New Holy Card

 

Last Vows as a Novice

 Today I retold this story.

—

Today our daughter Sister Maria Perpétua, O. Praem. celebrates the sixth anniversary of her entrance into religious life. She renews her vows, leaving behind the Novitiate and becoming a Junior Professed sister. 

It brings to mind a moment when my heart gave a leap! 

Recently I found a 1998 homemade card with a note that my ‘mamãe’ wrote after I announced to her that we were expecting a new baby—our sixth.

My mother’s homemade cards were made from old holy cards—she had a score of them! In her note, her prayerful words asked God that this child would live for His glory alone, and that she would bring blessings and joy to both her parents and her siblings. Above the prayer she attached a gorgeous German holy card image of the Nativity of Mary, with the letters M-A-R-I-A...  

This sixth child, our tiniest baby, we named after the Blessed Virgin herself, as the card spelled, and she grew up from a young age with a heart turned to all that is high and good. She has indeed brought immeasurable joy and countless blessings to her parents and siblings in so many ways. 

Reading my mother’s prophetic words gave my heart a jump!

And to think she entered religious life on this date, the Feast of the Nativity of Mary—just so that note, forgotten in the family album for over two decades, would come to fruition. Not only that, but the spelling of that beautiful name on the card, given to her in Baptism, is also her name in religious life, a rare occurrence. 

The power of a grandmother’s prayer. And to think my mother already had, by then, more than twenty grandchildren.

So much of God’s loving action in our lives go unnoticed. What if I have never kept that card? Or if I hadn’t thought of leafing through those album pages to digitize them?

Saint Anne feast

 Finishing a novena and celebrating the great, dearest Saint! 

Corpus Christi procession

It was simple, and a small step for the diocese, but a huge step for the parish. 

 

Lincoln II

 The second half of the first day was equally full, Phyllis picked me up, and we had a wonderful, simply wonderful time, reminiscing, and catching up for about three hours at a fabulous restaurant with fresh Mojito‘s, and the best brussels sprouts I’ve ever had. We’ve compared grandmothers notes and promised to keep praying for each others intentions. after that, Clare picked me up, we went shopping and I cook the full Brazilian meal complete with flan at her house. It was like old times, being with her, her sister, Catherine, and her beautiful mother, Barb. Again we spent hours, reminiscing, laughing, and promise you to pray for each other’s intentions. 

May!

Honoring our Blessed Mother who has taken me by the hand though life in her motherly love. 

 

Saint Andrew’s Christmas Novena

 On this feast of Saint Andrew we have started this novena for about two decades now, it seems like there are always very good intentions to pray for…

Novena to Saint Anne

 Tomorrow is the first day! I made this graphic for my Brazilian Instagram profile. Also, I have just been invited to speak via life video to a large homeschool conference in Brazil! 

Prayers for James

 

Please pray with our family!

From Isabel on CaringBridge:

“Last Tuesday, we had some troubling news. The fluid retention in James' ventricles has only gone up.  Therefore, before he develops any symptoms of hydrocephalus, his neurosurgeon wants to place a VP shunt. James will have another MRI July 6, and if the ventricles continue at the same size or grow larger with fluid, they will operate in the two weeks following. Disappointment is too mild of a word to describe how we are feeling about the situation, though we've known it to be a possibility since January. 

We are asking everyone for radical prayers on James' behalf. We found a prayer asking for intercessory prayer from Venerable Jerome Lejeune. Dr. Jerome Lejeune had a heart for children with disabilities during his lifetime, especially children born with Downs Syndrome. We are asking him to bring James' health to the throne of our God in a special way through this prayer. We hope to have many praying this prayer each day leading up to James' MRI on July 6. 

If you are not familiar with praying with saints, that's okay! It's just like asking a dear friend to pray for you. Except this friend is believed to be close to the Lord in heaven, and can therefore bring intentions to Him in a special way. 

Thank you for any prayers for Jamesie. “

May, the month of the Blessed Mother

 There is a visiting statue at the parish, given to the diocese in 1977 from Portugal, carved in Brazilian wood. Ready for the beginning of the month of May! Our Lady, ora pro nobis!

Post hand surgery

 James is sweet and has been recovering very well! Thanks be to God—and to all are praying with us.

Before hand surgery

Days with James and Dominic and beautiful Isabel before the surgery. Tried getting some photos of his “mitten-hands”!

 Tu…

Off to Chicago and St Paul!

 Will have lunch with No. 1 and off to MN with a couple new audiobooks to enjoy, and crochet too!

Little James’ hand surgery is on Friday. Prayers greatly appreciated!

My dear birthday patron

Dearest Saint Scholastica,

I count on your prayers for me. Thank you for your presence on my life!
 

From Isabel’s CaringBridge

 It wasn't our year.

Jamesie's unexpected diagnosis in June, multiple hospital stays, and the reality that our life now looks different than we imagined it would look.

Matt's brain aneurysm, craniotomy, and recovery in August - the hardest two weeks of my life. 

Recovering from trauma as a family, and continually learning to cope as new challenges come our way.

It wasn't our year. 

But how beautiful a year it has been. 

Discovering the truly amazing community that held us together during James's NICU stay, and again when Matt was at Mayo. 

Witnessing the countless ways our family and friends and people we don't even know have lifted us in support and prayer to our Father, making the most difficult of days bearable. 

Learning that Jesus really does come to meet you where you are, especially when you feel like you can't go to where He is. 

Realizing the importance of true rest, peace, and health - physical, mental, spiritual, emotional - and making space for all of those needs. 

Cherishing the simplest things - a baby's peaceful sleep, a toddler's too-tight hug, a husband's hand in yours at the end of the workday. Because you can't take them for granted after a year like this. 

It was a difficult, sorrowful, exhausting, unexpected year, but it was a beautiful one.

Goodbye 2021. 

My comment:

James was born and I was at your little sister’s monastery, and the Sisters, in their peaceful, confident serenity, told me how much God would bless the world through sweet baby James. I have prayed, and cried, and I have had the joyful privilege of being close to you and the boys this past year so much. I have witnessed God’s Grace firsthand. In you, through your maternity, in your marriage. I have  seen it, tangible, through the service of your loving friends. I’ve seen ours and Matt’s families shine in unconditional support and profound love. I’ve seen James’ life affect people who likely will never meet him, and transform their lives. 2021 was a hard year but a year of miracle, a year of love, of gratitude, a year of God’s loving and transformative power in our hearts. May He allow that we all continue on our journey toward His perfect love. May He continue to grace you with beauty and strength as you see your adorable sons growing in His love! Isabel, I love and admire you beyond what any words can express, my beautiful, beautiful daughter. Wishing you the happiest New Year!

Praying for Baby James

He’s been growing strong and happy! Prayers for his surgery today!