Life begins. Life ends.

Tomorrow morning our friends and their 11 remaining children will bury their little 2 year-old, Augustine. At the same time, a few hours away, we will be welcoming a new member to the Catholic Church through baptism, Santiago Jose. We are honored to serve as the godparents of this precious baby and will take on the serious responsibility of praying for him and encouraging him in his Catholic life.

As our friends travel south to the funeral mass and burial, we will be traveling north to our college town where little Santiago will be baptized at the vibrant church where we were married. Both these holy Catholic mothers will entrust their sons to God. One will never see her son again this side of heaven. The other is beginning a journey as mother to 4 little sons who are being raised and formed in one of the most disciplined, simple, holy families I have encountered.

One mother says goodbye, while another says welcome. But these two mothers have so much in common. They take their duty to their children seriously, homeschooling them and educating them in the Faith and in the study of the beautiful world our Creator has given us. They both have welcomed many children in a short amount of time, and exhibit a true peace and confidence in their vocation to motherhood. Such holy families who I have so much to learn from!

Augustine's mother has been a real example to me as a young mom, she came to visit me in the hospital soon after I had Steven Joseph, even though we hardly knew each other. She had little 6 month-old Gus and several of his older sisters with her. I was struggling after the doctor had seemed discouraging about our hopes for several more children with my history of c-sections. When she arrived during this difficult time, it meant so much to me, especially since she herself had delivered 7 children (now 8) by cesarean section. She gave me the hope that I needed at that moment and for that I am truly grateful.

Little Augustine was also close to my heart, because he was born just a few months after I had miscarried a baby whom we named Augustine. I know he was so precious and loved as each of his 11 siblings are, and I know the loss must be terribly profound, horribly deep, and so, so difficult for all in their family.

And so tomorrow while we watch little Santiago as he is anointed, as he is blessed, as his soul becomes pure and white and beautiful, I will remember. I will remember that life is short. I will remember that baptism is the greatest gift we can give our child. I will remember that our children are on loan to us from God. I will remember to treasure every moment. I will remember to try harder each day to be a better mother.

I pray I can do as good a job as these beautiful mothers. Raising children to be saints, to love to know to serve God, and to spend eternity with him in Heaven...that is what this short life is about. May we all find solace in that Christ has made the ultimate sacrifice that we might attain this goal. And may we find HOPE in eternity, even when that eternity calls our loved ones so soon. Please keep both these families in prayer tomorrow. Thank you.

"May the angels lead you into paradise: may the martyrs receive you at your coming, and lead you to the holy city Jerusalem..."