Blessings and Updates

Wow- it's been awhile since I've posted! As it is a rare, sunshine filled day up here in New England and I'd like to get a healthy dose of Vitamin D, I will not have a very long post today. However, there are a few things I wanted to mention that I was thankful for, and a few brief anecdotes I wanted to share.

1. I am thankful that our Confirmation Mass was very successful. The candidates were so respectful and prayerful during the Mass- and our Bishop gave the most inspiring homily. There was also a boy there who I had found out would be joining us the day before the ceremony- a cancer survivor. At fifteen years old, he decided he wanted to become Catholic. Both of his parents live out of state, and he lives with his grandfather, who was his sponsor. He attended Confirmation at our parish because he had just undergone bladder reconstruction surgery and wasn't healthy enough to go to the Confirmation in his own parish. What a witness- what a BLESSING- to have him share Confirmation with our candidates!

2. John Paul II was beatified today- and today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Amazing? I think so.

3. My husband, Joseph and myself drove for an hour to get to a mall that sold maternity clothes today. I was SO happy about this. You see, after I had moved up north from Dallas, we had been separating all of our clothes so we could pack them away, and decide which things we should donate to the Salvation Army. My maternity clothes were taken by mistake. It's so nice to have some items that fit well.

4. I'm also thankful that Joseph behaved so well at the mall. We rented a little "bumper car" that he rode in and "steered" while we cruised around- and then we took him to the food court where he had his first Taco Bell experience. Very messy- but he was very happy, and very cute.

A few updates before I sign off for today-

1. Joseph is now in a toddler bed. This is both a blessing and a curse. We decided he was ready for the bed after I just barely caught him before he launched himself over the side of his crib and onto the hard basement floor. I'm so thankful that one of us was there to see what mischief he could get into- and thankful that he is now safe in his toddler bed, which is low to the ground. Since it is low to the ground, he can exit the bed any time he wishes, and does so promptly at 5:00 AM every morning. Once this happens, he climbs over to my side of the bed, climbs into our bed, and starts stroking my hair and calling me NOT Mama, but "Kitty." (I'm hoping its because of the long hair!)

2. I'm 24 weeks along in my pregnancy, and we have a name for the new baby boy. Very excited.

3. Please continue to keep my husband in your prayers- still job hunting. We're beginning to look out of state as the economy around here has been terrible. Please pray that we find something soon- with my unpaid maternity leave on the horizon, we are both beginning to get very anxious- and we are both very anxious to have our own place again.

Hoping to post more tomorrow.