From huge family times to small family times in an hour! "A temple sacred to the Lord"/Faith/Family/Farm!

 A parting picture through my tears at the airport yesterday... as our family time supreme comes to an end with Maria and her 6 leaving for home in Washington state.

We all agree that it was mostly wonderful with those times that make it even a better story to share down the road with a flat tire on her way from the airport to KC, and a 12 hour bug that went through most of the kids of Nancy and Maria.  When you get 18 kids together there is bound to be some of that passing back and forth, and we just say "come ahead, because family time has no pricetag and no one need stay away we take you bug and all!!!"

This came up from 3 years ago today!  Family Time is the Best is my sign on the barn!  Maria was due to have Evie on Nov 1st and Josephine was just a couple months old!  John was at Catholic Heart Work Camp and unable to join us along with Hallel in Rome.  We had 13 going on 14 and now we have 18 grandchildren!

Our sign on the barn this year for our family pictures only missing Hallel for our children and two son-in-laws, Joseph and Bill...Heavenly Family Time!  WE feel that we are gifted with a small slice of Heaven when we are all together.

We stopped to see Nancy and Bill's new home in Delano on our way to drop off Maria at the airport at about noon yesterday.  George and Hector on the floor together with the 2-3 year olds adoring the other's brother.  It is so wonderful that the little ones got to know and hang out with their cousin and take the first steps to becoming life-long friends!

 Two girls that have a baby brother teaching them how to share and care with gentle loving touches and smiles.

Sibings are so  much more important than things!  There is no comparison one to the other.  The life lessons that you gain my sharing your family with many brothers and sisters makes you a light in this world as you share your Faith with JOY in your domestic Church/family!

A special prayer space that Nancy and Bill have made in a space in their basement with an old head board from a bed that they are not using.  So special to have a place set apart for worship and prayer in the heart of your home!

My time with my families always includes family prayer!  Family rosary and the Saints are huge for them.  LOVE!

 Nancy's kitchen filled with kids as we grabbed a quick lunch before heading to the airport

The kitchen open and full of kids!

The two 6 year olds eating lunch until next time we gather together!   We are hoping and praying that it can be at Christmas for Christmas Camp 2019!  That is only about 6 months away, and how we love to gather at Camp Wapo with my over 140 members of the Cross Clan!

How these words from the first reading from Ephesians 2 ring like a bell after our 2 weeks of Heavenly Family Time on this Feast of St Thomas...
"Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

With Jesus in the center of all that we do and share these last two weeks... we truly share this temple sacred in the Lord... "a dwelling place of God in the Spirit!"  Sharing Faith/Family/Farm has been the BEST!!!

Bernadette 6 years ago with her first topknot in Michigan!  I have discovered that our gathering for the two weeks we used to shard in Michigan can be as wonderful and so reminiscent of our times on the Big Lake now on the farm!

The last few years with Hallel's home visit 2 years ago and John's wedding last summer... we realize that seeing each other and sharing time with the kids all on the farm is just as wonderful and shows us that although we miss the beauty of the Big Lake... what we truly cherish is the time all together sharing meals and fellowship and playing to their hearts' content.  Sharing mass and from the heart in conversation.  As Maria said when she left: "We did everything."

Nancy's wonderful open home which promotes family time sharing!

Catching up with my parents in their peaceful home has been missed by me for over a month now!

An hour after leaving Maria with her 6 at the airport... I arrived to be with my parents for some days.  I will need to be back home by Saturday afternoon as we are having 2 young men stay with us while Totus Tuus is going on in our parish.  Each moment here is precious as my mom will be 90 in just a few days and dad is 94.  This morning's issue pain in my mom's chest... decided that it is probably lung rather than heart, but waiting for her visiting nurse at 1p.  Still had a wonderful breakfast thanks to my "servant" dad with both my parents.  So blessed to have them both together in their own home.

Heavenly Family Time!  How I am filled to overflowing with the gift I have been given with my children's listening to the Truth passed down by Pat and I and The True Church... that we need to be open to LIFE and raise those we are given as LIGHTS for this world of darkness and the culture of Death!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

I was sharing with my parents this morning how wonderful these 3 boys are!  George lived with me for a month and I don't think that I ever heard him really cry!  He was full of smiles and giggles and so wonderful to have.

All of the boys have such sweet dispositions and are so healthy and happy and to finally get them together was such a special time!  I am filled to overflowing with love and happiness to see this sight!  There is no doubt that they will grow to be friends as their cousins before them, and that is the best!!!

My mom would warm my heart by looking over at me and smile..."It is so wonderful to look over there and see you here, Barbara."  "I love to be here mom!"  I truly do!

Jesus, how am I so lucky to be blessed by oceans of family all around me?  It is so close to my Faith that I cannot separate them... they must be connected and united to find the Fruits of the Spirit in our homes!  "in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."  Yes, Lord, together we find that temple of Peace, LOVE, JOY, patience, kindness, gentleness which fills us with your Spirit!  May we given without counting the cost and die to self so that you may live in us.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barb

My 3 little girls were so fun for grandma to do their hair and dress them alike!

LOVE!!!

Memories so fresh and cherished pictures!

Domo and Romo best buddies!!!

My love and how he loves ALL LIFE!

This is all I want to take away from our 2 glorious weeks!  This will soon be on my wall...

Missing Joseph, Bill, and Hallel… all 18 grandkids together!

JOY!!!

 Many miracles and answer to prayer are what we see in this picture of their new wonderful family!



I pray these words with the Body is lifted up at the Consecration and The Blood is lifted up.  I recognize Jesus with my little Faith!  St Thomas, pray for us!

July is dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.
Our Lady of the Precious Blood, pray for and protect all priests who offer the cup of salvation to the world! Amen.

“Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament … There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth.”~JR Tolkien

The Gospel - 

Danielle Rose - Nothing compares to you

Danielle Rose -  Do small things with great love

Holy Now - Peter Mayer

The anniversary of my sister, Mary's death 33 years ago today.  I lost a 14 week baby on this day also, and named him, Thomas, as it is the feast of St Thomas the Doubter today.  So many memories and to be here with my parents makes it so much more powerful.  We prayed that Mary would intercede for mom, who has pain in her chest and she does feel better!  LOVE to think of Mary with our Lord!

Happily in the middle of a FAMILY Sandwich! Farewell Maria and 6, and on to mom and dad! Jesus in the storm!

Now I am given the gift of time with my parents.  How I love that they are both together and still here to share their wisdom and LIGHT!  Bless-bless, Barb

Final day with Maria/ grandma time with sick Evangeline/hay done before the rain

 2 weeks ago we were preparing to go to KC and meet Maria... 13 of us gathered there and had some wonderful 2 days with Hallel.  We had a memorable evening in the Grotto of The Nativity placing our prayers and needs with Our Lady to take to her Son.

The kids said that one of their favorite times was catching fire flies afterwards, but I think they had some great family time with their Aunt Hallel and cousins.

 How we longed to get the 3 new boys together!  First Hector met with his youngest cousin, Jude!

 Grandpa with Hector and George... the boys are all so sweet, good and healthy!  We are amazed to have such wonderful new grandsons all within 6 weeks of each other!

 Now grandpa with Hector and Jude... talk about healthy and sweet baby boys!

With Hallel living in KC for the last 2 years... she is available for us to visit with new members of the family... she has met all 3 of the new boys now.  Maria, Hallel and Hector last week.

 Together at last!!!

 With their grandpa, who is my champion for LIFE and family!  He set the motto of our family now onto the next generation.  Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS for this world of darkness and sin and death!  The culture of LIFE will cast out the darkness!

Moms with the 3 boys, and the best mom of all!!!  "Mom, there is a better mom than you."  "Yes, John, I totally agree!"

 Hector and George along with their families lived with grandma in her big wonderful house.  Big and healthy from their wonderful moms!

 Josephine and Evangeline... grandma loves to do their hair each morning.

 The 3 girls take flowers to Mary in the prairie breezes...

 Family jobs of strawberry jam and butchered chickens. Many hands make light work as we make food for our 7 families!

 Yummy strawberry jam!

The 3 boys in red on picture evening...

 Heavenly family time - the 11 grandsons!

 The 7 granddaughters

 A picture of LIFE - the 18 grandchildren together to make grandma smile!

So very happy for our 2 wonderful weeks with these 7.  Now back to their home on base with dad and their dog, Princess.

Ruth and Maria are gone to the Science Museum in Brookings with the 11 kids minus Maria's 2 1/2 year old, Evangeline, who is running a temp.  She is here keeping me company... hence this will be simple and short.

 Hector in toy land... growing stronger and bigger with each new day.  We were so happy to have these two weeks with you and your family

 A night of baling and getting them picked up before we got a big rain of 2 1/2inches of rain overnight!

 Joy waving at her mom in the tractor helping grandpa and Paul picking up bales.

 Another load of bales - they were picked up and put away before we got a lot of rain overnight!

 Hector hanging out with teddy on his last day on the farm!

We will be up early in the morning and head to Nancy's new home for a few hours.  Very excited to see them in their new home.  Then we will head to the airport and with tears say goodbye until next time.  We have fake plans to drive out there on a two day trip before school starts with some grandkids to share some time in Washington.

This lady will then head up to my parents, who live about an hour north of the Cities.  I will have some wonderful peaceful times with my two parents together in their own home!  How I love to have the two of them still and together.