Saturday, March 14, 2026

In 2 days it will be 6 years without my mom!/Calving - delightful time with calves/John's Book! - "O God, be merciful to me a sinner." - JMJ+

Joy making grandma smile this morning after an overnight with us.  She brought her Pray like a girl Tshirt and is holding her farm cat, Neumann. 

 He came to live with me a couple years ago.  His mom, Sweetie, just had her spring kittens for this year.  We have lost count of how many batches of kittens she has had.  No longer any Siamese, so the dad must have changed over the years.  

Sweetie has 2 batches of kittens every year - no fail!  

Joy, who will be 9 on the last day of the month so loves her kittens!  She even had them on her birthday last year!
They were born a week ago today, so their eyes should be opening mid week - just about when their mom heads to Vietnam for 2 weeks.  I am trying to get things figured out with the calving and kids and everything they have on their plate.
4 year old Tom with the orange one.
A batch of 4 this time,
Just like her mom, Ruth, who broke her dad down to having kittens in the house growing up.
Tom her yesterday with his lawn mower - he chases my two house cats with it and scares them with the noise.

Baby Luke with a baby calf about 12 years ago.  Super snuggly!  
A  precious memory of Nancy's kids here visiting and Rose joining in.  This was about 11 years ago.  That calf must be just a day old as it sits there with all the kids around him.  I shared that Rose and Bernadette are trying to feed it corn cobs.  

My delight!  I finally got out just before sunset with the kids and the calves in Calftopia - a large calf shelter with a hot wire keeping the cows away.  Rose brought out a calf she would like to show at the fair and held it for Joy and Tom!  
Cute pink tongue picture...
It was loud and a bit intimidating but the cows stay back from the electric fence.  Big sister, Rose and Big brother, David, held the calves and helped us get in and out of the yard.
17 year old Dave is a real farm boy and we appreciated his help so we could get close to the calves.
Thanks Dave!  


A memory of David and Rose a year ago serving during Lent.

3rd Sunday of Lent last week.  3 of the farm kids served.  We are expecting a huge blizzard overnight with maybe a foot of snow, so Mass has been canceled tomorrow morning.  Time will tell if it truly is that bad...
David with the Cross after Mass- love to see their reverence!

The consecration on the altar - "My Lord and My God!  Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!"  

The military family saying their family rosary as part of their day of homeschool and prayer.  Major Joseph is deployed for another month.  He has been in Poland and Germany.
Soon they will be reunited and back in Fort Riley, Kansas for a few months.
The Stations of the Cross are a big part of Lent.  Dad and I would use 10 of them on the 4th Sorrowful Mystery when we shared the Rosary each day- Now I walk around and include them on Fridays when I pray the Sorrowful Mysteries for Fr Denny with 7 Sisters.  
John and I are starting to work on his book, and each day we begin by sharing the Rosary together.  Praying for family and friends and that the Truth may be shared to touch the hearts of others.
I am blessed and lifted up by my dad in the prayer of The Church he left behind for me after 44 years as a Permanent Deacon in The Church!  Underlining highlighting and circles allow me to sit at his feet and share in the great JOY he has in the True Church since he led us into it 55 years ago - all 13 of us!

In two days will be the 6th Anniversary of my mother suddenly dying in a day in their Assisted Living.  She woke up in the morning, got dressed and came out to sit and wait for breakfast - she fell and broke her hip.  This was about 8a in the morning and by 5p she had died!   I rushed to be there just as covid was making it impossible to be with her.  They could see she was leaving this world so they allowed 4 of us and my father to be at her bedside.  We also had the others call and say their goodbyes.  I am the oldest of 11, so this was important and special.  I shed many tears listening to their words of farewell, appreciation and love for my mother.  

One of the most powerful words came from my daughter, Ruth - "Grandma remember all the thousands of times you said the words 'Holy Mary, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death?'  Well your prayers are being answered now!"  Yes!!!!
Ruth and Rose with a baby calf about 12 years ago.
Deacon Robert part of my brother, Dan's wedding.  They share a birthday on March 6th.  Dan was just 65 and my dad would have been 101!  He has been gone 5 years now and I miss him every day.  He lived with me and shared his religious life with me for the last 6 months of his life on the same hospice I had worked for!  

https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/deacon-robert-cross-my-dad-on-hospice.html
Hallel sharing her warm cape with her niece, Evangaline...  Hallel is currently in France, but we are hoping that she returns to KCK for Easter!  There are fake plans for some of the grands to share The Triduum with them there.  How we love our Fake plans with a daughter that is a nun and another, who is married to a major in the army...
My dad's birthday was on Ash Wednesday 7 years ago.  I left there to fly to Seattle for the birth of Maria's 6th child, Hector, who arrived on March 8th.  Last week he turned 8 and in 3 weeks Jude will join both George and Hector - our 3 boys that are each 3 weeks apart!  
Hopefully soon we will have time with Jesus in Adoration and our Community of the Lamb in KCK! 

Son, John and I are in the midst of a very powerful sharing as we begin to write the book he has on his heart to share with the world.  He has been told by his doctor that he is truly a miracle, therefore his wife and children are miracles also and the finger of God that has touched him over and over on this journey of finding Faith through brain cancer!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html   The page I wrote on my blog about his journey/story

John's Spirit Juice Video

John Verly  John's Caringbridge -we have been reading this together and laughing and crying about how special it was to share two of our children's walk of Faith that happened at the same time!  Susan's entering our Community of the Lamb in Fance and John's battle with brain cancer here in Marshall, Sioux Falls, St Paul - St Joseph's hospital, U of M, and finally in Mayo in Rochester!  After all that and finally having the diagnosis of Primary Nervous System Lymphoma - after his second chemo he was well enough to fly to France for his sister's taking her habit and changing her name to little sister Hallel! Talk about the finger of God touching us with double the power and joy and might!  
John arrives in France for Susan's entering the Community of the Lamb.  He is using the walker that allowed him to walk on his own after the biopsy through the back of his brain left him with ataxia.  One of the huge lessons that brought John low was humility!  One day he went out to check the cows in the back pasture and fell into the creek!  Lots of lessons of humility that continue to this day!  

The Gospel today is a true reminder of how we are called to embrace being humble - the parable of the :Pharisee and the tax collector!

“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity —
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 18:9-14

Those smiles are pure joy and happiness at Hallel becoming a bride of Christ 17 years ago.  It made us that much more able to trust that Jesus was in control in the storm called Brain cancer too!  
Two days later we were in Lourdes - John with beads of the holy water on his head - "pour the water on my head because that is where I need the healing."

He fell in love with Our Lady and she brings us to her Son and His Bride, The Church!

Jesus and Mary, I love you!  Save souls!  Bless-bless, Barb and the 33 plus 13 in heaven.

Goodness of God
Tauren Wells - Joy in the morning

Danielle Rose - the Saint that is just me









 

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Monday, March 2, 2026

My greatest JOY is sharing our Faith as a family of 34!/"Jesus has been transfigured on the altar in The Eucharist! - +JMJ+

Such an amazing day it was to ALL celebrate David's Confirmation in the Catholic Church!  I mean ALL of his cousins were here with their moms and dads, and we all were truly happy and excited for David to take this huge step of Faith!  The Bishop laid hands on him to receive the Holy Spirit!  
A hard working farm boy, whom we appreciate so much!  I have had the great JOY of sharing our Catholic Faith by working about 3 TEC retreats together in the last year!  Nothing more wonderful to me than to share our Faith as a family now to the next generation.  
David chose St Michael the Archangel as his patron Saint!  His cousin Therese, who will be 18 on the 18th just a few months ahead of Dave...She wrote to him that he is now in Christ's army!  Very appropriate coming from her as she has grown up in the military!  

St Michael prayer also seems appropriate for Dave as he battles the evil that is always challenging us.  St Michael the Archangel defend us in this battle...

St. Michael the Archangel, 
defend us in battle. 
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. 
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, 
and do thou, 
O Prince of the heavenly hosts, 
by the power of God, 
thrust into hell Satan, 
and all the evil spirits, 
who prowl about the world 
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. .

O glorious prince St. Michael, 
chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, 
guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, 
servant in the house of the Divine King
and our admirable conductor, 
you who shine with excellence
and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil,
who turn to you with confidence
and enable us by your gracious protection
to serve God more and more faithfully every day. 

After we shared Confirmation mass with a packed church - Pat and Paul had 6 calves making our total of 60+ with 150 yet to calve!  This was Cow TV showing two cows wanting the same calf.
Two granddaughters in pink!  Grandma had her fun with "Pray like a girl shirts for my youngest 7 granddaughters!  
Such a wonderful young man and we celebrated him with great JOY and happiness!!!

2 years ago - little Tom with newborn baby kittens.  The momma cat is looking large again!  
David with his big wonderful farm family!  3rd oldest of 7 kids!  How we love our farm family, and all they do to work on the farm and make it go forward day after day!  We also love sharing our Catholic Faith!
The 3 girls that will soon all be 9 as Joy's birthday is on the 31st of the month.  
David with the older girls in the family... Two sisters, Mary age 20 in a month and Rose, who is close to 14 in May.  Cousins Therese who will be 18 on the 18th of this month, and Bernadette, who is 13.
Rare to get the older grands to smile for old grandma!  
Still get the little girls to smile sweetly.  The 7 youngest girls in shirts that grandma had ready for the next time they all got together.  "Pray like a girl!"  
Now the goofy picture with Tom in the midst of it all!  He is the same age as Gina and Maggie.  A group with 2 girls and a boy.  They are all good friends now, but time will tell.  
Talk about as good as it can get!  All the planning and dreaming worked out for old grandma doing two of my favorite things - dressing the kids alike and praying!  I am happy!  
Can't get enough!  Mixmatched socks, bare feet and two girls with the same socks on by chance!  
Clusters here and there.
9 year old Josephine loves the littles - with youngest grandchild, 3 year old Lucy Marie.  
Snow in Delano last week.  Now we have the snow and they didn't, but it didn't prevent the family from coming together.  No wind just 6 white inches.
Tommy showing grandpa, Gina and Maggie the cows on Cow TV.
How we love our Cow TV!
Ton humoring grandma with his brother's boots and gloves - a now picture compared to this...
Adorable one from 3 years ago with a 14 month old Tom with grandpa Pat's huge giant gloves!  
Taking advantage of the white world after our 6 inches on Saturday.
The bright snow gave him the squints!  
A family gathered around Big Dave!  All the grandkids and only missing 3 - Bobbi, who was under the weather, Hallel in France and Major Joseph in Germany/Poland.  
My JOY!  Sharing our Faith/Family/Farm!  Our motto we live by since our engagement weekend - "Open to life and raising LIGHTS!"  
Praying with John - his the last hour of Sunday and mine the first hour of Monday!  Where 2 are gathered there am I!  
Tom and a baby kid goat a few years back!   Now he runs around with Cocoa and Mallow - their two pigmy goats.
David Lawrence Michael!  
Who is like God?   St Michael to Satan, who wants to be like God - not possible!!!  
Joy's school work with her Aunt nun - little sister Hallel in her little sister blue!  LOVE!  
The 3 boys will soon all be 7.  George was on the 13th of Feb, Hector on March 8th, and Jude on March 26th. Hector will be having his First Communion at the end of June this summer!  
The big kids table - they are all such great kids!  
The Truth!  I love to pray my family litany - putting each member or Pat's family and my family in the monstrance with Jesus.  That means that I pray for our 34 twice!  LOVE that!  It makes me roar like a lion of Faith!

The Gospel for the second Sunday of Lent yesterday and also the Confirmation Mass was The Transfiguration from Matthew - "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."  Bishop Chad preached at the Confirmation Mass for 70 young men and women - it really struck me as powerful when he pointed out the we witness the Transfiguration each time Jesus comes to us on the altar in his Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity!  Wow!  Come Lord Jesus dwell in David and may he serve you without counting the cost in your army fighting for the good against evil and darkness.  May your light shine forth from him - as we take very seriously raising LIGHTS for this world!  

Jesus and Mary, we love you!  Save souls!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barb and the 33 plus 13 in heaven.  That is a big army for Christ!  
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,
serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer. - Romans 12:11-12


"The offspring of this intensity of love
for our Eucharistic Lord
should be a consuming zeal for the 
gathering of souls into the fold of Christ.”

St Katharine Drexel
American ~ 1858 - 1955
Heiress, educator, founder of schools
Entered religious life at age 31
Foundress - Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
aka 'the anti-Margaret Sanger'
Feast Day - March 3

 

“And here is the passive way – 
to be filled unto the fullness of God. 
The passive way – I abandon myself to it, not 
in a multiplicity of trials, extraordinary penances 
accomplished, practices of great works – but in 
peaceful abandonment to the tenderness of Jesus, 
which I must try to imitate, and by being in 
constant union with His meek and humble heart."  
St Katharine Drexel



10,000 reasons - we sang this during Mass - so great!

Joy in the morning - Tauren wells
Good Tree - Hillbilly Thomists




 

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