Lucy

Little Lucy is doing better, still coughing and still in the hospital but improving. Deo Gratias! Let's continue the prayers.

Accomplishments

I received a call today from a very dear friend of mine. She reminded me I haven't given any update on Galadriel in a while. Oh! That! Galadriel is steadily making great improvements.

Beating her brother at chess is one thing.

She is back to reading. She finished a book about St. Francis and St. Claire, though her observation was that it was no where near as good as the one we are reading as a family, The Perfect Joy of St. Francis. Here she is reading Tintin. She still has some double vision but that should continue to improve.

She had an appointment yesterday and the doctor was very pleased. There was talk about seeing an eye doctor about the vision. We think that needs a little more time as so many things are sorting itself out and she isn't always seeing double.

We had her put on amoxicillian (from the doctor of course) since we all got sick and we wanted her to avoid that. So far so good. She still has headaches but that is getting better gradually. When she can go 12 hours without a tylenol we rejoice, even if she was sleeping for much of that time. Then again she is not a complainer either (unless it perhaps would have to do with washing dishes but she's exempt from that for the time being :)

She continues to offer up her sufferings for various intentions.

Little Dolly Poppy is trying to get around (and for the sake of a very, very dear friend of mine, no, she isn't crawling yet :) but she's scootches a little.

I think she'd like more than anything to get around like those big kids around here.

We are rather biased around here and find her very delectable.

That was all alot of work so here she is zonked out in the Hoohobber. Yes, truly, that is what this baby rocker is called. I bought it for Bilbo when he was a baby, I think mostly because it had such a cute name. Hoohobber.

Yesterday, a man came to fix the van window that had been blown to pieces somehow. This is a great mystery since none of the children had been out that day since we discovered it right after the interrogation of the cps.

I wonder if he has ever had an audience for this performance before.

And our smashed car is going to be fixed and should be done in a couple weeks. A couple weeks in our territory without any 4wd? That should be interesting.

And since I seem to enjoy asking for prayers these days, spare a prayer for Aragorn as he tries to sort out a pathetic situation peacefully, with charity and in all fairness. God's Will be done.

Prayers!

Please pray for 3 year old Lucy, daughter of dear friends of ours. She was rushed by ambulance to the hospital for a croopy-cough and inability to breathe.

Martyrdom

Kissing the Face of God

God in His Infinite Wisdom came to earth as a baby, God who took on a human nature, here with us as a tiny, helpless baby, innocent and sweet.

December 26th - The Feast of St. Stephen - the first martyr by blood.

Also December 26th the Feast of St. Staefanie. I learned about this lovely saint from my Italien friend Cecilia. I couldn't find any information so I will use her words. (I really do feel cheated when I can't find these old historic gems of saints kept so deeply hidden!)

According to a pious old legend, there was also a woman, named Stefanie, at Bethlehem. She was prevented by the Angels to visit the Creche (in order to allow some rest to the Virgin Mary).But the day after Christmas, she succeeeded in her desire, pretending to be a mother herself. She wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes and said it was her infant baby.

I could see me doing that :)
Perhaps St. Stefanie was the one who brought the practical gifts ;)

December 27th - Feast of St. John the Evangelist - white martyr. I wonder in this picture, if he is thinking of the time he rested his head on the breast of Our Lord. I wonder if he was contemplating the moment when Our Lord gave him His mother, our Mother, from the Cross. I wonder if he was pondering the time he stood at the foot of the Cross with no one but the 3 women. I wonder if he was considering the race to the tomb with St. Peter after the women revealed the resurrection.

December 28th - The Feast of the Holy Innocents - the shedding of innocent blood - martyrdom of the innocent.

Just imagine as Jesus, Mary and Joseph were stealing away from Bethlehem to Egypt the wee baby martyrs were being slaughtered. I thought this was a striking picture as the baby martyrs were in a triumphal procession alongside the Holy Family

May God have mercy on the wee holy innocents of our time and have mercy on their mothers. May He heal their hearts and turn them to a greater love for Him through a life of penance and sacrifice.

Joy, Joy Joy

Bilbo's 2nd birthday... complete with the classic pasta face.

CHRISTMAS EVE

We celebrated Christmas Eve by getting a tractor and towing our suburban out of ditch. The cop who showed up was about to write Aragorn a ticket for driving too fast for conditions he did not write the ticket after hearing how December has been for us however he did say his supervisor may issue one anyway. I'd expect that!

We just felt like you all haven't had enough of us and wanted to give you one more funsie to add to the list. After I took these pictures on Christmas Morning I told Aragorn that I had done better in 2000 when I had been in a car accident. I had totaled the entire car, seems he only totaled the right side. Our insurance companies are getting to know us on a first name basis.

In addition to this, the back window on the big van was blown out somehow into a zillion pieces after the social worker left on Wednesday.

We are beginning to think that Job is looking out for us....

CHRISTMAS DAY

Little Poppy Dolly opening her first gift. She seemed to think it was an interesting experience.

Aunt B sent over some party snapper things, kind of an annual Christmas funsie.

Each snapper has a crown, a joke/fortune and a little toy.

Life and Sacrifice

Luke 1: 30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. 31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. 33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? 35 And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

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6 And it came to pass that when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her first born son and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn.

Sacrifice is a word our society does not accept. To the world it means weakness, lacking, impoverishness, defeat, failure... God thinks otherwise...

Luke 2: 25 And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon: and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was in him. 26 And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, 28 He also took him into his arms and blessed God and said 29 Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace: 30 Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: 32 A light to the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel. 33 And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be contradicted. 35 And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed.

And thy own soul a sword shall pierce. Those are some of the most beautiful words in Sacred Scripture. Simeon was speaking of Our Lady, the Immaculate Conception, she who was Full of Grace, she who had no sin. Her heart would be pierced. In her Fiat she said yes to God and all swords that would pierce her soul. Mothers of many also accept this life of sacrifice, not for their own merit but for the greater honor and glory of God.

I met a beautiful priest, Fr. Alfonso, at Thanksgiving time and he spoke so beautifully of the large family and his joy at seeing a large family. I wanted to share a few pictures with him of beautiful families. Luke 2: 19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.
This is another one of my favorite verses in Sacred Scripture. Mothers have the privlige to have a great number of things to ponder in their hearts.

Luke 2: 24 And to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons
No matter the sacrifice offered, great or small, all is for the greater honor and glory of God. Here the Mother of God has nothing but the smallest sacrifice to offer. Mothers are the means to the future Saints and these saints are brought about by prayer and sacrifice.

Luke 2: 40 And the child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom: and the grace of God was in him.
May God grant the grace to families to raise their children full of strength and wisdom in the eyes of God, rather than the eyes of the world.

Luke 2: 48 And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my father’s business? 50 And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them.
Even Our Lady did not fully understand the Will of God but she accepted it, she carried it as a cross upon her back and suffered for His Sake. We do not need to understand we need to trust in God even when we cannot at all see what He means. All will be revealed in time.

I place myself in the presence of Jesus, the Head of the Mystical Body, the Church, begging Him to show me how to collaborate with Him in the work of saving souls.

Divine Intimacy pg 67
When we do not understand God's Will, turn all things into a means to save souls, particularly, I might add, those who persecute us. And the large family is greatly persecuted in our society today.

Luke 2: 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart. 52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace with God and men.
The Son of God "was subject to them". In this age of the "rights of the child", we can ponder greatly on this short little passage HE, the Son of God himself, was subject to His creatures. A child has a right to a happy home, a child has a right to see the face of God through his parents, a child has a right to know how to live a good life, a child has a right to know, love and serve God in this world, that he may be happy with God in the next. (Yeah, I think I should be the president too...)

Genesis 1: 27 And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth.

Be Fruitful and Multiply. Notice the word *fruitful*. Fruits tend to be the things we want to get off the tree. Instead in our society, children are not considered *fruits*. We consider them fruits.

Psalm 128: 3 Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house. Thy children as olive plants, round about thy table.

Behold, I am at the feet of my Incarnate God, who has become a Child for love of me! I adore, I thank, I love!

Divine Intimacy pg 85

God Himself became a child. GOD!

Matt 5: 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called children of God.

Matt 18: 3 And said: amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 19: 13 Then were little children presented to Him, that He should impose hands upon them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said to them: Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such.

Be fruitful and Mulitply that the Heavens may be filled for the Greater Honor and Glory of God.

Ok

3-1/2 hours later.... Things went alright with the interrogation. We will remain vague until we receive the final paperwork, until then, continue to pray, most especially for K---- and B---- who were instrumental in sending the false report and for N---- who came to our house today. Let's just say N---- left with alot of food for thought ;) I think I will be able to sleep tonight at least and lunch didn't taste like paper. Is Christmas really in 2 days?

Prayers

We are in desperate need of prayers. Not only did we suffer through what originally was an inoperable brain tumor, then through surgery, then through recovery, all which was very traumatic for us and for our children.

The "Dr." of Child Protection Services said she called us in on the false grounds that we medically neglected our child by taking her in "so late." Obviously this "doctor" doesn't know much about this kind of brain tumor. Since it is a slow growing tumor, there may be very subtle indications but it is only in the last few days that the deterioration really happens. By then she was under the care of the doctors. There is a 14% rate that once the symptoms appear that the person is dead within 2-3 days. Now if this is a medical case then why are they sending a social worker who didn't have a clue about this kind of tumor.

We are well aware that this is just an excuse as one of the "risks" for children is having a large family. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?! They are always so concerned about friends and we have plenty of those as well, but in a large family there is always a playmate to have fun and bicker with :)

CPS is coming in to our home on Wed. Dec 23rd to interrogate our entire family. It's preposterous, I know, but we live in a very sick world, where those who try to live a good life and provide a good life for their children in the eyes of God are persecuted.

I cannot express to you how deeply painful this is to go through. To know that in an instant these people can destroy a family. A FAMILY.

God must have some Plan in all this. I do not see it at this very moment, well, other than a very intense scourging. I am offering up the horrible pain for all those who have been instrumental in this horrific event.

I never thought I'd say "All I want for Christmas are my beautiful children!"

Christmas Picture

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILBO! Terrific Two!

The little guys had to try Galadriel's wheel chair.

I think the general concensus is that she has the cool chair.

Home Sweet Home

Yesterday Galadriel was casted for an orthotic. (my vocabulary has vastly improved lately)

I'm not sure a cast brought back very fond memories for me since I was foolish enough in my youth to try and ride a bike no-handed and broke my arm doing so.

The idea of the orthotic is to give protection to her foot/ankle since she has no exterior feeling on the right side. God Willing that will heal itself. She does have feeling on that side as she said her arm was aching. But it seems she cannot feel sensation, she can however feel interiorly. (how bizarre!)

After the plaster was dried out came the saw. I'm not the bright mechanical bulb in the household so I really didn't get how it was cutting since it doesnt' cut through skin but does through dried plaster but I do know that at this point Poppy let out an unearthly yell, being rudely awakened by what was akin to a mild jack-hammer. Poor thing! She was so used to sleeping in her second home. It was the only time she cried all this time at the hospital.

Don't ask me what they'll do with it from here, except that they didn't have it ready today because I believe they will miss us and wanted us to make a special trip in to get this orthotics thing. One of the most disappointing things for Galadriel was that she really didn't want to have to wear shoes which they recommend. We've got the bare-foot kids so this was a sore blow. But minor!

And today she came home. Eowyn and Sam made the cake. Their decorating is far better than mine.

Galadriel wasn't overly thrilled that they gave her a cane to use. But I think she's gotten used to the idea by thinking "Better to use a cane at home than have to be in that hospital another minute!" I think a great big bow on the cane is all that is missing. As you can see Bilbo was doing the happy dance that his big sister is home. She's always been his little mother.

The first thing Galadriel said when she got home was, "Can I have a drink of water?" She missed our good country water while suffering through city water.

The next thing she did was go on her bed, the most wonderful, comfortable thing in the world. Then again I think sleeping on a tree root is probably better than a hospital bed.

The third thing she did was ask to do her Rosetta Stone French! Now that I thought was funny (no picture as I was heading out the door to bring the boys to Midnight Mass Altar Boy practice)

Grandma and Auntie had brought over little fun bags for everyone over the weekend. We saved them for a little welcome back party.

Pippin and his loot.

Our first dinner together since December 2nd. Everyone was so happy to be together it was by far the most quiet meal we've had in ages.

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We have been so blessed by every so many people who have brought us meals. Each meal we pray a Hail Mary for whoever provided the meal. It has been so very, very helpful.... and I might add, very, very delicious . Why is it that the 3 year old asks for thirds when someone else prepares the meal?! Amazing.

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So many people have been so kind and good and generous that there is no way to thank everyone (well, if you know of a way then please, do share)

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Now, I will post tomorrow to tell you how many hours Galadriel slept *uninterrupted*! I did tell her I'll wake her up in the morning by shining a flashlight in her eyes if she likes.... she did not like.

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Please continue your prayers, we have a long road ahead of us but the first bend in the road was to have her home again. Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever.