Our Lady of the fort/tummy time/dog walk/family rosary/"A clean heart create for me, O God"

The 6 gathered together on the couch for our family rosary.  Evangeline wants to be hands on...

This little guy likes to be a part of all our family times!  He quietly shared the family rosary with us,  and...

She moved to the rocker to keep some space between her baby brother and the others... too close for comfort.

Today in the readings we are reminded that Jesus is right there to forgive us and in return  we are to forgive those around us... most especially those closest to us in our domestic Church/family!  Verse Before the Gospel Jl 2:12-13

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart
for I am gracious and merciful.Prayer as a family is so important to share our faith and to lift up our needs.  "Hail Mary, full of grace."  It amazes me how the kids all know in great detail about the mysteries we pray.  The Sorrowful were described in such powerful detail that we really joined with the suffering                                        The doctor at his 5 day checkup mentioned that we can start tummy time. Today he was a champ.. eyes wide open, turning his head from side to side, and trying to lift up his bottom off the floor with his legs.  Amazingly happy and strong!  Ever since Patrick tummy time has been important to the little ones in this family!  Looking at his sister from his tummy...  A precious Our Lady that Therese made from a branch outside and painted... Mom suggested that she sit in the window of the log cabin/fort they are building in the back yard as Our Lady of the Fort.  Our Faith follows us everywhere we go!  Never without Jesus, His Mother, the Saints and Angelsand The True Church!  Therese is the poster girl for baby love!Jesus, we recognize our need for you to help us find forgiveness and a newness of heart so that we may die to self and allow your Spirit to dwell in us, and we may give without counting the cost to those the closest to us in our family/domestic church.  We find it the hardest to forgive those we love the most.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, BarbDog walk happens 3 times a day around here.  Princess obliges kind of...

Such a gift from above!  Good at night for mom, nursing well, and now tummy time champ!  Is there anything this precious little guy won't do with grace and beauty?  It seems not!  How we love you, Hector, and thank God for you!  Praying for Uncle Johnny today, who continues to have questions about his eye problems... on our hearts and minds.  

This is it!!!!  We are called to be open to life and raising lights for this crazy mixed up world filled with lies of Satan that are believed and followed.  Mannistique, MI where we used to have our cabin!  They are having quite the winter, too!

Babymoon/falling in love with Hector/"Look to him that you may be radiant with joy"

Maria shared a wonderful term to describe our early days with our new baby Hector.. Babymoon!  "Like a honeymoon with our new little guy."  He is truly easy to get to know!  He allowed mom to sleep for 5 hours last night, and he nursed really well in between.  Back from his 5 day checkup and he is up in weight!  The doctor was happy to with how he is doing on all levels.

I am happy to be here these days and realizing that with the original plan I would just be arriving at around midnight tonight, and Hector tomorrow morning instead of the 8th, which is now the perfect day for him to come and join us.  He was healthy from he beginning and continues to be a gem!

Basking in the light of our baby moon... the little ones enjoy their times holding him and watching him with eyes of wonder and awe!

Hector adjusting and adoring his new baby brother with the help of grandma.  He was so gentle and showered his small soft head with tender kisses!  "Look to him that you may be radiant with joy" from the Psalm for today Psalm 34.  Seems to radiate the happiness and contentment we are filled with as we watch him do so well surrounded by his loving family!

2 year old Evangeline taking her turn with her new brother and grandma close by.

A grandma's heart melting to see the two youngest getting acquainted closely on this baby moon!

Today in the Gospel Jesus teaches us how to pray... we pray the Our Father often here as a family gathered together for the family rosary!  How we pray for Thy Kingdom to come that we may experience a small slice of heaven here in our domestic Church/family sharing our Faith with JOY!

Sweetness - 6 year old Patrick holding his new baby brother.  The look of love in his eyes!

11 year old in a week, big sister Therese, is never far from his side!  Using the snuggle wrap... He feels safe and loved!  How we see her love for family and LIFE in all she does, which is a lot!

So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.  
The first reading from mass today - Isaiah 55:10-11
LOVE that it is just a few verses away from the two that brought us into The Church/Isaiah 55:1-2
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

A nap on the couch on day 2!

Joy feeding grandpa a cookie yesterday... from Ruth saying that she's not sure if grandpa likes cookies or cows better!

Just an idea of how tiny they are at day 4!  This is grandma's bed in the library... my place of rest.  This is a very well run household with lots of discipline started with please and ending with thank you.

The two youngest with mom resting... she can sleep though a lot thankfully!

Jesus, we are filled with wonder and awe and when we look to your plan for us - may we be radiant with Joy!  When we are open to life and raising lights to cast out the darkness of the culture of death with the culture of life.  May your Kingdom come and your Will be done.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen

So much happiness as our love more and more!  Bless-bless, Barb





Father Denny doing the Stations of the Cross at HRS with the 4th graders... David Lanoue in the gray sweatshirt!

David with the Cross!  LOVE!!!

Danielle Rose - A Mother's Song/The Crucifixion
Get some kleenexes!

John Verly's finding faith through brain cancer!

"Be holy... I am the Lord."/Hector comes home/shepherd and the sheep

All the girls in the house gathered around our little precious Hector.  Mom reports a very good night for their first night home.  He is fitting in so wonderfully well.  He is truly a gift!

Just finishing our family rosary and prayer... the words from the first reading spoke clearly to us reminding me of how I am to strive for holiness if we are to follow after the Lord.  As Maria begins the rosary she prays for the Holy Father and that his intentions will  be answered and that he becomes a Saint!  So important to lift up our Holy Father, as we look to him and our amazing Church!

Grandma and 2 year old Evie in matching colors led to some pictures as we held her baby brother together in the morning light.  Mom has a lot of help around here.

Grandma is so happy to have this time with our newest little one.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD."  Leviticus 19

Even more than yourself?  Sometimes this seems to be possible when we are down on our weak and poorly selves, and a new little precious and innocent life adds to our love - it becomes bigger and more with each new arrival... not stretched more thin.

A sweet brother joins the circle of love!  Yes, it is bright sunny day here and might reach 50+ degrees!  He had his eyes open and we tried to get them open with the girls...Captured him looking at the new and wonderful world as he was being held by his biggest sister... he has been in those arms a lot this morning!  So adoring and loving!"Who is this big wonderful sister that wants to have me close to her wherever she goes?"  A picture of love of LIFE and protection of all life from conception to natural death!  Therese learning to care for him!  He is in good hands!Welcoming him with our sign and playing his first game of Pinochel with his familyThis girl does not want to miss any time with him and he will never be left out!  The Gospel today is such a powerful and vivid statement to us that love him and follow after Him without thought of ourselves... giving entirely of ourselves without counting the cost!  This is the Corporal Acts of Mercy, which is lived out very much in this family.  From Therese handing out a self-colored picture with a few dollars to those in need out the window with her words; "God bless you."The times I have been with Maria over the years for the arrival of her 6 children.. I have been very impressed by the giving of her sister wives of the .  They are currently supplying meals for them, and that is something that I have experienced over the years.  Also women coming to be with me when I had Maria in one hospital and baby, Patrick, in NICU down town in El Paso.  I had support at a crisis time... the coporal mercy in action and lived out in my life!             Mom and  baby Ocho trying to nap with a 2 year old, but oh so cute!  Grandma's job - photos to capture is all!!She is sweet with sucker and baby brother napping.                                   Such a sweet little face... in love instantly!  Grandma could go on and on, but this needs to close for today!  Lord, I ask you to come closer to us this lent so filled with the excitement and JOY of new life!  We long to be more and more yours and by dying to self as we give of ourselves to our growing family is a perfect living out of the plan you have for us if we are open to life and serious about raising lights for this world!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, BarbWelcome home sign with my sidekick on Sunday!                                    The family is on their way and we are so excited!          Home sweet home!!                     Love how Our Lady is here as well as in KC with The Community ... family ties run deep and how we strive to be Holy as we love The Lord, and His Bride, The Church!

The Crown of Thorns by Danielle Rose ... Joe played it for us after we did the Way of the Cross Friday night - so powerful!!!  

First Sunday of Lent/Hector time/Led by the Spirit into the desert

We had a special time visiting our new baby yesterday... Evie, who is 2 got to hold him in her lap with the help of mom, and give him lots of loving kisses on his soft head.

Mommy letting Evie have her turn holding her new baby brother!  It was wonderful to share mass with my daughter and her daughter while the others got to hold and enjoy their newest brother.  There was mass in the chapel in the hospital...

The first Sunday of Lent doesn't mess around!  40 days of fasting in the desert and then in that weakened hungry state he had to face Satan, who wants to fool us into thinking that he does not exist.

"Very few people believe in the devil these days, which suits the devil very well.  
He is always helping to circulate the news of his own death.  
The essence of God is existence, and He defines Himself as: 'I am Who am.'  
The essence of the devil is the lie, and he defines himself as:  'I am who am not.'  
Satan has very little trouble with those who do not believe in him; 
they are already on his side."- Ven Fulton J Sheen, Life of Christ

Such a happy time to welcome more love into our family with little Hector!  He is to join us here at home today with his mom shortly!  Then the next chapter will truly begin!

As Maria and I shared mass with a very good little 2 year old yesterday and her newest little boy ,#6 child, just on his second day of life in the world up stairs with the rest of her wonderful family.  I was transported to 2001 when Maria had graduated high school and was going off to college with every intention of leaving the Catholic Church when she got away from home on her own.  Within the first week she asked a seminarian at St Thomas about where she could find an Efree Church... His words to her; "We have to talk."

So excited to have them here surrounded by their loving family!

That talk turned things around for Maria... I got a letter from her saying that all of our prayers had been answered.  "Not only have I not missed a Sunday mass, but I am now going to daily mass!"  I wept with such Joy and thanksgiving that my 3rd daughter, was embracing the Truth/True Catholic Church!  That same feeling now 17 years later showed the work of the Spirit that led her into the desert where she faced all the temptations to question her faith and leave it behind.  How in her domestic Church/family the Faith is shared and as a result they have great Faith shared with JOY!

Holding her finger is so special for this little girl, who is now a big sister for the first time!

Many times you see Lent portrayed by desert landscape... it is so important to enter that place of self-sacrifice and caring for others above ourselves with The Spirit to allow us to die to self so that He may live in us!  The Spirit led Maria back into The Church and making it her own!  Now she is leading her growing family as they share their faith and makes Jesus and His Bride,The Church, their own!
"It is written:
You shall worship the Lord, your God,
and him alone shall you serve."

Patrick reminded me of our special time when I baptized him in the middle of NICU 6 years ago!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-little-lamb-grandson.html

So many powerful times shared over the years of Faith/Family/Farm with our growing family filled with LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  The Spirit taking us into the desert and helping us now and always!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barb

He will be here in our arms soon... yes, here at home/domestic Church!  LOVE!

It will be 50 today here and in a week almost 70!  Wow!  Grandpa Pat was sharing driving in the new snow, and was jealous of us!

Mom and baby are both healthy as can be!!!

Grandma caved and played pinochle with the kids and dad... family pizza and game night!
https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/abp.-naumann-stands-firm-despite-backlash-to-policy-refusing-admission-to-c?fbclid=IwAR2wDyabqkiDwRlF1JNac-FgrvO0Z085OSgr02SvezlZOi-6J4y9uyQJbhk

My hero!!!  I was attacked for sharing this... my response... Jesus, did have love and mercy on the woman taken in adultery, but he told her to go and sin no more...not that it was OK for her to continue to commit adultery or to have homosexual sex or sex outside of marriage!

“In every bride the Church sees a potential Madonna, who will mother God’s little ones against her heart. In every bridegroom it sees another Joseph. And when together the young couple build their little home, the Church prays that it will become another Holy House of Nazareth.” -Fr. Daniel A. Lord, 1950’s