Baptism Project Update

Thread and hook have arrived! I think I ordered way too much thread! ha ha. Time is also ticking by at a speed that is making me a bit uncomfortable...will I really be able to complete the entire project?!?!

Here are two photos of the bonnet progress. First shot is a comparison of the mock up and the real deal. Tiny isn't it??

Second shot is the current state of things--first round of roses complete! woo HOOO! That was a good feeling. Next on the agenda is picot picot picot.

Dress Update

I'm thinking this collar, with similar lace accents on the arm and bottom hems on a simple heirloom-length gown. :D Love it!

My thread and hook have been shipped, now I'm just waiting for their arrival :D

It's that time again!

Though I wouldn't necessarily call it nesting, I have most certainly caught the creative bug!



You may recall that part of my pre-delivery routine includes crafting a baptismal gown for the new arrival. With only 3 months 'til D-day, it's time to begin!

Baby girl's ensemble will revolve around a pattern I stumbled upon for an Irish-crocheted baby bonnet circa 1900. My search for a crocheted bonnet was inspired by one worn by the daughter of my college roommate for her baptism.

The original pattern is written differently than most to which I am accustomed. Luckily, the blogger who is hosting the pattern began the process of simplifying the language. So between the original and her revisions, I'm liking how my mock up is developing.

The hook and thread that I had on hand were larger than I what the pattern called for, so the practice square looks a bit clunky. However, it was easier to learn the pattern this way.

I have yet to choose gown pattern, so I may use the time I have until my thread and hook arrive to scout out a complementary dress pattern.

All Hallows Eve

During our two weeks in MN, Henry had a daily dose of the CCC video about St Juan Diego. So when we returned to Texas, our October project became creating a Halloween costume of the saint and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that appeared on his cloak.


Clare dressed as a lion (minus Daniel) hah!

Girl!

Thank you all for your prayers for this little girl of ours! Our last ultrasound showed us a beautifully HEALTHY GIRL! No signs of any abdomen abnormality.

God is so good!

We're now over the halfway mark and I'm feeling more myself--upbeat and energetic.

Dress for Shabby Apple Dare to Design contest!

Here is a guest post by my lil sis, Catherine! She has great aspirations of bringing trendy modest fashions to the mainstream. So cool! When stylish modest options aren't readily available, I know too well how easy it is to either lean toward frumpiness or immodesty.





Adelle Dress design for Shabby Apple dresses!

The dress is made of a light twill that has a large houndstooth print of a creamy olive green and slightly off-white. An off-white ribbon comes across just above the bust. It is a fitted sheath dress that hits at the knee.

The inspiration for this dress is loosely from a Jane Austen story. I see Adelle walking through knee-high grass reading her favorite romantic novel.

AMDG

Henry!

Click on the slideshow while playing to go directly to the picasa site (the pics are larger.)

No more mullet!

Click on the slideshow while playing to go directly to the picasa site (the pics are larger.)

For health and peace

Today we began a novena asking our Blessed Mother to intercede for baby's health and peace for our family in whatever outcome the anatomy ultrasound reveals. The nine days of prayer will end next Wednesday (Aug 26,) the day of the ultrasound.

We would be so grateful if you would again join your prayers with ours for this petition.

Holy Mary, you learned compassion as you witnessed with grief-stricken soul the suffering and death of your divine Son. And your compassion for us your children in our sickness and sufferings has earned for you the loving title of Health of the Sick.

Compassionate Mother, I turn to you now and beg you to pray with me for the welfare of my child. Your intercession is boundless before the throne of our Father in heaven: whatever you ask, He will grant. So speak to Him now with me on behalf of my child, who is your child too. Ask Him in His loving mercy to grant a restoration of health.

And, through the goodness of your intercession and in recognition of blessings received, may both my child and I be drawn closer to you in filial affection and trust and give ourselves in all things to a greater dedication in service to God our Father. From Fathers' Manual 1969

In case you were wondering...

A Magic Eraser will remove dry-erase marker from your piano keys when elbow grease doesn't cut it.

grrrrrr.

I'll let you know how effective it is on the walls.

I do not think it means what you think it means...

Last week, Henry and his Nana took a walk and came upon the remains of an old playhouse in the backyard (just the roof, really.)

He stopped and studied the view before saying very solemnly, "The house. fell. on the naked witch."

Nana bit her tongue until they returned to the house and we've been howling all week since. Gotta love him.

PS Any idea where he watched The Wizard of Oz???

Wordless Wednesday: Nighttime Shenanigans

Prayers!

Thank you, thank you for all your prayers over the last week.

I had a scary bleeding episode Monday evening. So preparing for the unknown, we called family and friends for prayer and practical support. Immediately your prayers started storming heaven! The grace of those hours was very evident.

The bleeding subsided about 1.5 hours after it so abruptly began, and Baby's heartbeat was strong and steady Tuesday morning. Thank You Lord!

For whatever reason, part of the placenta had detached from the uterine wall, causing the bleeding. Because there is not a particular reason for why that detachment occured and it can happen again, Baby is not entirely out of the woods.

In addition to keeping baby safely inside, please pray that the intestinal blip that the 12 week ultrasound showed is safely inside baby's belly by our next ultrasound at 18 weeks (4 weeks from now.)

So so grateful!

Here's a peek at our 12 week old gift!

Happy Name Day!

To celebrate King St Henry II, we made felt crowns a la this tutorial. Then we made a German chocolate cake and had Taters, Kraut and Sausage for dinner!

It was a wonderful way to say "thank you" to St Henry for his example and intercession for our little guy!

Please read about his life here!

PS I used the widely available synthetic felt, not 100% wool as in the tutorial.

Happy Anniversary Karl!

Thank you, my sweet, for four beautiful years and four beautiful and eternal gifts!

I love you!

Vaseline...

And how to get it out of Clare's hair!

Henry is next!
Thank you God for corn starch, naptime, and active curious children!

"Mommy" by Henry

Works for me Wednesday!

A Great thought:

My Domestic Church: Works for Me Wednesday - hospital hints

Some Great Music:

www.pandora.com

We danced away the morning with our very own "salsa genre" channel with a little variety added in--"iko iko/aicho" !!

Texas Snow

Our van was on the driveway when the hail began, and has a few dents. Karl managed to get it in the garage without getting hit by the quarter-sized rocks.

We'll see about the roof after the storm passes. At least ours is due to be replaced (in the next few years anyway...) the neighbor just had his replaced yesterday! ouch.
Just when I was getting excited about blooms on the plum tree!

Trusting God's Will

Karl and I recently learned a hard lesson in trusting in God's will.

Within a month of when we began sharing our happy news anticipating the arrival of a new baby in the Charba house--we found out that we had lost the baby to a first trimester miscarriage.

We don't know why God called Andrew Blaise back to Himself so soon after blessing us with his life, but we're trusting in His great Love and Providence.

I want to chronicle this lesson and share our experience with you and other couples who have lost their baby (but gained a saint!) But will do so in a separate blog. Please join me there for a peek at the Mass and graveside service, as well as thoughts and information about miscarriage and honoring our Littlest Saints.

Vocations

The younger of my two brothers, Elliot, wrote the following for Vocations Weekend in the Archdiocese of St Paul Minneapolis last weekend. I wanted to share his important message:

Hello, my name is Elliot Huss I am a sophomore at St. John Vianney College Seminary on the campus of University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. I just want to give a brief history of where I am from and what led me to the seminary.

I was born and raised in Coon Rapids; a parishioner of Epiphany for my whole life; I went to Epiphany grade school, Coon Rapids Middle and Coon Rapids High School. I played football and basketball in high school, I took a lot of Advanced Placement Courses, and was Class President my senior year. When it came time to decide what I was going to pursue after high school I was impressed by a Division III school that was recruiting me for football. I wasn't necessarily the ideal size at 5' 5", 135 lbs. for college football so I grasped at any chance I had of playing at the next level, even if it meant going to a Protestant school and ignoring a possible call to the priesthood. However, several things happened my senior year of high school that really made me think twice about my decision to put seminary on hold.

I started to notice that the friends I had known for so long to be good people with strong values and convictions were making poor decisions with drugs, alcohol, sex, and I really didn't know what was causing them to suddenly abandon the ideals they had held for so long. It made raise the question: Who will lead these people to a better life? Who will let them know there is something more than this valley of tears to live for? And the honest answer was that I couldn't look any further than myself:

What was I going to do to lead them to a better life?
How was I going to let them know that there is so much more to live for than this life?

I am a young man, 19, who wants to stand up for Christ and for, you, His Church. I do not know if I am to be a priest, but I know if the Lord wants me, I am ready and willing.

As it turns out I didn't have to give up my dream of college football after all, I was able to work out with the University of St. Thomas football team this past spring. Although I chose not to continue to play for St. Thomas in the fall I was able to build many relationships with the players and coaches that have created a strong bond between the seminary and the team.

I thank God daily for bringing me to the seminary and I also thank him for the good people of Epiphany. I ask that you continue to pray for me and know that I pray for you. Finally, please encourage your son, grandson, brother, or nephew, to take a good look into his own heart and ask himself:

Who will lead these people to a better life? Who will let them know there is something more than this valley of tears to live for?