Photo ops: Cinderella, Confirmation and baby brunch

Some cute ones of Rose and Lola dancing to the score of Roger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella. "Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?"

The lovely Maria and I posed before heading to church for her big night. Maria is suddenly a young woman, as beautiful and mature as she's ever been, but with a certain growing gravitas.  It's an honor to be her god-mother and Confirmation sponsor!

Some dear friends from Queen of Apostles took me and Audrey (sitting next to me) out for a brunch to celebrate our impending bundles of joy. Audrey is due exactly two weeks before me.  Baby Cook's god-mother, Michelle, is in the blue. She, Erin and Amanda put together these adorable diaper cakes. Such a lovely group of women! Thanks, Aunt Hilary, for holding down the fort at home while I was partying :)

Lessons in gratitude at CVS

One of our favorite portraits by Rose. "Daddy" 

Very helpful, very Frankie.

The tennis team.

Today I went with David and Rose to CVS to get flu shots (not even a whimper from them, to the nurse's and my utter amazement) . On the way out, after latching Rose in to her carseat and turning the corner to get in myself, I became aware that an elderly man in the car next to us was talking to me and gesticulating. I got out and approached.

He was likely in his 70s, and his legs were awkwardly sticking out of the car as he sat in the driver's seat, crutches leaning against the open car door. In a thick southern Virginia accent, he said "They're quite a challenge, aren't they?" For a moment I was confused before realizing he was talking about David and Rose. I smiled and laughed. He went on, "You don't expect how it gets when you have grandchildren. I have an 11 year old grandson who went to..." He scratched his head a moment remembering. "Kindergarten! When he was in kindergarten they realized he was reading at a 4th grade level. His little sister who's 8 will be just like him. She called me up the other day and said 'Pop-pop, I love you'. I never knew I'd like being a grandparent." I smiled and said that's wonderful and agreed that the grandparent/grandchild relationship is indeed special.

He continued, "I had a bad knee and the doctor took it out. Don't have a knee now. Then he took out some of the bone up here," pointing to his femur, "and really messed me up.  I had an infection that cleared up, and he should have put the knee back in, but he wouldn't. I don't know, I think that doctor's in court now. But you know, it could be worse. Could be cancer." Looking at his mangled leg I saw that it was indeed without a knee and much shorter than the other one. It washed over me how much this man had suffered, and how he was simply resting in his car before beginning his trek into the CVS and wanted some company.

I told him how awful, what suffering. He changed the subject. "How do you like your car? Is that a Dodge?" We spent a short time talking about our van. I asked if I could help him get out of the car. "Oh no, I'll be fine." I told him it was nice talking to him, and that I would pray for him. I meant it. He smiled and said "Thank you. I appreciate that."

As I was pulling away, I watched him as he figured out how to lift the bad leg up over the curb. He made it. I'm still pondering the lesson this fellow human being, having suffered so much and seemingly without someone to help him, taught me about cheerfulness and gratitude. Whenever I have a trial I'll think of him, and that is a gift.  

Chiara Corbella Petrillo

Have any of you heard the story of Chiara Corbella Petrillo? I just devoured her biography, which apparently came out last month. It's the story of a young, joyful, ravishingly beautiful woman in Italy, her courageous husband, and their astonishing approach to suffering and death- both their children's and Chiara's in 2012.

There's something both irresistible and troubling about the lives of the saints. Their self-forgetfulness, charity toward their fellow humans, and love for God are mesmerizing. But their sufferings, which they view as their means to heaven (Jesus tells us the cross is the way), make us uneasy. How is it possible to suffer so much and remain not just faithful, but joyful?

If you're like me, you feel a little spiritual jealousy, realizing your disinclination to view each pain in life as a "kiss from Jesus" (Mother Teresa's words). And yet, I think we find that stories like Chiara's are the antidote to a fear of suffering and death that is particularly Western. Those being persecuted for their faith as we speak would likely not be as shocked by Chiara's story as we are. I would imagine joy and complete dependence on God in the face of poverty, death and destruction come more naturally to those who experience it regularly (witness little Miriam and her song).

We, however, who are privileged to have safe neighborhoods, access to doctors, good food, warm homes, jobs, loving families, etc., whenever we need them, would benefit enormously from reading how a fellow privileged Westerner heroically embraced tremendous sufferings and ultimately death instead of running from them in fear or falling into despair.  Chiara's story provides a beautiful template for those of us struggling to joyfully emulate Christ in our sufferings. I think it will also draw in many non-believers who are captivated. I'm confident we have modern-day saint on our hands here. St. Chiara, pray for us!

Helpful spiritual nudges- 2Minutes2Virtue

The Diocese of Arlington has started a weekly series of 2 minute videos (of priests we know and love) that tackle short, specific ways to grow in virtue. Ordinary time in the Church year can be a little stagnant spiritually unless we're really making an effort, which I why I love the idea of this series. Here's one by Fr. Searby that I thought was helpful.

This and that

This, after Frankie reported one night at dinner that a certain Noah (there are many in her class) lied to the teacher about Frankie misbehaving. I would be cautious believing it, but for other Noah stories I've heard, and Frankie's general veracity about such things. Not sure if Frankie put Teresa up to this devious errand, or if Teresa conceived it herself...

Pirouetting in  her First Communion dress, for size.

First meeting of Families of Bethany at our parish (probably 30 children running around the house not included in the picture). Looking forward to more- a great group of families helping each other grow in holiness.

Someone had the courtesy to pull Our Lady up to the table for a muffin.

Gearing up for another snowstorm, complete with days off school. I've lost count how many days they've missed, but it's rather obscene.

A shout out to my dad (and Natalie in attendance) as he heads a big conference tonight- good luck!

St. Faustina presents her story

St. Faustina waiting to present after St. Juan Diego.

The holy crew. Frankie is hiding behind St. Kateri on the far right.

Releasing balloons with the names of saints on them in honor of All Saints Day. Cute idea, though as one mother noted, an environmentalist's nightmare...

The kinders got to watch the balloons being released and a little skit by Fr. Juan about running the race to get to Heaven.

Francesca did a wonderful job with her saint presentation this morning. She had memorized the whole thing and so didn't need Fr. Vives's notes (he's holding each saint's notes in his hand in case someone needs them). I think she did her namesake proud.  I got to see Frankie at school in action today, and it was illuminating. She could possibly be the teacher's pet, which has its positive and negative sides. She has a quiet maturity about her. Her table got to go first to get goodies at the reception after the presentations, and she brought back one cupcake (such restraint!), which she immediately offered to David and Rose, and she cheerfully went to stand in a long line to get another one for herself. She is very aware of others and their needs; she tried to quiet down her classmates when the teacher's instructions were going unheard in the din. I can see how she might be viewed as a a little too mature or aloof, which we don't want. Our goal is to have some classmates over hopefully to develop some less formal friendships. But we're proud of our little manang, who could run the house in our absence if needed.

Fall days

Sweet picture taken by a friend during Queen of Apostles' 50th Anniversary Mass.

Parading around the yard with pumpkins on a warm, autumn night...doesn't get much better than that.

"I got your nose!" We love visits from Dr. Steele (aka Auntie Tasha). 

Getting ready for the game on a make-shift couch. Who knew an AC grill could make a nice pillow?

Who needs jack-o-lanterns when Teresa's around with her smile?

Enter coat-weather (sigh), as well as some new yard friends.

First stab at raking.



We seem to have moved into fall, officially. Notre Dame lost to Florida State, a new season of Top Chef has begun, the air has taken a serious turn to chilly, the days are getting shorter, my sleep quality is getting poorer (I'm noticing a seasonal pattern here), and the formidable annual task is upon us of raking leaves from our tree-lined yards. Aunt Natalie is in Colorado for a month for the last push in her boss's run for Senate. School is in full swing, with a spate of holidays on the horizon. I've found this season to be particularly challenging the past couple years, what with my sleep problem and the extra responsibilities of mothering through several big holidays. But it's a time of year rich with opportunities for growth in many virtues (patience, hope, perseverance, joy, self-giving...), and above all for faith. Perhaps it's appropriate that the months entering into the Christmas season are marked with a little suffering, providing a more authentic experience of the Holy Family's plight (which surely wasn't carols, cookies, and presents), and the awareness that these feasts are but tiny foretastes of the real Feast that awaits us after a life of running the race. Happy fall everyone!

Easter

Bishop Loverde celebrated Easter Sunday Mass at our church this year, and he patiently agreed to pose for a family shot.

Happy Easter everyone!

Seder

The seder meal was delicious, and somber, and quick; I think we did justice to the essence of the meal. We found ourselves running out of time before 7pm Holy Thursday Mass, so we were a little rushed, but we began with this prayer for priests, passed around a glass of red wine (a sip for everyone), and dug in to hard boiled eggs, bitter herbs (parsley), homemade matzoh, and amazing roasted lamb. I hope we can make this a tradition; the meal was a good organic conversation-starter for the kids about the Last Supper, the initiation of the priesthood, and the Eucharist among many other topics. 

And now we have a solemn fast day. What are your Good Friday traditions?

The Pope and Pop-pop

 Pop-pop's conference in Rome seems to have been a wonderful success- congratulations Pop-pop!! Part of the wonder was being able to have a private audience with Pope Francis, who kindly agreed to hold up a Georgetown banner for a photo shoot. There are more beautiful pictures from this encounter that I haven't been able to download yet, but rest assured they'll be coming (copyright permitting!).

Georgetown's website has a picture on its front page. Nice work Dad!

This one's priceless- hoping to get a non-fuzzy version soon.

Thanksgiving

So much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving after what seems to have been a Lenten year.

God continues to shower graces on our family, gifting us when we have the courage to be like supple clay in His hands. The saying goes that God never gives us a cross we can't handle. But what does it mean to "handle" a cross, exactly? My experience has been when I think I'm about to be crushed by some cross, and just when I cry out for help, He sends a reminder in some form that He has everything under control, if only I trust Him. A life of faith seems to be marked by this dichotomy- mortal fear rising up, then a deep act of trust in a loving Father's goodness. "Handling" a cross is simply recognizing one's complete dependence on God in the face of suffering. The sufferings don't disappear, but fear and sadness are replaced with gratefulness and renewed strength.

I'm reading St. Faustina's diary again, because it is truly a tour de force of God and the soul. I can see why the overarching message of her diary, which John Paul the Great emphasized so much during his pontificate, speaks so forcefully to our generation: don't be afraid, trust in God's goodness and mercy, see how much He wants to forgive you, strengthen you, console you. I, for one, am mortally afraid of suffering and prone to feeling overwhelmed. St. Faustina's diary serves as a beautiful reminder of the antidote. Christ tells her:

My child...entrust yourself completely to My will, saying 'Not as I want, but according to Your will, O God, let it be done unto me.' These words, spoken from the depths of one's heart, can raise a soul to the summit of sanctity in a short time. In such a soul I delight. Such a soul gives Me glory. Such a soul fills heaven with the fragrance of her virtue. But understand that the strength by which you bear sufferings comes from frequent Communions. So approach this fountain of mercy often, to draw with the vessel of trust whatever you need. (1487)

My child, life on earth is a struggle indeed; a great struggle for My kingdom. But fear not, because you are not alone. I am always supporting you, so lean on Me as you struggle, fearing nothing. Take the vessel of trust and draw from the fountain of life-- for yourself, but also for other souls, especially such as are distrustful of My goodness. (1488)

Leading up to Christmas, Joseph and Mary must have made countless acts of trust in the face of terrible uncertainties. Happy Advent to all- prayers for many fruitful acts of trust throughout this season of preparation!

A little after dinner wrestling

Frankie the theologian

This is a conversation between Frankie and Teresa that overhear every couple weeks or so. It varies in detail, but the essence is usually the same. I always wish I had a pen and paper. This time I did. While coloring:

Teresa: "Frankie, I like the angels and the saints and..."
Frankie interrupting: "I like everyone in the world. Except the devil."
Teresa: "Everyone in the world except the devil, and exceeeept...."
Frankie: "Oh, I like him."
Teresa: "The evil king in Syria??"
Frankie: "Yeah, I like him. You're supposed the like people who are bad, right Mom?" (me: that's right...)
Frankie: "Mom, I'm going to offer my birthday to God. I give my birthday to God, and God gives my birthday that I gave to Him to other people who are poor. Get it?"
Teresa: "Can I give my birthday too?"
Frankie: "Yeah, you can. You don't have to, but you can."

There's frequently a soliloquy by Frankie about what Heaven and Hell are like, and how much she loves the angels and saints. Teresa is always listening with rapt attention, asking questions. Perhaps teaching is in Frankie's future, as she seems quite comfortable instructing the ignorant.

The Shroud of Turin

This is so fascinating. You may have noticed the Shroud is back in the news the past week because of Pope Francis's remarks on it and a new book of research that's come out (to be peer reviewed shortly). I didn't know the Shroud's authenticity was "debunked" in the 80's by carbon dating. Apparently that carbon dating sample has been called into question- here's the back story and an explanation of the current claim that the Shroud is from the 1st century when you have 45 minutes:

New Evidence on the Shroud

Bottom line: the carbon dating sample taken from the edge of the shroud in the 80's had medieval cotton woven into the original linen fabric, quite possibly causing incorrect carbon dating. 

Habemus Papam!

Pope Francis I: the first Francis, the first Jesuit and the first Latin American to be pope. He took the bus to work as Archbishop of Argentina. He's a professor of chemistry. I can't wait to learn more about him, and what God in His providence has in store for the Church. Pope Francis, we love you!