Flowers for the Fairest

The month of May is the month dedicated to the  Blessed Mother and we always go with friends to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament to have a May crowning and a picnic.   We went on Tuesday, and a Franciscan priest was able to meet us,  pray the rosary with us, and lead us in singing.

 

 

Julia caught a frog-

  

After our prayer and song time we headed over to the field for a picnic.  

Julia, the horse whisperer, brought a bag of carrots and fed all the horses and even a little donkey.  :)

We sang Happy Birthday to one of our friends. 

  
And we went to see my baby boy Nathan Michael.  I can't tell you how I miss him.  This June would have been his fourth birthday.  I will never forget his sweet face and little hands and feet. 

After the picnic the children and I went through the gorgeous shrine. 

We were so happy to see the grave of Mother Angelica.  I love the verse she chose- "And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect; This is the work of the Lord Who is Spirit."  2 Corinthians 3:18.  Don't we think of a bright little face when we think of Mother Angelica?

Sister Mary David, who is buried beneath, is actually Mother Angelica's mother.  She became a Poor Claire nun as well.  

For the first time, the children and I toured the Eucharistic Center.  It's a very beautiful building and I love how they put all of our theology of the Eucharist in an orderly, beautiful way.  

St. Thomas Aquinas-

It was such a beautiful day.  I feel so blessed to live so close to this place of transcendent beauty. 

Perfect Day

Today the weather was just amazing- low 70s- gentle breeze.  It was the perfect day to go to the shrine for a picnic!  We met our friends and first went to the grotto to lay flowers, sing a hymn and pray the rosary.

Then the children just enjoyed the beautiful day....

We drove over to the picnic area and had lunch.  We brought a few kites and a football and everyone had a  great time.  

 

And of course no visit to the shrine is complete with out stopping to see my baby Michael-

 

After the picnic we stopped by the gift shop for a bit and then headed to the splash pad.  A great way to wind down the day and enjoy the beginning of summer!

 

By the way, in the car today I heard:

Charlie:  Marc, guess which number I'm finking of?
Marc:  I don't know.
Charlie:  I'll give you a hint- it starts wif a "w".
Marc:  ?
Charlie:  It's won hundwed!  :)

A perfect day...

Today was just a wonderful, amazing day!  We got up early and went to Marc's 8:30 flag football game.  Then we came home and organized the summer/fall clothes and successfully transitioned 3 out of 4 children.  :)  Then we went to my one of my favorite places- the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacramaent-

There are many reasons to love the Shrine- the main being that it is a place of perpetual worship of God and is filled with peace and solace.  It's like being in a foreign country- there are acres and acres of nothing but rolling hills and mountains.  You hear the church bells, you hear the cloistered nuns singing heavenly tunes.  And of course, my sweet angel Michael is buried there- we visited him today.

Today was "Family Day" at the Shrine.  It is put on by some local Sisters and Brothers/Priests, not Mother Angelica's cloistered nuns.  They began the day with Mass, lunch, a healing service, games and songs, and family rosary before evening prayer.  It was so much fun.  The children had the best time and loved running around and laughing with the Sisters.  Tucker has been singing "I want to walk, walk, walk in the light...." ever since.

Charlie falls down more than any little guy I know.  We have to nurse injuries everywhere we go!

Marc doing a relay race-

Sissy always wants to go see the horses.  There were about five grazing in the middle of a big field and she said, "oh, I wish that little appaloosa would come over to me- he's my favorite" and he turned his head and ran to the gate to see her.  (I'd never heard the term appaloosa) :)  God's horses love Sissy.  :)

 

And she gave him her apple from the picnic basket-

Tucker and Charlie spontaneously prayed walking by a crucifix-

"We love you, Jesus"

Towards the end of the afternoon we all gathered to pray a rosary.  They had several big families come out carrying balloons representing the beads of the rosary with written prayer intentions attached to them (Catholics have large families- our little family of six seemed tiny!).  :)  Then they tied the ribbons together and after the prayer was over let them go-

It was truly magnificent to see our prayers ascend!  Everyone cheered!

 

Thank you, Lord, for this day of renewal!  We love You and Your Church!  Amen.