Sweet Penny: Our girl. I call you over to tell you something as I say, "Pens, I have something to tell you." You run over, whispering your breathy voice in my ear, "I yuv you!" Then I say, "I love you!" And you say, "I yuv you!" Yes, you do. And yes, we love you. You are our little "weaver," the thread that makes our lives so full, full of questions, and overflowing with prayers. To this day, I am in awe of God's strength, His love, His "weaving," through the threads of our lives, the lives of our dear family, and the lives of our dear friends. You were in Mommy's tummy in later January, 2012, the same time when Mommy's godmother was fighting cancer throughout her body. I say, "fight," but really I meaning suffering, and in suffering, she did not fight that, she joined herself in union with God's will, and told me, "It's ok," as I cried with her on the phone, and as she prepared for her death. Little did I know then but Gaye Ellen, Mom's godmother, and Gaye's Mom Joann had looked through a baby book and enjoyed the name Penelope, which means "weaver." In Gaye's funeral Mass, Fr. Joe gave his homily about "The Weaver" (as Gaye had requested), and without knowing this, I had already been reflecting on a passage of Fulton Sheen's about the tapestry workers, and how our lives are like a tapestry. (I made you a picture with this quote as your gift tonight on your second birthday.)
WE love you. We are blessed to have you in our lives on this journey, which is not a destination, but a journey where we
must never lose sight of where we are going and to Whom we are going no matter how "messy" our tapestry may look. You are our sweet and lively thread, carrying vibrancy through our family tapestry. Thank you for being the sweet one that bobbles down the steps in the morning; the precious little lips that
sweetly call, "Bay-beb" (Caleb), or the adorable voice that says "Ummy,
yesh?" when you want to know how we feel about a taste of something that
you just shared with us or "Barta" (Marta.) You are precious. And we
love you....
BECAUSE. (Your song. :)
Your big sisters, great readers and bakers, made your cake last night---and are anxious to slather it with Dulce de Leche when they are finished with Spanish class. We love you, sweet Pens! We enjoyed yummy chicken salad sandwiches-- a Maddy favorite, along with avocado slices--your fave!, and cucumber wedges. Homemade little pizzas and blueberry lemonade are on deck for tonight's dinner fun. This morning, we enjoyed Cinco Calabrazas with felt story board, dancing, and musical chairs, Spanish lesson in songs, slide show of your birthday in 2012, just after 1pm!
WE love sweet YOU!
Your siblings and Mom all had these things to say about you today, and why we appreciate you....
TO Be Continued....Because, life continues, and the bells of the monastery at home call.
