THIS MOST HOLY FEAST OF ALL SAINTS

 

 "Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors, responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts serving Him above all. God calls each one of us to be a saint."

This feast day celebrates these AMAZINGLY holy saints, who we respect and try to emulate in our day to day lives.  They are not made-up super heroes or fictional movie/book characters that are "scripted" to be perfect....These are real people who truly spent their lives striving to grow closer to our Lord.  They fell into sin,  just as we all do, but they never gave up the fight for virtue and for purity of heart.  They fought the hard fight that always leads us back to God

There was an extravagant All Saints Celebration at school.  The students were to dress as a saint that they admired.  The celebration began with an  All Saints parade, each child processed up on the altar and introduced their saint to the students and teachers.  After the student introduces his/her/ saint, the rest of the students and teachers in the sanctuary, says "Pray for us"  This was so powerful, as the Communion of Saints, as Jesus taught us, will pray on our be-half to God....for we are all "one body in Christ"  All 3 of Children had a particular saint in mind, as they have all had the same favorite saint for as long as I can remember.

Here are Nicholas and Savannah dressed as their favorite saints.  
Savannah was non-other than St Joan of Arc (her favorite saint because she was a warrior for God's Kingdom (she also very much so admires St Michael the Archangel, on who's feast day, she was born)
Nicholas is.....well, St Nicholas (his patron saint)

At the last minute, Nicholas changed his mind and went as St. John Paul II (another of his favorite saints...as he aspires to be a Pope someday....I pray that my children, I pray that they do whatever mission that God has in store for each of them.....but I have a secret prayer that Nicholas feels called to be a Franciscan.  Even with this secret desire, in the end, I want whatever Jesus wants.

Well, it turns out that he thought that St. Nicholas' grand Miter might be too difficult to keep on his head all day at school......the fears of a 4th grade boy

Moms love that,  last minute "costume change", but I peacefully went with it, since this is such an important feast day...so everything needed to be perfect.
 
MADISON'S SAINT CHOICE

Blessed Chiara Bandano 
Madison's saint is so inspiring to both myself and Madison.  Madison told me about her and I think that she was a perfect fit for my Madi.  I felt called to add some information on this special saint, as she is not very well-known

Madison is totally inspired Blessed Chiara Bandano.....Madison didn't really dress  differently than usual for the All Saints Celebration at school, because Blessed Chiara is a modern day saint.  Chiara dressed just like Madison dresses everyday. 
Born in 1971, Chiara lived a very faithful life, being diagnosed with Bone Cancer in 1988.  Her response to this news was simply
 “It’s for you, Jesus; if you want it, I want it, too."
Near the end of her life, as she continued to spend her time touching others instead of focusing on herself (even when her parents begged her to rest...she would answer , "that soon she would rest forever" she offered every suffering to our Lord Jesus.  As the end of her life was nearing, she and her mother planned her wedding and her funeral.  She chose songs and readings that were uplifting and joyful.  Chiara said that she did not want people crying at her funeral...she wanted laughter and joyful celebration in honor that she was now finally with her beloved Jesus.  She requested to be buried in a wedding dress, preparing to be the bride of Jesus, as she entered into heaven.
Awesome, right?!?! 
What a girl for my Madison to look up to...She lived at a time that Madison can relate to and her sainthood was lived out as a teenager!

 Chiara sick in bed, but still cheerful.  With each hair that would fall out from the Chemo Therapy, She would say  
"That is for you, Jesus"

She died in October of 1990
Here is Chiara, so beautifully dressed in her white wedding dress, resting now in the True Peace of her beloved Jesus

ISAAC
Obviously too young to dress up as his favorite saint, but this Feast Day played a special role in his little life as well....

One year ago today, on The Feast of All Saints: November 1, 2013 (after leaving morning Mass), Jeremy, myself and the kids went to the Doctor to find out if mommy (me) was having a little boy or a little girl....well, as we all know now, I was growing a little boy inside of my belly.  From that beautiful feast day on.....Our little "Tater Tot Baby", a name given by Madison (Savannah and Nicholas lovingly called him "French Fry"), was now known officially as our little brother and was to be called Isaac, from that day forward!

This was taken right after a bath.....can't you just smell that fresh baby hair....so clean and fine that if you do smell it (his fine blond hair)....which is one of my favorite things to do, by the way....his fussy little baby chickie hairs actually inhale into my nose as I smell.


Thank you my Father for giving us so many holy examples to emulate our lives after.  You inspired me to lean on the example of these holy Saints when I was so sick.  May their example tug at each of our hearts and inspire us to be better Christian Children of Yours again, we are ALL called to be saints

Have a holy and blessed All Saints

HALLOWEEN 2014

In all of the Halloweens in the past....our little ones would dress up (they loved to choose their costumes) and we as a family would either go to a friends house, have friends over, or for the last almost 10 years, our family, along with some other families would host a joint party for the parents and kids to all enjoy Halloween together.  We would eat a lot of food and visit while the kids ran and played in the yard, then, when darkness fell upon the earth,  the daddies would walk around with the kids and trick-or-treat.

This year proved to be quite a different story...

HALLOWEEN

This is the first Halloween, when ALL of my children had plans with friends that did not include us! Boy have the times changed.  Madison had her first high school Halloween party and Savannah was invited to a sleepover party at her friend's house.  Nicholas had a friend come over to trick or treat with him, so we did get to play a small role in his evening....here are some pics

 Nicholas and Trey getting ready to trick or treat....both Nicholas and Savannah were "light up stick people" this year.  It was a very cool costume.

 This is Nicholas in his stick person costume in the dark

 Here is Savannah in her cute stick costume

 Here is Savannah with her friends, Dorothy and Beth getting ready to trick or treat

Here is Madi and Claire as they prepare to leave for their high school party...Madi was a "Drifter", hitchhiking all around the world".  She wore torn up clothes,  holding a sign that stated..."NEED  A RIDE....ANYWHERE"

Here, of course is my Lil' Pumpkin, Isaac.  Unlike the other kids, he did not have any other plans.  We just got to love on him in his little costume, while giving out candy to the neighbors.

 I am sorry....I just HAD to put another pic of my lil' pumpkin man....

Here is a picture of me and my little pumpkin pie baby!!  I usually TAKE most of the pics in our house or at different events.... so, since I found a pic with me in it, which is quite rare, I wanted to post it!
Sometimes I worry that my kids may forget that I was ACTUALLY at their important events : )

What a fun and relaxing evening....We are looking forward to celebrating The Feast of All Saints tomorrow

ANOTHER REASON TO LOVE A FAITHBASED SCHOOL

FOOTBALL GAME

The more that I learn about Faustina, the more I fall in love!!

The first pic is of my Madison cheering (she is completely precious as a cheerleader and loves every second of it.  She was born for this sport)

 In the picture below this one, you'll notice all of the cheerleaders and football players are quietly taking a knee out of respect for a wounded player from the opposing team

(The cheer leaders kneel and pray out loud together for the safety of one of the players from the opposing team)

(The Faustina Football players taking a knee and praying for an injured player on the opposing team)

Both the cheerleaders, along with the football players bow their heads in prayer (the cheerleaders pray quietly together) until the wounded player gets up.  I love that the true essence of the sport is encouraged, and that in suffering, we all pull together and go to our Father, on our brothers behalf no matter who he might be.  The game stops (as it is JUST a game) and we call upon the Healing Hands of God to protect and look over one another.
This was very powerful to me, and I never want to forget that feeling of true Christian love playing out.  What a lesson to my children about the importance of prayer and how it reigns above all in EVERY situation.  We are Christians FIRST above everything else we might be doing

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR DADDY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY
 

For our Daddy's birthday this year, we took him to a Dallas Cowboys Game!!  Jeremy is a HUGE Cowboys fan!!  He has gone to some games before, but we have NEVER gone together as a family.  Of course (not our ENTIRE family was able to go) as our littlest one, baby Isaac stayed at home.  He is only 7 months old and just has not yet learned a true appreciation for crowds, hot dogs, sodas, and just the essence of "Game Day".  

(Isaac in his Cowboys attire for the game...at home)

GAME DAY

"Game Day".....I have learned over the years....."is a real thing".  It is a living organism that actually breathes.  It is sustained by nachos, chips, pizza, chili dogs and burgers....pretty much all that heartburn has to offer!!  It flourishes on the passion of it's fans.  For those 3 or so hours.....Game Day takes strangers and turns them into "old friends".....Friends with a bond that, in that moment, could easily be stronger than that of an actual family!!

(Preparing and loading up the truck the morning of the big game)

 (Nicholas expressing his Cowboy spirit)

(Savannah showing her spirit as well....a little bit of a color-leaking problem)
TAILGATING

"Tailgating" is also..."a real thing".  It is similarly sustained by heartburn, but paired with heavy smoke and the smell of charbroiling red meat.  It flourishes when a seemingly ordinary pick up truck, turns into a fully functioning outdoor kitchen...when fans enjoy all of the comforts of home, in a small parking spot.

When you tailgate, your new neighbors (your temporary best friends) are the people that drove the pick up trucks parked on either side of you, who kindly share a group of porta-potties in the distance.   Tailgating fans will sit outside together eating, playing games, telling old football stories as they re-celebrate past wins of their team.  Some fans tailgate for the ENTIRE game (never intending on going inside...I am thinking that our neighbors- pick up truck to the left of us, were those such people (never planning on going into the game), as they DID bring their big screen TV along. These die-hard tailgaters will be there even in terribly cold weather.  It is the living and breathing essence of the "Tailgating" excitement that keeps them warm!!

(My love/birthday boy and I tailgating....When Savannah snapped this pic, we were not ready, as neither of us were really smiling yet, but its the only pic with Jer and I together)

 OUR TAILGATE

I wanted to make sure that Jeremy had the total experience on his special day!!  I bought a parking pass in one of the tailgate lots and set up camp in a VERY small parking spot.....3 hours before the game even started!!  Jeremy was so excited about it, that his preparations for our tailgate alone, took at least 1 1/2 hours.

 (The kids set up our "Corn Hole" set while we tailgated...people would cheer for the kids as they walked by)

We played games and threw the football around, in our tiny parking space.  As our family played games and relaxed, we enjoyed the sounds of loud and joyful music coming from the other trucks in the parking lot, but muffled a bit by our "neighbor's" GENERATOR.....that he needed for his HUGE big-screen TV

(Daddy showing Nicholas how to hold the football for a successful pass)

(Nicholas throwing the football. "Passing... #82 Nicholas Lustig....Pass intended for......")

(None other than Savannah..."Pass completed to ALSO #82.....Savannah Lustig!")

Jeremy so happily drug out his portable grill, some kitchen utensils, and packed grocery bags full of game day foods, and coolers full of steaks, onions, cheese and sodas.  Jeremy made philly cheese steak sandwiches with a side of Au Jus for dipping!

 Ahh...the smell of grilled onions in the air)

The sandwhiches were delicious!
The set up and take down, took hours in itself, while the actual meal was only about 12 minutes long.
I guess that it's all part of the experience

 (forgot to get a picture of our Philly Steak Sandwiches before I started eating it...it was delicious)

GAME TIME
Into Cowboys Stadium we go....Sunglasses for all of the fans!

  (What a HUGE stadium)

I love Rascal Flatts!!  What a great day this is!!

Great seats!! We can see everything!!

(We decided to sit down in our seats early to watch the Cowboys warming up for the game)

(We all cheer on the Cowboys......and in the end....they won the game!! What a great birthday blessing!)

Thank you, Lord for our amazing Daddy!  The world has been greatly blessed because of him.  He is such a great husband and father! As the spiritual leader of our family,he is leading his wife (me) and his children closer to You.  Thank you for birthdays, when we can celebrate our Daddy in a special way....

We love you Daddy

SOME THOUGHTS ON HIGH SCHOOL AND OUR CRAZY SCHOOL JOURNEY

Madison is in high school now and life as a mom, has completely changed.  This school could not be more perfect for us.  Faustina is truly an answer to the prayer that I prayed the day that I found out that I was going to be a mommy (way back in 1999).   

"Please Dear Lord Jesus, help us to raise this little one to be holy so that we can return this precious soul back to You at the end of her earthly journey"

High school is such a scary time of life, when my children will explore this world outside of my protection sometimes, as they find their place and decide how they will live out their unique calling from God.
At times I grieve that loss of that "safe control"....as I was always able to make sure that their souls were protected and surrounded in purity at all times (well, most of the time).  I know that as my little ones grow, it is my job to LET them safely spread their delicate wings and learn to fly all on their own.  For they are only our children for a little while, gifted to Jeremy and I, to raise and lead back home to their Heavenly Father.

As a mommy (and Daddy too) I am in constant discernment over what to allow into their lives and what to keep out, as my little ones strengthen in character and holyness.  Sometimes, I just can't hear my Precious Lord's Gentle Whisper, with all of the noise of this world (something that I am constantly working on).  Sometimes, I just have to pray that the decision I've made (in whatever the situation might be) is the decision that He would have desired for their souls, as I beg to Him out of Mercy, that if I am mistaken (which, I am sure happens often) that He will guard their hearts from whatever it is that I have allowed to endanger them.

OKAY.....BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL

I daily thank my Dear Jesus for allowing our children the blessed opportunity of attending such a faithful Catholic school, where they can ALL be together!!!

Our Lord so kindly took the decision to put the children back into school out of my hands, which as He knows me so well, I would have forever fretted over....probably driving both myself and my sweet husband insane!!

Madison loves high school....(going back to my fervent discernment of how to guide our children as they grow) and she could not think of a better place to be everyday.  She absolutely LOVES her school.....her friends....her teachers, and all that Faustina has to offer.  Nobody believes me when I tell stories of my shy little first born, who cried at the thought of ever having to leave my side.  She has truly transformed into a beautiful butterfly, who is both outgoing and funny....she gained so much confidence through our years together, homeschooling

 (Madison could barely stop laughing at herself "as she always cracks herself up" to take this pic of her with her favorite drink....well ONE of her favorite drinks...the other is a Pumpkin Spice Frapuccino...personally, I stick to hot drinks from Starbucks, so as you can tell, I have no idea how to even spell "Frappuccino")

 (gotta love girls and the newly traditional "Pouty Face" pic)

 (these are some "selfies" Madi took with her friends...these are such a fun group of truly great kids...they have bonded so much and have such a great time together, just being teenagers)

She has been gifted the entire "high school experience" with faithful Catholic like-minded teachers and families.  As Jeremy and I have journeyed through parenthood, we see this as a wonderful advantage!  All 3 of our 4 children (of course baby Isaac is not old enough for school yet) are currently building a strong foundation in both character and education, all wrapped up in a beautiful Christ-Centered bow, that we just know, delights our Lord Jesus. 

(I just love this family pic after Mass....look how much they have grown in such a short amount of time...I did notice that our sweet little Isaac was missing from this pic, but that is only because he hadn't been born quite yet....and I have to admit that I LOVE how Jeremy looks in this picture as he had just served at Holy Mass.  It absolutely makes this Catholic girl's heart melt!!  There is nothing more romantic than a virtuous man.....I just love him so much

SAVANNAH AND NICHOLAS

Not to leave out the other 2 children in school, at Faustina as well.  Nicholas and Savannah love their new teachers and of course, it goes without saying that they love their new friends too.

 (Savannah with her friends in the backseat of my car....girls are so funny)

(Nicholas wrestling with his friend Trey....As they roll around in the grass with teeth gritted, they laugh so hard......I love these precious boys and how our Lord made them so loving and gentle, but still a little rough around the edges, as boys should be)

(Sweet Little 4th grade Boys)

 (Savannah with the girls in her class....can you spot her....she's the one in the black "Roxy" t-shirt with "nerd" glasses and a HUGE Savannah-sized grin on her face)

We love going to Friday night football games and watching Madi cheer the Falcons on (from the sidelines) as Nicholas and Savannah run around with THEIR school friends, playing their own game of football behind the bleachers with all of the other siblings.

(Madison and Claire after cheering)
After the games, it is off to Braums (a Faustina family tradition) for ice cream.....and boy, with all of our big Catholic families, we can sure fill up a "small town Braums"....and by the way, I love every bit of that last sentence.

 (Savannah and Beth enjoying ice cream)

 (Madison and Lauren)
These families inspire us and build us up in our faith, as well as make us laugh and entertain us as we sit around and visit.  I love our Faustina family friends and pray that our Lord is giving our family something to bring to the table that might inspire them as well.