Topsy, Turvy, Terrific!

May is here already!
 Time is zooming by, as usual.  
The weather where we live makes me want to be outside all. the. time.  I know that is such a blessing when God's playground hollers for our company.
So,

we found a park nearby that we have promised to visit at least once a week.  The readers in the family want to make it their new reading nook.

"Some" of us had a fun OUTing, there recently.

While missing the other members of the family, we still made the best of things:)

I really *love* how these photos turned out...

But there's one, little, "if only."  "If only" our whole family unit were in them!

Can I just say the I really miss those days when all 5 kids were in every photo?
It has me feeling topsy turvy.  

I know that time in our life has officially passed but I just miss it.

It's a new phase now...A new place.
We have a young adult growing out of his teens this year and an older child who is quickly growing into a young adult.  At the same time, we still have youngers who are still sweet and innocent, though growing just as quickly.  I am really, really, trying to savor every moment!
  

As for precious moments, this Mama recently had a lovely opportunity to visit our college son.  He's doing great and we are so proud of him:)  He's on the Dean's list and heading to Rome for a semester in August...
[This college has an amazing campus of its own right outside of Rome!]

I have to say that it is an amazing blessing to witness your own children living so much better (including making better decisions) than you did at their age!  
I am beyond grateful.

My oldest daughter went along to be my travel buddy and we had fabulous mother-daughter time!

We arrived just in time to see the last of the famous Texas Blue Bonnets (State Wildflower) in bloom.  They are so pretty!

These 2 photos were taken on my son's campus.  I just love "the tower" in the background...Students call it the beacon of hope:)

Princess loved experiencing her first college campus!  

Big brother enjoyed showing us around...

He loves the intimate class {round table} setting.

Princess loved the peaceful surroundings:)

A bonus to our travels was a visit with some Texas friends.  Patty and I met in the blog world and connected "real life" when our son first left for this college near her home. It's so fun to meet a fellow blogger and even more of a blessing to form a lovely friendship.  As Patty said herself:  "Friends are good medicine."  True indeed.  
God places just the right people in our paths according to His good timing and plan.

One of the neat things about this time around was that some of our children got to meet up in "girly heaven."  

Can you guess where?

It was such a fun morning, to say the least! This bunch is a sweet family to hang out with, let me tell ya:) And the boys DID survive! *wink*

With the tides of change, bonus blessings always abound...

Speaking of... This trip I finally got to meet Charlotte, from Waltzing Matilda!  We met prior to and (had the chance to chat) after a beautiful Cistercian Mass near the college campus.  {The college my son is attending is also the Alma Mater for Charlotte and her husband:)} It won't come as a surprise that she and her family are just beautiful, both inside and outside the blogging world! 

There are so many of you that I'd love to meet!  Maybe someday... If not in this world, maybe the next:)

It was a wonderful trip with good memories to cherish.

For now, I will be happy with the topsy turvy.  
We might not always be together but together we will always be.
That's the goal, at least:)

Through it all, I'm finding that even the topsy turvy is pretty darned terrific!

+God is good+

Students Bid Farewell To Papa

I just had to share this great farewell photo and beautiful article that my son sent me of many friends from his University.  This is the University of Dallas, Rome Campus... How exciting that he will be there next year to meet the new Pope!  Original link at EWTN.  This campus looks beautiful...Can I go too?

College students in Rome send farewell message to Benedict

By: Michelle Bauman

Rome, Italy, Mar 1, 2013 / 07:02 pm (EWTN News/CNA)

More than 100 students send a message to Pope Benedict as he flew overhead in a helicoptor to Castel Gandolfo. 

Credit: University of Dallas.

Students at the University of Dallas who are spending this semester in Rome had a special opportunity to show their love and support for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as he officially retired from the papacy.

“It was a very special moment because we were able to give the Pope a farewell present that was totally unique,” said Ada Thomas.

On Feb. 28, as the Pope traveled by helicopter from the Vatican to his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo to begin his retirement, University of Dallas students were taking part in a campus tradition – the “Geek Olympics,” a day of games held each semester before the students embark on a trip to Greece.

Dressed in multi-colored togas, the students interrupted their activities to send the Pope a special message as he passed close to their campus. They aligned themselves on the school’s soccer field to spell out the word “Benedictus” and cheered as the retiring Pope passed.

“As we squinted up, we could just make out a tiny white speck looking down on us,” Thomas told EWTN NEWS.

“Being a convert, Pope Benedict is the only pope I've ever known, so I am terribly sad to see him resign,” she explained. However, she added, everyone has “been tremendously supportive of the Pope's decision, and we have been able to see how much he truly appreciates it.” 

Each semester, the University of Dallas – a Catholic university based in Texas – sends approximately 100 students to its Due Santi campus located just outside of Rome, less than two miles from Castel Gandolfo.

While the semester is generally remembered as a highlight of students’ time at the university, those who are in Rome this spring have had a particularly memorable trip.

Alex Taylor remembers precisely where he was when he heard the news of Pope Benedict’s resignation on Feb. 11.

He told EWTN News that he and his classmates were getting out of an Art and Architecture class, and when the announcement was made, “the room went from being relatively quiet to abuzz with murmuring students.”

“We were both sad to see Benedict go, but definitely excited to be in Rome during a papal election, which is such a rare privilege,” he explained.  Daily Mass on campus that afternoon “was absolutely full,” he continued. “We definitely wanted to gather together in prayer for the pope's intentions and for the Holy Spirit to inspire the conclave, even from the very beginning of the proceedings.”

On Ash Wednesday, students “showed up en masse” to the papal Mass, which Taylor called “an inspiring occasion” and his first glimpse of the Holy Father in person since arriving in Rome.  With the announcement of the resignation, he said, “every opportunity to see him became even more important.”

The Holy Father’s “care and love for the liturgy was apparent” during the celebration of the Mass, Taylor said, adding that “somehow, he reminded me of my own grandfather back home.”

“I really see the Church as a family, and the pope, whoever he is, is in a way, our father in the faith, correcting us and making sure we do what's right, but always in a spirit of faith, hope, and love,” he continued. Taylor and a friend later brought an American flag from a souvenir shop to one of Pope Benedict’s final public events.  He explained that “we both really wanted the pope to realize that there are many in America that support and love him, and support the orthodoxy of the Church.”

The university was able to obtain tickets for the entire student body on the Rome campus to attend the Pope’s last general audience on Feb. 27. Classes were canceled and students were woken up at 5:30 a.m. to travel by bus to St. Peter’s Square.  “Everyone at the audience was very enthusiastic,” Taylor said, adding that it was an “exhilarating experience” to hear the Holy Father address the pilgrims from around the world “in their native tongues.”

Thomas agreed, adding that the event was “a moment of great unity,” showing “the vitality and joy” of the Church as the Pope promised “his continued love and prayers.”

“It also was a testament to Benedict's work over the last eight years, and the great gratitude that all Catholics feel towards him,” she said.

Shortly after the Holy Father’s flight past the campus, Thomas said that she made her way “up to Castel Gandolfo, along with a friend, and prayed a Rosary during Benedict's last hour as Pope.”

“It was very quiet in the Piazza, and I really had the chance to reflect on the last eight years,” she said. “Pope Benedict has been a great influence on me, both spiritually as well as intellectually, and being there for the last hour of his pontificate was my personal way of thanking him.”  “Then at 8 o'clock sharp, the Swiss Guards closed the doors to the Papal residence, and, very quietly, it was all over.”

As the Catholic Church now waits for the cardinals to elect a new Supreme Pontiff, the University of Dallas students are grateful for the blessing of being in Rome during such a historic time.

All Kids In The CAV

It's been a glorious Christmas with all chicks back in the nest...College boy is home again after a 4 month stretch! Nothing makes a Mama happier than having all of her children home.  It's been the best gift.

College has been good for him and he is very, VERY, happy there!  It's an amazing experience to watch your children grow into their own individual lives...They are out in the world making it their own, making decisions that shape their future, without your daily guidance. It's a very strange feeling. Our prayers fly with them and we cherish when they make it back into the nest again.  They are always our children but new blessings come as we get to know them as adults.  We are all embarking on new and unchartered ground.  He feels the transition and so do we.

The best thing we did was load all kids in the CAV (Catholic Assault Vehicle) a week before Christmas and head to the snow...Just our family for 2 nights.  A fellow firefighter offered up his humble abode to us and we were able to spend quality (concentrated) time, together.  It was a time of getting to know college boy in a new way.  It was a time for college boy to reconnect with all of us.  Just 2 nights was all we needed for some good bonding with a little bumping and bickering grinding too:)

We couldn't remember this little one ever playing in the snow...It's been a few years since we've ventured out in the great white!  Isn't it wonderful when little ones fit right into their older sibling hand-me-downs?  

We had a couple of bins filled with old snow clothes and MIRACULOUSLY, we outfitted the whole family without a single purchase!  Yes, snow angels DO exist:)

We had fun watching movies, 

playing cards, and just hanging out.

A day of ice skating was a treat!

Everyone helped teach the littlest one how to do it!

Dad had to sit out due to some tendonitis going on...But the rest of us had a blast!

I did fall once and bumped my hip pretty good but luckily just a bruise! We had a day pass so we came back and skated at night:)

Thank you, Lord for a special time.

The scenery was spectacular at this lake that never freezes!

How funny that we were standing on a snow-covered beach...Playground and all!

It is true that the present moment really is the best present...In this sense, Christmas came early at our house.  

A Mom Is Always A Mom

I just returned from Parent's Weekend at my son's college.  I must say, the university did a fabulous job planning many fun activities. For me, however, it was more about the hugs.  

It was all about checking on in and spending time with my son, rather than running around to all of the special events. (Though we did attend a few:) Let's face it, Moms worry about their kids and we never stop wanting the best for them, even when they leave home as adults.  I'd be the first to admit that sometimes I cling too tight...Especially when the distance is incredibly long!  I know in my head heart that Jesus has the wheel on this one but I still need an occasional visual check and tangible reassurance that my child is o.k., all these miles away. (Even if he's almost 19 years old)!  

I just had a few simple questions that I needed answers to.  Is that really too much for a Mom to ask?

1. Is my son really o.k., alive and well?

2. Is my son happy?

3. Is my son healthy?

At first glance, he looked really tired.  I heard about the tough academics and I saw, first hand, the physical effects.  Yet all the answers came out with a yes. Yes, he is alive and well.  Yes, he is healthy (though a bit thin) and YES, he is happy.  Best of all, I saw that he is not just artificially happy on the outside but deeply fulfilled on the inside.  In return, this makes a Mom unequivocally happy, right?  
I must say that I observed that this joy seems to be a common experience at a university that digs deep, beyond the surface of our shallow humanity.

This begins with the campus.....

It's a beautiful campus, don't get me wrong.  But it's not immediately pleasing to the visual expectations that the world might have. Although it does have this strong tower...

I found that exploring this particular university is a process of discovery.  Obviously, one does not come here for the beach or the mountain scenery...there is none of that. 

But there's something else that you find here, something beyond the beach and the mountains.  There's just something about being here that you can't put your finger on...something about peace...

...And there's something about the trees that help deliver it.

As I meandered down the lush green paths, framed by an assortment of branches, I felt protected.

If you really pay attention to the silence in your heart, it might seem that these woods have arms begging to embrace you...At the same time gently nudging you down mysterious walkways, leading you beyond yourself.  I wondered if the students here feel the same way...?

The students call the campus a "bubble" and I found it rightly so.

Maybe it's just me but despite the mystery, I found simple and purposeful beauty everywhere I looked...

At the heart of the campus, I found what I believe is the source of peace, the energy behind it, delivered by the trees of course...

The Lord of heaven and earth is exposed here every day, all day.

How can this place not be a bubble? 

Or a canopy of love?

That's my motherly opinion, anyway.
Note~BIG DISCLAIMER:

I'm also not naive enough to believe that it's a perfect fairy tale, here in this place.  Don't get me wrong, I understand that college kids are having all kinds of fun, day in and day out.  Yet a mighty force is still there, I just know it is.  It's boldly watching and waiting, strategically exposed by the trees.

And back to that strong tower...Oh how I've fallen in love with the tower.  Surely I'm one in a million who have done the same thing!

Seen from almost every nook and cranny of the campus, it is the beacon of light that shines over the heart.

It is there for all to see.

"...the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."~1 John 1:5

I'll admit there were moments when I forgot where I was...You could be anywhere, really.  Especially when it poured buckets of rain.
Take your pick...Texas or anywhere...Near a lamp post or lantern waste, maybe?

It doesn't really matter when you have a strong tower.

Some dear friends, whose daughter is now an alum from here, asked me to give the strong tower a hug for them.  I was happy to do as they wished!

Greeted by new friends and smiling faces, an army of angels encamped me!

I got to meet a dear bloggy friend for the 2nd time...This time around was super special as I got to meet her lovely children!  Patty, who blogs at Reasons for Chocolate, met me on campus and whisked me away for an authentic Texan lunch...Stuffed, fried, avocados, with tortilla soup:)  YUM!

Patty is a dear, just like you would imagine, and her children reminded me so much of my own.  They (all of them) truly blessed my whole afternoon!

Looking back on my trip, it's hard to believe that I fretted so much about coming back to Texas.  Traveling alone is what stressed me out.  I had been to campus once before in the secure company of a dear friend.  But I knew this time was meant to be different.  I needed to face things on my own, once and for all.  I have often wondered why the good Lord has brought our family full circle...Back to a large state that holds very traumatic memories, a place where my late, dear, husband was killed.  Texas state prisons hold the robbers who committed this horribly, random, crime.  The whole circle, bringing our son back here for college, is so mind boggling that only God could have designed such a plan...a plan for His peace.

Peace came right along, right here, in spite of my fretting, in spite of myself.  I give full credit to my local prayer warrior friends that I called upon before my departure.  I know, without a doubt, that I was carried on the wings of their prayers.  Truly, not an ounce of fear beheld me, not once! This is a miracle as I'm one who struggles with anxiety and PTSD. It was certainly amazing grace.

This statue of St. Michael stands at the entry to the Church of the Incarnation on campus.  On Saturday, the Feast of the Archangels, I found it fitting to pray in thanksgiving.

(September Magnificat, pg. 386)

"Give thanks to the Lord, all his hosts

his servants who do his will.

Give thanks to the Lord, all his works,

in every place where he rules.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord!"

In my last hours at the university, I strolled around campus while my son did some studying.  Popping into the Adoration Chapel,  I offered my prayers for all those who have prayed for me.  Last but not least, I entrusted my son to the great I Am.  In my foolishness, of course.  After all, it is I who had been the borrower all these years.  Our children are never ours to keep, they are His and we are the entrusted ones.  

Kneeling there, I left them there, all of my prayers.
College boy might just think he's the one that's "free"...but guess what?  So am I.  Not free of being a Mom, of course. (That job is never done) But free of the things that keep me from trust...Trust in the one who trusted me in the first place, the One who entrusts all Mothers (and Fathers) with His children.

One thing's for sure, I'll carry that strong tower in my heart, until we meet again.

I'll carry the mystery and possibilities of a future filled with promise.

I'll carry the little things in life that really matter, the things unseen by the human eye.

The treasures of blessed moments and time well spent.

There among the roses, kneels Our Lady, Queen of Angels, Mother of God.  Peeking through the branches, of the trees that deliver me, I smile.
No words spoken, no words needed.
A statue remains but a mother's heart still beats in us all...

She more than anyone else surely knows that a Mom is always a Mom.