Outside my windows,

Our flowers are blooming. The crocuses, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, azaleas, and lilacs have faded.

I thoroughly enjoy spending time outside weeding because it gives me an opportunity to appreciate the beautiful flowers that God has made.

The children and I are thrilled that we have grapes, peaches, plums, raspberries, and strawberries forming too.

In the kitchen

I tried a new recipe. Pork isn’t a favorite in our house, but I made this for dinner recently, along with the vegetables mentioned, and everyone was raving. Some of the children had seconds. It was so tasty that I made it again when our pastor came over for dinner.

I am hearing Agnes and Cecilia practicing for their violin recital in June, a shower running, and children talking.

I have been listening to Enthronement and Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

My husband gave me these beautiful roses for Mother’s Day.

I am still thinking about the amazing sermon that our pastor gave on Mother’s Day. It was a wonderful gift. I know that I am not the only one thinking about it, as I was told by one of my daughters that she and her sisters were discussing it. I am also thinking about the excellent catechetical class that he gave recently. It was the last class that he was offering before he leaves for his new assignment in July.

We are going to miss Fr. S. a lot when he leaves for his new assignment as FSSP District Superior of North America, but he has promised to visit our parish often, and I know that he will make an extraordinary District Superior. Please keep Fr. S. in your prayers as he takes on his new responsibilities.

I am praying for Fr. S. and for our future pastor.

I am reading Footprints in a Darkened Forest by Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Like all of his books, it is very insightful. These quotes are just a few of the nuggets of wisdom found in the pages of this book:

“Youth was meant to live like wheat in a field, not to be pulled up until it was ripe.”
~ p. 11 

“Eternity is without succession, a simultaneous possession of all joys. To those who live toward Eternity, it really is not something at the end; it is that which influences every moment of the ‘now.’”
~ p. 18 

“In every prayer there is at least a brief wedding of time and Eternity.”
~ p. 19 

“Our Blessed Lord said, ‘If you do My Will, you will know My doctrine.’ He did not say, ‘If you know My doctrine, you will do My will.’
~ p. 208

I am thankful for my little boys. Kieran was thrilled to receive this cowboy outfit for his birthday.

He was delighted with his cake. Upon seeing it, he exclaimed, “That’s a neat cake!”

Our youngest thoroughly enjoyed eating his brother’s birthday cake.

Kieran: “It smells good. We need to cut these pricks.”
Me: “Oh no, we don’t want to cut those. They are part of the rose that you thought smelled good.”
Kieran: “But these are pricks. See!”
Me: “They are thorns, and they are part of the rose.”
Kieran: “We need to cut them.”
Me (breaking a thorn off): “Look, this is a thorn. We can break them off, but you don’t want to cut them.”
Kieran: “Why do you want to break them off?”
Me: “So that you don’t cut my roses.”
Kieran: “I don’t want to cut your roses. I want to cut the pricks.”

I can’t win. A few weeks ago, he cut down a rose bush, or “prickles” as he called them. Last Saturday, he cut a bunch of the roses pictured below. The roses, or “pricks” that he was referring to here are yellow roses that are growing in our backyard. Hopefully, one day he will appreciate the roses, despite the thorns.

I love my little boy!