On Mother's Day

Dear Mom,

It was a beautiful day on Wednesday, and Maria was headed to the park with her twins.  I headed out with a bunch of my kids, some with fishing poles and nets.  I texted Beth on the way.

"Ok, I'm Coming!" flashed on my phone a few moments later.

And just like that, the three of us girls were headed for the park.  Together, with our kids.

That would be 17 kids, if all of ours had come.  I only had six of mine, and Beth only had four.  So, thirteen.  Three moms, thirteen kids.  

And it's just us sisters.  Thinking of Ann and her children at every moment that we get together like this.  It should have been four of us, and 18 kids.  

 

The weather turned a little cold and threatened rain.  I didn't want Maria getting caught in the rain with her newborns, having to walk home, so I said we should cut it short.  We had to track down the boys (and a couple sisters) at the pond.  A net covered in muck was tossed in my stroller.

I was following the pack when I just had to take these pictures.  My beautiful children, my beautiful nieces and nephews, my beautiful sisters!  How can my life be so good?!  Well, God is so good.

But, you and Dad had to be open to giving us this gift.  God wants this for more of us, but so many people won't have it.  They couldn't image having the eight children you and dad had!

Maybe you couldn't imagine doing it either.  Maybe there were days where you wouldn't recommend it.  Maybe there were days when you wished you hadn't!

But you did.

You were our mother.

And now I have friends a phone call away.  And friends for my children.

Except these friends are related by blood.  In part, your blood.

And there is ease, and there is fun, and there is love.  Most of all, there is love.

So, on this mother's day, I thank you.  Thank you for your sacrifice.  Every day for so many decades.  It hasn't stopped yet, your self-giving, your mothering, your love, your prayers.

remember painting this room for me? And when Amelia started high school, you painted her study for me too!

How many Thanksgiving turkeys do you think you've stuffed?

How many rosaries?  How many novenas?

How many hugs? How many tears?

How many cookouts?!!!

You've thrown six weddings, and an Ordination to the Priesthood First Mass.

You traveled to Europe for that Ordination with your oldest grandchild, my daughter.  Did either of us think that would ever happen?  I didn't.

Another wedding this summer.  More grandchildren?

Did you ever wonder if your life had meaning?

I never did.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!  We love you!

Happy 7th Birthday!!

Sweeter than a kitten.  With a little sass and quite a bit of flair.  She has a favorite animal: the pig!  And a collection of pig stuffed animals to go with it.

Sensitive yet full of fun.  Rosie can play all day with the neighborhood friends.
I'm pretty sure there's nothing better than her (loud) giggle.

How lucky is this little girl to make her First Holy Communion just days before her birthday?

#JesusistheBestGift

I am so thankful for this beautiful little girl of mine.  She was born with thick, black, curly hair.  She was beautiful then.  She is beautiful now.

Number 6 in a family of 9 children.  Third girl out of four.  Her presence reminds us that each child is irreplaceable.  Our family would be entirely incomplete without her.

I love you Miss Rose!  Happy Birthday!!

May 7th, 2017

(All photos courtesy of Arwen)

"Come, Lord Jesus, be my guest

In my heart take up Thy rest."

In the early morning, as the rest of us scrambled inside to get ready for this day, Arwen took Rosie outside for some quick pictures.

I have many more to share, but for now,

Congratulations on your First Holy Communion, Rosie!

An important day

Someone just hit another milestone: Sam is ten months old today!

 Can I just tell you how much I love ten month olds?!  They are so fun!! And funny.  Do we love their crazy expressive faces?

With teeth?!! Uhh, where's my newborn?

Crawling...and getting faster by the day!

 I know...his hair.  I will eventually cut it.  Just not yet.

 Still chubby, still nursing, still cuddly.

Ten months and glorious!

This and That

I realize that I no longer have the brain power to create insightful posts.  I am just putting up some cute pictures of kittens, puppies, and children and hoping that that makes this a post worth glancing at.  If not, I understand.

The neighborhood girls fell in love with Cooper (our new kitten), so they made a mini blanket for him.  We put it in his little bed and he loves it!  So sweet of them.


Our labradoodle Reina turned Two at the end of April.  I was looking back at the website her breeder created for us to follow as the puppies grew in the weeks before we got them.  It was so sweet to remember how little she was.  And you know what?  She really is a good dog!  She traveled with us on our road trip again this Spring and she is just amazing--no cage or leash on, she just lays on the floor between the driver and shotgun seats.  Reina really just wants to be with us to be happy.

People have asked how the dog does with the cat.  Some have suggested the dog might eat the cat.  Actually, Cooper is more likely to get the better of Reina.  Cooper is a curious and spunky little tom cat.  Reina puts up with some abuse, then she lifts her paw and Cooper runs away.

Pulling up more photos from "the ride"...

It wasn't quite as tight as it looks in this picture, I promise!

Here's proof that she had room to move around and look out of the window (even though this picture also makes it look like it was wall-to-wall "tight".)

The Mississippi:

Salt-water taffy and a cat.  What else do you need?  Videos? Well, yes...those too.