Lent

Lent begins in 2 days for the Roman Catholic Church. 40 days to grow closer to our Lord, to grow in discipline and to anticipate Christ rising from the dead on Easter . I really do enjoy Lent. Its a time for me to choose some of my vices and things I would like to work on and do it.

I always like to hear what others are doing for Lent...so if you are willing, please share. It helps give me ideas. I have some things that I will do...I have some ideas I have been praying about, but I would like to do some new things as well.

These are some Lenten ideas I have been praying about:

- Getting up at 6 am to shower and pray before the boys wake up

- Going through In Conversation with God for part of my Lenten mediation

- Taking the boys to Adoration for 10-15 minutes and pray outside planned parenthood on Friday afternoons.

- Pray the Rosary daily (don't judge :-), the Rosary is SUPER hard for me!)

- Take the Facebook app off my phone - not give up Facebook completely, just not have it as accessible.

- no sweets

What do you do for your children to help them experience Lent? I did made a stations of the cross box for the boys this year. I got the ideas of what to put in the box here. I just bought a wooden box from Hobby Lobby and painted it purple. We are placing all the pieces for each station in the box. I was also thinking about putting 40 "to do's" in a jar that they pick everyday. They would be things like; help mommy with the laundry, help make the beds, pick up toys, etc. They do do these things everyday, it will just be a way for us to think, meditate and talk about what Christ did for us as we are doing that specific chore. I'm not quite sure of all the logistics yet, so if you have done something similar like this with your children please share.

This is the first year that I think Jacob will start to understanding Lent. That we do things during these 40 days to grow closer to our Lord and think about how He died on the cross for us to save us from our sins.

Also, what do you think? Do Sundays count during Lent as part of your Lenten sacrifice or is it a "cheat day", a mini Easter? In the past I have always done what I gave up for Lent on Sundays. I am just interested in what others think and possibly doing it different this year.

I pray that you all have a blessed Lent!

Praying for the Superbowl.

Jacob: "Mom, I need to pray for the Superbowl." As he grabs a Rosary from our Rosary box.

Me: "Okay"

Jacob: "Dear God, please help the Superbowl players have enough food to eat. Amen."

Amen brother...I hope we all have enough delicious food to eat today!

Have a happy Superbowl Sunday!

Go Giants!

What's Happening with The Staples...

1. Yesterday I did ALL of the laundry and was able to fold it and put it away! I have not done this in MONTHS! It usually sits on the couch for days while piles of laundry waiting to go in the washer sit in the hall. It was such a great feeling! I didn't go to bed till 11:15 last night but I was determined to get it done!

**Side note: The boys somehow, without my knowledge, found my RED lipstick and put it in their hamper. When doing their laundry I dumped it all in the washer without realizing it:(. Now, all of their clothes have bright RED marks all over them! UGH a thousands times over! A few good friends of mine swear by oxiclean...so off to the store we went this morning to buy some oxiclean so I could start soaking these clothes. I have never used oxiclean before but have been inspired by these women. I'm not sure how well it will work though since the clothes have already been dried with the stains...we will see! They are soaking now...wish me luck!

2. We seem to have taken a couple steps backwards in Jacob's ability to use the potty. For the past two months he has being doing AWESOME with very few accidents but the past couple of weeks we have been having SEVERAL accidents...most of them being poop (yesterday 3):(. I have been unsure how to handle these accidents. Do I discipline him for going poop in his pants or to I treat it like I have past accidents, "Accidents happen and its okay!" We have been struggling. Today we have gone back to a jelly bean after he goes in the potty. If any moms have suggestions or have gone through this I am all ears!

3. Lent is almost over. I am embarrassed to admit that I have really struggled this lent with staying true to my lenten fasts. I wish I would have been more disciplined during this season. My prayer has been good though which I am thankful for. May these last few days before the Resurrection of out Lord be a time of prayer and grace for all of you!

4. Last night I went shopping for the boys Easter baskets! I HAD SO MUCH FUN!!! I spent way to much money on candy though...why is Easter candy SO delicious??? Probably because we don't eat it until Easter! Dave did make me take two bags back though...he thought I went a little overboard:)

5. Yesterday during lunch we has a little thunderstorm ! It was so cool! We had it all... a little hail, thunder, lighting and rain! The boys were quiet during their whole lunch as we sat there and watched mother nature at work! It was beautiful!

6. Baker has discovered the word "NO"! Seriously that is ALL he says! I try so hard not to laugh every time he says it because the way he says it is SO darn cute! The cuteness of an almost two year old is unbearable!

7. The other day I was cleaning the bathroom and went to check on the boys and saw this...

Melt my heart!

Our Story

Dave and I met through FOCUS 7 years ago. We were placed on the same team together at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He was my team director and I was a first year missionary on a dating fast. I loved my first year as a missionary but it was very difficult at times. I knew that I loved Dave in October of that year...but had a long time until my dating fast was over. That year was amazing in what it taught me; patience, trust in God's will and the love our heavenly Father has for us. That year taught me that before I could hand my heart over to a man I needed to give it fully to our Lord. I learned so much about who I was that year and my relationship with our Lord really blossomed. In May of that year Dave asked me on our first date and on June 2nd, 2005 (after my dating fast was completely over) we went on our first date in Madison, WI during Summer training. It was everything that I imagined...the wait was worth it.

During our courtship Dave lived in Las Vegas, NM and I lived in Atchison, KS. We both still continued to serve with FOCUS. Distance dating is never fun but Dave and I were blessed to see each other once a month. As soon as our dating began I was ready for Dave to propose....seriously it could NOT come fast enough! I knew that he was the man I was going to marry! I truly thought that he was going to propose at Christmas time. I was going to Michigan to spend the holiday with his family. I was picturing a proposal at midnight Mass...how romantic! My mother assured me that I was not going to get engaged over the holiday...but I was still hoping. You can imagine my disappointment when it didn't happen. Poor Dave, can't a guy surprise a girl is probably what he was thinking :)! Life continued and I was really trying to focus on not being so anxious for engagement, just to enjoy the time we dated and to really leave it up to God...and Dave.

February came and myself and my teammates were heading to KCCSC (Kansas City Catholic Student Conference) in Topeka. That Friday night I was sitting in adoration and trying my best to hand over all my feelings of engagement to our Lord (I WANTED TO BE ENGAGED SO BAD its embarrassing!) That night my heart truly released control of the situation and I was ready to just wait, be patient and enjoy my courtship with Dave. That night I had a dream that Dave came to the conference to surprise me. He proposed and when I looked down at the ring it was the ugliest thing I had ever seen and all the diamonds were falling out. I woke up smiling because I knew this was my release of control...this was me handing the situation over to God and letting Him steer the wheel. That afternoon I called Dave and told him about my time in adoration and about my dream. I also said...and I qoute, "Honey, I'm ready to be content with our dating. If you came today to propose I would say "NO" because its just not the right time. I am ready to be patient!"

Now lets step back a few moments and look at things from Dave's point of view. Dave was in the car driving 13 hours from New Mexico to Kansas...and he was an hour away from surprising me (and proposing) at the conference when I decided to tell him about my conviction and my dream. Just a hand full of people knew about him coming to arrange a few things, other then that myself and the rest of the room was going to be completely surprised upon him entering. Can you imagine what Dave was feeling at this moment? Poor guy :(! He tells me now that he was tempted to turn around and blow the whole thing off...but continued with it anyways. That its good for a man to not be certain about a women's answer...to really be asking her and waiting for an answer.

So Dave walked into the conference and I was COMPLETELY SURPRISED! How did he pull this off...drove 13 hours, talked with me on the phone while driving, and I had no idea. It was February 11th so he told me it was a valentines surprise. We sat through dinner and a talk by Matthew Kelly, talked with friends and then we went out for drinks. Looking back I didn't know that Dave was going to propose, I thought he truly had come to surprise me for valentines day...but he was touching his pocket a lot and seemed nervous! We went out to a small restaurant and drank wine and ate cheese curds. It was wonderful to be with him. He then took me to a park...a rose garden to be exact...except it was February so everything was dead. It had a beauty about it though as we walked on the path hand in hand. He then stopped, got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I of course said yes and the rest is history! I was ecstatic...the ring was BEAUTIFUL! Not ugly like in the dream...and it was the right time. In my own heart I needed to be patient and was ready to do that...even if it was just for a short 8 hours!

Dave left the next morning to drive back to New Mexico...it was hard to say good-bye, just like every time its hard, but this time more so. He wasn't just my "boyfriend" anymore...he was my fiance! I was getting married to the man I loved...the moment I could not wait for was finally here!

Our engagement was 9 months and we got married November 25th, 2006! I feel so blessed to have met Dave and to be his wife. He is an amazing man, husband and father. In God's time all things are perfect...and this is perfect!

Dave and I the summer we started dating!

The "K love Challenge"

So I happen to be an American Idol fan :) I haven't had much time to watch it the past couple of seasons...but I always find time to catch the finale! But before there were kids, a bedtime, dishes, etc. I wouldn't miss an episode! Jason Castro was on a couple seasons ago...he was a favorite of mine!

Recently I have discovered a new love for Christian music....I took the "k-love challenge" where all I listened to for a month was Christian rock...it was amazing and totally changed my perspective everyday! I just loved having my car and house filled with songs about our Lord...I loved hearing Jacob in the back saying, "Mom, this is my favorite song!" or hear him sing a long. Melt my heart for sure!

Jason Castro's first album wasn't Christian but he had a conversion while on tour and made his second album for/about our Lord. I purchased this album today and LOVE it! Here is one of my favorites...its the acoustic version, the one on the album is more up beat! Enjoy!

Needs to get back to blogging!

I love reading blogs...and if by chance you are reading this then know that I probably am a big follower of your blog as well! I ALWAYS have blog ideas on my mind...and then nap time comes and a million things come for me as well. I love how many of you make time for blogging...such inspirational woman out there that help me want to be the best version of myself. Tonight I sat down to read my handful of blogs...and the tears were flowing...tears of happiness, sadness and how beautiful our Lord is. I want to blog too! I want to share my heart, my stories and my moments of laughter in the day! Tomorrow is a new day...and instead of napping (which I am embarrassed to say I do almost every day) maybe a blog will come your way!!! Love to all my sisters out there!!!!

Good Night!

Leadership in the Mountains

Late January became a time for us to retreat to the mountains with all of our student leaders, give them some time away with their heavenly father, and give them some uplifting formation and evangelization/scripture training.

We began on a Friday leading off in prayer and talks on "Leaving the 99 for the 1," our theme that expresses the need for us to be going outside of ourselves and thinking beyond our friends to meet new students in need of our Lord. The next day was a time of prayer and the Sacraments again, and then a series of talks focusing in on the early Christian community and creating community (which I gave), being men and women (I addressed the men), and being leaders on campus, in Bible study and in Discipleship. Of course we gave the a little time to play in the afternoon. That night was a talk on the Mission of FOCUS, given by the FOCUS Director of Campus Ministry.

Sunday we were joined by our very own Denver Archbishop, his Excellency James Connelly, who prayed in an our of adoration with us and then celebrated Mass and joined us for lunch. It is great to see just how much the two Archbishops of Denver (Charles Chaput as well) care for the young people on college campuses and our efforts to reach them.

I've included some extra photos that were not in my most recent newsletter. Peace!

Young Man Joins Bible Study and Soon to be Student Leader?

I was having dinner with some students after a Sunday Mass. In my mind I noted one young man's zeal for Christ, his apparent strength as a man, and that I hadn't seen him before - he obviously wasn't involved in a FOCUS Men's Bible study.

As dinner came to an end, I asked him about his faith life, only to find out that he was a fallen away Catholic who had just started coming to Mass again (praise God!). He didn't know much about the Faith, and didn't seem to trust it much either, but was more than eager to learn. I lead a couple of senior Bible studies that wouldn't have been the best situation for him, so I told him why I thought he should join a study and what he would get out of it and then put my partner Chris in touch with him. He has since joined Chris's study, he came on a FOCUS Corporeal Work of Mercy this past weekend, and Chris is now considering inviting him into Discipleship (which would consist of mentoring him the rest of the year, and then having him start a Bible study next fall).

I'll let you know what our Lord continues to do in the heart of this young man.