Mathematical Prayer Request

Preterm labor at 30 weeks +
Strict bedrest for the next 5 weeks +
Drugs that make me feel weak and jittery =
Please pray for me, baby, and our family.

Dominic's Day!

Oh my goodness, the bittersweetness of this day simply takes my breath away... My baby started preschool! Good thing another baby is on the way to fill my all too quiet home! Dominic sure made this day easy on my heart, though. It was as if he was born for this day. He's been waiting to start school since last fall when Joseph and Michael started school and he realized that school is what big boys do. Last fall he was bitter that I did not consider him a big enough boy, but this year I knew it was time. He was ready---even if mommy was not. His giddiness all day made it easy for me to let him spread his wings a bit, and it also confirmed that this was a good decision for both of us this year. Good for Dominic because he gets to feel special and big and learn and play with friends. Good for me because I get to prepare for a new baby and bond with our new baby and hopefully nap with the baby while my three big boys are at school having fun :) "Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful day that you have made and my happy preschooler who made this mommy's heart nearly burst with bittersweet pride today."

First-day-of-school jitters? NOPE. Separation anxiety? NOT AN OUNCE.


Dominic was delighted to find his name and the hook for his backpack!

Here is Dominic listening intently to his teacher read "The Kissing Hand."

Dominic loved showing off his big boy skills on the playground! He was totally miffed why a few of the other kids were clinging to their parent's leg and didn't want to play :}

Dominic was very proud of his first school project--a place mat to use for snack-time. I hope he will love looking at our family picture to remind him how much he is loved.

I love you my sweet, handsome, growing up too fast, PRESCHOOLER!

Grand Finale in Glacier

Summer has quickly come to a close in Montana. There's a chill in the air and our children are back in school. But I am so grateful for the grand finale that we were able to experience in Glacier before diving into another busy year. We spent a glorious week camping at Many Glacier on the north-east side of the park, and I tried to bring home the highlights in megapixels for you to enjoy...

Every day we did some hiking, and boy were our boys troopers! This particular photograph was taken on our hike to Red Rock Falls. We never actually made it all the way to the falls because 30 minutes prior to our arrival at this spot a male grizzly swam all the way across this lake and nearly attacked a husband and wife who were flyfishing right by the falls. The couple escaped unharmed, but the bear tore apart the wife's flyfishing vest that she left behind. Needless to say, we happily viewed the falls from the edge of this lake and counted our blessing that we weren't 30 minutes earlier to meet the bear up close and personal.

This is Many Glacier Hotel. I tell ya what, if we didn't have a camper and if money grew on the tree in our backyard, this is where I'd stay. It is gorgeous and rustic and has been around since Glacier became a national park, and did I mention they have a great coffee shop and sell the most amazing soft-serve huckleberry ice cream which you can eat while viewing the most amazing scenery in North America? Seriously. It's the place to stay if you're going to come visit us in Montana. We'll sleep in the camper and then come visit you at the hotel every afternoon for coffe and ice cream :)

Here are the boys taking a snack break on a hike at the top of Logan Pass. We nicknamed this spot "Snack Rock," and apparently we weren't the only ones who liked this location...

We literally got chased off the rock by this big billy goat. I don't think he was really "gruff," he just wanted to share the boys' tasty snack.

It was fun to watch him lick the crumbs off the rock that we left behind.

The hikes at Logan Pass are notorious for wildlife sightings, and not just distant sightings, we're talking 10 feet away sightings of mountain goats who casually share the trails with hikers and allow giddy wanna-be photographers like me to take pictures of them to their heart's content...which of course I did.

So now you have to humor me and look at a few of the "wild" mountain goat photos that I took. They sure look wild don't they? Ha! More like sweet goats at a petting zoo, but it was thrilling nonetheless.

Here's a beautiful momma goat and her kid. Momma doesn't look too impressed with me snapping my camera at her while she's trying to eat.

"Ya lady, give it rest and go take a hike or something," says momma billy goat.

So we hiked some more and stumbled upon some big horn sheep. This one we got to watch run down the mountain and across our trail just yards away! What a thrill!

Here he is a little bit more zoomed in---just in case you wanted a closer look :)

We also got to see grizzly bear nearly every day---thankfully from the safety of our car. I was astonished how close the bears came to the road and didn't seem phased by all the people gawking at them and taking pictures. One of the trailheads near this spot was closed for hikers because of a momma grizzly and her cubs who had taken a liking to this area in the past weeks. We were glad once again not to meet these massive bears on any hikes, but rather view them from the safety of our car (but wait a minute...who's the idiot taking the picture of the viewers in the car?) :}

Not sure if you can see what's happening in this picture or not, so I'll give you a play-by-play. On the far left, a momma grizzly and her two cubs were happily munching on whatever it is they munch on. Numerous people stopped to watch and take photos for a very long time, when suddenly on the far right, a male grizzly enters the scene causing momma griz and cubs to stand up and do a stare-down-contest. Bystanders are edgy and think there will be a confrontation. Momma bear quickly ends the suspense by scooting her little ones off stage to the left...smark momma. Bystanders remain to watch the male grizzly and take photos for a very long time again. The end. I wish I could capture how exciting it was to watch the scene as it really unfolded, but blogging just doesn't cut it...sorry :)

Glacier was not only filled with creatures "Great," but also creatures "Small" who were just as delightful to the boys and my camera :)

The boys tell me this is an orb web spider. I believe them and have to admit that even spiders look pretty when you're viewing them in Glacier.

When we weren't hiking and enjoying the wildlife, we played a fun game called "Chuck-O" that Grandma Jean bought for us (thank you Grandma Jean!!!) The two older boys are truly getting to the age where they are real competition for their daddy, so Paul enjoyed playing just as much as they did! Dominic still just likes playing in the dirt :)

Or the kids road their bikes around the campground or sat by the campfire in the new chairs that Uncle Dann and Aunt Rachel bought them (thank you DnR!!!) The boys are patiently waiting for me to go get the Smores ingredients, but taking pictures of them is more fun :)

And here are just some sweet photos of our family while in Glacier for you to enjoy... Hope some of you can come visit someday and we'll take you to Glacier so you can see all these wonders for yourself!

Smiley Dominic...

Handsome Joseph...

And sweet, silly Michael all think that you should come see them soon! :)

The Missing Piece

Do you ever find yourself lost in the ordinary, longing for more, unable to see the joy that you know surrounds you, and you just can't seem to find your way out of this desert you've wandered into? You even ask God to help you, but His gentle silence gives you the distinct feeling that He wants you to remain in this dry place for awhile---perhaps to find something. Deep down you know He's not being cruel. He's simply being a Teacher, a Potter, a Father, and you know He is trustworthy. He always has been, so why would that change? So you keep searching. Kind of like searching for that one tiny (but absolutely necessary) LEGO piece in a box of a million tiny LEGO pieces. You keep rummaging through, sifting, digging, knowing the piece is there, but it's cleverly eluding your eye and you start to lose hope. Well, that's my heart this week. Pray for me. Pray that I can find the missing piece--whatever it is that God wants me to find to help me see the blessings around me, to feel the joy that He desires me to claim, and to give Him the glory once it is found.

"O God, you are my God,

I seek you, my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land

where no water is."

Psalm 63:1

Baby and Belly Update

Today I had a 27-week ultrasound and got to see our sweet son's face once again. I am astonished by the 3-D ultrasound, and many of the glimpses of our little guy nearly took my breath away. I feel like I already know him and know what he looks like! Many of the images gave me flashbacks of how our other 3 boys looked like as newborns...so I already know he's going to be handsome and look just like his daddy :)

Here's a 3-D profile of our little guy. The sonographer pointed out that it looks like he's snuggling with his umbilical chord, which is nestled across his chin and cheek :) Amazing!

Here's my ever-growing belly at 27 weeks with the beauty of Glacier in the background...more Glacier photos coming soon!

Rocky Mountain High with Mary

This past weekend was certainly a high for me--a holy high. First, we had a relaxing couple of days camping at a pristine mountain lake, taking in the beauty of God's creation. Then, we finished the weekend fulfilling a childhood dream of mine by taking a tour to the top of the Continental Divide to visit our Lady of the Rockies, a 90-foot metal statue overlooking the city of Butte, MT. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of seeing Our Lady up close. I remember driving by the statue countless times on family road trips over the years. My most vivid memories are of driving through Butte at night, with the lights shining on Mary as if she were a real heavenly apparition, and feeling like she was watching over me and showering me with graces from on top of that mountain. Finally seeing Mary up close and sharing that experience with my husband and children was truly a grace-filled experience. The statue is dedicated to all mothers as a tribute to the sacrificial love that embodies their vocation, so it was extra special to take the tour on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary when we celebrate Mary's sacrificial love and her glorious entrance into heaven. Truly, it is a very inspiring story to hear how the people of Butte poured their hearts, their money, and their time into making their inspired dream come true. You can visit the website to read more of the amazing details of how Our Lady of the Rockies came to be: http://ourladyoftherockies.net/.

A peaceful sunset at Lake Delmoe, near Butte, MT.

See that tiny, white dot? That's Our Lady overlooking the Butte valley below.

And here's Our Lady from my camera's perspective 90 feet below.

Inside Our Lady's statue people have hung their rosaries and prayer intentions from the walls, the rafters or any available space they can find.

Here is Michael reading some of the prayer intentions that are lining the walls.

And here I am with Mary's outstretched arms symbolically blessing my vocation of motherhood.

I pray that Our Lady continues to watch over our family and lead us closer to her Son until we are all together in Heaven someday.

Happy Feast of the Assumption!

Grace Like Rain

Have you ever felt God's graces simply being showered on you? Hopefully most of us can answer "yes" to that question, even though grace is such an ambiguous thing. Well, last week I felt like God was literally showering graces on me, and it was an experience so profound that I feel I need to share it--if nothing else, just so I can capture it for my own mind which might forget someday.

On most Fridays I load up my kids and head to a place where I hate to go, but feel called to go; a place most people would never choose to go unless they have the heaviest "choice" of all to make---choosing life or death for their unborn baby. The place is Planned Parenthood. Going there to pray on Fridays (the abortion day in our town) is a ministry that I never would have chosen for myself, but one that I feel compelled by God to fulfill even though I rarely see any fruits or feel any consolation while I'm there. What I normally feel is a heaviness, a sadness, a longing for no more women to be hurt by the choice they make when they enter those doors, for no more babies to be torn from their mother's womb way before the time God intended. Despite these heavy feelings, I go.

This Friday was no different. My boys and I parked ourselves on a little blanket on the sidewalk of Planned Parenthood, pulled out our rosaries and a snack for my littlest one, and started to pray. The parking lot already had many cars, and I tried not to imagine who came in each of those vehicles and what they must be going through inside Planned Parenthood's doors. Then another car pulled into the lot. Dread came over me, and after what seemed like 15 minutes, a Planned Parenthood employee came outside to escort the woman from her car into the building. The woman kept her head down, as if a great heaviness were weighing her down (or perhaps she was simply trying to avoid eye contact with myself or my 3 wide-eyed boys). My sadness grew as I desperately said one last prayer for her heart to soften to the life that was growing inside her.


A few minutes passed, and then my spirits lifted slightly as my prayer-warrior friend Beth and her 5 little children showed up to pray with us. To people passing by, our blanket full of children, rosaries, toys and snacks must look like a happy little picnic...until they put it all together and ponder the absurdity of a picnic at Planned Parenthood. It is absurd. It's absurd to bring my children to a place other children are being killed, but I think that is why God has called me to be there--to bring the absurdity to light, to pray that one day it will be absurd for people to even consider abortion as a choice. But for now it is still a choice, so for now I continue to be a prayerful witness, a warrior in this invisible spiritual battle with my little children as arrows in the fight.

As Beth and I and our little "arrows" continued to pray and offer up the heaviness we were feeling, it started to gently rain on us. This startled me because the sun was shining beautifully and there were no rain clouds in sight. Immediately, I became filled with warmth and hope. The heaviness was lifted as the rain sprinkled down. Oddly, it seemed as if only our tiny blanket was receiving the raindrops. The rain lasted only a minute or so, and a second later I was reminded of a miraculous story I had read only a few months ago in the book, "Our Lady of Kibeho." The book describes the many apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to some young students in Kibeho, Rwanda, a poor, remote town in Africa. During one of the apparitions, people from hundreds of miles away flocked to Kibeho on foot, enduring terrible heat, exhaustion, hunger and thirst, just to be in the presence of God's mother who had been sent to give the world messages from heaven. Here is a short excerpt of the scene that came to my mind as I prayed in the rain at Planned Parenthood:

Anathalie (the young girl who was having the vision of Mary) began singing every song I've ever heard about the Blessed Virgin. Then, after two hours of praying, singing, and giving messages from Mary, the girl looked at the crowd and said, "Look how many flowers there are in the field today! Our Lady says she know that many of you have traveled great distances to be here with her. She knows how much you've suffered to be here, that your bodies are sore and your souls are thirsty. She wants me to water her flowers..." Anathalie then reached for a container of holy water to sprinkle the crowd, but exclaimed, "Oh, Mother, there are so many of them that I can't water them all. Won't you help me?" At that moment, it began to rain on the entire crowd. The surrounding countryside remained dry, but all the pilgrims were washed and cooled by the beautiful shower Our Lady blessed us with. I can't describe how the water felt, especially after an entire day beneath the hot sun, except to say I felt as though I'd been baptized again. My spirit felt renewed, and I was so filled with love that I began to sing... When the rain stopped and the sun dried our clothes, we all noticed that the shower had also healed the cuts and sores on our feet and legs. I felt as if I'd been touched by the Holy Mother herself, that I'd just experienced a miracle, which of course I had.

I felt like God placed this story in my mind to confirm what my heart was feeling---that He indeed was pleased with our feeble but prayerful presence at Planned Parenthood, and that His mother, too, was smiling on us and showering her children with heavenly graces. The gift of rain was to thank us for standing up for her precious children who cannot stand up for themselves. What a sweet, sweet consolation. Grace no longer seems ambiguous to me. It's as real as rain.