the weather has been beautiful! The baby and I haven't been getting out much, but we did make it to her baptism at our local parish this past Tuesday, the 4th of July!
Photo credit: Marc at AV Creations
for our newest little Catholic! Last week we didn't think any of Sean's brothers would be able to make the trip to baptize their niece in the extraordinary form and had been making plans to have her baptized by Father Saguto during the upcoming conference, but one of his brothers surprised us by booking a last minute plane ticket to travel all the way across the country on his day off! He flew out after confessions and Mass on Monday arriving Monday evening and offering confessions and another Mass for our family here at our home, baptized the baby on Tuesday morning and spent the day with our family, then left at 3 AM on Wednesday morning to fly all the way back across the country to offer evening confessions and Mass at his parish. What a sacrifice for him and incredible blessing for us!
I am thinking...
we need to plan some trips to visit my brothers-in-law. It had been 9 years since I had gotten to see this particular brother-in-law, and 10 years since he had visited our home to baptize (Father's very first baptism after being ordained a Deacon) our last June baby who had also been due on June 24th! Way too long! He is such a faithful, holy and inspiring priest. I have truly been blessed by incredible in-laws.
Celebrating the liturgical year...
We finally packed away the rest of the Easter books (pictured below) and filled our July book basket and updated the Portable Library! Better late than never... I'm also hoping to start adding back in some fun little feast day treats this upcoming week:
- July 11th - Read The Life of St. Benedict
- July 12th - Celebrate the Feasts of Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin
- July 13th - 100th Anniversary of the 3rd Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima 100th Anniversary
- July 14th - Celebrate the Feast of St. Kateri
- July 16th - Celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
I am working...
on report cards, attendance records, and collecting samples to mail to Kolbe Academy as we finally wrap up 10th grade for our two high-schoolers since the end of our school year got cut off short due to my father-in-laws declining health and death, the birth of our new baby, and then the funeral... Enrolling in Kolbe worked out really well and I plan to continue next year with our third high-schooler too! I really love their flexibility and being able to tailor our curriculum to our family's preferences.
I am creating...
The girls and I have been taking lots of fun pictures of our new little baby. We can't help it. She's just so tiny and cute!
I am going...
to the Sacred Liturgy Conference this upcoming week if the baby cooperates. Otherwise our oldest daughter may end up getting to use my ticket... I'm really hoping I can at least make it a couple days!
I am hoping...
to do our End-of-the-School Interviews for 2016-2017 soon!
I am praying...
the Offering of a Child to God after Baptism from my Mother Love prayerbook:
Behold, Heavenly Father, this precious gift of Thy goodness, my dearly beloved child, whom even before its birth I already offered to Thee! By holy baptism, Thou hast raised it to the state of grace, hast regenerated it, and made it Thine own child. I give and dedicate it anew to Thee. With all my heart, I devote it to Thy service, Thy love, and Thy good pleasure. Would that I could offer and consecrate it to Thee with a heart as sincere, as pious, and devout as was that of Elizabeth when she offered St. John to Thee, as was that of Anne when she consecrated to Thee her immaculate child, as was that of Mary when she sacrificed to Thee her only, her Divine Son!
Take, O Father of Jesus Christ, this child for Thine own! Possess it as Thy own property. Keep it safe under Thy constant protection from every grievous sin, and grant that it may never fall from the state of grace in which Thou hast placed it. May it carry the snowy garment of baptismal innocence, adorned with which it now lies before me, to Thy Judgement-seat, where it will have to render an account of its earthly pilgrimage.
Gladly do I accept all the care and trouble which its support, its protection, and its education will bring along. All that Thou wilt require of me on its account, I shall willingly bear, through love of Thee and of it. Grant me only Thy grace, for without that I can do nothing toward advancing its true welfare. Stand ever at our side with Thy paternal love, that I may gain for myself the reward of a good mother, and that this Thy beloved child, may, like its Divine Model, increase in wisdom and in grace, as in years, before Thee and all good men! Amen.
Photo credit: Marc at AV Creations
After her older sister and I were done with our little "one month photo shoot", Chiquita asked if she could write something on the letter board. I handed her the bag of letters and left the kitchen. When I came back she had her bible open to St. John:
I am reading…
I haven't been reading much lately, but I just won a Take up & Read mug over on Instagram along with a copy of Consider the Lilies by Elizabeth Foss! I really need to start making time to read again.
I am listening…
to Fast from Luke Bryan's Kill the Lights CD.
💕🎶 ... Sixty seconds now feels more like thirty
Tick-tock, won't stop, and round it goes
Sand through the glass sure falls in a hurry
And all you keep trying to do is slow it down, soak it in
Keep trying to make the good times last as long as you can
But you can't, man
It just goes too fast ... 🎶💕
#onemontholdtoday #itjustgoestoofast
Tick-tock, won't stop, and round it goes
Sand through the glass sure falls in a hurry
And all you keep trying to do is slow it down, soak it in
Keep trying to make the good times last as long as you can
But you can't, man
It just goes too fast ... 🎶💕
#onemontholdtoday #itjustgoestoofast
Around the house...
We got rid of the majority of the baby furniture and gear a year ago, only hanging on to a few old Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bags, a couple baby carriers (Moby and Ergo), and our favorite bouncer. I traded a yellow page advertisement (back when I owned a local phone book) for this bouncer (at a local baby boutique) 14-15 years ago! The cover has seen better days, but it still works great or I'd be ordering a replacement. We tried it out the other day and the baby, who rarely lets me put her down, loved it!
One of my favorite things...
I am loving the darling bonnets that have been made by friends for our baby girl! Last weekend she wore the bonnet made by Alessa...
... and this weekend she's wearing a Vintage Hankerchief Bonnet made by Jennifer Anne.
This week's plans...
- Monday-Tuesday: Process Payroll/Catch up at Work
- Monday: Dentist and Orthodontist Appointments for four of the kids
- Wednesday-Saturday: Sacred Liturgy Conference
- Sunday: Our "once-every-other-month" Latin Mass at our Local Parish
A little peek at my day...
