In Memory of Our Child

Today marks the 5th anniversary of my miscarriage of our little one. At barely 9 weeks, we didn't know the gender of our sweet baby. Our closest inclination at that early date had been that it was a little girl and we gave her the only name that we had begun to identify with: Natalie Noel. She would have been due a week before Christmas and as we found out, the name Natalie means Christmas Child. It only seemed fitting that our unborn Christmas Child be given this name.

As the years have passed, May 14th is a little easier, as is December 18 which was the due date for our child. The memory of that day though is etched in my mind as much as the feelings of loss ever are. The loss is always a difficult one for me to grieve because had we not lost Natalie, we wouldn't have Jonah. He was conceived just two months after our miscarriage. I couldn't ever trade one child for another, but it reminds me inevitably that one child cannot replace another. Each human being is wonderfully made and a unique design. How awesome is God's plan for creation!

Natalie is still remembered as a part of our family. Sometimes in daily conversation with our kids, each Christmas as we hang her ornament on the tree, each summer as I tend the flower garden in her honor and each day as I pass her Certificate of Life hanging in our family room.

Today marks a day of loss for our family, but also as a gain to the precious little soul that surely awaits us beyond the gates in Heaven. As her mother, I know that she is watching over me and knows how my mother's heart still aches to see her and to hold her. I so often picture her in Mary's sweet embrace with all of the other little children that so many of our family and friends have lost in death and miscarriage. We have quite the group up there in Heaven waiting for us!

I hope to be with my little one one day and find out if she was indeed a Natalie or perhaps a little Nathan instead. But for today, we will find a way to honor her by doing something special for 'Natalie's Day'.




Natalie's Garden:

Wordless Wednesday

Anointed (and hopefully fruitful again)

My womb that is.

I finally did it. I finally got the much coveted 'Womb Blessing' Jamie has mentioned to me several times. If you are not familiar with it, read more here from Jamie and be inspired. And again, Miss Jamie, thanks for the nudge!

If you are like us and struggling to conceive or plagued with an infertility diagnosis, you may seriously want to consider receiving this blessing. Or perhaps, do as Jamie did to me and merely suggest it as a powerful tool of intercession.

This afternoon and evening my family was blessed to have two of our favorite priests over for a visit. It was much overdue and we were really excited for it. You must know that these two particular priests we are already much indebted to, since it was through them that Reed and I were introduced and met. And, well, you can figure out the rest.

Any way, we had so much fun visiting, conversing, eating and laughing with these two dear friends today. It really did my heart good to be in their presence laughing together again. It has been much too long. Our visits are always bittersweet since they remind me fondly of the days when I used to work at their parishes in youth ministry. Oh the good laughs we had! Every time we get together again it is a reminder of God's providence and His plan as I clearly see how everything comes together for good and comes 'full circle'.

Finally, after a spring evening walk with them and our little family, the one priest had to be leaving. Darn it! Missed opportunity. But alas, God's generosity and grace would not be outdone before this evening was through. I finally sputtered out the words and carefully opened my heart and was vulnerable and shared the truth as I know it. Conception has not happened for three years. Unexplained Infertility diagnosis. They can't figure out what the problem is. I'd like to ask you for a Womb Blessing.

There it was. I had said it. And really, it didn't hurt to admit that as much as I thought it might. (Have I mentioned how alone and sad this road can be?) And then I looked him in the eyes and saw eyes of compassion and I saw Christ as our dear friend gratefully accepted our request, went to his vehicle to get his holy oil and called my children to my side in prayer. Sweet rejoicing in my heart and tears stinging my eyes. I sat there as words of comfort and blessing and anointing freely flowed ever so gracefully from his mouth. And then, we prayed with dear hubby and blessed and anointed him as well. He gave our family a blessing together and prayed that our home would be filled with more children that we would faithfully raise and teach. He promised that his Mass he offers tomorrow will be for our intention and that his rosary on his drive home would be as well.

Dear friends, tonight I am at peace and filled with renewed hope. It's not that I think this blessing is a 'magic' prayer, but I am a faithful woman who believes in miracles and so desperately hopes for one.

Sweet honey to fill my soul, indeed.

May I be filled with fruitfulness once again one day very soon.

St. Gerard, pray for us!

Mommy ~ Mom ~ Mama ~ Mother

I'm not sure where tomorrow will lead me and my little family as we celebrate Mother's Day. In case it is away from here, I had to post a day early to wish all of you dear ladies who visit me here, a very Happy Mother's Day!

As I await my Mother's day breakfast in bed (a sweet yearly gift from dear hubby and the kids), I will be thinking of each and every one of you dear ladies that are walking alongside me in 'bloggy world' and blessing my journey as a faith-filled Catholic wife and mom. I am blessed indeed by each of you and your wit and wisdom, insight and lessons. Prayers of thanks will again be offered for you and I wish abundant blessings sent your way!

Happy Mother's Day!



My heavenly Model of Motherhood: My Blessed Mother!



My earthly Model of Motherhood: My dear Mom!

A Sunday In Minnesota

Beautiful weather. An afternoon with grandpa and grandma. A gorgeous walk in the great outdoors. Family time. Ice cream treats.


Priceless.

Sunday Morning Brunch

Morning arrived very early in our household this morning. The good part about that is I'm almost all ready for Mass this early and now I have a chance to do a quick recipe post.

My parents are coming over to spend the day with us and I'm making breakfast/brunch for all of us. I found this easy and quick recipe in Fix-It & Forget-It: 5 Ingredient Favorites and thought it would be perfect. It's cooking in the slow cooker as I type, but it's looking pretty tasty! The next time you need a quick morning recipe, prepare this in your slow cooker the night before and turn it on in the morning. Presto!


Breakfast Sausage Casserole:

1 lb. bulk pork sausage or ham
6 eggs
2 cups milk
8 slices bread, cubed
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese


1. In a non-stick skillet, brown and drain sausage.

2. Mix together eggs and milk in a large bowl.

3. Stir in bread cubes, cheese, and sausage.

4. Place in greased slow cooker.

5. Refrigerate overnight.

6. Cook on Low 4 hours.


See, doesn't that sound easy for your morning??

Enjoy! Happy Sunday!

If You Are Like Me....

....you would LOVE to have this in your home.


Inspired by Tracy and this post filled with photos of all of her glorious organizing lately, I knew I had to get my hands on a label maker.

Those of you who know me IRL or via this blog, you perhaps have concluded that yes, I am a planner and an organizer (and admittedly, perhaps to a fault). How it is that one who organizes as much as myself has not gotten my hands on to as precious of an item as this, is really beyond me!

After spending a short time in my basement storage room this morning, I've done quite a bit of labeling on my storage bins in there. Oh sure, they were all labeled before with masking tape and hand written labels, but now they are beautifully labeled thanks to my new 'toy'. (Oh, if hubby only knew that was how I spent part of my morning..)


When I mentioned the idea of this purchase last week to hubby, he said he'd thought of getting one before but just never had. Ok, that was all I needed. He was in support of my spending the money on such an item. Hey, at that point I even mentioned that maybe that would be a nice Mother's Day gift that I'd really appreciate. Hubby chuckled. I don't think a label maker was exactly on his list of 'best gifts to give the best mommy in the world'. With that, I decided that my next trip to Walmart would entail hunting one of these down. The other day, I found a number of label makers that fit the bill, but my bill also included a minimal price tag. Organizing or not, we are in tough economic times people. To my delight, I found a version of the model pictured above for *drum roll* JUST UNDER $20!! Perfect. It came with one label refill in the package and I also picked up another for under $7. Not bad I'd say.

And really, this is just more evidence that it doesn't take much to please this mommy. I know, I REALLY need to get out more!!

Next on the list: labeling shelves and cabinets in the garage that are filled with hubby's tools.