The June 2017 Edition This will be a post largely told in pictures because when it comes to an altogether too brief family reunion... ...who needs words? Okay, here's a little background. We went home last week—five of my kids and me—to see my Daddy, my brother, my cousin Jim (who was on his way to my parents' hometown), … [Read more...]
Words of Advice from a Grateful Heart: Ten Funeral Tips for the Grieving
This blog post has been on my heart since the funeral. Many of you are or will be going through this process with your parents. With that in mind, I'd like to share ten funeral tips to hopefully help you along the way. * * * We buried our beautiful mother on May Day, four short weeks ago. We laid her to rest on the Feast of St. Joseph the … [Read more...]
Rest in Peace, dear Mama
We’re never ready to lose the people we love, even when we know they are ready to go. My dear sweet Mama passed away on Monday morning—peacefully, in her sleep, around 9:00 a.m. in Breckenridge, Minnesota. It was a bittersweet departure, as she was to be joining my father that day at his Assisted Living facility. God has a greater plan, … [Read more...]
My Mom, my Sisters, and the Brothers Karamazov
A Reflection on Death and Dying I'm just going to cut to the chase here: I finally finished The Brothers Karamazov! In record time, only four short months! Okay, I'll stop gloating now. My husband asked me how it went. "Did you enjoy it or did you basically just slog your way through it?" "Both," was my answer. "I loved it and … [Read more...]
Truth. Beauty. Holy. Week.
St. Patrick’s Day, 2016, and I was gifted unexpectedly with a trip to see my family. Have I mentioned that I love North Dakota? And that my sister’s home is a retreat for the soul? Yes, I have. Repeatedly. Anyway, there’s a lot more I could say about this trip but all that has to wait. For … [Read more...]
The Gift of Being…
Forgive me, will you, for taking a whole week to write this post? I've been dragging my feet about doing so because it means dealing with matters of the heart... ...and my heart is tender when it comes to these two. In my heart, I am still their little girl, and this little girl doesn't want to lose them. First, though, the … [Read more...]
A Life Well-Lived
You might think, by that title, that I'm talking about my 90-year-old parents, and you would be right. But only in part. It's true that my parents have lived their lives--their very long and rewarding lives. The years were full up and now they're thankful...but tired. Were you to ask them about death, they'd reply: … [Read more...]
90 years young!
Spare a prayer for my sweet daddy? His name is George and it's his birthday! His wife, six kids and hundreds* of grandkids thank you. : ) *I'm rushing out the door and don't have time to count. Trust me. There's a lot of them! … [Read more...]
The Gift of a Sister
If you are a momma with more than one little girl, please take a moment to tell them they're blessed. They are so blessed to have a sister! How do I know this? I have four sisters, and each one holds a special place in my heart. This is my family when I was growing up. (I'm the "baby" of the family, the one on the right. ) And … [Read more...]
To be a Saint
Today's post has two parts. Theme Part the First: How Easy it is to be a Saint; and Theme Part the Second: How very Hard! .: Part I :. Dressing up as one's favorite saint is easy... St. Cecilia, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, and St. Michael the Archangel. ...and we love participating in our homeschool co-op's annual Saints and Scholars for … [Read more...]
