Gratitude Sunday, Easter Sunday, Sam's First Communion, And A Sad Goodbye

Happy Easter!  He is Risen!  And Sam made his First Holy Communion!

 And an egg hunt at Grandma and Grandpa's after church. 

In the picture below Clare is explaining to Brandon that "her mom doesn't have skittles at her house".   It's his mom and his house too but we just giggled.  Kids are so cute.

   This day that should be all JOY also carries sadness.  Our dog of 12 years passed away while we were at Mass.  I'm so grateful that she didn't suffer but wow will I miss her.  Today wasn't what I thought it would be, it wasn't what I'd planned, but it is what it is.  There's meaning in it somewhere and when I've slept a bit I will find it.  Happy Easter everyone!

 

Easter Story Cookies

The years that we don't attend the Easter Vigil we make Easter Story Cookies.  I love the idea and the kids really enjoy the symbolism.

First we beat the pecans like Jesus was beaten.

 

Next we smell vinegar (not pictured), beat egg whites (also not pictured) and taste salt before we throw it into the bowl.  The vinegar represents the wine on the sponge when Jesus said "I thirst" and the salt represents the tears of Jesus' followers.

 

 

Sugar, mixing, mixing, and more mixing...

 

Finally it's ready for the pecan pieces and to made into mounds which represent the stone in front of Jesus' tomb.

Into the oven they go and the kids tape the oven shut until tomorrow morning when the cookies will be baked and hollow in the inside like Jesus' tomb was empty.  And now they are off to bed.....

 

 

Holy Saturday {Coloring Easter Eggs}

We like to color eggs on Easter Sunday but with Sam's First Communion tomorrow there just won't be time.  So today it is.  I think it's safe to say Josie will have green hands for a really long time.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy (Almost) Easter! 

Holy Thursday

It's been my laziest Lent since coming back to the Catholic Church nearly a dozen years ago.  I gave what I could but frankly it wasn't much.  How did these 40 days pass so quickly? 
Tonight instead of taking in what is probably my favorite Mass of the year I'm home with five sick girls (4 of them 6 and under) and am in a fair amount of pain thanks to my sciatic nerve.  Jesse offered to stay home so I could go to Mass but I'm not sure I could make it through so I said I'd stay home and sew.  The sewing machine is sitting like this: 

while I change diapers, get cool washcloths and dole out motrin.  I thought I'd hook my laptop up to the TV and watch Mass that way but instead the girls are watching The Backyardigans.  I wonder if I'm too "Martha" and if Jesus will hold it against me one day.  But He gave me these little ones and this family to take care of.  So my plans of spring cleaning to prepare for Easter Sunday have been put off...I'll do my late night Magnificat readings tonight when everyone is asleep and hopefully get to the Good Friday service tomorrow. 

This year has just been different.  I'm sure God is trying to teach me something but I'm too slow to figure out what.  For now I'll cherish the feet that He has given me to wash, thank Him for the supreme sacrifice He made for me, and pray that by Easter Sunday everyone is feeling better.

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One Who sent Me.” John 13:20

Spring Cleaning, Sick Girls, and Sunshine

Ah...Holy Week.  The final stretch of Lent.  We took off of school so we could spring clean (my replacement mop finally arrived - the first one broke so they replaced it for free).  Instead the four little girls have been sick.  My bedroom at night sounds like an infirmary.  I pray they are on the up swing and that no one else gets it.  I'm completely sleep deprived and ever so grateful that I didn't give up coffee for Lent.

Katie has the couch bound sick girls coloring Easter pictures to decorate our home.

She keeps them occupied without a screen by reading book after book after book.  This is Anthony DeStafano's "The Donkey that No One Could Ride" which is one of our favorite Easter stories.

 

It's hard to believe our Lenten Map is nearly full.  The time really flew by.

All of our sacrifice beans have been used up as well.

 

And this little bit of sunshine calls Josie to the table by the window for her  mid morning snack.  I wonder if it's really warm out there or if it just looks like it.  I would love to open the windows to let some air in here.  Tomorrow is Holy Thursday and one of my favorite nights of the liturgical year to go to Mass.

Katie pulled out most of our Easter books yesterday so they are good to go.  I should get back to the mopping and sick little girls.  Prayers for a happy and healthy holy week for you all.

 

20!

Dear Baby -
Today marks 20 weeks of our pregnancy journey together.  You wiggle alot now (but could you wiggle more because it's very reassuring when you do).  Every day that passes, every week "marker" has me becoming more attached to you.  I think we've named you; Frances Benedicta Joy.  Your big sister (and godmother) Hannah will call you "Pope Baby".  It just seemed like the right name.  Someday I'll explain to you exactly why.   There's so much buzz in the media and online about how smart women use contraception and useful women have real jobs and don't have nearly a dozen babies.  I want you to know that we don't believe that.  We believe that your life was planned since the beginning of time by a God Who loves you even more than we do.    You were never an afterthought or a result of something we couldn't control.  You are meant to be our daughter and the highly anticipated sister of your very loving siblings.  I'm pretty big already and people think I'm due "soon".  I'm not.  20 more weeks.  August, hot, sweaty, wonderful August.  20 more weeks of flips and kicks and seeing your sibling's faces when they hear the thumpity thump of your tiny heart.  That time will fly and soon you will be "earthside" (as a friend of mine calls it) with us.  For now I'll try to offer up the discomforts of pregnancy and remember that the prize is invaluable.  The prize is you. 
Love,
Mommy