Conference Weekend

Last weekend we ventured just up the highway to a lake resort where a Catholic young adult and family conference was being held. Our friends head up the group that put on the conference, and there were several other families that we know who attended. The focus was more on young adults, and the 800+ people were more in the early-mid 20s age range, but we still had a good time and were glad to get to visit a bit with some of the other families.

We registered in early August, but as the date got closer we realized that Saturday would be the first day of baseball games for the boys, as well as their team photos. We opted to still go to the conference, but to come back for games on Saturday and then head back to the resort late in the afternoon before mass.

Although we missed pretty much all of the talks and some of the fun family activities, we did get to attend the Friday night fajita dinner, outdoor kid games, and concert, the Saturday evening mass, BBQ dinner, and I got to hear a couple talks and some worship/Adoration time. Sunday was a day of rest and family time at the resort, so we spent about four hours at the pool area before heading back home.

The highlight of Friday night events was the outdoor concert, and our little dancers. Steven Joseph is quite the wild child when it comes to dancing at weddings and concerts. A person in the audience actually took this video of him and Katie Grace dancing, and I found it on Instagram. They were pretty cute!

A highlight of the Saturday events for me was the short time I spent hearing some talks and worship music with Adoration that night. Right when I walked in, the topic happened to be about how sometimes God needs to "cut us open" and fix our hearts from the inside. I think the word "scalpel" was even used. As I'm approaching my 6th c-section, this was a poignant analogy. It's a painful physical and emotional experience to go through a major surgery while wide awake, and yet knowing something so good is going to come out of it...a beautiful new baby! As it gets closer I definitely struggle with more and more anxiety about the procedure, our health, the recovery, and our family's future as regards more children. But God always teaches me some beautiful lessons in this. I am trying to take this aspect of my life and my motherhood and use it for good things.

Sunday was a day of fun as we enjoyed the mini golf, pool and water park there at the resort. It was nice to be able to sleep in and not rush off to early morning mass and Sunday school. I even snuck into the breakfast buffet for a little date with Katie Grace...I love a good breakfast! Although Steven and I didn't get to visit with friends much this day because of the logistics of where the table was and the kids were playing in the pools, we had a nice day ourselves and enjoyed some delicious pizza for lunch before we headed home! 

Some snapshots of the weekend...

I opted to go and check in with the kids since Steven was running late. It was quite an ordeal getting checked in and taking things to our room!

A little snapshot of the Friday night dinner area outdoors, lots of games, a bounce house, and tables to sit outside and enjoy visiting with friends while we ate some fajitas!

Saturday morning looking over the lake and the young people praying

Another angle of the hotel tower and the outdoor area where we hung out

Katie Grace on Saturday night after Mass, playing in the bushes

a kiss for big sis!

hotel room fun watching tv!

Another look over the lake with a young person praying, recalling those years when I would just sit in the grass and pray, read the bible, and journal.

my breakfast date who kept wanting to do "cheers" over and over again with our glasses

a little collage from Sunday fun out our hotel window and in the pools

It was a fun weekend and a nice little getaway for our family. Although we didn't get to attend our usual Fullness of Truth family conference in August, we're grateful that there was this nice conference just up the road from us where we could spend a little time with our family, our friends, and Our Lord!

House Blessing 2016

I think we started trying to coordinate a house blessing around October! Along with the holiday season, our pastor has been very busy the past few months with all the exciting things going on for the Ordinariate. We were finally able to schedule it for last weekend. 

We had our pastor and his family (he's married, a convert to Catholicism, see Ordinariate link above!), some friends from church, and our other long-time friends who have seen us through quite a few moves (SEVEN homes since we've known them!), so it was a time of joy and thanksgiving for this new beautiful home we've been graced with. My parents stopped in too, and we shared in some good Texas BBQ grilled by Steven, and spent time enjoying the gorgeous February weather we've had this year.

We are so grateful for this home!

Father starts in prayer.

Steven Joseph had his first baseball game, which we all missed except my parents! But he made it back in time for the blessing and got to hold the holy water!

We paraded around the house, as he prayed and blessed the living and dining areas, the kitchen, the bedrooms and bathrooms, the front door, the cars, the garage, and even the backyard and porch!

In each room he offered a beautiful prayer for what would go on in that space and thanking God for those gifts. 

He blessed the children in their rooms.

And he had the funniest blessing for MC, mentioning how she gets her own, quiet room! But he also prayed that having time in her room alone will prepare her to go out alone into the world to follow Christ.

It brings a new peace knowing that we have prayed in this place and had it blessed. It was also nice to get the house in tip-top shape, probably the cleanest it has been and the cleanest it will ever be! I took photos of the rooms so that I can do a house tour soon. Thanks to all who have prayed us here to this place, and I hope that it will continue to be a home that we're able to share with others, and a place where we encounter Christ every day in our own little family. 

O heavenly Father, Almighty God, we humbly beseech Thee to bless and sanctify this house and all who dwell therein and everything else in it, and do Thou vouchsafe to fill it with all good things; grant to them, O Lord, the abundance of heavenly blessings and from the richness of the earth every substance necessary for life, and finally direct their desires to the fruits of Thy mercy. At our entrance, therefore, deign to bless and sanctify this house as Thou didst deign to bless the house of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; and may the angels of Thy light, dwelling within the walk of this house, protect it and those who dwell therein. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Ordination Day of Bishop Lopes

The Ordination festivities started with a Prayer Vigil and Choral Evensong on Monday evening and a Tuesday morning mass for Candlemas, followed by talks. After this was an Ordinariate festival all afternoon. It started with the old English country dances performed by our kids and their homeschool friends.

Practicing upon arrival

Checking out the area with the inflatables

All of our dancers!

Time to perform!

The next performers were the bagpipers from St. Thomas Episcopal

Sisters fighting! 

A sweet little moment between some Sisters and a priest 

I just realized that these little ones were sitting in just the same spot!

 Two Sisters and a priest one day?

Babies and Texas ribs!

Babies and giant sticks!

Not photographed was our crazy afternoon of missing keys, waiting for Daddy, readying for the mass, finding dinner, circling downtown for a parking space, and finally arriving into the Co-Cathedral just as the procession was beginning! Steven and the big kids had a spot in the sanctuary but I stayed in the vestibule with Katie and later Thomas.

I believe there were around 150 priests, over 30 bishops, and 6 cardinals!

Cardinal Levada, our pastor Fr. Hough, and Cardinal Müller

Homily by Cardinal Levada

Bishop Lopes preparing for Ordination

Cathedra

And this was what my view was like during the mass!

I think this was my favorite part, Bishop Lopes' mother and step-father bringing up the gifts at the Offertory. His father died when he was a teen.

All the handsome altar servers

Cardinal Müller

Cardinals and Bishops

The newest Bishop!

My crazy crew after mass

Tommy with a plate of strawberry leaves

Katie Grace and her friend "Party Addy" having fun at the reception which ended at 11pm! We got home at midnight. A full, but very blessed and grace-filled day!

I'll also add the YouTube video of Bishop Lopes' remarks at the end of the mass. Especially poignant is the explanation of his motto "Magna Opera Domini," Great are the works of the Lord.