Many thoughts, but living now

A few weeks back a sad thing happened: one of our SD cards fell somewhere (still praying it is found and God allows it to come back to us), and many, many pictures are no longer present. Reminders to me: live and enjoy what you are doing in the present; do not wait to live through the past; live now; love and let go. I realize how much life has happened since the last time I wrote here and even things I wanted to write over the summer, documenting sweet birthdays, a beautiful 10th anniversary and dance party, so much. But, instead of it all here, I should remember better that God's got the documents, and just live. 

Movements

The greatest movements in our life are hidden. No one will ever see just when that vice changed into virtue. No one will ever know what laid on a hurting heart during that conversation that seemed far away, because no one knows the struggles and crosses that are carried by each person. No one will feel the sweet movements of this sweet one moving inside, full of life, as we walk down the street and eyes that seem so piercing look on and then speak in words, "?Todos son tuytos?" But, not everything needs to be known on the outside. When we cry, He's there. When we smile and our soul dances in delight as we watch the fruits of our married love play, take care of one another, dance, and kiss hurting siblings, He sees. When there are slights, rejections, false assumptions, cruel words, spite, and boxing in, He sees. He even felt it, felt it all. But, He still says, "I leave you My peace." Thank you, Lord, for the moments when you raise us up and hold our chin up and say, "You're Mine."

Celebrating life from the moment of conception today on the Feast of the Annunciation

It's so clear when life begins, and we have God Incarnate, in the Person of Jesus, to show us today that life is very much present from the first moment of conception, Lk. 1: 28-34, and John 1:14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

We happily celebrated another church feast, a solemnity, today with beautifully-set table by Madge, to a delicious seed cake dessert (made by the girls and Mom) and one fluffy angel food cake, with such a light flavor of vanilla, we made in our bundt pan. Delicous it was when topped with berries. Onion, garlic, spinache--sautted quiche with an almond crust and homemade applesauce. 

As our quiche baked, we prayed our family Rosary and thought a bit more about the meaning of the Joyful Mysteries, especially the Annunciation, while praying for our friends who are carrying precious life, as Pita read our reflections from our Marian Devotions book. 

Our little five treasures enjoyed setting up the scene of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Birth of Jesus, the Presentation and the Finding of Our Lord in the Temple with their little figures and the wooden home.

These feasts are so full of goodness in prayer, time together, reading, eating. Jesus knows our humanness and always fills it all up. We enjoyed Precious Life's Books of The Preborn Christ by the amazing authos and illustrators, the Andrews Sisters.

Praying for the Unborn and Remembering the case on January 22, 1973. We are filled with hope!

We are pro-choice, BECAUSE: every CHILD CHOOSES to Live.

It was with sad yet hopeful hearts that we wore our black ribbons, spotted with white ( symbol of hope) beneath our "little feet" pins (actual size feet of 10-wk. old unborn baby). God works in mysterious and beautiful ways as we wove history and government lessons into our school day and copy work from Isaiah and Pope St. John Paul II's words into our school lessons,

before heading to the city here in Buenos Aires, where we walked together as a family through the garden of roses (how appropriate as we were respecting and uplifting the lives forgotten who are always remembered by the rose for life.) We ate lunch there, crossed the bridge, and snapped some shots of our beautiful gifts of life, who are just that gifts, never to be set aside, complained about or demanded. A gift is given freely and randomly. A gift is something undeserved but freely and wholeheartedly given. Thank you, Lord, for our gifts, our 5 treasures.

(Saint Luke's Brush Figures for our sweet 5 treasures: Maddy (St. Mary Magdalen), Pita, (Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Caleb (OT holy spy), St. Penelope/Irene (Penelope), and Sta. Marta/Martha (Marta)-- all adorn our mantel as we lift our treasures in prayer that they too will be worthy of the promises of Christ, as these saints are enjoying in heaven.