love...

Lydia LOVES her auntie....

We're just not so sure what auntie thinks of all the love!

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Day Six of the novena to Saint Joseph

O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O Saint Joseph, assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. Amen

O Saint Joseph, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. O Saint Joseph, pray for me. (Mention your intention)

(My intention: That our business will be very successful and allow us to support ourselves well as well as the intentions of my readers. )


Say this prayer for nine days for anything you may desire. Then let go and let God. Trust that whatever is the outcome of your novena is truly what is best for you in accordance with the will of God.)

Please join my family in our novena, either with your own intention or in support of ours or both.
(Another novena to St Joseph with different readings for each day can be found here.)

(Image found here)
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She's listening...

Today, as we drove to Charlotte, Elsa sat happily singing in her car seat:

"When I am in trouble God is with me" Over and over and over!

It sounded strangely familiar and suddenly I realized it was part of the refrain we were singing as our responsorial psalm yesterday in Mass. So even with all her jiggling, moving and whispering - she is actually listening. Amazing.
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Day Five of the novena to Saint Joseph

O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O Saint Joseph, assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. Amen

O Saint Joseph, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. O Saint Joseph, pray for me. (Mention your intention)

(My intention: That our business will be very successful and allow us to support ourselves well as well as the intentions of my readers. )


Say this prayer for nine days for anything you may desire. Then let go and let God. Trust that whatever is the outcome of your novena is truly what is best for you in accordance with the will of God.)

Please join my family in our novena, either with your own intention or in support of ours or both!

(Another novena to St Joseph with different reading for each day can be found here.)

(This image found here)

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Pray for Faith Hope....

You can not have a more positive prolife message than that of the pregnancy, birth and life of Faith Hope, who despite all odds is still alive. However, her life ON EARTH is coming to an end and she and her mummy, a single mum, could use our love, prayers and an abundance of graces as they face the calling of Faith back into our Lords arms.

Read her story here.





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Day Four of the novena to Saint Joseph

O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O Saint Joseph, assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. Amen

O Saint Joseph, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. O Saint Joseph, pray for me. (Mention your intention)

(My intention: That our business will be very successful and allow us to support ourselves well as well as the intentions of my readers. )


Say this prayer for nine days for anything you may desire. Then let go and let God. Trust that whatever is the outcome of your novena is truly what is best for you in accordance with the will of God.)

Please join my family in our novena, either with your own intention or in support of ours or both!

(Another novena with different readings for each day can be found here. )

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A Birthday this week...

You are still the thoughtful dreamy little girl who likes to make us laugh with your funny faces and you are still entertaining us with your hilarious cartoons.
We LOVE you Bethany Rose - whatever would we do without you.

Happy 11th Birthday Darling!

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Day Three Novena to St Joseph

O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O Saint Joseph, assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. Amen

O Saint Joseph, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. O Saint Joseph, pray for me. (Mention your intention)

(My intention: That our business will be very successful and allow us to support ourselves well as well as the intentions of my readers. )


Say this prayer for nine days for anything you may desire. Then let go and let God. Trust that whatever is the outcome of your novena is truly what is best for you in accordance with the will of God.)

Please join my family in our novena, either with your own intention or in support of ours or both!

(Another novena with different readings for each day can be found here. )

( Image found here)

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Can't wait

...for Guardian Angel House to be published this spring. Our daughter, Anna, read one of the drafts of this book and can not wait for it to be released either. However, one can already purchase it. If it is as good a read as Kathy Clark's first book, A Whisper In my Heart - it will be excellent. (I had a sneak peek too and it will be good- I promise!) To read my review of her first book click here. Meet Kathy here and read a little more about Guardian Angel House, a true story about a Catholic convent, one very special nun and two little frightened Jewish girls being hid amongst a group of Catholic girls.

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Day two of the St Joseph Novena....

O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O Saint Joseph, assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. Amen

O Saint Joseph, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. O Saint Joseph, pray for me. (Mention your intention)

(My intention: That our business will be very successful and allow us to support ourselves well as well as the intentions of my readers. )


Say this prayer for nine days for anything you may desire. Then let go and let God. Trust that whatever is the outcome of your novena is truly what is best for you in accordance with the will of God.)

Please join my family in our novena, either with your own intention or in support of ours or both!


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Awesome...

So proud of my 8 yr old! He washed and dried his clothes today, mind he washed & dried his leather belt with them but... I'm not going to complain. Now if I can just get him to fold and put them away....

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St Joseph's Feast day....

O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O Saint Joseph, assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. Amen

O Saint Joseph, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. O Saint Joseph, pray for me. (Mention your intention)

(My intention: That our business will be very successful and allow us to support ourselves well as well as the intentions of my readers. )


Say this prayer for nine days for anything you may desire. Then let go and let God. Trust that whatever is the outcome of your novena is truly what is best for you in accordance with the will of God.)

Please join my family in our novena, either with your own intention or in support of ours or both!

(Note: This prayer was found in the 50th year of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In 1505, it was sent by the Pope to Emperor Charles when he was going into battle. It is said that whoever shall read this prayer or take it with them, shall never die a sudden death or be drowned, nor shall poison take effect on them; neither shall they fall into the hands of the enemy, or shall be burned in any fire or shall be overpowered in battle. Found at this site.)

(image found at PRAYERFLOWERS)

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Puppy Schedule

Here is what our rigid Puppy Boot Camp Schedule looks like:

7 am - 8 am person who was on night watch feeds, waters puppy and takes out to pottie
8 - 9 ..........Bethany
9 - 10 ........Benjamin
10 - 11 ...... Bethany (10:30 Puppy has 2nd meal & walked)
11 - 12 ...... Noah
12 - 1 ........ Benjamin
1 - 2 .......... Anna
2 - 3 ......... Noah (2:30 Puppy has 3rd meal & walked)
3 - 4 .......... Bethany
4 - 5 ......... Benjamin (4:30 or 5 Puppy has last meal & walked)
5 - 6 ......... Noah
6 - 7 .......... Anna
7 - 8 .......... Mummy while older children help little ones get ready for bed
8 - 9 .......... Benjamin & Noah together
9 - until bedtime - person on night watch is responsible for puppy.

During the hour a person is assigned they are the puppy's shadow taking him out after eating or having water, a play time or a nap. Blaze has adjusted well to his crate at night time and is only slowly becoming acclimatized to being in the crate during our meals. He was not crate trained in his first home and had a small room to roam in during the day and night so I am amazed at how well he has adjusted to sleeping at night in the crate. God willing he will continue to do this well.

Night watch means that the puppy slept in his crate in that person's bedroom and s/he took puppy to the pottie during the night - on a pee pad by the front door.

Please keep Blaze in your prayers as well as us. We need a well behaved puppy but foremost we need to be successful in house breaking him. This means we must be very committed to his training.


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Puppy Boot Camp in Progress

Learning how to call the puppy... will he come to his name?

SUCCESS!!!

Continue to watch for puppy boot camp updates!

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My Apologies...

... but as director of the Puppy Boot Camp currently being run in my living room and dining room - I have found myself very busy, uh, directing children as they direct the puppy. Then there is the whole case of still caring for a new born. One of my best friends asked if I thought my Lent was not challenging enough yet? I think that was her way of subtly suggesting I am, ummm, LOCA!

So posting might be a bit sporadic between wiping up puddles directing puppy training, changing diapers, posting schedules for puppy walks, meals, etc

So pray for me, eh?


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And heeeeres...

... the newest member of our family.

BLAZE

This "wee" baby was carefully selected this weekend after much prayer. The really incredible thing is that our second oldest daughter delivered this puppy along with the rest of his litter and our fourth daughter, Anna, was also present at the birth.

We have been wanting a puppy for a while and we have been waiting for the right moment. While he is a young puppy he is WEANED! His first night here was pretty peaceful. He woke up a few times and was taken to the potty and settled down again. Please God he will do as well tonight.

We feel with our evening classes coming up - we need a dog in the house with our teenagers when they start to baby sit a couple nights a week. Look forward to many updates as this little fellow adjusts to life with a large family!



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If you think these...

are cute....





check them out here...




and here....

BUT she is quickly out growing them - WAAAH!!!

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The perfect day...

...for hot chocolate. After a whirlwind heat wave we are back in the throes of cold, windy, rain filled days with gloomy skies. So I pulled out a large pot today, added cocoa with 1/2 of the equal amount
of sugar. I like to add a touch of coffee but there was none at hand today. Poured in several cups of milk and heated it over a medium hot burner.

Served it up with animal crackers and enjoyed listening to lions, rhinoceros, and the like, drowning and then being rescued from mugs of steamy hot chocolate.

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Aditional Update on Timothy

... a friend of the family who was here when Timothy went home with his new family met the gentleman in our local Wal-mart and asked how things were going. It seems they are enjoying Timothy very much! That was so wonderful to hear.

There might not be much happening on my blog the next day or two. It is the last two days of our spring vacation and I have a few cleaning goals to accomplish that feel as impossible as climbing Mount Olympus. If anything there will be pictures posted... I have lots of them - just lacking the time to post them!

IGNORE (sigh - when will I figure out how to REMOVE THIS!)
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Please pray for this little baby...

I have been following her story for some months now and more than once thought she was not going to make it! I will be adding her button on the side so you can peek in on her recovery now and then as well.

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