Maya pray for us

I write this with a very heavy heart, my cousin's little baby who was bone five days ago passed away this morning. The doctors had said Maya had a 75% chance to make it, she was born at 25 weeks, just at a one pound.
As parents who were told our baby (Rose) had a 80% chance of survival I was very optimistic. We as a family offered up many prayer, our daily rosary, daily Mass, Holy Hour, several little sacrifices, and prayers through out the day; yet she was called back to be with our Lord. This is not at all easy.

Our jobs as parents is to help our children get to heaven and be with God for eternity. They don't belong to us; He has entrusted them to us for a brief moment on this earth. So we should be happy when our children can go to heaven, yet this not the feeling we experience. The pain one feels at the loss of a child must be indescribable. I can't even imagine the pain Maya's parent, grandparents, uncles and aunts are going through.

I pray they can unite their suffering with our Lord. I pray they find comfort in our Lady, who watched her Son as he was being crucified. I ask for prayers for Maya's parents, family and friends.
We love you, little angel; we will meet you in the Eucharist.

Maya pray for us.

-Mallu

Thanksgiving weekend 2009 (just a bit late)

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

What I found in the Living Room

While I was creating the last post about our Ravens game I asked Inch to take care of G-MAC. Mallu Mom was at a confirmation parent meeting with "U". Rose called me into the living room and this is what I saw.


All of the kids do such a great job taking care of G-MAC

Sigining

A friend of ours gave GMAC a gift, Baby Signing Time, Dvd's & CD's. It has opened up a whole new world for us. We didn't realize how much really goes on in that little mind. We don't let GMAC watch the tube at all, the only exception is Signing time. She watches it once, maybe twice a week. It's amazing how much she has learned, and how well she can communicate with us by singing. She asks us to eat, drink, to take a bath and so much more by signing. She also knows how to sign Jesus, and Mary, no she didn't learn that from the DVD, she learned that from one of my friends. When GMAC listens to the CD in the van, Rose and even the boys sign with her. I would have to say the whole family has learned quite a bit of sign language form this wonderful gift.

Soccer has begun

This is our 3rd year with with a family friendly sports league. All three kids love to play soccer, and what we like is that all the ages practice at the same time in the same place. All of the games are Saturday mornings and are all done by noon. The league emphasizes great values and FRIENDLY competition. It has been really great to see all of the kids improve their skills over the last few years.

My sister was visiting and was able to take picture of the first games. Unfortunately Rose was feeling sick and missed the first game.
---Crucian Dad

A tale of two sisters

Here is a funny observation

Both Mallu Mom and I have sisters with the same first name.

But the similarities don't end there.

Both sisters

• work with young children in classrooms
  
• are very artistic
• have gotten into photography
• have turned their photography into side businesses
• Look and act younger than they are
• are very funny
• they are both very helpful
• are very loved by their Nieces and Nephews

New School Year

We started our new school year today with 6:30 am Mass! It was easy to get the kids up and out the door, since they really don't like to get to Mass late. This was probably the quickest we've ever gotten out the door. I am not sure if we will keep going to 6:30 Mass or switch to8:00 am, we will have to see what will work out best.

This year Inch is in 10th grade, U is in 8th, Rose is in 3rd and GMAC is learning from all of her siblings. This is our 3rd year with Mother of Divine Grace Homeschool. We've tried a few other curriculum and they just weren't for us. MODG has been the best fit. Inch and U are taking some of their classes through learning support; this is a discussion class offered via the telephone. Inch really enjoyed these classes last year.
Although, I was not as organized as I would have liked been for the 1st day of school, it worked out pretty well. Maybe the credit should be given to the Graces of the Eucharist.

Family Day at Camp

Yesterday was Family Day at Scout Camp. The boys got to show is around their campsite and we watched the Troops compete in a bunch of games in and around the pool. Every year they have a theme for the games, this year it was Mardi Gras.

yep those are the boys under the masks!

look closely, you can see Inch just missing pushing out the greased watermelon out of the pool.
Most of the boys are 2-3 years older than him

U and 3 others scouts had to make a human canoe and race other troops. The won their first heat and came in third in the finals

After the games we watched the formal retreat ceremony. This camp has a unique tradition of respecting the Flag with a retreat and pass and review. It is really cool. The marching isn't exactly done with military precision but not bad for a bunch of tired sweaty kids.

Lining up with all of the other troops

Marching begins

Well they are "kinda" in step ;-)

After retreat the family ate dinner togetherand everyone got ready for the final campfire. This is where all of the campers are recognised for all of their accomplishments for the week. The Order of the Arrow also puts on a really cool show. The OA is the national honor society for Boy Scouts. It uses American- Indian styled traditions and ceremonies. The boys are elected by the peers for best exemplifying the ideals of Scouting. This was the first year that the boys went to camp as "Arrowmen" so they were able to participate in the pageant. As we were walking to the campfire all of the boys in the padgeant lined our path.

Inch playing the of the indian brave very seriously

"U" had a little harder time composing himself

The braves walk into the campfire "U" is the far one centered in the picture

Inch played the part of the storyteller

This was G-MACs first year visiting camp and Mallu and Rose last visited two years ago. In the past I have either gone to camp with the boys as an abult leader or come for the games and stayed the night. This was the first year that I was just a visiting parent, it was kinda nice! No pressure no responsibilities.

"U" was really happy to see his family, Especially G-MAC

As one of the leaders Inch had a tent all to himself

Rose Eating with her big brother

Daddy and Me

Well it really has been a busy week for us. Lots of things that we wanted to post about but just never did.

The boys have been gone to camp for the last week and I have taken this time to really pour a lot of attention into Mystical Rose. Usually the boys, especially Inch, get the lions share of the attention because ....well they are just bigger and louder. Its not that we just ignore Rose but she has such a giving soul that she really thinks of others needs a lot. Well this week we were able to go to the pool almost every day (notice how dark we have both gotten) and I have been able to read to her a good deal from a story that we started months ago. But while it has been a very nice week. We were all just commenting at lunch yesterday how much we all miss the boys.

--Crucian Dad

Eternal Rest

Today we celebrated Rebekah's short life. She was 6 1/2 yrs old, we had the privilege of knowing only after she was diagnosed with cancer. We meet her family through some good friends. To know her has been a blessing. She is a girl who made friends everywhere she went.
I visited her before her Make a Wish trip to Disney. I went over to pray over her with the Relic of Blessed Mother Theresa. It was a powerful experience, very profound. She asked me if I would come back with the rest of the family, and I told her I would after the trip.

Here is what Rebekah's dad wrote soon after her death.

Our beloved daughter and sister, Rebekah Anna, has been called home
by our Lord. She made her Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World and on
Monday met Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Belle. She also met three
pixies, Tinker Bell, Fawn, and Iridessa.
On Wednesday morning she was showing signs of distress and we went
to the hospital. The doctors and nurses did all they could to make her
comfortable. Bekah watched The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and fell
asleep during Alice in Wonderland.
Rebekah died peacefully, in her sleep, at about 3:15 am on Thursday,
June 25th at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando,
Florida.
Thank you to all for your help, support, prayers, and love. A special
thanks to those who were able to come and visit. Bekah loved to be
with people and to have company.
Bekah’s was (and still is) a spirit of sun and joy and beauty and play
and fun. To honour that spirit, we ask that people coming to the
viewing and funeral wear "happy" colors, and help make this a
celebration of her life. Bekah did not like to see other people sad.

I've been to many funerals, but today was especially difficult, something about a child funeral strikes a different chord. Please pray for Bekah's family.
-Mullu Mom