The other day, April 28th, was the feast of St. Gianna Beretta Molla who is loved by so many! She is such a relatable saint! St. Gianna had so many amazing vocations which is why I think so many can connect with her. She was a doctor, wife, and mother. It is said that she listened to God's promptings in every season of her life, discerning in each moment what the next best step was.
I found this write up about her online @ shininglightdolls.com:
* She is a role model for all of us, not only because of the amazing sacrifice she was willing to make for her unborn daughter, but also because her life is one that shows us that we are called to holiness in every aspect of our own unique lives. The call to Sainthood is constant, when we're single and working, when we're married, when we have a family. The specifics may change from season to season, but the call to follow Christ everyday in sacrificial love remains the same.
St. Gianna, pray for us!
What I love about the story of St. Gianna is she worked both in the home and outside the home. She worked with her husband to take care of her family and also tended to others through her work. I can definitely relate to that pull of working for not only my daughter and husband but also for my students, colleagues, and others entrusted to my care. It was for this reason that I waited until 04/28 to share news of my book on MotherScholars on social media.
Several weeks ago, I asked the student teachers who helped found a new ministry with me when could I have them over for a celebratory lunch and a girly afternoon of doing our nails. We settled on this weekend as it was during finals week and since some of us had finals yesterday, we landed on Sunday. We hadn't quite realized it would be Mother's Day until it got closer but we still kept our date in the planner.
I prepared homemade chicken salad cups fresh from the oven that they devoured, baked orange cranberry shortbread, and had also made peanut, pretzel, toffee crisps....so delicious! These girls have poured their hearts and souls into this ministry and loved on the little girls entrusted to us this past year. They make me so proud! It was such a joy to do their nails and relax with them while Charlotte basked in their presence, painting her own nails, and saying, "Mommy, this is Girls Club!" After a while, she went in the backyard to color and draw with chalk beckoning every now and then for one of her college friends to admire her artwork. ☺️
Surprise flowers and chocolates accompanied the student teachers when they arrived this afternoon!
After the college students left, and as I reflected on how I had just literally engaged in both physical and spiritual mothering simultaneously, as I so often do and have done these last six years, I thought about how fortunate I am to have the roles I do. Thank you, Jesus!
Tonight, as we began to wrap up the day, together we watched the first 15 minutes of Pixar's Inside Out movie. Adam and I had watched this movie before and we both had enjoyed it then. I had put it on our baby shower list as a result. We were gifted it all those years ago but Charlotte had not seen it yet. My Mother's Day request this year was that we watch it together as a family so we started it tonight!
Charlotte immediately started saying she was the main character and that the family was "like us, Mama!" I look forward to continuing this movie with her in the upcoming summer days.
I am so thankful for the vocations of both mothering and teaching and the opportunity to serve in multiple areas or dare I say arenas. MotherScholaring is hard but rewarding. St. Gianna's example is one worthy of emulating and I hope both Charlotte and those I mentor through work realize how much joy they bring even if I fall short some days!
By the grace of God, therefore I go!
