You Make Everything Better

Sebastian stepped on an acorn which caused "gushing blood" according to his first report (one that significantly changed in subsequent iterations when an eyewitness to the catastrophe weighed in on what had happened). Clad in multiple bandaids, he asked to sleep in our room.  He said, "Can I sleep by your side of the bed, Mom?  You make everything better."
   Oh, how I wish I could capture these moments!

Jane and Ronnie

It’s such a blessing having Jane and Ronnie here with us! We love them so much!  I’m only sad we couldn’t see Samantha and Anna.  Whataburger, late night conversations, and playing with the dogs are what it’s all about.

Italian Consulate

     Ron and I drove to Houston and spent a day in the Italian consulate office. We had our applications for visas for all eight of us. Each application was thick and had taken weeks to compile--six months all together. It takes a lot to move a family of eight to Italy!
    After being given the run around and hazed (as the consulate is famous for doing), the staff accepted our applications. One of them even said as she was combing through the kids' applications with their photos attached, "I bet you have fun with your family."
   Damn straight, we do! In the most unlikely of places, a woman said my life's mission statement in one sentence. I love my family. Wherever we live, wherever we are next year, I am grateful that we will be together.  

A Blessed Feast

   Easter Sunday--our first time to celebrate it in the house we now live in (since we are often out of town on Easter) and our last as a complete family living under our roof.  Next year, we will be in Rome, and the following, Jacob goes to college.  The year after that, Mary goes to college.  So, it was poignant to be together and do it right.
    Doing it right means roasting a leg of lamb, rack of lamb, potatoes, and greens, alongside gravy, mushroom and almond quinoa pilaf, spiral ham, and mint jelly.  It means cheesecake, brownies, cookies, and homemade tapioca with strawberries on top.  It means my grandmother's china and silver and candles.  Most of all, it means resting, laughing, talking, telling old family stories, and delving into discussions about everything from quantum physics to biblical exegesis.  Mom, Dad, and Aunt June were a delight to have with us, and certainly added to the conversation.  After a week of fasting and lengthy liturgies, it was cathartic to cut loose and celebrate.  I would not take anything for my family--my mom, dad, aunt, husband, children, and all my extended family with whom I was not able to be yesterday.  And I would not take anything for the Catholic liturgical year, and the Triduum which is its crowning jewel.

Happy Easter!

    Our family has had one of the best Easter weekends we've ever had. Maybe its because our youngest child is four, and so I could participate in the mass more fully. Maybe it is because our teenagers embraced it: our family lived out the tragedy of the betrayal and arrest of Jesus on Thursday, the crucifixion, the death, on Friday. Our beloved parish, St. Rita, has such powerful Triduum liturgies. They mirror the timing of the historical events, and the dramatic story unfolds through the sequence of days. At home on Friday night, some of us watched Jesus of Nazareth while others watched The Passion. We were all taken with the agony of it all. Then, fasting and tired, we sat in the darkened church on Saturday night for hours, while the readers took us from the creation of the world through the history of humanity's fall and long wait for the God's saving hand. In a flash, the lights came on and the bells rang and we sang "Hallelujah" as we celebrated the moment that Christ rose again. What a visceral experience, the most poignant reminder of the heart of our faith, which is the very purpose of my life.
    What stands out the most to me this Easter is the humility of Christ being the very power of God.  Who could imagine such a thing?  The leader, the master, choosing to become a servant, and wash the feet of the followers? The master becoming bread and wine, the passover meal itself? The master becoming the passover lamb, slain, so that his blood could afford us protection from the angel of Death? It is like nothing else in human history, human reality, human experience. Such a deep, impenetrable mystery, so beautiful to enter and in which to participate in any small way God affords.  Hallelujah!

Celebrating Mighty Is Her Call

Our leadership team celebrating our big day: receiving recognition from the Diocese of Dallas.  Mighty Is Her Call is now a nonprofit organization that is an official ministry recognized by the Catholic Church.  Thank you, Lord!

We Love Aunt Kimmy!

We have loved being with her so much!  Annie and Sebastian have had such special outings with her, including the balloon hunt through all of Northpark. What a blessing!

Moving to Italy: Our Packing Day

     Now I am sure of it: we are moving to Italy!  Although we have been in discussion with the University of Dallas for many months about a possible transfer of Ron's work to the Rome campus, I have wondered if it would really happen.  But now that our house is all boxed up and ready to go, I am positive: our move to Italy is fast approaching.
    Yesterday, movers came and packed up all the personal belongings, books and furniture that we are taking with us.  On Monday they will load it all onto a container that will then ship across the ocean.
    The packing day went strangely well--I am sure that is due to the many friends and family who were praying for us (thank you, friends, for your prayers!).  We woke early and sorted through our last shelves and drawers, deciding what to take, what to store here, and what to give away.  The movers came and we worked alongside them until all our decisions were made, and the last drawer was emptied.
    I had prayed that our family would work so well together, and that we would have such pleasant demeanors, that we would be a blessing to the movers.  This was my way of guarding against barking orders at my kids and yelling when tensions mounted.  We would inevitably have an impact on the movers, for the good or the bad, so I prayed that it would be for the good.
     Truly, by the sheer grace of God, by the end of the day we had made great friends with these guys.  The last piece of furniture they dissembled was a girl's desk.  As he took it apart, the guy asked our family, "Who's Josh?"  We turned and looked at him inquisitively.  He continued, "Here on this desk, someone has written, 'I love Josh' and next to it, 'I love Jesus.'"  We all laughed and jeered, "CLAAAAAAARE!  Do you have a crush on Josh??"  "NO!" she insisted.  "It must be Mary who wrote that!!!"  Our family had the biggest laugh over who wrote that (and we never got a confession out of anyone).
    Once our family had finished our work, we found ourselves gathered in what remains of our living room.  Jacob made a comment about the early church, and Ron launched into a description of St. Macrina the Elder, St. Macrina the Younger, Gregor the Wonderworker, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, Peter of Sebaste, and Basil the Great.  He ended with a description of Justinian the Apostate (whom I had not remembered ever learning about).  Ron's soliloquy was a sure indication that we were relaxed and happy.

    A bit later, our favorite friend of Jacob's came over with a dozen donuts, and asked Mary to go to the prom with him.

    What a wild, surreal, and enjoyable day!

(Here's Annie in her moving-box-cottage, stylized after Little House on the Prairie, starring Annie as "Laura.")