This Blanket

This was my Dad's favorite blanket. This is the blanket my Mother would hide when company came over. This is the blanket that was wrapped around my Dad as he took his last breath. This is the blanket that was wrapped around me the days following my Father's passing. So I cut this blanket into to six pieces.
....and had the little blankets embroidered .... then I put a border around them and gave them to my brother and sisters for Christmas.

Merry Christmas

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!!!! May the Birth of Our Lord light your lives.

In Loving Memory

In Loving Memory...

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below.
With tiny lights, like heavens stars reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear.
For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year!

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,
But the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here.
For I have no words to tell you the joy their voices bring.
For it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart.
But I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year!

I can't tell you of the splendor or the peace here in this place.
Can you imagine Christmas with our savior, face to face?
I will ask Him to light your spirits as I tell him of your love.
So then pray for one another as you lift your eyes above.

So please let your hearts be joyful and let your spirits sing,
For I am spending Christmas in heaven,
I am walking with the King!

She's home !!!

Rachel is home from school!! It feels so good to have everyone together. We will start our baking and wrapping and just being together. Welcome home Rach!!!

Powder room project

My powder room went from this ugly red to this ........

mint green with bead board.

Hey Dad

We little knew that week; God was going to call your name. In life we loved you dearly; in death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone. For part of us went with you, the day God called you home. You left us beautiful memories; your love is still our guide. And though we cannot see you, you are always by our sides. Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same. But as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.

Christmas Tree

Guess what we did today?

Wonderful Kimberlee over at ponderedinmyheart.typepad.com gave me this award. I just found this today and have no idea how I missed it. This is such an honor because my daughter and I love her blog! Okay, I must try and answer the following questions with one word answers and then pass it on to three others.

The questions are as follows:

1. Where is my cell phone? kitchen

2. Where is dh? work

3. Your hair color? light brown

4. Your Mother? grieving

5. Your Father? with Jesus

6.Your favorite thing? family

7. Your dream last night? random

8. Your dream /goal? Heaven for me and mine

9. The room you're in? bedroom

10. Your hobby? baking, sewing, knitting

11. Your fear? not doing enough

12. Where do you want to be in six years? here

13. Where were you last night? Kerry's play

14. What your not? materialistic

15. One of your wish list items? green house

16. Where you grew up? PA

17. The last thing you did? called my Mom

18. What are you wearing? sweats

19. Your TV? news/EWTN

20. Your pet? Golden

21. Your computer? slow

22. Your mood? content

23. Missing someone? Dad

24. Your car? mini-van

25. Something your not wearing? socks

26. Favorite store? Catholic book store and Joanne's fabric

27. Your Summer? relaxing

28. Love someone? family

29. Your favorite color? green

30. When is the last time you laughed? not long ago

31. Last time you cried? today

I pass this on to Alice at http://www.blogger.com/www.alicecantrell.com/blog who is very crafty, Kim at http://www.blogger.com/www.starryskyranch.typepad.com who is full of fresh ideas and Carmen at http://www.blogger.com/www.cozyconifercabin.blogspot.com who makes me want to knit all of the time.

Wool Skirt

This is my first wool skirt!! Yeah!! However, don't look too closely because there are several flaws. Hopefully in time I will get better.

Thanksgiving

This is the first family photo without my Dad. Thanksgiving was a beautiful day but my Dad's larger than life presence was greatly missed. We are still a family, a chain with a missing link. I know he was watching and as usual laughing with us. Happy Thanksgiving to my wonderful family!!! I love you!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!! May God bless you and keep you. So many things to be thankful for in this Country, today let us be thankful we are here instead of overseas where chaos is running rampent. God bless all the hostages, the dead and their families and God bless America!!! I will be with my loving family,which I am ever so grateful for ! Gotta run...baking, baking and more baking. Have a great day!!!

A Sacred Event

To see someone home and I mean our real home in Heaven, is the most incredible experience that I have ever had the privileged to participate in. My Father's last week of life was lived with my siblings, my Mom and myself. We left our homes and families to see my Dad to his final home. It was six days of ups and downs. We knew he was dying and we cried, we laughed at our memories and most importantly we prayed, we prayed hard. We were diligent in this spiritual battle. Because it is a battle at the end of one's life. You have forces of good and evil that both fight for the soul. That week, what I saw, what I experienced will be ever etched upon my mind and my soul. We were fortunate to have some incredible priests that were with us each day. The Latin Mass was said at my Dad's bedside, he had Extreme Unction everyday along with confession and communion. One night one of the priests was keeping vigil at an abortion clinic he was finished at 4 a.m. and knowing we would be up, stopped over and had adoration at my Dad's bedside. How lucky we were to have such devoted priests. This is what it is all about and these priests knew that.
I know we stood at the threshold of this life and the next and we felt it. It is a sacred place to be and one that should be treated as such. I thank our Lord for this life changing experience and I do mean life changing. No not just because my Father is gone but because I was there. I was at that threshold and I along with my siblings and Mom helped my Dad fight that good fight. We did not allow evil in and I can tell you it was most definitely banging on the door and sometimes creeping in the windows. We said NO, you shall not pass, you have no power here. It was a fight well fought and we couldn't have done without first and foremost Our Lord, Our Lady, all the Saints and Angels and of course each other. We were always a close family but this has bonded us beyond mere words can describe.
So much happened that week and I know I will never be able to explain it to anyone who was not there but I am grateful for it and I am honored and privileged that our good and gracious Lord allowed a sinner such as me to be present at such a Holy event. I pray that I will die as my Dad did. He showed us how to live by his generous heart and charitable ways. His heart overflowed with love for his wife, his children, his faith, and the unborn. That week he also showed us how to die with dignity and grace. He was in so much pain and he said," I offer this up for Mommy." As the pain intensified he didn't complain he simply said, "Oh Boy!!" I will forever love this man who has taken so little and given so much. This world has lost a great one but he remains in our hearts and we will carry on his legacy which is our Faith and to stand up for the unborn to be their voice. We won't let you down Daddy, we promise.

Wordless Wednesday

Giving their weekly oral reports on a Saint.

When I am gone, release me, let me go. I have so many things to see and do. You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears. Be thankful for our many beautiful years. I gave to you my love, you can only guess how much you gave to me in happiness. I thank you for the love you each have shown, But now it is time I travel on alone. So grieve awhile for me, if grieve you must, then let your grief be comforted by trust. It is only for a time that we must part, so bless the memories within your heart. I won't be far away, for life goes on. So if you need me, call and I will come. Though you can't see or touch me I'll be near and if you listen with your heart you'll hear, all my love around you soft and clear. And then, when you must come this way alone, I'll greet you with a smile and say ....Welcome Home!!!!

I Believe

I believe that deep down inside we all want to smile and to be good and want goodness to happen to others. Somewhere in recent times we lost God and with it went all sense of right and wrong and wanting the good for society and others. If you take a look at where we were just 20 years ago to where we are now in terms of our culture, good verses actual evils, it is amazing at how far evil has come. I believe that most people have become desensitized to this evil because it is so widely accepted. I believe that there is still good in most people but it is suppressed by this evil. There are still many of us left that can see the blatant evil and that means that we must stand up even stronger then before and we must fight this evil and pray for all the lost sheep. I believe nothing short of Our Lord coming down will change this culture of death and I believe this is a spiritual war. We must put on our armors and fight the good fight. It is harder then ever before because we will be persecuted but we know the truth and to much is given much is expected. The recent election is a sign of how far we have drifted away from God and as sick as I was over it I can honestly say it has made me reevaluate my own life and ask myself, "Have I done enough?" My answer is no I have not done enough and I must get recharged and pound the pavement even harder for the unborn who have no voice. I know there were other issues in this campaign but I cannot tell you what they were because nothing else matters to me. Without life there are no other issues. I believe that we are in for some rough times but our Lord will see us through.

Daddy

It seems strange to me that life goes on when mine and my families have come to a stand still. Logically, yes, life goes on but when you lose someone so dear to you your life actually stops for a brief period of time. When I feel overcome with sadness I can hear my Father saying, "don't be ridiculous, life does go on and so should you. Live every breath as if it were your last. Praise God for that breath and put a smile on your face. Give, give and give to others so they may smile and live with joy. Not everyone has the precious gift that you have been given..to know that we are living for Heaven and nothing else matters. Not that game or that not so nice person or that problem we deem so great that it occupies our time,time that is so easily taken away from our Creator. Look at the good in everyone because it does exist and if someone is so far out there then spend time in prayer for that person but never let that person's problems take you away from God...never speak ill of them. Recognize the problem and then move on...always forward!!! Your time here is limited and best spent living for Heaven. Yes you will hurt and you will carry your crosses but carry them well because you have been given the gift of Faith that so many claim to obtain but very few truly have. Lean on your Faith and know that we will be together in the mansion I have prepared for all of us. Pray, Hope and don't worry."
Thank you Daddy, I love you always and forever!!!!

Daddy

My Father, Gerald C. McHugh passed from this life into eternity on Friday, October 24, 2008. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his six kids and his wife. May Preptual light shine upon him and may his soul and the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace. Later when I am able I will write more on my Father for now please pray for my Dad's soul and for my family that we are sustained through God's grace and mercy over the next copy of days.

Urgent Prayer request

This is my Daddy!!! He had a stroke last year and there was a point at which we thought we were going to lose him. God granted our prayer request and allowed him to stay with us for another 15 months and this was the best 15 months we have ever spent with him. The above picture was taken in Sept. of this year.
Yesterday my Dad was rushed to the hospital with what we thought was congestive heart failure. Today they ruled that out because they had found a mass near his rectal area which has metastasized to his spine. We don't know of any further infiltration and won't know until further tests are done. A bone scan is scheduled for this weekend and that will allow us to know if it has entered the bones.
If you are reading this please stop for a moment and say a prayer for my Father. He has a strong devotion to Our Lady and Padre Pio. My Dad says he is ready to go home but the pain will be unbearable and maybe Our Lord doesn't want him yet. I pray for comfort and peace and when the time comes for him to leave us I pray he will be in the arms of Jesus and Mary. I love you Daddy!!

Blogging

Danielle Bean has an article in Faith and Family that gives us something to ponder on about blogging.
I can see how blogging can become impersonal and cut the human aspect of communicating, with that said I have to tell you that I try to blog in moderation. Everything in moderation is my motto. I have recently started my blog because of all you wonderful Moms out there in cyber world. You have given me so much help with homeschooling, Faith, child rearing, housekeeping, cooking...the list goes on. I am so very grateful for this wealth of knowledge and for all of you wonderful women. If we place God first then all else will fall into its perspective place. God bless all of you and thank you!!!

Family

Another picture from our wonderful weekend with Rachel.

St. Francis' Feast Day

We went out to see Rachel at college this past weekend for homecoming. They really had a full schedule for us. Saturday they had a Festival in honor of St. Francis complete with a Medieval theme and games. The boys got wooden swords and the girls had their tiara's plus small little wooden swords as my daughter graciously told us,"They are dainty, lady-like swords."

The most fun was spending time with Rachel. How I miss her!!! When I am at her college I am filled with peace knowing that this is the best place for her and she is filled with such joy, the joy that can only come from God. But there is still a void in my day. It only makes our times together even more precious. I love you Rach!!

Saint Therese's Feast Day

We have been attending the Triduum at the Carmelite Monastery in the city for St. Therese's Feast Day. It has been such a blessing, to pray in the same church as the Sisters of Carmel. When you enter you are filled with an overwhelming sense of peace. You know it is here that God meets these lovely, holy ladies. During communion you get a chance to see them as they come to the grate to recieve. Everyone pauses for a moment as if to stop and thank God for the gift of these cloistered nuns. My little guy was asked to serve and he was thrilled. To see him participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with several priest and the nuns behind the grate is such a beautiful blessing. Thank you my Lord for the small blessings in life.

Incredible Day!!!

It started out as any other day.........then there was the VIP line and next thing we knew we were up on the McCain -Palin stage. I was simply taking my kids to see Senator McCain and Governor Palin for history class. God certainly had other plans. He gave us such a beautiful day and my kids were thrilled to meet the candidates running for President and Vice President. We have been following the election in class and to actually meet them was truly a gift. When I met them I thanked them for being Prolife and of course added that there is much more to be done. I have to honestly say that when I thanked them they both seemed so appreciative. They told me, "you are VERY welcome." They stopped for just a brief moment as if they were shocked by my statement shocked but yet appreciative. They both seemed very kind I mean truly kind. It was a day my kids will never forget...nor will I.

Family game night we played the Divinity game. If you have never played this game it is like Trivial Pursuit but with the Catechism as the questions. There are different levels ...easy, moderate and difficult. You can purchase it from http://www.catholicfamilyland.org/ Great fun for all ages. My kids get so proud of themselves as they ascend to the next level of questions and imagine how I feel .....Yeah!!!!!

TREEHOUSES

This month at our local Arboretum the theme is Treehouses. Wow!!! This 17 one-of-a-kind exhibit has been designed by local architects and artisans. This is The Bell Tree which has cow bells up in the tree's limbs attached to ropes which the children could swing from. Definitely the most fun!!

Hobbit House

Thoreau's Cabin
Which is the exact replica of His original in Concord, Mass.

The Elephant House

Treegloo

Wordless Wednesday

Rachel

Shame on me!!! Rachel our eldest [19 and away at college] was upset today after getting on my blog and not seeing a picture of herself.

Rachel has also committed today to the triathlon and will begin training this week. You can do it Rachel!!!!!

Triathlon

Okay, this is crazy!! My younger sister Barb has asked me to do a mini triathlon with her in June of' 09. My first reaction was yeah right....Uh ...NO!!! She had to throw in the fact that it was for the unborn babies and we could raise money for them. Alright, so now we have a situation worth pondering. I prayed on it and my prayers went kind of like this, "Dear Lord I was invited to do this Triathlon for the babies but I really don't think you want me spending my time training after all I have to keep up with the house, my husband, my childern and of course that small detail of home educating my children. The more I think about it Lord the more I am sure you don't want this. Or is it that I don't want this?" What I heard in return was," To do something in the spirit of sacrifice is always productive but to do something in sacrifice that you do NOT want to do is truly a labor of love."
All of these thoughts going round in my head, and then I thought I will bounce this off of my husband and he will surely not want me to put anything more on this overflowing plate of mine...His response, "Honey, you can do this. The swimming will be hard but you can do this and it is for a great cause." Hmmmm...Could it be Lord you want me to do this.
So, Ladies as sure as I am sitting here typing this post I will begin my running this afternoon. I figure if I get up a little earlier before the cherubs then I can run, bike or swim then begin my day. I can do this with God's grace. If anyone out there has done a mini triathlon I would love to hear from you!

Coming Home Day

Coming Home Day!!! Meet Aidan our youngest son. Six years ago yesterday, Aidan came home to us from South Korea. We adopted Aidan when he was nine months old. We share the stories of how he may not have grown in Mommy's belly but he certainly grew in her heart. Every year we celebrate his Coming Home Day by taking him to a Korean restaurant and he proudly wears his first birthday outfit that his Foster Mother made for him with love. God has given us four souls to love and raise and they have all come to us in different ways. It does not matter how they came, it only matters that they came.

Latest Addition

Here is our lastest addition to the family. This is Irish our Golden Retreiver puppy. My daughter insisted we put a picture of her up on the blog.

Family Party

This is a family picture from the party last night. We had so much fun!!!!! This is just the eight of us there are many more this is just the original clan. Have a great weekend!!!!

God blessed me with one brother and 4 sisters. Tonight we are celebrating Barbie's and Rene's birthdays. Barb is the big 40 and Rene is the big 50!!!! They both look great for their perspective ages. We will all be in attendance so that makes about 27 of us. My parents are so kind to throw them this party and of course our family sense of committment imparted to us by our parents will have us all in attendance with bells on. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and God blesses you.