The Pat and Barb Verly family and their 5 children, in laws and grandkids along with many prayer warriors have been drawn together by John's cancer... sharing daily for 8 months started this blog- Family Soul Story - Our faith, family, farm and now our cancer journey called HEALING have colored and deepened our world. WE continue to share and depend on the support of our prayer warrior community, that has lowered us into the Lord's presence for His healing!
Here is one of Bernadette's attempts to walk on her 1 year 1 day of life... as you can see there are many toddlers there to complicate things and yet make it fun and exciting for all involved. You never know who is coming at you or who is jumping into the action.
Walking behind her birthday present from Aunt Ruth and family! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
Nancy with Bernadette in the sink - making her birthday cupcakes for the big family celebration with 4 generations over at Great Grandma Ann's house. That sink sure makes a nice spot for the little ones to be contained somewhat and close to mom while she works. Nancy spent time there herself! At breakfast this morning Nancy was holding and snuggling her sweet one year old girl, and she was commenting on how beautiful is her name- Bernadette! Yes, we told Bernadette that she has such a beautiful and rich name! When she can learn the story of this humble and poor girl, whom our Lady chose to come to over and over in a muddy grotto in France... she will get in touch with how amazing is her name in the story of the world and all the healings that are happening up to this day in Lourdes in the spring that miraculously appeared where she was told to dig in the dirt!
This reminded me of all the glorious Saints I am surrounded by each day with all my children, their spouses, and grandchildren! Nancy was drinking from a coffee cup with a picture of cousin Therese on it... Nancy started telling her daughter, as she reached for this little girl on the mug that at Christmas she will be paid huge attention and loved and kissed without end by this special cousin that loves all little ones and longs for a little sister! With these two wonderful Saints names ringing like bells all around me - Therese and Bernadette - two of the most amazing humble glorious Saints to model our lives after... it struck me that I have been blessed with all of these amazing Saints grandchildren - models of humility and Faith found and embraced without counting the cost! Simon, Mary, Therese, David, David - yes, two!, Agustine, Rose, Patrick, Bernadette, and Luke! So amazing!
Here is Luke in his new blanket that came in the mail from Maria and family - Therese stitched this sweet patch with The Lanoue family! So precious and sweet - we have been so touched by the depth of LOVE Therese has for all little ones as well as the poor! It is true that their namesakes are watching over them and bringing them ever to Jesus!
this might appear sideways... but it is little Bernadette in her cute cupcake jammies and interacting with the dogs outside the patio window... Grandma has to learn to turn her camera!
Jesus, it is such a gift to have these little ones instructing us in how we are called to LOVE and serve you with great humility! Jesus reminds us that we are given little slices of Heaven throughout our lives if we turn to HIM and His Bride, The Church. We can raise LIGHTS and the Saints that we are called to be- it is so wonderful to have such amazing models to help us on our way. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Rose and her new 2 week brother, Luke!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke!
"In spite of sufferings of body and soul, life brings unspeakable joys, fleeting glimpses of the ultimate JOY to come..." Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur
I am forgetting to upload the movies so now you will see the pictures and then the movie...
Dear Billy - wish you were here on the farm! It was great having you here after Luke was born. Now to have the Birthday girl here on her birthday - so fun! Hope you like this - Gus was in super cute form! Bless-bless, Barbara Luke and family
Bernadette knows that it is her special day today! She got up and was immediately put into a party dress to look the part of a one year old birthday girl! She got to have some plastic pretty colorful balloons to hold, and some grape juice in her birdie cup! She got a special stack of pancakes on a special plate and she watched brother decorate them with beautiful colored sugars. And then there were numerous rounds of Happy Birthday sung with the candle lit over and over, and brother practicing blowing it out. But most of all - all eyes were focused on her, and smiles and kisses and hugs and pancakes and grape juice in her hungry belly with a big to keep her from messing up her pretty dress until the rest of the party arrived to sing and laugh and clap... Yes, little Bernadette realized that today was special for her from the first moment she came down the stairs this morning!
"I am loved and this is a big day for me!" That glowing smile with the dimples showing is her way of saying this!
Bernadette watches her brother decorate her birthday stack of pancakes with some pretty sugar!
Gus adorable practice of Happy Birthday!
There is something so powerful and important of making those little ones we are given to LOVE to know that they are truly a beloved gift from God in our lives! This fosters a deep feeling of respect for all LIFE and knowing that ALL LIFE should be held precious and protected at all costs! It really strikes how far that is carried when you think of St Gianna giving up her own LIFE to give life to her 4th daughter! That is why she is called the Pro-LIFE Saint! There is no greater LOVE than to give up your LIFE to protect and give LIFE! Today the first ever Saint of the U.S. - St Francis Xavier Cabrini - a woman who never married yet devoted her life to the safety and upbringing of children by orphanages, schools and hospitals.
On her throne for the day - She knows that she is special and LOVED! How wonderful that she will have the first ever Saint of America - a wonderful woman to look to as she journies through LIFE! November 13 is a great day to be born and to celebrate your 1st birthday amidst the wind on the prairie and at the farm with your brother and cousins around you to celebrate! We want to share these most especially with dad, who is in Mexico on business, and we know he longs to celebrate, hug and kiss and sing to his little girl today!
Jesus, we thank you for the sanctity of LIFE - it is truly Holy to watch LIFE unfold before our eyes in the person of these little ones in our midst! We are given the privilege to protect and raise up LIGHTS in this world. It is a constant job of protecting and cherishing LIFE at all costs. Protect the new little LIFE in Nancy and give it all it needs to come into this world filled with health and happiness. Bless little Bernadette on this her birthday and St Francis watch over her and lend her some of your wisdom and compassion for those that are suffering or less fortunate than her. Be most especially with those suffering so horrifically in the Philippines this day after the huge devastating typhoon that killed and hurt so many and took away their humble homes. Although we know we are loved and forgiven unconditionally may we know that we are nothing without YOU, O Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
The Birthday crew made Bernadette know that she was special!!! Beloved of Family and Faith and Farm!
Bless-bless, Barb
"Stand up and go, your Faith has saved you." Jesus to the healed leper, who came back and "fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him." May we too fall at his feet and thank him with each new day and with for all the ways that He touches our LIVES!
Dave blowing out the candles with the happy group!
They are all off for some fun at the library here in town!
Danielle Rose - wonderfully made - Psalm 139! So special!
Gus came in from helping grandpa feed the cows in the cold, and found this catalogue in the mail full of equipment. He wanted grandma to read it to him! Well, I turned page after page and he told me that this combine was driven by Uncle Ed, and this was the scoop brum brum, and this was a hay bale, and that was a poop spreader. On and on... finally I came to the end and I told him to look at it himself... quiet was all I heard and I peeked over the couch to find this... sound asleep with it open in his lap. The last of the 3 to fall asleep!
Bernadette was the first in the front room in the play pen... worn out after playing/fighting over the same book with Rose for the morning.
Rose was next in her usual nest in grandma and grandpa's bed. How wonderful was that peaceful time with all 3 kids 2 and under asleep? It was truly a gift of special prayer with Our Lady as she observed the suffering and death of her Son - the sorrowful mysteries, as I prayed for each of my children, their families and Pat! Also many intentions that are attached to each of them on this journey called LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!
The three before naps - yes, Gus was crying about his snowsuit and then about wearing boots outside - he won that battle! All woke up in good moods after a nice nap! As did their grandma!
Snuggly sweet Rose after her nap likes to be close to grandma and snuggle! LOVE, love, and love! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
I know this is too cute for words!!! I am a bit frazzled today and I laughed so hard when I read this sharing from Nancy on her Small Things blog - I have nothing to complain about after seeing this... http://www.dosmallthingswithlove.com/2013/11/frazzled-mother.html I have been snapping so many pictures at Ruth's and here with the 3 - Nancy is here with her two and I have Rose here too. They all 3 have runny noses, and that is a full time job in itself. I thought I just had the two girls down for naps - but one has reemerged from the bedroom and is now playing and giggling - so much better than the bouts of tears that have happened on a regular basis! Gus did not like the idea of putting on a snowsuit we had hanging in the closet since John wore it outside in the cold weather...
This little farmboy in tears is now out happy and comfortable in the cold with grandpa.
He kind of got happy and smiled for grandma when she let his wear his farm shoes and not our boots. It is so frozen out there that he won't get his shoes dirty anyways. Well, he just came in and proved that wrong... muddy footprints to wipe up across the floor.
The pictures show some great and peaceful and super cute times today...now the two girls are sleeping and Gus is yet to take a nap. Jesus, thank you for the good times to give us the strength to get through the times of tears and hurts and messes and runny noses and all that comes with a day of 3 little ones to care for. This is minor in the scheme of LIFE and what some people have to face in the way of challenges physical, mental , emotional, spiritual... You are all we need as we discover that we are nothing without YOU, O Lord! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Yes, he's saying "NO!" to grandma about the boots - grandma let him wear his shoes and now they are coated with farm mud!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble... Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in LOVE: Because Grace and Mercy are with his Holy Ones, and his care with his elect." Wisdom 3:9
The first reading from mass today and tells us that we are being chastised only a little for our own good!
A picture of LOVE!
A picture of little Therese with her first grade homeschool books - a picture of a 5 year old girl being raised as a LIGHT!
