Sweetness

This evening I picked Madge up in my arms and just swayed back and forth with her. She leaned on me and just rubbed my back before whispering in my ear: "I like to look at you, because you are a reminder of God to me." I asked, "Why do you think that?" She responded, "Because you  have taught me all my life." Dear Madge, we love you so very much. 

Article: Human Biome

There was a very interesting article in the New York Times on the micro bacteria living inside people. Among the numerous fascinating observations were the following excerpts on breast feeding, normal delivery. One can draw extensive corrollaries as applied to home births, too.

The study of babies and their specialized diet has yielded key insights into how the colonization of the gut unfolds and why it matters so much to our health. One of the earliest clues to the complexity of the microbiome came from an unexpected corner: the effort to solve a mystery about milk. For years, nutrition scientists were confounded by the presence in human breast milk of certain complex carbohydrates, called oligosaccharides, which the human infant lacks the enzymes necessary to digest. Evolutionary theory argues that every component of mother’s milk should have some value to the developing baby or natural selection would have long ago discarded it as a waste of the mother’s precious resources. 

It turns out the oligosaccharides are there to nourish not the baby but one particular gut bacterium called Bifidobacterium infantis, which is uniquely well-suited to break down and make use of the specific oligosaccharides present in mother’s milk. When all goes well, the bifidobacteria proliferate and dominate, helping to keep the infant healthy by crowding out less savory microbial characters before they can become established and, perhaps most important, by nurturing the integrity of the epithelium — the lining of the intestines, which plays a critical role in protecting us from infection and inflammation.

Most of the microbes that make up a baby’s gut community are acquired during birth — a microbially rich and messy process that exposes the baby to a whole suite of maternal microbes. Babies born by Caesarean, however, a comparatively sterile procedure, do not acquire their mother’s vaginal and intestinal microbes at birth. Their initial gut communities more closely resemble that of their mother’s (and father’s) skin, which is less than ideal and may account for higher rates of allergy, asthma and autoimmune problems in C-section babies: not having been seeded with the optimal assortment of microbes at birth, their immune systems may fail to develop properly.

Viva el Papa!

  ”It is God who gives life. Let us respect and love human life, especially vulnerable life in a mother’s womb." -Pope Francis

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Vatican to Host Global Pro-Life Conference and Papal Mass

By Austin Ruse

ROME, May 17 (C-FAM) Pro-lifers held their breath the day the world received a new Pope. They did not question his pro-life credentials but wondered if he would speak forcefully. An old quote soon surfaced and concerns faded. “Defend the unborn against abortion even if they persecute you, calumniate you, set traps for you, take you to court or kill you. No child should be deprived of the right to be born, the right to be fed, the right to go to school.”
This June the Pope also will play a central role in the Vatican’s annual celebration of the Gospel of Life, the papal teaching published by Pope John Paul II in 1995. His successor, Benedict XVI, started the annual celebration a few years ago that features a papal mass for pro-life leaders. The new Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, established by Benedict to encourage a reawakening of the faith in traditionally Christian countries, leads an expanded celebration this year.
This year’s three-day celebration begins with a conference funded by C-FAM and led by its chairman, Douglas A. Sylva. Cardinal Raymond Burke will deliver the keynote address on the Gospel of Life and the New Evangelization. Dr. Robert Royal of the Faith and Reason Institute and Dr. Francis Beckwith of Baylor University will answer Burke’s keynote address.
Unlike Protestant and even Evangelical denominations, the Catholic Church has not waivered on the question of abortion or other life issues. The Church sees an inextricable link between its central evangelical mission and the life.
On Saturday morning pro-life pilgrims will gather around Rome and proceed to the tomb of St. Peter. Churches near the Vatican will host an afternoon of Eucharistic adoration followed by a prayer vigil and candlelight procession led by American Archbishop Augustine DeNoia, head of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship. The procession ends near the Vatican where some think Pope Francis will greet the crowd. Surprising many, Francis visited the Roman March for Life.
On Sunday, June 16, Pope Francis will celebrate a Mass for Life in St. Peter’s Square.
A number of Americans have helped plan this event including representatives from Priests for Life, the Pro-Life Secretariat of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Alliance Defending Freedom, Susan B. Anthony List, Students for Life of America, LiveAction, and Americans United for Life.
Besides the conference for English speakers, there will be events in other languages with many attendees expected from Europe.
The Pope’s commitment to life issues cannot be underestimated. He sets the tone of the church and while many bishops and priests shy from the life issues, they find that more difficult if the Pope assertively leads the way.
Pope Francis continues to express strong pro-life views. Besides appearing unexpectedly at the Rome March for Life, he tweeted this week: ”It is God who gives life. Let us respect and love human life, especially vulnerable life in a mother’s womb."

Two worlds combined

...and we are so glad they are.
Life and education: atmosphere, discipline, life.

(Maddy reading her history and Penny getting ready to sleep during our lessons this morning.)

Charlotte emphasized treating each child as a person, not as a container into which you dump information. She believed that all children should receive a broad education, which she likened to spreading a feast of great ideas before them. Charlotte encouraged parents to have an active role in teaching and training their children in academics, fine arts, faith, citizenship, and habits of character.
You can summarize Charlotte’s approach to education in three words. Charlotte believed that “Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life.” By “atmosphere,” Charlotte spoke of the environment our children grow up in. She knew that the ideas that rule our lives, as parents, will have a profound impact on our children. “The child breathes the atmosphere emanating from his parents; that of the ideas which rule their own lives” (Vol. 2, p. 247).
By “discipline,” Charlotte emphasized the importance of training our children in good habits—habits that will serve them well as they grow. In fact, she likened good habits to railroad tracks that parents lay down and upon which the child may travel with ease into his adult life. Good habits are a powerful influence on our children and must play an important part in their education. “It rests with [the parent] to consider well the tracks over which the child should travel with profit and pleasure” (Vol. 1, p. 109).
By “life,” Charlotte wanted to remind us that “all the thought we offer to our children shall be living thought; no mere dry summaries of facts will do” (Vol. 2, p. 277). And the methods that Charlotte used presented each subject’s material as living ideas. Here is where the reading, writing, and arithmetic come in, along with all the other school subjects. But notice two important points: first, they are presented as living thoughts; and second, those school subjects occupy only one-third of the big picture of education.
All three components of Charlotte’s three-pronged approach are vital in the education of our children. Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life. (Taken from: http://simplycharlottemason.com/basics/started/cmedphil/).

Little lights, graces

Today I was emptying suitcases, getting unpacked, and reorganizing things as our four little sweet peas napped. I noticed a little light, but a beautiful one, shining on the ground in the dining room. It reminded me: how many times we pass the little graces, the little moments, which are really the big important lessons in our days, as we race to do what we think is important. Thank you, Lord, for the little moments, the small things (I will write more about this later as I saw once again our girls scoop up the little moments, the important ones, this weekend-- another reminder that God is always with us in the big and the small steps of our days.)

Fun While Tailgating

A few weeks back, Mares introduced the kids to a great American pastime: tailgating. They took their first tailgate picnic at the lake near our house. Needless to say, the kids loved it! That was the highlight they recounted to me at the end of the day. We've been tailgating a few times since then.

A few blocks from our house is this restaurant resort area, called in Portuguese "The Big Point." It has lots of restaurants on the water and some green areas and some parks. We packed a picnic lunch, went to fly the kite, and snapped some great pics of the kids. In the midst of the picnic lunch (which we had in the generous space of our Suburban trunk), I also threw out a picnic blanket and set Penny on the blanket for her to roll around. I also placed our picnic basket down on the blanket. Since this is Brazil (you have to live here to understand :)), I proceeded to open a bottle of wine for Mary and I. A few minutes later, a security guard came by. I got a little nervous. He asked us if we were aware of the regulations at The Big Point. I told him no. He said that picnics were not allowed. I asked him what that meant. He said that it meant no blanket on the ground. In other words, no problem with the wine (now sitting open in a cup holder), or with the tailgating...just with the picnic blanket since that violated the rules. I smiled and complied. Mares and I gave a little chink-chink with our wine and we enjoyed our picnic lunch hanging from the truck of our car. Gotta love it.

Our little park infractor!

The Big Retreat

Two weeks ago, Mary made a retreat. To make a retreat is a big deal. It takes real effort, planning, and love, as anyone who has made a retreat knows. Making a retreat as a parent takes some extra creativity! Add to Mary's retreat the following components: making a retreat with a six-month old infant (who was teething), making a retreat when you don't know anyone else attending, making a retreat in a foreign country...and the entire thing is in Portuguese! Wowsers. Eu sou tão orgulhoso dela! It was quite the retreat. I had a great time with the older kids over the weekend. At the end of the retreat on Sunday evening, the kids and I drove to get Mary and her little retreatant, Penelope. Here are some pics from when we arrived to pick up the spiritually-rejuvenated duo from the retreat house located just outside Brasilia.

You know what love and running are all about!

As we sat, eating our picnic lunch after a bike ride and run along the lake today, Pita noticed a man and lady that were running together. Right away, she mentioned that maybe they are married, maybe they are a  mom and dad, because, she said, "They are running at the same time, the same way!" When you love someone, you run with them, and when you run with them, you run at the same time in the same way.... you must be married! You know what love and running are all about! W love you, Peachy!

Simplicity

This morning our little man Caleb, awake bright and early like every day, saw the beautiful sunlight beams casting themselves on the wall in the dining room. He was amazed by the rays. I think he was even more amazed that he could go touch them!He did. And with a mind filled with simple, and beautiful wonder and amazement (the kind you hope for every single person to enjoy when he wakes up each new day, thankful that start to a new day has begun), he said, "Mom, take a picture (of them)!"   I waited too long to catch those rays in the dining room, but could grab a few shots of the bright lights cast through the living room. And, just as Little Caleb expressed, they were beautiful. Thank you, Lord, for the wonder of each new day.

Pure words...clear thoughts... from a little mouth

...of a wholesome person. Tonight as I was coming back to Madge's bed to kiss her goodnight she began to ask if our bodies are just another mystery (we have been talking about the mystery of the Eucharist). She said that it is a mystery how a baby is in a mom's tummy, and that it is a mystery of who she is. She said, "I know I am Maddy and I have a body, but I cannot see the inside of my body." "It is like Jesus says," she said, "'Blessed are those who do not see and still believe.'" You have it, Madge, and we love you.

Rejoice, Our Lord is Risen! Praying...

Prayers for a Wife and Mother

A Wife's Prayer
O merciful Lord God, who in the beginning did take Eve out of the side of Adam and did give her to him as a helpmate: grant me grace to live worthy of the honorable estate of matrimony to which Thou has called me, that I may love my husband with a pure and chaste love, acknowledging him as my head, and truly reverencing and obeying him in all good things; that thereby I may please him, and live with him in all Christian serenity. Keep me from all worldliness and vanity. Help me, O Lord, that I may, under him, prudently and discreetly guide and govern his household. Let no fault of mine aggravate any sins by which he may be especially tempted; enable me to soothe him in perplexity, to cheer him in difficulty, to refresh him in weariness, and, as far as may be, to advise him in doubt. [Give me understanding so to fulfill my part in the education of our children, that they may be our joy in this world and our glory in the next.] Grant that our perfect union here may be the beginning of the still more perfect and blissful union hereafter in Thy kingdom; and this I pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Motherhood (To St. Gerard Majella)
Good St. Gerard, powerful intercessor before the throne of God, wonder-worker of our day, I call upon you and seek your aid. You know that our marriage has not as yet been blessed with a child and how much my husband and I desire this gift. Please present our fervent pleas to the Creator of life from whom all parenthood proceeds and beseech Him to bless us with a child whom we may raise as His child and heir of heaven. Amen.

Parents' Prayers for Their Children
O God the Father of mankind, who has given unto me these my children, and committed them to my charge to bring them up for Thee, and to prepare them for eternal life: help me with Thy heavenly grace, that I may be able to fulfill this most sacred duty and stewardship. Teach me both what to give and what to withhold; when to reprove and when to forbear; make me to be gentle, yet firm; considerate and watchful; and deliver me equally from the weakness of indulgence, and the excess of severity; and grant that, both by word and example, I may be careful to lead them in the ways of wisdom and true piety, so that at last I may, with them, be admitted to the unspeakable joys of our true home in heaven, in the company of the blessed Angels and Saints. Amen.
O Heavenly Father, I commend my children to Thy care. Be Thou their God and Father; and mercifully supply whatever is lacking in me through frailty or negligence. Strengthen them to overcome the corruption of the world, whether from within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy. Pour Thy grace into their hearts, and strengthen and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit, that they may daily grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving Thee here, may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter. Amen.

Prayer of Spouses for Each Other
Lord Jesus, grant that my spouse and I may have a true and understanding love for each other. Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust. Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony. May we always bear with one another's weaknesses and grow from each other's strengths. Help us to forgive one another's failings and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self. May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring us both ever closer to You through our love for each other. Let our love grow to perfection. Amen.

Consecration to the Holy Family
O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, did will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou protect us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace and concord in Christian love: in order that by living according to the divine pattern of Thy family we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.
O Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by the kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.
O Saint Joseph, most holy Guardian of Jesus and Mary, help us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal needs; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity.
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be three times. Amen.

Consecration of Families to the Sacred Heart
O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thou didst reveal to the blessed Margaret Mary Thy desire to rule over Christian families; behold, in order to please Thee, we stand before Thee this day, to proclaim Thy full sovereignty over our family. We desire henceforth to live Thy life, we desire that the virtues, to which Thou hast promised peace on earth, may flower in the bosom of our family; we desire to keep far from us the spirit of the world, which Thou hast condemned. Thou art King of our hearts by our love of Thee alone, with which our hearts are on fire and whose flame we shall nourish by frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist.
Be pleased, O Sacred Heart, to preside over our gathering together, to bless our spiritual and temporal affairs, to ward off all annoyance from us, to bless our joys and comfort our sorrows. If any of us has ever been so unhappy as to fall into the misery of displeasing Thee, grant that he may remember, O Heart of Jesus, that Thou art full of goodness and mercy toward the repentant sinner. And when the hour of separation strikes and death enters our family circle, whether we go or whether we stay, we shall all bow meekly before Thine eternal decrees. This shall be our consolation, to remember that the day will come, when our entire family, once more united in heaven, shall be able to sing of Thy glory and Thy goodness forever.
May the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph vouchsafe to offer Thee this our act of consecration, and to keep the memory thereof alive in us all the days of our lives. Glory to the Heart of Jesus, our King and our Father! Amen.

Prayer for the Family
O God of goodness and mercy, to Thy fatherly guidance we commend our family, our household and all our belongings. We commit all to Thy love and keeping; do Thou fill this house with Thy blessings even as Thou didst fill the holy House of Nazareth with Thy presence.
Keep far from us, above all else, the blemish of sin, and do Thou alone reign in our midst by Thy law, by Thy most holy love and by the exercise of every Christian virtue. Let each one of us obey Thee, love Thee and set himself to follow in his own life Thine example, that of Mary, Thy Mother and our Mother most loving, and that of Thy blameless guardian, Saint Joseph.
Protect us and our house from all evils and misfortunes, but grant that we may be ever resigned to Thy divine will even in the sorrows which it shall please Thee to send us. Finally give unto all of us the grace to live in perfect harmony and in the fullness of love toward our neighbor. Grant that every one of us may deserve by a holy life the comfort of Thy holy Sacraments at the hour of death. O Jesus, bless us and protect us.
O Mary, Mother of grace and of mercy, defend us against the wicked spirit, reconcile us with Thy Son, commit us to His keeping, that so we may be made worthy of His promises. (Prayers from Catholic World Mission)

Our Penelope

Looking at Penelope this morning as she smiled and kicked her legs on the bed, I realize how much she has become a part of our life that I can't imagine our life without her!

Our Nature Walk

There is nothing like a nature walk with 3 energetic little people, sun-screened up, wearing hats, sun glasses, and filled with enthusiasm to enjoy life and the smallest things: sunshine, tiny flowers, shiny leaves, buds, the laughter of other children in the neighborhood. We enjoyed a beautiful nature walk today through our area. Penelope fell asleep in the jogger as the three big kids trekked along. As soon as we got home, we spread out our discoveries and wrote and drew about our findings, while investigating our finds with the magnifying glasses. Afterwards, we glued Madge's and Peach's entries into their nature journals. (We had fun looking at their nature journal and their entry from this time last year.) What a beautiful morning. Thank you, Lord, for the small moments that make the biggest impact on our lives.

Joy. Peace. Hope

"Enjoy in peace the joy God is giving you, without worrying about the future. He is reserving for you, I am sure, new graces and many consolations."

St. Therese, The Little Flower

 

I remember one mom talking about "rainbows" of "hope" in the small moments of life. They are to grab on to and thank God for. We never know when the strongstorm will arrive or how strong it will be, so take hold of God's grace, and enjoy the joy of life. I am enjoying these moments of life, especially the beautiful 4 human gifts above whose laughter, happiness and pure JOY radiates any darkened sky. They love. And, I will soak up their rays of love that will penetrate any moment. A breeze through a window, hot sun rays, a hot cup of coffee or tea. These are life's rainbows, God's whispers of love. Enjoy them. 

Home

Thanks to a sweet big sister, who is a sweet big helper (washing dishes in the kitchen after showers tonight) while Pita helped set the table (telling Mommy to not "look" in the kitchen while she was preparing the dinner table), Little Caleb chose an apron and got ready to scrub dishes with soap, as Madge taught. Just one more moment that makes me grateful for these times at home with our 4 sweet little people, who make me laugh and grow in many ways. They are such sincere teachers; what would our lives be without each gift? As home and school meld, how much we appreciate the classroom of LiFe, here in the heart of our home.