Baby Isaiah turns ONE!!!

Our baby is no longer a baby, but a BIG ONE YEAR OLD!!!  Although Isaiah's arrival into my womb was a slight surprise (shhhh, don't tell my NFP instructor), I'm not surprised at all to find that I cannot imagine my life or our family without him in it.  He has been an easy, mellow fellow, a joy, and a blessing that God knew our family needed.

One big milestone that he met just this week is that he started walking!  OK, maybe "walking" is a slight exaggeration, but he is taking a few shuffle-steps from point A to point B, and then he usually decides that crawling is much faster so he purposely falls down.  I forgot how adorable is a baby on wobbly legs.  I just love it and want to scoop him up and kiss him every time he does it...and so I do!  :)

His birthday celebration was very low-key.  I'm almost embarrassed to admit that we didn't have a party and that I didn't even bake him a cake.  This is what happens with the 5th child.  He is loved every bit as much as the previous siblings, but there just isn't as much time for all the hoopla and planning.  I remember how important it used to be to me to have a "perfect party," with "perfect gifts" and "perfect pictures" to put in my baby's "perfect scrapbook."  Sigh.  It makes me tired just thinking about how hard I used to work for perfection.  Now my kids are stuck with a very imperfect mommy who doesn't have time to scrapbook or organize parties, but who still makes sure her kids feel very loved and special.

So, for Isaiah's special day, Grandma Jean was still here visiting and took our family out to Perkins for brunch.  We ordered Isaiah a chocolate muffin with a Reese's peanut butter cup on top, and he was perfectly pleased (I'm sure it tasted much better than anything I could attempt to cook anyway!)  He had no party guests, just his family.  No presents, just the presence of those who love him and thank God for him in our lives.  That was perfect enough for me, and I think he thought so too :)

Oh, how I love this sweet birthday boy...  I wonder what he will be when he grows up... I wonder if his hair will stay red...  I wonder if he will ever become a big brother or will he stay our baby forever...  I hope and pray that he will always know how much he is loved, and that no matter how old he is he will know that my arms will ALWAYS be open to embrace him!

Happy Birthday, Isaiah!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Easter Highlights

Another Easter, another reminder to praise God for the gift of His Son's sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice that saved us from our sins.  That truth alone gives us cause to rejoice every day, but on this day there is abundantly more to be thankful for.  Here's just a few of our reasons to give thanks this Easter...

Celebrating Mass as a family at our gorgeous Cathedral and receiving the real Body and Blood of our Risen Lord!  Nothing can top that.

Learning to love like Christ loved with this holy, handsome husband...

A visit from Paul's holy and helpful mom (a.k.a. "Grandma Jean")....

An Easter egg hunt in "the Treasure State" with treasured friends...

Easter morning surprises from Grandma...

Decorating Eggs and finding them Easter morning...

Resurrection rolls to remind us that "He has risen, just as He said!" (Matthew 28:6)

Yes, He has risen and by his stripes we are healed of our sins!  There is no greater gift.  Choosing to accept that gift and to live a life of gratitude for that gift every single day (yes, in all circumstances) is the real meaning of Easter for me.  Easter is full of so many truths and paradoxes:  Suffering leads to joy, death leads to life, and the cross leads to the crown.  I pray I can better understand and live these Easter truths this year and pass them on to my children all year through!   A happy and holy Easter to all of you!

VERY Belated Birthday Wish to my Baseball Lover

Our brown-eyed, baseball loving boy, Michael, turned 11 this month (April 3rd to be precise).  For his big day all he wanted was to have  few friends over to play a pick-up game of baseball and take turns playing the Wii.  Michael has always been so laid-back and easy to please, and oh how this mommy appreciates that!  I just loved watching him glow all day as he hung out with his brothers and his best friends.  My prayer for Michael in the coming year is for him to continue to grow in his faith and in his friendships.  Boy, if this kid could be as passionate about God as he is about sports, he might become the next St. Fransis Xavier and save more souls than the number of homeruns hit by his Detroit Tigers hero Miguel Cabrera!  :)

Here's our passionate boy with his brand-new bike.  He and his brother bike to and from baseball practice almost daily, and they recently joined a mountain biking team, so I'm sure he will be putting plenty of miles on these wheels!

Crown of Thorns Bread

We started a new tradition this year for our Good Friday meal, an idea that I found on the internet from another Catholic blogger.  It was a big hit with our boys because it tasted so delicious, but it also really hit home what Lent is all about...  It is called "Crown of Thorns Bread":

Ingredients Needed: 

Bread dough (your favorite recipe or Pillsbury bread sticks from a can)
Pretzel Sticks
1 egg

Make your favorite bread dough recipe, separate into 3 equal pieces, and roll into 3 ropes.  Or do it the cheater way like I did, and simply buy bread sticks from a can and braid them together.  Shape the braided dough into a circle, and pinch together at the end.  Don’t worry- it seriously doesn't have to be perfect.

Beat one egg, and brush across the top of the bread.  Bake according to dough directions.  Once it’s all baked, stick pretzel sticks in the bread all over to be the “thorns” poking out at different angles.  As my boys and I placed the pretzel sticks into the bread, we each took turns saying out loud some of the sins we committed during Lent that caused pain to Jesus, just like the thorns caused pain in his crown.  Then, as we started eating the bread and taking out the thorns, we said out load some of the loving sacrifices we did during Lent that took some of Jesus' pain away.  What a great reminder that every time we sin, it literally hurts of Savior, and every time we love we can truly bring him comfort and joy!!!

I served this bread with meatless soup, and it would also be a perfect meal to serve on Ash Wednesday too! 

Worst Lent Ever?

If I dared to be honest about my Lenten journey this year, I would have to say it was perhaps my worst Lent ever.  All the lofty goals and sacrifices I planned to accomplish failed almost entirely.  The busy-ness of our boys' schedules, trying to sell our home, looking for a new home, and just getting the daily chores done caused me to lose focus on prayer and penance and praise.  I have spent the last 37 days crying a lot, walking in darkness, and failing to see the light.  I am ashamed of myself for being such a wimp.  I wish I could start Lent all over again...  However, I find great consolation in the fact that Lent is about mercy, about Jesus' love for little souls who know that they are BIG sinners.  That's me!  Therefore, I have much to be thankful for this Lent.  I have a God who loves me even when I biff it big time---especially when I biff it---because that is the very reason He sent His Son.  This Lent I was reminded that I am a selfish, cowardly sinner very much in need of a Savior.  And thankfully I've got the most loving, merciful, and patient Savior Who forgives me again and again, and Who gives me His heart at every Mass in the Eucharist to fill me with all the graces I need to begin again.  Yes, this Lent I learned to trust in God's mercy.  So perhaps this wasn't the worst Lent ever, but rather, one of the best.

Encouraging words about "Mercy" found in St. Faustina's Diary, one of my greatest treasures:

“Let the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. Write: before I come as a just judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice…” (Jesus spoke these words to St. Faustina; Diary entry #1146)

” There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted-it increases. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I  myself take care of it.” (Jesus spoke these words to St. Faustina; Diary entry #1273)

Roman Catholic Champs!!!

Last weekend Joseph and Michael participated in a Catholic trivia competition called "Roman Catholic Challenge."  Boy, did they make this momma proud!  For weeks they have been studying hundreds of Catholic trivia facts, and it was inspiring to see how much they learned about their faith!  Often, they would quiz their cradle-Catholic parents...and totally stump us!  :}   For example, can you name the 9 choirs of angels?  Me neither.  But my boys can; they are:  Seraphim, Cherubim, Archangels, Angels, Virtues, Dominions, Powers, Principalities, and Thrones.  They also had to have all the Beatitudes memorized, the 10 Commandments, the names and dates of all Holy Days of Obligation, the Stations of the Cross, several Latin phrases, and over 3 pages of saints and what they are the patron of!!!

The competition involved 2 other Catholic schools from the surrounding area.  Joseph's team was called "DEIS IRAE", which is Latin for "The Day of Wrath."  Apparently, their tactic was to instill fear in their opponents.  And it worked, because they won first place and $40 each! 

Michael's team was called "MILITUS CHRISTI," which is Latin for "Soldiers of Christ."  Even with such an intimidating name, it was hard to be fearful of his group because they looked so darn adorable in their coordinating bow-ties.

However, bow-ties also give the aura of extreme intelligence, which they proved true by winning second place and $25 each in the competition!

Joseph and Michael's teams happened to be in the same age group this year, so for the championship they ended up facing one another!   It was so much fun to watch because Joseph and Michael were each their teams' captain, which meant that they were the spokesmen for their teams.  As you can see in this photo, Joseph was a confident and relaxed team captain.  Michael was also confident, but a bit more intense and competitive :)

This picture just makes me laugh...

It was taken moments before the championship round.
Joseph is praying.  Michael is being a carefree clown :)

I love how different each one of my boys are...it sure keeps life fun and interesting!  :)

The boys had a blast all day.

They absolutely love their Catholic friends AND their Catholic faith.

What more could a mother hope for?

House for Sale!

Well, it's official.  Our home sweet home will be on the market tomorrow.  My heart is a mixed bag of emotions:  eager for the adventure, scared out of my wits, and bittersweet at the thought of selling this home filled with many memories and abundant graces.  We hope the potential buyers of our house will feel the love, faith, and joy that was shared within these walls.  We pray that it sells in God's perfect timing to the right family, and that we find a new home soon to begin building new memories in.  We are extra blessed to have a faith-filled friend as a realtor who understands our need of finding a larger house with a bigger yard because he has 5 boys just like us!  And for those of you who have never been a guest in our happy home, here's a quick tour:

I fell in love with this home at first sight 7 years ago...

It was fun buying a Spring wreath and welcome sign to make our entrance more inviting...

Here's the view upon entering the front door...

Our cozy living room where we listen to boys playing piano during the day

and where we gather for our family prayers at night...

I love the way we recently moved our piano to this side of the room instead of having it block the windows;

now we have more sunshine filling the room...

I also love this new ficus tree that I bought to brighten the room,

and, of course, it consoles me to know that the Sacred Heart of Jesus is with our family on this adventure...

Oh, the conversations (and spilled milk) we've shared around this table...

And here's our bright kitchen where I spend much of my time...

I will miss this view from my kitchen window watching our boys play in the backyard. 

This "String of Pearls" plant reminds me of rosary beads

 and all the graces Our Lady has given our family in this home...

Here's a view of the balcony where 3 of our bedrooms are...

I love this little ledge heading upstairs that holds a basket filled with the roses from our wedding;

they are still just as beautiful 14 years past that sacred day...

I have always loved climbing these stairs and being reminded how much Jesus loves the little children,

and how much He loves even me...

Paul made this log bed as a wedding gift to me, 

and my mother made this log cabin quilt to cover it perfectly;

what a blessing to be covered by her quilt and her prayers all these years...

We've always believed in having a crucifix in our bedroom as a reminder to keep our eyes fixed on Christ...

Our master bathroom...

I have loved tucking our boys in bed and listening to them talk and giggle (sometimes for hours) 

before falling asleep...

The boys' bathroom, complete with new linoleum...

The nursery where our three youngest  have been read to and rocked for countless hours...

The family room in the basement that has witnessed numerous floor hockey games

 and hours of Lego building and playing board games...

The spare bedroom in the basement which used to be our homeschooling room,

and now is used for grandparents and guests when they visit...

The quaint spare bathroom...

We have complete faith and trust that God will help us sell our home and find a new one

as we ask for the intercession of St. Joseph.  If God entrusted St. Joseph to take care of the Holy Family,

then I believe we can trust him too.

ST. JOSEPH, PRAY FOR US!!!