the gift of family.

Today, I have a heavy heart for a high school classmate’s family.  They have experienced a terrible loss, losing two daughters in 3 short years.  Both to cancer. These sisters have been reunited in heaven.   In this day and age of easy communication, I was able to follow their fight on facebook. In praying for them and their families, I came across this verse from Isaiah 41:10; "Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous hand."  These women were fighters.  They were faithful and prayerful.  They were strong.  My heart breaks for their husbands and children left behind.  My prayers for their families are for healing and God’s grace and protection over them. 

Their story prompted me to slow down and think about my own family.  It has reminded me to love my family while they are here with me.  That our time here on earth is so short.  To spend more time laughing and enjoying each others company.  To work hard to help one another and celebrate others accomplishments. 

My husband and I both grew up in pretty big families.  He has three brothers and two sisters.  I have two brothers and a sister.   

 

Most of our siblings live pretty close to us. Our children get to grow up around their Aunts and Uncles who grew up with us. We have cousins close by that we see at church, and school, and family dinners. 

My siblings know more about me than most anyone else on the planet.  They are some of the most influential people in my life.  Each of us is different from the others, but we have some very common, underlying similarities.  We have all chosen to live in the same town we grew up in.  We see each other pretty regularly at family dinners at my parents, or just drop ins at each others house.     These are the people who know the story of my life and I know the story of theirs.  When we are old, with gray hairs, sitting in rocking chairs, lamenting for the good ol’ days, we will know what those days were.  The days of sardines, climbing trees, forts in the banana trees, driving each other nuts, chasing and yelling around the house, mowing the grass, hanging out in the barn, Christmas pictures with a car (or two or eight). 

The extended Peters fleet circa 2007.

 

We are family. And I am so thankful for them. 

 

 

Easter Sunday

Easter is one of my very favorite holidays.  Well, I guess most holidays fall within my “favorite” category.  I love the traditions that go along with each holiday and enjoy my children getting more and more into each family tradition as the years pass. 

This year, instead of continuing our tradition of making resurrection cookies Saturday night, we decided to try resurrection rolls.  They are made from crescent rolls with a marshmallow wrapped inside and a little bit of cinnamon butter brushed on before putting them into the oven.  The marshmallow melted while it was baking and once anyone bit into the roll, they saw the inside was hollow.  We all agreed that these were neat, but we like the resurrection cookies better, so we will make those again next year.  But it was fun to try something new together. 

We celebrated Easter mass at the sunrise service at 6:30 at our church.  There is something so beautiful about beginning mass outside while it is still dark, processing inside with the priest and coming out of mass after the sun has risen.  It makes the day that much more special and hopeful.   



Outside church after sunrise mass.



Then it was off to brunch, home for a nap and most importantly (to my kids), over to my parents for an Easter Egg hunt.  My parents have hosted the neighborhood egg hunt since we moved here in 1988 and it has always been a good time.  As the years have passed, those of us “kids” have grown up, gotten married and brought back our own children to participate in the egg hunt.  There are many fond memories of searching for the golden egg and who could gather the most candy that was scattered along the ground. 

hanging out on the back porch after a successful hunt!

Julie, Gamma, Rob, Liz and 7 of the 11 grandkids!

My husband's mom, sister and her children were able to join us for the hunt.  What a treat to have our cousins over!  Thanks guys for hanging with us. 

We could not have asked for a more perfect day.  What a blessing to spend it with family.

Trip to Disney

As a family, we love taking trips to Walt Disney World. It is only a 2 hour drive away from home. We have even been known to put the kids in the car at 5a, take off for Orlando and get there just as the park was opening! Our monkey’s always seem to have a good time in any and all of the parks. So do my husband and I. It is magical to see Disney through the eyes of our children. A few weeks ago, we surprised the kids and took off to Orlando after school on a Thursday. It is really awesome to get to surprise them with this type of treat. Their excitement is contagious and I love listening to them form a plan for the trip.

Friday morning, as we were driving into the Magic Kingdom parking lot, the kids asked if we could go to Epcot instead and see Duffy Bear (the bear that Minnie gave to Mickey). A few years ago, we happened to be in Epcot with the older two kids when Disney was just introducing Duffy Bear. He made quite an impression on my kids. They took their Duffy paddles from country to country, getting the handles stamped by cast members from those countries and coloring the bear (with Sharpie Markers - a HUGE deal to these kiddos!). And that was what they wanted to do on this particular Friday. So, we turned around and headed over to Epcot.



Our Duffy Bears as we headed into France. 

The Epcot entrance during this year's Garden Festival.

 

The next day, we were off to the Magic Kingdom. We rode Tea Cups, Winnie the Pooh, and Astro Orbiter - it is SO cool to see the park from that vantage point! After a late lunch at the ESPN zone and 4p mass in Celebration, we headed back to the park for the nighttime parade and firework spectacular. Our monkey's were troopers that day. We were at the park until nearly midnight!

 

Meeting Mrs. and Mr. Easter Bunny inside the Magic Kingdom



 

Riding the Tea Cups with Dad.

Our last morning there, we were able to have breakfast with the characters. What a fun meal!! Goofy, Minnie and Pluto all came around to our table while we ate. I'm not sure how much the kiddos actually ate, but they sure did LOVE seeing the characters.

 

 

 

exciting afternoon

Last Wednesday, the kiddos had an early release from school.  My Mother-In-Law, Gamma, had brought her parents, Nana and Pops over for a quick visit. As they were getting ready to go, my husband called to let us know white smoke had been spotted coming from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

from ncronline.org; CNS/Reuters/Max Rossi

 
We don’t watch much TV during the week.  If he hadn’t called, I would have had no idea this event was going on until much later in the day and we would have missed this incredible opportunity with our grandparents.   
Thankfully, Nana, Pops and Gamma were able to stay and visit a while until the new Pope was introduced.  We sat around our kitchen table watching Fox News, eating a snack and waiting for the announcement.

 
I am so grateful my kids were able to watch this monumental event with their great-grandparents and their grandmother.  In my life, there have only been 3 Popes (John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis I), and only two of those have I been able to follow the news on the papal conclave and watch the announcement of the new Pope. 

 

It is an exciting time for the Catholic Church and Pope Francis I.  We are praying for him during this transition time.    

from ncronlinr.org; CNS/Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi

 

Baby in the house

Somehow, the summer and fall got away from me and I never updated the blog. So bear with me as I catch up!

A new baby is such a miraculous event. A little person joins the world and changes lives forever. I am always amazed at the perfection knit together within a woman's womb. While each of us is different from another, there is a harmony within our bodies between each system - the respiratory system bringing in the air to provide oxygen to the blood which is pumped through the circulatory system to feed the organs and muscles which allow us to move through our days - what an awesome creation! There are times I take the daily miracle of life for granted. I forget how we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) in His image. In looking at my babies on their birthday, I am reminded each of my children is a gift we received from God. My life has been exponentially blessed by those treasured gifts.

Our new baby, Louisa, arrived on May 21, 2012. She was just a little bit, 4 pounds and 13 ounces!

Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17

We are thrilled to pieces to have her here with us.  The kiddos adjusted beautifully to a new baby in the house and are soooo sweet to her, singing her songs when she cries, hurrying to get her a toy to play with and covering her with kisses and love (under the watchful eye of mom and dad!).



 
When she was just a month old, we claimed this wonderful baby for Christ at her baptism.  Many members of both sides of our family were able to attend her baptism.  We are so lucky to be surrounded by our families.  It is so awesome to have our parents and siblings active in our children's lives.

Tom, Ruby (my parents), me, Rob, MaryLynn and Rob (Rob's parents)

 

All the kiddos with their Godparents