Our Busy Weekend

Last weekend was a busy one for us; but, mostly a very good one. Friday evening 4 of the kids performed in a recital. Magalene played "Hymn of Joy" on the piano and James, Myriah, and Madison sang a solo. James sang, "I've Been Watching You" a country song by Rodney Atkins in tribute to dad. Madison sang a praise song, "My Heart Trusts In You" and Myriah sang a praise song, "You Are My All in All." I was very proud of each of them and they are already thinking about which songs to work on when lessons begin again in fall.











Saturday was Magdalene's special day. The day she was finally able to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord for the first time. She was ready and very excited. It was a beautiful day for a beautiful girl.
The Bible pictured on her lap was a special gift from Heaven. About 4-6 months before Paul died, he had misplaced his Bible. In May he finally bought himself a new one and told Magdalene if we could find his old one, she could have it. The last couple months I have been looking everywhere, in every church lost and found of any church we had visited and I had been praying that we would find it prior to Magdalene's First Communion so I could give it to her. Well, at the last sacrament prep class before 1st communion, it was given back to me! Someone who knew a friend of mine had called her wondering what my husband's name was because she found a Bible at her church with "Paul Kummet" written inside. So, just in time, we were given a gift from Heaven. Magdalene now proudly carries around her dad's Bible and has a piece of him that is very dear to us all.




A brand new tabernacle just for Jesus! Isn't she beautiful?





Sunday was Myriah's day. Yep, another wonderful sacrament received the same weekend. Myriah had been preparing for two years for Confirmation and I can honestly say she was more than excited. She was ready and waiting to receive a new out pouring of the Holy Spirit and she now takes on the Catholic Faith as her own. No longer a faith merely handed down from her parents, but a faith she herself now chooses to profess! I pray that the graces she received will strengthen her to live a life of heroic virtue!
The 2009 Confirmation students from our parish.


Myriah and her confirmation sponsor. Thank you, Angie, for the time you gave to help Myriah prepare herself for this day; and for sharing the gift of your very self with her!
Myriah, I am so proud of the young lady you are. I hope and pray your faith always remains a driving force in your life. I love you!

Happy Birthday, James

14 years went by so fast! You're taller than me and still growing. Where did my sweet little baby boy go? I love you, James. Happy Birthday. May God pour out His spirit upon you and help you to become the man He so desires you to be!

Life's been busy

We spent most of February passing around colds and then the flu hit. We all took our turn! Now I would love a sunny warm day that would allow for us to just get outside! Most of the previous nice days someone was sick.

Here are a few random pictures found in the camera. We at least had a few good moments here and there!

Something a little different

I found these great little glasses at a second hand store and I thought they would be fun!

Today, I decided we would use them just to break up the school day and do something a little different. I cooked up some pudding, lit a candle, put in a CD of Mozart, and gathered the kids arounds the table. We had a delightful time listening to the music, learning a little info about Mozart's life, eating dessert, and talking and laughing with one another.

I have a new Goddaughter!

In December these two beautiful girls became a legal, permanent part of our family. Their parents went before the judged and promised to raise the girls as their very own. To love them, provide and care for them. This past weekend, these parents gave their girls the gift of baptism and they are now a part of God's family as well.
"What do you ask of Christ's church for Saundra and Jasmine?", to which the parents replied "Baptism."

"Saundra, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit"


"Jasmine, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit

"The annointing with sacred chrism, perfumed oil consecrated by the bishop, signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, who has become a Christian, that is, one "annointed" by the Holy Spirit, incorporated into Christ." (Catholic Catechism 1241)

"The candle, lit from the Easter candle, signifies that Christ had enlightened the newly baptized. In Him the baptized are light of the world" (CC 1243) This light is entrusted to the parents and godparents to be kept burning brightly.
Congratulations girls. You have now become a new creation in Christ.

Jasmine, I feel blessed and honored to have been chosen for your godmother.




"Let's eat!"

Epiphany

Epiphany (the feast in which we celebrate the coming of the Magi to worship the Christ child) has always been a big celebration for us. Paul and I had decided, even before Myriah was born, that we wanted one day set apart during the Christmas season for just us and the children. Epiphany, which traditionally lands on January 6th is celebrated in the Catholic Church on the 2nd Sunday after Christmas. This year Epiphany proved to be a difficult day for us, even more so than Christmas. It just didn't feel like our family day without Paul here to celebrate.... but, we still chose to make the best of it and it was a good day.

After Mass we headed to the cemetery. I had one gift for the children along as they wanted to open at least one at the cemetery. (Each year the we wait to exchange our gifts until Epiphany Sunday). Due to a heavy snowfall the night before it was a little tricky getting to the gravesite. I told the kids that they would have to blow dad a kiss as we drove by because once I turned down the lane in front of the grave there was no stopping (or we'd be stopped there for awhile.) Thankfully, we made it to the other end!It was a pretty cold day so we sat in the car at the end of the lane and the kids opened their gifts.

Once home we gathered in the living room and gave our gifts to Jesus. I keep a small decorative box on our family altar that contains our "gift" from the year past. We read through last year's and chose our gifts for this year. (This can be anything you feel that the Lord wants you to work on, like spending daily time in prayer, keeping your room clean, being more obedient....) We wrote down our gifts, put them in the box and, placed them under our tree by the creche. Then we exchanged the remainder of our presents.

After gift time, we played. The kids with their new items, me with my kids. Myriah got us a new family game, the Disney edition of Scene It. It was a game we all enjoyed playing together (and by the way, I won!!)

A friend of mine brought us a nice dinner for the evening meal. (Many thanks to you, Meredith.) Then we finished the day with a movie and popcorn.

Here's a picture of the kids with their new webkinz.

I can honestly say, I am glad the holidays are over. Over all, they went really well. We had many moments of smiles and laughter; but, there were also moments of tears. We remembered Paul and talked of him often; but, we all miss him terribly and days that hold so many memories are difficult. Now we are trying to refocus, get the house back in order, and start school again.

Just for fun

I saw this meme on a few other blogs and it seemed like fun. They don't come simpler than this: if you have done it, bold it; if not, don't.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (high school symphonic and marching band... saxophone)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (a lunar eclipse)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox (twice)
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day