HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !

 

 

**this is actually a stamp ( i added the year's numerals to it ) and i would love to pass along the makers name but i do not know it. 

Christmas Day

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!

 

 

 

I thought I would share some happy pictures from Christmas day. My post about Annie was a sad note on a busy day and as each day can contain a cornucopia of mixed emotions Christmas was no exception.  It was a day for remembering as well as creating new memories, for loving, laughing and sharing; a day for celebrating family. 

 

Notice Cohen hugging his Thomas the Tank Engine quilt Margaret made for him as Sophia is admires a plush sham Margaret gave her.

It is not as easy for Cohen to smile for the camera as it is for Sophia.  He does not like to have his picture made.

 

The best present anyone received this year was the gift of family.  Kasey, Toni's younger sister, flew in for a visit.  Toni has missed her family and friends very much since moving here so spending time with her sissy was a true gift of love.  

 

Are these not the three prettiest women you've ever seen ! ? 

 

I was able to spend the day with all of my grown children and all of the grandchildren except for one but he will be back in the states tomorrow.  Anna made a wonderful Christmas dinner and we spent the day at her house.  It was good.  I am blessed.

 

 

 

I am afraid I was not able to be up until midnight on Christmas Eve to hear the animals speaking to one another.  But, I am sure they did.                                                   

‘If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.’ *

 

You all have met Annie .  Remember?  She is Marian's baby.  Marian has had her for six years.  She and Marian have been through a lot together.

 

  

Marian called me Christmas morning and said Annie had been having very shallow breathing  and had a very restless night and she was going to take her to the emergency veterinarians in Winston Salem.  Her brother,  Mauro,  was going to go with her,  he was already at Anna's as we were all having Christmas dinner there.  He wanted to be with Marian in case she needed him....Big Brothers are good to have around in an emergency.   One of Marian's college friends was the veterinarian working at the  animal hospital so she felt very comfortable taking Annie to her rather than a stranger at the emergency clinic in Greensboro.  As it turned out Annie was in critical condition.  A grapefruit size tumor in her chest was causing bleeding from her spleen and in her lungs.  Jeniffer, the vet., told Marian there really wasn't anything that could be done.  ( This tumor was very fast growing as Annie had several total exams and x-rays in the past year because she had a total hip replacement in 2011 and chest x-rays and exams before and since then. )  Jeniffer told Marian she would try anything Marian wanted her to do to save Annie but that her dog had the same thing happen and she did  have the best of care, and surgery, but died nine days after her operation.  She gave Annie pain medication and told Marian she was very sorry and she could bring her back the next day or take her home but to,  " make a decision the day before you think you need to. "  Needless to say, we were all very upset at this news but also grateful to be able to say our goodbyes to Annie.  We also were able to comfort Marian and offer help if she needed us.   Marian stayed at Anna's until late evening and then took Annie home so they could be alone together.  Marian said Annie had a hard night because she could not breath and she herself did not sleep at all.  She had Annie to her regular vet at 7:30 AM  yesterday and Annie was put to sleep.

 

Please remember Marian in your prayers.  This year she has moved twice, changed jobs, seperated from her husband,  had a total hip replacement herself,  had to have her pet cat of eleven years put to sleep and now lost Annie. 

St. Francis of Assisi blesses a dog just like Annie ! 
* quote from blog,  StubbyDog,  Aug. 2011,

Anna and Trey's tree.

Gifts From the Heart

Vincent took Margaret, Sophia and Cohen to Sci Works, a museum in Winston Salem, on Friday morning.  The children love going to there.  They came back home around noon and the children ran excitedly into my room.   As she pulled this beautiful little bird from a brown paper bag Sophia began telling me she picked out a surprise for me, then she pulled out this beautiful ring.  She had  picked the gifts for me from a consignment shop they had gone into.  I couldn't be more pleased.    
 

Here is Yum Yum resting in her little soft sided box house.  I believe I need, and would enjoy, a people sized one, maybe in a soft beige color.  In my case it would have a door that could be locked and would be called a padded cell. 

 Here Pedro, ( Peddy) is playing with a toy I brought him.  You put treats or food pellets into the ball and the ball has to be rolled around to get the treats to fall out.  Marian half filled the ball and adjusted the hole's opening so the snack food would be difficult to remove.  Pedro pushed the ball around and managed to get a treat or two out.  Marian then took me out to dinner.  When we got home Marian says, "Oh, my god, Mom, Pedro has eaten all of the treats I put in his toy ! "  Peddy figured out how to manipulate the opening in the ball and not have to work so hard to get the food out.  Around three o'clock I woke and went into the kitchen...there in the middle of the hall floor Peddy had thrown up the treats.  The little pig.  I guess the toy wasn't such a good idea.

I came to spend the week-end with Marian and, as you can see, the excitment of Grandma's visit wore off pretty quickly and they reverted to their usual ' rambunctious ' behavior. 

O' Christmas Tree

Make a scrapbook design

Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat.....

Aunt Margaret and Cohen were up early this morning to admire the Christmas tree.
 

 

 

 They had worked very hard on getting it decorated.

Cohen points out his favorite decoration for me to see, a tiny brass tricycle. ( It is there, just hard to see. )

 

Margaret's favorite is this tiny mail box overflowing with Christmas packages. 

Sophia's Pre - K class had their Christmas play today.  Of course, Daddy, Mommy,  Cohen and Grandma' were there.

 

  To the left of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus are a cow, a donkey and a swine.  I'm sorry I couldn't get a better picture of them.  Their ears were much to be admired.

 Sophia was one of The Choir of Angels.  

 

 

 

There were the usual number of sheperds along with a what appeared to be few field hands and the Wise Men who brought gifts to honor the Child King.
 

After the play the children took  off their costumes and gathered to sing Christmas carols and distribute gifts they had made for their parents.  Cohen  went to the front of the room with his sister for a few minutes before the children started singing. 

After the program there were refreshments for everyone.  Sophia was caught by suprise with the inevitable post festivities let down every star feels when their big show closes.

 

 

 

After a talk with Daddy and some Mommy hugs the star compossed herself and we were able to have a post production lunch and go to the park to play.  It was a busy day indeed.

PRAYER FOR PEOPLE OF NEWTOWN, CONN

                                                                        

                                                 Jesus with the Little Children  


Come, O Jesus, Come!  You, who above all else, love the Little Children, Grace and Comfort the young ones that have been subjected to the greatest evil of this world. Wrap them in your loving embrace and still their frightened hearts and minds.  Restore their spirts, O Lord.

Come, O Jesus, Come!  Wipe away the children's every tear and send them consolation in their sorrow and fear.

 

Come, O Jesus, Come!  Send the Little Ones the blessed comfort and embrace of their earthly mother and father to teach them the way to love and trust again. 

 

Come O Jesus, Come!  Strengthen and enlighten the parents that they will have the  strength and ability to parent and love all of their children as you desire. 

 

Come, O Jesus, Come!  Bless the departed children's brothers and sisters in their grief and carry them through their grief and the emotions they do not understand with your healing light and grace.

Come, O Jesus, Come!  Bless the people of Newtown that they will overcome the horror thrust upon them and keep them unburdened from guilt and lingering fear.

Come, O Jesus, Come!  Comfort all those that came to the aid of the teachers and children as they now bear the burden of having seen the true work of evil. Unburden their minds and spirits, O Lord.

Come, O Jesus, come! 

We ask this through the Holy Innocence of Your Childhood and through the Love of your Blessed Mother, Mary.

            Amen

                                 

                                                        The Holy Family