NICHOLAS TRYING OKRA

I had to wonder why he had ordered it, randomly out to lunch, after Mass on that pleasant Sunday afternoon.....

HABEMAS PAPEM

Welcome Pope Francis 

The 255 successor of St. Peter

The world waited with baited breath.....watching a smoke stack!  All of the Television channels interrupted with the news of the white smoke billowing from the Vatican in St. Peter's Square.

How amazing and beautiful our faithful church is, and how important this event was to our entire world.

HABEMUS PAPAM!!!

Introducing Pope Francis....our blessed and humble shepherd

"And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon  this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." mt 16:18

DADDY'S GIRL

I am totally a Daddy's girl!  Always have been.  We have a lot of the same traits.....we even look alike!!  Well, anyway, my daddy and I had the opportunity to spend the weekend together when my mom went out of town with her bridge group friends and Jeremy took our kids to the hunting lease.

Here are my Dad and Max.....Max just adores my dad.  All pets do...even pets that are known to be skittish  around people.  My dad is some what of a St. Francis of sorts!!

  I don't have many pics from the weekend, because most of it was spent just hanging out and talking.  How often do I get to just visit with my daddy without any interruptions....I cannot remember the last time.

I got to hear about our life growing up and all of the stories that I had forgotten.....as well as laugh about some funny memories!  I got to ask him questions about when he was a little boy and how my grandparents met!!  It was such an amazing weekend!  Jesus was certainly blessing us, hour after hour......We decided to go see a movie, and how awesome it was to share in such a beautiful and God Centered movie as "Les Miserables" 

(my sister saw the movie before we did and she was SO RIGHT when she said that our dad is JUST like Jean Valjean...so kind, gentle, humble, honorable, and saintly in every way)

(my dad and I both LOVE butter popcorn....I think that I made myself a little sick by adding extra butter)

After the movie, we got to attend Mass together, which is always so awesome, and then head to "Joe's" for some hearty Italian food.  I had the meatball sub and my dad had the sausage pizza

The rain was threatening all day, but held out until we were just entering my neighborhood (Our Lord knows that I am a chicken when it comes to driving in the rain....He totally protected us from the rain falling until we were safely home)

We sat on the back patio and watched the lightening get closer and closer, while we visited more about life and just stuff (we laughed a lot)

Fresh blueberry muffins for breakfast, tacos for lunch, and chicken for dinner!  We have all of the same favorites!  Before we knew it, the weekend was over and it was time for him to go home.  

As we drove back to my parents house, we felt inspired to pray the Rosary together in the car as we meditated on the Life of our Lord, Jesus......a lot like we did when I was little. But this time I announced each mystery as we prayed....just as he had taught me so long ago.

How long has it been since I have said a Rosary with my dad......how long will it be before we get that opportunity again....

God was so present during that daddy/daughter weekend!  I am just so thankful that I was able to have such a gift.  As time goes on it makes sense that I am the mommy now......but this weekend, I got to be little Kerry Ann.....My daddy's daughter.

To a little girl, there is just nothing like her daddy......Someone to love, teach, protect, and guide her all throughout her life.  Her Daddy is the one sent by Jesus to bring Jesus to her!! I couldn't imagine my life without him.
My Daddy loves his Father in Heaven so much that he has committed his entire life, to continuously learning more and more about our Lord, Jesus, Christ and then taking His Holy Message to our faith-thirsty world....leading other souls to Jesus

(I love this painting...it really captures my dad's life.  He chose the vocation of marriage and children, but discerned heavily about being a priest)
Please, oh please my Sweet Lord, Jesus, Delight of my heart.....I ask You to keep my daddy safe in Your Holy care

GET WELL SOON WISHES FOR MOM

I was really sick this week!! I did not have an appetite and even moving too fast or talking would make me totally nauseous!! I even had to get a substitute for my homeschooling Co-op class on Thursday.  Wow, it has been a long time since I have been stricken with a stomach bug!!

I had to blog a few pics of the "little happys" that my sweet children made for me......even though I could barely enjoy them at the time.

 Nicholas made me the paper airplane fastened with paper clips

 Their notes and well wishes warmed my heart so much

Thank you Lord for my children and my husband who take such good care of me and just love me so much!!

MY GIRLFRIENDS

How blessed I am to have these beautiful friends that are so thoughtful and go out of their way to make me feel special.  3 of my girlfriends took me out to dinner for my birthday.  

We went to this GORGEOUS new restaurant in Southlake called "Patrizio Osteria"  It is so fancy and has this amazing rounded staircase that lights up at night

Wow...it just kept getting prettier and prettier and we were escorted to our table!  The food was amazing BUT the company (my sweet friends) was the best part! We talked about the hubbies and kids over appetizers, shared our hearts while we enjoyed our main course, and were laughing hysterically by the time our dessert arrived!! I definitely do not deserve these wonderful ladies....I am so thankful that I have them in my life.

(Michele, Angela, Lori, and Me)

What a fantastic evening we had!  And as I always say.....it is so much fun being a girl!!

MAVERICKS GAME

We took the kids to the Mavericks game tonight.  Jeremy and some of his friends share season tickets and tonight we ended up blessed with all of the seats, so we decided to make it a family event.

What a fun time we had!!  Whenever we have tickets to the game, we always eat that this wonderful buffet at the American Airlines Center......I actually go to the AA Center for this grand buffet and just so happened to see a Mavericks game while I am there!!

 It is the little things in life that make me so happy.....a lot of yummy food is one of the big ones!!

HERE ARE SOME PICS FROM THE GAME.....I GUESS THAT WAS THE REAL REASON FOR THE OUTING

 The Mavericks played a great and exciting game!!

Special times with"Champ" the Mavericks Mascot

The Mavericks won......Savannah actually got on the jumbo-tron during the game!!! We were all so excited!!

BY THE WAY......MY HUSBAND IS SO STRONG!!

On the way to the game tonight, in the freezing weather, my tire went flat on Hwy 114.  We pulled off  of the highway and my handsome and strong husband got out of the car and changed our tire.  He is so great and takes such good care of us!  We are so blessed to have him as our Daddy and as my wonderful husband.

My poor flat tire....what would I have done without Jeremy with me tonight?!?!

He looked so handsome and chivalrous...he had to take off his dress shirt so that he did not get it dirty while changing the tire.  What a great man he is!! 

It was such a great evening with my children and my husband.....I just love my family so much and I am so happy that I get to be his wife and their mommy!!

I am the luckiest girl in the world!!

A LITTLE NICK STORY

I know that I tell a lot of stories about Nicholas, but being the youngest in the family, he is always making us laugh with his sweet and innocent "little boy" perception of the world.

(My little Nick 3 years ago....after a long day at our church's Fall Festival)

Not sure how to take this, but just had to blog about it so I never forget that it happened. Today Nicholas comes in my room and I can tell that he wants to talk, but he's just sitting there kinda looking at me.....He finally says "Mom, can I ask you a question?"  Of course I say, "yes." He asks "Did you and Daddy adopt me?"  A little surprised by the question, I answer, "No, baby boy....Jesus created you with love and then I grew you in my belly!" (I always tell my kids that). 

I asked him, "Why do you ask?" and he said "I don't know...I just wondered."  We'll a couple of minutes later he says "Mom....Ya know how you just asked me why I had asked that questions and I said that I had just wondered?"  "Yes", I respond.  He thinks for a second and then says, "Well, it's just that all of you are so nice to me, it's like it's UNREAL!"

okay....I am thinking, not completely sure what to do with that

He continues...."And ya know how everybody says that I look just like Daddy?....Well, I thought that maybe you just told everyone to say that so I wouldn't know"
I love his little heart!

TISSUE PAPER HEART (A LOVE LETTER TO MY SWEET LITTLE SAVANNAH)

Our little Savannah is owner to one of the softest hearts in the world.  She is such a special little child of Jesus.  She is always wanting to please Him and that is such a blessing.  The only time that it becomes difficult is when she is worried that she did not make the right choice.  Her heart breaks at the thought that she may have done something to hurt Him by hurting someone else.  

We have to keep reminding her that her Father in Heaven loves her no matter what and that He will never stop.  His Perfect Love is unconditional!  We tell her that she is His delight!  She makes Him smile and brings Him such joy when He sees her trying to please Him.....as any Father would.  He is also so very forgiving when we mess up sometimes....heck, He created us!  He knows that we will not always make the right choices......He waits with open Arms for us to return to Him and confess our failings.  He smiles and instantly forgets what we confessed.  We are able to hide in His perfect Love and endless Mercy 

(You cannot tell in the picture...but her sweet little eyes had tears in them)

Her sensitivity goes beyond this as well......she is always afraid that the worst possible things in the world are going to happen to her.  When it rains, a tornado must be coming, when her tummy hurts, it's gotta be cancer,  When a friend of her sister got sick with strep throat,  she knew for sure that she had  already caught it because she saw that girl at church and stood by that girl's sister.  Our house WILL eventually  burn down.....it's only a matter of time now and she has been experiencing weird pains in her chest ever since our Grammy had her heart attack.

We love her so much and just have to keep reassuring her that she is going to be okay.  Her life is in Christ's protective Hands and that if something were to happen to her or to our home or to any member of our family, God will protect us every step of the way.  He will not give us more than we can handle.  He is our strength and He is our Salvation!!  We have nothing to fear!!

Her eyes get so big when she is worried about something, and as the words of fear come out  of her mouth, her eyes fill up with precious sweet little innocent tears.

Wow, she is special and fragile.  Her soft heart is going to play such an important role in the most special mission that our Creator has planned for Savannah.  He planned it even before He lovingly and carefully formed her inside of my womb

She is just so little....her favorite "lamb" pajama pants are just a little too small
Savannah, You are my darling and I love you with all of my heart!!  You are such a delight to me......You are your Daddy and my treasure and you teach us so much about how to truly love others

MADISON AND NICHOLAS ON THE ROPE SWING

Look at Madison pushing her brother on the swing with her broken arm

 They were having so much fun

Why do kids love to fly through the air......I guess that it's just so freeing and elating!!

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM (AWESOME MOM DAY)

I just love when our Lord blesses me with something that I totally do not deserve....I guess that is most things in life.....He is so generous with His children and loves us so much....even when we are NOT our BEST selves.

ANYWAY....My wonderful friend Gisele invited us to the Children's museum (I am so thankful for my   gracious friends who go out of their way to think of me and keep me social.....I can be so introverted sometimes).  So, we ventured out to down town Ft. Worth and made an afternoon of it.  

These are the days when I "feel" like an awesome mom!! "I took my children to the museum and they learned so much through educational experiences and hands on activities!!"  Well, Gisele and I joked all day about how awesome we were for taking the kids to the museum all day and low and behold our Lord stepped in and surprised us!! (Our Father in Heaven has a way of always making us look so good, doesn't He?!?)

First of all before the big surprise, let warm up with some highlights from the day!

(Madison and Claire) 

How cool is that?!?!?  It is a giant "lite Brite"

 Savannah and Kileigh are such sweet friends!

(Nicholas training on a Flight Simulator.  This is the real simulator used by fighter pilots....so cool!!)

 It was Engineering week at the museum, so Lockheed Martin was there with some hands on exhibits for the kids to see and touch.

 Madison and Claire....precious young ladies

 Savannah's turn to land the fighter jet

 Nicholas building a structure with a Lockheed Martin structural engineer...so much better than school books today!!

Savannah on the "bed of nails" teaching the kids how surface area and pressure points play in to the world

 Here is Kileigh giving the nail bed a try

Here is Nick showing off his courage by his side positioning......He admitted that it hurt a little laying that way....again we need to review the laws of surface area and skim over the chapter on pressure points

I am a super fun mom, right?......(YIKES!!!)

Okay, here is where the big surprise comes in.....it was getting late and the museum was almost empty.  We were thinking about leaving, when.........Channel 11 news showed up with their chief meteorologist Jeff Jamison.

 Here is Jeff Jamison with all of the kids

 He not only talked to the kids about weather

He also answered their questions....we asked some good ones too!!  Those homeschooled kids are so smart!!

 And.....are you ready for the biggie?!?!?!

 He did a Live weather broadcast with the kids on channel 11!!  Wow, what a special treat that we did not even plan on for, that day!!  

Not only did Gisele and I brave the museum like good mommies should....our kids got to be on TV too!! All of the family got to see them!  What a memorable experience for them!! Finishing off with a mommy Grand Slam.....Slumber Party!!!  All the kids stayed overnight at our house!! 

God is amazing!! All that I can say is a humble thank You for this great day!!

(Me and Gisele)

Here are the 2 mommies back in Keller that evening.  Gisele is such an awesome friend and mommy!!  We ALWAYS have a lot of fun.  She always inspires me!!  I am so glad that we are facing homeschooling together!!  Yikes...our girls are almost in high school!!

Dare we say that we were awesome moms today?!?!  With a quick wink and a thank you to our Lord above for blessing us so greatly this day.......and everyday!

MY BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL IS GROWING UP

Look how beautiful my little girl looks with her big girl face.....she leaves me speechless!!!

(Natalie and Madison)
(Such sweet and special friends)

My friend Angela and I took our 2 daughters (newly teenage daughters) and tried on make-up......not that either of them need any make up, but we wanted to celebrate their new titles as official teens and be a part in this most special experience. It was so much fun and special for us to do together!  I never want her to think that growing up is a negative experience or that I want her to be young forever (even though part of my heart will always yearn for that).  I don't want her to feel like she's disappointing me by growing up......she would be the type of girl to be sad that she was not pleasing her mommy by staying little forever.  She is just so precious to me.

We took them to a place in Southlake called, "Let's Makeup"

It was such a fun and girly place!!

Each girl had a personal make up artist show her what colors of make up looked good with her skin tones and how to apply it.....the girls were so excited and a little surprised to see themselves in make up for the first time


I JUST CANNOT BELIEVE IT

My little girl did really turn 13 and even though as a mother, I shutter to think of her growing older and leaving the nest (I want her to be with me forever), but she has a special mission given to her at her creation that I need to self-less-ly cooperate with.  

As a prayerful Christian mother, I realize that Madison is only mine to borrow for a time and it is my job through my precious vocation of motherhood to prepare her for her earthly ministry as she journeys toward our Lord Jesus in Heaven to live with Him for all eternity.  That is my most important calling in life......to return His sacred little children s' souls to Him.

More important than ANYTHING else we do as parents, is giving our Children faith in our Lord and fostering that faith in their lives.....SERIOUSLY.....that is the most important thing of all.

So, in light of this realization that time is moving faster than my heart can prepare for...I am bitter-sweetly celebrating her blossoming life.

We ended our evening with a girls dinner (at a seafood restaurant of course because it was a Friday during Lent) and a sleepover at our house, where the girls stayed up really late scrapbooking, visiting about girly stuff and laughing until they fell asleep!
GIRLFRIENDS ARE THE BEST

Dear Lord, please guide me as Madison's mother to help her grow into the beautiful and holy young woman that You have envisioned.    She loves You so much and wants to be Your delight!