New Look

Well, what do you think? I am so happy about the new design for my blog! The redesign is courtesy of a sweet, very talented, and shy friend..... whose initials are JB! ;) I told her my ideas and she made it happen like magic!

I love the picture of the mirror reflecting the crucifix! That really captures the idea of "Being Mirrors." I strive (humbly, falteringly) to reflect God's love rather than draw attention to myself. That's the heart of our Christian vocation... to shine God's love in the world and journey together closer and closer to Jesus.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Helping the Easter Bunny

We've enjoyed spending several Lenten Fridays this year with some dear friends. This Friday, instead of going to a fish fry, we got together for some cheese and veggie pizza and then we did a fun little service project.

We decided to help the Easter Bunny reach people who may be in shelters or on the streets. We decorated some goody bags and filled them with some basic necessities as well as some treats.

Miss E. (on the right) was our awesome leader... explaining the directions.

Decorating the bags was lots of fun!

After decorating each bag, the children had fun placing one of each item inside (along with some Easter grass of course).

We even got Jon to take a break from taxes to join in the fun.

Our happy little workers posing with their 24 completed Easter treat bags!

Our friends will take the bags to a Catholic agency who will distribute them. This was such a perfect project for our kids. They really enjoyed it and were able to do the work themselves. We're very thankful that our friends invited us to help!

Future Architects?

Two happy boys and some building projects from this week ----

Ray calls this "A Dude Holding a (Lego) Dude"

Adam at Bosco Boys Club on the Feast of Saint Joseph

Lenten Fridays....

... are best spent at fabulous fish fries with fun friends!

Ray's First Reconciliation

Today was the day for the second graders at our parish to make their First Reconciliation. Ray was very well prepared, but just a bit nervous. We've been preparing for quite a while of course.

 

A few days ago, after we practiced the procedures and prayers for the umpteenth time, Ray reminded me that we needed to do "that heart check thing" (aka "Examination of Conscience). As we worked on his examination of conscience, he wrote a list of his sins. He took it with him and I think he just read them to the priest.

 

He told me that he "nailed the Act of Contrition." Although he had planned to kneel behind the screen, he ended up going face-to-face. I guess I shouldn't post a complete play-by-play of his Confession here... ;) ..... but I am so proud of him. All of a sudden he is so grown up!

 

Afterwards, I asked him if he felt God's love and forgiveness and if he felt happy and free. He said, "Well, I pretty much feel the same. But it was fun. I want to go back everytime they have Confession at Church."  I'm so glad he understands that Confession is an important part of the life of Faith.

 

The BEFORE picture ----

 

Getting a little pre-Confession encouragement from the Holy Family ---

The AFTER picture----

The post-Confession ice cream celebration ----

Thank you God for the gift of the beautiful Sacrament of Reconciliation. Grant us the humility to return to it often so that we may continue our journey with and to you. You are loving and forgiving and we are your thankful, ever-learning children. We praise you, adore you, and return over and over again to your tender embrace. Amen.

Bear Necessities!

While the rest of the world was glued to the television awaiting the announcement of our new Pope, we were at a class at the zoo. I just knew that was going to happen. Almost immediately after the class began my phone began to buzz with messages about the white smoke. I was trying to follow the news on my phone.... and I didn't end up learning a thing about bears!

 

As it turned out, when my mom finally called and told me about Pope Francis I was trying to distract my boys from the polar bears mating right in front of us. Memorable, huh? Somehow I think that will always be what I remember from the beginning of this papacy. ("Where were you when.....?")

 

Fortunately, the boys were paying much better attention to the class. This month's topic was "Bear Necessities." We had "necessities" as our word of the day in preparation for our lesson. ;) Here are some pictures from our class and the exhibits we visited before class. Did I mention that it was FREEZING cold today? Brrr.....

 

These langurs put on quite a show for us!

Adam touching some kind of snake

Ray displaying an actual piece of polar bear fur.

Adam showing the actual size of polar bear paws!

Ray took this lovely shot of me glued to my phone.
Yes, mom, I know you love my goofy hat!

It's hard to believe that we only have one more zoo class left. We've really enjoyed them.... even in the freezing cold!

Habemus Papem!

Praise God! We have a Pope!

Thank you Holy Spirit! You obviously are at work among us.

  Pope Francis

Formerly Cardinal Jorje Mario Bergoglio of Argentina

First Latin American Pope

First Jesuit Pope

A man of humility and simplicity, devoted to orthodoxy and social justice. His authenticity and love are evident at first glance.

 

I have great confidence in this choice. Just as God asked Saint Francis of Assisi to build His Church, God will work through Pope Francis to re-build and renew today's Church.

 

In his introduction to the world, Pope Francis asked for OUR prayers.... and even bowed to receive them. Beautiful! And he's definitely got fervent prayers and good wishes from me and from so many around the world.

***And, yes, Adam loves the fact that his middle name is Mario! ;)