Abby, Mary and their friend Ginny participated in the OMTA Music Festival last weekend. All three girls did a wonderful job. They have an awesome piano teacher. Abby has been taking lessons for nine years, Mary for four years. Ginny has been playing for two years now. It was my privilege to take all three girls to the festival.
Before the recital: L to R: Ginny, Mary, Abby
Celebrating after the Recital. (Can you tell the nerves have calmed?!)
When I look back on the past 13 years, I am in awe and disbelief. In awe of the life we have built together and in disbelief that God would work through the two of us the way He has. When I look ahead I am filled with hope and excitement. When I think of the present moment, I know that I could not ask for more. I love you Tony. Happy Anniversary.
I Could Not Ask For More – Edwin McCain
Lying here with you
Listening to the rain
Smiling just to see the smile upon your face
These are the moments I thank God that I’m alive
These are the moments I’ll remember all my life
I found all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more
Looking in your eyes
Seeing all I need
Everything you are is everything to me
These are the moments
I know heaven must exist
These are the moments I know all I need is this
I have all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more
I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have’s come true
And right here in this moment is right where I’m meant to be
Here with you here with me
These are the moments I thank God that I’m alive
These are the moments I’ll remember all my life
I’ve got all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more
….and how we spent them:
We were really impressed with how well Molly cleaned out her pumpkin….until we discovered her putting the guts into the pumpkin next to hers!
Saints in the making:
Surrounded by Saints and Deacon Trabbic leading us in the Rosary:
Mary as St. Faustina Kowlaska ~ Jesus I Trust in You!
Gabe and Isaac as St. Padre Pio – Bilocating!
Miss Abigail as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Nicholas as Blessed Jose Louis Sanchez del Rio ~ VIVA CHRISTO REY!
Little Mark Benedict as himself! 😉
Holy Mary Queen of All Saints ~ Pray for Us!
All Souls Day, grave rubbings and prayers for the Poor Souls.
Requiescat in Pace!
Our copywork for today:
“The glorious company of the apostles praise Thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise Thee.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise Thee.
All Thy saints and elect with one voice do acknowledge Thee,
O Blessed Trinity, one God!”
— Feast of All Saints (November 1), Antiphon at Lauds. from the Te Deum
We had to wait a little longer than we normally do, but now Mark Benedict is a new soul in Christ! Deo Gratias!
Preparing for the day:
With Mama:
Daddy wanted in the picture too! (Gramma is praying at the altar rail.)
Final Blessing:
My memory card maxed out but I think his godmother got some good pictures also. We had a wonderful day and Mark smells lovely!!! 😉
Mark was born on the feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa . Her icon hung on the wall right over where he was born.
(Here is Tony holding him minutes after he was born, you can see Our Lady over his shoulder, the tub where he was born in just in front of Tony!)
I have had a bit of a devotion to Her for a few years now. Tony and the children bought me the icon for Mothers Day earlier this year. We used to live in the inner city, just 2 blocks from St. Adalbert’s church where the children and I walked to daily mass and each Wednesday night we prayed the novena to Our Lady of Czestochowa. (I think we only had 3 children at the time!) We became very close to the wonderful Polish priest there, Fr. Marek. He is the most kind, gentle, and genuine priest you could ever meet.
Well, we moved out of the neighborhood because of too much drug/gang activity. (this was originally a Polish neighborhood, with 2 Catholic churches within 5 blocks of one another to accomodate the Polish Catholic population. It is now your typical inner city. So sad.)
But we continued our friendship with Fr. Marek and our Wednesday devotions.
We decided to call the baby “Mark” instead of “Benedict” because, well, the kids were calling him “Benny” and I REALLY didn’t like that with our last name! So Tony mentioned “Mark” and said something in passing about how much Fr. Marek would like that. We wanted to keep “Benedict” in there along with his twin in heaven that we call “Scholastica Grace”.
So fast forward to last night, we decided to go to St. Adalberts for mass and novena to Our Lady of Czestochowa, and introduce Mark to Fr. Marek, his namesake! 🙂 I was walking in the back with two babies before mass began. Fr. Marek came out of the confessional and saw Tony and the kids in the front pew. (Yes, we are crazy like that!) So he went over and asked him how we were doing and if I had had the baby yet. Tony said “Yes, Mark was born on August 26th!” Fr.’s eyes grew real big and he got a HUGE grin on his face and said “On the Feast of Our Lady!!!!” He was SO thrilled!! He gave me a little wave and asked Nicholas to serve mass.
We were so suprised when just before the final blessing, he invited our entire family to the foot of the altar where he bestowed on me a mothers blessing, and a family blessing on all of us, and asked the intercession of Our Lady of Czestochowa throughout Mark’s life! 🙂 It was so beautiful and I was so teary-eyed! Tony and I were both very suprised and touched.
The Wednesday mass there is very poorly attended, Tony and I were the youngest adults there by at least 30 years! LOL! But everyone congratulated us and traced the cross on little Mark’s head after mass! It was such a glorious and special evening for us! Thank you Our Lady, for your motherly care and intercession.
We observed the Memorial of Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. We made a plethera of Indain dishes to sample for lunch, lots of curry! We read the beautiful book by Demi “Mother Teresa“. This book kept me in tears nearly the whole way through. My daughter became a bit misty eyed a few times also. We were ALL very inspired by all this humble little nun accomplished. We also learned that our baby boy Mark shares his birth day with her!
For tea time we enjoyed some Indian Chai tea and Til Ka Gajak (storebought, not homemade!!) We attended mass as a family in the evening at a parish where the Anima Christi is prayed after each mass.
Making lunch:
Our Spread:
Eating and Sweating!
Ready for Mass!
Mark Benedict arrived on Sunday, August 26th, at 1:30 am. He weighs 7 lbs. 3 oz. and is 21 inches long. He was born in the water after a very smooth and peaceful labor. We are both doing very well and enjoying getting to know one another. Each baby brings with him a deeper understanding and awe of exactly what we are participating in when we accept God’s Divine Plan.
I will post pictures whenever I make it downstairs to the pc. My husband brought his laptop up for me to use right now. Thank you all for the prayers!
Joyful Chaos 