in the water of the Big Lake Michigan, and, of course, taking those wonderful pictures of my kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids!  Today Jesus reminds us that there are times when we celebrate with great JOY as the Bridegroom is with us.  When we gather to spend relaxing time with family at our paradise vacation home - we are feeling his many blessings pouring upon us!  The Bridegroom is with us and we play and dance and sing and visit and swim and go to parades... we do not fast while on a family vacation! 

We spent some time with Maria, Joe and their three of facetime last evening.  What JOY to share all gathered around them!  We were all together for a short time!  They even carried the camera out to the deck so that they could see the Lake and hear the waves - they oooohed and aHHHHed at the sight and sound!   I had tears running as we said goodbye, yet there was talk that next year they will come with us!  What JOY if they could walk in the door with Pat in a few days... I have not given up all hope yet.

Therese showed us her wonderful drawing, writing and reading, and Mary showed her the treasure box and that it came from Great Grandma's story we are reading.  How wonderful it was to have them here with us for that half hour of laughing and sharing.  So special to know that today is St Maria Goretti's feast day!  She is one of the favorite ones of my kids growing up.  Here is a reminder of her special gift to all young people to save yourself for marriage.
Feastday: July 6
Patron of youth, young women, purity, and victims of rape
1890 - 1902

"Born in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy, on October 16 1890; her farmworker father moved his family to Ferrier di Conca, near Anzio. Her father died of malaria and her mother had to struggle to feed her children.

In 1902 an eighteen-year-old neighbor, Alexander, grabbed her from her steps and tried to rape her. When Maria said that she would rather died than submit, Alexander began stabbing her with a knife.

As she lay in the hospital, she forgave Alexander before she died. Her death didn't end her forgiveness, however.

Alexander was captured and sentenced to thirty years. He was unrepentant until he had a dream that he was in a garden. Maria was there and gave him flowers. When he woke, he was a changed man, repenting of his crime and living a reformed life. When he was released after 27 years he went directly to Maria's mother to beg her forgiveness, which she gave. "If my daughter can forgive him, who am I to withhold forgiveness," she said.

When Maria was declared a saint in 1950, Alexander was there in the St. Peter's crowd to celebrate her canonization. She was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950 for her purity as model for youth.

She is called a martyr because she fought against Alexander's attempts at sexual assault. However, the most important aspect of her story is her forgiveness of her attacker -- her concern for her enemy extending even beyond death. Her feast day is July 6. St. Maria Goretti is the patroness of youth and for the victims of rape."

May we learn to forgive as Jesus taught us, St Maria, and as you also forgave as Jesus did.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"Halleluia! Praise the name of Yahweh, you who serve Yahweh, praise him"

Psalm 135:1

The psalm from mass today!  We are truly experiencing this as a family at the Lake!

Dance for great JOY!  "Hail Holy Queen enthroned above... O Maria.  Triumph all ye cherubim, sing with us ye Seraphim.  Heaven and Earth resound the hymn.  Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina!  Saturdays are also dedicated to our Mother, Mary Most Holy.  She brought JOY and LIFE into the world - the world needs LIGHTS! 

 

 

 

"Go and learn the meaning of these words, I desire mercy not sacrifice." Jesus today in Matthew 9

Lots of family time with wonderful dads spending a solid week with their children!  That is a beautiful part of vacation with our family.  At times we feel like we are in very close quarters here, yet it is good for us to be thoughtful and caring towards one another... this is a constant reminder when the kids start to get crabby with each other.

Mary working on her treasure box from Treasure City...  We are reading a story by my mother called Treasures, and a treasure box with a message of "all will be good."  Mary has been doing illustrations as I read it aloud to all here.  Some are walking in and out, others are fussing, and some are listening.  It is a micro picture of LIFE - some are catching parts, some are unhappy and complaining, some are taking it to heart and growing from it. As I was reading the Gospel this morning we puzzled bit about the words of Christ to us about how He desires "Mercy not sacrifice."  But when we read morning prayer from the office it was explained in Psalm 51 - "My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble repentant heart."  Psalm 51:17  We have been shown unconditional mercy, O Lord.  We are undeserving and that means that we are humbled of spirit!  Coming to you, O Lord on bended knee - Jesus, we are shown the JOY of showing mercy by Your Mercy towards us! 

An armload of kids in the swing on a beautiful morning once again!  Glorious weather one day after another - blessings upon our gathered family!

A up North tradition is shell necklaces - thanks, Aunt Nancy!

May we be merciful as we are shown Mercy!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

Soon to the beach for some hours in sun and sand. 

 

 I borrowed this from Danielle Rose this morning on FB  with this line along with it...

"Imagine the explosion of joy in heaven when Jesus won our freedom... "

 

A very happy 4th - wonderful fireworks on the beach - thanks neighbors!

Ruth whipped up this yummy flag cake - pretty much gone at supper.  So good and extra sweet with my two red white and blue girls - Mary and Bernadette.  Bernadette got her first tooth today, and smiled through the whole thing!  Pretty soon you can have a piece of cake too, Birdy!

The sun came out after a cloudy windy day, so we got some fun in the waves at the public beach!  Little Rose just loved the waves and having both mom and dad with her - the Best! 

Campfire as we wait for the neighbor's fireworks - super great!!!  Happy 4th of July one and all!  Jesus, we trust in YOU, and thank you for this time with family in this great country of ours.   Bless-bless, Barb

Sand castle supreme with the work crew...

Helping? mom make the flag cake - Rosie gets to like the mixers clean with big brother, Simon! 

Mom, Rose, and Dad a loving sandwich...

Fun painting on the beach tonight - it was too sweet and special to not try to capture.