Stations in the Dogwoods

This morning we awoke to the boys plan to have a living Stations of the Cross. Each year we place large pictures of the 14 stations throughout our property on Good Friday to allow the family to meditate on the Passion of the Lord.  However, we have never tried to re-enact the message before.  I was thrilled to hear the boys taking this initiative.

I had also wanted to have home-made pretzels for when we returned from this meditation, so I had Sean and Brendan help me make the dough.  It was good that we started out early because after cleaning the kitchen to have the work space we needed, it was already late into the morning.  However, everyone tried their hand at pretzel making and the special snack turned out well.  Even Zaira tried her hand at making a a pretzel (with Michael's help!)

This was done just in time to head out to the stations.  We were led through the dogwoods by Michael.  He and I led the prayers and reflections while the boys acted out the various scenes of the Passion.  Michael, Zaira and I were brought in only as needed.

The first station...Jesus is condemned to death...Michael was enlisted as Pontius Pilate.

The second station...Jesus takes up his cross...Henry was our Jesus for this re-enactment, while Edward took on the role of the Roman soldier.

The third station...Jesus falls for the first time.

The fourth station...Jesus meets his mother...Don't be fooled...Zaira is playing the part of Mary!

The fifth station...Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross...there is some dispute of who played the part of Simon...Brendan is convinced he was Simon and Sean was Rufus...we did not have the heart to tell him that he could barely reach the cross even on tippy-toe!

The sixth station..Veronica wipes the face of Jesus...I was given this special honor to wipe the face of Jesus...very powerful message!

The seventh station...Jesus falls for the second time...we reflect at each of these falls about how we way Jesus down with our sins.

The eighth station...Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem...I might have gotten a little carried away in the drama but it was so good to feel a part of the story...it really did bring new meaning to the experience.

The ninth station...Jesus fall for the third time.

The tenth station...Jesus is stripped of his garments...I was surprised to see actually marks across Jesus' (Henry's) back...when I asked about it...he told me he had Sen do that so it would look real.

The eleventh station...Jesus is nailed to the cross...Does it not look real?

The twelfth station...Jesus dies on the cross...when Zaira had Henry placed in her 'arms' she seemed very concerned...she reached out and touched his face...it made me think that Mary most likely did the same thing...wondering how any thing so terrible could happen to her innocent Son.

The thirteenth station...Jesus is taken down from the cross...the boys taped a plastic bag on his chest so Edward could spear him and look like water came from his side...pretty creative!

The fourteenth station...Jesus is laid in the tomb...Sean did a great job as Joseph of Arimathea...gently wrapping Henry in the tomb.  Edward and Brendan took the initiative to be the Roman guards that guarded the tomb...and Henry took the opportunity to continue the story by surprising the guards as he rose from the dead!

We decided to take it a step further and show the joy of the empty tomb for Easter.  I thought that was a good idea since I am now signing off from my computer until after Easter Sunday.  It was wonderful to see their joy in this presentation and I am sure they will remember this experience for years to come.

Oh...almost forgot to add that we were able to go to Veneration of the Cross later in the day.  Edward and Henry served on the altar and it was a memorable occasion for them as this was a first.  It really does change the experience when you are able to be at or near the altar during this special time of the year.

The Washing of the Feet

A small group tonight...pray for the families in our church who suffered a great loss.  We had a great man from our church pass away earlier in the morning...I will blog about him at a later date.

Also, a wonderful woman from our church had a major stroke and does not seem to be doing well.  I pray that her family will gather around her and be at peace.  She says she is ready to go home to the Lord.  Our little church is losing so many wonderful examples of faith.

So thankful for these stable influences in our lives.  Including our pastor who is so humble and washes the feet of many in our community. Tonight was just a symbol of what he does everyday for all those he meets regardless of their faith.

We are truly blessed and so thankful for the reminder of these blessings tonight!

Seder Meal

The Seder Meal at St. Mary's with the college students was tonight.  I was so glad to see their faces as they began entering into the student center.  I think they were truly surprised by the importance of the experience.  They were shocked to see the tables nicely set and arranged in a way that would be pleasing.  Our boys also so how important this was as they were eager to help set up and create a prayerful atmosphere for the occasion.

For those of you who might not know what a Seder Meal is...here is a brief description:

A Christian version of the Jewish Passover Seder, or ritual feast of redemption and liberation. The primary aim of the Seder is to transmit to future generations the story of the Exodus.  This Catholic observance of this ritual meal celebrates not only our own Jewish heritage but also teaches the tradition of the Mass, as it is a representation of the Last Supper of our Lord with his Apostles, where He instituted the sacrifice of the Mass and the priesthood.

Once the tables were set and the meal was prepared, we were able to enjoy the prayerful event.  We had set the tables to resemble what it would be like at a family Seder...each table had a space for a 'father' and 'mother.'  These roles would participate in imitation of the head table.  The head table was set up for Father Paul, Mrs. Key, Michael and myself (mainly so we could facilitate the meal).

At the beginning of the meal an opening prayer is prayed by the mother of the table and then the traditional candles are lighted.  Then the traditional meal is divided up into parts to show the importance of recalling the four terms in the Exodus story which describe God's action in rescuing the Israelites: "I brought out...I saved...I delivered...I redeemed."  Each action is blessed with the shared cup of wine.

Traditionally, the Jewish meal would end with the third cup of wine...the fourth cup is not shared to this day in the Jewish home because they do not recognize the redemptive act of Jesus as the desired Messiah.  However, as our Catholic faith reveals, we see the fourth cup of redemption in the telling of the crucifixion when Jesus states, "It is finished."  (John 19:30)  Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy.

There are several moments in the Seder Meal that I find quite profound.  No matter how many times we have had this meal...I get worked up at these moments and I remember how blessed we are in our Savior!

First, all the food presented on a Seder plate has meaning:


Matzoh (Unleavened bread) called "bread of affliction" because it recalls the unleavened bread prepared for the hasty flight by night from Egypt. Three large matzohs are broken and consumed during the ceremony.

Moror (Bitter herbs) is a reminder of the bitterness of slavery and suffering in Egypt.

Green herbs to be dipped in salt water. Salt water represents tears of sorrow shed during the captivity of the Lord's people.

Haroset (or 'haroses') represents the mortar used by Jews in building palaces and pyramids of Egypt during their slavery. (It is a mixture of chopped apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine.)

Wine is dipped from a common bowl. The 'Four Cups,' Thanksgiving, Hagadah ('telling'), Blessing, and Melchisedek ('righteousness'), are "four different words for redemption, spoken by God to Moses."

Egg is symbolic of new growth, new hope, and new life.

Lamb with a unbroken shank bone is also served at the meal to represent Christ as the unblemished lamb that was sacrificed for us.  The bone is unbroken to show that they did not break the bones as regulated in the Roman crucifixion.  (John 19:36)

Another part of the meal that is meaningful is the time of the meal when the youngest child asks the elder (in our case Father Paul) why we have our traditions.  We had hoped Edward would ask the questions this year but he got nervous about this responsibility so Henry took over this role.  He asked the traditional Jewish questions and then asked a few questions that relate to our Christian traditions as well.

The next part of the meal that I find very meaningful is the opening of the door to allow Elijah to enter.  Jewish tradition holds that the Messiah will be the return of Elijah, so the door is opened to allow him to return...in fact a place is set at the table for him to join in the Passover feast.

Christian tradition holds that when the door was opened for Elijah is the time when Judas slipped out to betray Jesus.  So, (since we know the Savior has come) it is a way for us to be reminded of the betrayal of Judas.  We take the time to remember our sinful acts that betray our love for Jesus and we ask to be forgiven.

Really the entire meal from start to finish is packed with meaning.  I love that we can do this and pray that everyone went away ready for the Triduum and especially ready for Easter!

Remembering Dad

Sometimes....you have to wonder...coincidence or planned by God from above?

Eight days ago, I was sent an email from my favorite photo book company...I was given a free photo book...I was given seven days to complete the project to get this deal.  So exciting when that happens!  However, this time I was not going to have the time to complete a photo book...also I really did not have any photos I wanted to put in a book.  Pretty crazy right?  In fact, had I thought about it, I probably would have gifted the book to a friend.

However, on day two of this deal, I had an amazing idea that I could use the book to create a project that I had made back in my scrap-booking days (the few that I had done...terribly and very rough completed works!).  This scrapbook was made just after my Dad passed away ten years ago.  I wanted to do something to help the grandchildren remember what a great man he was.  I asked all my brothers and my Mom to help remember an object that reminded them of a story of Dad.

As I said, this was a very rough book...put together on a whim.  I decided that I would take the same stories and try to add a few pictures of Dad to make it into a nicer photo book.

However, I was still short on time during the next few days...as you might have read...I was out of town for days three through six.  I got back exhausted from the experience and decided that I would just have to save that photo book for another time.  It was was great idea but I could not make it happen.

I puttered around with the idea any way but by the evening of the seventh day I knew it was not going to happen.

Then a strange thing happened!  I got a second email from the company!  It said...we noticed you did not finish your free book!  We are giving you an additional 24 hours to complete your project!  WOW!!!  That was awesome!  And although I really did not have the time to complete this book, I decided to try anyway.

Not only did I complete the book (much like the original but with better pictures!), I had two additional pages (not normal for any of the photo books I have completed in the past) that were filled with pictures of my Dad with his grandchildren!

By the time I was completing the book, all the family was involved...going through old photo albums and telling stories of this great man.

At one point I called my Mom to ask for a specific picture I remembered taking of my Dad's graduation.  She was nice and quiet (not normal) and said she could not get it at the time.  I was a little disappointed but told her I understood and was in a hurry to complete the book.  So I hung up and completed the book.

So...on day eight (today!) I clicked the order button on my free photo book and sat back in relief.  And that is when it hit me!

Michael?  What day is today?

Michelle, it is March 27th.

Michael?  Do you realize that today is my Dad's birthday?

I was in such a hurry this last week that it never crossed my mind.  It was especially not on my mind when I was making this photo book or when I called my Mom (who I did call back and apologize...I felt so bad!)

But I was so surprised!  I think it was a special gift from above.  Maybe my Dad was thinking about us too!  I sure miss him!  He was a great man...and I think he is still pretty special and a part of our lives.

When I looked at pictures...I saw Zaira's big smile!  I saw Henry's love for photography and his quiet nature.  I saw my Dad's love for his family! And his love for God!

Not only is today his birthday but in two days we mark the 10th anniversary of his death.  It is hard to believe that he has been gone so long.  God is good and gave us a special reminder of my Dad today.  I am blessed with these memories and so glad I can share them with my children in this special photo book.  Praise God!

The Saga of the Cold Dryer

So..after our long weekend of excitement...the dryer did not get fixed!

We did have a man come out to look at the dryer.  He came in...looked inside the door for the serial number and model number...could not read the faded paper...closed it all up and asked for the $75 fee.  I almost did not give him the money...would we ever see this guy again?!

Well...I paid him...knowing our warranty program would not let him get too far away.

He told us he would research the issue and get back with us.  Michael proceeded to get down on the floor with a flashlight to shine it just right on the faded paper...just enough to read the number.  Or what he thought was the numbers.  I looked them up on line and nothing showed up about dryers.  So we tried again...then slowly started reconfiguring the options until we found our dryer model on line.

We called the company back with the information.  To make a long story short...the parts were ordered...but did not come in until a week later.

The dryer did not get fixed until 10 days...start to finish...we ended up not washing clothes for 7 days...then finally we gave in and washed was was absolutely needed.

No fun but the dryer did get fixed and all is good now!

Here is a picture of what it looks like without washing clothes in our house for over a week!

So glad we can now say we have a dryer!  One of those...you don't know how blessed you are until you don't have something...moments!  Praise God for washers and dryers!!!!

Over the Weekend

Over the weekend, we had some adventures!

We started out with the joy of Mass with the nuns at the monastery.  We even got to visit Sister Veronica.  I shared our quilt adventure with her and let her borrow the book (Lessons from Newtown) to read and share with the other nuns.  Our family also blessed the nuns with our share to the generator fund.  She told me that she had a gift for us also...then proceeded to give us bags of vegetables!  She also told us to make a trip back by later in the week for another Easter surprise!

Then we went to a play about Laura Ingalls Wilder.  This was a very simple production...made even more simplified due to the production crew's stolen vehicle...however, it was a great show.  Zaira especially enjoyed the experience...her eyes were glued to the stage.  Even though she was due for her nap...she kept her eyes fixed on the actors!  She was so fun to watch...I barely watched the show itself!  I love that all our children love the theater!

Then Michael surprised me...he had a small economy car rented for me so I could go on our trip to Austin for the weekend without the "Big White Sail!"  He was happy to do this because otherwise he would have been without a car, but it was still nice for me to enjoy the small car on the road trip as well.

Henry, Zaira and I headed off for a fun weekend in Austin...well at least at the airport in Austin.  Henry had been selected to represent our region at the State Math Counts competition.  He was very excited to go...mainly in the hopes that he would win a computer!  After two days of working math problems that were well advanced for his grade level...and watching other students work these problems in the blink of an eye...he DID win a computer!  He was so excited and could not wait to tell everyone at home...but we decided to keep it a secret until we got home!

Then we went to my Mom's house.  We had only planned to stay for the night and be home in time for Sunday dinner.  However, Zaira had had enough of the car so stayed an extra day.  We were also able to make a side trip to a very large garden store just east of San Antonio...its claim to fame is (amongst others) a selection of over 50,000 styles of mirrors!  We spent the better part of Sunday going through those mirrors so we could find some for our bathrooms.  We had remodeled the boys bathroom over a year ago and never put in a mirror...now they will have one.  All of this search really began because Michael and I will be remodeling our bathroom in May...figured Amanda's bathroom will need some also.  SO...I found mirrors (very large mirrors!) for all the bathrooms in the house for less than $250.  A steal of a deal considering most of the mirrors I liked cost $200 EACH when I looked anywhere else!  I was so excited until I remembered that I was in a little economy car!  LOL!  I could not fit the mirrors in the trunk or any other part of the car.  Mom promised to return for the mirrors in her car and bring them to us next month!  YAY!!!

Meanwhile...back home...Michael was not doing so well.  It seems the dryer was not working!  It would not heat up.  Not such a big problem...we have home warranty that covers the dryer...but it was on a weekend...and he had already washed too big loads of wash!  My suggestion to hang the clothes on the line was a joke as it was raining throughout the weekend...not to mention that it is pollen season and it could likely kill us from the yellow mess that would cover our clothes while they were drying!  So...he was stuck with clothes and the only option was to hope the dryer could be fixed on Monday and he could make a trip into town to dry at a laundromat.

He also had the joy of showing our bees with Sean and Brendan at a Spring Fling downtown.  He would have had Edward with him but the poor guy ended up with an eye infection and his eye was swollen shut!  Edward spent the day in bed resting.

Along the way, they also noticed a VW show in another part of town.  So, the boys enjoyed this experience as well.  It was cool to see how people decorated their vehicles to match their interests or personalities!

All in all, the weekend went well...we all survived the experience and are back together!

Walking Through Our Woods

We spent the morning walking through our woods with a man from Texas Parks & Wildlife.  We were a little disappointed because we were hoping to FINALLY have someone help us with a prescribed burn!  Unfortunately, the man thought Michael said FIFTY acres instead of FIFTEEN and he told us it would not be profitable to come out for such a small acreage!

UGH!!!

So then he proceeded to tell two adults (Michael and I) with several small children (8mos-16yo) could handle our own prescribed burn!  It did not matter that we have NEVER done anything like this before and that we have several properties surrounding us with pine farms and a school.  Just be careful and go to work!  Let the kids tamp down any flames that got too much out of hand!

Is he CRAZY!?!??

Well...in spite of the disappointment...we were able to walk around our property with him and discuss the needs of the property.  He also told us what a great piece of property we have (even with the maintenance that needs to happen) surrounding our home.

God has truly blessed us with our home and land.

We have five live springs that flow into an amazingly large pond that is full of catfish and bluegill.  We have hardwood trees mixed with pines, which is intermingled with dogwood, red bud, and many other varieties of beautiful plant life.  We have a gentle hill that slopes down into the pond that makes for a nice runoff for any rain that we are blessed to receive.

We also have fruit trees and bees...a nice garden spot and a beautiful home large enough for all of our family and even a few extras if need be!

Some times it takes a walk through to see what is really important in life.

It made me realize that sometimes it is just as helpful to take a walk through our life blessings.

In spite of the hardships, there are many blessings in my life that are not material.

I have been blessed with a wonderful faith in our Lord and Savior.  I have the most wonderful family...Mom...brothers...husband...children.  And I have friends that care and help me when I am down.  I have a great parish who love the Lord and love sharing their joy with others.  And...although this is somewhat materialistic...we are blessed with the ability to bless others with our time, talents and treasures!

To all these things...may God be the Glory!