-1-
Anniversary No. 9 Kevin
and I are still awed and amazed at all that God has done in our lives since we
first met and became friends back when I was just sweet sixteen. I guess it makes sense that I can’t imagine
my life without Kevin since he’s been an integral part of it for so long. A new friend, a best friend, a boyfriend, and
for the past nine years my husband.
Wow! I never in a million years
would have thought we’d be where we are now: LAUGHING TOGETHER, wanting most to
do the Lord’s will, and glorify Him through the gift, the covenant, the
Sacrament of our marriage. I love you,
Babe, and there’s no doubt: you’re still the one!
-2-
Harry Potter’s Birthday The
real Harry
Potter was born on Labor Day weekend in 1927, and he passed away on Memorial
Day weekend in 2005. Kevin’s
father was a very loving, caring man.
He was an incredibly devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, neighbor, and friend. Going
with Harry to visit Joyce (his wife and Kevin’s mom) was when I witnessed one of the most loving encounters I’ve ever seen between a husband and wife. Joyce was living in a nursing home because she
was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s.
Harry went every day to see her.
He’d feed her lunch, trim her nails, change her, and was so incredibly
gentle and tender, it would melt your heart.
All of this, and Joyce was too sick to speak or open her eyes. The only way I knew for sure that she knew he
was there was by the power of his love.
We love you and miss you, Harry!
Thank you for bringing me even closer to your only son.
-3-
Laid-off on Labor
Day?! At some point we might be able to find it humorous that Kevin found
out on Labor Day that he has been let go from the job (along with a slew of
other people from a number of other sites that the company’s closing) but we’re not
quite there, yet. He’d been there for
four and a half years when he got the call.
Fortunately, the supervisor is a friend who had the decency to wait
until we were back from vacation to call and talk with him.
We have been talking about changes and being
open to God’s will for our lives. It’s a
frequent discussion we have based on many different areas of our lives. After hearing some of the things his nephews
and cousins have been working on lately, Kevin’s been wondering if/when/where/how
he’ll again be able to use the invention-rich, mechanically, and electronically-inclined
parts of his brain. He’s got some great
ideas and too many skills in too many areas to put on a regular résumé. He’s genuinely been asking the Lord what He
wants him to do with the gifts and passion he’s been given. We’d really appreciate your prayers as we
continue listening to God and following where He leads us. Please and thanks!
-4-
Haiti Rummage Sale This Saturday there is a
very special event taking place at our church all the proceeds of which will go
to our Haiti Twinning Ministry. If you’re
in town or thereabouts, come check it out.
They’ll have everything from furniture and housewares, bikes and books,
clothes and toys on sale all under one roof.
Come one, come all this Saturday September 7, 2013 from 7:00am to noon
at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church 4491 Springfield Road Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 (FYI, the people pictured here are extremely dedicated to this fundraiser and are really fun to be around. Look for them Saturday doing it up!)
-5-
Can We Talk
Discernment? It occurred to me in writing about the Rummage Sale that it
was after helping pack up and clean up following that event some four years ago that John and I had
our first heart-to-heart about vocation discernment. I guess that makes this weekend another
anniversary of sorts. God has brought
some really amazing people into our lives over the past four years.
We’ve been very
blessed to be on part of the journey with two of our siblings in Christ and
best friends as they prayerfully discerned the next step God was calling them
to take towards their life-long vocations.
John just started his second year of seminary at St. Mary’s in Baltimore, Maryland, and Michele entered the cloistered monastery in Carmel, California
known as the Carmelite Sisters by the Sea on August 6, 2013. In some ways, it kind of feels like Kevin and I are empty nesters now. I said to Kevin
the other day that I wonder who else who is discerning God will put in our
lives next.
-6-
Must Love Dance! I
know something really inspires me when after 9+ hours of taking care of my three favorite cuties, two of whom are feeling sick and snotty, doing
"We're going on Bear Hunt" full-out twice in addition to all the
other typical running around, I have the energy to move and dance throughout
most of a movie (Step Up 2). My youngest sister's the one who's a senior dance
major at Ohio State University, but let me tell you she's not the only one who looooves to dance!
-7-
Prayer
Warriors Unite! Last Friday, I received a text from my spiritual director
requesting major prayer cover for a Cursillista named Joan who is in critical
condition. Please join me in praying for
Joan, her family, and all who are suffering in mind, body, and/or spirit as
well as those who care for and about them. (Just so you know, I’m always open to receiving prayer requests, so send them along.)
