Another Graduate!

Michael graduated from Jefferson High School this week and we are SO PROUD of him!  This young man is both smart and resilient.  He finished his high school career at a new school, which is no small feat.  He finished with great grades and a few new friends...and now he's ready to fish and play ball the rest of the summer until heading to NSU (where he will do more fishing and playing ball)! :)

A week before graduation, Grandma Jean came for a visit to congratulate Michael and spend time with the family as she was driving from Arizona to Minnesota.  We had a wonderful time with her, and here are some of the highlights:

Grandma Jean and her handsome grandsons

Our family so blessed to be living in beautiful Montana,

and blessed to have another son graduating and ready to shine the light of Christ in the world!

The boys playing badminton on Joseph's first day back from college.

Grandma Jean hugging Joseph and saying goodbye because she was going to leave early the next morning before the kids would be awake.  Joseph came home from college a day or two after Grandma Jean arrived, so she was very happy to be able to see him on this trip.

Grandma Jean saying goodbye Michael.

Grandma Jean giving Dominic a big hug.

Two days after Grandma Jean left, my parents came to attend Michael's graduation and help me get ready for the post-graduation party.  My oldest brother Mike and his family also came for the big event.  It was SOOO wonderful to have a few extra helping hands!  I can't thank them enough, and it really meant the world to Michael to have them here for his special day---especially considering they had to drive through a snow storm to get here!  Yes, you read that right...a snow storm!  The weather for the graduation took everyone by surprise.  It snowed for three days straight!  How crazy for the month of MAY!  We were hoping for an outdoor graduation ceremony and post-graduation party, but we had 12 inches of snow around our house, so we definitely had to go with plan B.  But it all turned out fine.  JHS had the graduation inside the school building, and our party was also indoors.  About 50 people showed up, and there was plenty of space in the house for everyone to visit.  I think Michael felt very loved!  Our family is so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family to support us.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't get very many pictures of all the graduation events.  In fact, I didn't get any pictures of Michael with my brother Mike's family, which I'm totally bummed about.  I guess I was too busy and stressed out about getting ready for the party and entertaining guests that I forgot to pull out my camera.  But, I'm grateful that I at least got a few pictures to help us remember this very special day:

Diploma in hand...he's officially graduated!

Michael looks good in purple :)

We had to take our pictures indoors this year because it was raining and snowing outside.

We are so proud of this kid!

(Even though he drove us crazy sometimes!) :)

Grandpa Pat and Grandma Theresa giving their last hugs before driving back to South Dakota.

May God bless and keep our latest graduate always close to His Sacred Heart.

Totus Tuus,

~Maria

Oops, Easter's over, but here are my Easter photos :)

One thing I've learned about God is that His blessings always outweigh the crosses that He allows in our lives. This Easter season reminded me that the difficult season of Lent that we all encounter through fasting, extra penances, and added prayer to our busy days is always worth it and overshadowed by the joys of the Easter season!  In fact, even the length of Lent vs Easter is a sign of God's love and mercy for us!  Lent is only 40 days (which often feels like 40 months!) and Easter is 50 days (which is the LONGEST liturgical season in the Church calendar!)  How awesome is that!  

I'm not sure about you, but I've had some tough Lenten seasons that I thought would never end and made me question God's love a little bit.  Like the Lent when our son Dominic ended up in the hospital with a knee infection that resulted in a three year rollercoaster of PTSD-induced panic attacks for him that we didn't think would ever end.  Or last year's Lent...that was a doosey.  Joseph had a skiing accident that tore up his knee, resulting in months of crutches and a brace, which crushed his baseball season and certainly put a damper on his senior year.  Oh, and how could I forget, that was the Lent that Covid hit too, so we got to experience the cross of being locked in our homes, a bit fearful of this unknown virus, doing remote learning for school, and wearing masks once we were finally able to leave our homes!  The Lent of 2020 will certainly be remember by all :}

  

But somehow Easter---the real meaning of Easter---always pulls us through those long seasons of Lent with HOPE and JOY that we didn't even know was possible.  I feel like that happens every year---sometimes in small ways, sometimes in dramatic ways.  And this year was no exception.   This year, with the prolonged pandemic, the very probable stolen election, the mask mandates, the political and racial divisions, the downward spiral our country seems to be taking...it made Lent feel extra long and  a heavy cross to carry.  But then Easter came...  It didn't take all those crosses away, but it reminded me of Jesus's gift of salvation that He won for us on the cross.   He already won the victory.  Those who love Him and live their lives in His service will be with Him in Heaven someday.  Easter reminds me of that huge and hopeful truth.  The reminders of new life are all around me...in the budding trees, our new chicks, the frequent rain, the greenness of the grass.  I love the season of Easter.  It gives me hope after every long Lent.  I hope you are filled with hope too.  God is good, all the time.  Just look at the proof all around you.  Here's some of my proofs...

The JOY of finding early morning Easter presents never gets old!

We love spending Easter with the Cronk family!

Michael being best buddies with little Joseph Cronk

Isaiah showing off some of his Easter candy

The kids eating an Easter appetizer before our big dinner

(maybe we should have done the egg hunt AFTER dinner--oops)

Don't ever loose hope...

HE HAS RISEN!  ALLELUIAH!!!

Totus Tuus,

~Maria

P.S. Michael's graduation photos coming soon...

Isaiah's BIG April highlights

Isaiah had a VERY special month of April.  Not only was it his 8th birthday, but also his 1st Holy Communion!!!  It was so beautiful to see our youngest son finally old enough to receive Jesus!  He has been looking forward to this day for soooooo long.  These past few years he would keep asking me at Mass, "How long until I can receive Jesus?"  And now he can!  His 1st Communion was absolutely grace-filled.  Bishop Anthony Vetter was the celebrant and homilist, and he really made the 1st Communicants feel so special and let them know that receiving the Eucharist is one of the greatest gifts they will ever receive on this side of Heaven.  When he noticed that there were 2 girl 1st Communicants and 2 boys, he said, "PERFECT---2 nuns and 2 priests!"  And then he looked right at Isaiah and said, "Or perhaps a bishop?!"  Isaiah was just beaming inside :)  

As Isaiah was preparing for his 1st Holy Communion, we discussed whether he would like to receive Jesus on the hand or on the tongue.  I was happy that our church still gave the kids the option of receiving on the tongue even though we are still in "Covid times."  I thought Isaiah would probably want to receive on the hand because that's what most of the kids were going to do, and that's even what our family started doing during Covid, but nope---he insisted that he wanted to receive Jesus on his tongue.  He is such a pious little soul...a true traditionalist even at the age of 8! :)  Taylor Marshall (the famous traditional Catholic podcaster) would be proud :)  

A week or two after his 1st Communion was Isaiah's birthday.  He invited his whole class to celebrate with him at a fun indoor trampoline park in town.  We normally don't do big birthday parties like this for our kids, but Paul and I really wanted to get to know some of the families at the kids' new school, so we decided to splurge.  The kids all had fun (well, everyone except Grant who ended up with a black eye when one of his classmates landed on his face in the foam pit--ouch) :(  But other than that, it went smooth and awesome.  Isaiah felt very special and loved all month long---and he is!  

Here are photo highlights of his special events in April:

Here are some of his 1st Communion gifts:

The Bible is from Grandma Theresa and Grandpa Pat

The green rosary is from his Irish Grandma, Grandma Jean

The books are from mom and dad :)

And now the birthday pics...

Happy Birthday sweet Isaiah!

I love you more than the number of jumps

you and your classmates jumped at Flippin Family Fun! :)

My heart is bursting with joy that you are 8

and that you can receive Jesus now!

I'm so proud of how pious and kind you are,

how sweet and helpful you are,

how handsome and holy you are,

how smart and humble you are!

You are JOY and BLESSING to our family!

Keep being YOU

and keep close to Jesus and Mary

always!

Love,

Mom

Michael's Senior Pictures

Of all the changes that happened this year, I think our son Michael probably had the biggest adjustment.  Changing to a new high school his senior year is certainly not for the faint of heart, and he has handled it with grace and confidence.  Paul and I agonized over whether we were making the right decision to switch schools for our kids, but once the school year started and we saw how happy our kids were (especially Michael!), we felt like we made the right decision (at least for now).  

Michael has been more happy and talkative this year than I ever remember him being, which is such a blessing to this momma's heart :)  And this month he has officially made his decision where to go to college....  He picked Northern State University (NSU) in Aberdeen, SD!  Aberdeen is where Paul and I both grew up; it is where my parents and my brother Mike's family still live; in fact, NSU is my alma mater :)  I think it will be the PERFECT fit for Michael.  He will be able to hunt and fish with his grandpa and uncle.  He will be able to play cards with grandma and eat copious amounts of her cookies.  He will be able to play baseball (his #1 passion) while receiving a degree (of some kind) :)  

It's so hard to believe that another son is about to graduate.  I am so proud of him and I will certainly treasure these next 5 months or so while he is still in our home before sending him off on the adventure of college and beyond.  Please say a prayer for God to bless him and guide him on this next exciting chapter in his life---thank you!

Here are his senior pictures, taken by Eric Connolly, a talented photographer at our church.  He did a great job and I will treasure these photos always.

I love you, Michael!

I'm so proud of you and am excited to see what the Lord has planned for you.

Stay close to Jesus and Mary, call your mom and dad often,

and everything will always turn out fine! :)

Totus Tuus,

~Maria

Recent Medjugorje Messages from the Queen of Peace

Many of you know that I have been to Medjugorje twice---once when I was a senior in high school back in 1997, and once with my husband in 2006.  I give Our Lady of Medjugorje credit for bringing my husband and I together, which is a story for another day, but needless to say, I am a believer that Mary is really appearing to the visionaries and giving them messages out of her deep love for us.  She has been appearing daily since 1981, which is quite miraculous, and I thought I would share a couple of her more recent messages because they are very encouraging.

March 18, 2021  Annual Message to Mirjana

"Dear children, in a motherly way I am calling you to return to the joy and the truth of the Gospel, to return to the love of my Son - because He is waiting for you with open arms; that everything you do in life you do with my Son, with love; that it may be blessed for you; so that your spirituality may be internal, and not just external. Only in that way will you be humble, generous, filled with love and joyful; and my motherly heart will rejoice with you. Thank you."

March 25, 2021 Monthly Message to Marija

 

 "Dear children! Also today I am with you to tell you: Little children, the one who prays does not fear the future and does not lose hope. You are chosen to carry joy and peace, because you are mine. I have come here with the name 'Queen of Peace' because the devil wants peacelessness and war, he wants to fill your heart with fear of the future - but the future is God's. That is why, be humble and pray, and surrender everything into the hands of the Most High Who created you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Times are tough...but hold the line and hold on to hope!

I really don't think very many people read this blog (other than my mom..."HI MOM!"), but it is still a sacred place for me to share family memories and also my thoughts.  I haven't been sharing my thoughts very often lately...  To be honest with you, it's partly because my thoughts have been pretty discouraging with all that is happening in our country.  If I shared my thoughts with complete honesty and without a filter, I'm guessing my blog would be censored (since that seems to be the common trend these days). But I seriously doubt those big tech oligarchs would read a petite, 40-something, stay-at-home mom from Montana's blog, nor consider her as much of a threat to anyone! :)  But anyway, rather than share ALL of my thoughts and going on a ranting monologue, today I just wanted to share a bit of light in the darkness, a bit of encouragement from the Word of God.  

Today's daily Mass readings were very hope-filled and reminded me that the Word of God is powerful and "never returns back to God void; it always achieves God's holy will and the purpose for which He sent it." (Isaiah 55:10-11).  All of us Christians, no matter what party affiliation we claim, should be finding HOPE and TRUTH in the WORD OF GOD (not in the main stream media!), and keeping our eyes fixed on our Savior JESUS CHRIST (not on any world leader).  Which brings me to the Responsorial Psalm of today's Mass readings, which gave me renewed hope for our country's future. Times may seem tough right now, and I know everyone is facing distress of various kinds, but God promises to rescue those who trust in Him.  He hears our prayers, He is close to the brokenhearted, He is good ALL THE TIME (even during pandemics and corruption in politics).  Cling to that promise now and in the days ahead!  Keep reading your Bibles, praying, and trusting in the God Who loves you!

Totus Tuus,

~Maria

Responsorial Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19

R.    (18b)  From all their distress God rescues the just.
Glorify the LORD with me,
    let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears. 
R.    From all their distress God rescues the just.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
    and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
    and from all his distress he saved him.
R.    From all their distress God rescues the just.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
    and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
    to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R.    From all their distress God rescues the just.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
    and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
    and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R.    From all their distress God rescues the just.