My party of five was able to spend Thanksgiving with one side of Mr. Faithful's family we don't get to see much. This, in fact, was our very first holiday spent with them!
As we hugged our loved ones, watched in awe of babies growing too fast, and learning more of the past, it got me thinking of how blessed we truly are. We have so many people to be thankful for! At this time of year, you hear most people tell of HOW MUCH they are thankful for. I prefer to say HOW MANY we are thankful for. We have so many Faithful Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Nieces and Nephews! It really is difficult to see them all throughout the year. Some live nearby, others across the country. We all have busy lives within our own units. When we do get together with our family, you can feel the love everyone has for one another. As true friends can go any amount of time without seeing each other and pick up where they left off, so is the same with all sides of our Faithful Family! And so goes the way of Christ in this fashion. We are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of God! So we must love one another as we are all one family!
Be thankful for WHO you have in your life. It is a precious gift from our Heavenly Father and not one of us knows when we will be called back Home. The what's in this life do not matter much when it comes to true happiness. Xoxo
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
My Perfect Birth
I love being pregnant. I love the feeling of God's creation inside of me. So perfect in every way! I have been blessed three times with this feeling! I've only been blessed with one perfect (for me) birth. I want to share my story with you...
It was January 2009. Bitter cold. It was in fact the coldest day on record for that winter. It was so cold our pipes started to freeze and Mr. Faithful had someone from our city come and help him stop it! I thought my water broke at this same time. Luckily I was wrong about that, but I knew something was going to happen soon! We went to the hospital thinking the bags broke. The nurse checked me and said I was dilated to 2; I was contracting slightly. So we asked if we could stay to try to get me into labor. Our oldest Baby Faithful was with my Faithful Parents, why not right?! So they said if I made good progress within an hour I could stay. I decided to. I walked those halls with Mr. Faithful like a marathoner who was determined to win first place! An hour passed. I was checked again and I dilated to 4! So there I stayed. I continued to power walk the halls of that beautiful hospital. Pictures of newborns filled the halls as I anxiously awaited for the labor pains I so patiently wanted to feel for the second time in my life. The contractions were coming and I'd walk right through them. A few hours passed and it started getting harder to walk through them. So we decided to go back to our room. This time was so intimate with my husband! I'm so glad we decided to stay at the hospital that time. We would have had our son with us, or other family, and we couldn't have had the long walks and talks like we did that night. It was wonderful even in the hospital setting!
My nurse was AWESOME. Her name was Jackie and I will never forget her. She made my labor as natural as she could by not getting involved except when we asked her. She was in the room a little bit, just marveling at how we performed our labor ritual. She would help me into the shower; she would help my husband by getting him a cup of water or apple juice when he needed it. And she praised us for the great job we were both doing. She only put me on the monitors about twice the whole time I was there...and I was ok with that!
Time went on and I was in the zone! I felt no pains at one point in time. I was totally into letting my body do it's job. It was GREAT!! I guess at that time was when they thought I was hyperventilating...so I was given oxygen. This part totally through off my zen. I started feeling the pains of contracting. But that was ok through. With this great pain comes a tiny creature that my husband and I were allowed to have as a gift from God to symbolize our love and devotion to Christ and each other! I'll happily feel the pain of childbirth for this!!
I was probably dilated to 7 when I was given the oxygen. The nurse checked me and accidentally broke the bulging water bags. As soon as my water broke it was unstoppable...or should I say HE was unstoppable!! My body and my baby did all the work that morning. After my water broke he was out within the hour. I did not push to get my baby out. I let my body do all the work. In fact I was trying to stop it from happening since my doctor was in one of the sleep rooms! He decided to go to a hockey game and came straight from the arena at like 1am. He started falling asleep in my room on the floor and decided to get a little shut eye in the room for doctors and nurses ha ha!!! I still find that funny to this day. I love my doctor, he's more like a midwife!
His cord was wrapped around his neck twice. My doctor told me not to push...I wasn't pushing!! He slid right out. Thanks be to God he was ok! Our Faithful Baby 2 was born!! It truly was a beautiful birth. He was placed on my chest and we started our breastfeeding, skin to skin contact, and euphoria. Our nurse, again, praised us both for doing such a great job! It was her first time witnessing a natural childbirth in her career at the hospital!
You never forget your birth stories. I'm glad I have such a great one to share with you. Maybe I will be blessed with another to have one more beautiful birth story to spread? Only God knows!
It was January 2009. Bitter cold. It was in fact the coldest day on record for that winter. It was so cold our pipes started to freeze and Mr. Faithful had someone from our city come and help him stop it! I thought my water broke at this same time. Luckily I was wrong about that, but I knew something was going to happen soon! We went to the hospital thinking the bags broke. The nurse checked me and said I was dilated to 2; I was contracting slightly. So we asked if we could stay to try to get me into labor. Our oldest Baby Faithful was with my Faithful Parents, why not right?! So they said if I made good progress within an hour I could stay. I decided to. I walked those halls with Mr. Faithful like a marathoner who was determined to win first place! An hour passed. I was checked again and I dilated to 4! So there I stayed. I continued to power walk the halls of that beautiful hospital. Pictures of newborns filled the halls as I anxiously awaited for the labor pains I so patiently wanted to feel for the second time in my life. The contractions were coming and I'd walk right through them. A few hours passed and it started getting harder to walk through them. So we decided to go back to our room. This time was so intimate with my husband! I'm so glad we decided to stay at the hospital that time. We would have had our son with us, or other family, and we couldn't have had the long walks and talks like we did that night. It was wonderful even in the hospital setting!
My nurse was AWESOME. Her name was Jackie and I will never forget her. She made my labor as natural as she could by not getting involved except when we asked her. She was in the room a little bit, just marveling at how we performed our labor ritual. She would help me into the shower; she would help my husband by getting him a cup of water or apple juice when he needed it. And she praised us for the great job we were both doing. She only put me on the monitors about twice the whole time I was there...and I was ok with that!
Time went on and I was in the zone! I felt no pains at one point in time. I was totally into letting my body do it's job. It was GREAT!! I guess at that time was when they thought I was hyperventilating...so I was given oxygen. This part totally through off my zen. I started feeling the pains of contracting. But that was ok through. With this great pain comes a tiny creature that my husband and I were allowed to have as a gift from God to symbolize our love and devotion to Christ and each other! I'll happily feel the pain of childbirth for this!!
I was probably dilated to 7 when I was given the oxygen. The nurse checked me and accidentally broke the bulging water bags. As soon as my water broke it was unstoppable...or should I say HE was unstoppable!! My body and my baby did all the work that morning. After my water broke he was out within the hour. I did not push to get my baby out. I let my body do all the work. In fact I was trying to stop it from happening since my doctor was in one of the sleep rooms! He decided to go to a hockey game and came straight from the arena at like 1am. He started falling asleep in my room on the floor and decided to get a little shut eye in the room for doctors and nurses ha ha!!! I still find that funny to this day. I love my doctor, he's more like a midwife!
His cord was wrapped around his neck twice. My doctor told me not to push...I wasn't pushing!! He slid right out. Thanks be to God he was ok! Our Faithful Baby 2 was born!! It truly was a beautiful birth. He was placed on my chest and we started our breastfeeding, skin to skin contact, and euphoria. Our nurse, again, praised us both for doing such a great job! It was her first time witnessing a natural childbirth in her career at the hospital!
You never forget your birth stories. I'm glad I have such a great one to share with you. Maybe I will be blessed with another to have one more beautiful birth story to spread? Only God knows!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Shared Love
Mr. Faithful and I have been together for 9 years. We've been married for 5. We love each other dearly and feel that God brought us together to be a strong symbol of what a Christian marriage is. Since about 2009 we've accepted that role seriously. So yes, we are still infants in our journey!
We have a few we look up to for guidance. My grandparents are one of those couples. Married for 63 years, 7 children and 1 stillbirth, and many grand and great grand children, they are the epitome of a sacred marriage. They allowed the Holy Spirit to guide them...whether it was to pick up and move across country, or to volunteer their time at their local church. They heeded Christ's calling for them as a Catholic married couple. And my parents follow in their footsteps as well. We are blessed to have the guidance of two strong couples from my side of the family!
Like I said in the previous post, my grandma was called back home last May. She died the morning after she turned 83. I believe that because she led such a faithful life, a life that may have seemed odd to most human eyes, our Lord let her die like a saint. I will now share with you such a beautiful and poetic death...
At the beginning of April, my Mama Faithful and her sister (Faithful Aunt 2) decided to take a trip to visit their parents for Grandma Faithful's birthday (which was May 25). They booked their flight, and it being cheaper on a Wednesday, they decided to take it on her birthday. Mama Faithful was conflicted in her mind as that day was also my Dadio's birthday. She decided she had to go visit her parents. Things got worse, their flight was delayed. They sat in the airport on that shared birthday. They finally reached their destination at 4am. My grandparents lived with my other aunt, Faithful Aunt 1. When they got there, Grandma Faithful woke up to go to the bathroom. She was weak so she needed help. She had all three of her daughters there to guide her back to bed. As she lay down, she looked up at the three beautiful faces staring down at her and said, "My beautiful girls...I love you!" and went back to sleep.
That morning as the coffee brewed, everyone was catching up while Grandma Faithful slept. Faithful Aunt 1 (who lived with Faithful Grandparents) said casually that she'd check in on Grandma Faithful since she usually didn't sleep that late. She walked away. A moment later Faithful Aunt 1 called to Mama Faithful and Faithful Aunt 2. They walked in. She had died peacefully in her sleep with a smile on her face. Mama Faithful said it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. As she lay there, they weren't very sure she really was dead. Her cheeks were rosy; she looked as though someone had put make up on her beautiful face...although that 4am meeting she looked as though she had none on at all. She wore a gorgeous smile and a scapular. They called 9-1-1 and it was confirmed that she passed away somewhere around 5am. What a beautiful life! Her very last words that we know of were, "My beautiful girls...I love you." She was able to see her daughters all at the same time, which rarely happens. The Holy Spirit guided Mama Faithful and Faithful Aunt 2 to get there only shortly before Grandma Faithful's passing to touch each other one last time on this earth! A poetic life and death.
Now Grandpa Faithful is getting weaker by the day. We've received word that his health is failing and he's becoming confused at things. He is a genius and truly does have a photographic memory. For him to be confused over certain things is not good. It's been six months since his bride's passing. I think he's ready to see her again. I hope and pray that if this is his time to be called up to heaven, our Heavenly Father also grants him the peacefulness He bestowed on Grandma Faithful as well. They lived a long life of servitude, of prayer, of a shared love for Christ and each other. I strive for the same love story in my own marriage.
May God bless you, GG, with endless bliss and unconditional love in Eternity. May God comfort you, Grandpa, and help you to be strong. I love you both!
We have a few we look up to for guidance. My grandparents are one of those couples. Married for 63 years, 7 children and 1 stillbirth, and many grand and great grand children, they are the epitome of a sacred marriage. They allowed the Holy Spirit to guide them...whether it was to pick up and move across country, or to volunteer their time at their local church. They heeded Christ's calling for them as a Catholic married couple. And my parents follow in their footsteps as well. We are blessed to have the guidance of two strong couples from my side of the family!
Like I said in the previous post, my grandma was called back home last May. She died the morning after she turned 83. I believe that because she led such a faithful life, a life that may have seemed odd to most human eyes, our Lord let her die like a saint. I will now share with you such a beautiful and poetic death...
At the beginning of April, my Mama Faithful and her sister (Faithful Aunt 2) decided to take a trip to visit their parents for Grandma Faithful's birthday (which was May 25). They booked their flight, and it being cheaper on a Wednesday, they decided to take it on her birthday. Mama Faithful was conflicted in her mind as that day was also my Dadio's birthday. She decided she had to go visit her parents. Things got worse, their flight was delayed. They sat in the airport on that shared birthday. They finally reached their destination at 4am. My grandparents lived with my other aunt, Faithful Aunt 1. When they got there, Grandma Faithful woke up to go to the bathroom. She was weak so she needed help. She had all three of her daughters there to guide her back to bed. As she lay down, she looked up at the three beautiful faces staring down at her and said, "My beautiful girls...I love you!" and went back to sleep.
That morning as the coffee brewed, everyone was catching up while Grandma Faithful slept. Faithful Aunt 1 (who lived with Faithful Grandparents) said casually that she'd check in on Grandma Faithful since she usually didn't sleep that late. She walked away. A moment later Faithful Aunt 1 called to Mama Faithful and Faithful Aunt 2. They walked in. She had died peacefully in her sleep with a smile on her face. Mama Faithful said it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. As she lay there, they weren't very sure she really was dead. Her cheeks were rosy; she looked as though someone had put make up on her beautiful face...although that 4am meeting she looked as though she had none on at all. She wore a gorgeous smile and a scapular. They called 9-1-1 and it was confirmed that she passed away somewhere around 5am. What a beautiful life! Her very last words that we know of were, "My beautiful girls...I love you." She was able to see her daughters all at the same time, which rarely happens. The Holy Spirit guided Mama Faithful and Faithful Aunt 2 to get there only shortly before Grandma Faithful's passing to touch each other one last time on this earth! A poetic life and death.
Now Grandpa Faithful is getting weaker by the day. We've received word that his health is failing and he's becoming confused at things. He is a genius and truly does have a photographic memory. For him to be confused over certain things is not good. It's been six months since his bride's passing. I think he's ready to see her again. I hope and pray that if this is his time to be called up to heaven, our Heavenly Father also grants him the peacefulness He bestowed on Grandma Faithful as well. They lived a long life of servitude, of prayer, of a shared love for Christ and each other. I strive for the same love story in my own marriage.
May God bless you, GG, with endless bliss and unconditional love in Eternity. May God comfort you, Grandpa, and help you to be strong. I love you both!
Friday, November 18, 2011
True Love
I rediscovered my grandmother's poetry recently and could not be more elated! She is one that I feel I received my gift of words from. She passed away in May of this year. The day after her birthday. Now my grandfather is having a hard time. It's been six months since Grandma Faithful had been called back up. I feel that theirs is a love story like no other in real life. They were meant to be together on this earth and they will be together again in heaven! They had a holy and sacred marriage. They listened to God's calling. And I want to share a poem of her's I found yesterday...
THE WINE OF LIFE
When we were young we found a time
Of holding hands, then running through fields together.
A time of laughter, health, fun
When you and I were one;
Learning to laugh at, to accept one anothers' idiosyncrasies.
In love, in hope,
In forward looking anticipation as our family grew.
We danced into our life together.
We bottled our love, hope, enthusiasm,
Stored them away in the wine cellar of our hearts.
Cradled in the dark warmth of years.
Now my love the time has come at last, at last,
To break open, to taste the wine
That time has brought to all it's excellence.
Mellowed, full bodied, a hearty bouquet
Just waiting for the day
When we two could bring it to our lips
To drink in the essence of perfection
We have patiently waited for.
Let us grow old together, my darling,
Someday but not now...
Now is a new beginning, like in our youth.
A time of holding hands, and running through fields together.
A time of laughter, health, fun.
You and I are one
Learning again to laugh at, to accept
One anothers' idiosyncrasies.
In love, in hope,
In forward looking anticipation with our family grown.
Come, let us dance into the rest of our lives together!
Come my love, let us begin our love story all over again.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
God Works Through Children
I love this title. It can be taken in so many ways!
I am a "cradle" Catholic. That means my parents baptized me as an infant and raised me up with the Catholic religion and a great foundation. We went to every Sunday morning mass. We went to Catholic grade school. I was an alter server and trained other children to serve during the mass as well. I am so grateful for this now as an adult with a family of my own.
By the time I was a freshman in high school, I felt like I was done being Catholic. I felt like it wasn't cool to be religious. I felt like I needed to be like everyone else. I'm ashamed of feeling that way now as an adult looking back, but this was the former me. I was an infant in my faith.
As I've told you in former blog posts, I went through my dark ages...high school and a few years beyond that even. It was a long time in the dark. A long time I let evil, hatred, and human selfishness cloud what is so important to see and feel in this life. I was mean, careless, selfish and I didn't even realize it at that time! I still believed in God, but had so many questions that I just couldn't hear the answers to. I wanted to hear these answers from God Himself. I wasn't looking in the right places and I wasn't asking the right questions.
As time went on, and I got older, I disassociated myself from most of the people that were my poison. People can be toxic, and if you associate with toxic people all of the time, that becomes your world. It's a toxicity level in your body that seeps out of your pores and spreads to others. It's so important to remove yourself from the sadness. From loneliness. From evil. I finally started learning this when I turned 21. By the end of my 21st year of life, I know God started shooing me onto the path that was leading me to where I am today. But yet, even still, back then I was still a baby in my spiritual life.
Fast forward a bit, after my wedding and birthing two of my three children, back in 2009, was a point in time that I had yet again had a restored faith in Christ. I am a SAHM (stay at home mom). My husband works long hours to support us and for that I am so grateful! God is helping him, because I know Mr. Faithful couldn't do what he does without his intimacy with Christ. Anyway, back in 2009 was a very low point in time for us financially. Faithful Baby 2 was about 6 months old and we were barely getting by shut off notice to shut off notice. We had no money for food. We lost a car due to no money to make payments on. I started losing faith that God would get us through. One day during that summer, I went to the grocery store with Faithful Baby 2 and realized I didn't have the money to pay for the groceries. I was frantic and not to mention embarrassed. I was going through picking and choosing what she could take off my order. It was terrible. I started to cry as there was barely food there to begin with! Just as I was going to have her wipe out most of the food for our week, the couple behind me stopped the cashier. They purchased all of my groceries for me! WOW I was amazed and humbled by this incident. I hugged both of them so hard and realized that they were sent by God to show me He is still with me!! They walked out with me and we chatted a bit about our financial problems. As the husband put my groceries in my van, they prayed with me and asked God to help me through this low point in time. They prayed that I'd have renewed faith in Jesus Christ. It was amazing. I will never forget those people. That was my 2nd run in with feeling the power of the Holy Spirit at work. What an awesome feeling of unconditional love that even a million mothers couldn't replicate with their children. This kind of love is like no other and I've been very blessed to have felt it!
Since then, Mr. Faithful and I try to pay it forward. We still don't have money. That part doesn't matter to us. We pay it forward in other ways that God grants us. We heed His calling for us as a Catholic married couple, as parents raising three males in hopes they will be strong in their own Catholic faith and beliefs, and as individuals with such a love for Christ that we can get through even the darkest of times together.
Even still, at this point in our lives, we are still children. We are all children of God, no matter how old we are in this earthly life. We are all children. And God works through children. Xoxo.
I am a "cradle" Catholic. That means my parents baptized me as an infant and raised me up with the Catholic religion and a great foundation. We went to every Sunday morning mass. We went to Catholic grade school. I was an alter server and trained other children to serve during the mass as well. I am so grateful for this now as an adult with a family of my own.
By the time I was a freshman in high school, I felt like I was done being Catholic. I felt like it wasn't cool to be religious. I felt like I needed to be like everyone else. I'm ashamed of feeling that way now as an adult looking back, but this was the former me. I was an infant in my faith.
As I've told you in former blog posts, I went through my dark ages...high school and a few years beyond that even. It was a long time in the dark. A long time I let evil, hatred, and human selfishness cloud what is so important to see and feel in this life. I was mean, careless, selfish and I didn't even realize it at that time! I still believed in God, but had so many questions that I just couldn't hear the answers to. I wanted to hear these answers from God Himself. I wasn't looking in the right places and I wasn't asking the right questions.
As time went on, and I got older, I disassociated myself from most of the people that were my poison. People can be toxic, and if you associate with toxic people all of the time, that becomes your world. It's a toxicity level in your body that seeps out of your pores and spreads to others. It's so important to remove yourself from the sadness. From loneliness. From evil. I finally started learning this when I turned 21. By the end of my 21st year of life, I know God started shooing me onto the path that was leading me to where I am today. But yet, even still, back then I was still a baby in my spiritual life.
Fast forward a bit, after my wedding and birthing two of my three children, back in 2009, was a point in time that I had yet again had a restored faith in Christ. I am a SAHM (stay at home mom). My husband works long hours to support us and for that I am so grateful! God is helping him, because I know Mr. Faithful couldn't do what he does without his intimacy with Christ. Anyway, back in 2009 was a very low point in time for us financially. Faithful Baby 2 was about 6 months old and we were barely getting by shut off notice to shut off notice. We had no money for food. We lost a car due to no money to make payments on. I started losing faith that God would get us through. One day during that summer, I went to the grocery store with Faithful Baby 2 and realized I didn't have the money to pay for the groceries. I was frantic and not to mention embarrassed. I was going through picking and choosing what she could take off my order. It was terrible. I started to cry as there was barely food there to begin with! Just as I was going to have her wipe out most of the food for our week, the couple behind me stopped the cashier. They purchased all of my groceries for me! WOW I was amazed and humbled by this incident. I hugged both of them so hard and realized that they were sent by God to show me He is still with me!! They walked out with me and we chatted a bit about our financial problems. As the husband put my groceries in my van, they prayed with me and asked God to help me through this low point in time. They prayed that I'd have renewed faith in Jesus Christ. It was amazing. I will never forget those people. That was my 2nd run in with feeling the power of the Holy Spirit at work. What an awesome feeling of unconditional love that even a million mothers couldn't replicate with their children. This kind of love is like no other and I've been very blessed to have felt it!
Since then, Mr. Faithful and I try to pay it forward. We still don't have money. That part doesn't matter to us. We pay it forward in other ways that God grants us. We heed His calling for us as a Catholic married couple, as parents raising three males in hopes they will be strong in their own Catholic faith and beliefs, and as individuals with such a love for Christ that we can get through even the darkest of times together.
Even still, at this point in our lives, we are still children. We are all children of God, no matter how old we are in this earthly life. We are all children. And God works through children. Xoxo.
Friday, November 11, 2011
One
It takes but one to make a stand
To fight against the Godless man.
To put evil back down where it lay
All we have to do is pray!
We are but one,
But together are many.
Like the loaves of bread,
God made us plenty!
We must not stand so idly by
While satan's collecting his army wide.
It is but One that saved us all!
So today lies within us
To heed His call.
Start today!
11-11-11
To fight against the Godless man.
To put evil back down where it lay
All we have to do is pray!
We are but one,
But together are many.
Like the loaves of bread,
God made us plenty!
We must not stand so idly by
While satan's collecting his army wide.
It is but One that saved us all!
So today lies within us
To heed His call.
Start today!
11-11-11
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Dr. Seuss had it right
Last night I was reading a bedtime story to my boys as always. We picked one of my absolute favorites from my childhood, Horton Hears a Who. I've read this book millions of times and love the "A person's a person, no matter how small." phrase. I believe that! However, as I read it last night, this quote struck and stuck with me till now,
'This,' cried the Mayor, 'is your town's darkest hour!
This time for all Whos who have blood that is red
To come to the aid of their country!' he said.
'We've GOT to make noises in greater amounts!
So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!'
Wow! No truer words, especially spoken from the perspective of an unborn baby's point of view! How many of you have ever looked at your child after giving birth, even while giving birth, and say, "THANK YOU GOD FOR THIS LITTLE MIRACLE!!!"? Now, out of all of you who've said that or something similar, how many of you are pro-choice? How many of you believe it's a woman's body and that up to a certain point in pregnancy that it is not a baby? This is our 'town's' darkest hour. So many innocent lives being taken from their mother's womb, their sanctuary. So many standing idly by while their loved ones make a grave decision to have an abortion. Did you know that by 6 weeks of pregnancy, the baby's brain and nervous system is already developing and the heart is beating? Now, I'm no doctor, but both the brain and nervous system help us to feel, right? So, wouldn't that mean that having an abortion the baby would feel the pain of being killed? *Not going into details of how they are performed, I hope you get my point.* And, if the baby has a heartbeat at just 6 weeks that can be detected, how is this not murder? Some have not even realized they are pregnant until 10-12 weeks!! Let's see, at 10 weeks pregnant,
By week 10, all of your baby's vital organs have been formed and are starting to work together.
As external changes such as the separation of fingers and toes and the disappearance of the tail takes place, internal developments are taking place too.
Tooth buds form inside the mouth, and if you're having a boy, his testes will begin producing the male hormone testosterone.
Congenital abnormalities are unlikely to develop after week 10.
This also marks the end of the embryonic period — in general, the embryo now has a distinctly human appearance and starting next week your baby will officially be considered a fetus.
(taken from http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/pregnancy_calendar/week10.html)
Another wow for me! And most women choose to have this horrible act performed around week 10 of pregnancy!! Now, this is all my personal opinion...if you don't agree that is fine, I will pray for you to have a change of heart.
But what about rape or for the life of the mother if it's at stake? As for my family, Mr. Faithful and I have made a decision that could drastically change our lives. We pray to God for good outcomes during pregnancy and birth. We've been blessed 3 times, THANK YOU HEAVENLY FATHER!! We have made the decision that, God forbid, anything should ever happen to me, our child comes first. We leave it in God's hands because it is His Will we abide by for everything. And as for rape, why punish the child for something they had no control over? So much innocence lost every time a baby is taken from their mother's womb too early, taken from this earth too early. I can just picture the sadness in Jesus' eyes when a woman chooses to terminate a pregnancy that God allowed her to have. It is such a blessing from God to become pregnant, yet so many take it like an ungrateful child at Christmas. No thanks, no gratitude, no acknowledgement of something bigger than ourselves at work. In Jeremiah, it states, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." (1:5). Furthermore, "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have sent before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore, choose life, that you and your descendants may live." (Deuteronomy 30:19).
If you are considering an abortion for any reason, or if someone you know is, please do not stay silent. Please reconsider. Ask for an ultrasound before making a terrible choice. If you truly cannot have a baby, choose adoption! I have a couple waiting feverishly for a child through adoption. There is always a way if we all choose life.
Written by Priests for LifePrayer to End Abortion
Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,
And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.
I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,
Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death
by the Resurrection of Your Son.
I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.
Today I commit myself
Never to be silent,
Never to be passive,
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.
I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,
And never to stop defending life
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
And our nation once again becomes
A nation with liberty and justice
Not just for some, but for all,
Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Crunchy Peanut Butter...My Perspective On Crunchy vs. Mainstream
With our first born, Mr. Faithful and I were newbies. We did everything that our mothers suggested. We read What To Expect The First Year. We started Gerber foods at 4 months old. We tried a cloth diaper or two when he had a diaper rash. At the thought of him in pain with teething, we gave him ib profen or acetaminophen. We were pretty mainstream and thought anything more natural was kind of crazy.
I started researching different things, mainly for my husband's health problems. Back then we were very unhealthy. We ate fast foods, we had a high processed food count intake every meal...even if we made it at home.
Our second son was born and we decided to EBF (exclusively breastfeed) longer and we introduced homemade food to him at about 7 months. And instead of Gerber white rice cereal (like we did for our oldest), we made our own brown rice. Homemade baby food is super easy! at this point I asked in my own mind, 'This is so simple, and it's cheaper! Why was I so stuck on buying baby food for Faithful Boy 1?!?!?!' This was the beginning of my journey through crunchiness.
I did more research into the AP (attached parenting) community...
Breastfeeding, yep done it twice now and never thought to feed baby formula!
Cloth diapers, well I am for them (at that point in time), it saves money and it's better for babies behinds!
Baby wearing, yep I do that too!
Co-sleeping and bed sharing...wow I guess we are attached parents and didn't even realize it!
Natural remedies for keeping children & families healthy...now here's something I never thought of! Wow, I like these AP sites! I think I am more that than mainstream!
And then the controversial posts...and the parents who only see black and white.
You are a 'bad parent' and abuse your child if you....
Vaccinate.
Circumcise.
Use disposable diapers.
Use any amount of pain medicine, antibiotic, or pharmaceuticals.
Have c-sections or drugs during childbirth.
Yep, I've been called a bad parent for certain personal decisions my hubby and I have made. It doesn't feel good. I am the type of parent that likes a little of this and a little of that! I'm not going to get into what I do for my own family. That's not important. What I'm trying to get at here is, people do what they feel is right for their children. Who are any of us to tell someone else that they are in the wrong for something they feel strongly about? I like to consider myself crunchy peanut butter instead of crunchy granola...I see a gray area instead of black and white. And bravo for ALL parents for your informed decisions. You say store bought, I say homemade, let's call the whole thing off. Xoxo
I started researching different things, mainly for my husband's health problems. Back then we were very unhealthy. We ate fast foods, we had a high processed food count intake every meal...even if we made it at home.
Our second son was born and we decided to EBF (exclusively breastfeed) longer and we introduced homemade food to him at about 7 months. And instead of Gerber white rice cereal (like we did for our oldest), we made our own brown rice. Homemade baby food is super easy! at this point I asked in my own mind, 'This is so simple, and it's cheaper! Why was I so stuck on buying baby food for Faithful Boy 1?!?!?!' This was the beginning of my journey through crunchiness.
I did more research into the AP (attached parenting) community...
Breastfeeding, yep done it twice now and never thought to feed baby formula!
Cloth diapers, well I am for them (at that point in time), it saves money and it's better for babies behinds!
Baby wearing, yep I do that too!
Co-sleeping and bed sharing...wow I guess we are attached parents and didn't even realize it!
Natural remedies for keeping children & families healthy...now here's something I never thought of! Wow, I like these AP sites! I think I am more that than mainstream!
And then the controversial posts...and the parents who only see black and white.
You are a 'bad parent' and abuse your child if you....
Vaccinate.
Circumcise.
Use disposable diapers.
Use any amount of pain medicine, antibiotic, or pharmaceuticals.
Have c-sections or drugs during childbirth.
Yep, I've been called a bad parent for certain personal decisions my hubby and I have made. It doesn't feel good. I am the type of parent that likes a little of this and a little of that! I'm not going to get into what I do for my own family. That's not important. What I'm trying to get at here is, people do what they feel is right for their children. Who are any of us to tell someone else that they are in the wrong for something they feel strongly about? I like to consider myself crunchy peanut butter instead of crunchy granola...I see a gray area instead of black and white. And bravo for ALL parents for your informed decisions. You say store bought, I say homemade, let's call the whole thing off. Xoxo
Monday, November 7, 2011
Who am I?
I am Catholic...*GASP!!!* With some people, this phrase hits a nerve like a dentist performing a root canal without Novocaine lol! I'd like to explain some common misconceptions about my beliefs...
First, we don't think that all we have to do is go to church once a week to get into heaven. I don't know who in their right mind would ever think that!! I was verbally attacked my an acclaimed Born-Again Christian once, and she told me that true Christians live by faith alone (she did tell me it tells us so in the Bible, but I can't remember what she was quoting from). But, it tells us in James, "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill", and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if has no works, is dead." (2:14-17).
Also, not only must we live the faithful life, obey the law, perform good deeds and love thy neighbor, we must be baptized in the name of Christ. "Jesus answered (Nicodemus), "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." (John 3:5). This is what born again truly means in the Catholic faith...being baptized! And for those who think it's wrong to baptize a baby since they cannot announce themselves that they accept Jesus Christ, we as parents make a promise not only to God but to our children, to teach them the ways of the Catholic faith. We raise them the best we can to follow Christ. Then, typically in 8th grade, each young Catholic is able to make an informed decision to follow our faith. This is called Confirmation. They are confirming the choice their parents made for them as infants. I hope this makes sense to those who are not Catholic!
Another very common mistake pretty much all non-Catholic people have about us...we worship Mary and the saints. This is totally not true. We worship God. We follow His Commandments. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, the Trinity. We believe that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ. But we pay homage to Jesus' Mother, the Virgin Mary. For if it weren't for her, we would have never had the Messiah!! We thank her and ask her to pray FOR us...we don't pray TO her, she prays WITH us!!! This is also true for all the saints and angels. We ask them to pray with us. In turn, our prayers are not only said by us, but by many!! If you are ever interested in learning more about Mary, teach yourself about her appearances at Fatima to the 3 children and read her prophecy to them. It is remarkable!!
We do believe that the bread and wine transform into the Body and Blood of Christ. Yep, you heard that right, every mass we have a miracle performed right in front of our eyes!! This was a hard concept for even me to grasp, and I'm a "cradle Catholic". I cannot see it change, how can it be true?! See with Christ's eyes and not with our human flesh. If you are curious and want to understand more, you can check out different Catholic websites to grasp this concept...
http://www.catholic.com/tracts/christ-in-the-eucharist
http://www.catholic.org/
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm These are a few sites for you that I like to look at!
We also believe that we need to read and follow the scripture, and also to put the scripture to work in the mass. It takes both, not just one or the other. The Catholic faith is all scripture based, even though many Catholics do not read the Bible (which is unfortunate!). Come to a Catholic mass and really (really) pay attention. It is all scripture based. A good book to read, and very knowledgeable couple, is Rome Sweet Home by Scott & Kimberly Hahn. They were very anti-Catholic and converted to Catholicism due to their final feelings that our faith is the true faith! There is a saying I've heard recently, and I am not writing this to insult anyone so please take no offense! "Other Christian religions have a great menu, but the Catholic Church has the meal." I think unfortunately, too many bad things and people are associated with the Catholic Church. Sex scandals with priests, money laundering, misinformed Catholics, non-practicing Catholics, and fallen away Catholics. We are all clumped together. The good with the bad. And a misconceived view of the Catholic Church and what we believe is what has happened. I hope to change that if you'll only let me! We live to love in Christ's footsteps!!
I love to learn about others' beliefs and am totally open to start a civilized conversation about our differences. Many times I've come to realize we all share a common denominator...God.
He is...that's it...just is. :)
First, we don't think that all we have to do is go to church once a week to get into heaven. I don't know who in their right mind would ever think that!! I was verbally attacked my an acclaimed Born-Again Christian once, and she told me that true Christians live by faith alone (she did tell me it tells us so in the Bible, but I can't remember what she was quoting from). But, it tells us in James, "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill", and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if has no works, is dead." (2:14-17).
Also, not only must we live the faithful life, obey the law, perform good deeds and love thy neighbor, we must be baptized in the name of Christ. "Jesus answered (Nicodemus), "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." (John 3:5). This is what born again truly means in the Catholic faith...being baptized! And for those who think it's wrong to baptize a baby since they cannot announce themselves that they accept Jesus Christ, we as parents make a promise not only to God but to our children, to teach them the ways of the Catholic faith. We raise them the best we can to follow Christ. Then, typically in 8th grade, each young Catholic is able to make an informed decision to follow our faith. This is called Confirmation. They are confirming the choice their parents made for them as infants. I hope this makes sense to those who are not Catholic!
Another very common mistake pretty much all non-Catholic people have about us...we worship Mary and the saints. This is totally not true. We worship God. We follow His Commandments. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, the Trinity. We believe that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ. But we pay homage to Jesus' Mother, the Virgin Mary. For if it weren't for her, we would have never had the Messiah!! We thank her and ask her to pray FOR us...we don't pray TO her, she prays WITH us!!! This is also true for all the saints and angels. We ask them to pray with us. In turn, our prayers are not only said by us, but by many!! If you are ever interested in learning more about Mary, teach yourself about her appearances at Fatima to the 3 children and read her prophecy to them. It is remarkable!!
We do believe that the bread and wine transform into the Body and Blood of Christ. Yep, you heard that right, every mass we have a miracle performed right in front of our eyes!! This was a hard concept for even me to grasp, and I'm a "cradle Catholic". I cannot see it change, how can it be true?! See with Christ's eyes and not with our human flesh. If you are curious and want to understand more, you can check out different Catholic websites to grasp this concept...
http://www.catholic.com/tracts/christ-in-the-eucharist
http://www.catholic.org/
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm These are a few sites for you that I like to look at!
We also believe that we need to read and follow the scripture, and also to put the scripture to work in the mass. It takes both, not just one or the other. The Catholic faith is all scripture based, even though many Catholics do not read the Bible (which is unfortunate!). Come to a Catholic mass and really (really) pay attention. It is all scripture based. A good book to read, and very knowledgeable couple, is Rome Sweet Home by Scott & Kimberly Hahn. They were very anti-Catholic and converted to Catholicism due to their final feelings that our faith is the true faith! There is a saying I've heard recently, and I am not writing this to insult anyone so please take no offense! "Other Christian religions have a great menu, but the Catholic Church has the meal." I think unfortunately, too many bad things and people are associated with the Catholic Church. Sex scandals with priests, money laundering, misinformed Catholics, non-practicing Catholics, and fallen away Catholics. We are all clumped together. The good with the bad. And a misconceived view of the Catholic Church and what we believe is what has happened. I hope to change that if you'll only let me! We live to love in Christ's footsteps!!
I love to learn about others' beliefs and am totally open to start a civilized conversation about our differences. Many times I've come to realize we all share a common denominator...God.
He is...that's it...just is. :)
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Picking up the pieces
Everyone is associated with it in some way or another. Death. It's a part of life. Sometimes we may feel that someone passed too soon. Miscarriage, stillbirth, infant or child death. Tragic is the only word that comes to mind. The loss of a child is like no other. I am fortunate enough never to have gone through it. But I have many family and friends who suffer. As I have said before, I am an Elizabeth Minister. We help in situations such as this. Many families feel it's taboo to talk about. That people will feel sorry for the wrong reasons maybe. That someone will look differently at you knowing you've experienced the death of a child. That you alone know the feeling. You are not alone. There is support! Today, I am attending the Tree of Light Infant Memorial Mass at a local church for the diocese. I am going in honor of each and every little cherub called to Christ. Take comfort in knowing we pray for you and your babies even if you don't realize it.
If you or someone you know is going through a crisis such as this. Please contact me. We are here to help, to be your friend, to be your support. You can also check out http://www.elizabethministry.com/ for more information about this wonderful ministry. Xoxo
Saturday, November 5, 2011
A poem
A ray of light
In the midnight sky.
A light of hope
As the clouds roll by.
Many see,
But some are still blind.
Too busy on earth
With the daily grind.
In time we shall know
The truth that is He!
When we are called,
Servants we will be.
In the midnight sky.
A light of hope
As the clouds roll by.
Many see,
But some are still blind.
Too busy on earth
With the daily grind.
In time we shall know
The truth that is He!
When we are called,
Servants we will be.
Marrital Bliss?
Everything happens for a reason.
I firmly believe that. My husband, let's call him Mr. Faithful, and I are going through some hard times. It's not about something we can blame or pinpoint. We are just at a low in our marriage right now. This year has been very hard. We were pregnant. Last December we were all in a major car accident which was very traumatic (I was pregnant and our other boys were 4 and 2). Mr. Faithful had major health problems he is still battling now. Kids are crazy at times, so we get stressed, which makes them even more crazy....such a vicious cycle. We don't have dates as often as society says we should. Last one I think we saw Wolverine in the theater (if that tells you how long it's been lol!). He works mostly 12 hour days and he works 6 days a week, sometimes 7 depending on if there's more work. It is tough not having him here at home sometimes. The boys miss him. I miss him. Until last week, I'd become angry at him. We found out he has another medical issue (I am not going to dive into all these issues...I'll need to write a book about all of those lol!!!). And I am just so fed up! It's one thing after another with his body!! And instead of being a good wife, I became distant, resistant and mad.
I talked to my very good spiritual friend about this. I couldn't explain why that every time I saw him I got angry. I love my husband!! We plan to grow into our 90's together (maybe even 100's!). Why was I so angry at him for something he can't control? Plain and simple, yet so many marriages fail because of....the devil. We are a very wholesome couple now...never really used to be very God oriented until these last 5 years. We pray together, we go to church just about every week, we talk, we respect each other, but most importantly, we have God direct our marriage. That sneaky devil tried luring me away from my husband! After my dear friend explained this to me, I realized it had to be. So I made sure I prayed about it, asked God to make me strong. Those negative feelings just melted away. It's been a week now since that happened and I feel GREAT!!
Mr. Faithful and I still have yet to have a date night, but we are inching up the figurative mountain peak holding hands and going strong! Gotta keep trucking. Marriage is hard work. I don't care what anyone says, sometimes it's tough...but you either get through the hard times together, or alone. I'd rather be with him...he's too important to me to give up.
I firmly believe that. My husband, let's call him Mr. Faithful, and I are going through some hard times. It's not about something we can blame or pinpoint. We are just at a low in our marriage right now. This year has been very hard. We were pregnant. Last December we were all in a major car accident which was very traumatic (I was pregnant and our other boys were 4 and 2). Mr. Faithful had major health problems he is still battling now. Kids are crazy at times, so we get stressed, which makes them even more crazy....such a vicious cycle. We don't have dates as often as society says we should. Last one I think we saw Wolverine in the theater (if that tells you how long it's been lol!). He works mostly 12 hour days and he works 6 days a week, sometimes 7 depending on if there's more work. It is tough not having him here at home sometimes. The boys miss him. I miss him. Until last week, I'd become angry at him. We found out he has another medical issue (I am not going to dive into all these issues...I'll need to write a book about all of those lol!!!). And I am just so fed up! It's one thing after another with his body!! And instead of being a good wife, I became distant, resistant and mad.
I talked to my very good spiritual friend about this. I couldn't explain why that every time I saw him I got angry. I love my husband!! We plan to grow into our 90's together (maybe even 100's!). Why was I so angry at him for something he can't control? Plain and simple, yet so many marriages fail because of....the devil. We are a very wholesome couple now...never really used to be very God oriented until these last 5 years. We pray together, we go to church just about every week, we talk, we respect each other, but most importantly, we have God direct our marriage. That sneaky devil tried luring me away from my husband! After my dear friend explained this to me, I realized it had to be. So I made sure I prayed about it, asked God to make me strong. Those negative feelings just melted away. It's been a week now since that happened and I feel GREAT!!
Mr. Faithful and I still have yet to have a date night, but we are inching up the figurative mountain peak holding hands and going strong! Gotta keep trucking. Marriage is hard work. I don't care what anyone says, sometimes it's tough...but you either get through the hard times together, or alone. I'd rather be with him...he's too important to me to give up.
Friday, November 4, 2011
A Day in the Life
So, I mentioned I am a stay at home mom of 3 boys. My days are filled with laughter, crying, screaming, tickling, wrestling, poop, pee pee, imagination, dancing, and naked toddlers. We have a schedule we try to keep, but sometimes it gets off track. I have my meltdown moments where I have had enough whining and crying and I lose it and scream, "ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!" I am not proud to say I've spanked my two older boys. I try to be a peaceful parent, but sometimes it's just so hard! Mine are 4, 2, and 4 months old. All very strong willed boys. As I breastfeed my youngest I hear, "I'm all done" from sometimes BOTH of the older two (which means they pooped and I need to wipe them). I try to have dinner done and ready to eat when my husband walks in the door from work. I don't wear makeup most days, but feel so much better when I do have the time to put at least a little foundation and bronzer on! We are unschooling our boys right now and next year plan to homeschool our oldest for kindergarten. With this, I am terrified I will screw up...but we feel homeschool is the right decision for our family.
We have people in our life we look up to for parenting, marriage, spirituality and more. I hope to become your friend and make you feel like you are not alone. Because none of us are alone no matter how lonely we may feel, especially as stay at home moms. There are some days where I just want to stay in my room and be alone...but I just can't. I keep positive by saying Hail Mary's...and I feel my Heavenly Mother does help make me a better parent to my beautiful boys! I hope to bring you some sanity from my own crazy life! Xoxo
We have people in our life we look up to for parenting, marriage, spirituality and more. I hope to become your friend and make you feel like you are not alone. Because none of us are alone no matter how lonely we may feel, especially as stay at home moms. There are some days where I just want to stay in my room and be alone...but I just can't. I keep positive by saying Hail Mary's...and I feel my Heavenly Mother does help make me a better parent to my beautiful boys! I hope to bring you some sanity from my own crazy life! Xoxo
We are called
I have been touched by the Holy Spirit. I have been called by God quite a few times, and the more I silence myself, the more I listen. The more I listen, the more I hear His call. You hear it too...just not the same way I do. We are all different and are touched in different ways. This is the beauty of our Heavenly Father! I could go on with each and every time I felt driven...but I won't waste your time. Below, I will tell you of my own personal Good Samaritan tale....
It was a Thursday evening. I teach swim lessons this night, and was fortunate enough to be by myself (yay for my loving hubby to keep all 3 kids at home!!) I love to swim and after class I swam some laps. I chatted with a friend in the locker room for 5 minutes and was trying to get home as I needed to breastfeed my youngest son. I'm on the road a little later than anticipated. 3 cars in front of me...a 4 car pile up. I was the only one who thought to see if they are ok. I rolled my window down as I passed and asked if they needed help. One man said in a terrified voice, "Call 911!" As soon as he said it I pulled in front of the accident. It was bad. Smoke everywhere, 3 of the 4 cars were smashed so bad. I called and started telling the operator what I was witnessing. As I was talking to her, I heard a baby cry. I lost it, I started to well up with tears. I started inching closer to the wreckage. As I was about 20 feet away from seeing the whole of the damage, my body stopped. For a split second I became scared. I thought in my mind, "What if the cars blow up and I die?" as soon as I thought that, I felt God. He told me, not with words but with a sixth sense so to speak, "It's ok. You will be fine. Do not be afraid. Go over there and get that father and daughter away from the wreckage." And I did it. I did not hesitate after that feeling. The little girl was no older than my middle son who is 2. They were in the car that caused the accident.
Another woman started helping me and took the little girl. I helped the man and we both started taking them to my van to get them out of harm's way. The woman was in the last car hit, thankfully she only had a fender bender...and just so happened to be a nurse. She looked at the little girl who was bleeding. She seemed ok, but very scared. I stayed with her father, who at this point, knelt down on the grass next to my van. I started rubbing his back and (I don't know why I did this) started telling him of our car accident in Dec. 2010. I was pregnant and both of our older boys were in the car. I told him I can relate to how scary it is with your child involved. He started to cry and I cried with him. Here I am, with a grown man who I don't know. We cried together. We were perfect strangers. Out of a tragedy came light.
The police came, thanked me for being a good Samaritan. I got in my car and was again on my way home. I started bawling! I always keep a rosary in my van. I grabbed it and feverishly started praying for the 4 families involved. I got to the exit ramp to my city. Again I was feeling that Holy Spirit at work! I slowed down even though it was a green light. No cars around me...which is very rare. I came to a halt and stopped next to a homeless man. I rolled my window down and motioned for him to come. I held out my hand with the rosary in it. He extended his, probably thinking I was giving him money! I handed him my rosary and held his hand in mine. The only thing that divided our skin were rosary beads. He gave me a strange look.
This is what I said to him, "I just left a terrible car accident and there was a child involved. I was praying this rosary for all those involved. I need you to finish the rosary and pray with me."
The homeless man's demeanor changed. He had the look of love and sympathy. He asked if they were ok. I told him I don't know. I asked him if he knew how to pray the rosary, he responded, "I'm a Christian, but not Catholic. I don't know the prayers but I do pray to God." I told him I didn't care how he prayed, but when he prayed he needed to use the rosary. I made him promise me and he said he would. All this time our hands were holding this blue beaded rosary together. We parted by saying God bless to each other. And again, I was on my way home.
The power of that night! The glory that is God! I will never forget the feeling of compassion for strangers, for love of man, for letting the Holy Spirit take over my body. We are all called to do something in this world.
What's your calling?
It was a Thursday evening. I teach swim lessons this night, and was fortunate enough to be by myself (yay for my loving hubby to keep all 3 kids at home!!) I love to swim and after class I swam some laps. I chatted with a friend in the locker room for 5 minutes and was trying to get home as I needed to breastfeed my youngest son. I'm on the road a little later than anticipated. 3 cars in front of me...a 4 car pile up. I was the only one who thought to see if they are ok. I rolled my window down as I passed and asked if they needed help. One man said in a terrified voice, "Call 911!" As soon as he said it I pulled in front of the accident. It was bad. Smoke everywhere, 3 of the 4 cars were smashed so bad. I called and started telling the operator what I was witnessing. As I was talking to her, I heard a baby cry. I lost it, I started to well up with tears. I started inching closer to the wreckage. As I was about 20 feet away from seeing the whole of the damage, my body stopped. For a split second I became scared. I thought in my mind, "What if the cars blow up and I die?" as soon as I thought that, I felt God. He told me, not with words but with a sixth sense so to speak, "It's ok. You will be fine. Do not be afraid. Go over there and get that father and daughter away from the wreckage." And I did it. I did not hesitate after that feeling. The little girl was no older than my middle son who is 2. They were in the car that caused the accident.
Another woman started helping me and took the little girl. I helped the man and we both started taking them to my van to get them out of harm's way. The woman was in the last car hit, thankfully she only had a fender bender...and just so happened to be a nurse. She looked at the little girl who was bleeding. She seemed ok, but very scared. I stayed with her father, who at this point, knelt down on the grass next to my van. I started rubbing his back and (I don't know why I did this) started telling him of our car accident in Dec. 2010. I was pregnant and both of our older boys were in the car. I told him I can relate to how scary it is with your child involved. He started to cry and I cried with him. Here I am, with a grown man who I don't know. We cried together. We were perfect strangers. Out of a tragedy came light.
The police came, thanked me for being a good Samaritan. I got in my car and was again on my way home. I started bawling! I always keep a rosary in my van. I grabbed it and feverishly started praying for the 4 families involved. I got to the exit ramp to my city. Again I was feeling that Holy Spirit at work! I slowed down even though it was a green light. No cars around me...which is very rare. I came to a halt and stopped next to a homeless man. I rolled my window down and motioned for him to come. I held out my hand with the rosary in it. He extended his, probably thinking I was giving him money! I handed him my rosary and held his hand in mine. The only thing that divided our skin were rosary beads. He gave me a strange look.
This is what I said to him, "I just left a terrible car accident and there was a child involved. I was praying this rosary for all those involved. I need you to finish the rosary and pray with me."
The homeless man's demeanor changed. He had the look of love and sympathy. He asked if they were ok. I told him I don't know. I asked him if he knew how to pray the rosary, he responded, "I'm a Christian, but not Catholic. I don't know the prayers but I do pray to God." I told him I didn't care how he prayed, but when he prayed he needed to use the rosary. I made him promise me and he said he would. All this time our hands were holding this blue beaded rosary together. We parted by saying God bless to each other. And again, I was on my way home.
The power of that night! The glory that is God! I will never forget the feeling of compassion for strangers, for love of man, for letting the Holy Spirit take over my body. We are all called to do something in this world.
What's your calling?
Thursday, November 3, 2011
My life in decades....
So I told myself I would only write one blog a day...but I have so much to write about! My creative juices are flowing and who am I to put a stop to it?! So, since this blog is still budding into what I hope and pray to be a beautiful flower, I want to share with you my life and how I got to be where I am today.
I was born in December of 1980, 3 weeks after Lennon was killed. My parents, who are still happily married today, were a young new couple...and my husband and I are pretty much following their footsteps in the sand of life. My father (who you will get to know as Dadio) worked his butt off to support us (I have a sister and two brothers). Back in the 80's it was me (the oldest), my brother and sister. I remember our childhood being so great! I remember when Dadio would walk in the door we'd yell, "Daddy's home!" and then use him as a human jungle gym. He worked so hard so that my mother, and now my best friend, could stay home to raise us and teach us to be responsible, dependable, strong Catholic adults. They both rock and I am so thankful for both of them! We didn't have many "things" but we were always happy. My parents taught us to value life because God gave us a great gift! My little brother was a late arrival and came into our world when I was 13. It was then I knew I wanted to someday become a mother.
I went to Catholic grade school, 1st-8th grade. Then public high school. High school are what I consider my "dark ages". I hung out with the wrong crowd. I started experimenting with drugs and alcohol. I was in a couple of abusive relationships. Not my finest 4 years (and even after school...I should say not my finest 7 years), but we all go through things that change us either for better or worse. I cannot regret anything that has happened in my life because it all led me to where I am today.
In 2002 I met my soulmate. We realized we had so much in common and created such a great friendship, the added bonus to our friendship was that we were both attracted to each other! ;)
He proposed to me in 2004, almost exactly 2 years after we started dating. We had a year and a half courtship. During our engagement we started going back to church...because we had to in order to marry in the Catholic church! (I should note, from high school until this point, my view of the Catholic church was that I was done...time served for good behavior. I was an alter server, I trained kids to alter serve, I went to mass every Sunday and every Friday due to going to Catholic grade school). Boy I am so glad the church makes young engaged couples attend the Engaged Encounter and take the FOCCUS!!
The night we showed up for our Engaged Encounter weekend retreat, we sat in his truck. We contemplated not going, but decided we had to get married in the church (my parents and grandparents would not have been happy if we didn't!!). It started off slow and boring. We'd lived together for 4 years before coming to this thing! Then the last night in the chapel changed our united life forever. It was only candlelit, shadows were cast along the alter. Most pews were empty aside from other couples being forced to be there. We were told to hold hands and pray together. Pray together?! We hadn't done that! So we did. It was so intimate, words cannot express this kind of intimacy. We were both filled with the Holy Spirit! We were engulfed in our Heavenly Father's unconditional love, for us as individuals but also for us as one. This was the point in my life that changed the whole outlook on my faith...but I was still a "baby".
We married in 2006, it was wonderful and I will never forget it! We drove out to the east coast for our honeymoon and stayed in the Poconos as well as visited Salem to see the witch country and also stayed the night at the Lizzy Borden House (you will get to know me...I am a huge fan of ghost hunting!!). When we got back, I noticed I couldn't handle my alcohol like I did before (and I could handle my alcohol, lemme tell ya lol!). I took a test on July 21, 2006 and sure enough, we were pregnant!! I quit smoking that day and have never turned back to it! So not only were we on the road to spiritual wellness, but our physical health was getting better too!
Our first son was born in March 2007. This was both our turning point for the Catholic faith. The miracle that is birth is something that changed me forever. In time, I will explain my views of pregnancy, labor and birth. ;)
After his birth, we started going to mass every Sunday. We were slowly enriching our faith in Christ!
Our second son was born in January 2009, again another miracle!! We, at this time, were even more devout than we were with our first.
And last but certainly not least, our newest addition was just born July 2011.
We are now volunteering for our church. We are a FOCCUS couple and help engaged people dive into their relationship and search their souls for providing a wholesome, Christian marriage. We have so much fun doing it! We get to meet young couples and it reminds us of where we were in our spiritual life back then and to be where we are now is just such a blessing!
I am also an Elizabeth Minister. You will also get to know more about this ministry! I love this ministry as it helps pregnant women, or those who desire to be.
So this is just a brief summary of my life. Three decades and I feel I have a lot to show for it. In future posts, I will explain to you my weaknesses, my strengths, my sorrows, and of course my happiness. I hope you enjoy reading my diary!
I was born in December of 1980, 3 weeks after Lennon was killed. My parents, who are still happily married today, were a young new couple...and my husband and I are pretty much following their footsteps in the sand of life. My father (who you will get to know as Dadio) worked his butt off to support us (I have a sister and two brothers). Back in the 80's it was me (the oldest), my brother and sister. I remember our childhood being so great! I remember when Dadio would walk in the door we'd yell, "Daddy's home!" and then use him as a human jungle gym. He worked so hard so that my mother, and now my best friend, could stay home to raise us and teach us to be responsible, dependable, strong Catholic adults. They both rock and I am so thankful for both of them! We didn't have many "things" but we were always happy. My parents taught us to value life because God gave us a great gift! My little brother was a late arrival and came into our world when I was 13. It was then I knew I wanted to someday become a mother.
I went to Catholic grade school, 1st-8th grade. Then public high school. High school are what I consider my "dark ages". I hung out with the wrong crowd. I started experimenting with drugs and alcohol. I was in a couple of abusive relationships. Not my finest 4 years (and even after school...I should say not my finest 7 years), but we all go through things that change us either for better or worse. I cannot regret anything that has happened in my life because it all led me to where I am today.
In 2002 I met my soulmate. We realized we had so much in common and created such a great friendship, the added bonus to our friendship was that we were both attracted to each other! ;)
He proposed to me in 2004, almost exactly 2 years after we started dating. We had a year and a half courtship. During our engagement we started going back to church...because we had to in order to marry in the Catholic church! (I should note, from high school until this point, my view of the Catholic church was that I was done...time served for good behavior. I was an alter server, I trained kids to alter serve, I went to mass every Sunday and every Friday due to going to Catholic grade school). Boy I am so glad the church makes young engaged couples attend the Engaged Encounter and take the FOCCUS!!
The night we showed up for our Engaged Encounter weekend retreat, we sat in his truck. We contemplated not going, but decided we had to get married in the church (my parents and grandparents would not have been happy if we didn't!!). It started off slow and boring. We'd lived together for 4 years before coming to this thing! Then the last night in the chapel changed our united life forever. It was only candlelit, shadows were cast along the alter. Most pews were empty aside from other couples being forced to be there. We were told to hold hands and pray together. Pray together?! We hadn't done that! So we did. It was so intimate, words cannot express this kind of intimacy. We were both filled with the Holy Spirit! We were engulfed in our Heavenly Father's unconditional love, for us as individuals but also for us as one. This was the point in my life that changed the whole outlook on my faith...but I was still a "baby".
We married in 2006, it was wonderful and I will never forget it! We drove out to the east coast for our honeymoon and stayed in the Poconos as well as visited Salem to see the witch country and also stayed the night at the Lizzy Borden House (you will get to know me...I am a huge fan of ghost hunting!!). When we got back, I noticed I couldn't handle my alcohol like I did before (and I could handle my alcohol, lemme tell ya lol!). I took a test on July 21, 2006 and sure enough, we were pregnant!! I quit smoking that day and have never turned back to it! So not only were we on the road to spiritual wellness, but our physical health was getting better too!
Our first son was born in March 2007. This was both our turning point for the Catholic faith. The miracle that is birth is something that changed me forever. In time, I will explain my views of pregnancy, labor and birth. ;)
After his birth, we started going to mass every Sunday. We were slowly enriching our faith in Christ!
Our second son was born in January 2009, again another miracle!! We, at this time, were even more devout than we were with our first.
And last but certainly not least, our newest addition was just born July 2011.
We are now volunteering for our church. We are a FOCCUS couple and help engaged people dive into their relationship and search their souls for providing a wholesome, Christian marriage. We have so much fun doing it! We get to meet young couples and it reminds us of where we were in our spiritual life back then and to be where we are now is just such a blessing!
I am also an Elizabeth Minister. You will also get to know more about this ministry! I love this ministry as it helps pregnant women, or those who desire to be.
So this is just a brief summary of my life. Three decades and I feel I have a lot to show for it. In future posts, I will explain to you my weaknesses, my strengths, my sorrows, and of course my happiness. I hope you enjoy reading my diary!
A new day
Good morning! I'd like to share with you how I try to start every day...
I wake up next to my sweet 4 month old snuggling next to me (yep you heard that right we bed share...have for all 3 of our children and would do it again if we have another!). I kiss his beautiful fuzzy head. I sneak out and put a pillow in my place. I walk out and of course brush my teeth lol! Then, *important part of my day ahead!* I walk out to the kitchen, and as I am getting my coffee ready, I look out the window and say, "Good morning dear Lord! Thank you for another wonderful day! Today I offer my worries and stress to you sweet Jesus, for I know you can carry that for me." Then I really do talk about whatever comes to my mind. I probably sound crazy (who is that woman talking to...there's no one there!) But I know He is listening! Every morning I do this, my days are good! The days I don't, I'm moody, stressed, not pleasant.
So, I ask each of you reading this, try it!! It doesn't matter what time of day...maybe before breakfast? During an afternoon snack? At bedtime? Heck even if you're on the toilet!! Time does not matter, when you get that thought to pray or to talk to God, do it! That's the Holy Spirit calling on you to be holy!! Life seems so much easier with Jesus helping me hold the cross I am carrying. Xoxo
I wake up next to my sweet 4 month old snuggling next to me (yep you heard that right we bed share...have for all 3 of our children and would do it again if we have another!). I kiss his beautiful fuzzy head. I sneak out and put a pillow in my place. I walk out and of course brush my teeth lol! Then, *important part of my day ahead!* I walk out to the kitchen, and as I am getting my coffee ready, I look out the window and say, "Good morning dear Lord! Thank you for another wonderful day! Today I offer my worries and stress to you sweet Jesus, for I know you can carry that for me." Then I really do talk about whatever comes to my mind. I probably sound crazy (who is that woman talking to...there's no one there!) But I know He is listening! Every morning I do this, my days are good! The days I don't, I'm moody, stressed, not pleasant.
So, I ask each of you reading this, try it!! It doesn't matter what time of day...maybe before breakfast? During an afternoon snack? At bedtime? Heck even if you're on the toilet!! Time does not matter, when you get that thought to pray or to talk to God, do it! That's the Holy Spirit calling on you to be holy!! Life seems so much easier with Jesus helping me hold the cross I am carrying. Xoxo
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Hello world!
So, this is my first (yes, very first) attempt at blogging. I guess I should tell you all a little bit about myself and why I decided to write...
I am a devoted wife, mother of three baby boys, and friend. I am a stay at home mom and live a busy life. I teach swim lessons to babies (I absolutely love this job!). I just recently started to homeschool. I look to spiritual and natural remedies before prescription medicine. I believe in adjustments for wellness. I also just recently started cloth diapering (I know, I've gone through so many disposables it's crazy!). I am a devout Catholic Christian. I look to Jesus Christ to get me through EVERYTHING!!!! I enjoy volunteering for the church. I try to be the best person I can be. I love being a kid at heart. I love Christmas (again, the kid at heart thing!). I love to make people happy, even if that means that I don't get what I want to achieve others' happiness. I believe in paying it forward *future blog post about this subject for sure!*
Anyhoo, I am a down to earth, but try not to be earthly, woman. I have many stories that I am excited to share with anyone willing to read it. I have had some obstacles, which I consider my cross to bear at that time, to get to where I am now in my life and in my faith.
I look forward to sharing some of my life with you in hopes that I can help in any way!
Xoxo.
I am a devoted wife, mother of three baby boys, and friend. I am a stay at home mom and live a busy life. I teach swim lessons to babies (I absolutely love this job!). I just recently started to homeschool. I look to spiritual and natural remedies before prescription medicine. I believe in adjustments for wellness. I also just recently started cloth diapering (I know, I've gone through so many disposables it's crazy!). I am a devout Catholic Christian. I look to Jesus Christ to get me through EVERYTHING!!!! I enjoy volunteering for the church. I try to be the best person I can be. I love being a kid at heart. I love Christmas (again, the kid at heart thing!). I love to make people happy, even if that means that I don't get what I want to achieve others' happiness. I believe in paying it forward *future blog post about this subject for sure!*
Anyhoo, I am a down to earth, but try not to be earthly, woman. I have many stories that I am excited to share with anyone willing to read it. I have had some obstacles, which I consider my cross to bear at that time, to get to where I am now in my life and in my faith.
I look forward to sharing some of my life with you in hopes that I can help in any way!
Xoxo.
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