"When we had our children, our ideas changed somewhat. Thenceforward we lived only for them; they made all our happiness and we would never have found it save in them. In fact, nothing any longer cost us anything; the world was no longer a burden to us. As for me, my children were my great compensation, so that I wished to have many in order to bring them up for Heaven" -- Saint Zelie Martin, mother of St. Therese of Lisieux, canonized October 18, 2015 along with her husband St. Louis Martin.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Someone's Three!!

Three years ago there was a nasty rain storm.  You know me, pregnancy, and dropping barometers!  I'll never forget that drive in the cold rain, racing on the highway and telling my husband to please let the semi trucks merge!  He wasn't going to have another Legolas delivery on his hands (pun intended)!


As I laid in the hospital room I looked at a modern art picture with three women in it.  I was trying to finalize a name for my daughter.  I knew that patron saints I wanted to honor: St. Clare, St. Therese, and Mary.  I can't remember exactly what it was, but each woman in the picture reminded me of one of these saints.  I think one held flowers.  At one point I thought this little girl would have to have three names (two middles).  I always want to use Victoria for Our Lady of Victory (whose statue smiled at St. Therese and cured her).  But Eowyn (blog name, of course) was named for the "Rose Queen",  Therese, and for the "Mystical Rose," Our Lady.  And St. Clare.  


In my crazy postpartum insanity I called my parish priest and requested a baptism on the vigil of Christ the King.  I have a thing about feast days... little did I consider that that would land me in church the next night!  Sure enough (and thanks be to God) I was discharged the afternoon following Eowyn's birth and apparently I felt up to getting her baptized the next day.  I did not throw a party--my heroic mother did that for me!  We did head home pretty early that night, and I hopped right back into bed where I stayed for at least a few more days!


The thing about the baby in the family is that they are always the cutest.  It's very handy when other babies follow quickly enough that the older child doesn't become completely spoiled.  Sam gave Eowyn a full 32 months of queenship in our home before he came to threaten her throne.  Eowyn is girly enough to adore her little, chubby brother.  But she was spoiled enough to not love the fact that I am not 100% at her beck and call anymore.  And now she's old enough to learn that she cannot point and demand (or scream) until she gets the action she wants out of everyone in the household.  So, this year is going to be a big year for Miss Eowyn.  Lots to learn.  Luckily, she's so darn cute that our hearts are still very warm towards her as she is disciplined for her fits.  She has to learn to be a good girl, but let's face it, we all are pretty happy to acquiesce to her decrees!


Being  the 8th child, I am seeing, doesn't relegate you to a second class citizenship in a big family.  Quite the opposite.  It's a bit like in God's kingdom where the last shall be first.  It seems to me that the younger children are spoiled and doted on if not more than our prized first children, then at least by more, because all of those older siblings join in on the doting.  Here's to big families!  Lucky little ones!

Happy Birthday my little 3-year-old!!

1 comment:

  1. Happy birthday to my sweet Goddaughter! Love the pics! And I still can't believe that you had the baptism the very next day! Tell her happy birthday for us! :)

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