Seven Months of Wonder

On the eve of your seven-month birthday...Guadalupe, you have given us seven months of wonder and love. Thank you, sweet girl. You are such a joy to hold, cuddle and love. We are the ones who are so blessed to have received you. Thank you for your tight squeezes (or... face pinches). I can just feel the love, and it feels like it's oozing from your little chubby fingers when you squeeze my face when I pick you up. Your beauty is something else. You are one happy girl and your eyes glow with sweet happiness. Thanks for giving off such radiance. Today we give God thanks for your life in these times where life is so easily dismissed as a burden, mistake, or punishment. Your life reaffirms the fact that every life is a gift, never a mistake, and a true blessing from the Maker Himself.

Thank You for Making Me Focus

Madge, you light up my life. You make things funny when they could be serious; you put tears in my eyes when they could be dry; you show me compassion when you could be zoned in your own world; you make me focus on the real deals in life. I love you. Thank you for helping me focus on what is important, for slowing me down, for giving me those big, strong kisses out-of-the-blue. Thank you for your pure love, your thoughtful ways, your simplicity and your joy. You easily move me to tears, and I stand in awe of God's love for me through your very existence. You give so much meaning to life, because you help me focus on the important stuff and to look at myself and find so many ways that I can grow and change. Last night you stood in living room singing in all different tones Sunshine on My Shoulders. Oh, I love you, little girl. You are too much. I cannot tell you enough how I love you so much. You are a sweet little flower, my shiny little gem, my little button. How can such a little you bring so much happiness to our lives? God is amazing in His gifts. His love is astounding even when we feel we don't deserve it, and He keeps on giving and loving. Thank you for being so dear to us, Sweet Madge. I love you, Miss.

Our Wintry Day Books

Madge, Pita, and I sat on the couch with the bay window scenery staring straight at us. The enormous white flakes continue to cover the white, wintry wonderland. We snuggled closely on the couch reading these books (notice the one Maddy picked-- I think she has her sights set on the beach. She definitely has Hawaii in her blood!)

A Picture Essay

Because of Maddy's 5:30am arising, we completed the following by 8:30am. :)

Yes We Can

March for Life 2009

One of the benefits to living in the metro-DC area is being able to hop across the mall to participate in the March for Life. We marched as a family. We marched with Caleb's sister, Mary Theresa, who came with her university for the march. We marched with many good friends, Tom and Rebekah and kids, Jorge and Laura and Jorgito, Nicky and Zoe and Ethan. We marched with many other friends from our parish and from around the nation.

We will continue to pray and march for the life of each and every unborn child.

The Real Measure of a Man. The Real Meaning of Peace.

WHAT IF?

What if the world presents us with the prospect of peace, security, and stability? If it is without Christ, recognize the idol, and refuse to bow before it:

When people are saying, "Peace and security," then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1 Thess 5:3)

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963
US black civil rights leader & clergyman (1929 - 1968)

Who's the Pretty Girl in the Mirror There?

What mirror? Where?

Shortly after Christmas, Pita started to sit up all by herself. One night we put a mirror in front of her and she entertained herself for an hour. Who is that other person in the mirror? It continues to intrigue her! We love you, Peetster!

Matt and Sayeda's Wedding Dance Photos

Matt and Sayeda's wedding dance and song were memorable. They entered the ballroom and the first thing they did was walk straight to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. It was beautiful and very them. As they danced I gazed onwards at them and then at the people around me. There were couples, that have probably been married for years, standing snuggly close to one another. It was beautiful, for as we all listened to the song, The Luckiest, it was difficult not to be reminded of how blessed each of us is by God's love in our own marriages. Matt and Sayeda, we love you.

Matt and Sayeda Wedding Photos

Last Saturday, January 17, we were blessed to attend the beautiful wedding of Mary's brother, Matt, to Sayeda. Here are a few hundred photos.

Happy 6th Wedding Anniversary!

Happy sixth wedding anniversary, Kate and Matt! Although your wedding day was held in St. Louis on a cold, wintry January day, you must be enjoying a warm and sunny day Down Under, six years later. Way to go! May God continue to bless you and your family as you journey onwards together as husband and wife, as parents, as two very-loved people. Thank you for sharing yourselves with all of us in your two treasures: Nick and Lili. We love you. Happy Anniversary!

Maybe you can dance to this tonight and remember that through any difficulty, sad or happy moment, God is with you, loving you through one another every step of the way.

The Value of One Life

The power of one life is incredible. It can be used for good or evil, but it is not ours to take away. What incredible potential it has, if it is able to escape the womb and survive.

Run, Daddy!

Oh, the joys of the father of the recently potty-trained toddler. Last week I was walking with Madge through the supermarket. She gave the warning alert: "Daddy, I've got to go potty." I switched directions and headed to the bathroom. Half-way there, she told me, "Run, Daddy!" My first reaction was to sprint, but after a month on the big-girl toilet, I am a bit wiser. "Madge, you can hold it until we get there," was my response as I continued my walk to the bathroom. Sure enough, when we arrived at the bathroom, she took her sweet time walking around and inspecting the place. (It's kind of like a dog discerning a suitable location for a leg-lift.) After a few minutes, she went to the bathroom. Nevertheless, I will never forget my eyeball bulge on hearing Maddy's "Run, Daddy!" I love you, Madgie. You're so much fun.

Our Drool Machine

We love you, sweet girl. You are growing oh so fast, and growing a little toothie beneath that gummy smile. You are the Drool Machine.

Thirty-six years

Mom and Dad, happy 36th wedding anniversary! Wow. What an accomplishment you have worked at together. We love you; we are proud of you; we thank you for all of your love and sacrifices to us. May God bless each passing day of yours together and continue to strengthen the bonds He helped create on January 6, 1973. We love you very much and send our love, prayers and joyful wishes for many more years of faithful love and devotion. You're in our hearts, Mary, Caleb, Madge and Pita

Happy Belated Anniversary!

Miriam and Natee, happy 6th wedding anniversary! It is hard to believe that a whole six years has passed. How time has quickly moved on and so many events taken place in between. We are proud of you for all that you have done in opening up your hearts to all of us and to the little ones you have generously welcomed into your home. May God continue to bless you with a multitude of years of faithful and happy love. We love you!

New Year's Eve

The girls were in bed by 8pm on New Year's Eve (thank God for scheduled bedtimes and parent time: woohoo). We snacked on Mary's fabulous custard dishes. We relaxed on the couch to watch the Prince Caspian installment of the Chronicles of Narnia series. Mary wanted to stay up till midnight. Perhaps pictures best describe the scene in our living room at 11:55pm...

Choc-O-lates

It's 9am. I walked into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. Madge came running around the corner after me.

"Dad, don't eat my chocolates!"

"Madge, those are mom and dad's chocolates. We're simply sharing them with you."

A pause ensues.

"Dad, don't eat your chocolates."

What does one say? :) Thanks, Mimi, for the Christmas choc-O-lates. We love them!

OUR REVAMPED FAMILY BLOG

Welcome to our new and improved family blog. We've moved over all of our old posts from The Stump to cosmOclan.

The time was right for a new face and a new name. Enjoy.

Happy 1/2 Birthday, Pita!

I find it hard to believe: we've already been blessed by Pita's presence for six months. Below are some photos from the past months. She's growing bigger every day. At the doctors two days ago, she weighed in at 17 pounds. She began sitting up on her own a few days ago. Guadalupe loves to bounce around and is a happy girl. I have no doubt in my mind that Madge and Pita are mutual best friends already. I hope their relationship as such will continue.

Happy 1/2 Birthday, Guadalupe!