Focusing on Caroline

Today we will be meeting for our 4H Photography meeting (see other blog later in the day).  This made me think of Caroline...six-year-old...full of life and charitable acts...and she loved taking pictures.  It has been said that she carried a camera everywhere she went.  She also loved to draw and dance...she must have been a very artistic child.  She loved the color pink like most little girls but then showed her uniqueness with her love of the NY Yankees and soccer.  She will always be remembered for her friendly smile.

We chose to design her quilt as a camera...using her interests to create the camera design.  We hope to begin work...sewing her quilt pieces together early this week.  We learned a new method to sew quilts that will speed up the process.  I will try to show some of our finished quilts by the end of the week.

However, first we need to get home and be well.  We did finally get Michael back to my mother's house yesterday afternoon...so good to have all of us back together (not looking forward to the ride home in the full Expedition...LOL!).  We are so blessed to have him home safe.

However, Brendan refuses to give up this awful virus!  It has now been a week since he started feeling sick.  He tries so hard to be well...wanting to eat and play...but by 1am each night (morning) he makes his run to the toilet...not fun I assure you!  His last bout came after we were sure we were past the worst...he had not thrown up since Wednesday (Thursday morning) then Saturday morning he woke up and could not walk....very scary!...he was dehydrated and seemed to have inflammation in his hips...we started trying to get him to drink more fluids and giving him ibuprofen...he was doing better by mid-afternoon.  Then the troubles began again in the evening...full force!  This morning we woke everyone and found Brendan with a severe rash that looked like welts all over his body!   We called our doctor and were told to give him Benadryl and bring him as soon as we got back.  We rushed back and made the trek in record time.  The doctor confirmed what we believed...viral infection that spread to his hips...however he is convinced that the rash was a side effect (called 5th disease) that sometimes comes with severe case of virus...we thought it was possibly a reaction to the ibuprofen which he has never taken.  The Benadryl seemed to cause the rash to disappear quickly...I guess we just remain weary if ever he needs to take this in the future.  We had labs done and the results were...well...we don't know...we will find out tomorrow.

So after a full day in the car for most of the family.  We are home.  Hoping for a good night sleep in our own beds.  I ask you again to pray for him...sweet little guy...I hate to see the little ones sick (well any one but especially the little ones!).  He has not been able to keep food down for several days.  He ate today...we will see how the next 24 hours goes.

BTW, we did NOT make it to the photography meeting.  So sad but that is the way it goes.  So glad I had some one else to teach the class this month.  Hoping it all went well and the others learned a lot.

Celebrating the Baptism of the Lord and Benjamin

Today is the feast day of the Baptism of the Lord.  For those of you who thought Christmas was over weeks ago, will find it odd that we still have our Christmas tree up along with our other decorations.  And, we are so excited because Michael will be home on this last day of Christmas!  What a wonderful end to an amazing Christmas season.

So, why does Christmas season continue through this day?  Remember Christmas is really all about the revelation of Jesus, the Messiah, to the world.  Today is the second manifestation of this to the world (the third being the Presentation of the Lord and some still continue the season on to February).

Looking at the event in the Bible, we go to the Gospel of Luke (other gospels give the account as well).  Jesus comes to John, who is baptizing people in the Jordan, and asks to be baptized.  After the baptism, "heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.'" (3:15-22)  Imagine being in the presence of the Holy Trinity...Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...revealed to you in such a way!  It must have been an amazing and life-changing experience!

Jesus did not need to be washed of his sins...he had none!...but he brought a sacredness to this symbolic action...repent and be washed of your sins...you are a new creation!  It sounds much like the sacrament of baptism today...continued down throughout the generations of Christians since.

We are staying with my mother while we wait for the arrival of Michael tonight.  We went to Mass as her church.  The priest is a young man who has such a love for the Lord and gives such wonderful messages that make you want to go out and tell the world.  Even my fidgety boys sit and listen to his understanding of the Word.  Today, he spoke about how different John's prophetic actions were compared to the other prophets.  No other prophet had used water to cleanse the people of their sins.  However, the symbol of water was used in the Old Testament for this purpose...the flood cleansed the entire world of the evil deeds of man...and the saving waters that were parted at the Red Sea.  Was John thinking of this when he covered the people with water...immersing them as the world was covered by the flood and then brought out as a new creation when brought to the surface?  Was John thinking of this when he walked the people into the water just as the Israelites walked between the parted waters and then were made the Chosen People?  Whether John understood the significance to their history, he was doing what he was asked to bring meaning to the action of repentance, and we can bring this meaning to our own lives through baptism.

It was so beautiful to have several ready for baptism at Mass...a wonderful way for all of us to be reminded of our own special day when we were created anew and became adopted children of God.

Speaking of children, we continue to remember those lost at Newtown with six-year-old Benjamin.  His strong mother told all to "remember with a smile her happy and curious boy who loved swimming, soccer, his big brother Nate and the 7 train (New York subway)."

When we read about Benjamin, our thoughts continued to go to his adventures outside.  So, we designed his quilt like a window in which the panes were each the activities he loved the most...as if he was looking out in hopes to go out for the day to enjoy them again.

I end with a message from Benjamin's family.  I thought it went along with the feast of the day...just as baptism brings us new hope for our lives...Benjamin's family find hope to move forward in their lives through the same source:

"What do we want? For you to hug each other and your children, deeply and often. To pause, take a breath, allow the warmth of the season into your homes and hearts, and know that it will be all right. We’ll all be all right. We have felt loved in the past, but that previous measure was a thimble as to this boundless sea. You are at once our ocean, our vessel, and the wind that fills our sails.  And there, always on the horizon, there for all of us, is our lighthouse." (To read the full message from the family...go to this link.)

Allison the Artist

Allison was a six-year-old artist who loved to cover her walls with her artwork.  It is so hard to read about what seems like the potential of a long a fruitful life of a kind and generous soul.  Yet, here we are making a memorial quilt and trying to understand how a beautiful life can be cut short.

Allison loved to be with her sister and parents.  She loved the role of big sister and her ability to teach her little sister all she knew.  She loved to be in the garden with mother.  She loved to give to others in random acts of kindness.  It seems so wrong to think that her family will no longer be able to enjoy these moments with her.

Yet, we must try to find some way to seek peace in the tragedy.  The pastor who gave the eulogy at Allison's funeral summed up the lesson we can all learn from Allison's short life:  "Live your life the way she lived hers," he said. "Be funny. Be goofy. Be silly. Greet each day with fun and a sense of adventure. And, whenever possible, share your Goldfish with a stranger."

Remembering Rachel

Well, just when I thought we were over this crud, the baby is now sick.  She is such a good baby and still smiles and wants to play.  It is so hard to see her obviously in pain from the virus throughout the night.  Praying she has a quick recovery.  Holding off deciding if we leave today for my mother's or wait until tomorrow.  Michael is at his Army training until Sunday when we can pick him up but he is back in Texas (so close we can almost give him a great big hug!).

When I think about all of these small tribulations in our life, I cannot help but think about the families of those lost in Newtown.  Their suffering is so much greater than what we are going through right now.  We continue to pray that the families will find peace and comfort through God's grace.

Today we remember one of the teachers, Rachel.  She was actually a behavioral analyst recently hired to work at Sandy Hook.  She was dedicated in her work to help children with Autism.  Rachel loved animals, cooking, baking, photography, and karate.  Most of all she loved being with her family and considered the children she helped as part of an extended family.  She even invited some of her students to come home with her if she thought it would help them.  Her life ended as she lived it...as a hero for the children she loved...shielding them from the attack.

We continue to brave for her parents and siblings...as well as her boyfriend who had planned to propose to her at Christmas.  May they find the peace that only God can provide them during this time.

Her quilt is a simple design but from what we read she was a very complex person with many interests and desires as she inspired many in her abbreviated life.  We are learning more and more about quilting each day.  We hope that by the time we actually make her quilt, we can be a little more creative in its design.  We would love to show Rachel's creative style in the memorial quilt we make her.

Chasing After Chase

SIDE NOTE:  I started this post at 3 a.m.  I thought I would be able to get it done and send it out this morning.  Why was I up at that early hour?  Taking care a  of a sick child...which included convincing him to stay in his own bed instead of roaming the house spreading his germs everywhere!  This virus is going through our house like a mad demon.  I am seriously thinking about going around and blessing the house...maybe after a good run through with disinfectant.  This morning it was poor Brendan's turn to vomit his guts and then sit on the toilet for hours.  I know...more than you want to hear, right?

It has already made its way through two others before him but he has the worst case...the others only lasting two days while he is now on day four.  After the first day he told me: "I can't take this any more!"  I told him I was at my limit also but I guess the little beastie virus had other plans.  Somehow the baby and I have managed to stay well...I am praying for the best and dreading the worst.

The worst thought that continues to go through my mind is that we will still be sick as we drive to Austin to pick up Michael on Sunday.  Please pray for us as we are trying all remedies and preventative measures to avoid this scenario.  My post did not start out this way but as you can see I am getting a little weary of the whole thing...decided to send this out on my blog in hopes that others will pray for us also.

I got a little side-tracked helping him and finally fell asleep at the computer.  Here is the post I started this morning (and just completed) in honor of Chase:

Oh...I have just been waiting for the day I pulled the quilt for Chase from my stacks!  I know...sounds silly but whenever I read about Chase I immediately thought about our boys!  He sounded just like them...his love of tractors and tools...and especially his desire to go to the kid's workshop at Home Depot.  It was not hard to design a quilt for him much like I would design for one of our own boys.  A boys quilt true and true.  I even went to Home Depot and asked for an apron to place in the center of the quilt!

Chase loved anything outdoors...his special honor in all of the reports were his claim of running his first triathlon at the age of six years old!  Every time I see this remark from his family and friends, I cannot help but think of my own boys creating some type of obstacle course and racing each other through the course at 'record' speeds!

I think most of all I have learned to appreciate the run through the house at lightning speed and the noise within my house that only little boys can make.  I can only imagine the silence that must present in a house that no longer has a boy like Chase.  I am sure that Chase's parent beg for the noises and chaos that Chase brought to their home.

Last night as I was reading through the articles again, I came across an article I had not read before from an interview with Chase's parents.  The mother says she had a vision from her son in Heaven and he told her it was OK...that she should focus on helping assure that this would never happen again.  She said she felt at peace knowing Chase was in a better place.  The father said seeing his wife at peace gave him peace as well.

So, in spite of the illness running through our house, I am trying to find the joy in these annoyances.  I am trying to appreciate my boys for who they are..knowing that eventually these boyhood years will come to an end.  And, besides...I like their creativity and rambunctious joy in their activities...it is what makes them little boys!  So as I chase my own little boys around (Yes...they manage to still have energy even when they are sick!), I plan to honor Chase by letting them enjoy their wild ride through their day!

Charming Catherine

This morning, I was looking through the list of the remaining memorials I wanted to share on the blog.  I cam across the quilt design for Catherine and thought..."What a charming little girl!"  I guess I am not the only one who thought so because that is the word used to describe her in many of the articles that came up on a quick internet search.

At age six, Catherine had a love for animals, pink flowers and dress up.  Sounds like many a little girl, right?  However, there is something about her sweet smile in her pictures that says she was a joy.  Her parents tell in a brief statement that her smile was a constant in their house.

I suppose we will never fully understand why such a child could be killed so tragically.  We can wonder about what her future held, but that is not the purpose of life...not this world but the next.  She just got there a little faster than the rest of us.  I am sure she is smiling down on her family and friends now.  I pray that they have opened their hearts and find peace in knowing that that charming smile of hers is not gone, but instead is shining brighter than ever.

In the Scripture readings for today, I continued from the First letter of John...once again I think that the connection is a reflection on all of those lost at Sandy Hook.  "No one has ever seen God.  Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us." (1 John 4:11-18)  The lives of the children, like Catherine, shared the innocent love that God treasures.  We cannot physically see God but we can see the actions of love through their lives.

I also read from the Gospel of Matthew...this is the story of Jesus walking on water.  The disciples in the boat become scared by the sight, and Jesus says, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid." (6:45-52) During this time, we must find the courage to move forward.  By focusing on Jesus and having Him on our boat, we can also learn to not be afraid of our future.  He will help guide us into a new life more full than this one.  So even though the tragedy at Sandy Hook is unbelievably painful, we need courageous faith in believing in the unseen.

I pray today that we can all find that courageous faith in our own personal tragedies.  God has a plan and He will be victorious.  All the evil of this world will come to an end...we must prepare ourselves for our time when the unseen becomes a beatific vision, even greater than the charming smile of a child.

Inspired by Emilie

Throughout the process of designing (and now making...started sewing on the first one last night!) of the memorial quilts, we have come to the realization that these children inspire us to live our lives to the fullest.  Emilie does not fall short in her inspiring life.  In fact, every time I pull her bag of fabric from the box to add more to her design, we can not help but see her desire to share her talent with others in a special way.  I am not sure if we captured the full extent of this in her quilt design, but we know what it means.  

You see...Emilie liked to create  art work.  Maybe that does not seem strange for children of this age...art is a big part of most school classrooms.  However, Emilie took this a little further than most...she LOVED to draw and create.  So much so...that her family's home is supposedly like an art gallery with her art on all the walls.  

The inspiration of Emilie's art is already a joy for us to view, but her inspiration does not stop there.  You see, Emilie did not reserve her artwork for herself...she shared with others.  Her family and friends reported that Emilie loved to create cards with her artwork.  If someone was not felling well or sad, Emilie used her artwork to create a card to send them.  On any occasion ..happy or sad...she created a card to bring more joy to that person.  

This selflessness of Emilie reminds me of a Bible story...a parable Jesus used to teach a valuable life lesson to his disciples (that's US!).  The parable of the talents...found in Matthew 25:14-30.  The servants of a rich man were each given bags of gold (talents) to protect while he was away on a journey.  While he was gone, all but one chose to protect the gold by investing the money in various ways.  The last servant...fearing he would lose his gold...chose to bury the gold he was given.  Upon the return of the rich man, each servant was called forward to present the gold they protected.  Each servant brought forth more gold then they were given and the rich man was pleased...announcing to them:  "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

Until the last servant came forward and announced he had buried his gold and only brought forth the original amount.   The response of the rich man to this servant was scorn...taking the bag of gold and giving it to another servant.  This servant was cast aside into a place of dread.  

So where will we be when we stand before our Master?  Do we share our talents or do we hide them away for our own?  I am sure that Emilie...sweet 6-year-old....full of life and willing to share her gifts with others...stood before her Master and heard the words:  "Well done, good and faithful servant!"  May she inspire you as she has inspired us.

By the way, when I chose to write about Emilie, I had not read the Mass readings for the day.  Just now as I was about to publish this post, I decided to see if there was any connection.  Don't you just love it when things come together?  The first reading for the day is from 1 John 4:7-10:  "...everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God..."  Read the full passage to see the rest of the story.  We do have an awesome God!  He brings hope in a world gone bad...Praise Him above all things today and share your talents He has bestowed on you in order to share His Love with others.