a few of my favorite things...

I feel abundantly blessed lately--and genuinely happy.  As one who has battled the dark clouds of depression on and off for years, it feels so good to be plain ol' happy!  Thank you, Jesus, and thank you to all the people who have prayed for me and my family these past few years!  I believe a lot of healing has taken place spiritually and also physically this past year.  I know the graces of Medjugorje helped, the prayers of many people, and also some supplements and diet changes too.  I'm also guessing that I'm experiencing a time of "spiritual consolation" right now.  I know it won't last forever and a period of "desolation" might be just around the corner, so I am soaking in all this joy and grace while it lasts!  :)

Truly though, everywhere I look, I see things that make my heart rejoice.  Especially around our property, I feel like every day a new flower blossoms that I never knew was there before.  We recently discovered that we have raspberry bushes all over the property, as well as wild strawberries growing by our pond right outside our back door.  We even have some apple, pear, and cherry trees--another surprise gift that was beyond our hopes when we were looking for a new home!  We also continue to see more wildlife than we ever imagined.  Already we have seen more deer than we can count, some elk, a mountain lion, a fox, a wild turkey (almost daily), and now the boys are having so much fun identifying all the birds we see in our backyard with the new bird book that we bought.  Some of the most exciting birds we have seen are:  the Western Tanager, the Lazuli Bunting, the Yellow-Rumped Warbler, the Red-breasted Nuthatch, the White-breasted Nuthatch, the Pink-Sided Black-Eyed Junko, the Downy Woodpecker, and many gorgeous Mountain Bluebirds.  I feel like God has given us a mini Garden of Eden!  The other day as Paul and the older boys were coming down our driveway, they saw a doe who had just given birth to a fawn, for it couldn't stand up and fell onto its adorable little face.  The little boys and I saw the fawn the next day, and it was perhaps the cutest thing I have ever seen.  How I wish I had my camera with me!  And just yesterday, when I went out to feed the chickens in the coop, there was a doe waiting outside the coop watching me.  I came out slowly and offered her some of the chicken's food, and she walked right up to me and ate right out of my hand!  She even let me pet her!  It is all so surreal and wonderful--a complete gift.  As Ann Voskamp would say, "All is grace."  We certainly don't deserve any of this, but God loves us so much He just lavishes us with grace after grace.  I continue to be in awe of God's goodness in giving us this new home and countless other blessings too...

Anyway, here are some photos of a few of my favorite things that have been filling my soul with joy lately:

bright and beautiful oxeye daisies

pretty and pink peonies

elegant columbine

oriental poppies practically glowing in the sunshine

If you look closely, you'll see that the pollen inside these poppies is purple.

As I was taking these pictures I saw a few bumble bees collecting the pollen

and they looked so funny because they were covered completely in purple pollen 

(they hardly looked liked bees anymore) and they could barely fly! 

 We discovered a happy surprise hiding inside these honeysuckle branches...

a robin's nest...

with sweet baby chicks!

I can't believe the momma robin let me get this picture!

Paul's mom came for a visit and helped me out so much!

It was fun to finally show her the property (especially because some of the property is actually hers!)

My parents came for a visit too, which always makes me and the boys happy!

My dad helped me plant all the flowers for our window boxes.

Working in dirt makes both my dad and me happy!

Grandma played lots of card games with the boys which filled our kitchen with JOY!

My parents brought with them a gift that will be one of my favorite things forever:

the kitchen table and chairs that belonged to my grandparents on the farm! 

My grandparents passed it on to my parents, and now they have passed it on to my family.

I love how it sits next to the old cookstove that also came from my grandparents' farm.

Our kitchen now feels complete, country-style, and cozy!  

Fishing is one of my dad's favorite things, and he has passed on that love to his grandkids...

Dominic with his faithful sidekick, Natey.

Michael caught one!

Joseph hoping it's his turn soon.

Michael and Nathanael...fishing pals

Grandpa teaching the big boys how to split firewood.

Another reason our property is a blessing---it is teaching our boys to work hard 

and to be proud of themselves for working hard.

The boys caught a tiny baby turtle at the Lake where the big boys went to camp.

They asked if they could bring him home to our pond...

How could I refuse this adorable face?

He is now swimming happily in our pond with our koi fish.

We named him:

Crowder the Legendary Turtle

("Crowder" for our favorite Christian band, 

and "Legendary" because that was the name of the Church Camp where we found him)

This pond makes our whole family happy (including our new turtle, we hope)

This new digital piano (a gift from Grandma Jean--THANK YOU)

is one of the new favorite things in our home.

Playing it is like free therapy for me,

as well as listening to my boys play so beautifully.

Our swing is definitely one of Isaiah's favorite things,

and his sweet smile is one of mine.

Hazel eyes,

angel-kissed freckles,

pink cheeks,

mischievous grins...

these are a few of my favorite things too!

What are your favorite things?

Make a list and thank the Lord!

Medjugorje (double) Anniversary

Yesterday, June 24th, was the anniversary of when the Medjugorje apparitions first began back in 1981.  Wow, that means that God has been sending His Blessed Mother with a message for our world every day for the past 35 years!  What a time a grace this is...I sure hope our world is listening!  Many people think that it is no coincidence that Our Lady first appeared there on the Feast of John the Baptist.  John the Baptist was the herald of Jesus' 1st Coming, asking people to repent and prepare their hearts for Him.  And perhaps God has been sending Mary to Medjugorje as the herald of Jesus' 2nd Coming, asking people to repent and return their hearts back to Him.

This week also marks the 1 year anniversary of when my husband and I made our pilgrimage to Medjugorje in 2015.  So much healing, so much conversion, has taken place for so many souls (including my husband and I) because of these miraculous apparitions of Mary in that little village.  I am so thankful to God for His love and mercy in sending His Son to die for us, as well as His Mother to appear to us in order to point us back to Him.

Here is the latest message from Our Lady in Medjugorje given to Marija on June 25th:

"Dear children! Give thanks to God with me for the gift of my being with you. Pray, little children, and live God’s commandments that it may be good for you on earth. Today, on this day of grace, I desire to give you my motherly blessing of peace and of my love. I intercede for you with my Son and call you to persevere in prayer so that, with you, I can realize my plans. Thank you for having responded to my call."


Here is the history of Medjugorje and the visionaries:
http://atotustuusfamily.blogspot.com/2015/09/medjugorje-101_24.html

And here is our personal pilgrimage story from last year:
http://atotustuusfamily.blogspot.com/2015/10/medjugorje-why-there.html

Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Pray for Us!!!

big boys at camp...prayers welcomed

Yesterday we drove 2 hours through beautiful Montana mountains to drop off our 2 big boys at a gorgeous lake for Catholic youth camp.  This is Joseph and Michael's 3rd year at camp, and they are surrounded by their very best friends from school and great Catholic counselors, so I know I shouldn't worry---but I still do :}  One thing that is new this year for our boys, is that they are now at the junior high camp which is co-ed (see why I'm worried?).  Personally, I am not a fan of co-ed camps---especially during the hormonal junior high and high school years!---but no one asked my opinion on the matter.   So I will just have to trust and pray that all the kids there can stay focused on Jesus and not get too distracted by the opposite gender :}  Will you please help me to pray that our boys have an "awe"-some week, filled with new awe at God's love for them, and that they experience a deeper relationship with Jesus so that they will help set this world on fire for Christ and His Church!

I entrusted them to Our Lady, so I know they are in good hands!

Waiting in line with their friends to take the boat ride across the lake to the camp

Isaiah loved throwing rocks in the water

Next year Dominic will be old enough for camp, 

and within a few more years his little brothers will follow.

May this camp help each one of them to know, love, and serve the Lord!

Thank you for praying for these handsome, holy boys!

And while you're praying for the boys, if you could spare a prayer for their anxious parents, that would be welcomed as well! :)

We are the Champions, my friends...

It's that time of year for the annual baseball report, and what a fun finale I get to share this year!  Joseph and Michael's team won the City League Championship!  This year was extra special because it was the first time that Joseph and Michael were able to play on the same team in the city league because it was a combined 13-15 year old division.  That sure made it easier for my husband and I to watch their games because we didn't have to divide and conquer by running back and forth between different fields to try to watch equal amounts of their games.  It was so fun to watch our boys play ball together and make great friendships with the other players, while growing in baseball skills and virtues at the same time.

When the season first began, Michael was a bit bummed because he was one of the smallest kids on the team (wow, there's a big difference between 13 year olds and post-puberty 14 and 15 year olds!) and the coach kept putting him in the outfield (whereas, he has played shortstop consistently for the past few years, and that's his favorite position).  But we told him to just be humble, have fun, and simply do his best.  Well, he did just that, and the coaches quickly noticed his skills and his positive attitude and moved him to the in-field!  He may have been the smallest one on the team, but he had the biggest heart for the game  :)  Joseph, too, had a great season and got to play his favorite positions: pitcher, catcher, and sometimes 2nd base or center field.  Joseph pitched great this year, rarely allowing a run to score.  He was unhappy with his inconsistent hitting performance during the season, but in the championship game he hit 3 huge hits to the outfield, which seemed to make up for everything earlier in the season :)  The night of the championship game, we invited the team and their families out to our house for a celebration party, and it was a wonderful way to thank the coaches and end the season with sincere gratitude to God.

Here is a recap of the boys' season in photos:

The 2016 City League Champions!!!

Michael shaking Coach Johnny's hand

Joseph receiving his trophy from Coach Johnny

Joseph with two of his best buddies (Cy and Chase)

Michael slugging the ball

Michael about to make a catch

Michael's face full of determination

Michael and Joseph warming up before a game

Joseph waiting for the pitch

Joseph about to make contact

Joseph hustling to first base

Joseph is always happy with a baseball in his hand :)

Joseph's pitching face :)

I was always impressed with how calm and composed Joseph was as a pitcher

Michael was blessed to be on two teams this year--the city league and a traveling team (called the Rebels) that one of our friends put together.  Michael loved the extra playing time!

Here is Michael sliding in to home base in a cloud of dust. 

(FYI: he was "safe") :)

Michael even got to pitch a few times on the Rebels team...

I love this action shot of Michael pitching! :) 

Our son Dominic also played baseball this year, and boy is he a great player!  He sure can hit the ball and pitch like a pro, but he struggled a bit this year with keeping a positive attitude when his team was losing or if he stuck out.  We hope he matures more by next year so that he can enjoy the game more and improve in the virtues of self-control and sportsmanship.  Here are some fun photos of his baseball season on team Pepsi:

What an awesome baseball season...  And now we get to move on to other fun summer activities, like fishing, mountain-biking, hiking, camping, visiting relatives, and so much more!  May God bless my family and yours with a fun-filled, grace-filled summer!!!

16 Year Roller Coaster Ride

Today is our 16th year wedding anniversary!

What a crazy ride it has been.

Good thing we both love rollercoasters. :)


Just for fun, here's our engagement photo for you to see how much we've changed in the last 16 years :)

May Musings

I like the month of May.  It contains Mother's Day, my birthday (today!), my anniversary, and is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God.  This year, being in a new home, I feel especially blessed.  It's hard to explain, but being in a new home has felt like starting a whole new chapter in the book of my life.  A good chapter that makes me not want to put the book down, but rather, makes me want to keep on reading to see what wonderful thing might happen next.  Those who know me well, know that there have been some ugly chapters in my biography, chapters I would like to re-write or even rip out and burn in the fireplace...  But, I think if I would re-read them now, I might understand how they were a necessary part of the story, and they made the blessings to follow all the more beautiful.  As an English-major and a lover of the written-word, I like being in charge of penning my own script, but God has been gently showing me that my story would be much better written (perhaps even a best-seller) if I just relinquish the pen to Him.  A bishop once said of St. Therese, that:

"her life was like a blank sheet of paper, at the bottom of which she affixed her signature and then placed it in the hands of God, to let Him write thereon all that might please Him, accepting in advance--with joy--whatever He would write, not knowing what it might be and no matter the suffering involved, but convinced that it would be only for His glory and her own spiritual good."  

I am humbled and astonished by St. Therese's child-like trust.  I'm so controlling that the thought of letting God write my story is very frightening to me (after all, what if He writes a Shakespeare tragedy!?).  But as I reflect upon all that has happened in the past 37 years of my life, I see over and over again that God always provides, He always works things out for my good.  Yes, sometimes He writes some suffering into the plot-line, but somehow He even turns that into something good!  I need to focus on the Truth that God is always good to help me worry less and trust more.  Yesterday, I was blessed with the opportunity to go to Saturday morning Mass, followed by the sacrament of Confession with a Spirit-filled priest.  He spoke exactly what my soul was thirsting for and reminded me to be more like St. Therese.  He reminded me to trust in God's goodness and mercy and to not be afraid of anything--my sins, future suffering, disappointing those I love, not being the saint I want to be--but rather to simply believe in God's goodness.  He left me with this short verse to meditate on as my penance:

"Do not be afraid, only believe."  ~Mark 5:36

I hope I can embrace that as my motto for the 37th year of my life.  Like St. Therese, I will trust and believe that God has more wonderful adventures to write in the story of my life and that no matter what else happens, it will end "happily ever after."  So here I go, on my birthday...I sign my name to the last page and hand the pen over to Him.


Here are some photos of the fun and beautiful hike we took on Mother's Day:

Just for fun, I thought I'd throw in this photo of me when I was 2!

I can't believe I'll be the big 40 in just a few years!