First Confession

On Saturday, May 5, Patrick went to confession for the first time. After confessing his sins to Fr. Harkins, FSSP, Patrick said to me, "Mommy, I like going to confession. It is fun!" When we arrived home, he asked me, "Do I have to sin before I can go to confession again?"

"As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. When He had said this, He breathed on them; and He said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."
(John 20:21-23)

Welcome Kieran!

8 lbs 12 oz

21 inches

Words cannot express how happy we are to have been blessed with a baby boy. If anyone had told me a year ago that I would be holding a baby in my arms in May, I don't know if I would have believed them. Last August 13, our pastor came over for dinner and we spoke to him again about the fact that since miscarrying in 2009, we had not been able to conceive. Our conversation, gave me a little hope.

After Mass, on the Feast of the Assumption, I knelt before a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and implored Mary to intercede for my husband and me. I promised her that if we were blessed with another baby, I would do all that I could to try and raise the baby to be a great saint who would bring greater glory to God.

Two weeks later, I was overjoyed to learn that my husband and I were expecting another baby. The next Sunday, I knelt at the altar rail and I received the blessing for expectant mothers from our pastor.

At eight weeks, I visited the doctor. He did an ultrasound and told me that I had a subchorionic hematoma. He went on to explain that this meant that the baby had a 50/50 chance of survival. If the hematoma started to bleed and disturbed the baby, then I would most likely miscarry. He told me to take it easy (keep my activity level to a minimum, etc.) until the baby was 12 weeks. I went home determined to follow the doctor's orders as best I could with seven children in the house. I also called our pastor and left a message, asking him to please pray for this baby. At the same time, I trusted that Our Blessed Mother would protect my little one.

A week or two later, I found myself in the hospital due to a DVT (a.k.a. a blood clot) that was moving in my right calf. Much to my dismay, I was prescribed an anti-coagulant and told that I would need to take it twice a day until my baby was six-weeks old. I don't like to take medicine, especially when I am pregnant. This time, my husband called our pastor and asked him to pray. I prayed a Memorare and trusted that Mary would take care of our baby.

As my due date approached, a friend at our parish asked me who we were choosing to be the godparents. I told her and then explained, "Regina prayed for my husband and me to have another baby, even when I could no longer do so." Our friend responded, "We have all been praying too." My pastor reminded me of this fact after Kieran's baptism, saying, "We have prayed for this baby for a long time."

As I lie here nursing Kieran, I am so thankful for our pastor's, our family's, and our friends' prayers for our little boy. I am thankful that God has blessed us with another child.

May Kieran and all those who prayed for him become great saints!

I know that Mary will help us.

Our Blessed Mother will Always Help Us

I needed to read the following quote on Sanctus Simplicitus this morning:

"Following her, you cannot go astray; praying to her, you cannot despair; thinking on her, you cannot err; in her hands, you cannot fall; under her protection, you have nothing to fear; under her guidance you cannot feel fatigued; under her patronage, you will arrive at your heavenly country in safety."
~ St. Bernard ~

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.

If the pain in my lower back is not indicative of the start of labor, then this baby, who I cannot wait to hold in my arms, will be induced starting at 2:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. May Our Blessed Mother help me through labor and delivery and protect this little one who I pray will bring greater glory to God!

Learning from Older Siblings

I'm trying to get the house ready for the baby. On Saturday, Elizabeth watched Theresa clean the toilet. Soon afterwards, Elizabeth was found in the bathroom with a washcloth in her hand. She was scrubbing the inside of the toilet with the cloth. I guess that since the toilet bowl brush had been put away, she decided that the washcloth was the next best thing. Ugh!

Yesterday, I asked Theresa to sprinkle the staircase with baking soda and then vacuum. This morning, Patrick sprinkled strawberry jello on Theresa's and Elizabeth's bedroom carpet in an effort to make it smell sweet. Instead, he stained the carpet red. I was able to get some of the jello out, but not all. The off-white carpet now has pink stains on it. At least, it's a girls' room.

I think that I know where the saying, "Two steps forward, one step back comes from." Now, I just need to accept the fact that although Mount Neverrest might be conquered (i.e. all of the laundry and ironing should be finished) before this baby is born, the house will not be thoroughly clean.

Baptism

"-Receive the sacraments soon and frequently. This cannot be emphasized enough. Baptize babies immediately. If Aunt Martha can’t make it for two months to see the baby, go ahead and throw the baptismal party when it’s convenient for her, but don’t postpone the sacrament to fit her or anyone’s schedule. It is most important that the child receive his baptism as soon as possible after birth. It is less important that mom is up for visitors, and more important that the baby enter the Church."

~ What Every Mother Needs to Know About Raising Catholic Kids, Theresa Thomas ~

When my husband and I were married, we agreed that our children should be baptized as soon after birth as possible. A couple of months after the birth and baptism of our first child, I started tutoring for a homeschooling family. One day, my baby and I arrived at this family's house and found the mother still in her pajamas with no makeup on her face and slightly puffy eyes. I asked her if she was okay. She answered in the affirmative and told me that it was the third anniversary of her second son's death. We spoke for awhile before I headed downstairs to teach her four eldest daughters. Her healthy young baby had unexpectedly died during his sleep one night. This mother of eight (now nine) children shared with me that her baby had been baptized shortly after he was born by their friend, Fr. John Hardon, S.J.. She went on to tell me that because her little baby boy had been baptized, she could take comfort in knowing that he was a saint in Heaven. This caring mother ended the conversation by saying, "My hope for all my children has always been that they become saints, that we all meet in Heaven one day. I keep reminding myself that I now have one less soul to worry about."

Since that time, my husband and I have always tried to have our babies baptized on the Saturday or Sunday following our child's birth regardless of whether or not relatives can be present. This has not always been possible due to circumstances beyond our control. However, all of our children have been baptized within the first month of their birth, as Holy Mother Church encourages.

Despite knowing that I am doing what the Church encourages in regards to Baptism, I still need to learn to simply trust completely in God's will. I cannot help but worry about the souls of my children during the days before they are baptized. I cannot help but constantly pray to Our Blessed Mother to protect and care for my newborn baby until such time as he/she is baptized. I wish that each of my children could be baptized immediately after birth.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.

Hope

Brendan: "Mommy, two people have won $10,000 in the Top Foods Monopoly game and one person has won $35,000. You haven't been to Top Foods in a long time. We can't win if you don't go shopping there. We still need to pick up the free tickets that we won."

Me: "It's only been about two weeks since I last went there. I have decided that we just aren't winners."

Theresa: "Oh, Mommy, it is a sin to despair!"

Eastertide Daybook

I am listening to...

Bernadette is playing music from the Lord of the Rings on her violin. She spends about an hour each morning playing her violin. First, she practices and then she has fun, playing and picking out pieces that she has heard at Mass, on a CD, the radio or in a movie. Listening to her play makes for a relaxing morning. She has a very good ear. Last week, I listened to her violin lesson. She and her teacher played a duet of Bernadette's recital piece, "Two Guitars", and it was so moving that I almost started to cry.

Outside my window...

The sun is peeking through some clouds and birds are chirping. I am looking foward to another beautiful day.

I am thankful for...

My ultrasound went well last Wednesday. The baby is looking good.  He/she is big, but so were two of my other children. My doctor didn't mention anything about inducing me and it is comforting to think that this baby might be born during Mary's month. I have about two more weeks until my due date, plus or minus a few days. :) I can't wait to hold this baby in my arms. My husband and children are excited to do the same.

Thanks to a beautiful weekend, we spent some much needed time gardening together on Saturday. It made for a very relaxing day.

I am thinking about and praying for...

My son who will be making his First Confession on May 5 and receiving his First Holy Communion on May 6.

From the kitchen...

I am smelling eggs and sausage.

In the learning rooms...

We are working hard trying to finish as many lessons as we can before this baby is born.

I am wearing...
I am wearing a black maternity skirt and a red shirt.

I am reading...
When I can find a quiet moment (usually during my non-stress tests at the doctor's office), I am reading This Tremendous Lover. Each morning, I am reading First Communion Days to Patrick and anyone else who wants to listen. At bedtime, Elizabeth keeps requesting that I read Miss Rumphius and Hedgie's Surprise. I think that I have these two stories memorized.  Patrick and Finnian request various stories before bed, but they usually ask me to read at least one of these.

I am praying for...

Our Archbishop has been given the challenging task of overhauling the LCWR. He has also been receiving public flack from some of the priests in our Archdiocese for supporting R-74 (a bill that would repeal unnatural unions) and requesting that signatures be collected after Masses to help get this referendum on the ballot. I am praying for Archbishop Sartain that he may continue to follow the will of God. I am also praying for our Archdiocese, our priests and the faithful. We all need the prayers.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

We are looking forward to our Fine Arts Friday. I had planned to implement this at the beginning of the year, but I was unable to do so, save for choir. What may you ask is Fine Arts Friday? I found that some of my children do not take the time to draw or paint unless I set aside time for them to do so. Therefore on Fridays, we have set aside a time for the children to not only sing, but also to draw, study artwork and sometimes listen to music.  They are thoroughly enjoying this time together and so am I. I would like to add poetry recitation to the mix, but it might have to wait until next year.

Although I am not an artist by any means, art is a subject that I have enjoyed since high school. It is also a subject that all of my children seem to find rewarding.



Bunnies and hare drawn by my four eldest children



Easter Vigil Slideshow

One of my favorite Masses is the Easter Vigil at our parish. The singing of the "Sicut Cervus" takes my breath away and draws me in helping me to focus on Christ's Resurrection. This Mass truly seems to me like the closest thing to Heaven on earth.

I hope that everyone is having a joyous Eastertide.

Christus Resurrexit!

This year, we participated in the Triduum Masses and Good Friday liturgy at our parish again. Brendan felt privileged to be able to serve at the Easter Vigil. He has been wanting to serve at this Mass for a long time.

He was happy to tell my dad that he would be doing so and to tell my brother that he had done so.

We arrived home just before 4:00 a.m. on Easter morning and had a relaxed Easter Sunday.

Finnian was delighted with our "funny looking Easter lamb cake" and kept insisting that we take a photo of it.

The three youngest thoroughly enjoyed hunting for Easter eggs.

Happy Eastertide!

Christ is risen! Alleluia!