November

November was a tricky, tricky month for us. 

It absolutely had it's ups. Like family pictures. Tim's our photographer and seems to capture each child so well! Simon's go-go-go. Felicity's extreme joy. Vivian's peppy confidence. Miriam's maturity. And looking back, we have to marvel at these perfectly beautiful kids.

November 1st means All Saints Day. It's a fun time at our parish! Fr. Tim, our pastor, asks all the kids and any willing adult to dress up as a saint. Tim and Sarah were Sts. Louis and Zelie - St. Therese's parents. Simon was St. Isadore the farmer. Vivian was Mary because she could bring a baby doll to church. Felicity chose St. Elizabeth of Hungry - a queen. And Miriam was St. Helen. After Mass, there's a trunk or treat-the kids gorge themselves on candy for a second night in a row.

We went roller skating at the beginning of the month, too. Mommy, Simon, and Vivian loved it. Miriam, Daddy, and Felicity were less enthusiastic. But all claim they want to go back again...so we'll try it again in a few months. Maybe by then Miriam and Felicity will get the hang of it-their little bottoms were so sore by the time we called it quits!

Vivian turned EIGHT! Which meant a birthday date with Daddy to Caruso's complete with cannolis. After dinner, at Vivian's request, they went to the Country Store at Cracker Barrel because Vivian LOVES to shop. No one saw that coming, but the girl loves to save her money, browse, and buy. She came home with a unicorn that makes all kinds of noises.

As Vivian's birthday came and went that special time of year arrived when Miriam and Vivian are the same age. Two 8 year olds this year. Miriam's still not appreciating this!

In the middle of November, Sarah began a short-term subbing position at the girls' school in Felicity's Kindergarten classroom. It was just for a month, but Sarah truly enjoyed being in the classroom and watching the children learn. And getting to see the older two throughout the day was a superb bonus. Perhaps someday when the children have grown, Sarah will get to teach. Simon was able to spend each day with Aunt Bridget and Elijah. He was never upset to be dropped off and sometimes we could hardly get him to leave. There's nothing quite so wonderful as having family living nearby!

Other high points of November: Simon being officially two. We've heard of the terrible twos, but have yet to live with them. He's certainly growing more independent, but is about as sweet as they come. He loves the outdoors, music, trying to do everything himself, all the sugar (he inherited his mother's sweet tooth), Aunt Bridget and Elijah, and anything with wheels and a motor.

Around here, Thanksgiving weekend is an EVENT. Wednesday night is Light Night in Fort Wayne. Complete with our annual visit with Santa and the Gingerbread Festival.

We host Thanksgiving at our house for around 40 people...plenty of food!

And then Black Friday (yup, we celebrate this great festival of spending). We were able to squeeze in Miriam, Vivian, and Teresa's birthday party! The two older girls wanted a game party so Aunt Maria made them a marvelous cake to go along with their theme!

 

There was lots of good happening in November, but plenty of grief to go around...we suffered a miscarriage early in the month. The internet seems like such a cold place to share this news, but this short life was sacred to us each second that it lasted and our family blog would not be complete without acknowledging we loved and lost someone. We named this baby Cecilia. Sometimes, we call out in our hearts, Cecilia, pray for us! when things feel difficult because we know this young soul is sitting on the Father's lap in heaven thinking of us as we think of her and asking our Good Father to unite us all there one day. 

November also meant the passing of Sarah's grandma, Clara. These pictures from April 2018 capture just a bit of her humble, loving heart. She loved babies. Loved them. And children. She would ask over and over how many children we had because her own children brought her so much joy that she wanted to be able to share and see that joy in us. Even when her mind was escaping her, she was proud of her marriage and her children - the things that endure. And singing. And being with people. We went as a family to visit her a few days before she died and said the Divine Mercy chaplet at her bedside. Sarah was able to return with her mom just a day before Grandma passed away to sit with her and the rest of the family. There's nothing quite so rewarding as to sit beside a life that is fading, ready to meet the Maker, to let them know they are not alone, and to pray that they will see God face to face soon. Tim would like to be a hospice volunteer when he is retired; what a good calling to hear and respond to.

Just a couple of weeks later, Sarah's other Grandma was hospitalized late one night. Sarah and Tim were able to drive to the hospital to be with her and the rest of the family. The doctor thought this was the end. So we cried, laughed, sang, prayed, sat with her...

...and she kept going. That heart just wasn't ready to give out yet. Thank you, God, for not asking us to make another hard goodbye in November! We took the kids to visit when she had stabilized. We don't try to protect them from these goodbyes or guard them from seeing life becoming more frail. We all need to see what a good life, a good death look like. Our children know this great-grandma well. We go to the nursing home most Wednesday evenings to pray the rosary with Grandma and sometimes she is still even able to pray along. However, most of her communication is jumbled words strung together in impossible to decipher thoughts. 

As she sat in a the hospital bed a day after we thought she had reached the end, she looked at Tim and Sarah and said, plain as day, "If God would take me, I would go." She's not afraid. And her eyes are on the prize.

Yes, eyes on the prize. That's a good life and a good death.