Charlotte Annie's Fairy Princesses & Pirates 5th birthday party! (March 2021)

 Last year, we wound up using a Facebook Event page to invite family and friends to Charlotte's 5th birthday party rather than traditional paper-based invitations. Below is the image along with the narrative from that event page.

Our little princess is turning five!

Please join us for a small gathering of pirates and fairy princesses for a pizza lunch & birthday cake at Charlotte's grandparents' castle I mean house. We might even find treasure while there! No gifts needed but a sense of adventure & fun is appreciated! Girls are free to dress up as fairy princesses and boys can come as pirates ready to hunt for gold! 

 As you can probably gather from the above description, there were fun and games to go along with the pizza and cake! Charlotte donned her fairy wings, wore a princess crown, and enjoyed playing with her friends who came dressed as princesses or pirates! Once everyone had arrived, we started the interactive activities in the large front living room. Charlotte's friends were amazed by her Daddy's pirate voice as he read the clues aloud that previewed or hinted at the upcoming activity they were about to engage in and do.

In the days leading up to the party, it was fun finding pockets of time to try to get the birthday treats ready in advance. Here are some of the ingredients still in the grocery bags.

 

The kitchen smelled so good as the cupcakes baked!

Charlotte enjoyed helping to make the "sand" to sprinkle on the cupcakes!

Treasure Chest Cupcakes for the pirates!

Family Birthday Cake for the love of our lives!

These were the favor bags for the boys and girls who would soon arrive to the Princess Fairies & Pirates Party!

This was the crown decorating station in the lower level of my in-laws' home!

As the Princess Fairies and Pirates moved around the house, there were several stations in which they had to solve riddles to help "rescue" the princess. This station involved building a garden among the animals with the flowers in the bin to the left in the above picture.

Do you spy the hiding place of the Princess Bear? :)

Here is a pirate who needed some help finding his clothes!

This station involved building or constructing castles using castle blocks and/or magnetiles and/or dominos! It was fun to watch the children work independently or collaboratively in building their structures!

The children were getting closer and closer at this point to finding the princess. First, they had to engage in this matching and sorting activity of playing Memory with the Princesses and in putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

Then, it was time to go to the ball and to put the princesses into the scene with the removable princess stickers!

All throughout the house clothing items were strategically placed among the various stations that were to go on the Princess Bear or the Pirate Boy.

Do you spy the treasure chest with the gemstones inside it?!

More hidden treasures - in plain sight!

At the conclusion of the scavenger hunt stations, and once the princess was rescued, it was time to eat!!

Getting ready to start with the Daddy Pirate giving the children clues!

Cousin Clark was a trooper and tried to get the stubborn birthday girl in the group photo at the conclusion of the castle building! Oh, Charlotte!

After all their hard work scavenging, the kiddos enjoyed their pizza lunch and birthday treats!

Counting up the gemstones and spoils from their treasure hunt!

Here is the map followed by the clues that helped us to be successful on our quest!

Later that evening, once the children had departed, we had the family birthday party for our little fairy princess!

Below, are some other pictures from the birthday party...it seems these images uploaded out of order. What a full day of adventure and celebrating!!

X marks the spot of where her birthday presents were on her actual birthday the day after the birthday party at Grandma and Pa's house!

This paint your own ceramic art studio had just opened shortly before Charlotte's birthday. The owner kindly opened up just for Charlotte on her birthday afternoon. What a fun and creative way to celebrate our little artist!

Charlotte's fifth year got off to a magical start!!

Inspirational song....through it all

 For all the times I have referenced, It is Well, on here, I don't think I have ever linked the song itself!

If you do a search on this blog of that phrase, I'm sure at least three postings will appear that refer to this source of inspiration for me. Ok, after publishing this, I was curious and did a search and there are four postings. ;)

This video does a terrific job of capturing the story of the song while simultaneously playing the song. I find it peaceful yet powerful. I hope you do the same.

Below is one of my favorite variations of the song (and there are many variations out there). When I hear singers like this, it makes me wish I could sing. ;) 

Don't lose sight of Who is there through it all, my friends. If you're struggling, I hope you can get to a spot of feeling well all the way down to the bottom parts of your soul. Embrace the journey and look for the bright spots amidst the shadows....through it all. ⚓ 

Walking into a new year

Happy New Year's Eve! 🎉🎊😊

Out here on the West Coast, we still have one hour and 45 minutes until 2022 arrives but back home, the new year is already here. 🎆

After the last 365 days of walking ahead, it seems appropriate that tonight I dally about slowly walking into the new year. ⏳Geography and time zones are forcing me to wait out the new start of the year and that is fine!🕰️

Since January 1, 2021, I have walked at least 21 minutes every single day no matter the weather, time of day, or where in the country I was. It was great being outside so much and some of my best thinking and praying happened during the starlit black nights as the Christmas lights twinkled in the snow. I literally wore holes into the boots that carried me around the Austrian terrain two years prior and sometimes my little sidekick joined me. Other times, I walked with other friends, my mom or other family members, or I took a more leisurely pace and invited Charlotte and her friends to join which inevitably led to many breaks, playing "rock soccer", and somehow winding up at playgrounds on the route. 😅

When alone, I often listened to the Messy Family Project or Fr. Mike's Bible in a Year podcasts and other times, I simply walked on in silence.

This daily goal started a year ago when a friend suggested running a mile per day for 2021. My response was 😳 then 🤔. See below... 

Then, one month into it, I said this. 😊

This is a pretty cool goal to meet tonight. 🎯 There were definitely times I didn't feel like walking. On some, I barely cranked out a walk before midnight during the long days and nights at work but I did it anyway!

Looking forward to continuing this trend and tacking on an extra minute for 22 in 2022! 

Happy New Year! 👣

Eight years!

 Eight years ago today Adam and I met. 

In between busy moments today, I relived first laying eyes on Adam's profile on Catholic Match and sending him a message. 

When the dogs first got me up at 6am, one of my first thoughts was how tired I was as I recovered from a whirlwind trip my little brother and I had taken eight years ago. We had met up in Nashville, TN and walked every corner, nook, and cranny of that city. Today, some colleagues from school are in Nashville presenting and repping at a pretty cool summit!

As the sun began peeking over the horizon and the nerves started setting in for the day's presentations I would be giving today at a state conference, I busied myself with getting Charlotte up and out the door to take her to school. I reflected back on the small children in my life eight years ago. It's still surreal to think of how life was then in being the live-in aunt trying to pitch in and help out with my young niece and nephew(s) and how similar some of the morning routines are now with one of my own.

It was around lunchtime eight years ago when I messaged Adam. Today, at 12:30pm, I began co-presenting at a virtual conference with my dissertation advisor in North Carolina, a colleague in Columbus, and a colleague right here in my new hometown. Both lunchtime occurrences then and now evoked butterflies.

Eight years ago, I was prepping for a three minute speech to give on my research.

Today, I'm racing the clock to meet a deadline that is ten days out regarding a book that will contain some of my latest research!

10/21/13 = start of something new but didn't know it at the time (!).

10/21/21 = each day opportunities to manage something or deal with something are presented anew.

Tonight, after a long afternoon of extracurriculars, grading, and trying to get caught up on the to-do list, Charlotte brought up the fact that one of her closest friends is going to be a big brother. She laid her head on my shoulder as she tucked in next to me in the oversized chair and said, "Mama, you can't give me a baby sister or brother because I don't deserve it." This was a first for me in hearing her say something like this and gave me the chance to deal with the ever present grief in yet a new way. "Charlotte!" I exclaimed, "You know Daddy and I would give you a baby brother or sister if we could! It's not that you don't deserve it. It's just that Mommy only got one chance to do that and wound up with YOU!!" At that she smiled and went back to what she was doing perfectly content tucked into the warmth of my body and using my shoulder for a pillow as my heart felt pierced yet again. Lately, I've been reflecting on Our Lady of Sorrows and the intense pain and grief she experienced as she watched her Son suffer. Hours earlier today, I said during my second presentation of the day that one of the goals of the book, and the study it highlights, is to help others to come away from viewing the findings with a renewed sense of passion and vigor while practicing and cultivating gratitude. Yet, tonight, my heart felt like it was splintering off in yet another piece as I pondered the heaviness of Charlotte's sentiment that she is not deserving of a sibling. I remember, as a young girl, wondering why I couldn't have a sister and why did I not deserve one and *only* had brothers (no offense, boys). In my childish ways, I thought maybe I had done something that caused me to not be able to have sisters and to hear my daughter say something similar breaks my heart.

Eight years ago, I would not have ever envisioned myself sitting with these thoughts. I was a bit further south in this big ol' country yearning to get back home to Pennsylvania. I'm still a Pennsylvania girl and still feel a bit of restlessness but over the years, have come to wonder if this yearning won't be fulfilled until my time here is done.

Eight years ago, Adam was the boy on the West Coast who made me laugh and not take myself too seriously. Tonight, he showed his roots when he asked if we should go down to the basement during a tornado watch considering he knows what to do "during earthquakes but not tornadoes!"

Back in 2013, I didn't know I was about to fall in love with that guy who knows what to do during an earthquake. Now, in 2021, I know he is willing to be in the mess or aftermath of a disaster with me. 

I wrote the below comment on a friend's wall earlier tonight when she sought tips for organization/navigating the ins and outs of school with kiddos.

I'm currently doing a bible study called, Keeping in Balance, and this line really struck me in light of this thread: "When we come at life full of enthusiasm, dreams, plans, and goals, it can be hard to say no to the good in order to say yes to the best....It's so much better if we can take each day as it comes, considering whatever is at hand to be God's will for that moment. You can receive your day from Him piece by piece." ---- When I read that, I wrote, "Boom! Life, at the moment, is making me do this" meaning the planner in me needs to stop being frustrated with myself/this state of life in which I feel perpetually behind/not good enough...I need to trust that it's okay to let go and shift priorities. God will give it to me (and to you) piece by piece. He's got this. So you missed a parent/teacher conference or let something slide....it's okay. Tomorrow's a new day. 

However, as I read these words again as I reflect on all that has occurred over the last eight years: 

newness, 

joy, 

heartbreak, 

reunions, 

goodbyes, 

graduations, 

moves, 

loss of loved ones, 

trying to navigate disappointments/challenges, 

familiarity/comfort, 

starting over (sometimes every single day), 

steadfastness, 

frustration, 

love, 

acceptance.

Piece by piece, it will be given. I'm grateful for the pieces of my heart, Adam & Charlotte, that were added over the last eight years and am leaning into the knowledge that although I don't deserve them, I have them. Thank you, God!

Best sharing of the meaning behind It is Well I've seen

If you've been around my blog for a while, you know of the special significance behind, It is Well, for me. If you haven't read my thoughts on this phrase/song/story, you can see some of them by clicking on these findings.

I was reading a blog posting from a friend down in NC who is grieving the loss of one of her twin boys. She had penned the post "It Is Well with My Soul" and then shared the story in her blog post that I'm sharing below for you as well.

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The story behind this phrase is so powerful. In the face of incredible loss, God provided peace beyond all understanding. For those who don’t know the story behind this hymn- it is so touching.

This incredible story of faith belongs to Horatio Spafford (1828-1888). Much like Job, he placed his trust in God during his life’s prosperity, but also during its calamities. A devout Christian who’d immersed himself in Scripture, many years of his life were joyous. He was a prominent Chicago lawyer, whose business was thriving. He owned several properties throughout the city. He and his beloved wife had four beautiful daughters and one son. Life was more than good — it was blessed.

But faith, no matter how great, does not spare us from adversity.

Just as Horatio hit the pinnacle of his profession and financial success, things began to change. It began with the tragic loss of their son. Not long thereafter, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed nearly every real estate investment Horatio owned.

Just a few years later in 1873, Horatio decided to treat his wife and daughters to a much-needed escape from the turmoil. He sent them on a boat trip to Europe, with plans to join them shortly after wrapping up some business in Chicago. Just a few days later, he received a dreadful telegram from his wife, “Saved alone…” It bore the excruciating news that family’s ship had wrecked and all four of his daughters had perished.

Credit: Library of Congress

Credit: Library of Congress

Horatio was on his way to meet his heartbroken wife, passing over the same sea that had just claimed the lives of his remaining children. It was then that he put his pen to paper and the timeless hymn was born, beginning with the words:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Famous hymn composer, Philip Bliss (1838-1876), was so moved by Horatio’s prose, that he composed a peaceful tune to accompany the words. The song was published by Bliss and Sankey, in 1876.

It’s incredible to think such encouraging and uplifting words were born from the depths of such unimaginable sorrow. It’s an example of truly inspiring faith and trust in the Lord. And it goes to show the power our God has to overcome even the darkest times of our earthly life.

We pray this brought you inspiration. Be sure to share this story with others who could use a reminder that our God will see us through any storm!

Story sourced from The Story Behind The Hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” is Powerful

A new name for me: Jephthah

 Since January 1st, I've been doing a couple of things differently...as with all resolutions, I've been consistent with some of the changes and not so consistent with others. One of the things I've been doing for the last seven months, albeit not on a regular basis, has been following along with Fr. Mike's Daily Bible in a Year podcast. I've even been able to listen to some of the podcasts while in my office at work between students coming to see me during office hours. How wonderful it is to not have to separate faith from work!

I liken the podcast sessions to mini-homilies. It's been a real treat to listen to Fr. Mike Schmitz read the different passages of scripture followed by a brief reflection or mini-homily on that day's scripture readings. Usually, when the podcast conclude, I'm left wanting more information as they feel as if they end too quickly at times!

This same feeling occurs after a dream I have with my Dad in it. I'm always left with the feeling of "Just one more minute, please!" as I emerge from a dream and wake up in the bed knowing that Dad is fading away again. The dreams don't come often but when they do, they're very poignant and impactful. One such dream involved my walking into my parents' living room and seeing Dad sitting in his recliner. He had an IV in his wrist but that was ignored as I took in his cheerful and chipper countenance. He was very alert and happy and immediately scooped me up in a bear hug tangling the IV cord but not caring about that. The surprise at how well he was blended with the joy of turning around and seeing Charlotte appear in a bright sunshiney yellow dress. I remember exclaiming, "Daddy!" at the same time as Charlotte as she caught side of her Dad in the doorway as my own lifted me up in that bear hug.

When I woke up at that moment, I was still feeling buoyant and lifted until it dissipated a few minutest later in the still dark morning hours of the quiet and still bedroom.

Around that time of the dream described above is when I heard a new name for me from Fr. Mike's readings of the bible. I had never heard of Jephthah or the story of his daughter and how he was not wise in making a certain oath that directly connected with his only child:  his daughter. For anyone who wants to listen to it, it's from Day 92 (fast forward to 17 min.). I wanted to learn more about this story and stumbled upon this article. Much has been said about the unnamed daughter and motives behind both father and daughter in how the story unfolds. I'm still mulling over it all in my head but Fr. Mike, in his homily or reflection on this passage, spoke of the importance of exercising prudence and wisdom when making promises or oaths. 

Reflecting on this story that was new for me, the sacrificing of the daughter, again his only child, her desire to remain alone for two months before meeting her fate, and in thinking of how humans act hastily or in a rash way, I got to thinking about how often we fall into quick and short-term pleas or promises...especially when trying to escape something that is uncomfortable or outside our comfort zones. 

It is so important to not grow lax in guarding our hearts and thoughts. We must practice being self-aware, discerning if the thoughts are of God, and safeguarding the things we allow ourselves to view and do. May we never grow complacent and seek to exercise prudence and wisdom in all that we do! 

Ultimately, we can also only control ourselves...we are unable to control others in our lives whether they be spouses, siblings, friends, other relatives, acquaintances, even children. Lord, help us to see the importance of our taking responsibility for ourselves, and help us to recognize the effects our actions have on others, both those we love and those who are strangers on us, and help us to radiate your light and love to others like rays of the yellow sun's sunshine! Help us to lift up others in a jubilant manner helping others to forget what weighs them down in that moment by you filling up this place through our presence in others' lives!