Baby C

Easter

We had a busy Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, the kids slept late so I did the early Mass & Frankie did the later one. We folded our palm leaves into crosses and placed them on the mantle. We went through the busyness of the rest of the week mindful of what lay ahead. We attended the Holy (Maundy) Thursday service and Good Friday Lord’s Passion led by the Bishop at the Cathedral. Both were incredibly solemn and beautiful. And fortunately, with careful planning, the kids even managed to make it through both of the long services pretty well.

Then later on Friday evening, Geneva and I attended the Tenebrae Service (service of darkness & shadows) at the Cathedral. If you have never been to one of these, I recommend it highly. It was the first time I had been and it was beautiful. The service is held in the evening, the altar has been completely stripped after the Lord’s Passion, the crucifix and the statues of the Saints are all covered in purple cloth, and only a lit hearse of fifteen candles remains in the center (a hearse is a triangular candle holder usually held over a coffin). The service is essentially a funeral for the Lord and psalms are beautifully sung. As each psalm was finished, the candles were extinguished one-by-one until finally the “Christ Candle” on the highest point of the hearse was extinguished, symbolizing the death of Christ, and the congregation was left in silence and darkness. Suddenly, the silence was broken by a thunder of foot stomping made in the choir loft above. This symbolizes how the earth shook at the moment of Christ’s death. At that point the congregation left the Cathedral in silence. Amazing, just amazing. Fortunately, we know that the light of the world will return… Again, this is a service you can’t miss!

Saturday morning, we hopped in the car for a quick ride down to Katy, Texas to visit my cuz and family. The kids had a great time playing with their little cousins, and the grownups were treated to breakfast as we chatted and laughed and took a trip down the family and Eastwood memory lanes. We had a GREAT time and before we knew it, the entire day had passed. We kept asking ourselves – why don’t we do this more often?? That night we drove over to Clear Lake. We walked around the boardwalk and munched on some snacks. The kids (including Frankie) decided to play (clothes and all) in the Dancing Water Fountains in the middle of the plaza. I don’t know why, but I didn’t have my camera and wished I did. It was a hoot and they were soaked. Rafa especially, the way that boy loves water, he was transported to another dimension as he ran through the fountains. We had a blast (but the Micster and I stayed dry).

Easter Sunday, we made it to a 7:00 a.m. Mass. It was beautiful and the kids were beautifully behaved. As a treat, we all went to the Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned, but Rafa and Gabriela have been on a total rocket kick lately. That town is all about NASA and it was pretty cool. Imagine running into your all-time favorite movie star on the street. That’s how Rafa & Gab reacted when they saw the rockets. What a treat. We did the train tour and the whole nine yards. Again, I don’t know why we don’t do this more often…

Happy 40th to Frankie!

When I asked Frankie what he wanted to do for his 40th birthday, he said he wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine. So we packed our bags and headed to the Texas valley. We toured the Basilica, said a few prayers, and attended a Mariachi Mass. It was really beautiful! His birthday gift was something we all got to enjoy!

Heavenly Father, As we celebrate Frankie’s birthday, permit us, Lord, to celebrate it with you, opening our hearts to you. If he has reached this year it is because of you, who were never absent from his life. May your presence give him the will to fight against what is selfish and evil. Accompany him, Lord, with the power of your kindness all along the journey of his life; preserve in him a strong and happy disposition to do your will. Keep lit for many years, O Lord, the spark of his life, so that we may thank you daily for the light of your blessing. Amen.

I just had to throw this picture in. Since Grandpa Mike is originally from the valley... This was the candle room where they light candles for all who send in prayer requests.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Today is our wedding anniversary – time has flown! I love having known Frankie since we were 12 years old, living and learning and enjoying every minute of it.

I love our family trips to Costco, night-time drives for ice-cream, Sunday drives for sweets after Mass, taking time to pray together, reading books to each other during long drives, and late-night movie watching. I cherish the uncontrollable laughter when we’re being silly, the ache during difficult times and being able to look at each other and thank God we have the strength to endure anything together, the breathtaking beauty of our children and the awesome responsibility we have of raising them, the hours spent together cleaning up after sick children, even when we were sick ourselves, and, in the midst of it all, thanking God for yet another beautiful day that He has given us.

O God, we thank you that you have given us another year of life together. We thank you for the love which grows more precious and for the bonds which grow more close each day. We thank you for the happiness we have known together; for the sorrows we have faced together; for all the experiences of sunshine and of shadow through which we have come, up to today.

We ask for forgiveness for any failure on our part for any times when we became difficult to live with; for any lack of sympathy and understanding; for anything which spoiled even for a moment the perfect relationship which marriage should be. Spare us to each other to go on walking the way of life together and grant that for us it may be true that the best is yet to be: Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

To the biggest love of my life - Happy Anniversary!! And to quote Winnie the Pooh, "If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you." :o)

The Joker

Poor Frankie. I have a lot of fun on April Fools Day (at his expense). So this morning, I told him I was making some fresh coffee. He heard me grind the beans and he heard the machine begin to brew. I even put out a cup for him so he could be ready to pour that first delicious cup of Joe. But that picture you see above is what he saw instead...and I got it on video too!!!