Weekends Are For Celebrating Fathers, Old And New

How was your weekend? Did you get to celebrate your father, your children's father or other fatherly role models in your life? I hope so.

Since time and brainpower seem to elude me so far this summer, I'm throwing out a little peek at our FATHER weekend. Essentially, we were surrounded by Fathers and that made for a very fulfilling and blessed weekend.

You see, Saturday was Ordination Day for a couple of really great guys in our diocese. One was ordained to the priesthood and two others ordained as transitional deacons. Thankfully, we've been blessed to get to know two of those guys over the past years as they've studied and discerned priesthood.

Besides being swarmed by many priestly Fathers that day, my own Father (and mom too) was with us in the crowd and we spent a good part of the day together. Fathers, Fathers, everywhere Fathers!

Saturday morning we loaded up the van and headed to the cathedral just over an hour away. We've done the ordination gig before and we're survivors. We just had to do it again and the kids were so into it that it makes it totally worth it.

Wanna know what else helps? One small snack bag per toddler, sitting in a pew with grandpa and grandma, sitting in just the right spot so the kids can see but also making escaping to the bathroom possible, and lastly, an inexpensive camera.

For real, the three year old was smitten with it most of Mass. Sure, I had a bazillion blurry photos and about as many of the backsides of the people in front of us, but she also did some selfies too.

Again, I'll point out this endeavor was also roughly two weeks into potty training mode. We're actually getting out without accidents and staying dry, so the ordination was kind of another monumental thing. Go US! 

After the Mass, our hearts were full, our bellies were nourished with lunch at the reception that followed and we received our family blessing from the newly ordained. 

Our newest father, Fr. Gabriel:

And yes, he is just as sweet, witty, fun-loving and amazing as he looks (psst...he was also home schooled for at least half of his school years). He's a keeper and we're blessed to have latched on gotten to know this young priest.

The second half of the weekend was spent still celebrating Father on Father's Day. 

Before we headed out to Fr. Gabriel's first Mass in the morning, there was just enough time for the toddlers to have a tea party picnic with dad.

Everyone indulged mommy with photos and some smiles.

Thankfully, this father didn't mind what our plans were just as long as our family was together. There wasn't any home cooked breakfast or elaborate dessert or putting up his feet, but he was still content. 

I know, he's also a keeper.

Once again, there were more blurry photos taken of church ceilings, stained glass windows and rear ends of unknowing strangers at Father's first Mass.

Among them all were a treasured few of the Father we came to rejoice with and celebrate his Yes to his vocation. This Marian vestment was a gift for him from his home parish, Mary of the Immaculate Conception church. It was beautiful and he'll offer many a Mass in it. I so wish he was assigned closer to us so that we had the chance to join him for those Masses....

Jonah got this one snapped with the Father all on his own. He was pretty excited and of course, kind hearted Fr. Gabriel was so generous to oblige. 

He asked for one more photo with our family along with his new vestment and he was the first to crouch down with the toddlers. We all followed the Father's lead and got down there with them. 

These are the weekends that bless the soul, we see the fruit of our prayers and witness a vibrant Church, a hopeful diocese. Being surrounded by good and holy men, Fathers of all sorts, who lead us both inside and out of the walls of a church structure. These Fathers are all of the ones that I want as support in my own vocation, but who foster a love and greater understanding for the Church for my family and children. I am grateful that we as parents get to share these faces of faith with our children. 

With the joy, so comes the sorrow. This week will be the last with our own current parish Father. 

Our journey this week will contain many 'lasts' with Father for our family, for our parish. Some Fathers have a lasting imprint they leave on your heart. Some are there only for a short while because in that time this Father is exactly who your family needed to minister to them. 

So many earthly Fathers we honor and are grateful for. So many we continue to pray for because they will always remain attached to a piece of our heart, our story.

Summer Days Slipping Away

I've noticed that the blogosphere is quieted during summer. Which makes sense because our lives away from the computer are hectic and scattered. For those of us plagued with the long, dreaded winters, summertime is the season to take advantage of the outdoors. 

I am no different. 

Therefore, updates here are sporadic and random.

Sometimes there are just some things I can't help but post, even if they will only become reminiscent posts for myself one day.

Our newest additions at our household came just over two weeks ago.

They arrived in a small box with holes and made a chirping noise.

We are now 'farmers' or 'officially' REAL home schoolers because we have chickens. Our first 19 chicks arrived and the kids are enjoying watching them grow. They are also learning that sometimes animals don't all survive, even at a young age. So far, we've only had one casualty. Eighteen is an even number, so it all works out in the end.

Last week we took an afternoon outing with my parents. We went to check out a small grocery store not too far away that is ran by the Mennonites. It was a major score and such a quiet and clean place. We'll definitely be returning.

While in town, we visited this beautiful church and ran into the priest whom my parents know, so we had a nice visit too. 

An outdoor grotto just perfect for angelic little girls. You see they are folding their hands and implying they have never given their mama any trouble? 

In the swing of summer and the gardens are abundant! I've got to get a garden update posted soon. 

This year I planted cut flowers and I'm reaping the rewards of fresh flowers in vases in my home. I think I'll have to keep on doing this every summer to enjoy my gardens indoors, as well as from my windows. 

The yellow and green beans are also producing. I've already picked several buckets of them and I'm grateful they are doing so well. I was starting the inevitable rationing of last year's beans, but now I don't need to worry quite so much.

The highlight of this week was company coming for supper on Monday. We were blessed with our pastor, the diocesan Vocations Director and a transitional Deacon (he'll be ordained to the priesthood next June) all under one roof. My parents also came to spend a couple of days so they were here, along with another seminarian as well.

To say we had a blast would be an understatement.

As always, the kids were especially fond of the fun that can be had when priests and Deacon visit.

Of course, the little girls are easily entertained when anyone plays with them and does puzzles.

Priceless moment right here.

I insisted offered to take a photo to remember the fun and blog it too.

We also helped out with Vocations Camp: Men of Virtue day camp here this week. You can read more about some of the past years here, here, and here. Due to the small numbers, it was decided that we'd just do the one day camp rather than the overnight. It turned out to be a good decision and the young men who joined us were a great crew. 

My parents helped me cook the meals and entertain my kids so that we could volunteer again with the camp. In the end, as with every year, we enjoyed it and are so glad that we did it.

3 priests, 1 seminarian and 6 young men, just after our supper and before the end of camp.

Now with Vocations Camp behind us, we are looking ahead to the County Fair and sports camp for Jonah next week. 

Keep on enjoying your summer days. 

I know I am because winter will come whether I want it too or not.

 I've got to soak up this sun and beautiful weather while I can. 

Vocations Camp: Year Five

 Clickety Click Wednesday!

It's that time of the summer again. We just finished up our Fifth Annual Vocations Camp yesterday afternoon. While these normally in the past have been two days of crazy, busy cooking frenzy for us, due to the small number this year (only 5 young men) it was cut down to one day. Even so, it still was a day and overnight of fun activity and spending time visiting with a few of our diocese's seminarians as well as the new-ish (just starting his second year) Vocations Director, Fr. Scott.

Feel like reminiscing or seeing where it all began? Here's the links to past years:

Year One: 2009

Year Two: 2010

Year Three: 2011

Year Four: 2012 (The Bus Tour!)

As always, Mass is celebrated each day. 

There's cooking to be done and plenty of help needed and provided by many.

This year's theme follows the new era of Pope Francis and was 

'Go, Rebuild My Church'. 

I think Pope Francis would be honored.

Seminarians, Fr. Scott, our parish priest Fr. Michael and the campers.

Another good camp and another highlight of our summer, as always.

Summer keeps on rolling by....

Lighting The First Candle

Happy Advent!

Truly one of my most favorite times of year, despite the chaos and stress that it seems it inevitably brings. How could I not love a season of preparation, baking and gift giving? All of those things that are near and dear to my heart.

In an attempt to actually get a post up on my new background and feel like an ACTUAL blogger again, this is gonna be quick.

Advent seemed to sneek up on me despite my planners heart. Oh sure, I read your posts and your wonderful ideas and longed to do such beautiful things in our home this Advent. However, keepin' it real is how we roll lately and with a bout of a series of colds in our family, I just plain ran out of time.

And then Jamie's post arrived in my reader. She's inspirational, that Jamie. And practical. That's exactly what I've got to stick to right now. Her post that had photos of an easy Advent countdown that gave ideas for each day was right up my realistic alley.

Away I went, cutting and creating our own Advent coutdown on Friday. With some of our own creativity and help from the big kids, we came up with a number of simple ways to prepare our hearts, our home and our days.

Our completed countdown serves hangs on a cupboard in the kitchen and serves well as Chrismtas decor too.

A few items from our list:

Several other ideas we came up with included:

-a couple of baking days for the kids and I

-preparing a plate of goodies for a family member in assisted living

-praying for certain intentions

-celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe

-purchasing items for the food shelf

-the kids' Christmas piano recital that is at a home for elderly

-going to confession as a family

-driving around looking at Christmas lights

-watching a Christmas movie as a family

Jamie even did a follow-up with her list so I could fill in where my feeble mama brain was lacking. Thanks Jamie! Check it out if you haven't already.

Another Advent favorite has been the St. Andrew Christmas novena, which we started on Friday. We have so loved making this an Advent tradition in our home over the last few years.

Tonight, as we lit our first purple candle, we also began our Advent family story book. This year we continue through the books by Arnold Ytreeide and are reading Tabitha's Travels.

Finally, in order to give our Advent a fun jump-start we had one of our diocesan seminarians over to visit this weekend. He came yesterday evening and stayed until after supper this evening. You can't believe the fun our kids had with him! He had my big kids kept busy with card games, board games and Wii while it allowed for Reed and I to catch up on odds and ends around the house. Of course, we visited with him too. Hopefully he felt right at home, because we felt right at home with him here. Hey, he was a cheap 'nanny' for a day! I sure wish he wasn't going back to Rome to study after his pastoral year this year. I would hire that guy for my 'manny' in an instant. I guess God has other plans for him instead.

I hope that all of you are enjoying the beginning of Advent in your home as you celebrate this beautiful season of preparation.

Rollin' Through

It's been a different kind of week here at the homestead. It all started out with Jonah out of commission and sick over the weekend. Slowly, by Monday afternoon he was better for the most part. He is still having off and on bouts, but is pretty much his usual self. With Jonah getting better, it was Gianna's turn to get hit with the nastiness and is still on the mend. She is up and around for the most part and seems to be eating normally, but still not feeling well. We are rarely hit with sickness at our house, so it is tough to see my little ones down and feeling so rotten.

If you could send a prayer or two for continued recovery and that the rest of us are spared, that sure would be appreciated.

In the midst of the sickness, we hosted part of Vocations Camp again. It's always a highlight to our summer, so when we weren't all together and feeling well, I was bummed. We made the best of it and with my parents' help with the little girls, we were able to do our best at hosting/cooking again.

This year, the camp wasn't held at several locations for three days at a time as in the past. Instead, it was a bus pilgrimage tour stopping at parishes throughout the diocese where the young men toured churches, prayed, were given tours or heard talks.

We were blessed to be a part of the tour with the bus rolling in Tuesday evening and staying overnight at the resort just down the road from us. The Knights of Columbus prepared supper that evening for 44 boys, 2 priests, 5 seminarians and a group of us that were there to volunteer and help out.

I didn't get many photos this time around since I was running around taking care of things and also tending to Gianna in the mean time. I did get one of our favorite priest and friend, Fr. Greg, along with our favorite seminarian, Joseph. Both hold a special place in my heart for many reasons. As I've shared before, I worked with Fr. Greg doing youth ministry in his parishes when I was single. As for Joseph, he happened to be one of the youth in those parishes at the time. A young, junior high boy back then, but has long since remained one of my favorites. My big kids are very fond of these two men as well.



The pilgrimage was filled with lots of fun, but lots of faith too. Mass was held late Tuesday evening at our church and our new priest, Fr. Michael, concelebrated along with Fr. Scott, the new diocesan Vocations Director. It's so wonderful to be blessed with young and faithful priests that are rising up within our diocese. Such inspiring men for the young men on pilgrimage to look up to!

After a night out camping, the bus brought the boys back to the church for breakfast. We served up an abundance of eggs, sausage and pancakes to which the boys feasted. We couldn't have done it without some amazing helpers that were willing to wake up early and lend a hand.

While the camp had a different style, many more boys on it than we're accustomed to and a bit of a whirlwind considering all that was going on at home, we were once again honored to be a part of it.

Truly, a highlight to our summer and it always brings fond memories for us and for our children as they see the beauty of the priesthood and sacredness of each vocation.

Adding It All Up

20 teen boys + 4 seminarians + 1 amazing priest = A really great Vocations Camp

If the cooks are tired after meal planning and prep for two days, I think there was even a hint of exhaustion from the campers yesterday as well.

Fit all of this into two days and I would be too:

- Swimming, football, Frisbee, capture the flag, water balloon fight

- Daily Mass, rosary, morning & evening prayer, an evening of praise & worship, adoration, confession, quiet prayer

- Food!

- Daily talks and testimonials from the seminarians and Fr. G, including the lives of the Saints

- Mandatory rest/quiet times

- Camping overnight (including one late night due to seeking shelter during a potentially dangerous storm)


I'm guessing we all slept pretty good last night and some of those boys are maybe dragging a little today, but it's worth it.


**Lest you think our efforts were heroic in nature, I must admit that I had my parents here to help with the kids and the camp where needed. We also had help from others as well and it made the task so much more manageable. Not to mention, we had breakfast help from two of the seminarians each morning too.

Just Call Me 'Cook'

It's that time again when I trade in (to some extent) my mom gear and get out the apron to become camp cook for a couple days.

It's Vocations Camp time! We've enjoyed it so much in the past and honestly, while it's a lot of work and preparation, it has become a favorite part of our summer.

As in the past, I'm not in the kitchen alone. Reed helps me IMMENSELY (or do I help him??), family lends a hand and a few members of our parish help too.

It's sure to be a good time, but it also looks like we may have to contend with that hot, humid and stormy weather. That may not be so fun.

Our count is at 17 young men, 4 seminarians and 1 priest. Our biggest group yet!

So, if you can spare a prayer or two, they would be appreciated!

Bon Appetit!

Vocations Camp Rewind

It's back to normal in our house today. And let me say, after a whirlwind couple of days, I'm glad it's Friday and looking forward to the weekend. Yes, the camp was wonderful and went really well, but it can be draining. And all we do is the cooking! Still, the camp has a way of blessing more than just the campers. After just two years of doing this, I must admit that we've really come to look forward to it as part of our summer.

The campers have gone back home, so I thought I'd share a brief glimpse of what Vocations Camp looks like around these parts.

Of course, there is Faith and Prayer

Plenty of time for Fun

And Food!!

(Cake was courtesy of a very talented lady from church. Quite Creative!!)

Obviously, a lot of time is spent contemplating this

By the end, we're all very tired

Some of us more than others

When all is said and done,

13 campers + 5 seminarians + 1 priest/Vocations Director =

A very successful Vocations Camp

Gone Camping

Well, actually I'm not Gone Camping or Gone Fishin'. We are however anticipating around 10 teenage boys, 4 seminarians and 1 priest to be going camping. We'll stay in our nice house with the A/C on and they can camp.

Starting tomorrow afternoon, we'll become cooks for this little camping trip just down the road from us until Thursday afternoon. It's time for Vocations Camp! Keep the campers in your prayers so they will all have a good time, be safe and be open to what Christ wants to speak to them during their time of camping/retreat.

I'll probably be back later this week, unless of course all of this cooking wipes me out. That's a lot of males to feed, but I've got plenty of help too!

On Vocations

I'm not sure if it was our recent visit with dear Fr. G or his homily the weekend before at a local parish, when he spoke on Vocations.

Or maybe it was the Oprah show with the Dominican Sisters.

Either way, I've overheard the children often discussing Vocations lately. It's cute to listen to, really.

Like this the other day:

Jonah: Lily, what are you going to do when you're big?

Lily: I think I'll just be a mom and have kids. That sounds like fun. And then I can do blogging and Facebook all the time. That would be a lot of fun.

Jonah: I think I want to be a Chef. And a Priest. Then I can cook and do Priest stuff too.

Lily: Well, you can cook just like Fr. G, but you couldn't work at a place and get paid. You can't do both. You'd just have to be a priest.

Jonah: Then I'll just be a priest and cook sometimes.


There we have it. I guess everything will work out just perfectly. We'll see what God has planned.

(And yes, it's slightly disturbing that my daughter thinks that all there is to motherhood is babies, blogging and Facebook)

He's So Much F-U-N!

We had a guest last night. Well, actually we had two supper guests and one of them stayed overnight. Both of them priests. And we had a BLAST! It worked quite well as we continue in our efforts to do special things for our priests during The Year of The Priest.

My spirits are lifted, my heart is filled. You know how a good friend can do that? And then for that friend to be a mutual one to both you, your husband and your children, well, it tends to leave your heart content and at peace.

I've spoke of him several times here and shown photos, because he is just THAT SPECIAL to our family. He is the Vocations Director for our diocese and there is no mistake why he is in that position. He has a gift and he uses it.

Yesterday, he was speaking to the youth of our parishes here about vocations, so we invited him over for a meal along with our own parish priest. Good conversation and great food (if I do say so) are always a great combination. Afterwards, our guests left so that they could go celebrate Mass with more youth and parishioners. Of course, there again, a wonderful addition to our evening. Then it was back to our house for more good/late evening conversation. This morning, we were fortunate to be blessed with his sunshiny face once again.

To say that the kids were excited to have him visit would be an understatement! They know that Fr. G prays with them, pays attention to them, talks to them, plays with them, is crazy with them. What more could they ask for? It didn't take long for the kids to start running around playing hide and seek and other games with their friend. They were especially excited to postpone school a little bit so that they could eat breakfast with him and play some more!

As always, a good time was had by all of us! I am rejuvenated physically, mentally and spiritually, just by a simple visit. *sigh*

Here's a few photos:

Checking out our schoolroom

Happy


Grumpy

Can't you see why we enjoy him so much?