Thankful

Oh how I love this boy!!!



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Dear Joseph

Dear Joseph,
Today was a big day for us, we had a fantastic day being together and while we shared love and laughter I watched you closely, wanting to remember everything about these wonderful days I share with you! Just last night we talked about having to wait for our prayers to be answered and you are the biggest answered prayer we have ever experienced and we love the miracle that you are in our lives!
When I watch you running and playing I sit in wonder as to how God could create so much goodness in one little body! You are kind, generous, gentle, and loving! You love to make others laugh and you love to dance in the most fantastic side to side jiggle motion! You are also a little head banger as you listen to fun songs with awesome beats! Speaking of music, you have a discerning ear for good music and once you find one you love, we listen to it for hours! A new favorite for you is "I am new" by Jason Gray and "c is for cookie!" You are such a funny eater but the last few days you have been eating more and eating healthy foods and this makes me so happy! I loved watching you eat your blueberries, enjoying every bite and asking for "more"!
Your vocabulary is explosive these days and I love to listen to you sweet little voice! Your favorite new word is "up"! You are starting I put together a few short phrases and I am secretly thrilled to learn more about your wants, needs, and likes! You are such a gift!
You love to go bye-bye! You are very modest and love to be dressed and very seldom walk around in just your diaper and t-shirt when it is just the two of us at home during the day! Other times I am having to wrestle you after your bath and lotion into a diaper and pj's! It is quite a challenge to dress you these days, you are very particular about fabrics and throw impressive dramatic tantrums when I try to put a long sleeved shirt or hoodie on you! It is sad that your are so discontent. In winter clothing!
You are just getting over a yucky cold and you are learning to potty in the toilet, whew you are a busy boy!
As you get close to celebrating your second birthday in a few hours, know that you don't even look lik a 2 year old, you are the size of a 4 year old! You are measuring in at 36.5 inches and 33.8 pounds!
One last thing, you have given up your pipe (the pacifier) and have started to like more books and you want me to sing to you every night until your eyes shut! Current fave: "Jesus, Jesus" and "Santa Claus is coming to town!"
Tomorrow when you wake up you will be 2! You are the best answered prayer - all-ways!
I will love you for ever!
Love, mommy
P.S. Daddy loved you more than words can even describe too! You are his favorite little man and you bring him joy all-ways!
P.P.S.- please stop mistreating Daisy, she is to nice to bite or scratch you and she really is not fond of wrestling with you! She likes it when you give her kisses and pet her gently!! Xoxoxo

Other plans . . .

Today started off in the right way, AMTTBAM offered to pray for our intentions in Mexico City before the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I asked her to pray for the conversion of MG's heart, Jessy, Joseph, and our family's special intention along with the intentions of my prayer buddy. I was so thankful for this all day. Joseph was still coughing and feeling rotten but we got out to get his medicine, get a few Christmas gifts, and grab him is favorite chicken strips from chic fil a. We also did a bit of grocery shopping for his birthday party and by the time this was all done, it was time to head head home for the bigger boys. Joseph and I got home, unloaded, did a few things and headed back to town because I forgot to go to the church to see the cassock of Blessed John Paul. I was determined to not let anything get in my way of doing something spiritually enriching for myself! Stubborn old me!!
Well, I loaded all the boys in the van and we drove all the way back to town to go visit the church were the cassock was being venerated. Well after wrestling Joseph into a hoodie, we walk in as calmly as possible and see a life size image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and probably a thousand red roses everywhere! It was astonishing! The church was empty except for two other souls, so we just sat at her feet and prayed (to the best of my ability while desperately trying to keep Joseph at a respectable level of quiet). We could not figure out where the cassock of Blessed John Paul was at, I tried to discreetly look, but I told myself it is here in this building and despite the fact that we are here at the right time, we will surely receive the graces of being in its presence! After we said our prayers and I realized there was no keeping Joseph quiet, we made our way to the back of the church where I looked in the bulletin to see where the cassock was supposed to be located but there was mention of it! I was really beside myself at this point! The bishop was celebrating mass at that church in one hour but I couldn't keep Joseph awake that long, I knew so I surrendered and drove all the way home!
Upon getting I the car I realized God had a tremendous purpose for bringing there and He wanted us right where we were, at our Blessed Mother's feet! Jesus knows we all needed some maternal love tonight!
I just really think the beginning of my day and the end of my day were planned by my loving father in Heaven! So I will always remember that the feast of our lady of Guadalupe is always a day of tremendous spiritual enlightenment for me. I remember just kneeling in prayer trying to collect my thoughts and the only thing I remember begging God for was Him to sanctify these three boys! I never use that word and so I felt like I was really not praying authentically despite the huge effort I made to make it to church! Yet I realized the Holy Spirit was speaking those words for me and when I looked up the meaning of that word I realized that was my plea.

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This is just now getting posted but was drafted on 12/12/12.

December and January have been very difficult months for our family due to some issues that needs a miracle. I miss blogging and need to update my Christmas pats for memory sake!
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A request with update

The day got much better after I summoned (shamelessly) all of your prayers, thank you from the bottom of my heart! Joseph was miserable today, due to lingering cough/allergies and the medicine the doctor gave him reminded me of his mannerisms after he came out of surgery in May, just inconsolable and not agreeable to discipline in any way (redirection, time in, etc). Then since we got a call from the school for a certain older boy, we were waiting for some serious misguided anger, misbehavior, and dishonesty. We prayed together before addressing the issues and were remarkably calm when discussing them. Nothing short of a miracle, thank you for your prayers. We are continuing to struggle with the discernment of a huge decision affecting on of the boys so any prayers you can continue to spare will not be wasted. I think of St. Monica as I try to have a maternal heart on fire for his soul! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I am having a difficult day. I am losing my cool and really need a new perspective!
I could really use some prayers and we really need extra ones around 3:30 pm.
Thanks in advance!



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Sick Days in pictures

 

This was taken the day the fever finally broke!  Praise the Lord!

We made the most of the sick days and rented movies (Chipmunk Christmas, Mickey’s Christmas Special, and The Polar Express).

We watched the Polar Express together and he loved it and I loved having him to love while I tried to etch those moments into my memory forever.  I love this child with my whole being!  So happy to be his Momma!

Silliness  

This is also the day that I dread, Mondays are really tough in shuffling kids back and forth to CCD.  We even had to leave the house to bring Christmas party supplies to the church and Joseph was insistent to wear his elmo pants, rubber boots, and Cabel.as shirt!  I think his attire brought more smiles to others than I would have imagined and I was grateful.  I choose my battles, people!

LOVE!!!

You can tell he is beginning to feel better!  Unfortunately that night, he began coughing so he is now on a cough medicine and it is making all kinds of junk come out.  Sure hope he is all better by his birthday!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

 

2012 is going make it into the record books for how fast the Christmas tree went up & how fast it came down!

Joseph is a riot around the Christmas tree, but the damage he does by himself is mild compared to the damage he can accomplish when he enlists the assistance of two rotten cats!

I am sure that the tree went up so quickly because I had three great helpers!  I almost think that I wasn’t needed at all, the two older boys kept talking about their old Christmas memories so that was a big bonus!

Our tree last year had almost all of the ornaments on the top, but this year we decided to switch it up and put most of the ornaments on the bottom! 

This picture is really special, but it was probably taken about 1/2 hour before Joseph pulled the tree down on himself a few times :/

Thankfully, we were able to catch it in midair.  Plus it is very light!

Talking about Bebe Jeeesuuusss!

Joseph is working super hard on placing his ornaments just right, I think I will have a broken hearted little boy after the Christmas season ends and the tree is no longer up in the living room!

The younger two trimming the tree!

And the one big boy adding some finishing touches!

Here you go Momma, this one is tired of hanging out on the tree branch!!!

See, two ROTTEN cats!!!  Oh, wait, Joseph calls these two his best buddies

So proud!!!  This is about one hour before I realize I have a very sick little boy on my hands.  He began running a fever of about 103 that night and it continued until Monday afternoon, only giving him Motrin helped him feel better and we did that every three hours!  Felt so bad for our little guy, but his Daddy was sick with the same thing the week before and it just had to run its course!

 

Admiration!

And this is where you will find him when he is not sleeping or eating despite his Daddy’s best efforts and to Daisy’s dismay!  This boy chases that cat like nobody’s business and he stops to kiss her and getting the biggest grin imaginable when she stays still long enough for TWO kisses!

I will spend this feast day

asking God for special graces.
I am praying into existence out next child (EAB or MTB)!!! How is that for trusting that nothing is impossible with God?

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Feast of Saint Nicholas

 

Well, Saint Nicholas sure did spoil some boys from down south today & it completely made their day!  A few gold coins in each shoe, along with a Million dollar candy bar, was enough to put some silly grins on these boys faces early this morning!

Joseph was so fast that I could barely capture any pictures of him, but here are a few of my favorites from this morning that are special to me!

He looks like a 4 year old!  He will only be 2 in 9 days!!  Already over 3 feet tall!

Can you see the determination here?

PURE JOY!!!!!!]

So glad we had a great morning because today was the day he had his follow-up appointment with his awesome ENT, Dr. Williams.  Joseph is not a big fan of his, but I sure am glad that my boy has been so much healthier since his surgery in May!  It turns out his tubes look great and are in good position so we will just follow-up once again in June 2013.  Joseph cried during the exam but he was a champ, really!  I was even able to capture a few pictures with my phone and it shows that we have made great progress in being more peaceful in doctor’s offices.

We were so quick in the doctor’s office that we were able to run to the Cathedral downtown for Mass!  This was the highlight of my day!  Joseph was quite the character for the crowd, but they were quite forgiving!  I haven’t brought him to daily mass there in over a year, so I have to learn a few more tricks to get him to stay quiet.

I think he may have been overstimulated because our home parish is very simple and not as much fun (with echos, haha)!

It was an honor to pray for my Prayer Buddy, my family, and receive Jesus in the Eucharist on the Feast of St. Nicholas, to whom we named our sweet Nicky after. 

So many answered prayers

Tonight I was in awe of God's clear answers to my deepest prayers! Jessy has been on retreat for a few days, so I have been handling the household myself and realizing we are doing ok, but can't wait to have him home again! Anyway, as part of the retreat, there is an opportunity to be present In a special way for our loved ones and as I am standing in the middle of the courtyard - watching my love praise God with every part of his being and showing signs of God's peace on his face while under the canopy of stars, embracing the baby I begged God for, in front of the very chapel I asked God to show favor on us with the gift of a baby plus being surrounded by candlelight! Yes, I am certain tonight has to be one that will reside in my heart as one of the most magnificent of them all, right up there with my wedding night and the birth of Joseph!
Praise God that this night was part of our story! Praise God that our story did not end with us in mourning, as I spent many times in that chapel healing from the losses of our babies and the fear that fight against infertility would never be a part of our yesterday's! So glad God allows us to be in the dark so that we can find our way to His light and He doesn't let our stories end in the darkness! Praise God that He still answers prayers and He still loves to wow us and make us remember He is the true lover of our souls!

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