Goodbye to #5

Well, I guess it's taken another loss for me to sit and write. We are in the middle of another miscarriage - number 5 in a row to be exact. No, we don't have a name yet and we still need to name #1,2, and 3.

We miss you already dear one
and we thank you for your prayers to help us through.
May God hold you tenderly in His hands;
wave to us when we get there too!

Love, Mom, Dad, Nicholas and Stefan

I'd like to see that one!

This scene happened a couple of weeks ago but I haven't had a chance to put it into print until now.

The boys were getting ready for bed and Nicholas was asking about Adam and Eve. Of course a recent viewing of a Veggie Tales video and his own read through about Moses (and the parting of the waters) frames this episode:

"Since you're my mom and dad then who were Adam and Eve's parents?"

"Adam and Eve didn't have any parents. God made them."

"Well, how'd He do that?"

"He used the things he had already made and then He breathed his breath into them."

"Huh." He then smiled a most incredible smile, "Wow! I'd really like to see that movie!"

"Yeah," I said, "I would too."

Does anybody know where I can rent that one?!?

Thanks!

Pure love

Last Sunday after we got home from the evening service the boys and I were going through our bedtime routine. Usually I have to ask Nicholas for a hug before he climbs the ladder to his bunk but this evening was quite unusual. He was just about to start the climb when he said, "Oh, yeah, Mom I forgot." He walked toward me and gave me a hug as he eloquently said, "I love you Mom. And you looked beautiful at church tonight."

No strings attached. No, "Oh, by the way, could I . . . "

Just pure love. I'll take it!

I love you too, Nicholas!

With love from Fr. Wenthe

When Steve and I were going through the miserable days after Rauha died we spent some time with Fr. Wenthe looking for help and direction. One of the nuggets that he shared with us was that when we read Scripture we read until we think and we think until we love. God's gift of the scriptures to us was not to make us academically gifted. It is to make us love more. Oh, what a gift!

Thank you Father for your immense love for me, my husband Steve, our boys, and our little ones loving with you in heaven. Amen.

This precious Soul

"Look!" cried Stefan. He was pointing to his plate which contained two uneaten squares of cinnamon toast and one uneaten crust.
"Oh!" I replied.
Triumphantly he said, "See?! I ate one of my crusts!"
"Wow! That's great Stefan!"
"I ate it because I did something wrong yesterday. . . . "
"Well, what happened so that you did something wrong?" I asked.
Blinking away tears he explained his tale with mumbled words as he ducked his head with shame.
"What did you say? I couldn't understand you," I said with sympathy.
"I don't know; I can't say it again," he breathed through tender sigh.

Rather than comfort him I, shocked with his transparency, blundered into an explanation about penance telling him that people do things that are difficult for them or for others when they have done something wrong for God. Of course, this most likely fell on soil that wasn't ready for the "label" but how humbled I became because of this precious soul's love for God and his desire to see himself reconciled with His heavenly Father.

Thank you Lord for continuing to teach me about you through my children. Amen.

Enter Darth Vader

I don't know when the force entered our home but since we began watching the Star Wars episodes IV, V, and VI we have been thrust into the cosmic details of this battle. And today's innocent visit to the neighboring garage sale brought us face to face with none other than a Darth Vader mask complete with sound box for only $2!!! I couldn't help but laugh as my son Nicholas immediately put down his protective baseball helmet in exchange for the dark mask of Vader when he found out that it really was for sale (it was sitting on the carpenter's bench in the back of the garage and didn't appear to be a part of the sale). He has thrilled at "surprising" everyone with his find by having Stefan put it on and announcing, "Well, here it is!"

Even Steve showed his enthusiasm at this find. And I thought I would never allow that one in.

Sigh.

Is This Parade Safe?

Nicholas and Stefan were aboard the K.C. Float ready for take off when Nicholas turned to Grandma Kathy and said, "Where are our seatbelts?"