Our Student of the Month

Geneva was student of the month at school for the sixth grade class! Mrs. Merhar said that the trait she was looking for this past month was enthusiasm. She said Geneva was the example of enthusiasm - no matter how hard the day. Way to go!!!!

Rafa's 4th Birthday!

Today Rafael turned 4 years old! He is the most wonderful, loving little boy. He reminds me a ton of Frankie when he was little (and that is a good thing!), and he mightily takes care of and defends those that he loves. We named him after the Archangel Raphael which means "God heals."

Our knowledge of the Archangel Raphael comes to us from the Old Testament story in the Book of Tobit.

Tobit, a devout and wealthy Israelite who gave his wealth to help others, is deported to Nineveh. He suffers severe hardships and is finally blinded. Because of his misfortunes he begs the Lord to let him die. He sends his son Tobiah to Media to collect money that is owed to him. In Media, at this same time, a young woman, Sarah, also prays for death, because she has lost seven husbands, each killed on their wedding night by the demon Asmodeus. God hears the prayers of Tobit and Sarah, and sends the Angel Raphael in disguise to aid them both.

Raphael makes the trip to Media with Tobiah. When Tobiah is attacked by a large fish while bathing, Raphael orders him to seize the fish and remove its gall, heart, and liver because they make "useful medicines." Later, Tobiah marries Sarah, and uses the the fish's heart and liver to drive Asmodeus from the bridal chamber. When he returns to Nineveh with his wife Sarah and his father's money, Tobiah rubs the fish's gall into his father's eyes and cures him of his blindness. Finally, Raphael reveals his true identity and announces, “God sent me to heal you… Peace be with you. Bless God forever.” Raphael then returns to Heaven.

Pope John Paul II did a Catechesis on the Angels during his General Audience on August 6, 1986 and said that the story of Tobias is so significant for “what it says about entrusting to the angels the little children of God, who are always in need of custody, care, and protection.” St. Raphael, pray for us and for Rafa as he journeys on through another year.

Rafa was the biggest baby by far - 8lbs. 10 oz.

One of my favorite pictures!
One year old.

Learning to walk!

Rafa loves petting zoos.

Birthday #2

Christmas 2009

Birthday Cakes!

I finally had a chance to make birthday cakes for the kids. I made Gabriela an Elmo cake, and I made Rafa a train (not exactly a Thomas - but a train nonetheless!). All Micaela needed was a cupcake - she was very happy with that!

Micaela is one year old!!

Micaela was born a year ago today on September 8, 2009. What a wonderful day that was! Also on September 8th, we celebrate the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Besides the birth of Christ, the Church only celebrates two other birthdays - St. John the Baptist, and Mary, Mother of Jesus because of their roles in salvation history.

There are many wonderful stories about the Virgin Mary. There's a story I like about a Benedictine College in Kansas. One of the monks who founded the school, Father Henri Lemke, was lost in the wilds of Kansas, desperate for drinking water, when a storm threatened him after nightfall. He had never really prayed to Mary before, but fearing for his life, he did that night. Soon, he saw a light in the distance. He followed the light and found a cottage. Inside the cottage, he found a little girl and her mother.

The two welcomed him in and told him that the girl had placed a candle in the window in the middle of the night. When her mother reprimanded her, she told her, “A lady in a dream told me to.”

I like that story and I enjoy seeing our children praying their Hail Marys and getting excited when they notice a picture or statue of Mary.

We ask for Mary's prayers for our family as Micaela begins a new year with us! In the pictures below, you can see Micaela transform from the sleepy newborn, to the vibrant and happy 1-year-old she is today!!

First day home from the hospital. She got lots of hugs & kisses from her older siblings.

She slept through practically her entire baptism!

Sam

This is Sam - Geneva's hamster. He's a good little hamster. Low maintenance, nice, easy going. He has a cute little blue cage that Geneva picked out. On Sunday morning, I was going about as normal, putting away dishes, folding clothes. When I opened up the closet in Geneva's room, there was Sam sitting on the floor staring at me. I screamed (I think he screamed too). Then we both ran in opposite directions. Before I went back to the closet to retrieve him, I went to his cage to make sure that it really was Sam in the closet, and not some other hamster intruder. It was definitely Sam. He's back in his cage now - it's LOCKED this time.

Happy Birthday Marissa!

Happy birthday to my oldest & best friend! We hope your new year is wonderful!! We love ya!
Here are a few pics from the past...

1982-1983 - 6th Grade (in case you can't enlarge the photo - that's me on the left and Marissa on the right)

Our senior class picture (or at least a part of it!)

You probably can't really see this picture - but on the left is Marissa, then Frankie, then me playing the Vivaldi Concerto for Four Violins for the Eastwood area concert (the other violinist is Anna Molinar).

Us again years later when Geneva and Jasmine were really little!

I hope to share many more years with you!!