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.